Oh my, would you look at that, it’s December. And a Monday. I don’t know why I love starting a week on the first, but I kind of do. Anyway I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving and is shaking off the turkey sleep. Timers set and lets start the last month of the year.
I think David might find something strange down one of the tunnels. Unfortunately the timer went off before i could get there. Might have to circle back at lunch.
Monday, December 1st: The cave was dark.
The cave was dark. David knew it would be, it was after all a cave. Somehow he expected the others would have rigged more lights. His head lamp only illuminated a small part of the passage, not able to penetrate the deeper darkness too far.
He rounded a turn moving around jutting spears of stalactites and stalagmites. With the placement above and below he felt as though he was stepping into the giant maw of a stone toothed beast. It was not a comfortable feeling.
Moving though gave him a look down one of the corridors and he saw a pool of light. The others were ahead. Still moving carefully he inched towards the group. They were huddled around a tablet screen.
“It is clear and I think worth investigating,” Owen said. “There is no water in that tunnel.”
“If we find any we can always back out,” Luke said, always willing to back Owen up. David waited for the trifecta, for Hank to toss his name in the ring to do the heavy lifting. He wasn’t disappointed.
“Dave can get in there easy,” Hank said, right on cue. His grin was nasty but it was washed away as all the others turned to him, their lights blinding him. He winced.
“Not in the eyes,” he complained. They ducked their heads murmured sorrys going around the group. Hank’s was noticeably absent.
It always was.
“So you’ve got the east tunnel, Dave,” Owen said. They all clearly voted on it. “We are heading down the main one and yours should intersect.” Owen tossed David a radio. “Call if you run into any trouble.”
Before he could ask any questions, Own turned and headed off down the main tunnel. The others followed after him. ‘Last trip,’ he thought. ‘This is definitely the last time.’
It was something he told himself many times. Yet he always showed up.
He knew the reasons. Many of the trips he was brought on weren’t places he could afford to go on his own. Even if he had the money, he didn’t have the connections and wouldn’t be allowed in. Own had the money and because he didn’t like to go anywhere on his own, he was willing to pay for everyone just so there would always be a group. His family name also helped get him past pretty much any level of resistance anyone offered.
David knew he was invited because the others were at heart, cowards. There was always something on these trips that hadn’t been done. He was always designated to do it first, then if everything turned out all right, the others would go. All would claim that Owen went first of course. David never really cared for the glory but he did enjoy the experiences.
‘But next time I am saying no,’ he decided. ‘I mean it this time.’
Ten til Midnight 