I think I'm curious as to what you're hoping for on this side of the rock :) And... it turns out that I got a bit carried away describing it all, so it's two posts. Sorry :(
The other side The rock got really low as I wriggled through, so that I couldn't have turned over from my back to my front if I'd wanted to. That made me panic for a moment, a sudden surge of cold sweat springing out over my face and back, and my heart racing in my chest. I had to stop and take two deep breaths before I carried on, focusing on the fact that I was moving and that all I had to do was shout and the guys would get me out. Try to get me out, at least. When I pushed my head through on the other side into space the panic finally subsided properly and I ignored that Jimmy was waiting on the other side and that at least one of us would have to go back through that narrow, claustrophobia-inducing tunnel and focused on getting my hands through so I could push myself fully out. But even as I was pushing I could see what Ben had seen because he was holding the torch aloft and surveying the area. "Oh wow," I said. "That little tunnel's not how they normally come in and out of here then." "Not unless they've got tricks even Shanghai Suzie doesn't know," said Ben. I punched his shoulder. "She's bad luck, stop saying her name. You'll wish her upon us!" "What is it, you guys?" called Jimmy from the other side. His voice seemed thin and far away. "It's a wharf," I called back, staring still around. "The only thing that's missing is the sea." "Haha, very funny," called Jimmy. "What is it really? More stills?" "No, it's actually a wharf," called Ben. "Really and truly." There was what might have been a snort of annoyance from the other side of the rock and then silence. But it was actually a wharf. There were barrels stacked up against a long wall, some standing upright and open and empty; others sealed with something inside them. There were crates, mostly sealed again, but there were two that I could see that were open and filled with straw. There was a stack of oilcloths, a long, oily-looking chain with links the size of my wrist, three or four oil lanterns stacked together and some brooms clustered in a corner. Lumber was stacked up near to that, and two boxes of ships's nails sparkled even in the poor light from our torches. Some hammers and other tools were scattered on the floor and there was what looked like some pots of caulk. The air smelled fresher, and there was definitely a breeze coming from somewhere, but the far end of the room disappeared into darkness. "What the hell," I said to Ben. "It's like the Devil set up shop here for no good reason."
"The only thing that's missing is the ship," said Ben. "And that breeze says to me that there's another way in and out of this cave." Something grunted behind us, and we both turned. I heard Ben's sharp intake of breath, and I know that I nearly screamed, and I'm pretty certain we were both expecting to see the chupacapra standing there, ready to eat us. But instead there was another grunt and then a pale hand appeared from under the rock. "Pull me through," said Jimmy, a bit too loudly. "I think I'm nearly out." Ben pulled his so hard that he popped right out like a timely birth and Jimmy looked slightly stunned. He was sweating so much that it was forming little rivulets down the side of his head and he was as pale as fresh milk. "Where's this...." His voice petered away as he saw what we'd already look at. "Holy crap, guys, the only this is missing is a brothel." Ben and I looked at each other, wondering why neither of us had thought of that first. "That would definitely summon Sha--" "Don't say her name!" "The lady of our sorrows, then, Red." "That's better." I hauled Jimmy to his feet; his hands were clammy and I guessed how hard it must have been for him to wriggle under the rock. "Well, let's go see where this goes, and maybe we can find a way out of here that doesn't involve us going back under there." "Might not have a choice," said Ben. "Everything's been pretty much a straight-line so far but if we start getting choices we'll have to find a way of marking the way back. Or come back better prepared. This isn't what I was expecting at all."
3 comments:
I think I'm curious as to what you're hoping for on this side of the rock :)
And... it turns out that I got a bit carried away describing it all, so it's two posts. Sorry :(
The other side
The rock got really low as I wriggled through, so that I couldn't have turned over from my back to my front if I'd wanted to. That made me panic for a moment, a sudden surge of cold sweat springing out over my face and back, and my heart racing in my chest. I had to stop and take two deep breaths before I carried on, focusing on the fact that I was moving and that all I had to do was shout and the guys would get me out. Try to get me out, at least.
When I pushed my head through on the other side into space the panic finally subsided properly and I ignored that Jimmy was waiting on the other side and that at least one of us would have to go back through that narrow, claustrophobia-inducing tunnel and focused on getting my hands through so I could push myself fully out.
But even as I was pushing I could see what Ben had seen because he was holding the torch aloft and surveying the area.
"Oh wow," I said. "That little tunnel's not how they normally come in and out of here then."
"Not unless they've got tricks even Shanghai Suzie doesn't know," said Ben. I punched his shoulder.
"She's bad luck, stop saying her name. You'll wish her upon us!"
"What is it, you guys?" called Jimmy from the other side. His voice seemed thin and far away.
"It's a wharf," I called back, staring still around. "The only thing that's missing is the sea."
"Haha, very funny," called Jimmy. "What is it really? More stills?"
"No, it's actually a wharf," called Ben. "Really and truly."
There was what might have been a snort of annoyance from the other side of the rock and then silence.
But it was actually a wharf. There were barrels stacked up against a long wall, some standing upright and open and empty; others sealed with something inside them. There were crates, mostly sealed again, but there were two that I could see that were open and filled with straw. There was a stack of oilcloths, a long, oily-looking chain with links the size of my wrist, three or four oil lanterns stacked together and some brooms clustered in a corner. Lumber was stacked up near to that, and two boxes of ships's nails sparkled even in the poor light from our torches. Some hammers and other tools were scattered on the floor and there was what looked like some pots of caulk. The air smelled fresher, and there was definitely a breeze coming from somewhere, but the far end of the room disappeared into darkness.
"What the hell," I said to Ben. "It's like the Devil set up shop here for no good reason."
"The only thing that's missing is the ship," said Ben. "And that breeze says to me that there's another way in and out of this cave."
Something grunted behind us, and we both turned. I heard Ben's sharp intake of breath, and I know that I nearly screamed, and I'm pretty certain we were both expecting to see the chupacapra standing there, ready to eat us. But instead there was another grunt and then a pale hand appeared from under the rock.
"Pull me through," said Jimmy, a bit too loudly. "I think I'm nearly out."
Ben pulled his so hard that he popped right out like a timely birth and Jimmy looked slightly stunned. He was sweating so much that it was forming little rivulets down the side of his head and he was as pale as fresh milk. "Where's this...." His voice petered away as he saw what we'd already look at. "Holy crap, guys, the only this is missing is a brothel."
Ben and I looked at each other, wondering why neither of us had thought of that first.
"That would definitely summon Sha--"
"Don't say her name!"
"The lady of our sorrows, then, Red."
"That's better." I hauled Jimmy to his feet; his hands were clammy and I guessed how hard it must have been for him to wriggle under the rock. "Well, let's go see where this goes, and maybe we can find a way out of here that doesn't involve us going back under there."
"Might not have a choice," said Ben. "Everything's been pretty much a straight-line so far but if we start getting choices we'll have to find a way of marking the way back. Or come back better prepared. This isn't what I was expecting at all."
Greg - what was I hoping for? More story, that's all :)
No, it's not what I was expecting at all either, Ben. But it certainly is fascinating. I look forward to the eventual wharf explanation!
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