Iris

I sat there with one eye on the clock and another eye gazing longingly out the window at the beautiful day.  It is the last day of school and there is only a minute left. Everyone in the cramped classroom is acting like wild animals and the teacher was our ringmaster. However, Lea, Roxey, and I sat very still and tense with anticipation. After school, we were going to town to grab some supplies and then head to the woods for a nice hike and picnic. We would explore, act crazy, and share private jokes like we always did. Suddenly, a voice woke me from my daydream.

Roxey then yelled “Iris,” into my ear as loud as she could. I practically jumped three feet at the sound of her voice! With frantic glances around, I came to the conclusion that the bell had rung and everyone was gone, including our teacher. After a small groan, Roxey and I hurried over to join Lea at the door. By the time we got to the pick-up spot, our bus had already left. Ironically, we all started to crack up and laugh when we realized what had happened.

Our friendship held a lot of instances like that and was mostly that way all the time. If something bad happened, sometimes we were so disappointed that it was impossible not to be funny. Ok, this wasn’t that hilarious, but to us, it was the funniest thing ever. It was summer and we were all alone in the quiet and deserted school. Finally, after we stopped laughing, I decided to break it to them that we would have to walk. After a few grumpy and not very nice words at our timing, we all set off on another adventure.

Now, let me explain a few things about us. For one, Lea is really athletic and brags a little. Just know that I am putting my trust in you and expect that you won’t tell her that! Roxey is a great friend but she can be a little bit of an airhead and I have no clue what she is talking about most of the tiem. She is super random at some of the most awkward times. So, our walk practically consisted of Lea talking about sports, Roxey singing, and me thinking some things that I don’t really need to tell you or anyone else. (My private thoughts!) Anyway, the walk was actually pretty normal and boring until we fell.

Yes, we literally fell. It sounded like someone was killed with all of our screaming. Of course we were not looking where we were walking but I am pretty sure that the gigantic tunnel slide wasn’t here before. Is it just me?

All we could see was black, pitch black and nothing else even though technically we couldn’t see a thing. Somebody else screamed again, probably Roxey, and I then felt something in my hair. Quickly, I hit it and saw an outline go flying. The only thing I was thinking was if that was a gigantic spider and how loud I was screaming. Usually I am not a wimp but that was seriously creepy. Finally, the tunnel leveled out and we were dumped, from thirty feet up, into a large basin of water in the middle of an enormous cave. Remarkably, I could actually see Lea and Roxey. What really took my breath away was not the drop, but the glowing crystals on the ceiling. Am I going insane? I guess not because we all turned to each other with looks of wonder in our eyes. However, that look soon turned to horror when something started sucking at our legs. Then, I realized that there was a drain type of thing below us. Furthermore, I began to understand that we might get sucked into what was below us.

I keep struggling in vain, trying desperately to keep my head above water. I don’t know how the others are managing, but I guess they are having as much luck staying afloat as I am. Why did I ever choose to wear boats? My once comfy shoes are acting like an anchor and regret is flowing through my mind. The saddest part is when I had to kick them off to stay alive. I may laugh about this one day but right now this is not funny or amusing in any way.

Lea

Wow, all this is really coming as a shock to me. Wouldn’t you be shocked if you were dropped into a basin and about to watch your friends drown? I was easily staying above the rapids and current but I am worried about Iris and Roxey. I do swim and they don’t do it year round like I do. So, I do have a reason to be concerned. After treading water for a while, I swiftly glanced over at Iris. She was doing fine swimming but had to kick off her new boots and looked really upset about that. Well, that is typical Iris for you. All of a sudden, a frantic yelp draws my attention to Roxey. I look over just in time to see her head go under. At the same time, Iris and I frantically swim over to help her.

The water is so dark and murky it is almost impossible to see in. It seems like hours have passed while Iris and I have been calling Roxey’s name and diving to try to find her. She couldn’t have just disappeared! Could she? When I was about to despair, I happened to see Iris’s face which appeared to be streaked with tears. (I am in the water and it is hard to tell) I then immediately set my face in a determined expression and tuned to Iris. With a final glance below, I exclaimed “We need to go under and follow her there has to be something below if this is sucking at us like a drain does.”

Iris caught on that the current and bubbles meant a tunnel of some sort was below us. We may have seemed crazy right now, and you may be thinking that we should just swim to the shore but the thing was that there was no shore. Anyway, the next thing Iris and I did was crazy and even I admit it. However, we couldn’t leave our best friend and practically sister, Roxey. So, we held hands, closed our eyes, and let the current pull us down into the depths.

