Descent (Part 2)

Click here for Alexander McEvoy's Part 1.

***

I hopped a few times, shaking my arms out. The feeling subsided, though Sasha eyed me, wordlessly asking if I was okay. I shrugged, and continued to follow the group, looking around all the while.

Minutes stretched into half an hour, the darkness seeming to grow more cannibalistic with each lamp we passed. I began to notice little collections of pebbles along the walkway. It looked like someone had swept them with a long broom into a parallel line against the walls of the temple.

Something has to give, I thought, studying the foundation.

Sasha gabbed incessantly beside me.

God, this place reeks of damp.

I can’t believe we weren’t given flashlights; do you think Sage has some?

Ugh, it’s going to suck coming back out into the heat.

I only half-listened, giving general comments when she stopped for breath. The weird thing was that the numerous, multi-tonne pillars continued to catch my eye. Looking around at the rest of the group, nobody else seemed to notice them.

Most were pitted and warped. Others stretched so far upwards that I feared that there may not actually be a ceiling. In the dim cavern, the carvings seemed to be more deeply etched the further we trekked. I supposed shadows had that effect. It was getting darker.

“Did the limestone feel funny when you touched the pillar?” I asked Sasha after a time.

She stopped mid-complaint—something about people falling behind “in the damned iceberg group, no less”—and stared at me. “How do you know that?”

“The limestone has been dissolving and I’m nervous it might—wait, why?” I looked at her closer. “What’s wrong?”

Sasha fidgeted, moving her hand to her pocket. “It’s nothing. Just some irritation.”

“From the pillar?”

“I–I think so.” Sasha shuffled away from me, seemingly wanting to catch up with Mr. Sage.

“Here, let me pour some water on it,” I said, pulling out my bottle.

Sasha held out her hand, palm down. Weird. She’d touched her palm to the pillar. I saw that stray hair on the back of her hand again, and moved to brush it off, but Sasha reached across me for the bottle. “I’ll do it.”

I watched as she tipped a small trickle onto her hand. But she gasped. “Oh, that burns!”

“How bad?” I grabbed at her arm, but she batted me away.

“It’s okay, it’s fading.”

I stared at her hand again, jaw hanging open. “What the hell is that?" I said. Loudly. “Oh my God!”

Tiny, intricate lines wriggled just below her skin, matching the type of carvings from the pillars around us. They were a deep black, reminiscent of a tattoo, but alive, catching the light and changing patterns.

Sasha snatched her hand back into her pocket.

“Girls, we’re about to descend. Keep up, keep up!” Mr. Sage called to us from across the cavern, gesturing that we follow.

“Uh–Coming!” I hollered, and the two of us picked our way over.

“Amy, please don’t tell anyone about my hand,” Sasha whispered. “I shouldn’t have touched that stupid pillar. I don't want to leave.”

“Sash, did you see them move? It could be a parasite or…or—”

“Or what?” she looked terrified.

Or some kind of paranormal creature, I thought. “I don’t know. You need to show it to Mr. Sage.”

“No!” she whispered. “They'd kick me out.” Something about her tone bothered me. Why doesn't she want to leave?

“Are you sure you’re okay?” I asked.

“I’m fine.”

I looked at her, eyes narrowed. She didn't meet my gaze.

“Alright,” I said.

We reached the stairs. Mr. Sage leaned heavily on his cane. “Follow the others, girls,” he said. “The staircase wraps around, but goes only one direction, ha ha.” He gestured with the stick, steadying himself with a hand on the wall. “I’ll follow you.”

I eyed Sasha. She just shrugged and jammed her fist into her pocket.

“Sounds fun.”

I saw distant shadows on the walls as we made our way down, comforted that we'd meet the rest of the group at the bottom. It felt good to finally not be surrounded by those pillars.

Read the next chapter! Part 3           

***

Make sure you check out Donna's Community Challenge here. And may the story continue! 🍻