The Legendary Cave Monster 2015

BEFOREHAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: I would like you to know that my sister Audrey came up with the idea of a cave monster and much of the first of the story . I just wrote it down, added ideas and details, and made it a story.

I’m eating dinner when Briana comes over.

“Kimberly!” she cries. “I went into town today,and you’ll never believe what I heard!”

“What; if you drink the nectar of a water lily you’ll become more beautiful?” I tease. Every time Briana goes to town, she comes back with some bizarre story.

“No, nothing like that.” she mopes. “Those girls were only playing a trick on me. This time though, they weren’t talking to me directly. They were huddled in a group.”

“What did they say this time?” I lean back in my char. I’m ready for whatever she throws my way.

“Well, you know those strange sound I hear at night? They kind of sound like roaring?” Briana’s pretty sure there’s something out there: even though I don’t hear anything except the usual sounds, and none of those sound like roaring. She’s positive it’s a dragon.

“Briana, we’ve been over this. It’s just the wind.” I say blowing in her face. “No, no. It’s not.” she says shaking her head so violently, that her dark hair whips her in the face. “I know what it is now.”

“Really?” I raise an eyebrow at her skeptically.

“It’s a…” her eyes flicker towards the door as if something is about to burst in at any second. Then, she leans in close and whispers.”cave monster.” Poor naive Briana. Poor, poor Briana.

“Briana,” I say sternly, looking into her eyes. ” I know this; you know this, and everyone else knows this; there is no such thing as a cave monster.”

“Oh but there is.” she says wide-eyed. “He roams around, looking for people to eat.”

“And how come I’ve never seen this so-called “cave monster”?” I ask.

“Because it only comes out at night.” she nods to herself.

“Briana, I think you’ve had a little too much sunlight today. You should go home and get some rest.”

“But it’s getting dark out. He’ll be out real soon.”

“Briana,” I sigh. “We live in a cave, it’s always dark out.” At first it seems astonishing to find out that we live in a cave. It’s not all that bad. It’s not a small cave, it’s actually a very large one. We call it the Cave Canyons because it’s just like a canyon, except it’s inside a mountain. It’s not only Briana and I if that’s what you’re thinking. There’s an entire village in the Cave Canyons. We all have our own little huts. Fortunately, Briana and my huts are closest to the entrance of the cave.

Outside the cave, there is a small waterfall with a pond at the end. It’s all surrounded by trees. Our main water source is the pond, but there are a few freshwater springs scattered throughout the Canyons. Most of the villagers farm, and sell their wares in town, but not everyone. Briana makes jewelry out of the gems you can find throughout the canyons.

“I know it’s always dark,  but it’s getting darker.” Briana says in a pouty voice.

“Come on Briana, I’ll walk you home.” I stand up and walk out the door. I hear her jump up and scurry after me. We walk around a bend and we’re practically there.

“Remember,” I call over my shoulder to where I left Briana on her doorstep.”there’s no such thing as cave monsters.”

“I’m still locking my door.” she calls after me. Once back at my hut, I decide to hit the sack early. If I’m going to go into town, I’m going to have leave earlier than usual.

I fall asleep quickly quickly and I’m soon dreaming about my neighbor Harry’s pet rat, Jonny Bobo. One moment  Jonny Bobo is eating cheese. The next, a cave monster is carrying me out of my house. Oh, I suddenly realize. This must be one of those dreams that you’re dreaming inside a dream once you realize you’re dreaming. Too confusing? Sorry.

Since this is just a dream, I don’t feel the need to struggle. The cave monster blindfolds me, and I slip back into my dream about Jonny Bobo.

“Wake up. Wake up.” a voice says gently, shaking me awake.

When I open my eyes, the first thing I see is the cave monster. I stare at him. Just stare. Maybe I’m still dreaming. I think, just to reassure myself.

“Hi you!” he says cheerfully. I  open my mouth and scream and scream, and scream until he claps a hairy purple hand with blue spots, on my mouth.”Don’t do that.” he grumbles. “It hurts my ears, plus it’s very impolite.”

I scramble backwards away from him, and fall of the bed I’m laying on. Thee cave monster grabs my leg and dangles me, upside down in front of his face. I’m glad I don’t wear dresses like Briana, but at the same time the cave monster is scaring the pants off me.*—*I hope you do realize, my pants are still on, it’s just a figure of speech.

“You know what?” I shake my head. When he picked me up, he clasped his hand over my mouth again. “I’d love to have you for dinner.” he says “in fact, I’d love to have you for breakfast too. I’ll save room.” I scream, but my voice is muffled by his hand. I thrash around until he drops me on the bed. He drops down through a trapdoor. I run over, and pull on the door, but he’s locked it.

I run around the room banging on walls, screaming to be let out. Eventually, I sit down on the bed, exhausted.

“There’s no point.” I say to myself. “The walls are made of solid rock.” before I can stop myself, I fall asleep. I must have been screaming for hours.

“Wake up.” the cave monster already has his hand over my mouth just in case I scream.

“Follow me.” he climbs downs a ladder that is placed underneath the trapdoor. Somewhat shocked, I  follow after him. Once we’re downstairs (if you can even call it that), he leads me to a table. “Stay here.” he says. He hurries over to a small stove in the corner, grabs a pot and brings it  back to hte table I am seated at. He also brings a tray laden with food.

“Here you go.”he says, dishing out some hashbrowns onto a plate with ham and eggs.

“Oh,oh!” he exclaims.”I almost forgot the mashed strawberry drink and the tiny tangerine!” he hurries off and comes back with a pink-red drink and a small orange.

