by Jill Penrod
Chapter 10
“I’m not sure this is my idea of a day off,” Shawn said as he peered into the small, dark cave entrance.
“Oh, come on,” Alex laughed. “Where’s your sense of adventure?”
“You’re sure Bob really made it through here once?” Tom asked, turning his flashlight over in his hand. The four of them sat in the woods outside a cave, wearing heavy clothes and shoes in the day’s extreme heat. They had walked nearly a mile to get here, in shorts, and then they’d changed in the woods and had a light breakfast. The land belonged to Bob and Mandy, who’d told them they could go through the cave anytime.
“So they know we’re here today, right?” Shawn asked.
“Well, no. I didn’t really tell anyone,” Alex said. “You guys worry too much. We crawl in, see what we can see, make some memories, and by lunchtime we’re at the other end, near our cars.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Seth asked. “Well, let’s get started. I for one have always wanted to try this, although it sounds frighteningly like exercise to me.”
“And we can say we’ve gone spelunking,” Tom said. “I love that word. It rolls off the tongue, you know? Spelunking.”
Shawn laughed, a little excited about this himself. He’d never done anything like it. Alex led, which made him feel good; any place Alex could get through, they could all get through. Tom followed, and Seth went next. Shawn took up the rear.
The cave was narrow. For the first few minutes they could duck walk, but then they had to crawl. Shawn found it difficult to hold a flashlight and crawl, but he did it, terrified by the thought of being caught here in the dark. He heard little from his friends, as they spread out and concentrated on moving through the difficult passage. His hands began to hurt, and he wished he’d brought gloves, and soon his feet were sore from pushing with his toes when it got too low to crawl.
It seemed they moved forever. The cave was cool, but sweat formed on his brow and occasionally dripped into his eyes. He was quickly finding out he didn’t like small, enclosed places. He tried to slow his breathing, but he felt a wash of panic as his toes slipped. I’m at the end, he thought. What if I get stuck and they leave me here?
He had to laugh at himself. Nobody was going to leave him here. He wasn’t sure where this fear came from.
The tunnel suddenly dropped about five feet, and Seth’s hands reached for his, helping him down into a small room. As he moved he dropped his flashlight, and when he picked it up it had stopped working.
“Uh oh,” he said, swallowing down true panic.
“Take mine,” Seth said. “I’ve been close to Tom the whole way. I’ll use his light. If you can stay close behind me, I’ll be okay.”
“Thanks,” Shawn said, surprised how much the gesture moved him, especially since he knew he wouldn’t have done it if he’d been Seth.
“Isn’t this the coolest?” Alex asked, flashing his light around the little room. The four of them just fit, the ceiling barely above Seth’s head. The walls were fairly smooth, and they looked damp, like they’d been glazed, although in the dim light colors were impossible to distinguish. Running water sounded in the distance.
“I think I like wide open spaces,” Tom said.
“Amen,” Shawn agreed.
“I’m enjoying it,” Seth said, laughing. “I wasn’t sure I would. Where’s the next tunnel?”
“Down here at my feet,” Alex said. “We ready to move on?”
“Let’s go,” Seth said. Tom and Shawn said nothing.
Shawn tried to stay close to Seth, shining his light ahead so his friend wouldn’t be in the dark. The tunnel went down, but its ceiling was higher here, high enough to let them crawl. Shawn much preferred crawling to lying on his belly scraping forward with his toes and fingertips, but his knee protested vigorously either way.
“Uh oh,” he suddenly heard from Tom. Up ahead he heard a splash, and he stopped, aiming the light as far ahead as he could, but it showed him nothing.
“What?” Shawn asked, hearing the edge to his voice.
“Wait a minute,” Seth said, moving forward out of Shawn’s light. He heard noises and voices, but he didn’t know what was happening. After several minutes Seth backed up and talked to him.
“There’s another little room, like where we first stopped. Alex climbed down, but it’s deep, and he’s in water up to his waist. Seems he forgot about the tides.”
“What?” Shawn asked.
“We’re not far from the coast, you know? At high tide we can’t go any farther. We’ll have to wait for low tide, when the water goes out.”
“Can’t we just get him out and go back?”
“No room. I’m too tall to turn around, and Alex can’t get back up.”
“So, when’s low tide?” Shawn asked, lying on the cool rock.
“Not long, I don’t think. A couple hours, maybe? We need to turn off our lights so they won’t run out of juice while we wait.”
“You’re kidding,” Shawn said. “Okay, okay. Keep talking, though.”
Shawn closed his eyes against the dark and laid his head on his arm, wishing he were at work or home or anywhere but here. The rock below was cold and uncomfortable, and he felt time was nearly stopped. He could only imagine Alex felt worse, stuck in cold water. He hoped he’d be okay.
“I think I’m looking forward to working at Hope next week,” Shawn said. Since Seth couldn’t turn in the low passage, Shawn talked to his feet, but Seth heard him well enough. “Two hours isn’t nearly up yet, is it?”
“A little claustrophobic?”
“More than I imagined possible.”
“Will you be okay?”
“If you keep talking,” Shawn said. “How’s Alex? That water must be cold.”
