When I WasLost

“…Fiiiifty-foour…Fiiiifty-fiiive…”
Somehow, even so far away, I still heard Kelly counting. I stood still in my tracks so I could observe my surroundings. There were too much foundations and that was why it was so difficult to choose a hiding place. On the sixth scan, I saw thin grass…thick bushes…sky high trees…an open deserted area, and out there, something intriguing. I peered; squinted my eyes together.
Gasp!
There it was: the most perfect hiding place. It was a cave. I moved on impulse.
“Damn it!” I cursed breathlessly. I had run so hard to get here just to meet a massive boulder blocking the cave. Where was I supposed to hide now?
“Juuuliieet!” Kelly was shrieking, “Come out, come out, wherever you are!” I panicked. She was far too near.
Hide now!
I took one frantic step forward as if to beat upon the boulder, and tripped over a rock. Oddly the boulder shifted, allowing a high guttural sound. Gazing up at it surprised, I climbed to my feet. I moved forward and a moment later was engulfed in darkness. I dropped onto my derriere and giggled. Kelly would never find me here simply because she was terrified of the bogeyman in the dark.
It was quiet for a while when I didn’t hear Kelly’s excited footsteps anymore and before I realized the boulder had slammed shut, somehow. Stuck. I was stuck in a cave. All alone. My body went cold. How could this be? I thought. I was only thirteen for God’s sake. I just couldn’t be stuck in a cave all my life! I ran, and only a couple steps before I was thrown into the air, and then was rolling down…down…down…into more darkness.
Splash!
Whatever liquid I was in, and I really didn’t want to know, it eased my aching body and bruised ankle somewhat. Yet that didn’t stop my fright. Where was I now? I just couldn’t stand being in such hell any longer than…
My body responded a little later than was necessary but it did and that reassured me completely. I began walking, then jogging, then sprinting; screaming, the entire time with my arms outstretched. My echo preceded me so I didn’t feel so alone but I kept thinking about how bad I was at directions; but it had to be this or nothing at all, and that kept me running.
It seemed days later that I saw the light. It made my eyes water because I craved for it. When I smashed through bushes that ripped at my skin, and reached into the open, I dropped to my black knees and grinned sadly.1