Unrest

Part 1 Of 1

First, the light. Then, darkness. That's how it always was, is, will be. First the presence, and then the absence. This cycle had repeated itself so many times, and yet Kirti did not know how to react to it.

Kirti did not know how, but she found herself in darkness. It was not the average darkness, the kind that settles comfortably in a room after the lights have been put out to find the solace of sleep, and dreams. It was the darkness that haunts those dreams and makes them nightmares.

Kirti was barefoot and the floor was cold beneath her retreated toes. She was waiting for her eyes to adjust to the darkness but with a sinking feeling she realised that there was no light creeping from anywhere around. This was as much vision as this place was going to afford her.

For a few moments she closed her eyes, if only to justify the absence of visual input to her brain. She tried to calm her nerves.

"It's okay, Kirti." She whispered out to herself. "Don't be scared. You know you're a strong girl."

The words rang out a bit and then died down. The sudden ceasing of her own voice heightened the absence of any sound in her surroundings. It was almost as unsettling as the darkness. Almost.

Talking to herself had seemed a good idea a few moments ago. Now she was not so sure. She wanted to hear something but something about the way voice was acting in this place made her uncomfortable. She exhaled and made a decision. Speaking out loud would make her nervous again. She would not voice her thoughts. But she would not remain rooted to this spot any longer.

I have to move, she thought to herself with resolve.

She clenched her eyes shut for a moment and then opened them again. Willing herself into motion, she took a few steps forward and her outstretched hand came up to something. She ran her fingers across and found out it was a wall. Damp and cold, bare walls. She finally took note of the smell that had been nagging at her, that she had ignored thus far. She had been too preoccupied with the absence of sight.

I should be more mindful of my surroundings, she chided herself.

Kirti looked straight ahead where her hands told her the wall was and she decided to turn about and start walking. After a couple of steps she came across another wall.

I'm in closed quarters? She thought about it a minute. But the sounds had been...

She picked a direction and putting her hand on the wall started walking parallel to it. For some brief moments a panic tried to take hold of her, but she brushed it off by telling herself that nothing could be worse than standing still and waiting to die.

She relaxed as soon as she realized that there was no third wall forthcoming. She was in a tunnel. She tested her theory by walking a few steps and then crossing over to the other wall. Then walking along that wall and crossing to the first one, again.

She wasn't sure how long she walked before she saw a bit of light creeping into her vision. It was faint and seemed to be coming from around a corner.

The cold coming off the walls was trying to make Kirti shiver but her stubbornness wouldn't allow her to accept defeat at the hands of a faceless enemy such as this. She focused and the shivers stopped.

You're a coward, cold, your fingers wrap around me when I'm not looking but as soon as my attention falls on them, they recede, she thought with a smirk.

Checking the direction of wind could have been helpful in deciding the direction to walk in. Follow the air currents, the air currents lead to better places. But there was no wind blowing in these closed, sequestered quarters.