The Butterfly Girl: A Star is Born

Blinded Sights

[Sophia]

I blinked. Confused as to why I wasn't able to see anything. I was surrounded by darkness. I was a little delirious, but as I stood up I began to realize what was happening. I looked around me, but I was unable to see a thing. I tried raising a hand to my face, but I could hardly see my own fingers. I tried not to panic and hoped that my vision would adjust soon. I tried to remember what happened before, but not all of my memories returned.

Okay, we were at the waterfall and... yeah, everything was fine until..... it came out of nowhere.

I couldn't remember much more than that. My vision did eventually adjust, but it wasn't enough to see completely. I shuffled around nervously and felt my bag bounce at my side. I was relieved that it hadn't gone missing. I shuffled around in it's contents and finally pulled out a tiny, red flashlight and clicked it. I waved the light around and observed my area. All I saw was a cold, hard cave ceiling and a rocky floor. I started to realize where I was. The creature must've dragged me down into the caves.

I don't see a cage around here. First Apollo, now me? The hell does it want from me?

I really hoped there wouldn't be another rescue mission followed by a meeting with that other shadowy creature. Whatever it was. However, I was relieved that I wasn't stuck in a cage. I would've lost my mind at that.

I looked left and right, trying to decide which way to go. Both ways lead further down into the tunnel and even my flashlight wasn't able to light up the whole path. I pointed the flashlight at the floor and tried to think. I had to find a way out and get back to the others. I hoped they were okay, or at least in a slightly less worse situation than I was in.

I chose left and started slowly walking carefully. I hoped I wasn't walking into a trap. I had to admit, I was starting to get a little unnerved by the atmosphere. Or, lack of it really. It was dark and quiet and my steps echoed throughout the tunnel. It wasn't even that big of a space so navigating wasn't as easy as you think. At first it seemed normal, hoping to find some sort of exit or at least find my way back to the main cavern so I could get my bearings. At some points, I had to crouch through the narrow tunnels and I feared that I might get stuck and it'd turn out to be a dead end. Something about where I was just didn't feel right.

These whole caves just give off some weird vibe...

How did the creature even get all the way down here, and with me with it? I didn't even know what time it was. For all I know it could be super late. And why down in the caves? What made this place so significant to drag hostages all the way down here? Was it just so perfect to leave me stranded and possibly entombed? Maybe while everyone is out looking for me they start picking them off one by one until they all s*******r us down in the caves.

Probably.

Whatever the reason, all I knew was that I had to get out of here before something worse finds me. I walked down the tunnel for a long time, or at least I thought I was. The creepy vibe of this place was making me pretty nervous and it seemed to be stretching minutes into forever. Until the cave started to expand, and I thought I had finally made it back to the familiar cavern area, but as I waved my flashlight around I realized it wasn't the same one. It was actually a smaller area with three separate tunnels. I flashed my light into each, but they seemed to stretch on equally. And once again, my flashlight wasn't able to illuminate the entire area. I wasn't sure which way to go. I looked behind me, deciding if I should turn back and see if there's a better exit. Until I suddenly felt a shiver run up my back. I thought I heard something so I quickly turned off my flashlight and froze in place. My eyes darted around, despite the fact that I couldn't really see. I didn't make a sound and refused to move.

For as long as I can remember I've always had the feeling of being watched, but this time felt different. And the darkness around me made it worse. Especially when you don't notice anything else around you is when that feeling of fear and uncertainty begins to feel unwelcoming.

I feared that some unseen something could see me and make a move towards me before I even realized what was happening. Of course, that's what I always think when I'm wandering around in the dark, usually looking for something. I felt another chill creep up my spine, but this time I thought I heard something else. I felt a breeze on my skin. The hair parted behind my ears fell in front of my face and moved with the breeze.

That's when I heard the hum.

That strange, almost inaudible tune that moved with the strange wind that somehow blew through the cave walls. I looked behind me at the three dark tunnels. The void of each of them staring right back at me. The hum and the breeze, but I felt something in between. As if the wind that gently blew my hair across my face was trying to direct me and the ghostly hum was supposed to reassure me. I breathed quietly and my nerves began to settle down.

Through blinded eyes, the atmosphere around me guided me and step by step, I started going down the tunnel in the center.