Ethereal

Chapter 5 - Friends

Sock was waiting for me when I went back the next day.

After the whole deal the day before, he asked me if I would come back the next day. I said I would, because a) I'm not a jerk and b) I was actually starting to like the guy. He told me to come around 11 a.m., after both of his parents and my mom left.

When he spotted me, he grinned and waved like the optimistic person he is. In return, I tried for a smile and was surprised when it actually worked. I gave an awkward wave. More like I threw my hand up for an instant and then let it drop back to my side. I wasn't used to this.

As soon as I reached Sock, he asked, "Want to go somewhere?"

"Uh, sure," I said. His grin - if possible - got wider, and he grabbed my hand. I blushed. Thankfully, he didn't see it, because he was leading me deeper into the forest.

We travelled along a worn trail, one that I was surprised I never noticed. Above and around us, the trees and vines grew together to form a huge, natural wall. The sunlight shining through the leaves cast a greenish look over the rest of the world.

I watched as a small snake flicked it's tongue at me and jerked it's head away from my foot. I looked over my shoulder as we passed it; I'd really never been that close to a snake before. I turned back.

We'd barely gotten on the trail when the trees once again thinned and opened up. We were on the edge of a small cliff.

I peered over the edge. The creek was huge and deep looking here; the normally crystal clear water now a dark shade of greenish brown.

However, Sock didn't stop there. He confidently led me over the edge of the cliff and onto another, smaller trail dug into the rock and mud. I panicked for a minute. What if I fell? Worse, what if he fell?

"Uh, are you sure this is safe?" I asked, stopping.

"Uh-huh. Done it a hundred times."

I wasn't exactly convinced.

I felt like a mountain goat, edging my way along the path. Every second, I thought I was going to slip up. Every time I accidently kicked a rock, my heart skipped a beat. Once I realized I was in no immediate danger, I would blink after the cursed pebble as it tumbled down into the water.

When a couple seconds passed and neither if us had even come close to falling, I relaxed. Maybe this was safer than it looked.

Finally, Sock stepped forward and vanished. I was confused; I was pressed up against the rock and I couldn't see the cave. Then I took another step down, and the space opened up in front of me. I almost fell forward. I would have, if Sock wasn't there to catch me.

I nodded and mumbled, "Thanks," while I brushed imaginary dirt off myself.

"You're welcome." Sock grinned at me, and I turned toward the opening of the cave in an effort to hide my face. I felt cool wind brush up against me. We were about five feet from the water, but it wasn't moving fast enough to spray us at this height.

"Is something wrong?"

"Huh?" I turned to see him looking up at me. "What do you mean?"

"You're face is all red," Sock said.

"Oh, uh," I stopped, scrambling for an excuse. "It's just the air. It's cold."

"Oh. Well, come back further. It's warmer."

He turned and walked off. I couldn't tell how far back the cave went; it was too dark. Before Sock was eaten by the blackness, I started after him.

My steps echoed as I walked. I couldn't tell where we were going. Everything was black except for the light at the opening, and even that was getting farther away. Without warning, we took a turn, and it vanished completely.

The only thing I had to follow was the light brush of rock against my fingertips and Sock's footsteps up ahead of me.

"How do you know where you're going?" I asked.

"Oh, I've been down here before. A lot of times, actually."

"Makes sense," I said.

                                     ~

We wound through that tunnel for another half-hour before Sock finally stopped.

"Finally," I muttered. "Is this the end?"

"Nope," Sock said cheerfully. Then his voice lost it's usual tone and was replaced with - fear? "But it's far as I want to go. If you go any further, the path starts down, and this hot wind blows out of it. Other things, too. I feel like it's a pathway to hell."

I was close enough to feel Sock shivering.

I stepped up beside him and put an arm around his shoulders. He leaned into me, shaking. I wondered what was further along the path to make him feel like this. He was so...happy. How could a tunnel change that?

I suddenly had the urge to storm ahead and kick it's ass.

Well, it might not be something physical, myself reminded me.

That was true.

I looked into the darkness, squinting. I had a huge amount of emotions flurrying through me; confusion, curiosity, fear, anger. I wanted to find out what was down there.

But at the same time, I didn't.

                                     ~