The Whispering Caves

_Chapter 6_

As Fover shared more of his story, they entered the cabin, Fover expected Eliza to be taken aback, and use her phone to call his own 911 group or use her cane to knock him out and then leave as fast as possible. Instead, she was incredibly curious about his tale, and was even more curious about the land that he had inherited. That made him equivocally as inquisitive about her.

Eliza took in every word he spoke, almost like she had picked up a long-lost novel with a trove of information inside it. She shared as much.

“This is amazing, this whole land - the creature, the cave, it almost feels like there’s a tale here that’s someone’s already written, its just lost. Almost like there were already notes from a past story. Did you ever think you’d find this here? What do you make of it?” Eliza’s big eyes stared up at Fover, and he found himself swimming in them, they were a dark, deep chocolate brown.

“Uhm, the land....” Fover almost lost his train of thought altogether while trying to think through looking at her. She was as spectacular as the land itself that surrounded him. Did she see herself the way he did? Had Eliza ever seen herself? Fover realized that he wasn’t sure if she was born blind or if something had happened. He studied her even closer trying to decipher the puzzle of Eliza Zale.

“The land itself is actually discussed by a first adventurer, back in 1875. I read about it, in a journal, that I found here at the house. In fact, I really need to ask Reece if she knows anything about where it came from, or if she was the one who placed it in the attic. It was just sitting here when I arrived just over a week ago,” Fover took in a breath to explain next about the rock, but he still felt like hanging onto the information while he was getting to know Eliza. Too many calls on 911 traumas gone wrong had told him the fine line of trust that could be crucially crossed when not even first well established. He felt compelled to keep the stone to himself.

Eliza’s eyes opened even further in amazement, even though she could not perceive him visually, she still felt stunned that this mystery she had personally experienced went all the way back to the 1800s.

Fover had gotten a fire going, and Buster had taken to the heat, closing his eyes he breathed slowly in and out. By now Eliza had abandoned any notion that she would need to flee a serial killer in the middle of the woods. She had taken a seat across from Fover with his assistance, and close to where she could gently scratch Buster’s ears, in a small armchair.

“There’s a lot to share with you about the journal, the binding and build of it too, even more than just the entries I’ve slowly started reading. Would you like something to eat while we work on this? It seems that I have a second detective who has joined me for the moment, and I would hate to see such beautiful intelligent company go to waste.”

For a second, Eliza couldn’t see, but she could feel herself turn red. No one had made her blush in awhile. Eliza had a very stoic nature, and it was uncommon for her to meet anyone who made her feel otherwise. She did not linger on the flirtatious line, but she did linger on the food.

“I could go for some food; what do you have in mind?” Eliza chuckled and could only laugh at her awkwardness. She hadn’t really been around people, let alone for a significant event like a meal, in some time. It didn’t take long before Fover had decided he would make one of his pasta dishes for Eliza. Soon Eliza’s lap was full with a plate of warm, cheesy, nutritious spinach filled pasta shells. She hadn’t had any meal like this alone or otherwise. She tried to get a question out, it was difficult between bites.

“What,” she at least got out before going back in for another forkful of food, “does the book detail that’s even stranger than this land?” Fover looked excited to finally have someone to share this mystery with him. Just days ago, he had had many other thoughts on his mind.

Fover felt like he was excited, indeed, but he found a strange pull to slowly share the information. How did he know that he could trust her? “There’s descriptions as though the author wrote it for some sort of report, as though it was a sought-out place. I think there’s something, not quite natural within those caves, or cave; I have no idea what’s down there within the system itself. I didn’t get far physically exploring it the last time I was there, without being chased back by whatever Guard lives there and keeps it hidden.

Within the blackness though, the illustration, there is an extra teal color, it almost blends in perfectly to the other black ink, but its almost the only color that isn’t swallowed by the blackness. Or its the only color to be reflected. My canine companion here, Buster, seems to keep me more protected than I intended, and I don’t entirely know why this creature does not like going near him. Better for me not to find out though, I am just grateful that there is a deterrent to him.” Fover finished his winded thought with a laugh because he found it amusing that his protection came in the form of a lapping mutt from the local shelter. But as he looked at Eliza, she seemed far off in her thoughts, still intrigued, but she seemed more lost now than before.

“Eliza? Are you alright?” Fover sat down now and placed his own finished plate to the side. Buster paid no mind to the sudden mood shift in the room and simply perked his cute big ears up to see if he might beg any extra licks or snacks out of his master Fover.

