Chapter 4
1001words
[Time: 17:04:33]
[Sarah's handheld camera]
"Sarah, we need to get out of here!" Jake grabs her arm, his voice urgent. "Now!"
Sarah clutches Jake's hand as they haul Mac and Emma up, rushing toward the cave exit.
They race through the tunnel, flashlight beams bouncing wildly. Ten minutes later, Sarah spots something in a wall crevice.
"Wait, Jake," she stops, lowering Emma to the ground. She points her light at the crack. "There's something here."
From the narrow opening, she carefully extracts a plastic document sleeve. Though damp, it's preserved its contents—several yellowed papers.
"What is it?" Jake leans in for a closer look.
Sarah shines her light on the cover page, revealing a government seal: "Deep Mountain Mining Company Accident Investigation Report—Confidential," dated November 15, 1987.
"Oh my God," she opens the report, eyes racing over the text. "Jake, listen—"
She reads aloud: "Anomaly Record: 48 hours pre-incident, strong geomagnetic anomalies detected on-site. Multiple miners reported hearing 'calling voices.' Electronic equipment failed across the board. Final radio transmission from missing personnel: 'They're calling us to go down... deeper...'"
Jake frowns. "The government knew about this all along?"
"Look," Sarah points to the last page, marked in red ink: "Recommendation: Immediately seal mine and classify as routine industrial accident. All materials related to anomalous phenomena require highest level clearance."
"They've been covering this up," Jake's voice hardens. "Letting more innocent people walk right into danger."
Sarah's heart pounds as she tucks away the report and they press on.
[Time: 17:23:47]
Suddenly Jake freezes. Mac slides off his back, but Jake doesn't even notice. His expression turns bewildered.
"Sarah, look," he points ahead, voice suddenly excited. "There's power down here! We're saved!"
Sarah looks where he's pointing but sees only rotting support beams and damp rock. "Jake, what are you talking about? There's nothing but broken timbers."
But Jake walks toward the wall, clearly seeing something entirely different. "Check out these modern lights and ventilation systems," he reaches out. "I'll flip the switch."
"Jake, don't—" Sarah tries to stop him, but too late.
Jake's hand presses against the slimy rock wall, fingers sliding through moss, but his face shows confusion. "Weird, it's not working."
Sarah's heart races. Jake's eyes have that same vacant look as Mac and Emma.
She sets Emma down and grabs Jake's shoulders firmly.
"Jake, listen to me! There are no lights here, no equipment. What you're seeing isn't real!"
But Jake shakes his head, an unnatural gleam in his eyes. "Sarah, are you blind? There's clearly—"
A voice from deep in the mine cuts him off.
A faint but distinct call echoes through the darkness: "Jake...Sarah...this way..."
Jake whirls toward the sound, his face lighting up. "Sarah, didn't you hear that? Someone's calling us!"
Sarah listens intently but hears only dripping water and wind. "What voice? I didn't hear anything!"
"It's coming from there," Jake points deeper into the mine. "They're calling us, showing us the way out."
He shouts into the darkness: "We hear you! We're coming!"
"Jake, who are you talking to?" Sarah's voice rises in panic. "There's nothing there!"
[Time: 17:45:12]
Suddenly, Jake turns to face Sarah, but his eyes are different. His pupils are massively dilated, just like Mac and Emma's, staring through her rather than at her.
"Sarah, they want us to stay," Jake's voice turns eerily calm. "It's safe here. We can join the others."
"Others? What others?" Sarah backs away.
"Those who've been waiting," Jake's smile grows disturbingly wide. "They're lonely. They need company. We can help them."
Sarah realizes with horror that Jake has fallen under the same influence as the others.
She looks around, completely alone. All three teammates stare at her with those same empty eyes, as if she's the strange one.
"I... I need to get out," Sarah's voice shakes. "I need air."
She turns and runs, but Jake calls after her with false concern: "Sarah, stop! It's dangerous out there!"
[Time: 18:12:55]
[Sarah's camera, low battery warning, footage becoming intermittent]
The mine twists like a labyrinth. Each time Sarah thinks she's found an exit, she ends up back where she started. Tunnels fork endlessly, wall markings vanish and reappear, as if the mine itself is toying with her.
The camera's battery warning flashes constantly, footage cutting in and out. Between the gaps, she hears her teammates calling her name, their voices drawing nearer.
"Sarah..."
"Sarah, where are you?"
"Come back, Sarah..."
She speeds up, nearly sprinting. Sweat stings her eyes, her breathing ragged, but she doesn't dare stop.
Suddenly, Emma's voice comes from behind: "Sarah, why did you run?"
Sarah whirls around to see Emma standing there, face showing concern but eyes still empty voids.
"We've been searching for you," Jake and Mac emerge from the shadows, voices dripping with false warmth. "Don't be scared. We found the exit."
Mac nods. "It's just ahead. We can all leave together."
Sarah tries to retreat but realizes she's surrounded. The three form a semicircle, closing in slowly.
"No," Sarah's eyes widen in terror as she backs against the wall. "No... Get back! Stay away from me!"
"Sarah, what's wrong with you?" Emma asks with mock confusion. "Aren't we friends? Maybe you've been down here too long, getting paranoid?"
[Time: ERROR_Critically Low Power]
Sarah tries to shove past them, but her strength drains away. Emma, whom she should easily push aside, stands immovable while Sarah's legs begin to buckle.
"What's happening?" she mumbles, staring at her shaking hands.
Jake speaks softly: "Stop fighting it, Sarah. It's safe here. Better than the world above."
Emma extends her hand. "Join us. Then you'll understand."
Sarah tries to resist, but her body betrays her. The camera slips from her nerveless fingers, crashing to the ground, lens pointing upward.
In the final frame, three silhouettes loom over the lens, their faces grotesquely distorted in the flashlight's glow.
Sarah screams: "No! Please! Stay away from me!..."
The camera emits one final electronic chirp before the screen goes black.
[Recording Ended]
[Time: 22:31:55]
