South Dakota

Caves

The caves smelt of fresh, cold, water, reminiscent of streams flowing downhill. Connie heard a faint noise, reminding her of faucets dripping in a remote room when all you wanted to do is sleep. Otherwise, the caves were silent. 

            They moved around a narrow bend and the first adventure waited. Their headlamps illuminated a pool of water stretching between the narrow cave walls.

Patrick entered without hesitation. “This will get deep in about ten feet, so start swimming when I do. We’ll have to swim for about a mile.” Connie followed him, Monique right after her. Derek and Mia closed the rear.

“At least now I understand that five-page questionnaire regarding our health and some such. I was worried you’re just super nosy. And the specific gear instructions.” Monique commented. “Not that I minded shopping at that adventure shop with those adorable young men.”

Mia sighed. “You embarrassed them.” She reminded Monique. Then she gasped. “Uh, that water is cold. Maybe I should have gotten the smaller pant size, I think they’ll fall of in the water.” She waded further in. Patrick, Connie and Monique were already at the 10-feet drop point and began swimming.

Derek strode next to his girlfriend, holding her hand. “Give it a minute, the synthetic, light weight, fabric will tighten. You won’t lose your pants.” His lopsided grin indicated he wouldn’t mind if she did lose them. She blushed and swatted at him.

The one-mile stream emptied into a vast cavern, echoing their breathes. They left the water, gathering around Patrick. Monique shook the water out of her hair. “Are we supposed to continue wet as kittens?”

“Are you always this fussy?” Patrick glared at her. Monique gasped. “Besides, this fabric dries quickly, even in this environment. Now, follow me.” 

 Patrick led them to the opposite end of the cavern. Constantina strained her eyes, trying to see where they were going. All she could see were massive walls and Patrick seemed to head straight toward them. Small crystals, entrenched d in the walls, reflected light. She could make out a small opening thirty feet away. “I didn’t think anything could be this dark, this silent.” She whispered.  

Patrick turned, having heard her. “Then you’ll love this.” He smiled and reached for his headlamp. “Everyone, turn your lights off.” Derek grinned, knowing what would come next. He nodded to Mia while he switched his lights off. One by one, they followed until only Constantina’s light remained. She flipped the switch. 

Complete darkness. 

She heard her daughter breathing, a rush of unfamiliarity drowning her. She gasps, then lifted her hand, stretched it out as far she could and realized, the darkness had swallowed her.

No one spoke. For how long, they couldn’t tell. Nothing existed outside of this experience. Until …

“You failed to handle this in a professional way. If this tarnishes my reputation ...” A woman’s voice, demanding and without emotion, pierced through the silence. Two headlights came out of the opening Connie noticed earlier.

Patrick switched his lights back on. One by one, the headlamps brightened and the group of five stared at the new arrivals.

Connie shone her light at the woman. What the hell is Regina Praeda doing here?

“Well, Constantina Morrigan. When Lance said he sent you packing I had no idea he meant that literally.” Everyone turned toward Connie, eyebrows raised. Mia moved toward her mother, arm wrapping around her shoulder, protecting her.

Monique snorted.

Regina smiled at Monique, a cold, cruel, smile. Connie shivered.

Regina turned to her companion. “Do you believe it is acceptable to have tours going through a crime scene, Dr. Geist?” The stocky man swallowed hard.

“We’re taking the right-side tunnels, that’s nowhere near the new cave.” Patrick interfered.

Regina cocked her head at him. “You’re taking them to the top and out the void?”

Connie’s head snapped in his direction. She didn’t like the sound of that. Regina noticed the reaction and purred, “I’ll join you.”

Dr. Geist sighed, his fleshy cheeks deflating with relieve. “I’ll have everything cleared up within a day …” 

Regina waved her hand at him. “Just keep it out of the national news and you might keep your job. The coroner has the bodies, and the state police is finishing up with the crime scene. I do expect you to keep me updated.” Dr. Geist silently nodded along to each sentence. When Regina paused, he cleared his throat, waiting for further instructions. “Well, get to it.” She hissed at him. The chubby, middle-aged man turned and disappeared the same way they came.   

