DARK ALLURE
1109 Words
“Guys,we have to go in.”
“No,we don't.” Anna replied, fanning herself with Nyx's scarf.
“We are literally the only ones out here,” Nyx said as she threw her hands up in frustration.
“I thought you told the weird lady that we wouldn't be exploring the caves?” Lauretta asked and Nyx gave her a shrug.
“Well I only said that so she'd leave us alone….you said it yourself,she was being weird.”
“i agree with Nyx, we can't just come here and then leave without doing anything …” Bella muttered,her arms folded over her chest.
“We should go in.”
“Thank you!” Nyx cried out in appreciation.
“But…” the other woman went on, “we will be exploring the other cave.”
Anna immediately started to shake her head in refusal even before Bella could finish speaking.
“Look guys,I take stuff like this very seriously….” She said, “It has something to do with my ancestry,so when I get a warning like that,I heed it.”
Nyx reached down and took her best friend's hand.
“Anna,the cave the other tourist’s are in,is the one we should avoid— I mean who wants to even be in a cave with some group of sissies?”
She raised her head. “Who's with me?”
Bella was the first to raise her hand,then a reluctant Lauretta who shot Anna an apologetic look.
“You could always stay out here while we go in,” Lauretta suggested.
“That seems worse,” Anna muttered with a defeated sigh.
“Alright,let's do it.”
She raised a hand for silence as the other three cheered. “ But,If we see or hear anything strange,we come straight out…. immediately, agreed?”
“Agreed.” Bella promptly replied as she high fived the hand Anna still held up.
****
“Are you sure this is the Devil's cave?” Nyx queried as they all stood staring at the infinity signs etched into the stones at the entrance of the cave.
“It has to be,” Bella answered. “This cave looks deserted, no tourists,”
“It looks ominous too,” Lauretta muttered.
“The signs look…” Nyx began to speak but her words were quickly cut off by a sudden sneeze.
Anna rushed forward and studied her face closely.
“Are you alright,Nyx?”
“Yeah I'm fine,why?”
“You look a bit pale,” Lauretta replied but Nyx shrugged as her lips curled up in a smile.
“I'm fine,don't worry.”
Her friends nodded,then turned their attention back to the scriblings on the rocks.
“The infinity sign,” she muttered," this town is filled with this sign,”
“Let's go in.” She mumbled,brushing past Bella.
“I pray we come out alive,” Anna whispered as they moved forward,their eyes darting around.
Shards of sunlight streamed into the enclosure through several openings above,and for a few minutes it seemed like all was fine.
Bella even brought out her phone for pictures and videos.
But then the deeper they went,the less light the saw,until the path before them was nothing but darkness.
Nyx suddenly halted and the others followed suit.
“I think we should turn back now…” Lauretta started but Nyx shushed her.
“I hear something.”
Anna shot her a sideways glance.“And why the heck are you so excited about that?”
“Shhh! Listen…” Nyx replied, her eyes sparkling with an energy that made the latter slightly uncomfortable.
“I don't hear anything….” Lauretta said after a few seconds of silently paying attention.
“Me neither,” Bella supported. “Are we going further or not, i've got a flash…” she turned on her phone’s flashlight as she spoke and they immediately regretted it.
Bats; hundreds of them, poured out of the darkness. Their leathery wings flapping widely as they swooped around and over the women, making them hurdle together. They ducked,their hands covering their ears.
“I've never been attacked by a bat before,” Bella yelled, “but now I can cross it off my bucket list!”
The other three ignored her as they waited,until finally the silence returned.
“That's it, we are leaving.” Anna announced, her face twisted in annoyance, she straightened and brushed a hand down her braids.
“We can't just turn back now….” Nyx muttered frantically and Anna threw her a flabbergasted look.
“What are you even talking about?! We just got attacked by bats…”
“Which was awesome by the way,” Bella chipped in with a smile.
Anna ignored her.
“....what next,Nyx? Dragon attack?!”
“Even better!!” Bella cheered excitedly. “Totally looking forward to it.”
Anna's exasperated stare settled on the bubbly woman.
“What?” she asked innocently.
“Guys, Anna's right.” Came Lauretta's gentle voice. “We've got to go, who knows if the bus will still be in the open market,”
“Finally! someone who's on the same page.” Anna exclaimed as she moved forward and took the other woman's hand.
“You two coming??”
Bella glanced at Nyx who had the strangest look on her face. “Nyx?”
She jerked back to the present and shook her head slightly.
“W..why don't you three move along?I'll follow behind.”
“No! Why'd you say that??!” Anna frowned
“I…I don't know.”
Nyx shook her head again, blinking rapidly as a mix of dread and confusion washed over her.
What was happening to her? And why were voices fighting in her mind?
“We'll walk slowly,” Anna assured as she cast a fearful look around the cave. “Promise you'll follow behind?”
Nyx nodded. “Bella….”
“I'm going with them too,” Bella replied, “my battery's almost dead.”
Nyx stood there, watching the distance between her and her friends increase, as she battled the pull that wouldn't let her move.
“Maybe i shouldn't be here….”
Her throat cinched around a sudden breath as she jerked like someone who'd been unconscious.
“Anna?!” She called out, rushing forward,towards the light. “Bella! Lauretta!”
“Nyx,” a voice called out, making her jerked backwards.
“Nyx…” the voice called out again,softer….more enticing.
A sudden feeling of tranquility enveloped her,like a warm fuzzy blanket and she stared as though in hallucination.
“Nyx….”
Slowly,she turned and began heading into the darkness.
- Writer
