Joel Greer

Ancient Evil

The shadows of the cave shrouded Elena. The darkness crept into her mind as she made her way forward, only a small lighter in hand to guide her. Her heart thumped and pounded heavily with each step. She covered her face as the smell of brimstone grasped her nostrils. She only knew to move forward and she could do nothing else. She heard a whisper from behind her. She turned to see nothing there. Footsteps skittered from her left but nothing could be seen. Silence overtook the cavern. She raised her lighter to see a little further ahead of her, her hand shaking profusely. She squinted as she saw a shape in front of her. A man stood, hunched over, facing the wall. She wanted to turn heel and run, but she wasn’t in control. She took a step closer and paused. One more step, then another, before she was within an arm’s length. He was unmoving. Elena was unsure if he was even breathing. She raised her empty hand to place it on his shoulder. He turned slowly and his face became visible in the firelight. His skin was rotten and peeling. His teeth were yellow and shattered. And his eyes glowed a malicious blood-red hue. He screeched and lunged for Elena before she woke with a shudder, falling out of her hammock onto the sandy floor with a thud.