shadows on my wall

underground

the stairs seemed to continue on forever. the watch indicated i had been going down for thirty five minutes. even though it was dark i was somehow able to see as if i had night vision.

the ring was allowing me to see though the dark only twenty or so feet.

i had gotten tired of walking and decided to take a moment.

"least its not going up. so its easy."

looking at the first page of the map to pass the time i noticed farkas wrote all of his edits in red.

even including the stairs. there was a note that said to jump down.

"jump... down that pit?" 

after taking a minute to consider walking i folded the maps and secured it in my pocket.

holding my breath i jumped. it was strange seeing the stairs spiraling around me speeding up as i fell. but that changed when i started slowing down, i had reached the bottom. 

lightly floating down my shoes touched the damp stone. checking to make sure i had the maps, and anything else i recalled having was where it should be. i looked into the tunnels.

the stone walls were damp and covered in patches of moss and what seemed to be roots.

taking out the map i began following farkas red line carefull not to take a wrong turn or trip on the vines growing here.

there was a wall ahead with a carving of a head. looking at the map to see if i was in the wrong area i found i wasnt, as there was a note that told me to poke the head.

after poking the stone forehead and finding nothing to happen i noticed the writing just above it.

"what a man breathes he cannot see, but what he speaks he can hear."

farkas note didnt tell me anything else other than to poke the head, and the riddle wasnt mentioned.

re reading it and poking spots on the head in order seemed logical.

"breathes, see, speaks, hear. nose, eyes, mouth, and ear." i mumbled.

poking the indicated areas was correct. i looked behind me to find a door was where the tunnel i had walked down was.

turning to page 2 of 6 it was time to continue.

the next area was flooded.

reading farkas edited note on this area told me it was flooded and indicated a boat was near. but to be carefull about the walk way as it was in need of repair.

sure enough the boat was nearby, suspended above the water to keep the wood from rotting.

unlocking the pin on the crank letting the crank wheel slowly turn on its own by the weight of the dinghy was easy enough. but there wasnt a paddle. improvising with a five foot plank of wood i began paddeling, following the map as i went along. 

after five minutes i recalled a memory of uncle barris taking me on a trip though the swamps of Louisiana. the whole day spent exploring the swamps, and looking at the long lost wonders out there. the abandoned cars, shacks, and other things claimed by the murky depths of deep marshes.

up ahead the path was blocked off taking the alternate route on the map was simple enough to find. 

a walking path was visible, climbing out of the boat and securing it to a post was what was easy. the note on this area was not. it simply said to skip to map 6 when you reach the door.

walking ahead and finding the door i did as instructed. the door was locked.

doing the next best thing i knocked. after a few seconds the door opened.

it was right back at the cemetary where the tower was.

farkas was there to greet me.

"hello again my good sir. how was it in there?"

"what the hell. how am i- uh-"

farkas placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"dont question it. i was only doing as told. think of it as a test and seeing as you passed i am to follow the next order. follow me if you will."

i looked around and noticed i was back in the other world. the one before i was dead. but there wasnt any snow.

"farkas? how long was i in there?"

turning around several feet ahead he calmly said " two and a half weeks. nothing to worry about i assure you."

following farkas to the end of the cemetary he instructed me to go home. back to the appartment. and to tell no one.

"who would i tell? no one would beleive me."

walking home was like waking from a dream.