Eden

1

This is my first piece of writing that I've shared and is completely original. Please give me some reviews so I can improve! I'm thinking of doing some art to go with this too. Happy reading!

A deafening, metallic screeching ripped through the air.
Her eyes snapped open and she propelled herself forward in shock, colliding with something dark. She could taste metal and blood.
The girl peered desperately through the darkness around her; her head was spinning, and she blinked as her eyes began to focus. Her breathing became ragged as she struggled to comprehend where she was. Was she dead? Dying? She patted herself down and, upon finding herself intact, began to gather her thoughts.

Minutes passed.

The soft sound of dripping water echoed around her as the girl tried to figure out how she ended up in this situation. What was the last thing she remembered? Her mind flatlined as she tried to scrape together her memories. Nothing. She began to panic. Where did she come from? Who were her parents? What did she look like? She couldn't even remember her name.
She scrambled around in the darkness, searching desperately for some sort of clue that might shed light on... anything.
Her fingers found metal all around her and nothing more. She daren't move for fear of what might be hidden in the dark. Instead, the girl retreated into herself, pulling her knees up against her chest. She focused on her breathing, taking long, drawn-out breaths in an attempt to calm herself. She focused on the dripping, and waited until her heartbeat slowed enough to match it. She focused on the darkness.

Finally, the girl scraped together enough courage to move around. She crawled along the icy floor, her hands shaking as she felt her way forward. Her knees were bare, and they ached as she pressed them against the metal. Her fingernails found something, and she drew her hand back sharply in alarm. She took a breath to calm herself and reached out once more.
It was a wall.
The wall matched the metal of the floor, and the girl allowed herself to follow it upwards, standing slowly. She edged forwards, following the wall to wherever it lead. Perhaps she was going backwards, or towards something lurking in the dark; she had no way of knowing. But still she crept along, pressing herself against the wall and shuffling her feet out in front of her before each step.

Hours must have gone by.

Suddenly, the terrain changed. The girl's feet found a rocky floor, and she reached her hands along the wall, feeling the metal sink into rock. She hesitated. Was this progress? She had come too far to turn back. She drew in a quivering breath and continued on. A breeze brushed her cheek and her heart rose with the thought of finding a way out. The girl allowed herself to speed up, snagging her fragile toes on the uneven floor. Her feet stung. She continued on.
Gradually, the darkness began to subside, and she could make out the reflection of a dim light on the wet floor. It must have been night outside. The breeze grew stronger. It was warm and sweet, and she welcomed it. Faint shapes swayed in front of her; trees? Was this the way out? The girl abandoned the wall and ran, tripping over her weak legs as she stumbled outside onto the grass. She was bathed in moonlight that snuck through the branches of trees that bowed and bent in the wind.

With a pang of realisation, the girl became aware that she was now vulnerable. She scampered back into the cave behind her, not daring to go more than a few meters in. The night cloaked the thick forest of trees around her, hiding anything beyond in a blanket of darkness. She shivered. She would wait until morning. Her muscles ached as she prepared herself for the long night ahead.