“I can see the exit!” Dr. Alvina Clarke clicked off her flashlight as the sunlight flooded the exit to the cave.
This is my last chance..I’m going to make it count.
As she stepped out of the cave, Alvina found herself on a narrow road that hugged the side of a cliff. Beneath her the ocean roared, colliding with the cliff with incredible force. The waves grew with every pull of the tide, and through her binoculars, she could see her boat struggling to stay afloat.
Better hurry.
The road was treacherous; it was clear that it had not been used in ages and the weather had worn it down considerably. Alvina was light in her steps, rushing down the road as it turned along the face of the cliff. The end of the road was near, but the wind on this side of the cliff was powerful.
Just a few more feet, the ruins are so close.
Before she could reach the landing, a boisterous gust of wind crashed into the cliff face, knocking Avlina to her knees. The road beneath her shook as the supporting rocks crumbled and collapsed. As the road began to slip, Alvina searched fervently for anything to hold on to.
Shit shit shit. It can't end this way.
Before Alvina had time to think, she began slipping from where the road had been. Overgrown roots snapped around her as she fell to the ocean below. Her instinct of self preservation, accompanied by adrenaline, drove her to jump from what remained of the road and grab onto a long root that held onto the cliff.
It felt like time had stopped during her jump, and Alvina was sure that she had missed it, but when she opened her eyes time began again and she had the root in her hands. The road continued to crumble from above, and Alvina had nowhere else to go but down.
Carefully she lowered herself down, hand over heedful hand, while looking for any escape. The further she went down, suddenly incredibly aware that she was running out of root, it appeared that there was nowhere to go. Panic set in as the root began to creak above her.
As she sat at the bottom of the root, out of the corner of her eye she saw it. An opening in the face of the cliff. Although she knew it might be her last move, she swung the root towards the opening. It continued to creak as dirt fell all around her, but after a few good swings she was able to jump in just as the root snapped.
As she crashed to the floor of the cave, she couldn’t help but notice the array of colors that spun in her vision. Pushing herself off the floor, she was pulled in by dozens of paintings splattered along the cave walls.
Paintings! This is even better than the ruins!
Alvina threw her bag to the ground and fumbled through it until she found her notebook. She hastily scribbled all of the paintings down, adding her notes to the margins.
This one depicts a great battle, the humans versus the Gods, it’s bloody and it’s hard to tell who is winning.
Next, is a large pool in a grotto of a cave. The water swirls with colors and even just its image pulls you in.
The third one shows a vast, open plain. The humans are living peacefully without the interference of the Gods.
Far from the others, a small painting of young children standing in the pool surrounded by the village elders. It seems to be a coming of age ceremony that protects the children from the Gods as they grow.
“This will get these stuffy archaeologists to listen to me. There is something down here, something that could change the world as we know it - they can’t kick me out after this.” Alvina was beside herself with excitement.
The tunnel seemed to enclose on her as she wandered further into the cave, like a throat threatening to swallow her whole. That is, until all of the sudden it opened up and she saw it.
A large pool, colors swirled under the surface and seemed to override her mind, calling her to walk in. In the center stood a large monument. It extended past the ceiling, into a large hole that seemed to lead to the very bowels of the cave.
Along the top of the monument, it read: Per hanc portam, hunc mundum relinquis
“Some warning. If I don’t, I’ll be humiliated by the other archaeologists - if I don’t make it back, well, then nothing will be lost.” Alvina tied a rope to her stomach and waded through the pool.
“I will find a way to cheat Death” Alvina said as she dove into the water.
“Dr. Clarke, you have been fading into obscurity for some time now, and we’re all finding it hard to take an archaeologist that has made no new discoveries seriously.” Dr. Watts looked down his nose as he spoke to her.
“New discoveries take time, you should know that better than anyone.” Alvina shot a cold glance towards him.
“You have one year, bring us something we can use or you’re out of the SAA; I’m sorry.”
“No you’re not, you’ve always looked for a way to kick me out.”
“You know that’s no-” Alvina cut him off.
