WW LXXXVIII: What Lies in the Dark (Admin Thread)

[satansaloser2005]

You hear one of your fellow party members cough, the noise bouncing sharply off of the tunnel walls. You turn to see who it was, to silence them before they cause another collapse, but you can’t see far enough to make out any of your compatriots’ faces.

A match, you think, I need a match.

Even as you have the thought, a light shines brightly from above you, illuminating your path if only for a few feet. You start toward the light, trying to discern its source, but it seems to retreat. Despite your reservations, you feel compelled to follow it.

The rest of the group seems drawn to the light as well, a fact that would be concerning if you bothered to stop staring at the light long enough to acknowledge it. Instead, you make your way through a narrow tunnel, the light always close, but not so much that you could make out what is casting it. After a few minutes you arrive in a large cavern. The light seems to have stilled now, and you approach it, the rock walls echoing your hesitant footsteps.

Suddenly the glow intensifies, and you recoil in horror at the sight of your guide.

Its eight legs tap against the damp floor, shifting its body back and forth as it surveys its prey. It looks each of you in the eye, not sparing a single person from its glance, and after it has taken note of your reactions, it rears up and waves its forelegs in the air, staring directly at you.

You look around at a sudden hissing, afraid that a snake as grossly disproportioned as the beast before you has come for you as well, but you quickly realize the sound is coming from none other than the spider.

“Back in the tunnel,” you hiss urgently, not wanting to attract its attention. “Hurry, back through.”

Your fellow adventurers don’t seem to hear you, still mesmerized by the creature in the center of the room. In desperation you grab at your nearest compatriot’s arm, but he doesn’t seem to notice, his gaze still locked onto the light emanating from the spider.

“It’s going to kill you,” you insist, but he still doesn’t react.

You realize that you are the only one who is close enough to make out the creature’s form. The rest must be attracted to the light like you were before, unable to see what lies in the dark. You grab onto your fellow’s arm again and pull your hardest, dragging him toward the creature. If he sees, surely he will come to his senses. If he realizes what’s happening, he can help you get the others out.

A searing pain interrupts your thoughts, something piercing the side of your neck and making you release your friend’s arm. As he stands in awe of the brightness, you feel something coursing into your body, a feeling of dread passing through you just as quickly.

You’re the only one who can save the others. And you’ve just been immobilized.

You can’t feel your fingers, though you can see your comrade’s arm just inches away, and you can’t run, even to save yourself. You struggle with your body, trying to make the slightest movement, but to no avail. Finally, you manage to scream. It’s the only thing you can do.

Your voice rips through the room, startling the rest of your party. As you do so the creature releases your neck, though you still feel whatever it has injected you with coursing through you.

“That way!” you shout, seeing a smaller exit that the creature couldn’t possibly fit through. You see the rest of the group run toward it, disappearing into the darkness and leaving you alone. The room falls silent, and you close your eyes, waiting for the spider to devour you where you stand.

Then you realize. You can move again.

Without further thought you rush for the smaller path, not looking back as you hear the spider begin to make chase after you. You dive through the opening and hear a sharp thud as the beast collides with the wall. In front of you, your compatriots scream as a shower of rocks falls in their path, trapping you in the small tunnel.

The only way out of the cave is to defeat the beast. The only way to escape is to find a way to overpower it. The only way to survive is to band together and fight it.

So why do you suddenly want to help it?