Cool,
humid silence enveloped me. Unseen immensity weighed down by the
tons of earth above. Voices echoed distantly and lights twinkled
out of the gloom. Somewhere I heard the resounding drip, drip, drip
of water. Deep within the bowels of the earth, the Carlsbad Caverns
of New Mexico unlock their majesty and beauty in awesome display.
Truly one of the wonders of the World, their passages and story
bear witness to the brevity of man's existence and the never-ending
magnificence of nature's artistry.
My
journey began at the Visitors Center where a $6 pass was a low-priced
admission for what lay ahead. I held my breath in anticipation as
the natural entrance beckoned me hauntingly from the amphitheatre
above, developed specifically for visitors to watch the phenomena
of a million Mexican free tail bats emerging at the rate of 5000
per minute, on their nightly scavenging for food. I watched on as
they danced and beckoned below the ominous yawning cave entrance.
Their evening display washed over me in a spiraling mass of fluttering
wings and captivating aroma.
Darkness
consumed daylight as I then stared down the steep, switchback entrance
trail. A mile long winding descent into the heart of the earth,
had called eerily. My eyes adjusted quickly however to the dimming
light and I began to drink in images that sprung into view as I
awkwardly wound around corners and through tunnels.
A
twist here and I came upon the Whale's Mouth, a deep-throated hollow
whose opening yawned threateningly. A turn there and I discovered
a shallow pool, rippling to the slow drip of water off a knife edged
stalactite. The dark, cool humidity sealed in year round, proved
comfortable as my knees strained with the steep drop. Past the "bone
yard", whose hollowed walls prompted the apt name, I finally
reached the big room; and the cavern more than justified its name.
The artistry of the underworld seemed almost alive here with winding
paths swinging snakelike through a sculptured forest. A distant
tunnel ended with the glowing stance of a meditating Buddha, smiling
upon his accumulation of frozen stalagmites. An alcove, capturing
a limestone flow, draped like ice cream around a still pool. Here
I discovered a pit, which appeared seemingly bottomless, dropping
away in endless darkness.
I
had finally made it, the realization of my quest. The splendor of
these caverns held a dark and morbid secret. I had first stumbled
upon quite by chance, whilst studying an ancient bound book that
the University keeps. The book told of Satanists who had fled their
native lands in search of freedom in the new land. They brought
with them vast fortunes. As I sat there gleefully absorbed in its
macabre, I had allowed the ancient manuscript to slip clumsily through
my fingers. As the book plunged to the floor of the library, excitement
prevailed over my panic at damaging it, as a bundle of well-worn
papers had fallen from behind the binding. I scrambled to retrieve
it and furtively positioned the papers into my inside jacket pocket.
I was vigilant as to make sure that nobody was monitoring me. I
had then raced home excitedly, strangely convinced that those papers
were going to change my life forever, that I had somehow accidentally
stumbled upon a magnificent lost secret. Once home I eagerly perused
over the faded manuscripts. They were hand written, and I had trouble
deciphering certain words, other still were completely unknown to
me. It was a ledger of some kind. There was a long list of names,
and they all had paid the then ungodly sum of five pounds in gold
coins to a certain Jeremiah Franklin. As I looked at the dozens
of gentlemen listed, all with the grandest of names who had parted
with such a princely sum, I became more and more curious as to their
motivation. Then, at three in the morning my tired eyes finally
came across the answer. It was an account so vivid that it sent
shivers down my spine even within the warmth and security of my
apartment revealing the grisly and implausible reality. The fine
gentlemen were buying participation in a ritual with whom they believed
to be the very devil himself, Jeremiah. In addition, and here was
the most gruesome part; along with the gentlemen's name was the
name of the young female intended for the sacrifice. A further document,
which looked liked an unsent letter explained further that there
had been some sort of an incident. That one of the gentlemen changed
his mind at the point of the blood letting. It wrote in such a gruesome
fashion that I could hardly repeat it and explained in surprising
detail that the gold coins were stored in a grand chest. Therein
also was a letter that had been apparently swiftly composed to a
certain Rosalyn Franklin, back in England, and had been signed but
unsent by none other than Jeremiah himself…
I
was amazed, yet there was one more even more startling revelation
in store for me, on the back of the letter I discovered a map…
****
Now
two months later, those papers had morphed into my obsession. Leaving
the safety of the lights and secured pathways behind me, I had fumbled
the old faded map nervously between my perspiring fingers...Yes,
yes; I delighted realized that I had actually stumbled upon it -a
secret path, long since forgotten.