Regina now turned her attention toward Patrick. “Young man, what’s your name? Have we met before? I’ll lead until we get past the taped off part. I’ve been here for two days. I know my way around this area.” She turned and motioned everyone to follow. 

Connie glanced at Monique eyebrows raised. What was going on here? Monique shrugged.

            Regina put her arm into Patrick’s and entered the entrance they noticed earlier. Patrick turned with a grin on his face.

Derek shook his head. “He won’t say no to that.” He laughed. Mia gasped. Connie had no idea what he was talking about. Then Monique made a crude hand gesture. Connie understood. She leaned toward her friend. “Wonder if her partner knows that she strays? With young men, no less?” She whispered as she entered the narrow pathway. To the left, there was a large makeshift door, tapped off with yellow caution tape. But there was no police or even other personal guarding the entrance.

“Any chance you can fill me in on what’s happening here?” Patrick asked Regina.

She shrugged. “The usual. Two dumped bodies. It happens, a lot.”

“I’m sure we’d know about it if it’s so common.” Monique snorted, shaking her head. Patrick winced.

Regina laughed. It was pleasant, soft. “Hundreds of people go missing each year. They’re bound to show up somewhere at some point. The forensic team’s been here for the past three days, the coroner picked up the bodies two days ago. They’ll do an autopsy, or they’ll try to. There wasn’t much left after the animals got to them. Whatever information they’ll get, they’ll run the information through the missing persons data base. By next week, this cave will have a new trail to explore, and young people will pay lots of money to come here to play.”

Connie opened her mouth; why does she know how many people go missing? She decided against asking - it didn't matter. They had moved past the taped off cave and wended their way up and up the narrow cave.

Then something struck Connie as odd and she couldn’t help herself. Before she realized it, the question came out. “Why are you here? I mean, these are private caves, and it’s a matter for the police.” She asked Regina.

            Derek and Patrick turned, glanced at her, eyebrows raised.  

            Regina cleared her throat. “Because these are my caves. If there’s anything unusual, they call me.” The shadows created by the headlamps moved around her facial features. Her clear blue eyes stared at Connie. “Because nothing happens without me knowing about it.”

            They climbed for another ten minutes in silence. No one had anything to say after Regina’s declaration, her gloating. It’s as if she does everything with that one goal in mind; how to get control. Connie mused.

            “Ah, we’re here.” Patrick sighed and they heard a thumping sound. Connie startled. Did he fall? What was that noise?

Connie had brought up the rear and was the last one to see the narrow cave turned onto a wide platform. She stepped through what could only be described as ‘hole in the wall’. “Did someone take an ax to this and dug through?” She asked as she joined the others. The moment she saw what everyone was looking at, her question became irrelevant. It didn’t matter how the hole got there. What mattered was the wide gap at the end of the platform. And where it led to.

“Oh - Hell - No!” Mia winced.

“Ladies, meet your exit.” Patrick had dropped his backpack, causing the thud Connie heard earlier. He unpacked ropes, hooks and other things she didn’t recognize.

The six of them stood on a platform chiseled out of the mountain. The view of the dramatic landscape of South Dakota breathtaking. Rock formations splayed toward the sun as it made the descend toward the Western horizon. “That's the outside of a mountain! The bottom is about a hundred feet or more. Guys, there's no way I can climb that.” Connie felt her chest tightening.

Derek tangled the robes. “That’s what these are for.”

Patrick looked at Regina. “Dr. Geist's been raving about your expertise. Do you mind going first?”

Regina gave the young man a smile to melt ice and approached him. “The best part is getting it tight.” She purred. Even Monique blushed at the suggestion.

Regina stepped into the harness and waited for Patrick to secure the anchor into the wall. Derek unwound the rope, handed her one end and connected the other end of the hook on the wall. Regina pulled the rope through various hooks in her harness. Before Connie knew it, she hoisted herself off the ledge. Regina hung mid-air for a second; then she waved, smiled before her feet pushed off the mountain. She was gone.

