by RWK Clark
He smiled as he gained speed. The arrow which had pierced his flesh stuck out of his body, waving back and forth with the movement of his strokes. He didn’t feel that either, but had it struck him just a bit further to the right it would have been his end. That was why Cyril DeSai loved the darkness. It rendered his enemies powerless against him.
Ahead he saw the mouth of the cave, his cave. He always felt as if he were coming home when he saw it before him. After all, he had taken refuge in its hidden depths for centuries. As he neared the mouth of the cave his heart began to settle. Even though it was dead it still beat, keeping his body alive, and the unexpected turn of events caused by the arrow had sent a rush of uncontrollable palpitations through it. Fortunately for him it was a feeling he greatly enjoyed.
He needed no light as he entered the dark cave; his eyes could see as clearly as if the sun were shining before him. He continued forward to the place that would lead him to his refuge, the inner cave. His speed was such that the water flushed quickly over his face, and in only seconds he arrived. He broke the water’s surface which led to the second cave, the cave above the water, and he did this with such force that his body shot up and out, and he landed with a feline’s grace on the cave floor.
With a rapid shake of his head he shed the beads of water which clung from the long mane that was his hair. Cyril looked around with satisfaction on his face. Home. It was here that he felt most comfortable, here that he could be who he truly was, and part of who he really was, was alone. Even with those he had made his followers was he alone for they had no true understanding of him and his plight, his eternity of death that never stops cycling.
He began his stride into utter darkness, aiming for the heart of the cave. As he walked he considered those he had acquired from the village in the recent past, his new family. They remained, but they were so new that they had no experience, much less sufficient knowledge regarding who they now were that they would soon be plucked off by the commoners. He never liked it when it came time to rid himself of those to protect himself. He could always move on the next group of sheep and acquire new followers. Always and forever.
But even this fact did not still the black yearning in his soul, the very thing that drove him by nature to continue this charade. It had taken him over two centuries to analyze this unquenchable lust, but he did, indeed, finally understand his plight: the vampire soul within him, if one would call it a soul, was driven to discover its one eternal mate.
His cave’s deep inner sanctum was a good distance from its mouth; the average human would be walking for an hour, but Cyril was able to reach it on foot in mere minutes. No one would ever reach it before he reached them, at least not if anyone ever found this place.
Cyril DeSai was enveloped in blackness. He turned his head to the right and blew a sharp breath. A large tallow candle sprung alight, and a full procession of candles followed suit one after another, all around the massive inner circumference of the inner sanctum. The cave lit up as though the sun itself was shining directly in its depths.
He didn’t need the light, he wanted the light. It provided the only warmth in his never-ending life; a certain coziness he longed for but could never seem to obtain. Even to him this seemed a silly and confusing thing to enjoy; he was a vampire after all. Regardless, he supplied himself with this comfort no matter where he found himself on this Forsaken Earth.
He also had this area furnished; the walls and floor were all dry because he saw to it that the atmosphere within was maintained according to his desires. A single large chair hand-carved from a single piece of oak and covered in red velvet sat in the very center of the room, directly in the center of a hand-woven Spanish carpet. It was indeed good to be home.
When he got to the chair he stopped abruptly. DeSai grasped his right hand firmly on the arrow that was planted through the middle of him. It had missed his heart by only a fraction, he knew; to hit his heart with such a thing would mean his death. He snapped off its butt end, and then reaching behind him he grabbed it by the tip and pulled it completely out. His inner and outer flesh tingled with the sensation of instantaneous healing. It was intoxicating, and he closed his eyes and smiled.
There were benefits to being who he was.
He sat and made himself comfortable. Where to next? He pondered. He would simply move on, but no matter where he ended up, it was always temporary because they always came to a realization of what he was doing, and they always set out to destroy him at that point, but they would never succeed. He would simply leave, but not without having his fun with them, like he did earlier at the campsite with the ‘hunters’. This thought made him smile.
But with all of this aside Cyril DeSai knew, in his blackest heart, that this place, this sanctuary, would forever be his dwelling. He could find himself on the other side of this giant ball of mud they all called home, and he would still return here when they had their enlightened epiphanies. The only reason he had begun to take the villagers of Olanchito was because their nearness sprung a desire for their blood within him which he simply could no longer control. He had done it since they came, and he finally indulged his hunger (and his laziness) by purchasing the stead which his followers would call home, once he tasted them. Once he enticed them.
He settled in. Perhaps he would travel to Puerto Cortes and discover the delights they held for him, who he could ‘take under his wing’, so to speak. This made him throw his head back and laugh aloud; indeed!
For now he would enjoy the chilled warmth of home and tomorrow he would venture for the new place. The hunters of Olanchito would still look for him, and they would be on the lookout for many years to come, but he would not be found. He would move on and repeat the cycle which so plagued him. Change to the course would never be needed. There was not a thought in his mind of ending it.