“I...” Eliza trailed off for a second herself, trying to come back to the moment. She had these moments where the memories will come, and they threaten to wash me out to sea, that is the greater uncertainty afloat away from who I am, but instead amidst the volatile current of the world and the vast haunting past tugging at me. I must swim hard. Kick kick kick - keep on kicking Eliza, she thought to herself.

“Yes, I am alright, I just...something you said there caught my attention.” Eliza took a deep breath and tried to steady herself better. “The teal ink you speak of, it’s almost attached to the blackness, so that you couldn’t see it without the black ink in fact...that is what I see. That is what my world turned to the day after my sister disappeared.” Now Eliza’s stature slumped into the seat, and Fover could visibly see the weight that the words took on her.

“It wouldn’t catch my attention if not for the fact that was so specifically what happened. I could see before that day. I was only about 15 at the time, and my sister, she was only...” Here Eliza’s voice caught on her sob that was locked in her throat behind her emotional vigilance, “...she was nine, we were going to celebrate her tenth birthday in just a week.”

A weak laugh left Eliza’s lips. “We were at home alone, when someone came and took her, but when they did so, they dropped a flash bomb in the house. It went dark for me, and I waited for the light to come back. I waited for the dawn to return on my eyes, but the sun had set permanently. I wouldn’t find out until much later, until I was in the hospital and my parents woke me up. But my sister was not there. They were devastated about me, but I could feel they were as equally, if not more upset, at what had happened to her. Worse yet, I could tell from the tone in their voice, that they believed it was through some accident, but still fault of my own, that she was not with us. After that, the new morning never came, but the teal twilight did. It is almost like someone turns on the lights ever so slightly, and I can just make out the faintest characters.” Eliza waited for him to think she was insane and call somebody with a straight jacket.

“What they say, who writes them, where they come from, all of that is still a mystery to me. But since that day, I have been able to read nonsensical things, in that teal light...and I never knew anyone, anything that might even come close to explaining that feeling. I felt like an island when I landed there. I have felt like an island of myself and of one ever since I lost my sister.” Now Eliza really did hang her head fully, tired and exhausted from trying to externalize her very locked down internal pain.

Fover tried to understand and process it all, as he had himself gone through tragedies, traumas...he had held her, he knew where his would-be fiancé’s body lay. They had no body, but neither Fover nor Eliza had any truth about where they were. Now he felt even deeper that he could trust her, he would not know the vulnerable information that she had just shared with him otherwise, because anyone could be put in an asylum back in the day for that sort of talk. But not here between friends.

Fover felt like it was time to share about his stone, if they were going to learn fully more about all of this, then they probably needed all the components.

Fover slowly reached his hand into his right pocket and twirled the stone in his pocket. “There was something else that I found along with the journal, and it was a beautiful blue colored stone, small enough to fit in my palm, and speckled with black dots. I do not know at all if it relates to the journal, if it has any real influence on this, but they seem connected. I’m truly sorry about your sister, I cannot even imagine losing someone I loved like that. I have heard about it often enough in my line of work, but I have not experienced that hell personally yet of a missing person.”

Fover turned over also in his mind the number of times that he had seen a 911 call turn into a missing person’s case after the allotted time that people had to wait before making a report at the police station, into a cold case that never went anywhere, and where both the closure to the family and the truth remained missing. He wouldn’t wish that on his worst enemy.

“I never knew it could be a life I could possibly live, let alone learn to feel my way around in.” Eliza carried not only the weight of the uncertainty that was her sister’s unknown location, but it was also the weight of what had happened to her. It was the weight too of learning to see in a different world, and never seeing again the one that had first been home.

“The stone you just mentioned, that’s funny, and ironic, because I have read about a stone type like that in my research when I tried to learn anything else I could about the mental transition when my physical eye sight was blown out in place of this mental reading ability. Its called lapis, and it can help conduct the ability it seems.

No matter what I read, you know, even if I retrieved the greatest knowledge mankind had seen this century, with my ability, I would trade it in a heartbeat for my sister. It is not even entirely losing my eyesight, its knowing that I will never talk to her again, that I will never see whole her again. At least even if I had never seen her again, I would have held her. I mean, why did they take her? Why her? Where is she? I wish I knew where she was.”

