Mood

Dark Vibes. 450 words, 2 minute read. With Gemini.

Heat. God the heat thick clings sweat sheets stings eyes can't see damn steps rough hollow scrape down down always going downhill now yes literal damnation slide hand wall slick weeping stone flinch oh god not again the image pliers hook white hot metal no taste it acid metal gag throat closes fear fear keep moving foot behind foot air heavy wet wool lungs ache breathe... breathe... down down down... that smell high sharp burning faint real? Or just me my head my fear...?

Tunnel narrows scrapes bone shoulder elbow twist through tight dark god tight black pocket space echoes footsteps slap back alone so alone waiting for them what shape horror? Instruments hands teeth fire don't think just move step down step down path guides only path no choice... then. Wall. Stone. Grey smooth cold vast fills everything path stops dead. End. Stare. Hand out palm flat cool cool stone solid indifference drinks the dark push grunt shoulder aches muscles scream useless immovable rock solid finality no scrabble fingers probe edge seam crack nothing fused sealed trapped corked bottle damn it rock hard place yes yes very funny laugh track silent scream inside nowhere run hide wait. Just wait. Sink down back against cool stone legs sprawl dust grit floor cold seeps bone deep stares up dark stares ahead dark same dark empty waiting dark. Silence. Loud silence. Presses drums ears blood pounds temples cage bird heart frantic flutter listen boots? clang? slide? whisper? Nothing. Just... drip. Drip. Drip. Clock ticking doom? Water torture simple steady sound drills skull maddening drip... drip... is this it? The torment? This waiting this silence this stone this drip...? Get on with it scream inside voice gone throat paper dry tight thirst gnaws dull ache gut back numb against rock time stretches thin snaps disappears hours minutes gone lost count drips one two three hundred? stupid useless try again one two... lost. Mind wanders drifts floats hook pliers sun grass laugh whose? gone gone back to stone drip cold... drip... steady now? Rhythm almost... calm? No. Can't be. Just tired mind tricks tired fear worn smooth edge gone dull heavy weight now... wait... wait... Drip. Eyes ache trace dark shapes phantoms wall shift see...? No nothing. Just dark. Look down floor stone base... something pale? Yes. There. Lichen. Grey green fuzz small stubborn life clinging cold stone map slow intricate patterns lines branches focus narrow small world just this lichen this stone this patch forget heat forget fear forget waiting just... trace line follow curve slow breath deep maybe first time deep slow... drip. Just sound now. Water falling. Not doom just water. Smell burning gone? Faded? Never there? Head games. Reach out finger dusty touch cool rough gentle lichen life persistence quiet map on stone... drip. Just... wait.