Chapter 6: Thud

I was scared but I paid my weak heart no mind. I continued running, spooked. I bumped into something hard. I touched my forehead that was hit. I slowly looked to the direction of the ‘thing’ I just bumped into. It is a big and large tree. It looks centuries old and its branches are long and wide. there seems to be a glow emitting from it.

I stood up and walked steadily, getting ready to be near it to touch it. another growl echoed to the forest. I covered my ears to protect it from the intensity of the noise. I am sure! The growl was from behind the large tree!

But to my surprise, thousands of, somewhat, greenlights fluttered and started moving towards me. I can barely identify them because they are too many and lingers to the air making me a bit dizzy before I can even find out what they are. Surprised and a bit blinded, I quickly dashed and slipped in a muddy slope. I could feel the mushy dirt in my behind. I was bent a little and the hanging branches of the short trees hits me on the face.

When I stopped sliding down, I stand up slowly as I caress my aching back and behind. I saw a cave a foot away from where I was standing. As soon I entered it, it started raining. Like luck made me slid down the muddy slope to find the cave because it is about to rain, but it led me there a bit injured.

I sat there feeling the chill in the air. The temperature inside the cave immediately increased because of the heavy rain. The raindrops falling sounds like a drum booming in my ears. I tried warming my body by embracing myself as I move my hands up and down on both of my arms. I did that for a while and when I felt like I will start to have hypothermia and what I am doing is starting to be useless, I got up to find something to warm me up, even though there is a slight chance for me to find anything of help.

I started walking as I try to process what I am truly looking for. What kind of something that could help me? What thing that could be of use inside this cave that can be of use to start fire?

As I walk farther than I expected, desperate enough to find warmth and now, food. I saw a light pcoming from somewhere. At first, I thought that I am just seeing things but when I closed my eyes and tried rubbing them, the light illuminated even more when it hit a dropping water from a stalagmite. I immediately responded and went to where it was coming from.

As I come closer, the light coming somewhere behind a big block of stone made me tingle in anticipation. The light, now, is strong that it helped me to see everything on my path. The stalagmites and stalactites shimmered in brilliance. Different colors emit from every stone as if there is something inside them that causes the bizarre ability of the stones. Those ‘things’ also seems like it’s moving around.

This is undeniably amazing!

I continued walking as my mouth hang open. I cannot believe that a place like this really exist, but if not and this is just in my dreams, my heart still aches in pure bliss to be chosen to witness this remarkable and picturesque collaboration of nature and time!

The emitting light shined even more as if urging me to go beyond. Nervous but excited at the same time, I slowly went further, biting my lip. Anticipating and out of breath, I go.

A loud thud woke me up from one of the greatest dreams I ever had. I slowly opened my eyes only to be welcomed by the familiarity of my bedroom. I touched the spot where it hurts the most. I just fell from bed. The loud thud was from my fall.

I hold on the wooden edge of my bed and stood up. I felt dizziness taking place when I successfully stood up on my feet and before I knew it, my legs gave in when my knees wobbled. My palms and knees touching the floor, preventing me from completely passing out.

I crawled on top of my bed and settled there. I sat as I realizations hit me. I feel so tired! My head is aching and so is some parts of my body especially my legs and my back. The view is undefined because my vision is now blurry. I felt the slight tingling and weakness on my knees, so I decided to relax a little. The soothing feeling I feel as I lay in my bed made me thin. Did I not sleep? But I know I did because I just ‘traveled’ and I just woke up from it!

As I try processing what is actually happening to me, I furrowed my eyebrows when my mother opened my bedroom door in frenzy, banging it in the wall in the process. My head ached even more when the loud bang echoed inside my head.

“I heard a thud.” Her eyes are as weary as always. Her night dress is a bit in amess as much as her robe that I think she quickly put on.

Upon seeing her, I felt comforted. I am glad that she is here. She is not somewhere out there, at work. She is here and she is disturbed, meaning she is in her room getting ready to sleep, or was asleep when he heard my little accident.

“I am fine. I just fell out of the bed.” My voice is hoarse.

“Are you alright, Ansel?” she began to sound worried.

“I am A-ok, mama.” I tried assuring her. “Do not worry. I am just a bit tired today.”

“ok. Just don’t push yourself too much.” When I thought that she already left, her head popped out of my door reminding me about dinner. “By the way, dinner is ready. Get ready and go down.”

When she left, I tried standing up again. When I did, I walked towards the small bathroom inside my room. I opened the lights and was surprised to find my eyes looking tired. I have dark circles around my eyes as if I did not sleep even a blink. I hold on to the edges of the sink and after a while, washed my face. Trying to remove the weariness I am seeing on my face.