Cave-In

[knux400]

"Hang on a second. I want to try echolocating."
"You what?" Exclusit turns to you.
"Crawler barebones can do that! See, since they can't see when they're all rolled up, they can emit a high-pitched sound so that they-"
"Yeah, alright, Matri, they can't do it if you're yammering."
"...sorry."

With the room now quiet, you let out a shrill whine. After a moment, the sound comes back to you. The cave ahead of you continues uphill for a while, and the floor seems clear of debris. The wand isn't there.

"...I can't see it. I've got a horror detector myself, so it's not too much of an issue." You wave your wand at the two of them to accentuate your point. Something rattles inside.

"Oh, the battery must've dislodged when I fell, let me just-" You pop the battery in with a soft click and the three of you all jump a bit at the loud beeping that immediately starts emanating from the device. You fiddle with it for a few more seconds before Exclusit snatches it from you, pops it open, and rips the speaker out before handing it back. The reading is maxed out.

"Yeah, those things are useless down here. I just wanted mine because it's something heavy I can hit things with if I had to. But clearly it's not here, so let's just keep moving."

The three of you turn around, heading back the way you were going before. You turn to the cracks on the walls and floor, taking a few pictures. Exclusit pretends not to notice. Matri, on the other hand, is interested.

"Whatcha doin'?"
"Just taking some pictures so there's a record. Even if we don't make it out, someone could find them and figure out what's been happening. Hopefully. Actually, would you two be okay with having your pictures taken?"
"Alright!"
"Sure, whatever."

Matri stops and smiles for the camera. Exclusit just keeps walking, their back to you. You snap a picture of each of them, stashing the print copies in one of your pouches.

You keep walking.














"...Feels like I'm a pill being swallowed." You mutter.
"Hm?" Matri turns to you.
"Well, because the tunnels are flexing around for whatever reason, and I'm a little ball, and my name literally is Pillbug, so-"
"Ohhhh, yeah. You know, it's possible that might be what's happening."

Everyone stops walking. There's total silence for a moment before you and Exclusit both speak in unison.
"What?"
"What."

"I've been thinking about it, and it makes sense! That would explain the movement of the tunnels, the fact that our detectors have been stuck on the maximum reading this whole time, and- well, did either of you see that shape when the floor first caved in?"

You remember. The jagged black shapes that were like teeth closing in on all of you.

"We probably just got eaten by a really big horror!" Matri explains in a perfectly calm tone. Exclusit just stares at them, arms limp at their sides.


"FUCKING. WHAT."