Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Scott’s hut was placed on top of a small slope that led down to the beach. Tall green blades of grass sprouted in small patches while the rest of the ground was covered in packed dirt and sand. Squirrels scuttled away from us as we carefully stepped down the hill.

We came to the beach and looked out at the waves. They rolled in more quickly than they did this morning. The surfers rode on them as they came crashing down. I kept watching the waves and their riders.

“The waves have a slight tilt in them, like they go north east.” I said.

“Okay, let’s go back to the edge of the sand and head into the forest at an angle.” Scott said.

            As we walked I fell a little behind to where Katie was, “Don’t you think it’s a longshot finding a cave right near his house?” She asked.

“You’re probably right San Clemente is more than a few feet.” I said to her.

“Should we split up to cover more ground?” She asked.

            I looked at Scott, I hadn’t seen him in over a month, “No, let’s stick together.”

            We walked for a few hours in the heat. The ginormous green leaves and palm trees that hung over our heads were all very new to me. The occasional breeze felt good on my back and the morning dew that fell onto us felt cool.

“Scott do you think the cave could be further or back behind where we started?” I asked.

“Could be, but you see that slight up hill in the slant we’ve been walking on.” We stepped closer the bulge was covered in weed and roots.

“It’s a cave alright.” Red said.

“Yeah, but there must have been a cave-in, it’s closed.” Scott said.

“Well we can’t be sure this is it but the map did say the cave would be closed.” I said.

            Katie sat on a rock and wiped her forehead, “I’m tired and hungry we should head up and eat while we figure this out.”

“Sure.” Scott said.

            We climbed up the steep slope getting dirt in our clothing and mud on our shoes and ankles. We finally came out of the forest and came into a small housing development. A little up the road was a donut shop amongst a few other stores.

“Surfin’ Donuts, what an original name for a donut shop.” Red said sarcastically.

“Let’s go eat, I’m too tired to think about its name.” I said.

            We walked in and got a couple donuts (you know what else could you get in a donut shop?) There were a few table at the other end of the shop that we sat at. A color television sat in the corner on a table broadcasting about some sinkhole that was a few blocks away from us.

“These are pretty good.” Scott said.

“Everything’s pretty good to you.” I said to him.

“Shoot food is food.” He stuffed the rest of his donut into his mouth and grabbed another.

“You’re so gross.” Katie said in disgust.

“You’re a girl, everything’s gross to you.” I said.

“Right.” She scoffed.

            Red didn’t speak, he was paying attention to the television, “Hey, aren’t sinkholes caused by underground caves?” he asked.

“I think so! Good thinking Red!” I said, “Common guys let’s go!”

“Alright.” Scott said setting his feet back on the floor. We all got up and headed for the door.

“Hey!” the cashier said, “I remember you know.”

“Why? What did we do?” Red asked.

            I only prayed, hoping the cashier would second guess himself after Red had seemed so innocent.

“Wait here.” The cashier said, he turned to grab his phone but we bolted out the door ignoring his shouts to stop. The last thing we need was the cops on our backs.

            We ran through the streets suddenly wishing we hadn’t eaten so many donuts. We stopped running and started to walk when we heard the construction noises. We kept to the alleys, Scott led us down in between two houses.

            From the middle of the alley we could see the hole, it was huge. Asphalt was crumbling into the oddly circular hole. We couldn’t simply step into the hole there was too much junk in the way, and on top of that there were cops, firemen, construction workers, and news casters everywhere.

“Let’s see if we can get past them.” Katie said, she pushed past Scott.

“Katie, no!” I whispered. No sooner had I done that, the ground came out from beneath her and she fell out of our sight.

            She screamed but then she was silenced with a grunt as she hit the ground below, “Ow!” she said, her voice echoed out of the hole. No one but us seemed to know what had just happened.

“You okay Katie?” I asked.

“No, I like falling through holes and landing on my back.” She said sarcastically. She coughed and stood up, dirt falling from her clothing. Her face was covered with debris.

“Why’d she come again?” Scott asked as he leaned over into the hole.

“Climb down there’s a tunnel.” She called up.

“Alright.” Red said.

            He took the rope from his bag and tied it to a pump that was connected to the wall of the house and threw the other end into the hole. We climbed down clumsily loosening dirt from up top into our hair and eyes.

            Once we were all down I took the map from my bag, “Katie, translate please, No temen quedarse valiente.”

            She opened her book and flipped through different pages, “It means don’t be fearful stay brave.”

“What does that mean?” I asked.

“Let’s find out.” Red said, “You got the flashlights?”

“Yeah.” I fished them out of my satchel and handed each of them a flashlight, leaving me without one.

            We walked down the tunnel, the evening light fading behind us. As we walked further the light eventually became dim and we became dependent with the flashlights to guide us. Droplets of water fell onto our cheeks and into our dusty hair. We walked through the crampt tunnel in silence except for the sounds of our footsteps. As we went deeper in the air around us got drastically colder.

“I don’t see what’s so scary about this place.” Katie said to us, she turned back around and hit her head on something dangling from the ceiling, “Watch out there’s-“She stopped talking and looked up again. She pointed her flashlight at the thing.

“What the?” Scott said.

            Katie leaned closer, then she led out a bloodcurdling scream and she backed up against the wall where something else fell on her. She screamed again and quickly moved behind me grabbing my shoulder, “It’s a head!” she shrieked into my ear.

            Scott, who was holding it in his hand yelped and threw it on the floor.

            The head was about half the size of a football. The head was grey and shriveled its mouth was sewed together as were its eyes.

“What was at the wall?” I asked.

            Red shifted his flashlight to the wall. It was a skeleton which had been pinned to the wall by a sword.

“Whoa!” I backed up with Katie still behind me.

“I get it now.” Scott said.

“We all do.” I said.

            The tunnel fanned out revealing a large open room full of the grey shrunken heads that were all hanging from the ceiling. And their bodies strewn about the room with their ragged clothing still attached. The stench was almost unbearable, the people had been rotting here for more than 200 years.

Don’t be fearful, stay brave.

Author's Note

Tell me if I could improve in the fear factor.