“I’ll check.”
He moved ahead, and Shawn was alone in the darkness.
Don’t let me die in here, God, he thought. I don’t like it in here. I feel like I’m going crazy with panic. Please send me some of that peace that passes understanding. Please.
“He’s cold, but I don’t think it’s dangerously cold,” Seth said, backing up to him again. “Tom’s talking to him. Tom’s about as freaked as you are.”
“This doesn’t bother you at all?”
“Not really. I don’t like the parts where my head barely fits through the tunnel, though. I keep bumping it. I probably have a bald spot.”
Shawn chuckled.
“I talked to my mom.”
“I wondered,” Seth admitted.
“It went well. She says I’m like my dad before he started drinking. I don’t remember him that way. She was afraid I wouldn’t come back.”
“It crossed my mind a couple times, too, but I just couldn’t imagine you leaving for good. You feel too responsible for your family.”
“I suppose,” Shawn agreed. “It sounded good, though. Just driving out into the country and not turning back…”
“I’m glad you came back. Have you moved over to Hope Homes permanently this summer?”
“No, I don’t think so. They could use the help, though. Marty makes a great foreman, and the contractors who volunteer their time are great, but the school groups need extra help. I enjoy them, too. I see why Jenny does this every summer.”
Seth was silent a moment, and when he started to speak Shawn knew he was going to ask a hard question.
“Can you see you and Jenny as a team? Like a married team working construction? Spending every weekend with kids? Little ones teething on hammers?”
“Let’s not jump ahead of ourselves, okay?” Shawn said, laughing. “Let’s get out of this blasted hole before we marry me off. How about you and Violet? You two seem pretty close.”
“I don’t know,” Seth admitted, his voice sad. “I don’t think she could go with me to a mission field. I enjoy her, but we have different paths in mind. I was thinking about that when I asked about you and Jenny. You two cou
ld follow the same path.”
“Are you going to stop seeing Violet?” Shawn asked, knowing Seth didn’t want that.
“I suppose I have no choice; it isn’t fair to take her heart. I wonder if she sees it, too. I think she does. Lately…I just think it isn’t right, and we both know it.”
“I hope so, for her sake,” Shawn said. “I’m sorry, Seth. I know you like being with her.”
“Yeah. It’s rough. I think I see a little more why the Clearwaters don’t want Jenny to go through this. But I can’t imagine not looking for someone to be with. Maybe I don’t have enough faith. Maybe I’m afraid to let God have control over my love life.”
“I understand,” Shawn said quietly. “Jenny’s way is different, if nothing else.”
“You’re in love with her, aren’t you? I mean really seriously in love with her. If her dad came up to you and suggested you marry her, you’d do it.”
“Yeah,” Shawn said sadly. “I think I am. I’m not supposed to be, though. She’s my friend.”
“Maybe we won’t get out of here,” Seth said, chuckling. “Then neither of us will be in trouble for messing with girls’ hearts.”
“Nice thought,” Shawn said, grimacing. “The ladies can just weep over our graves.”
Seth laughed, and although they were being a bit morbid, it seemed to lighten things.
Shawn had no idea how much time passed when Tom called back that the water had lowered. He instantly turned on his light, and soon he jumped down into the pit where poor Alex had spent hours, splashing in the shallow water at the bottom, which covered his ankles. He was cold and stiff and couldn’t imagine standing here in water waiting. When Shawn hit the ground in the pit, he stifled a moan; his knee had not hurt this much since the night he’d injured it.
“You okay?” Seth asked.
“Just stiff. Let’s go home.”
They resumed as they had, with Seth between the two lights. Seth reported Alex was okay, just cold, and they picked up the pace as they moved, tired, hungry, and needing to relieve themselves. Shawn found himself falling behind, especially in the lower passages where he had to move with his fingers and toes. His knee really hurt. As they moved, he tried to distract himself by going over Bible verses he’d been practicing, and although he only knew a few, after several minutes of reviewing them, he felt better, calmer. God had created this cavern at the beginning of the world, so He could easily see and guard the group as they moved through it. If God meant for them to die here, they’d go to Heaven and see Him in person. If not, they’d get out safely. He really had no reason to worry.
“Tom says light ahead,” Seth called back eventually. “Shawn, are you back there?”
“I’m here,” he replied. He’d fallen so far behind they couldn’t see his light. For minutes now the tunnel had moved up, and suddenly he could see the light himself. Seth pulled him out the last couple feet, and he fell, completely unable to put weight on his knee. Tom stood against a tree, and Alex sat at his feet, shivering.
“We need to get him home,” Shawn said. It was lighter out here than in the cave, but he realized it wasn’t really light. A full moon lit the clearing.
“We need to get him warm,” Seth said.
“I’ve got a couple blankets in the trunk, and some candy bars and water bottles in the back. I don’t know about driving back tonight. I know I’m not awake enough, and Shawn certainly isn’t driving,” Tom said.
“I’m tired, too,” Seth said. “Good thing you brought the Bronco. We’ll just camp out. Alex, is that okay? We can find a hospital if you need one.”
