In Darkest Depths by Elfique

Chapter 1

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Dark.

Dark, dark, dark! I fear my will is breaking down in this pit. Many nights it has been now. I feel the constant drip of water off the cold bricks my back is pressed against, it runs down my tunic and soaks me; elf as I am, I cannot suppress a shudder. My cloak was lost the last night...fangs flash in the faint light, narrowed eyes glint and fabric rips, frenzied shouting and a guttural snarling... If I live these nights will be with me for my immortality.

There is a faint sound from the other side of this prison, we all tense and steel ourselves for an onslaught... the moments pass by, and our breath is held for almost too long. Nothing. I would look to my companions for comfort, the few remaining, yet my eyes cannot be drawn from the dark in front of me; I will not be caught unaware. I wish to stare at the sky, to see the stars of Elbereth and feel some comfort yet my valour is failing and I cannot look away from where danger lurks.

I need not to look to my friends to know their emotions. Our lack of power, of defence, has made us vulnerable. Those beside me are as tense as I, on the left more so – for he is at the end of the line. I would hate for that open space beside me, space for – what was that?! It seems we manage to shrink closer together, pressed for room as we are, our senses pointed in one direction... my breaths begin to quicken. Remain calm! Think of your wife I tell myself; your beautiful wife, your laughing children, the sun shining through the trees, the rushing of the Narog, the music in the halls...think, stay calm. All is black, all is dark, faint shuffling can be heard, rasping animalistic breathing....

The darkness taunts us with what it holds, what it hides: for nothing has come forth again...its previous feasting is obviously slowing its craving. Besides it knows it needs not hunt and hurry...we are to be here until our end.

- Save us!!

From the darkness the beast comes, so close! The stench of rotting meat, of death and decay hits me as its maw opens. The slavering growl and sickening crunch of bone to my left leaves me simply staring, watching the teeth sink into flesh and blood flow from my companion. Started out of my shock in a jolt, sudden energy coursing through me I reach forward and clasp his upper body and enter a tug of war with a deadly force. The iron grip on my companion lessens for moments as the beasts head comes, agonised screaming of my friend rings in my ears as claws seem to rip from nowhere down his torso. The flesh breaks like parchment and all of a sudden my hands are covered in blood. I cannot win, I cannot save him now...but I do not want to let him go... a savage snarling and a deadly paw swipes in my direction. Automatically my hands cover my face and I lean backwards – only too late I realise I have let him go. Before I had even begun to lean away his body was in the beast's mouth again.

We all watch hopelessly as he is dragged away into the darkness.

His screams and groans continued for many minutes.

The ripping, cracking and tearing continues still.

Night is at its blackest and latest.

And now I am at the end of the line.

I am covered in blood.

I will not last.

Dark.