Lara Croft: Origins

Chapter VI: Dawn

Chapter VI:

     I recovered from my little incident and saw just one exit from the dark cavern. I creeped, one foot in front of the other toward the tunnel.

I was scared of what I might see in this nightmarish place but a part of me, perhaps a bigger part then I liked, wanted to know what had happened in this place. What if it was a bear's nest or another wild animal's. That would explain all the slaughtered bodies. What it wouldn't explain was the torches and the hanging bodies. I didn't think about it too much. I couldn't let it mess with my head.

     Down the tunnel were more torches and bodies. After a few minutes before me lay a fork in the road. One led to well God knows where but the other... the other one led to an OPENING. God, I was so ecstatic to leave this damned place. I began running towards the sun's light. Wait, the sun was out. Had I been passed out the whole night? Had the others moved on by now? Did they stop looking for me, assumed I was dead?

     I ran toward the crack in the wall; as I approached it when I felt a searing pain in my leg. I crumpled to the floor as I felt hands grab me by the shoulders. I was on my knees as I turned around to see what it was that was grabbing me.

     A man covered in soot and ragged clothes was grabbing me and hitting me. I stood, grabbed him by the shoulders and showed him what for with a punch to the face. He hesitated but I didn't wait for him to recover. I turned back to the crack in the wall to get away from this psycho. I pushed through to freedom but the man recovered and was holding on to me, dragging me down as I tried to escape. The opening trembled. I had to move. I just couldn't fit, and a grown maniac wasn't helping my cause either. Pebbles were falling now; my belly scraping painfully through the walls jagged edges.

     The dawn of day and beautiful morning sun called out to me. Come on Lara! I gave one final push and I fell out of the cave on my stomach as the walls behind me caved in on the mans head leaving it at horrible angle and making a definitive crunch. I was gasping for air now, hyperventilating. I didn't know what to do. I just killed someone. Tears swam down like they were professional swimmers.

     I held my stomach where flesh had been scraped off. Where it'd been burned. My knee still hurt where'd the man had kicked me. I took a second glance at him, or what was now left of him. It scared me to see someone like that. What was he doing here? How long had he been here? Why did he try to hurt me? There too many freaking answers and not enough answers. I wanted an expedition and this is what it got me. I'd told everyone this was where the island had been. God, I hated being right.

     Objectives, I thought to myself, objectives, Lara, what's next? My to-do list was pretty simple and easier said than done obviously. Because it wouldn't be a freak accident without difficult missions, right? 1. Find Sam, 2. Find the others, 3. Find out what the hell was going on, 4. Find a way off this island and lastly 5. Expose this place.

     Easy? Probably not so much. But it gave me something to work with.

      I was on a cliff where behind me was the caved in cave (ha funny), to my right and front was a steep drop off down a mountain taller than I was comfortable with. There were other mountains around. Not like pretend little hills. No they were huge towering mountains, with vast lush jungles off they're sides and in the valley's between them. The island kinda reminded me of Costa Rica or something off of Jurassic Park. My father took me to Costa Rica one time. Birds were chirping about and tourists laughing and taking pictures. Now the trees were dead silent and no person was in sight for miles around.

     To my left was a ledge leading further into the island along the mountainside. I walked toward the ledge then shimmied along, trying not to look down. My heart hadn't taken a break from working double time since I woke up in that cave. The ledge led to another wider cliff edge about 30 feet from a second mountain ledge to the right. It was the only way for me to go and the path seemed recently used.

     It hit me that someone had knocked me out on the beach last night, carried me into the cave and hung me from the ceiling probably to die! That was messed up not like the way people use the word all the time no, this was different, it was wicked.

     I reminded myself not to dwell on it too much. Oh and by the way, naturally, there was an airplane wreckage serving as a bridge between the two mountainsides. It seemed old maybe 30 years old. One airplane wing missing from the plane's body lay at the bottom of the ravine, about 200 feet down.

     The plane was relatively small compared to commercial airliners. Perhaps it was a private jet? I couldn't get to the top of the plane to cross, although that would be so convenient. The plane's walls and flier were mostly eroded away, leaving only the metal frames. Maybe I could climb across using them? Not a happy thought. I was terrified of heights and I only did rock climbing for fun... And with a harness.

     To my dismay, there was no other route and no other options. I braced myself. Took several deep breaths. Breathe, not that hard right? I couldn't help thinking that have died, what? 6 times now? This would be my seventh possibility of dying? I was pushing my odds. I didn't see another choice. I prayed my luck wouldn't run out.

     I scanned the plane's walls like an architectural engineer scanning for damages and design problems. Wings? Missing. Engine? Dead. Cockpit? Wait hold up. A plane has a radio right? Maybe I could call in help! My heart for the first time today was beating with excitement, not fear.

     I scooted toward the plane's rear side and took a nervous step toward the plane's metal frame. My small hands wrapping around the steel bars. I inched my way toward the front of the plane. I looked down. Mistake. My balance wavered, my heard skipped a beat. Falling to my death wasn't on today's to-do list nor will it ever be.

     After convincing myself to move on I pushed on. After about five minutes I had reached the middle of the aircraft. Almost there. The plane creaked in complaint of my weight. I was a skinny girl but for this plane I was heavy enough. I pushed the thought aside.

It occurred to me I might have the best view on this island. I swung around so I wasn't facing the plane anymore but instead facing the ocean. I was at the point where two mountains met. Below me, a vast valley of trees. And farther off in the distance than I wanted it to be, the ocean and and the sun making the water sparkle. The water was fairly clear. I could see the outline of the Endurance, our ship, in two pieces at the bottom of the South China Sea. Beyond that point the water was too dark but I was sure more ships made up a ship graveyard down there. The sun shined malevolently. It seemed so beautiful but devoid of any beauty like and evil queen. I'd never seen it so... Well I wasn't sure what it was exactly but I had a feeling if the world was a book, the word "sun" was in bold letters. Now more than ever.

It was a strange sensation to see everything stand out in such bright, pretty colors. I guess you could say I kinda got the feels. My heart slowed down a little. Something dawned on me. I learned to love something new.

Dawn.