"Because brothers don't let each other wander in the dark alone." ― Jolene Perry, My Heart for Yours
"C'mon! I'm dyin' from boredom here!″
Daniel had spent the last few hours trying to persuade his unadventurous twin to go cave exploring. They'd been wandering around the area around the grotto, and Daniel was utterly bored. Nothing exciting. His mother had gone on about the beauty of the area. "Paradise" was the word she'd used. But unless you're into trees and rocks, nothing to really experience. Yes, it was beautiful, but dull for the restless teenage boy mind.
The beauty wasn't really present, since some of the leaves and shrubs surrounding the cave seemed to be tinted a faded brown.
"C'mon, man!" Daniel pleads as he attempts to skip a pebble along the water, but instead it sinks down, causing ripples to form across the stillness of the surface. "I'm bored as shit out here." He kicks a stray boot out his way as he circles the water's soggy edge.
"What's that?" Carter asks.
"Some dude lost his boot. Now, c'mon let's go!" Daniel replies, beckoning him to the cave's entrance. A subtle breeze gently starts, cutting through the treetops, fresh leaves from their branches breaking loose and fluttering down to float atop the water.
"I told ya' I'm not gonna go in there. There could be bats!" Carter runs a frantic hand through his matted dark hair. Daniel turns and scoffs as he tosses a pebble at his brother.
"Dad said they don't have 'em here stupid!"
"Yeah, well there could be somethin' worse," Carter replies. "I ain't goin.' I mean look, it's gettin' dark soon!" he extends his left arm out towards the pale blue and pink skyline. "We couldn't see anything, anyway."
"Got this," Daniel presents a lighter printed with tiny skulls from his back jeans' pocket, the only one his parents managed not to confiscate. He bends down to pick up a small stray branch. "And this. We'll see just fine." He sets the sparse leaves at the top of the limb aflame, reflecting the silver lettering of his Megadeth t-shirt.
Carter jumps back, as the flames grow in intensity, almost lapping at him.
"Whoa, dude! You tryin' to start a fire? Fuck."
"Come on! There's probably some cool shit in there! Don't be a pussy," he pauses. "The plan is, we just go in half-way and look around, that's all. Nothin' to worry about."
Carter's apprehensive demeanor dissolves into a more neutral one and he straightens up nodding.
"Okay, man." he chirps. The sudden, unexpected change in his attitude elicits a skeptical look from his twin.
"You sure now?" he asks, not trusting that this isn't a ruse.
"Yeah, let's go."
The boys head in the direction of the entrance, even Daniel seems to hesitate as they step inside, skipping along the stones, the newborn flames from the torch illuminate the cavern, revealing large stalagmites along the swampy ground, some much taller than the the boys' themselves. The inside wasn't without it's beauty; bright glass-like emerald minerals had formed along the roof.
"We're like Indiana Jones." Daniel declares.
"Yeah, right." Carter rolls his eyes.
As they venture farther in, Daniel's enthusiasm dampens. "I dunno man, this don't look too special. I was expectin' maybe somethin' more weirder."
Loud dripping, insects buzzing and the boys' footsteps along the mushy dirt are the only sounds to be heard as they journey deeper in. The stagnant odor of decay is so strong, Carter yanks his shirt up over his button nose.
YOU ARE READING
Reverie
Mystery / Thriller"The Losers Club had driven It from the personal gaming reserve It had made. Now, it was time for It to make a new one. Just as It had to create a new physical form after Its other was destroyed by those hated ones. And It wants no more to feel. No...