“I’m okay,” Alex said. “Just chilled to the bone.”
Tom and Seth both helped Alex to the big old vehicle, putting him in the center of the back with a blanket, a candy bar, and a water bottle. Seth then returned for Shawn, who let his friend pull him to his feet and pull his arm over his shoulder.
“I thought your knee was better,” Seth said, sounding angry.
“So did I,” Shawn said, grinding his teeth against the pain. Seth shook his head.
“Sorry. I’m tired and worried about Alex. And you.”
“I’ll be fine. I’m worried about Alex, too. I can’t believe we did something so stupid. Like we were in third grade again.”
Seth laughed. They all huddled in the truck to warm Alex, and they slept quickly.
Shawn woke up leaning on Alex’s shoulder, Seth asleep across his lap. The sun shone through the few trees, and the birds sang a loud tune. From the heat, he guessed it was nearly noon.
For a moment he thought about yesterday. What had seemed such a disaster then seemed almost humorous now. Alex breathed deeply beside him, so apparently he was okay, and Shawn realized his knee was also better, down to a dull ache.
He was hungry, and he desperately needed a bathroom. He hated to disturb Seth, but he had no choice, and he gently shook his friend. Seth sat up and went to sleep again, his head against the back of the vinyl seat, and Shawn climbed over him and went into the trees.
It was Sunday. He had to smile a bit; this week he was the one who’d overslept and missed church. He assumed Mom would be worried, but since she knew he was with Alex, Tom, and Seth, maybe she wouldn’t worry much. Of course, if she knew the foolish thing they’d done, she would worry more, and he decided it might be wise if she never really knew the details of their cave trip.
When he returned to the Bronco he was hot, and he quietly got his shorts out of the back and changed. This was the hottest summer he could remember, and he hoped the weather would break soon. The ground was dry and dusty, and things were wilting, even here in the woods.
Since everyone still slept, Shawn went for a walk. The land was beautiful, a few acres Bob and Mandy had bought for camping and escaping from the city. It was only two hours out, but it was a two-hour country drive. An hour would pass before they could get any cel reception to let anyone know they were okay. They would also pass no restaurants, he thought as his stomach growled. They had eaten a huge breakfast the day before, and they’d had a granola bar while stopped in the cave, but it hadn’t been nearly enough. Oh, and of course they’d decimated Tom’s candy bar stash. At least they had bottled water left.
Soon he found himself on a bluff overlooking a distant valley. The sun was lower than he’d expected, and the beauty of the scene seemed to hold him captive, causing a strange ache in his gut as he stared. The sky was golden at the horizon, growing blue as his gaze traveled up. The bluff was dark stone, and the valley held a large lake, whitecaps cresting in the golden water. It felt unreal, like something from a dream, and he was surprised to find tears at the corner of his eyes. He left quickly, unsure what to do with the longing in his soul when he looked at the scene. He felt he was looking at God, in a way he’d never seen Him before, and the vision was both too big and lasted too short a time.
When he returned, Seth was trying comb through his long hair, standing in the shade. He rarely left his hair loose, and Shawn had to chuckle. It fell just below his shoulders.
“What?” Seth asked.
“My mom once said she’d never date a man with prettier hair than she had.”
“Hey,” he said, laughing, “don’t pick on my hair. You’re walking.”
“Yes, I am. I can chew gum at the same time, but I didn’t bring any gum.”
“Oh, aren’t we enjoying ourselves this morning?” Seth said, shaking his head and putting his hair back. He frowned. “You couldn’t even stand on it last night. You’re going to push it too far.”
“Don’t worry so much,” Shawn said. He was flattered by Seth’s concern, but he also thought his friend was a bit too concerned. “Is Alex up?”
“Yes. He’s fine. Well, in retrospect, I think this adventure was pretty fun, don’t you?”
“No,” Tom said firmly, popping out of the vehicle. “Not fun. Memorable? Yes. Terrifying? Maybe. But not fun.
"
“I’ll go with memorable,” Shawn said. “I just won’t be doing it again. I was glad not to be the only one with claustrophobia.”
“I freaked,” Tom said, shaking his head. “I though I would die. Then Alex hit the water, and I thought he would die. How’s your knee, by the way? Seems it doesn’t want to heal.”
“It’s better. It heals most of the way, and then I do something foolish.”
“Your job this summer doesn’t help, I guess,” Tom said.
“Not really. But I enjoy it, and it pays better than making malts.”
“True. Alex was disappointed about his job this summer, too, but we make great money. More than the co-op job would have paid.”
Alex came out of the woods in his shorts and tank top, looking not frozen. Shawn was glad to see it; he’d been very worried.
“We made it,” Alex said, grinning. “So, Seth, didn’t I tell you it would be amazing?”
“It was.” Seth laughed, and Shawn and Tom exchanged a look of disbelief.
“Denial,” Tom said. “They’re definitely in denial. No other explanation.”
“I think it’s starvation,” Shawn said. “Let’s get out of here and find something to eat.”
“I second that,” Seth said, without a doubt the group’s biggest eater, although he possibly weighed less than any of them despite his height. “I feel like I haven’t eaten in a year.”