Devil's Attic

Chapter Eight

The path ahead was treacherous, and even with the torches providing more light, the ground remained damp and slippery, causing them to slip more than once. The group was exhausted, and the cold crept into their bones, making matters worse. Hunger added to their torment, and the oppressive rock face they walked along only worsened their mood. No one spoke, and the silence was deafening.

After half an hour, Jonathan suddenly stopped, right next to a wider passage in the rock. He shone his flashlight and torch into it, but the tunnel remained shrouded in darkness. A brief exchange of glances with his friends confirmed their unspoken agreement. Slowly, Jonathan ventured into the tunnel, feeling the constriction of being trapped within the rock. He hoped for a way out, but to his dismay, they soon reached a wall where the tunnel split into two directions. Indecisive, they came to a halt.

While Kevin and Paul suggested the left, the remaining three members of the group voiced their preference for the right tunnel. After a brief discussion, Kevin and Paul agreed, and the group proceeded down the tunnel to the right. The air grew noticeably cooler, and a thin layer of moisture settled on their clothes, creating a damp film.

Doubts began to creep into Jonathan's mind as he questioned their decision, but suddenly, a faint noise reached his ears, gradually growing louder. "There must be a river," he exclaimed, picking up his pace. After a few minutes, the corridor widened, revealing a vast and expansive cave. A wide river rushed through it, just four feet away from them, its powerful current creating a deafening roar filling the silence that had enveloped them in the past few days. "Perhaps the river leads to the outside," Jonathan shouted, his voice barely audible over the thunderous noise.

Henry sighed and gestured ahead, and Jonathan followed his gaze. Just a few feet further, the path narrowed until it came to a complete end. Jonathan's hope sank, and he felt his shoulders droop in disappointment. However, on the other side of the river, the path continued, but crossing it seemed impossible. The river flowed too fast and was too wide to traverse. "We'll have to turn around and take the other way," Jonathan said, pointing back. Reluctantly, they retraced their steps and headed back.

As they reached the intersection once again, they continued straight ahead, and this time the tunnel seemed to stretch on endlessly. After several twists and turns, they arrived at another cave. Although smaller than the previous one, it was still filled with stalagmites and lakes.

Jonathan felt the air grow even colder, wondering if it was just his fatigue or if the temperature had actually dropped. Suddenly, Paul exclaimed, "I can't take it anymore!" Jonathan turned around to see Paul's flushed cheeks.

Nodding in agreement, Jonathan let his flashlight beam wander through the cave. "Look, there seems to be a ledge up there. Maybe we can rest there for a few hours," he suggested, pointing ahead. The group made their way between two lakes, and Jonathan took a sharp breath when he discovered that these lakes were also filled with skulls, but they were larger. Much larger.

"Shit, they must have been giants," Henry exclaimed and held his torch over the lake to his right. "Look at this. The skulls are... at least twice the size of normal human skulls."

No one needed to say a word; their thoughts were in unanimous agreement. Jonathan examined the skulls more closely. Unlike those in the previous cave, these skulls were arranged with some distance between them. Henry's observation was correct—they were larger, but also more elongated.

Eden's question sent shivers down Jonathan's spine, as the mere thought of it made his stomach churn, "Were they, perhaps... children in the other cave?"

Kevin immediately denied her theory. "No, the skulls were about our size. They weren't children."

Eden's despair was palpable as she considered the implications. "What if the people were bigger? The table, the chair, and now here the skulls."