Memory of AUSOS

S1| Ep17: Maze of Dreams

The tunnels were damp and dark. Hadil took one step after another, shivering, right hand pressed against the rocky wall so that she wouldn’t lose her way.

Her brother was waiting for her. She had to hurry. She’d kick his ass once she found him though, the big fat jerk. What was he thinking, leaving her here like this?

Or maybe she’d tell on him to the aunties. They’d ground him for at least a month, for sure! Then he’d be stuck in the village, bored out of his mind, unable to go exploring in weird places like this. Would serve him right.

Then again, kicking his ass would be more fun, but he’d probably just laugh it off and kick her ass right back. “Big brother’s privilege,” he’d call it, before tackling her to the ground and tickling her mercilessly until she could no longer breathe.

Jerk.

Why’d he always have to pick on her, anyway? He seemed to think everyone got bored as easily as he did. Always forcing her to tag along with him whenever they were done with chores, even though they weren’t supposed to wander too far from home and the mountains were off-limits. But did he ever listen to her? Noooo. She couldn’t wait until the little ones were old enough for him to bother instead. She’d much rather tinker around with stuff at home with Ma. That was loads more interesting than his boring caves.

Because you’re my favorite sister.

She supposed that made sense.

I’m your only sister, she thought crossly, and wondered just how much longer she had to go.

Though come to think of it, just how long had she been in here? Seemed like ages. What had she been doing before?

Another, stranger thought trickled through her mind -- something about some other girl? -- but it was gone before she could grasp onto it.

Nothing to do but keep walking forward.

Something white flashed in the corner of her eye. She whirled around, hand still clenched against the wall. Glimpsed a patch of scales.

Scales?

Just her imagination, probably.

And the wall hadn’t just moved under her hand, no way. Walls didn’t move. Except during earthquakes or typhoons. And then they didn’t move like that... All squishy and soft and stuff.

Why was she looking for her brother anyway? After all, he was...

A soft hiss echoed through the tunnel.

She opened her mouth. Hey, Ah-ni --

How odd. She seemed to have no voice. Or maybe she had no mouth? She touched her lips with her free hand. Or at least tried to. But she couldn’t seem to reach her face.

Then something skittered across the back of her other hand. She yelped. Snatched it away. Only to find herself falling, falling, falling, with furry things flitting against her skin and slimy walls closing in around her...

Light blinded her.

Sight returned. She saw a vast pulsing chamber: half-digested corpses strewn about the slick red floor, a mountain of grinning skulls piled neatly at the center. And legs. Tiny furry black legs marching through the empty spaces.

A single brown hand thrust out from the heaving mass, reaching for a single silvery thread dangling from above.

She knew how this story ended.

She could watch no longer.

* * *

Hadil woke with a lump in her throat, her eyes caked over, and her heart throbbing painfully in her chest. She sat up and wiped at her face.