Where Eliza had gotten held back previously because of her shyness to share the trauma, she now seemed like someone who had not had anyone to talk to in a very long time, or possibly ever. Fover was trained in active listening, but he did not have to employ that now, he just felt he cared for her feelings, and had an open heart to shelter the emotions she was putting outside herself.

“If I knew where she was, I have thought of what that would mean; it means one of two things; she is either dead or she is alive. If she is dead, it means that I get to at least see her rest and I get to pay her my respects and send her off. If not...” Eliza took a bigger breath in now and squared herself up.

“If she is alive, and she was then from me like that, I will raise hell. Death would be a kindness if it found the offender before I did; forgiveness is for those who have hearts still left to forgive. My heart died in place of a sharpened sword, looking for my sister. The only heart I have left is for her, and the only focus I have left is to hunt whoever did this. I want to deliver pain and make the person die. They won’t die at my hands; I am no murderer. I am merely a traveler taking them along for the ride. I’ll take him back with me; they shall personally know what it is to be deprived of a free life - like they have forced on myself and my sister.” Eliza was breathing hard now, and her face was flushed with the emotion and ferocity of her ache of her sister.

Fover thought hard now in the own microclimate of his head. He thought long about what he had so far concluded about what lay at the heart for the cave. He cherished that possible question to ask in his heart, he did have a heart left, for his to be fiancé. He ached simultaneously in his heart to have that ripe moment to ask her the proposal, and then in the other moment the ache to know, like Eliza had alluded to, who had brought this unexpected hell upon them. She couldn’t see him studying his own thoughts in his expression. He felt glad for that brief reprieve and privacy because he wanted to share that with her...but selfishly, Fover wanted to use the one question, if the one the one Question for knowledge, is all that we had.

Eliza seemed to sense the change in pace and changed herself the conversation; “So, what did the journal detail after the illustration with the black ink and teal inlays?”

“That’s a fantastic question; I honestly haven’t read more. I have kept it by me all the time though; I find ever since picking up the journal, I have not been able to put it down. It’s here, in fact.” Fover pulled it out of the bag next to him and tucked it under his arm. Even now, openly admitting it to her, he could not bring himself to give her the journal in case she might see the entry detailing the question. He wanted to share. He really did, but he could not.

“Let me put away the dishes and bring us a nice drink while I refresh the fire, and we can study the next entry.” Fover at least put the journal on the kitchen counter, just within reach of himself, but not within reach of the beautiful Eliza. He could tell from the way she held her breath that she had half expected to receive the book from him when he pulled it out of the bag, but she politely agreed instead.

Fover made himself busy cleaning up the kitchen and getting a couple of glasses out.

“What do you prefer to drink?” Fover glanced over at Eliza, saw her hands running over the chair she sat on, feeling it, and then putting her hands up towards the fire to feel the warmth.

“Do you have any wine?” Eliza curiously asked.

“Red, that alright? I will have a nice American bourbon.” Eliza nodded in her answer to the question about wine type, and Fover poured himself the bourbon alongside her drink.

As he brought them over, he handed he the drink and set his down to tend the fire. The flames hungrily ate the wood, and Fover sighed, as he felt the book almost tugging on him to open it. He found himself glancing over to make sure that both the door was locked and blockaded with the wooden board but also that Buster was nearby.

He opened the book and there was the familiar crack of the leather as it gave way to its secrets once more. He realized, with vain stupidity, that even if he had handed Eliza the book, she could not have read it, since she is blind and now had to rely on brail. Now he felt even more like an asshole.

The page to the cave opened and once again, Fover saw the beautiful teal inlay ink inside the illustration of the land.

This time Fover read aloud, so that Eliza could also hear the words and read them.

“Dear Reader,”

The cave is safe to visit if you follow the rules. I have learned a few things since I last wrote you, dear reader. I am sorry for the gap of time between my writings; it has been an adventure getting to study this land. It has been some weeks now; I am not certain to be honest. I started this journey to find out if this possible source that we have heard such legend of, could possibly be in this cave. It was said to be an undiscovered cave, told of by a Shaman who had lived in there, though no one knew his name. I have found an odd runic letter near the entrance traced into the stone, “F”. It has now felt like a personal need and compulsion to finish this mystery, to figure out where this leads, and if this is the cave. Just think, we would have done what so many others have secretly hoped and set out to do as well. We are on the brink of possibly changing science. If the one question answered.... our world will change. You will lead us into the new era with your new knowledge. How wise you are to ask your question Reader, because unless the right question is asked in any circumstance, the determination of our solution will only be as good as the inquiry.

