The Caves

I don’t know what happened first, opening my eyes or not being able to catch my breath.

My head swivels around and I can’t see much. There’s a sliver of light that creeps through the roof of the small, enclosed space around me. It’s a...pod. I try to move my arms to feel for a latch or handle to get out but I can’t lift them. My heart beats so fast I think it’s going to thump out of my chest. I slightly lift my right hand to feel--there’s a heart shaped locket in my hand. It’s warm and clammy, rusted now.. My hands are trembling so bad I can’t open it. I feel so weak. I can’t. I give up. All I notice now is the subtle, warmed metallic smell from the old locket that fills the pod. How long have I been in here? As my mind draws a blank I hear a thud that sounds far off but is close enough to make the pod vibrate. I imagine this is what small earthquakes feel like. The sound is followed by smaller thuds and screeching. The screeching gets closer and closer. It’s so close now I hold my breath in anticipation of what comes next. Something hits the metal on the outside of the pod and drags, making a squeaking noise. The sliver of light disappears for a few seconds. Once the thing being dragged across it passes it leaves a film, diluting the light. The thuds and screeching continue for a few more minutes and die off into the distance. Finally allowing me to have a moment of calm.

I slowly feel around the seat I’m slouched in. There’s enough space for me to spread my arms at my sides without my finger tips touching the walls but not quite enough space for me to stand up or really crouch if I could. I find bottles of water and sealed bags of nuts and dehydrated fruit. I struggle to open a bottle, lifting it with both hands to drink it sloppily. I scarf down nuts and fruit with desperate, ravenous breaths in between. I don’t even taste them. It’s simultaneously a God-send and a means to an end. I lean back as I pour the crumbs from the bottom of the second bag into my mouth. This act sparks a vague memory. Me at home on the couch with a bag of chips. I never made a mess but... Eliah always thought I would. Eliah...A memory of her flashes before my eyes clear as day. I remember every detail. I wish I could picture her smiling again but all I see is her grime streaked face from the last time I saw her. Dark wisps of hair falling out of her loose ponytail and around her face. Her brown eyes, full of concern. Her lips held tightly together to hold back her sobs. This locket is all I have of her now. I wish she were with me. I wish things could’ve been different. I wish I could open it to see what’s inside. My muscles have atrophied to the point that little actions like that will take some time to get back to. All I can do now is sleep.

I do the same thing everyday. Survive, try to move as much as possible, look for a way out of this pod and think of Eliah. I’ve lost track of time. All I’ve been able to find as a means of a way out is a keyhole but I’ve looked up and down for key and...nothing. Good news is I can lift my arms above my head and the movement of my legs feels more natural. So that’s something. I don’t know how they’ll do supporting my weight but I’ll have to get out of this damn pod to find out. I’ve been doing little exercises with my fingers so I think I’m ready to attempt opening the locket again today. I knew if I tried too early I’d get so frustrated that I’d lose my mind even more than I already have. I pull it out from under my shirt and undo the chain around my neck. I take a deep breath and try. It takes some doing since my hands are about as trembly as an old alcoholic’s first thing in the morning but I manage to get it open. I laugh to myself as I think that I’m literally making jokes for only my benefit now. There's an antique- looking, golden key inside. Oh great, more mysteries. I was expecting a picture of Eliah to keep me going or something. Something sweet and sentimental like her. Something that could possibly feel rewarding. Honestly getting out of here would be...No way right? Is this the key? I give it a go and sure enough. This is not only maddening but tedious and obnoxious now.

This is the moment I’ve been waiting for. I’m finally going to see what’s become of the place we used to call home. I put my suit and helmet on and open the pod. I fall the first few times I try to stand but I finally get my head above the opening of the pod. The light is harsh and the wind gushes around me. It takes a long time to get used to. I’m on a beach. I’ve seen pictures and gone to the virtual beaches but I’ve never seen a real body of water before. It’s beautiful. Terrifying but beautiful. I can’t believe people used to swim in that thing filled with actual monsters. I slowly walk around to find basically nothing. There’s a lot of trash and dilapidated buildings a little less than a mile off. Why did they build the buildings so close? I go into the biggest building which must’ve been a hotel. I go through the huge glass doors and find some canned goods in what used to be the kitchen. This is easier than I thought. This thought is cut off by something clanging to the ground. When I turn to look all I see is a black, scaly tail. I slowly back away from the creature that’s disappeared into the dark corner and feel something rough and slimy wrap around my arm. I freeze. Is this how I die? After everything this is it? I lost everyone and everything just to be beat by a nondescript monster before I even get a chance to try. I close my eyes and think of the last words Eliah said to me.

“I know this feels like the end. I know these pods are old and no one believes that they’ll work but they’re our last chance. I have a plan. Just remember how we met and then you’ll find me.”

She pushed the locket into my hand, kissed me and closed the pod before I had the chance to say goodbye, or tell her to not be so cryptic. In my final moments I think of how we met. We met at one of the virtual beaches on our county’s ship. They created these virtual beaches to boost morale. No one likes to think about the fact that their whole life is in one contained ship floating through space for longer than about two seconds. This virtual beach had caves which made it the best one. We spent the whole afternoon talking in our own little cave. That was where we shared our first kiss. I open my eyes again, accepting my fate when the thing wrapped around my arm releases me and like the other one disappears in the shadows. What? Whatever, don't question it. Just run. I run as best as I can in my new terrible pod body and make it to what used to be the lobby of the hotel. As I make my way to the doors there’s a thump that shakes the entire building and a growl that shakes me to my core. I make my way out of the doors and across what used to be a street. I turn around to see a webbed foot as big as a sedan bust through the doors I just pushed with my stupid little arms. I run into one of the other buildings and wait there hoping this beast doesn’t crush the building in one step. My chest rises and falls with the heaviest breaths I’ve ever taken. The monster’s footsteps reverberate and the petrifying growl continue but in due time they pass. I spend the rest of the night there eating the canned goods and wondering what the point is anymore. Is this going to be my life now? Did Eliah really have a plan or was she just trying to give me hope? Is her plan to meet in a cave? I have to at least try to find out.

I find a building that used to be a grocery store. I stock up on the limited food left and put together the best weapons I can which are just scissors taped to broom handles. I manage to get by for a few days without anymore run-ins with monsters but the inevitable happens and I spot the scaly black tails again. They’re smaller than I expected. One of them lunges at me and my makeshift spear does the job. It’s sloppy but I’m lucky to have the ocean at my disposal. I scream at the others until they run away. I break down and cry for the first time since all of this became my new reality. It’s nice to feel an overwhelming feeling other than just fear. I needed the release. I’ve noticed that the black tails run whenever the larger one comes. Hiding is the only option. It’s taken a few days but I’ve reached the rocky part of the shoreline now. As much I have faith in Eliah I don’t know how she could’ve also made it past all of this. God I hope she can tell me how. I’m all blood stained and scratched at this point. I wonder if she’ll even recognize me. The closer I get to the caves the further away the beasts are. They can’t navigate this terrain anymore and frankly neither can I. I’ve run out of supplies and I feel delirious. I’m so far gone I don’t think I can make it. As I live off of pure determination, my legs finally give way. I feel my head hit a rock and everything goes black. It’s like I’m back in the pod again. The light starts to fade in. It’s fuzzy like that sliver of light was and all I can see are black wisps of hair, brown eyes to match just as I’ve always known them--full of concern.