Roxey

Hi, my name is Roxey and I am about to die. Several comical lines pass through my head right after I got pulled underwater. Slowly, I was sucked deeper and deeper the drain like tube. This was not my ideal and normal day! First, we had to suffer through school and then Lea, Iris, and I fell into a cavern. Now, I am about to die and this is surely not the highlight of my week. Did you know that you get really, really dizzy when you are drowning? Well, I just figured that out. My lungs feel like they will pop and my head is pounding like a drum. Then, right when I think I am going to drown, I am suddenly spit onto an underground river bank. Yes, the river did really spit me out! Ok, I admit, technically I really just fell through the drain/tunnel into a river and was slammed onto a shore.  However, this almost dead person doesn’t have time for technicalities. I especially don’t have time for technicalities that involve me blacking out on the sand, and that is just what happened.

Great, now I have a pounding headache. Wait, that means I am not dead! With that figured out, I leaped around on the sand next to the dark, smelly river tube I just came from. After a moment of rejoicing, my mind froze. What happened to Iris and Lea? As if my silent plea for them to be alive was granted, I then heard shouts that belonged to the subject of my hopeful prayers. At least they weren’t dead!

Iris

I am so stupid! Why did I ever agree to this? I am going to die! All of these thoughts flashed through my head as I tried not to scream and wonder what would be carved on my gravestone. Yes, I was underwater and screaming would be bad while my gravestone would probably say something about me disappearing. Basically, I agreed to be pulled under with Lea to save Roxey. Now, I am starting to really regret my decision.  I slowly turn my head and squint at Lea to see how she is holding up and find out I am not the only on freaking out. Finally, when I think I can’t hold on any longer, I am thrown out into some underground and onto a shore. Exhausted, I pass out immediately.

Before I knew it, someone was shaking me awake. I then proceed to grumble “Mom I don’t want to go to school”.
Then I hear Roxey’s voice calling to me. I can practically feel my cheeks burning from embarrassment. However, that did not stop me form hugging my best friend and marveling that we were alive. Then, we burst out laughing at how we were still alive with the only casualty being a pair of cute boots but suddenly I stopped as I realized something.

Lea was gone. My heart stopped and the tears streaming down my face changed from relief to despair. With a small croak, I managed to get Roxey’s attention and then she looked over at me and probably asked where Lea was. I can’t hear anything, only the blood pumping in my ears and my own thoughts resonating. Lea couldn’t be gone, this wasn’t happening! Our sweet, brave, funny, and loyal friend didn’t make it. No this isn’t real it’s just a dream we have to go back! Together, we ran up to the edge of the water and peered in as if expecting her to pop out and laugh at how she tricked us. She never did though, and eventually my voice was hoarse from calling her name. At first, Roxey held me back from the water, but now we both are just slumped by the edge of the water with tears streaming from our eyes. After an hour, we realized the sad truth, which was that she was gone and there was nothing we could do.

Roxey

All I wanted to do was stay there and cry about Lea’s fate but part of me knew we had to move or we too would die. Wiping the tears from my eyes, I turned to Iris who was usually so put together. She gave me a watery and very fake smile and whispered that we had to make a plan. Of course she was right, but I could tell neither of us wanted to let the hope that our friend was alive go yet.

Finally, after making a map in the sand, we decide to follow the trail of glowing crystals that leads somewhere. Of course it is a horrible idea to follow some mysterious crystals but we don’t have anywhere else to go.

The slimy walls of the tunnels hold words and symbols that I can barely make out. They appear to be saying hope and love. As if possessed, I reached out to touch the hope symbol and Iris did the same for the love one. A light flashes throughout the dark cavern and the floor starts to rise. Strangely, after everything that has happened, I am not very surprised. It goes up so fast I think we might hit the top but it grinds to a stop and there is a trapdoor above us. With a shaky hand, I push against the rusted trapdoor, which eventually pops open.  As we crawl out, the blinding light hits us. We are standing somewhere in the woods and I slowly ask Iris if she wants to sleepover. We have both been through a lot recently and we need each other as weird as it sounds.

 
Iris

The cave was weird, spooky, and a tragic experience. Something strange, almost magical happened when Roxey and I touched the words. The real question is what really did happen? I felt like something had happened when we touched the words/symbols. I may be still shocked from Lea’s death, but it felt to me like something was stirring.