The 122nd
Chapter Ten: Deadly Quiet
Back out into the pouring rain. It was harsh weather and it added to the tension that captain Bryan felt. It was in this moment that Bryan suddenly felt utterly alone and heard the silence of the planet echo in his ear. The wind hitting his face, the rain hitting splashing on the ground, and the footsteps Bryan made as he dashed back were the only things that he was able to hear. He finally made it back to the entrance of the cave. Fear filled his heart as he thought of why he was doing this. Bryan knew he felt comforted being around Brandon because he knew he was safe there. Safe around them. Bryan sighed as he made it inside the cave again. He suddenly realized how dark it was and searched his side pocket for the flashlight he had put away during the firefight. He couldn't find it anywhere in his pocket and he assumed that it must have gotten lost during the confusion. Bryan whispered to himself "Damn it." Without a light source of any kind, he would have to go down there blind. But Bryan was determined now and he knew that the lives of three more of his soldiers were below.
Bryan searched around the front of the cave for any sort of flashlight or light source. To his surprise, he found one of the neon-green flares that private Hutchison had on him. It wasn't illuminated and it lay next to the wall of the cave entrance unnoticed. Bryan wondered how it got there but after seeing Hutchison die with his own eyes, he knew he would never find the answer to that question. It would forever remain with Hutchison. Bryan took the flare and hit it's end on his leg. It lit up brightly and Bryan winced his eyes and was forced to look away. He held it in his hand for a few seconds before he slowly turned back to look at the bright neon light emanating from the flare. It was a good light source and Bryan knew it would last long enough to find his remaining soldiers.
Down into the depths of the cold earth once again. Bryan took out his pistol and with his left hand holding the flare and his right hand holding onto his pistol, he slide through the choke point once again and looked at the winding path heading down into the bowels of the cave. This time, though, Bryan didn't hear any firing of weapons. It was just silence. It worried Bryan and slipped into the deepest parts of his mind. Bryan could easily figure how anyone could go crazy in a cave, especially one with blood-thirsty monsters. Bryan had no intention of being among the crazy. Bryan continued deeper into the depths as he followed the spiraling path downward. His light source felt like gold, a valuable find down here. If Bryan lost his flare this deep, he would have to blindly rely on the walls of the cave to make his way back up. It would be tough and dangerous and no doubt Bryan knew those atrocities were able to see in the dark. Deeper and deeper Bryan went until finally, he saw the ledge again. The other flare from private Hutchison burned brightly below it on the floor of the lower level and littered throughout the room were corpses of both humans and monsters. Bryan stared at the casualties in sheer astonishment and saw the lights from their shoulder-lamps. Some of them were still on and some were broken. His fist tightened on the pistol as he realized he had led his men into a trap. But how could he have known what was below here? There was nothing he could do to have prevented it. But it still nagged at him.
Surprisingly, Bryan realized, the room was clear. There weren't any monsters around. Bryan was surprised that it was empty again. He looked at the ceiling but it, too, was clear. The monsters must have left after the firefight. Bryan looked back down on the floor to where the corpses were laying and saw a large black spot on the ground near a pile of monsters. He concluded that whoever threw that grenade had killed at least that many creatures. Their limbs were torn and scattered and one of them wasn't even in one piece anymore. Nothing but blood was all around it. His slow, constant breathing and his footsteps were the only things Bryan could hear. Bryan crouched down to look at the bodies of his fellow soldiers. He saw corporal Landon among the bodies. He was closest to the ledge and his weapon lay on the ground next to his left hand. Bryan wondered if the poor corporal was right handed or left handed, but he quickly pushed the thought out of his mind and as Bryan tossed the bright flare down next to the other, he quietly climbed down the ledge and landed on his feet.
If there were any monsters still in the cave, he would have to take his chances and hope that he would find the rest of his men in time.
Bryan searched around the front of the cave for any sort of flashlight or light source. To his surprise, he found one of the neon-green flares that private Hutchison had on him. It wasn't illuminated and it lay next to the wall of the cave entrance unnoticed. Bryan wondered how it got there but after seeing Hutchison die with his own eyes, he knew he would never find the answer to that question. It would forever remain with Hutchison. Bryan took the flare and hit it's end on his leg. It lit up brightly and Bryan winced his eyes and was forced to look away. He held it in his hand for a few seconds before he slowly turned back to look at the bright neon light emanating from the flare. It was a good light source and Bryan knew it would last long enough to find his remaining soldiers.
Down into the depths of the cold earth once again. Bryan took out his pistol and with his left hand holding the flare and his right hand holding onto his pistol, he slide through the choke point once again and looked at the winding path heading down into the bowels of the cave. This time, though, Bryan didn't hear any firing of weapons. It was just silence. It worried Bryan and slipped into the deepest parts of his mind. Bryan could easily figure how anyone could go crazy in a cave, especially one with blood-thirsty monsters. Bryan had no intention of being among the crazy. Bryan continued deeper into the depths as he followed the spiraling path downward. His light source felt like gold, a valuable find down here. If Bryan lost his flare this deep, he would have to blindly rely on the walls of the cave to make his way back up. It would be tough and dangerous and no doubt Bryan knew those atrocities were able to see in the dark. Deeper and deeper Bryan went until finally, he saw the ledge again. The other flare from private Hutchison burned brightly below it on the floor of the lower level and littered throughout the room were corpses of both humans and monsters. Bryan stared at the casualties in sheer astonishment and saw the lights from their shoulder-lamps. Some of them were still on and some were broken. His fist tightened on the pistol as he realized he had led his men into a trap. But how could he have known what was below here? There was nothing he could do to have prevented it. But it still nagged at him.
Surprisingly, Bryan realized, the room was clear. There weren't any monsters around. Bryan was surprised that it was empty again. He looked at the ceiling but it, too, was clear. The monsters must have left after the firefight. Bryan looked back down on the floor to where the corpses were laying and saw a large black spot on the ground near a pile of monsters. He concluded that whoever threw that grenade had killed at least that many creatures. Their limbs were torn and scattered and one of them wasn't even in one piece anymore. Nothing but blood was all around it. His slow, constant breathing and his footsteps were the only things Bryan could hear. Bryan crouched down to look at the bodies of his fellow soldiers. He saw corporal Landon among the bodies. He was closest to the ledge and his weapon lay on the ground next to his left hand. Bryan wondered if the poor corporal was right handed or left handed, but he quickly pushed the thought out of his mind and as Bryan tossed the bright flare down next to the other, he quietly climbed down the ledge and landed on his feet.
If there were any monsters still in the cave, he would have to take his chances and hope that he would find the rest of his men in time.