~Chapter 20~
The Neither World
Louis continued his hapless fall through the rabbit hole into the deep, dank, dark world of Mehan the Serpent. There was no life giving sunlight to be seen, only a soft Under-World light radiating from far below, at the far end of the small tunnel.
The walls of the shaft were smooth and slippery, the rock felt cold to the touch, as Louis frantically tried to prevent, his decent into the bleak abyss. He could not slow his fall. Louis screamed out again, in a high-pitched wail, for Charlie, but to no avail.
It was all for not as Louis's fall slowed; he finally reached the bottom of the shaft. He rolled to his left side upon reaching the bottom of the tunnel, sending his backpack rolling off to his right side.
Louis's eyes were as wide as an owls, as he tried to peer into the dim light that surrounded him. His senses were engulfed with fear. His hands slowly trembled, his eyesight quickly sharpened, his ears struggled to listen, his tongue licked at the foul air weighing down his spirits.
The foul smell of sodium, coal, and sulfur was in the air.
His eyes slowly became accustomed to the peculiar light in the cave, as they did he altogether realized his full predicament. He found himself inside the depths of a cavernous cave. Looking upwards, the roof could not be seen, it was just too high. He looked to his left, then his right. Stalagmites and stalactites in multiple colors were everywhere. The sharp rocks above, and below him were the colors of off-whites, rust colors, light and dark blacks, and odd color grey's, most likely colored and covered with bat, or rats droppings, or droppings of other beast that lurk inside of the deep grotto.
The first thing Louis thought upon tasting the foul smell in his mouth, then seeing the droppings was jumping rats. "Anything but jumping rats...anything...but that...," thought a horrified Louis. On the other hand, what else could be here in the dark with him. As his eyes continued to adjust to the light, Louis looked deeper into the darkness surrounding him.
Something strange caught his attention.
He saw an abnormal reflection bouncing off one distant wall; the colors were a little different than, the others inside of the peculiar cave. He moved ahead towards his backpack, slung it back across shoulders, taking a tentative step forwards. As he pressed onward, his ears recognized a familiar sound: the sounds of dripping water.
The going was rough. The rock cave had many, sharp and dangerous rocks to traverse over or around. To Louis's surprise, he found what appeared to be a walking trail. Below his feet, the path was now smooth, and found to be well worn.
This alarmed Louis.
What strange, otherworldly beast or wild animals dwell in this "Under-World", thought Louis.
After a few more tense moments passed Louis, came upon what had piqued his interest only moments before. It was a slow-moving, shallow stream of black water, flowing southwards. The water looked uninviting and devilish. Louis dared not to taste it. The reflections that he had seen before were, the reflections off the brooding waters reflecting off the rocky walls above.
He paused again, looked to his left, then to his right, realizing that the only path to take was, to follow the shallow stream, and stay on the well-worn path. Water was now dripping off the ceiling, above his head.
The farther he walked downwards, and forwards, deeper into the rock cave, the wider the steam became. Tributaries of water joined into the main stream, and as the elevation dropped (the further Louis walked), the faster the black, brackish waters flowed.
Black sand and mud was now below his feet, which slowed his pace. Louis was now drenched from head to toe, from the dripping water assailing him from above. He was cold, and becoming more tired the further he walked; but he could not stay where he was.
He was lost, alone, weary, cold and wet.
He resolutely decided that he had to rest.
After walking for the better part of three hours, Louis could not go any further. He found a larger rock overhanging the pathway; it offered him shelter from the water dripping from above, also giving him shelter from the bitter, icy winds circling and gusting about inside of the outsized crevasses.
Louis reached into a side-pocket of his backpack to find the matches in his dry-pack. He struck one, which lit up his hiding place. He held the match high above his head. He noticed a medium-sized bush about a hundred yards away, rooted at the edge of the nearby black-watered stream. The match found the quick of his fingernail; he shook the match out, quickly taking his bearings again.
Firewood, he thought. He alighted from the safety of the overhanging rock, heading directly towards the bush. As he reached the far side of the cave, the bush became more visible. It was a strange, reddish color with thick roots at the base. It was perfectly round, which Louis found odd, as if it was being trimmed regularly. There were lengthy thorns jetting out from its thick branches that were about three inches long, they appeared to be razor sharp, and barbed. Even more strange, was that there were inviting and very ripe looking blueberries, found hanging throughout the branches.
Louis thought better of eating one, but he did need the firewood. Hunger pangs were creeping up on him. He was deathly cold.
Louis reached deep into his front pants pocket finding Chug's gift to him before he had left on his trip, he slowly produced a small, thin pocketknife. Louis exposed the blade, grabbed one branch in his off-hand, and started to cut into the wood.
"I would not do that...," said a meager, soft voice, coming from the center of the bush.
It was too late.
As Louis cut into the branch, heard was a loud moan, coming up from its roots. Two larger branches encircled then attached themselves to Louis' ankles. Louis screamed out in alarm, over all that had just happened. He heard the ominous, and deep moaning voice again, then felt the stinging bites of the thorns as they entered his flesh. He reached down in his agony, only to feel warm blood, dripping over his socks.
"Who said that...who is there?" shouted out a horrified and stunned Louis. Just as Louis shouted out, a loud noise was heard at the far end of the vast cave: two heavy footsteps.
"I would keep your voice down. You are drawing attention to us both. We do not need that. There are strange unearthly things that live in the dark here; things that go bump in the night."
Louis tried to look into the bush, the best he could, but it was so dense and the cave light was so dim.
The thick footsteps grew louder.
Louis turned to look towards the alarming sounds.
The soft voice inside of the unnatural bush, spoke out again.
"Cut the bush again. You must hide. You will be found out; the footsteps grow louder as we speak."
A large and very unpromising figure started to appear into the muted light of the cave. The cave winds ceased to swirl, and the sounds of dripping water around him, seemed to diminish. Louis's hearing heightened, as his eyes strained to see the appearing figure, in the dark.
Louis's mind tried to fathom all that was happening to him.
Should he take the advice of the stranger's, soft, comforting voice and cut the bush thus sending him into an inescapable situation, with the bush tightening its grip on him, but surely hiding him from the impending danger, or should he stay out in the dim light of the cave, only to be stumbled upon by the advancing beastly figure. What if the stranger pressing forwards on him was friendly; he would not need the safety of a hiding place? Then the growing evil bush would be his demise.
More thick footsteps, only closer this time, the figure started to come into full view.
"It is still, not too late. For he will find us both if you do not cut the branch again, blind trust, is what I am asking of you, to save us both. It is the only way to your and my salvation."
Louis tried again to look deep into the bush; he could see nothing.
Was the ghastly bush speaking to him, or was it a cre
ature inside; he could not tell. Just at the last moment, he turned back towards the threatening, and horrifying figure that was now only, not more than fifty yards away from him. All Louis could see in the diffused light of the cave was a larger than life outline of an outsized, very hairy creature. It had thick, broad arms, solid stumpy legs, a broad barreled chest, and an elongated, bulbous head, covered in thick matted brown hair. It was carrying a massive knotted wooden club in one hand.
It was a Cave Troll.
Louis shuddered where he stood.
He had no choice; he had to trust himself and the decisions that he makes...show courage and determination. His last reading of the Good Book and the writings of the Pen of Jupiter Angel Satquiel had foretold:
Charlie the Great White Horse and the Journey to Egypt Page 40
