Caught In Time

Chapter 11: Ethan and Cassedee

All she could see was black. Black clouds, black sky and black absolute nothingness. They had landed with a thud and there was no light in sight. She couldn't tell if it was night or--something else. She was scared to even speak let alone yell out Ethan's name. She didn't even know what was in front of her face or what lay lurking in the shadows.

She felt around her. It seemed like it was a dirt and gravel mixture--a cave?

She felt the ground some more and felt what seemed like walls. Stone walls. And vines. It was cold, she noticed that. And water dripping down. She felt her clothes, checking for rips or any wounds.

Her arm.

She couldn't even move it. She glanced down at her hands and flipped the palms over. The previous injury was still there but barely noticeable now. The pain had subsidized but she knew she would have scars.

A memory of this horrible experience.

She winced as her arm throbbed. Why was it doing this? She tried to remember what had caused this injury but everything was so faded. All she could remember was being in the station, seeing the bright light and then...nothing.

She didn't have anything she could use for a sling and the pain was too much to bare. She didn't know what to do.

Guess I will have to just suck it up and deal with it, like everything else.

Sighing she figured that she would try to at least get up. Worst case scenario I yell for Ethan and then I die or something attacks me and then I die. She struggled to support herself against the weight, crying out in agony as her arm was stretched to its limits. Tears began to form in her eyes and she sucked in a huge breath. This was going to hurt. A lot.

She pushed down on her palm, attempting to get herself up. She ignored the pain and continued to hoist herself up. She didn't have anything to grip onto; using her good arm, she steadied herself and then eased herself up into a squatting position. She took a huge breath in and willed herself up.

She staggered against the wall for support and clung onto it. Her nails too short to dig in and her palms too swollen from the injury before.

Her eyes finally adjusted to the darkness, now she understood where she was.

It was a cave and she could hear water running...somewhere.

She hesitated to speak out loud, not knowing what or who could come after her if she did.

"Ethan!" she whispered loudly.

Silence.

She slowly walked forward, fully aware now that her arm was in absolute pain. She ignored it and instead, focused on the silence. Her converse failed to provide any grip and she feared she would fall off a cliff, unaware in the blindly dark.

This is where it ends, I suppose. She thought. If I die, I die.

She walked a little more, taking note of the rocks and small pebbles that pelted her feet.

She wished so desperately that there was light.

"Ethan!" She whispered his name again, this time more forcefully and loud.

There was grumbling and then all of a sudden, two white eyes glistened in the blackened air.

This is where it ends, she thought. All 16 years of my life, gone.

Why did they end up in a cave? And where was James?

She carefully took several steps before the white eyes were in front of her face.