A Slip into the Past (boyxboy)

part seven

It seemed as though I had been falling endlessly. Trapped in a quiet darkness. I was afraid of the dark, you see. Combined with the silence and lack of noise in this deep void, was a slow painful death.

This darkness hid a world of evil. I could feel it all around me, dancing to a song that produced nothing but a vile, sinister, misery.

I wanted it to all end. This suffering.

Eternity seemed to pass when I finally awoke to a blinding beam of light. Relief washed over as a broken sob bubbled in my chest when my sensitive eyes adjusted to my surroundings.

Finally... it's over.

I ignored the pain screaming through my entire body as I shifted onto my side and curled into a ball and wept like a child. Why... why was I stuck in that hell? What is going on – why am I laying on the ground?

As I searched my muddled thoughts, a familiar feeling of deep set fear engulfed me. I trembled as memories of hanging off that edge surfaced. The butterflies in my stomach dropped as I recounted falling – my own scream harrowing in my ears.

Did my friends save me? I swiveled around the cave, searching for any sign of them. I attempted to get up – it took awhile –  but I managed to get to my feet despite how much my body protested.

God, my head was killing me.

I reached a hand to the throbbing, aching pain at the back of my head as I bent over, a hand on my knee for balance as I wave of nausea washed over me. When I brought my hand forward, I grimaced at the sight of blood.

I really needed to get out of here. The more I glanced around, the more I started to panic. It felt like the entire cave was closing on me. The humid, stale air I breathed into my lungs was making it feel harder to breathe as my heart raced. It was still too dark. I needed more light.

As I straighten up, I rushed, dragging my hurting body down the rocks. Tranquility washed away my anxiety as I inhaled the fresh air when I neared the sun lit entrance.

The waterfall swishing down into the bed of water was music to my ears.

I dropped down with crossed legs and leaned against the wall with closed eyes. I had no idea what to do right now. Where to go.

Something didn't feel right here.

Everything felt off – different even.

I was lost and alone in an unknown world, it felt. So I just kept waiting. Waiting for someone to come save me. To make me feel safe again.

***

I must have fallen asleep because when I opened my groggy eyes again, the sound of voices caught my attention. I stilled as I listened closely, hearing indistinct chatter.

Are those my friends?

I pushed off the ground, dusting off the dirt on my backside as I hurried out. Only to immediately backtrack, and gluing myself to the wall. Those were definitely not my friends.

Stealthily, I peeked my head around the corner to get a better look at what was going on. There had to be about fifteen men down there. There was a odd sense of familiarity as I studied them. They were shirtless, pelts of sweat dribbled down their faces and their skin glistened in the sun.

Some were still on their horses, while others were standing next to them, holding onto their reign as they spoke quietly to one another. One man jumped off the horses saddle suddenly, leading the animal towards the water. It leaned down and drank, and the other men followed suit.