I sit for a moment, the rock pressing tightly against my sides, staring into the darkness around me. I feel… numb.
I am trapped.
I am trapped down here. Wherever that is. I am without help, stuck in the dark. Rock encloses me completely and I am unable to escape. What am I to do? There is no way to move this much rock. Not by myself. Not on my back like this.
So, is this the end? Do I starve down here? Do I suffocate first?
No.
No. No, I do not die. Not without a fight. I will fight back.
Gritting my teeth, I snarl softly into the blackness. This cannot be the end of me.
"I will not let it be," I whisper. Then, raising my voice, I call louder, "I will not die here!"
Reaching my arm back up until my hand is resting on that horrid wall blocking my escape, I grit my teeth and strike. A spike of pain rips up my hand and the rock fights back, its ridges and edges ripping into my skin.
I extend the second hand, let out a shout of defiance, and slam both hands into the rock.
The rock does not give.
Contorting my body to the best of my ability in the small space, I worm a little closer to the wall and hit yet again, pushing with all my might.
I must get out.
The rock will not yield.
Nothing will stand between me and my freedom. Pressing my palms hard against the rock, I brace my feet as best I can and bend the muscles in my legs and body to the task. I will move this rock.
Down either side of my spine lightning cracks as my muscles fight to do as asked. My palms bark in protest and I can feel the hot rivetts of blood created by my struggling.
I will not give up.
My thighs cramp, my calves shaking. My biceps and triceps threaten to give.
I cannot give up.
My forearms quiver, fire erupting in my wrists. My body will not, cannot move the rock. I am not strong enough. My muscles are incapable of keeping up the pressure and soon, my foot will slip. Then, that will be it. I'll be exhausted and that will be the end of it. I might very well suffocate before I gain enough strength to try again.
I will not die down here.
Curling my fingers against the pain and squeezing my eyes shut, a soft hiss escapes between my teeth. If this is my one shot, I'll make it count. I will fight with every last fiber of my being.
Deep within my gut, I feel a spark. Almost as if someone struck flint against metal. Upon ignition, the spark erupts into a full explosion of power, raging through my very blood and bones, lighting every crevice of my body and eradicating the pain. Strength, unlike any other, flows through me, fueling my desperation and anger.
I will get out.
Boom!
The sound is deafeningly loud in the small space, getting the reaction of a startled squeak. Reaching for the last time, I find the way to be empty, cool air whisking in. As the cold air brushes against my fingers, a deep, reflexive breath rushes into my lungs. The motion presses my chest harder against the rock, but relieves some of the horrid panic. The way is open now.
Yes. Yes yes yes. I did it. Somehow, I did it. I freed myself. All that's left is to get out.
Curling my fingers in the empty space, looking for a hand hold, I find a very distinct ledge where the rock wall used to be.
Lips peeling up into a grin, I latch onto that ledge, yanking my body along the rock. First, my head comes into contact with the cooler space, then my upper chest. There is no longer any rock beneath me. Wherever I am now, it is much more accommodating then the small crevice I am escaping from.
Twisting my upper body and releasing the ledge, I allow my arm to fall down, trying to feel for any bottom. About a foot down, my fingers brush a cool, grainy surface.
Wood? What in the world is wood doing down here in the dark? For that matter, what am I doing down here in the dark.
"Figure that out later," I mutter, putting my hand back to the rock slab. Once my body is free, I will be able to explore my surroundings and figure out where the heck I am.
Now having enough of my body free to push with my hands I do so, freeing another couple inches of my body. However, I am quickly interrupted.
Through the rock comes a soft vibration. It feels like the purr of some mighty beast, spreading from the rock down into my gut, through my hips, and into my legs. I freeze for a moment, unsure of what I'm feeling.
The sound hits, following the rumbling. Indeed, it sounds like a mighty beast, growling in anger as it approaches.
Suddenly my chest is tight, my limbs turning shaky as everything comes into a sharp focus. I can feel every little bump of the rock abd wood against my fingers, locate exactly where the slab is digging into my hips.
I need to get out. Now.
Twisting back to the task at hand, my arms come up to brace against the stone. Straining, I manage to haul myself a little further from the small opening.
The growling is loud, deafeningly so. The vibrations shake tge entire cavern, raining dust on my head and putting more pressure on my hips.
I have to get out. I have to get out I have to get out.
The snarling turns into a roar, my body goes taut from pure terror-driven instinct, and the rock on top of me shifts.
That is all it takes. The slab slides slightly and suddenly my body is bearing its weight.
White explodes behind my eyes as coils of lava wrap around the bones in my hips and the tissue in my legs and gut. A scream echoes around the cavern, torn from my throat by the agony shredding through my body.
Too late… too late. I did not get out in time. There is no hope now. I am trapped for sure, pinned beneath tons of rock with a monster crouched on top. Perhaps I will die down here.