Prompt 1
1 Story has to start underground and end the opposite
2 There’s a _____ Sensation
3 She doesn’t know
Submitted by Everest
Cool droplets of water landed on the unconscious body of a woman lying on the ground. The water was not what roused her from slumber however, as she propped herself up off the ground. A pain shot through her skull blowing away the fog that clouded her mind as she initially woke. Finding a comfortable position she took stock of herself. Up until this point she had been wincing through every motion, when it dawned on her that opening her eyes did not provide her with any other stimulus aside from the cold dark of where ‘this’ was.
There was a brief moment where she panicked. Every muscle in her body told her to flee from this situation. To escape and find a place safe where she could tend to the wounds she received. Now that she’s become aware of her situation her rational mind quickly stepped in to reign in her primal instincts.
The thoughts raced through her mind pouring over everything she could remember about what she was doing and where she was going before she woke up. Unfortunately, as she began to scour her memories for anything that could tie her to her current situation. The only thing she could remember was the sound of drums. The type of drum that sounded a deep and hollow expression. The type of sound that would rattle you awake if you were passed out on the ground for example.
She felt a deep sense of foreboding form in the back of her mind as she began to process the new information she had just received. The drums did not explain her situation as of yet but their presence must be linked to her current predicament if that’s the only thing she could remember.
Feeling around in the dark while on all fours was all she could muster for the time being as she slowly explored her surroundings. The floor was solid, rough in certain areas and slowly began to ascend. The sounds of her hands slapping the ground caused an echo which went on for several seconds before ceasing. She couldn’t help but wonder if she had fallen down from somewhere and ended up in the dark as a result of it. She was deep and she had no way of knowing which direction she needed to go while being completely deprived of her vision.
The only saving grace she recieved was a slight breeze that played across her face if she stayed still. It tousled the hair on her face as she turned her head up to face the breeze. “This is it!” she exclaimed excitedly. Scrabbling her way up the incline toward the breeze was when she first heard it.
Duuum Duuum Duum!
Three drawn out beats bellowed out from behind her. The sound sent the hairs on the back of her neck up as she remembered the foreboding feeling she got from hearing drums in her memory. The speed of her pace increased drastically even in the dark, as the sounds of her shuffling evolved into a quick set of feet pattering against the roughly hewn floor beneath her. Instinctually, she knew she needed to get away and she needed to do it fast. Nothing good would come from allowing the drums to catch her.
The incline was gradual enough that running up them didn’t prove to be that difficult. The issue was the lack of vision which prevented her from really gaining any speed. Regardless, her only goal was to find an exit through the where the wind was entering from.
Duum Duuum Duuum!
That sound of drums were even closer! Beads of sweat were trickling down her face, and the sting of them reaching her eyes only added to her discomfort as the drums began to pick up their tempo. Seconds passed and the sounds began to get louder and louder until they were right behind her. There was nothing she could do but continue to climb. It was exhausting and it only proved to bring her attention to the smaller aches she felt all across her body as her stamina began to fail. However, through the darkness a sliver a light appeared. It was difficult to gauge the distance but she knew it was close and in a few paces the light was right above her.
Reaching for the crack in wall she drove her fingers into the light smothering it. Gripping the edges she pulled back with all of her strength. Nothing. Not even a budge, the obstacle remained. After exhausting herself all she could do was press her forehead against the exit. The drums were going to catch her and she couldn't do anything about it. In frustration she balled up her fist and sent it crashing down onto the breach. A loud crack echoed throughout the darkness. In a matter of seconds she sent a flurry of blows against the wall, each one responding with a satisfying whip crack. More and more light began peeking through when the final strike sent her tumbling forward into the blinding light. As quickly as possible she began pulling herself through the newly created exit. The sounds of the drums had ceased. Lying there quietly, she opened her eyes, slowly trying to adjust to the brightness of the world around her.
As her eyes adjusted to the light she could tell by the features of the room she was in that she had arrived. The air here was stale, her mouth was dry and her skin felt dirty but the thing that bothered her the most was the incessant sound of feet thumping against the back of her seat. She knew who was causing the disturbance but the hassle it would take to argue with a parent in front of the child in question would only make the experience worse knowing she’d still have to be standing next to them for another ten minutes at least as they exited. Ignoring the discomfort, she shook off the stiffness of her body. Sitting up, the headrest was still delivering a steady beat. Unconsciously, her body shivered at the thought. Glancing behind her all she could see was the brightly colored seat she had been occupying for the past few hours. There was an uneasiness she felt but couldn't place. Fortunately, the feeling passed as more people began to rouse from their seats. Without turning back she moved into the aisle leaving behind the sound of drums.