Lykaon

Chapter 3: Silence and Then...

I could hear footsteps. Light yet not silent for the steps slightly echoed as they fell.

The square-shaped corridor ahead of me was dark and my eyes had only just adjusted to the blackness. It didn't help much for there was no source of illumination. I took a glance backward to see if anyone was approaching from that direction; not as far as I could tell. I was only a few hundred feet from the entrance but I could not leave until I attained what I had come for.

But as the footsteps indicated, I was not alone.

I was ready for a fight, certain that this would be in and out and I'd be done with it. But I was still wary, for overconfidence could be my downfall.

My entrance into the tunnel had been silent and unseen, as far as I knew. Not entirely sure where the item I had come for was, I continued to progress slowly down the hall. I had passed several doorways already but I could not yet sense the presence of the item. Must be further below.

As I cautiously kept walking, something began to happen. It was subtle at first but the corridor began to shrink. The rate of which it was enclosing began to increase. In a matter of seconds the ceiling was only inches above my head and the walls touching my arms. I turned around to run back but the same thing was happening behind. I put my arms above my head to try and hold the roof up but it was of no use, the weight overwhelmed me. I could feel my bones being crushed beneath the weight, the sound of them cracking was horrible. I screamed out in agony but before the sound had time to escape my mouth, I was standing once again.

The tunnel was back to it's original size but more importantly I was still alive. What just happened? I looked forward and backward to make sure the same thing wasn't happening again. I looked ahead once more, but there was something different. A piece of paper lay a few feet in front of me on the floor. I stepped forward then knelt down to pick it up. It was tattered as if it had seen a lot of trauma but I was sure it had not been there a moment before. In rather crude handwriting were written five words that sent chills down my spine, 'You're going to die here.'

*****

Silence.

I had not heard a single sound of wild life since we had entered the forest. Not the chirp of the birds or the sound of water trickling down a stream. Even the wind was absent here. The only sound was that of branches breaking beneath our feet as we walked.

The evergreen trees were even larger than I had thought when I had seen the forest from a distance. They stretched hundreds of yards into the air, as if the tops could reach the clouds. Even five men together could not reach around the trunks. I had never seen a place like this.

The forest was sparse so far but it did not help us see ahead for the trees limbs blotted out most of the sunlight. The undergrowth was minimal and I was hoping it would stay that way as we progressed. No trail had been blazed through Erebus, and I had yet to find out why few travelers came through here. It seemed like a better route; more direct and not a difficult journey. I only prayed that that was the case and Jai had been right about this place.

I glanced over at Jai who didn't have a single hint of worry on his face. I wondered how it must feel to be so carefree; I had forgotten a long time ago. He surprisingly hadn't said much since we had stepped beneath the trees, probably due to the fact he was so awestruck. I had not yet told him that as soon as he showed me around the city I would be sending him back to his uncle. He deserved to enjoy his time of freedom while it lasted.

"How many miles is it to the other side, Jai?" I asked inquisitively, realizing I probably should've asked before.

Jai didn't pay attention to what I was saying and continued to observe the forest.