Earth's Undercurrent

Billy hazarded a quick glance behind him and saw the molten lava flowing over the ground, devouring everything in its path. The ugly, black cloud kept pace above the lava, flashing lightning every second. Billy heard the loud booms of thunder and the crackling of trees being engulfed by the powerful swell of liquid fire. The desperate hum of his motorcycle grew louder as he tried to outrun the chaos at his back.

What the fuck is going on? Billy thought as he pushed the Harley Fatboy to its limit. The rumble of the motorcycle and the rumble of the thunder and lava behind him sent violent trembles through his body, making his teeth clack… making his hands so numb that he feared he would be unable to grip the handlebars much longer. He had to get to higher ground, and he had to get there NOW.

Billy barreled his way to Mount Mitchell, the highest elevation nearby that he could think of. The mountain loomed before him. He was almost to the section of the road that would begin his winding, uphill climb to safety. He leaned low over the handlebars and gritted his teeth as he used the last bit of boosting power the Harley had.

“Come on dammit!” he screamed into the air that whooshed against him. His shoulder length black hair flew around his head and whipped across his face as ash settled and nestled in the strands. The surface of the road looked like it was moving, slithering as if covered by thousands of coiling black snakes. The asphalt was melting. He tasted tar on his sandpaper tongue and retched. Blisters bloomed on every bit of skin that was uncovered. His face felt tight, all of the moisture in his skin having rose to the surface and evaporated. Smoke clouded his vision and hot tears streamed from his eyes. The loud booming sounds grew louder… deafening.

The smoke was now so thick that he couldn’t see in front of him. He drove blind, but he felt when the motorcycle’s front wheel hit the incline and he started to ascend. The smoke cleared. The motorcycle slowed as it climbed, but the lava also slowed. The black cloud filled with lightning kept going and passed over him now. A dark shadow fell over the mountain, and lightning struck the tall trees with deadly accuracy. The trees exploded outward from the inside, and splinters pummeled down on Billy. Large branches crashed to the road in front of him and he swerved maniacally to avoid them. His heart lurched into his throat as the tires squealed and he nearly wiped out, but he managed to steady the bike and put on a burst of speed in an attempt to outrun the lightning.

He started to panic. He could outrun the lava, but how was he supposed to escape the ominous black cloud filled with that devilish lightning?

No longer as worried about the lava now, he looked upward at the flashing cloud. It was directly above him, and he saw dark purple, gaseous material roiling inside the middle of the blackness. He tore his eyes from the monstrosity and raced onward.

When he reached the crest that indicated the last stretch of the asphalt, the motorcycle made a loud chugging noise, it’s final breath. It lurched one last time and stopped.

Billy hopped off the bike and let it fall to the ground with a clatter. Irrational as it was at a time like this, he flinched thinking about the damage he had just done to his motorcycle. It really didn’t matter with the end of the world upon him, he supposed, but it hurt him just the same. He only worried over the state of his Harley for a split second, and then he ran to the woods, trying to find shelter at the top of the mountain.

Tree branches smacked him in the face, and briers tore his arms, but Billy felt none of it. His adrenaline was high, and he ran faster than he had ever run in his life. The cloud kept pace above him, and lightning struck the ground, throwing up dirt and debris. All of the hair on his body stood up and his feet felt like they were touching an electric fence.

Billy spotted a cave through the brambles, about fifty feet ahead. The rocks that made up the cave looked like onyx. A smooth and shiny black that seemed to flicker, like a lighthouse bringing ships to safety. The sight of it sent a final burst of energy to his legs and he picked up his pace, sobbing with relief as he ran.

He dashed into the cave and was instantly surrounded by pitch black darkness. He looked behind him and couldn't see the entrance to the cave, although he had just come through it and stopped only a few feet inside.

Outside of the cave he had been drenched in sweat, so hot that he was sure his body would combust. Now, the sweat was turning to ice, the temperature change so drastic that violent jerks shook his body, and he bit his tongue, tasting blood.

It was silent… eerily silent, the sounds of the disaster outside gone.

A tiny pinprick of orange light appeared deep in the cave, and expanded, pulsing like a heartbeat. Billy took a tentative step forward and the light flared. The bright white light caused flashes to erupt behind his eyelids when he squinted his eyes shut.

Billy stopped. A deep groaning sound echoed off of the cave walls, and the light moved toward him.

Billy turned to run out of the cave, back to the desolation outside. He didn’t want that light near him. It felt wrong. Powerful. Scary.

The light was upon him before he was able to take one step.