“We've repelled hundreds of times from here. Trust us, we know what we’re doing.”

Constantina realized what he was talking about. He wants me to descend the steep mountain with that?

“You’ll need both hands. The right holds the front, the left holds the rear rope. You control the descend speed by pulling the rear toward your butt. Pull it away and you’ll increase your speed. You can descend by walking down the mountainside, or you can repel down, your choice. Derek will handle the safety rope in case you lose control. This is easy, trust me.”

While Patrick talked, Connie watched Regina descend. Within minutes, Regina arrived at the bottom. Regina took her harness off and Derek pulled up the equipment.

“Okay, Connie, it's your turn to get tied up.” Derek grinned and swung the harness in front of her. Connie wasn't amused. How is this safe? Can they just do this, put robes around us, give as a one-minute speech on how-to and send us over the edge? Is this legal? She swallowed. What are you going to do? Say no? Of course, she wouldn’t back out.

Connie stepped into the device that would be holding her life for the next five minutes.

“Step over the ledge and hold on to it while you get used to the gear. Lean back a bit and you'll feel that it holds you. These are very strong ropes. They won't break.” Patrick held her hand while she stepped through the opening.

Patrick leaned out, her hand still in his. Connie began feeling the ropes tightening to support her weight. She remained leaning out, her feet moving from the ledge to the outside, testing the rock beneath them. Then, she took her first step. Her thick leather soles touched the uneven, stony, surface. After several attempts, she managed to level her entire foot against it. She took her second step with more confidence.

“Wiggle around a bit and you'll feel how safe it is.” Patrick tucked at her hand, and the small motion vibrated through her body.

Connie took a deep breath and let go of Patrick. She pulled the left side closer to her butt. She forced her legs to walk down the stony slope; then she pushed off and released the rope.

As she descended, she marveled at how close the mountain was. She bent her knees and drew close to the stony mountain, allowing her hands to reach the surface. Every crevice was visible. Connie saw wayward plants daring to grow there, stretching toward the sunlight. She planted her feet against the rough mountain stone and for the first few steps, she held her breath.

She saw a small, white flower, swinging in the breeze, and she exhaled. She looked up and saw Patrick leaning out of the hole, smiling at her.

She felt the rope slide through her gloved fingers and inhaled the clear air. She allowed her legs to move at their leisure, even pushing off at times and allowing the rope to descend her. For the first time in her life, she understood the meaning of being one with nature. Then, it was over. Surprise and sadness came rushing in when her feet landed on solid ground.

Her legs trembled. Her hands shook and for a moment, she feared she might not be able to stand. Every fiber, every muscle, vibrating, burning.

“Do you need help taking off the gear?” Regina offered.

Connie gazed at her still shaking hands, and she grinned at Regina, “If you don't mind. Seems my hands aren't used to that kind of exercise.” In her surprise at the offer, Connie couldn't think of anything else to say.

Regina stooped before Connie and made quick work of releasing the harness. It felt awkward, having this woman that had nothing but derision for Connie helping her.

Connie stepped out of the harness and Regina tugged at the rope, signaling the men above to pull it up. They watched as the rope moved upward.

“I didn’t realize Monique was into outdoor activities. Have you guys known each other for long?” The tone of her voice was casual. Connie wondered why this cold, distant, woman cared about their friendship.

“We’ve been friends for years. And Monique has quite a few interests. She has a black belt in Judo. This is nothing for her.”

            Regina, still looking up, watching as Monique now descended, baring her teeth. “Yes, her interests are widespread. I’m surprised the two of you are close friends. You have nothing in common.”

            Connie stared at her. Sure, Regina’s name came up a few times over the years, but Monique never let on that she knew Regina. Regina’s tone, her facial expression, implied there was more to it. And Connie suddenly remembered how Monique always got a shade paler, a tad more silent when Regina’s name was mentioned. Not until now had it occurred to Connie that there might be more to it.

            Monique knows Regina. How does Monique know Regina?

And why don’t I know about it?