I have learned of a few rules so far. One is that the cave exploration should be welcomed during the bright daylight; I caution you against the evening. While the evening brings about a more supernatural touch; I have noticed that it also brings about the guard of the cave. What it is, I do not know. I do know that it appears more apprehensive and wary of dogs or canine species, the only of which I have seen locally is the wolf. Something else I suspect, but do not yet have confirmation of, is that the pool next to the cave, may not be drank from. Any consumable goods inside, must not, even on need of a desperately lost stomach of hunger. I have heard rumor that in order to try and lead you astray from the source, there may be distractions or, obstacles. One of these is food or drink. The consumer will be forever consumed by confusion, and not only never make their way to the source, but also never find their way back to the entrance. I cannot stress enough, come prepared with your own supplies to furnish your team with everything you need.

The cave is just...mesmerizing. I have followed, a very pale, ever so faint blue stone, almost a dark teal, within the stone, almost like the fine veins of gold everyone is so crazy about. I do not know where they lead, because they split in a couple directions; so far, I have only made it into the front of the cave, and found a split among the lines. But I have not had to be there, by the time I hike in the light, explore, and head back with sufficient time to stay safe.

I think that guard is there to keep whoever may stumble upon the cave’s gift away. Perhaps it can be lured with something? I wish I knew what it was to start with. I do know that it appears to be invisible to our human eye. Why I am not sure. I do not know if we cannot perceive its hide, or if it can deflect the light somehow. If it was a large cat, like the ones hunted in the great strange plains of Africa, I would lure it away with large meat.

I have heard a whistling of some kind when it is nearby, that is the only way I can place the creature. Would whistling of our own attract it or deflect it as well? More information is needed, both about the cave and about the creature guarding it.

I am determined Reader; I realize I must stay overnight in the cave if I am to investigate either arm of the strange teal ink. It would be too good of fortune to find the correct way the first time; I should need a string and a pencil, to mark the way. The way into the unknown, but hopefully the way into finding what we seek.

I go now, to put together my supplies. Surely some light, some food, water, and a good pad of paper to record the progress. For every dead end that does not work is a solution that is left to try. I will find your answer yet, Reader. Have your question, seek your truth.

To rest before I greatly discover our future,

Your Seeker”

Fover had forgotten he was reading all of that aloud. He had gotten lost in the words of his writer, wondering what world his writer was about to fall into. Wondering what they were about to fall into. He suddenly realized that the room was entirely quiet now, without the sound of his voice. The warm fire still gave some heat and crackled softly in murmuring about the last stirrings of the day. What would the walls of this cabin say if they could speak of the explorer here in in 1875, and of their tale here now?

Eliza finally let out what seemed like a long breath. Hell, Fover let one out too. Fover chuckled for a comedic moment while he realized that Buster, being the intuitive good doggo he was, could sense the intense energy in the air. He could sense that something was afoot.

“That is...incredible. That someone else came before us, and that someone had something else they had to know. I suddenly feel so alone in my madness. While I do not know what yet the question it is that they were seeking, I do know what it is like to have a burning question, one that is worth anything to answer.”

Fover felt some of that trust in return now for Eliza, and instead felt empathy to her pain. To not know, that was a weight that was hard to put down, once unintentionally picked up. Once a question has been asked, it must be answered.

“Eliza, I’ve just gotten here myself. I know we’ve just met, but you are somehow entangled within this story of mine too. I mean, my grandfather, Felix wasn’t even a close relative of mine. Yet here I am, standing in a cabin, with a sharp young lady, and a huge mystery on my hands. Well, Buster and I,” Fover now glanced over at his new canine companion studying his master’s every word and voice, “have a huge mystery on our paws. We could use an associate mystery hunter, if you did not have anything going on tomorrow for dinner. Or maybe like, two days’ worth of dinner at most. What do you think, boy?” Fover looked over at Buster and as if almost on cue, Buster tilted his head in an adorable fashion, and gave a slight whimper. Dogs knew exactly when to just give the extra push to a moment.

“Please, take your time to consider, or feel free to tell me, I am a what...” Fover paused carefully to find the right words, “an insane person, who thinks he’s all that and a big of chips?” Now he smiled, and Eliza, even though she couldn’t see it, she could feel his grin, and she grinned with him. Both had found a friend in one another. For both Fover and Eliza had not had a friend in a very long time.