Beneath the Surface

Humankind is naturally curious, it's undeniable. There are few things humans are absolutely certain of, but there are a few related to the lightless places.

1. No one enters the caves. They haven't for as long as anyone can remember. It's against the Rules, in every family: You don't go near the caves, much less in them.

2. Nothing lives in the caves. Underground is a dangerous place, and without light, nothing can grow. Nothing can thrive. Nothing smart, anyway. Humans are not rodents, that's for sure.

3. There are no monsters. There were rumors and fables, but they have sent drones to investigate. Sure, none of them have come back, but so what? The caves are plenty hazardous, with their unstable terrain. The drones just ran into those... right?

The darkness scares them. Since the beginning of time, they've been afraid of any place they can't see the sky. But there are always outliers. A few lack the species-wide fear of dark, enclosed spaces.

Humankind is naturally curious, after all. So maybe those few wander off, for their miscellaneous reasons. Maybe they find that darkness inviting.

Maybe they learn something they were never supposed to know.