I’m not happy with today’s prompt (again), so I’m going to ‘borrow’ a prompt from a friend. They were asking for help regarding a situation in their book, and my brain just went nuts. I’ll try my best to keep it short today. Here’s the prompt: In an attempt to get somewhere safer, two people suddenly appear in a very dark tunnel. For reasons unknown, they can’t get out the same way they got in.

A sound interrupted the darkness inside the tunnel, followed by a splash and a swear that echoed down the long corridor.

“Um…” Jarl’s deep voice reverberated in the dimness, “…where are we?” He glanced down, but couldn’t see where he was standing. “And why are my feet wet?”

“I don’t know.” Cady responded, jumping slightly at the sound of her own voice. She hazarded a guess. “A cave?”

“Why are we in a cave, Cady?” Jarl couldn’t keep the frustration from his voice.

“I don’t know, Jarl.” Her voice was barely a whisper, but he heard her clearly. “It was an accident.”

“An accident?” He wanted to pace, but couldn’t even see his own hand in front of his face. “That’s the last time I let an apprentice take me anywhere.” He lifted his arms, and then let them drop, his hands slapping against his thighs. It was about the only way for him to express himself at the moment.

“You don’t have to yell at me.”

“I’m NOT…” the word bounced around the open space, “… yelling.” he said in a much more reserved tone.

“I don’t know what happened.” Cady let out a sigh. “I know I did the spell properly. It felt right.”

“I’m not going to blame you.” Jarl’s eyes searched the darkness for something… a shape. “There must be something about this place that interrupted the spell.” He shuffled over to his left, wincing as more… water?… filled his shoes. He heard soft noises coming from his right.

“There’s definitely something.” Cady grunted. “I can’t cast anything here.” She tried one more time. “Not even a simple light spell.”

“Found a wall.” Jarl ran a hand along the cold, smooth surface. “I think we might be in a tunnel, Cady.” He waited for an answer from her before stepping away from the wall.

“A tunnel?” There was a spark of hope buried inside the question. “How do you know?” Jarl was making small, splashing noises as he sought out her voice.

“I think I see a light.” He stopped his progress. “Keep talking, Cady. I’m trying to get to you.”

“I can’t even see myself, Jarl.” Her eyes were straining in the darkness. “How can you possibly…” She squeaked as a hand clamped down on her elbow.

“It’s just me.” Jarl’s hand moved up her arm as he enveloped her into an impromptu hug.

“Oh, thank the Gods.” Cady whispered into his chest.  His familiar scent was welcoming.

He pulled away and continued shuffling past the young woman. “Let’s see if I’m right. Stay here.”

“No.” She kept a death grip on his hand as he pulled further away. “We’re in this together.”

“C’mon, baby.” There were a few more shuffling sounds. “OW!”

“What is it?” Cady’s fear was almost palpable.

“The other wall.” Jarl said, matter of factly. “It’s just like the other one.”

“So, where did you see this light?” She was asking mostly to distract herself. Her brain kept running circles around itself, wondering what had brought them here. In the 4 years she had been an apprentice, she had never heard of an issue with a traveling spell.

“This way.” Jarl’s hands crept up her arms. One grabbed her chin and rotated it until her head was pointed directly left. There was a pinprick of the faintest glow. She wasn’t sure it was real.

“I think I see it.” She was hopeful.

“Don’t think Drago won’t hear about this once we get out of here.” Jarl chuckled in the dimness.

“Not him.” Cady was reluctant to leave.

“He’s gotta know about this place.” He shuffled forward. “OW!”

“What is it?”

“Everything, from my knees on down, is going to be bloody by the time we get out of here.” He grumbled.

“That’s okay, I can cast a spell of hea…”

“I think I’ll keep the bloody knees, thanks.” He chuckled again as he stepped around a shape in the dark.

“I’ll give you some, if you haven’t hit enough.”