As
I left the rest of the tourists I had climbed beyond the roped off
sections, and began my perilous descent. I slowly and carefully
made my way, and I caught my leg abruptly on a sharpened edge of
rock. Perhaps intended as a warning not to proceed, yet, I had traveled
too far to turn back now…If only I had paid that cautioning
sign heed. My journey continued as the blood slowly dripped from
my aching leg. I must have trekked for nearly an hour deeper then
deeper still into the bowels of the caves.
The
map indicated a secret chamber, hidden behind a rock formation reminiscent
of an Owl. The faded map made this point clear. Then I had discovered
that I was staring at what resembled an owl face naturally formed
in the ancient rock. The more I studied the features, the more convinced
I became that my long undertaking was soon to be over. I climbed
myself up precariously onto the ledge .I spied a crevice at the
center of the "owl's" right eye and with a delicious combination
of both fear and excitement, I slowly reached in. I felt something
furry scurry over my hand. Then I laughed nervously, realizing it
was only a rat.
"Do
not be afraid." I chanted repeatedly in my head. "Do not
be afraid!"
I
tried desperately to maintain my calmness. But as I fumbled in the
shadows, I audibly gasped as my hand arrived upon a lever. It took
all of my strength that I could muster, but after a few minutes,
it slowly surrendered its resistance and moved. To my then amazement
and delight, a passage miraculously opened. As the rock entry slowly
became exposed, it revealed its contents to human eyes, perhaps
for the first time in centuries. I shone my flashlight inside and
almost wrenched at the sight that befell my eyes. Skeletons- dozens
upon dozens of skeletons-The stench was almost overpowering. I forced
back my deepest desire to vomit. I needed to control myself .I knew
that I was so close…
"Do
not be afraid."
I
thought back about the letters I had discovered and felt a moment
of smugness. Despite my fascination with the dark arts, I have always
been a confirmed skeptic; never quite completely believing a single
word of the mumbo jumbo that I nevertheless became so very intrigued
with. Yet, when I came across references of this dark altar, my
attention was truly grabbed. Not for the altar itself, this at best
held a mere morbid curiosity to me, but for that grand chest overflowing
with gold. Yes, I confess, old-fashioned greed impelled me to begin
upon this trek, as I imagined that the coins could possibly still
be there…
It
was then I spied it, sitting in a small crevice within the wall,
and instantaneously the present time was propelled back. I could
feel my heart pounding excitedly deep within me. A silver chest
was positioned adjacent to a large flat piece of rock, an altar.
I physically shook as I comprehended the agonies that innocent beings
had endured. How there desperate screams would have echoed with
no avail, deep here within the earth.
I
approached the item of my desire slowly as I wanted to savor the
moment. I allowed my fingers to caress gently every eloquently carved
feature, relishing in its exquisite beauty. Despite the temperature
hovering just above freezing, I felt the perspiration forming upon
my brow. Finally, I could resist temptation no more and I pried
it open.
The
lid moved with surprising ease and its contents were beyond my wildest
of dreams. The case was full of gold coins, the largest coins I
have ever seen in my life. I was rich, wealthy beyond my boldest
of imaginings I started to laugh hysterically and uncontrollably.
It
was then I realized that the door through which I entered the chamber
was beginning to close; grabbing several of the coins, I raced towards
the diminishing opening. I was going to make it; thank god, I was
going to make it!
I
am not sure what happened next, I could have sworn I felt hands,
human hands, upon my ankles. Yet I could see no-one. I remember
crashing towards the rock ground. I remember my head hitting a jagged
rock. I remember the blood. I remember screaming…
That
was a week ago. I spent three days entirely endeavoring to unearth
a means to open the passage. I have pushed and tugged every conceivable
rock inside the chamber. Nothing works. I quickly gave up on screaming
for help, as I knew all to well that the natural design of the cavity
prevented even my loudest of cries from reaching the outside world.
Therefore,
as I sit here writing my account for whoever finds me, I understand
fully that I am undoubtedly doomed. I have found a small source
of water. I have nothing to eat; I have desperately attempted to
catch myself a rat, my only companions. Nevertheless, they are surprisingly
nimble. I see them eying me hungrily. They know that in a few days,
I will surely be dead, or not strong enough to fight them off, and
they will be able to feast.
I
am afraid…
The end.