“Uh.” I’m at a loss for words. The cave monster just nods at me, encouraging me to take some food. I reach for the tangerine, but I quickly draw my hand back.”I know what your doing!” He looks puzzled.”You’re trying to fatten me up so you can eat me! That’s why you kidnapped me!”

“Kidnap? OH, no, no. I would never kidnap anybody.You just looked like a nice person, and i wanted you to  come over for breakfast and dinner. I was never going to eat you. I only wanted to eat with you.” He shakes his head at me.” Why would I want to eat you? I’m a vegan.”

“You’re a vegan!” I ask disbelieving.

“Yes a vegan. You do know what a vegan is right?”

“Yes, I know what a vegan is.”

“Oh!” exclaims the cave monster, changing the subject.”I don’t know your name! WE still need to introduce ourselves. Ok, I’ll go first.” he rubs his hands together before beginning.

“My name is Halae. That’s Hu-lae.” he says,pronouncing it really slowly.” If I had any friends, other than my chickens I mean, they would call me Hal. You can call me Hal by the way.”

“Ok, nice to meet you Hal: I guess.” This is so much weirder than I expected. I think to myself.

“Now, tell me your name.” Hal points a t me. He folds his large hairy hands in his lap, then looks at me expectantly.

“Oh, um, Kimberly, I’m; Kimberly.” I say, fidgeting a bit.

“Well nice to meet you Kimberly!” he says enthusiastically.

“Um, hi. Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” my eyes flicker to the door and back a couple times. He obviously doesn’t get the hint.

“Really, what is it?” he spoons more eggs onto my plate, even though I haven’t eaten anything.

“So, if you’re not going to eat me, when can I go home?” Whenever you feel like it. Would you like to go now?”

“Sort of, yeah.”

“Follow me, I’ll show you the way out.” he walks toward the entrance of his cave, and stops.”Come visit me soon.” he says. “Oh! I almost forgot! Next time you come, bring your favorite food, and I’ll make mine! It will be great!”

“Ok, I will.” I say uncertainly, definitely not intending to keep my promise. I doubt, no I hope I’ll never have to come back here.

“Now to get out,” he explains.”You just go down this tunnel, and, at the end you turn right. Just climb up the ladder.”

“Ok, thanks.” I slowly being waling down the tunnel, speeding up after the first few steps. When I’m halfway down the tunnel, he calls to me.

“Goodbye! Make sure you come visit me! And bring your favorite food!”

“Ok! I will.” I step out of the cave, and I’m standing on a rocky outcropping. There are sharp rocks, far below me, at Hal said, a small rope ladder is to my right.I climb for what feels like hours, even though it’s probably only a few minutes. When I reach the top, I can clearly see a waterfall. It’s the waterfall that’s right next to the Caves!

I run straight into the pond and take a deep breath. Then, I dive to the bottom, feeling the cold mud between my fingers. Something slimy brushes against my foot. Quickly, I quick it away, and head back toward the surface.

When I resurface, I gasp for air.

“So it wasn’t a dream after all.” I whisper. “The cave monster is real” realization hits me like an arrow to my chest.”The cave monster is real!” I say slosh to the shore, as quickly as I can, which isn’t very fast because my clothes are heavy with water.

“The cave monster is real!” I shout over and over again as I run towards Briana’s house. I burst through the door and Briana shoots up like a newly blooming sprout, in her bed. Her hair is a mess, sticking out all over the place.

“Who’s there!” She shouts, brushing her hair out of her eyes.”Oh, it’s just you Kimberly.” she says, propping herself back on her elbows.”What brings you here so early?”

“It’s real.” I whisper.

“Speak up! I can’t ever hear you! You mumble all the time!”

“The cave monster is real.” I say slightly louder.

“Oh.” She looks concerned.”Have you been near the orange crystal mines lately? You know those toxic snails reside there, and their fumes really do bad things to you brain and lungs.”

I walk over, and sit on the end of her bed.”I saw him.”

“Oh Kimberly!” Briana exclaims. “You’re soaking wet!” she places her hand on my forehead.”You’re burning up! You must have touch one of those poisonous frogs in the pond! We’ve gotta get you home.” Briana’s face keeps swimming in and out of focus. She takes my hand and leads me towards the door, still in her nightgown.

“You’ve gotta believe me.” my whisper is barely audible, even to my own ears.

“Hush, hush.” she slips he arm under mine, drags me a few steps, and suddenly, everything goes black.

---

I spend the next few days in pain, slipping in and out of a deep sleep. I vaguely remember an old man hovering over my bedside, speaking with Briana, the first day. I recall hearing him say something about “dying”. But I can’t be sure because the blackness came back.

I wake up, and, by fumbling around with the things on my bedside table, I manage to burn myself on a candle. Now, as fully awake as I’ll ever be for the next few hours, I crawl out of bed, and unknowingly stumble through the caves, through the forest, and down to the entrance of Hal, the  cave monster’s cave home.

“Hal,” I croak, before the darkness overcomes me.

---

When i open my eyes, I find myself staring at a rocky ceiling.

I try to stand up, but end up sprawled on the floor. I crawl over to the trapdoor, and pop my head down.

“Hal?”

“No, no, no.” says Hal sternly, clucking his tongue like an old nursemaid. He looks up at me, hanging out the trapdoor.Hal climbs up the ladder, and picks me up. Awkwardly cradling me like  a baby, he carries me over to the bed. He pulls the blankets up to my chin, and tucks them under me.

“Now, stay there.” He disappears down through the trapdoor, leaving me to think about the foul taste in my mouth. A minute later, he pops back up, carrying a pot in one arm, while climbing with the other.

He carefully pours an orange colored liquid from the pot, into a glass that is sitting on the bedside table.