by A. Non

Created on: September 14, 2010

The strong odor of sulfur in the chamber competed with the heavy weight of anticipation. Darren, Lizette and Jim rested and avoided looking into the opening of the next trail.

Jim had been caving once and this limited experience made him the lead. He insisted on the trip. His wife, Sharon, had no interested in spelunking and stayed at the cabin. Sharon did not share Jim’s enthusiasm for outdoor life.

Darren envied her solitude at the cabin and her ignorance. During the weekend, he searched her face for anything: compassion, a knowing sympathy or anger. Did she know about the affair of their spouses? Darren assumed he could recognize anger best. It had become his personal climate. When Jim proposed the spelunking trip, and Lizette agreed, it was anger that sent Darren into the depths with them.
“Well this is it. This next part is about 40 yards, but it ends in some pretty tight turns. We will need to boost the person in front like in the Blue trail.”
“I’ll go first.” offered Lizette.
“No. I’ll do it.” Darren said bitterly.
When spelunking, the strongest went last and the rest went in front. The person behind braced the heels of the person in front. Lizette had refused to go first, for fear of bats or other creatures in the tunnel. This forced Darren to go in front and Jim, the experienced sportsman to brace Lizette from behind. Lizette was too weak to brace Darren, so he pulled ahead in the previous trails. Darren could not turn in the tunnel and seethed at the partnership Jim and Lizette shared. She was dependent. Jim was strong. Darren was alone.

Suddenly, all light expired from the chamber.

The trail had been ringed with strings of lights that flickered intermittently. The three had  supplemented with small mag lights jingling on carabiners from their packs. When the lights went out in the chamber, they were unprepared.

In the darkness, hands found hands and bodies drew together, guided by memory, two bodies coiled familiar.

Light returned. Jim looked up from the mag light he twisted uselessly in his hands.

Lizette did not allow herself out of Darren’s arms. Finally, he pulled his face from the hollow of her neck.

“It’s OK. Let’s go.”

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