Dawn Berkoski

An iron gate barred the entrance to Colossal Cave. So, I silently waited with a group of strangers to descend into its midst. The creak of iron as the gate opened filled me with excitement. I felt like I was gaining entrance to a secret subterranean space. But then the gate banged shut after us, a solid sound of finality, and a shiver of unease went up my spine. Were they locking us inside?

“Well,” I thought. “The guide has the key. As long as we don’t lose the guide, everything will be fine.”

“Yep,” I reminded myself as the passages started to wind and narrow into a massive labyrinth of tunnels. “As Long as we don’t lose the guide, everything will be fine.”

And so, we began to traverse the underground, sticking to each other, and watching our steps on the uneven path. A few guard rails prevented us from stumbling to our deaths.

“Sharks swam here,” the guide told us. “Millions of years ago, this was all water.” She pointed with her flashlight. “Here we can see limestone and granite formations.”

I tried to listen, but I was mesmerized by my surroundings. So many stairs carved into stone! I love taking pictures of staircases. I also love photographing the texture of various rocks, the interesting shapes of stalagmites and stalactites, the dark crevices in caves, and the focussed lighting.

I started to stray behind the group, as I often do on tours, so I don’t capture unwilling strangers in my shots. As the group moved on, I remained and took a few more pictures before turning to follow them.

That’s when I heard a strange sound coming from a slither of a side tunnel. It sounded like someone was whispering. I frowned, listening closely, trying to identify if it was wind, or some animal. Was it a bat? I wasn’t sure what lived in the dark caves of Arizona. It couldn’t be a shark… Could it be a snake or a scorpion? Did they whisper?

Sssssshd knowwwwn.

It sounded like words. And suddenly my jacket wasn’t warm enough in the coolness of the caverns. I felt a chill that had nothing to do with cold. My mind was back in the haunted streets of Bisbee, thinking of the strange images I’d captured on camera.

Sssssshd ofknowwwwwn

The sound was coming closer. I froze, my heart pounding in alarm as the whispers seemed to stretch towards me.

I should have stayed with the group.

The thought was there but my feet were already running. I was going so fast I nearly slipped on the rocks; my hands grabbed for the railings. Ahead, three tunnel entrances, three choices. I didn’t know which way to go.

But then I heard a girl ask a question, and I swiftly followed the high voice, ducking into the tunnel to my right. The group was down another flight of stairs. I could see the guide’s flashlight. I tried to reach them. I could hear heavy footsteps following me, the sound echoing off the limestone and granite. It was only when I was back with the herd, breathing heavily, that I dared to glance back.

A man was standing at the top of the stairs that I’d just run down, his broad shoulders blocking the light from the lantern, which was affixed to the wall.

Maybe it’s another guide, I thought briefly, my heart pounding in my chest. Security or something. But he was more shadow than man. And then he vanished, at least that’s what I thought.

I should have stayed with the group.

I should have known.

Dawn B~