Capítulo 12: chapter 12 the door
The cavern felt colder now, the chill seeping into my bones despite the absence of the shadow creatures. I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched—that the shadows had merely retreated to regroup, lurking just beyond the light.
Ava stopped pacing and turned toward me, her expression sharp. "You need to tell us everything you saw back there. Every. Detail."
I hesitated. How could I explain something that felt so unreal? "They weren't just shadows," I started, my voice barely above a whisper. "They moved like they were alive—like they had intent. They came out of the walls. I think they are the walls."
Will let out a quiet whimper, and Cole shot me a warning look. "Don't scare her," he said gently.
"I'm not," I replied, my voice shaking. "I'm telling the truth. They're real, and they're still out there."
Ava swore under her breath, wiping her knife clean as though it could erase the memory of the encounter. "Great. Living shadows. That's just fantastic." She looked around the cavern, her eyes narrowing at every dark corner, every crack. "We need to find a way out of here—fast."
Cole stood, his flashlight sweeping the edges of the cavern. The light flickered, and I froze, a spike of panic driving into my chest. "Did you see that?" I asked, my voice rising.
He frowned. "What?"
"The light." I gestured toward his flashlight. "It flickered."
Cole shook the device, muttering something under his breath. "Batteries must be dying."
"No," I said quickly. "That's not it. They don't like the light, remember? What if they're messing with it?"
The others fell silent. Ava's jaw tightened, her gaze sweeping the cavern again, more cautious this time. "If you're right, we don't have much time before they come back."
Suddenly, a low sound echoed through the cavern—a deep, guttural hum that seemed to vibrate through the walls. It wasn't loud, but it set my teeth on edge, as though it were coming from inside the stone. Will bolted upright, her face pale. "What is that?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Cole turned toward one of the cavern's darkened openings, his flashlight quivering slightly in his hands. "It's coming from over there."
Ava didn't hesitate. "Then we move—now."
Reluctantly, I pushed myself to my feet, muscles aching from the sprint and the fight. I glanced back at the tunnel we'd escaped from. The shadows were still there, lingering like a physical stain on the air, just waiting for us to falter. I forced myself to look away.
We moved deeper into the cavern, the humming sound growing louder. It wasn't a steady noise—it pulsed, like the beat of some enormous, hidden heart. Every few steps, the flashlight flickered again, and my stomach twisted with dread. The darkness seemed thicker now, clinging to the edges of the light like smoke.
"Keep your weapons ready," Ava said in a low voice. "If they come again, we'll be ready."
I swallowed hard, gripping my crowbar so tightly my knuckles ached. I wasn't sure I'd ever feel ready again.
The tunnel began to narrow once more, and we were forced into single file. Cole led this time, his flashlight guiding the way. Ava followed close behind him, knife still in hand, and I stayed at the back, watching the darkness that seemed to crawl along the edges of my vision. Will walked just ahead of me, her shoulders shaking, but she kept moving.
Then the humming stopped. The silence that followed was worse—like the air itself had been sucked out of the tunnel.
"Why did it stop?" Will whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Shh," Ava hissed. She froze, holding up a hand to signal us to stop.
We stood there in the stillness, straining to listen. My heart thudded in my ears, too loud, too fast. And then I heard it—a faint, skittering sound, like nails scratching against stone.
From behind us.
I turned slowly, dread crawling up my spine. At first, I saw nothing but darkness. Then, as my eyes adjusted, I saw the shadows begin to move again—rippling across the walls, coalescing into those terrible, jagged shapes.
"They're here," I whispered.
Before anyone could react, the shadows surged forward, faster than before. "RUN!" I screamed.
Will screamed, too, and Ava swore, shoving us forward. "Move! GO!"
We sprinted down the narrow tunnel, the darkness at our backs, swallowing the light as it came. Cole stumbled, nearly dropping the flashlight, but Ava grabbed his arm, dragging him forward. The skittering sound grew louder, closer, and I could feel the shadows at my heels, reaching, clawing.
Suddenly, the tunnel widened, and we burst into another chamber—this one massive, with a high ceiling that disappeared into darkness. At its center stood something that made me skid to a stop.
It was a door.
Massive and ancient, carved from stone and covered in strange, spiraling symbols that seemed to shimmer faintly in the light. The air around it hummed, the same deep vibration we'd heard earlier.
"What… is that?" Cole asked, panting.
Ava shook her head, her eyes wide. "I don't know, but we don't have time to think about it."
The shadows spilled into the chamber behind us, a dark tide rising from the tunnel. The shapes peeled away from the walls again, tall and spindly, their hollow eyes gleaming. They advanced slowly this time, as though savoring the hunt.
I turned to the door. "Maybe it's a way out!"
Cole ran up to it, pressing his hands against the stone. "It's solid—there's no handle!"
"Look for something!" Ava shouted, her knife useless now as the shadows crept closer.
Will pointed to the symbols on the door. "They're glowing! What if we have to… touch them?"
I didn't have time to question it. I ran up to the door, reaching for the nearest symbol. My fingertips brushed the cold stone, and a sudden shock jolted up my arm. The symbol flared brightly, and a deep, resonant boom echoed through the chamber.
"Do it again!" Ava shouted.
One by one, we touched the symbols, the light growing brighter with each one. The shadows shrieked and recoiled, their forms writhing as though in pain. The last symbol flared, and the door shuddered, a thin line of light splitting down its center.
With a deafening grind, the door began to open.
"GO!" Cole yelled.
We ran for the widening gap, the light spilling out blinding us as we sprinted through. I felt the shadows surge behind us, their screeches growing louder, but I didn't look back.
The instant we crossed the threshold, the door slammed shut with a thunderous crash, cutting off the sound of the creatures. Silence fell again, broken only by our ragged breathing.
I sank to my knees, my body trembling. Cole dropped beside me, his flashlight dead in his hands. Ava stood, her shoulders rising and falling, knife still clutched tightly.
Will let out a soft, broken sob. "Are… are they gone?"
For the first time in what felt like hours, I allowed myself to breathe.
"I think so," I said quietly. But even as the words left my mouth, I couldn't shake the feeling that the shadows weren't done with us yet.
Not by a long shot.
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