Fear. That is a potent drug. It comes in all different forms but it always leaves its scar. Keira had felt fear before; her father's death left her alone in the world. Loneliness struck deeper than many other types of fear. Not knowing if you'd survive the week, not knowing if you could stay safe at night; those were powerful fears. But Keira had never felt anything like this. Standing in this cave with no possible way to see and with that terrible noise. It was slithering and writhing and Keira could not help but think of tentacles. She took in a steadying breath and delved further into the abyss. A whisper, or maybe the wind brushed at the back of her neck. Chills rolled through her body and Keira could not stop herself from shivering. Through her boots she could tell she had stepped into something warm and wet. Gulping past the building fear Keira silently prayed it was not blood.
The cavern entrance had closed behind her and the only way was forward. Keira steeled her nerves and floated on, keeping one hand on the wall to keep herself balanced. For awhile longer there was no noise save for the thump of her heart and her erratic breathing. Something slimy writhed beneath her hand. "Gah!" That slithering sounded again and another breath behind her, this time strong enough to move her hair. Keira wheeled around and lost her footing. With a shout she fell to the floor. Her hands braced for impact but when Keira felt what she had been walking on her stomach heaved. The floor, or at least what she had thought had been the floor writhed beneath her. Tentacles wrapped around her wrists and ankles and hoisted her into the air. Keira couldn't even muster up the courage to breathe let alone breath. She froze, sheer terror on her face. Even more tendrils began to touch her, slithering up and down her body. Keira groaned and tried to hold down the contents of her stomach down.
The tentacles twirled her around to these giant, glowing, red eyes. Three, seven, thirteen; they lit up the cavern around her. Keira whimpered softly as one of the tentacles caressed her face, leaving a trail of slime along the path it chose. It pushed further towards her face and threatened to enter her mouth. Panic rising, Keira chomped down on it and pulled, ripping it apart. She spit it out and then began to struggle against the beast. "Let me go you sick son of a b***h!" Keira shouted, not even caring if this creature could understand her. She felt the tentacles begin to pull tighter and felt the pain in her arms. She screamed in agony but did not let up. The hate filled her eyes and Keira focused every bit of strength into defeating this thing. She turned her hed as she pulled her arm as close to her as she could and bit into it with all her strength. The tendril released her and Keira tilted, the eyes and cavern suddenly angling sharply. She reached to the other tentacle and did the same, this time clawing and squeezing at it as hard as she could. When both of her arms were free the creature dropped her on her back.
Keira rolled and stood up as best as she could, bringing her arms close as she readied herself for a fight. Her heart was threatening to literally burst from her chest but she was very determined. With a blade gripped in her hand Keira crouched low and prepared herself for the inevitable. The sound of wind rushing alerted her to the strike before hand and with an expertly time roll Keira managed to get under it. She bolted at the eyes before she had a clear plan in her head and leaped into the air, holding her knife with both hands. A battlecry tore from her lips as she brought the dagger down. Before she could actually make a hit a tentacle flew through the air and swatted her like a fly.
With a thud and audible crack Keira smashed into the floor, her knife clattering away into the darkness. She tried to take in a breath but an arc of pain shot through her. A tentacle wrapped around her ankle and hoisted her into the air. Keira groaned with the stress her body was feeling and tried to stay conscious. She felt her body go weightless for a moment as her motion changed. She realized she was being swung around. Keira slammed into the ground once more, even more bones breaking. This was her death and she knew it. Keira calmed inside of her mind, accepting defeat as she was hoisted into the air once more. Her body was no longer responding and there was little she could do against this beast. All fear left her mind and only a complacent acceptance. If there was one thing she could change Keira wished she could have a cigarette, just one last one before death.
Keira let out a breath and relaxed her body. It was her time and that was that. After a moment she realized she was not being thrashed yet again. Only the slithering of those tentacles and the thumping of blood in her head. "You're an interesting one; you chose to attack and fight instead of cower and die. And even now when I have you in my clutches you only want a cigarette." Keira blinked a few times and wondered if she was hallucinating. Was this mass of tendrils actually speaking with her? "Yeah well, what can I say?" She tried to laugh but that only made her cough out blood. Without another word the creature let her down to the floor. A shaft of light opened behind her and Keira wondered what the balls was going on.
