Chapter 1: Story #1: Darker Still

My lantern began to flicker, allowing the blackness of the deep cave I had entered.  What began as a walk on a long, but familiar, path with my dog became quickly out of my control.  We had been walking our usual route when we happened upon an unfamiliar cave entrance I had not seen before.  Before I could even begin to investigate, my dog bolted in barking ferociously. His howls pierced the air and even echoed into the cave.  I ran after him without the thought of a deeply wooded forest, teaming with very obvious wildlife, all remaining silent so sudden. 

 

I entered the cave's mouth after pulling out my lantern. It had been some time since I had recharged in but it was still able to emit enough light to guide the way in.  I rushed as fast as I dared after my companion but he always seemed to be just out of my sight. His barks bounced off the walls making him seem to come from every direction disorienting my sense of direction. Suddenly I heard nothing.  The silence deafening. My blood ran cold, freezing me in place.  I ran deeper into the welcoming darkness, my heavy breath being the only sound that now echoed throughout its chasm.  My feet slipped on the uneven terrain causing my to fall to the ground.  The steepness of the floor sent me hurdling deeper down still at an uncontrolled rate.  My fall was cut short by a sudden stop, my lantern falling a little ways in front of me.  I crawled to it and clung to it.  Fear had almost taken me, my friend being the only thing keeping me from ignoring my instinctual senses. I took in my surroundings and became bewildered by the findings. I had landed on a path. Standing proved to be difficult as my leg was almost surely fractured if not broken. Closing my eyes listening into the depths for my dog. Nothing meets my ears but rushing blood. Looking in no certain direction I begin walking towards what can only be assumed is the correct direction. 

The walk feels longer than it should. My lamp begins to fade ever so slowly but still I tread on down the path.  The journey temporarily stops as new and increasingly strange findings occur.  An arch stood before me, seemingly naturally made out of stone with the path leading underneath. I walk underneath continuing my search. Almost instantly, I hear the faintest of whimpering ahead around a corner. I rush ahead as fast as my broken body would let me, holding out my lantern ahead of me. I turn the corner to see a small opening, my dog sitting five paces ahead facing away from me with his head down . His whimpers continue. I call him and the whimpers stop. My lantern barely shining, beginning to flicker, shows my breath from the sudden drop in temperature. My dog stands.  Two legs. Arms by his sides. He looks up and turns to face me. His eyes aren’t his. His teeth are human teeth. His skin is wrong, as if it was a poorly done taxidermy. Stitched together with no seam. That was not my dog. 

Every nerve in my body told me to do one thing.  And as if that thing could read my mind. It spoke one clear word right after my lantern flickered out and died.

“Run.”

 

END OF STORY

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