Eritopia

Down into the Dark

When the rabbit dropped into the dark hole, Jod and Not-Bear looked at each other.

'After you,' Jod said. 

Not-Bear lowered his head and hesitated before stepping in. It smelled earthy and damp and he immediately regretted it. But Jod was behind him so he couldn't turn back.

'Think back to when we were at my home,' Jod called. 'The first time you went down the steps.'

'I could see the bottom then. Now it's all darkness.'

'Is everyone all right?' Map called. 'It's not far, and after a while it gets easier.'

Not-Bear pushed on. The tunnel was narrow, and he realised he would never be able to turn in it. This added to his sense of panic. He wanted to whimper but didn't want to look weak. Jod and the rabbit seemed calm enough. Some earth dislodged above his head and went into his nose. He sneezed. It got into his eyes. As he descended he felt blood filling his head.

'Jod, are you still there?'

'Yes, Wolf, I'm right behind you. Keep going.'

It was getting warm in the tunnel and the air seemed thin. Not-Bear found himself gasping.

'Don't panic, breath slowly, we'll be there soon,' said the voice from behind.

'Keep following and don't stop,' said the voice in front.

Minutes passed. Not-Bear edged forward through the tunnel, his flanks rubbing the earth on either side. Step after step, one paw in front of the other, his brain disengaged. He sucked in shallow gulps of air, trying to ignore the darkness and the illusion of falling. Step after slow step.

'We're almost there. It flattens out soon.'

It was true, the slope was levelling. There was fresh air too, coming from ahead. In his urgency to get out Not-Bear struck his head on the roof of the tunnel and a great clod of earth fell on him. He started choking.

'Easy,' Jod said. 'You'll have us all buried.'

They waited until the dirt settled.

'Sorry,' said Not-Bear.

'Only a little further,' Map said, and they crept forward. They emerged into daylight. Not-Bear looked around him. They were at the bottom of the quarry. Behind him was the tunnel and above that the wall stretched away to the sky. He dropped, exhausted, on the stony ground.

'Well,' Jod said as he squeezed out. 'That was different.'

Not Bear looked at him. 'You're covered in dirt.'

'And you look like like a badger that's been rolling around in the mud.'

'Thanks. I thought I was going to die in there. Where's the rabbit?'

'He's over there,' said Jod. 'What's he got in store for us next?'

It was very different at the bottom of the quarry. Barren, stony, and the only plants growing were in scattered clumps, sheltered by the rocks. Or next to pools of water that had collected on the ground. Jod and Not-Bear went over to one of these and began to drink. Map was looking at something growing in front of a large boulder.

'You're looking a bit thin, Wolf,' Jod said.

'I'm feeling thin,' Not-Bear replied, and realised he was feeling hungry too. His last proper meal had been back at Jod's forest home.

'Fill yourself with water, that will ease the hunger.'

When they had quenched their thirsts, they went over to Map, who was by now half lying on his back against a rock. He had a large leaf in his mouth. Not-Bear thought his posture very un-rabbit like. On the Inside, rabbits were timid creatures who darted away at the first sign of movement. This one wasn't like that at all.

'Have a leaf,' Map said when they arrived. 'This is burdock—it's delicious. Or there's some rocket on the other side of this boulder.'

'We don't eat leaves,' Not-Bear told him.

'Well I do,' said Jod. 'But usually cooked over a slow fire with some salt.' He pulled a leaf off the plant Map had indicated. Its leaves were curly at the edges and the flowers looked like thistles. 'I do know this, and if I'm not mistaken...' he grabbed hold of the plant at the base of the leaves and uprooted it.

'Is that necessary?' the rabbit asked.

'Look at these roots,' Jod said. 'You could eat these, Wolf. We can cook them, I've done it before. It will be like my stew back at home.'

'Yes, but not here.' Map hopped up and threw the remains of his leaf away. 'Take them with you if you like, but a fire here will attract attention. I know where we could make one though. Come on.'

Jod stuffed the burdock roots in his bag and then went behind the boulder. Not-Bear poked his head round and saw him pulling up another plant, which he bagged as well. Then Jod saw something else a few yards off, by the edge of one of the pools. As he went over some white butterflies flew up.

'Nasturtium,' he shouted over to Not-Bear. 'For seasoning.'

'Hello!' Map was standing fifty paces away by the far wall of the quarry. They went over. 'This is our next connection,' he said, and pointed to a sheer face of grey stone.

'There's nothing there,' Not-Bear said.

Map looked round. 'Oh, I see what you mean. It's here,' and he pointed to a round piece of metal that stuck out of the wall a couple of feet above his head.

'Why, it's a door handle,' Jod said. He went up to it and twisted it. Nothing happened.

'Stuck.'

'Stuck,' Not-Bear repeated.

'No, it's not, I've been through it,' said Map.

'Well how did you do that?' Not Bear asked. 'You can't even reach it.'

'I had a man with me at the time,' Map retorted. 'Obviously stronger than this one.'

Jod tinged red with embarrassment. Being quite small the handle was at head height for him. He tugged and yanked at it, then grabbed it with both hands and used his whole body to try and lever it round. Nothing.

'Are you turning it the right way?' Not-Bear asked.

Jod gasped. 'Of course.'

'Let me have a go.' Not-Bear reached up and grabbed the handle with his teeth. It was cold and slippery. He settled it between his jaws and turned his head to the left.

'Other way,' Jod said. Not-Bear looked at him. He put pressure on the handle, this time turning his head to the right. There was resistance, then after a quarter turn he heard a click.

'That's it, Wolf, keep going,' Jod said.

Not-Bear tilted his head further. The handle turned with him until he felt a jolt and the door opened so fast he lost his grip and fell over backwards.

'Ouch.'

'You're bleeding,' Jod said. Not-Bear licked his mouth and tasted salt. The handle must have pinched his lip as he fell away from it.

'It's nothing,' he said, yet felt quite pleased with himself.

'Well done.' Jod clapped his hands. 'But I must have loosened it for you.'

'Oh, you must have,' Not-Bear mocked, as they followed the rabbit through the opening.