To quickly recap: Friends Eve and Sara were rock climbing and stumbled across a large cave with primitive drawings on its walls. A rock slide traps them inside. Having little choice, they go deeper into the cave, hoping to find another exit. The cave system seems to be a mixture of natural and man-made and the further into it they go, the stranger Eve starts acting. Just as Sara thinks they’re getting close to a way out, Eve shoves her off of a ledge into a chasm. Now they must each find their way. But there's something else going on as well . . .
Sara paused to take a rest. She was taking them more and more often, and every time she did it got harder to get up again.
Hunger was a dull ache inside her, an ache that rivalled the ache in her leg. She didn’t even want to think about her leg. It was enough she knew it was swollen with infection, and she was pretty sure she was running a fever.
Her thoughts drifted to Eve, and what might be happening with her. And then her thoughts just drifted away.
Sara jerked awake. How long had she slept this time? Given that she was feeling rather refreshed, it must have been a lengthy rest. A smart person would get moving while they had the energy to do so, but for some reason she lingered.
Raising her light, she checked the level of the water. It had peaked hours ago and, if she was not mistaken, it was beginning to recede.
The light flickered, then steadied again. It occurred to her that this artificial light wasn’t meant to last forever. What would happen when the battery finally ran out? She’d be left in darkness, that’s what. She stared down at the turbulent water, mesmerized. If it was receding, then it had to be going somewhere.
Sara sat back again. The way she saw it, she had two paths before her. She could keep following the ledge and hope she came to a way out before she starved to death, or she could take a swim and hope the water was draining through a way to the outside. Not great choices.
Have faith, the watcher whispered, although not loud enough for her to hear. This is your last challenge.
Sara took a large drink of water, trying to placate her empty stomach. It wasn’t fooled, but the hunger pangs did ease up a bit.
Follow the ledge, or take to the river? One thing for certain, she couldn’t just stay here indefinitely.
The ledge was probably safer, but there was no guarantee there wouldn’t be a gap in it too wide to cross, or that it might peter out altogether.
Glancing down at the water, she tried to gauge how fast it was moving. Certainly faster than she could hobble with her bad leg. She was a strong swimmer, although probably not so much in her weakened state.
Still . . . she could probably manage to stay afloat and let the current do all of the work.
Her light flickered again and she felt a chill of fear. How much worse would it be to be trapped here in the dark? The battery couldn’t last forever, it was a miracle it had lasted this long.
The thought of a quick resolution, one way or another, had a definite appeal. As for the light, she’d paid extra for it to be waterproof, she could take it with her.
She had to trust she was doing the right thing. Staring down at the water, she couldn’t hold back a shiver though. Closing her eyes briefly, she firmed her resolve and turned away to divest herself of anything that might weigh her down. The knapsack was a no-brainer.
All it held at this point were the three water bottles. Next, she sat down to remove her hiking boots. They’d only weigh her down in the water. If she made it to the outside, she’d damn well walk in bare feet. And if she didn’t, well, it hardly mattered, did it?
She didn’t for a second believe she’d be able to hang onto her light, so Sara worked the lace out of one of her boots. One end was tied to the light, and after some consideration she tied the other end to one of the belt loops of her pants.
“And now you’re just procrastinating,” she told herself. “Time to take a leap of faith.”
It wasn’t so much a leap, as an easing off the ledge and into the water. Sara gasped as the cold water struck her, then carried her away.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Missed an installment? Catch up here: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten, Part Eleven
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