He took a good look around his abode, and with what could only be described as a twisted flood of false love, he observed his children. The bat-like creatures hung from every possible nook and cranny, their eyes fixed on his every move, waiting patiently to carry out his bidding. Their look and smell made DeSai smile, and his chest swelled with the decay of pride.
He was nothing but an animal himself, and he would do what his nature demanded of him.
Chapter 7
Present Day
Tim, Pat, Candy, and Abby swam toward the cave eagerly, all of them laden with their personal camping supplies. They had chattered endlessly throughout the prior evening about their stay in this unknown place, and their talk had roused a strange passion that none of them had felt since they were kids. It was as though they were going to Disneyland for the night.
It didn’t take long for them to reach the inner cave, and within only minutes of their arrival they were all standing on the dry ground of the cave unpacking their gear and supplies. Soon they were stripping themselves of their diving gear and pulling sweatpants and shirts on for warmth. Tim and Pat had both brought a bit of newspaper and a few small logs apiece in the packs; this would allow them to have an evening meal. The girls each had a bottle of wine. It would be a night to remember.
“Let’s explore,” began Pat. “Let’s really check this place out and see what it’s all about. I wonder if anyone other than us has ever been down here. Maybe we discovered something, well, brand new, you know?”
Candy couldn’t help but smile and shake her head at his child-like excitement. “I’m game, and I’m ready.”
The four set off with their flashlights in the direction which would lead them to the center of the cliff. During the initial stages of their walk they gabbed and chatted about everything from Rodrigo and his strange attitude to their jobs. It was a relaxing time, and it felt good to see something new while enjoying each other’s company.
Finally Tim looked at his watch. “Guys, we have been walking for more than an hour. It’s going on four o’clock, and my stomach is really starting to growl! It seems like this could go on forever.” All four of them shined
their lights ahead in a single, bright stream. There was no end in sight to the path they were on.
Candy turned to the other three. “You know, I was thinking that maybe we should keep this little jaunt in close proximity to our camp. After all, we have no idea where this leads or what we might find if and when we get there. The cave is cool and all, but it’s not worth being utterly irresponsible, in my personal opinion.”
Silence fell over the group, and finally Abby spoke up. “Look, we have been fortunate enough to not only find this place, but to get to camp here and spend some quality time together. I say we head back; by the time we get to the camp it will be nearing six, and we can have our dinner and some wine and settle in.”
“Yeah, we can always plan an exclusive trip just for the purpose of staying and exploring longer,” Pat said. His voice seemed steady enough, but Tim was able to detect a flicker in his friend’s eyes that seemed less that sure about proceeding.
“Are you okay, man?”
Pat nodded and turned to head back to the camp. “I’m fine. I guess I’m just hungry and tired.”
Tim glanced at both of the girls before shrugging and nodding. “I’m ready. Let’s head back, then.”
The walk back consisted of far less talking than before. Each seemed deep in their own thoughts, and all that could be heard was the sound of their footsteps. The mood seemed to have shifted tangibly.
Pat was unsettled. He had been fine until they had all shone their lights up ahead. While there had been nothing to see, there was certainly something he felt, something… wrong. His arms had broken out in gooseflesh, and he had been the first to shine his light away. Something inside of him said that if he continued to look long enough something would appear, something none of them wanted to see.
Candy had felt it, too, but to her it was just a feeling of dread. There was no apparent reason for it, but it had been there, nonetheless, and she wanted to follow Pat back as soon as he had suggested it. She glanced at Tim as they walked. He seemed okay. Was she the only person who felt a bit disturbed? She assumed so, and pushed the thoughts out of her head.
The fact of the matter was that all of them had felt it. Tim was pondering the feeling during the walk back as well, and Abby was trying to ignore the funny sinking feeling which had taken up residence in her gut. Perhaps she was more tired and hungry than she had initially thought.
By a quarter to six they were back at the camp, and by six-thirty they had a good little fire going, and Tim was heating a large can of beef stew right in the can. Each of them sported little paper cups filled with merlot, and by the time the stew was hot they had all forgotten the mixture of thoughts and emotions they had experienced during their hike through the dark cave.
“Yummy!” Abby said. “I never thought I would say it, but this stew tastes downright gourmet. I was starved!”
The others nodded in agreement; they were all busy filling the void in the tired stomachs with the hot, hearty nourishment. The aroma of the stew filled the air around them, drifting into unknown parts.
Deep in the cave, in the direction they had been going during their explorations, a stirring began. The smell of the heated food began to rouse the life that resided in the cave’s depths, and literally hundreds of eyes began to open all at once. Someone had come to visit…
Once the camp was cleaned up and the fire was out the four friends adjusted their lanterns to illuminate their area correctly. Each poured another cup of wine and settled on their sleeping pallets comfortably; now was the time to talk.
“So, you think we should make plans just to come back here for our next trip?” Candy wanted to sound enthusiastic, as if she were just as excited as they all had appeared to be, but her emotions didn’t match the tone of her voice.
Abby nodded, sipping her wine. “Sure, I’m all for it. I just wish there was better light down here. It seems so damn creepy, and I guess the deeper we head into the darkness the more spooked I get.”
