Dell's Journey

Part III: Chapter 26: In The Tunnels

 "It feels so weird!" said Monster.

"What does?" Dell asked.

"It's just been so long since I even thought about

opening this whole thing up again. In a way, I guess I

always knew I would, but now that it's happening, it's –

it's really weird. I think I'm shaking!"

"Yeah. I think you are a little," said Dell,

chuckling, "look at your shoulders. They're going crazy!"

He paused and became serious: "Monster, I'm scared

too. I'm trying to play it cool, but, you know."

"Let's get on then," the Monster said.

"Lanterns: lit. Rope: check. Food: check. Weapons:

well, these knives will have to do!" (Here he motioned to

the kitchen knives they had both secured for protection on

their mission.)

"Monster...yep, here he is: check." With the final

"check," Dell clapped Monster on the back in an effort to

fill them both with a measure of bravery.

Monster took his key and fitted it into the old lock.

He turned it and took hold of the handle. They both took a

deep breath and held it unconsciously. The door creaked

open and a musty breath of stale air met their nostrils.

The lanterns lit up about 15 feet ahead of them and offered

them a view of jagged rock walls and ceilings. The tunnel

was about seven feet high and Dell could reach the top with

his outstretched hand.

"Well," said Dell.

"Well," said Monster.

They left the afternoon light of the house, the

remains of their lunch, the sounds of the pleasant summer

forest, and their feelings of personal safety behind them

as they marched forward, slowly yet steadily, with lanterns

out in front of them and free hands at ready for what might

come. The tunnel stretched on and on for many minutes.

The two barely spoke. Everything looked pretty much the

same as they marched: charcoal-grey rock walls, pebbles

strewn about, and the darkness coming at them and

disappearing behind as they traveled on. Every now and

then, Dell or Monster took a bad step and had to catch

themselves clumsily or grab at a wall for steadying. All

in all, it was about what they had expected.

Dell thought about his fear. Was he really afraid of

a tunnel-beast? No. If a terrible claw suddenly reached

out and snatched Monster away, he felt his first reaction

would be surprise.

"Maybe it's because I've never experienced something

grand and terrible. My life goes on as it always does. I

don't get eaten, I don't lose limbs. I don't have to kill

predators or run away from them. Nothing that bad ever

happens to me."

He thought that maybe this was why he wasn't really

afraid now.

Maybe this was why people in wars managed to survive

without going straight into panic. Maybe they just

couldn't believe any of it was really happening. Maybe

everything was so surreal that they just took it as it

came.

The trip was far worse for Monster. He had lived a

terrible experience where his friend told him off and then

walked into oblivion. He had dealt with the anguish of

that day for years. He had felt the impact of Gradient's

words as they cut into his carefully constructed identity,

and he suffered under the guilt of his own inability to

stop him from leaving. He was too careful. He had always

been afraid.

Meter after meter the tunnel went on. It was

difficult to tell how long they had been walking, but the

candles inside their lanterns were burning low when Monster

said,

"Shall we have a rest then?"

They halted and set down their lights and Dell un

shouldered his pack. Snacks were shared, water was drunk

from canteens. Both parties wondered if they'd

accomplished anything.