"There's no conceivable way these were etched into these walls three thousand years ago; it's as if every line tells a vivid, lifelike tale. And three millennia in the past, they hadn't even begun to unravel the secrets of gravity," Zaid pondered, his confusion etched across his face as he examined the mysterious markings on the cave walls.
These ancient inscriptions, carefully preserved over time, lay hidden in a relatively uncomplicated cavern. Despite its simplicity, this cave remained concealed until recent reports of missing children prompted a police investigation. The authorities, inspecting the caves, found nothing until one officer entered and discovered the enigmatic markings on the walls. A team of explorers was en route.
"Something's not right. Initially, I attributed it to fatigue, but I was mistaken. The gravity here is denser."
"What on earth are you talking about, Zaid?"
"Observe your surroundings, your footprints—what do you perceive?" Everyone looked around, finding nothing out of place. "You've begun spewing nonsense again, Zaid!" Leo frowned, frustration etched on his face. This new place wasn't what they expected, and the behaviors of Zaid, Moris, and Isabelle had cast the rest into psychological stress.
Moris, who had been strolling around, abruptly halted, looking back to retrace his steps. "Guys, I think Zaid's onto something. There's something evidently wrong here. My weight is average, and this ground is sufficiently hard to withstand it; there's no way I should be leaving a footprint this deep. Unless...."
"The gravity here is slightly denser—not enough for us to notice but ample to exhaust us if we don't leave now," Phil declared as he collected his flashlight and hurried toward the entrance.
"Wait!!" ×2
Zaid and Moris both shouted simultaneously, locking eyes to confirm their thoughts before elucidating to the rest.
"What do you observe, Moris?" Zaid wanted to clarify the situation for everyone, so he asked Moris to go first.
"Phil was standing on the deeper side of the cave, and when he crossed this threshold, his weight reduced." Moris drew a line on the ground, separating one of Phil's footsteps. "Examine this closely; the back area appears deeper than the frontal part."
"Isn't that how it's supposed to be?" Tilly asked curiously.
Stepping forward, Zaid also chimed in to answer her question, "Yes, Tilly, that's how it should be in a normal situation. But Phil was running; most of his weight had been gathered on his toes..... Phil, I don't think you've been sweating because of stress; it's because of the gravity. It's too much, and it's burning you out."
"How can two people experience gravity at different levels in the same place?" Eloise asked.
"It's not usually possible unless...."
"There is something influencing the gravity inside the space." Zaid completed Moris's statement again as he walked toward the deeper part of the cave without waiting for anyone.
Soon the rest followed Zaid, leaving Phil alone with his thoughts. 'I should just leave this cave and run home.... But that would give her a bad impression of me. I need to act cool; she must be mine alone!'
Motivated by Isabelle, Phil caught up with the rest as Zaid led them deeper into the cave. They reached a place where gravity became too strong; each step was a herculean effort, and they were drenched in sweat.
Standing behind Isabelle, Phil couldn't take his eyes off her alluring figure. She, too, suffered from the gravitational force, and her clothes clung to her body, accentuating her shape.
"We are here!" Zaid announced loudly, stopping the rest. In front of them, as far as the flashlight could reach, was nothing but turbulent water.
"The water, why is it so chaotic?" Eloise clutched Ethan's hand, feeling dizzy.
"Hey Moris, do you recall the note I gave you on the theory of wormhole existence?" Zaid turned back and asked out of the blue.
It took a while for Moris to process it, but he nodded after recalling everything.
"Do you remember what I wrote about a wormhole opening beneath water?"
"Indeed, if a wormhole were to open beneath water, it would likely create turbulent and chaotic effects. The water above and around the wormhole might experience sudden displacement, leading to the formation of waves, whirlpools, or other unpredictable phenomena. The specifics would depend on various factors, including the size and stability of the wormhole." Moris recounted Zaid's writings, his eyes wide open. "If you are right, then that would also explain the strange gravity phenomenon. Screw me!! This is beyond anything I've ever seen. Zaid, if we can descend this water and confirm our theory, then our names will go down in history.... There's no way I'm missing this chance," Moris said as he removed his jacket and prepared to jump into the water, with Zaid and Isabelle following suit.
"I have a question, guys," Heidi interjected before they could take the plunge.
"What question?"
"What is a wormhole?"
The group stood in suspense, awaiting an answer to Heidi's question. Zaid took a moment, casting a thoughtful gaze across the turbulent water.
"A wormhole," he began, "is a hypothetical tunnel-like structure connecting two separate points in spacetime. Think of it as a shortcut through the fabric of the universe, allowing for faster-than-light travel between distant locations."
The group exchanged puzzled glances, grappling with the concept that seemed straight out of science fiction.