“Well, we would certainly want better light sources, if we are ever going to go any deeper,” Tim replied. “I think the darkness appeared to be so ominous that it sort of repelled us.” He chuckled at his choice of words.
Pat remained silent, but nodded in agreement with all that was said. He wouldn’t admit it, but when the time came to begin planning this trip they were talking about, he intended to come down with something… suddenly. He had absolutely no second thoughts about avoiding this place like the plague once they were out of here.
He drained his cup and snuggled down into the pallet. This caught Abby’s attention, and she filled her own cup one final time before taking her place next to him. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, just getting comfortable,” replied Pat, winking at her. She smiled at him, finished her own wine, and dove under his covers with him.
“Well, I guess Candy and I ought to be able to figure out when we aren’t needed anymore,” Tim said with a smile. He looked over at his girl, and she smiled back knowingly. She was more than eager to take advantage of the sexual opportunity. Anything to get her mind off the nasty feeling in her gut and the oppressive atmosphere of the cave.
Tim reached over and dimmed their lantern. It would be much better if each couple could pretend the other wasn’t there, not to mention easier to concentrate. He found Candy’s face in the darkness and began to kiss her with passion. Regardless of the strange vibrations in the air, this was indeed something he would remember for a long time to come.
All four of the young people made love, but it was a bit stifled and stiff for Pat and for Candy. If Tim or Abby noticed the apprehension in their partners they didn’t let on; if anything it seemed to drive them. This proved to help the situation, but the lovemaking was brief, to say the least. Both Candy and Pat ended up faking their desired outcome before the four of them all fell into a fitful sleep.
∞
Tim was walking into the heart of the cave, his flashlight shining out in front of him brightly. He was thinking to himself that even though it was so bright, it did nothing for his vision. He could see nothing but the cave walls and pitch blackness.
Suddenly he heard a noise and stopped. What the heck was that? It sounded like a high pitched screech, and it sounded like it was far, far away. He stood in his tracks staring into the nothingness before him, straining his ears to pick up any sound he could possibly hear.
Finally he gave up; it must have been his imagination. He continued on.
“Screeeeech!”
There it was again, and this time he was sure of it! It had to be an animal, but what in the heck would be living down here? He turned to say something to the others, and it was then he realized he was alone in the cave.
It was then that he heard the flapping wings, and they were all around him. He began to shine his flashlight wildly around him, but he could see nothing. The ungodly flapping grew louder and louder until it was deafening. Then the screeching began to fill his ears as if it was inside of him.
He realized he was screeching. It was the sound of his very own screams…
Chapter 8
“Tim! Wake up!” Candy was shaking the man next to her with all the strength she could muster, but to no avail. He was sitting bolt upright next to her, and his eyes were wide open and filled with panic. His screams echoed throughout the cave. He was terrified.
Suddenly both Pat and Abby were there, and all of them were attempting to jostle the petrified man back to consciousness. As quickly as the screaming had begun it stopped, and Tim began to gulp in great breaths. “What the heck!”
“Are you okay, honey? What the heck were you dreaming about? You sounded like someone was killing you!” Candy had a frightened look on her face; something was very wrong down here.
Tim looked at his watch, pressing the light to illuminate its tiny screen. “Jeez. It’s eight o’clock, you guys. Rodrigo is going to be up there waiting in a half hour. We need to suit up, pack up, and head up.” He was covered in sweat, and his hair w
as damp and in complete disarray. He didn’t take notice. He wanted to get the heck out of this cave; he wanted to skip the eighteen-hour waiting period for divers and get on the airplane home today.
The others all began to gather their belongings and get suited up for the swim back to the surface. As Abby loaded her pack she glanced over at Pat, who was vigorously rubbing his neck with an open palm as he packed.
“What’s wrong, Pat? Did you sleep on your neck wrong?” She was thinking that the cold, hard floor of the cave had taken its toll on her lover.
He continued to rub the area and shook his head. “No, I think I have a mosquito bite or something. It stings and itches.”
Abby walked over to him with her flashlight and shined it on the spot. “Yep, it sure looks that way. It looks like the bugger got you twice. There are two little tiny prick marks right next to each other.”
“I’ll put some calamine on it when we get back to the hotel,” Abby said. “We need to get going now.”
The foursome finished packing up and took their dive, and within twenty minutes they were all breaking the surface of the water. Rodrigo was stationed only fifty feet away, waiting patiently for them. He helped each of them into the boat one by one, and soon they were headed back to the tour company, all of them eager to get into a taxi and begin to close the door on this trip.
As the boat cut through the water smoothly Pat continued to rub his neck with the palm of his hand. He was thinking about the darkness in the pit of that cave, and he was thankful that they were riding in the boat with the sun shining on them.
∞
Once they were back at the hotel the four all decided to spend their last night in La Ceiba with their mates alone in their rooms. It would be the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the company of their loved ones without interfering with the last few days’ Scuba diving adventures in any way, and without having to keep things quiet, like their lovemaking in the cave.