“What if I find it, the ruins of Daero? If I find the portal, if I find a way to circumvent death as we know it, you have to let me stay.”
“You know that place is forbidden, Alvina.”
“Don’t “Alvina” me. You said if I make a discovery I’m fine, so I’ll find the portal and I’ll keep my place. This conversation is over.”
As Alvina swam back up to the surface, she noticed that it was brighter out of the water. She knew she was no longer in the cave, but other than that there was no telling where she was. The water was different on this side too, it sparkled like gypsum in the afternoon sun and it was a deep shade of purple.
She shook the memory of her last encounter with Dr. Watts from her mind and stepped out of the pool, noticing the lush landscape in front of her.
This is the location that the painting depicted!
There were mysterious plants and flowers as far as the eye could see, but Alvina was quick to notice the lack of people. Her rope was taut though, and she knew if she wanted to go any further she would have to untie it.
I might get stuck here, but would that really be so bad?
She untied her rope and put the end under a heavy rock, hoping that it would be enough to secure it against the power of the portal, and she set off.
The constant discoveries within this place surpassed even her wildest imaginations. The plants gave her everything she needed, food, medicines, tool making capabilities, she would want for nothing in this place. Though, through it all, a single question burned in her mind.
If they had everything they needed, why are there no people?
She recorded her discoveries furiously in her notebook, how the landscape was set up, the perfect plant life for sustainability, and beyond all comprehension, the complete lack of human or animal remains. Alvina was so engrossed in her work that she did not notice the snake slithering closer to her.
The snake grazed her leg and she shot up from the ground with a scream.
“AH! What the hell?!” She looked down and saw the snake.
“Oh, sorry about that, you scared me!” Alvina laughed to herself for a moment but the snake kept its gaze focused right in her eyes.
That’s okay, I know you weren’t expecting me. Alvina heard the words echo in her mind.
“Can you..talk?”
I can put my thoughts in your head, I wouldn’t necessarily call it talking.
“Oh..Okay..Well, can you tell me about this place?”
Of course. I created this place eons ago after the great war; a safe place for the people that follow me, where the Gods cannot interfere. This world offers much knowledge, if only one is willing to dedicate themselves to finding it.
“Why is no one here then?”
It is a complicated thing, the human will, there was a time that there were thousands here. Over time though, the Gods on the other side vilified me and people stopped believing. People lost faith that I could show them the answers they desire, that I could help them at all.
“So people are free to come and go, then?”
People are free to leave, but if they do they aren’t so dedicated, are they?
“No, I guess they’re not.”
I can show you what you seek, but if I do and you leave, my other knowledge will be inaccessible to you.
“How do you know what I-”
I can put my thoughts into your head, but I can also see what you desire above all else. Wouldn’t you rather gain infinite knowledge and live forever here? Instead of going back to those stuffy doctors that don’t see you as an equal? You yourself said that this place has everything you need.
Five years later:
Alvina awoke with the sun as she did every morning and made her way to the cliffs. Her notebooks were full of knowledge, eternal life, the cure for cancer, even the creation of the universe, but there was still much more that she could learn here.
She had forgotten the arrogant Dr. Watts and the conflicts of her old life, her only drive now was learning as much as her brain could hold. Back at the portal, her rope was still secured under the rock, waiting for a day that would never come.
As she arrived at the cliffs, the snake was there waiting for her.
Good morning Alvina, what would you like to learn today?
My response to
’s Power-Up Prompt
Image: Unsplash - Liam Hans, Sara Rahmani
Great job, Mina! I feel like there is a lot of you in this story. I could feel your passion for the ideas, and sensed some places where you were speaking through your characters. Great story! I would love to read more!
Wow Mina, this was amazing! An incredible level 3 response to the prompt that expertly wove in all of the prompt’s elements and many others as well.
I loved the back-and-forth with the flashback midway through the piece. The context really made the entire journey feel more impactful.
I also loved how you jumped right into the action at the beginning. The hook was sublime.
Top it off with the incredible lore and worldbuilding around the portal and the snake, and you’ve got yourself a winner here!