I felt something brush past my dick, and I froze in shock, thinking at first it was Latisha being funny. My heart jumped into my throat. Everywhere was dark and silent, the kind of darkness where you can't even see your own hand. My voice slipped out before I even realized.
"Latisha… did you touch it?" I muttered, half whisper and an accusation.
Her reply almost made me giggle despite the fear. She didn't even know what I was talking about.
"What is a dick?" Latisha asked again, her voice curious and innocent in the pitch-black cave.
"The thing in between a male's legs," I said without shame, even though my face burned.
"No, I didn't," she replied bluntly.
If she didn't, then who would dare assault me this way? My chest tightened as the sound of the beast echoed again, low and guttural, vibrating through the walls of the cave.
"I think I know what touched it. Run!" Latisha screamed suddenly. She grabbed my hand, and together we ran blindly, stumbling in the dark, our breaths ragged, our footsteps scattering stones across the floor.
Latisha yanked me into a narrow hole, forcing us into a cramped hiding space. My back scraped against the cold rock as we crouched, trying to silence our breathing. Then, it came.
A beast.
It prowled into view, its massive frame hulking against the faint glow of dripping cave moss.
The beast's body was thick and muscular, covered in patchy fur that bristled like daggers. Its eyes glowed a dull yellow, searching the darkness with predatory hunger.
Its snout was long, wet, and lined with jagged teeth that gleamed faintly in the dark, saliva dripping as it let out a roar so deep it rattled my bones. Its claws scraped the stone floor, each sound echoing like the strike of metal.
Fear engulfed me. My legs locked, and I stood frozen like a statue. Things like this only exist in movies, yet here I was, staring at a wild beast that looked far too real.
The growl echoed again, shaking me to my core. Suddenly, the screams of other contestants filled the cave as they ran for their lives. The noise distracted the beast, and with another thunderous roar, it stormed off toward the sound, leaving us alone.
"That was so close. It could have killed us," I whispered, trembling.
"Now is not the time. We need to get out of this cave as soon as possible. But first, we must find the oil lamps to light the torch again," Latisha said firmly.
We crawled out of our hiding spot and crept deeper into the cave. Suddenly, Latisha's foot slipped. She screamed as she tumbled into the darkness.
"Latisha!" I cried, rushing forward. But in the blind dark, I lost my footing and fell after her.
The impact knocked the air out of me. I landed on top of her just as she was struggling to get up. She groaned in pain. My head spun, but then something caught my eye.
Something glowing faintly in the dark.
Fireflies.
There were dozens of them, floating lazily in the cave air, glowing like tiny stars. For a moment, I just stared in awe, the fear easing as their light painted the cave with a gentle, pulsing glow. Then an idea sparked in my mind.
"Latisha, help me catch those fireflies— as many as we can," I said quickly, shrugging off my jacket.
We began to catch them one by one. I cupped my hands, careful not to crush their fragile wings, and guided them into the folds of my clothes. Latisha chased after them too, laughing nervously as the glowing insects blinked in and out of her palms.
We stumbled, crawled, and stretched to snatch every faint light until my jacket was alive with dozens of flickering glows.
"What are you going to do with them?" Latisha asked, her voice a mix of concern and disbelief.
"We can use them as light," I said, wrapping the jacket tight and tying it. The trapped fireflies glowed through the fabric, casting a soft, golden light that lit up the cavern around us.
Latisha's face lit up with a wide, amazed smile. "This is really amazing. I had no idea we could use these insects for this."
She held onto my makeshift lantern as I led the way. We could actually see.
Screams echoed through the cave again, distant but terrifying. Finally, we stumbled upon one of the oil lamps left behind. I ran toward it, dipping the dead torch into the oil and striking a spark.
Flames burst to life, crackling hungrily as the torch lit. The fire's heat washed over my face, making me sigh with relief.
"Finally—real fire," I muttered, clutching it tightly.
We pressed on until we reached a narrow bridge made of ropes and wooden planks, swaying over a deep abyss. As we stepped onto it, the beast returned, blocking our path with a thunderous roar.
It lunged. I froze again, my torch shaking in my hand. Latisha didn't hesitate—she darted forward, striking it with stones, fists, anything she could grab.
She fought fiercely, dodging its claws and shoving her weight against its chest to push it back. The beast snapped at her, its teeth tearing through strands of her hair as she ducked just in time.
My heart pounded. I yanked open the jacket and released the fireflies. They swarmed out in a glowing cloud, circling the beast's head.
The monster roared furiously, thrashing and clawing at the swarm as the fireflies clung stubbornly to its face.
Stumbling backward, blinded and enraged, the beast lost its balance and fell over the edge of the bridge into the abyss below.
"Oops," I said breathlessly, still shaking.
"Come on," Latisha urged, grabbing my hand and pulling me along.
We crossed the bridge quickly, our feet pounding the swaying planks. Behind us, other contestants appeared, pushing and scrambling.
One of them slashed at the ropes with his torch. The bridge snapped, sending screams echoing into the darkness as others fell, some barely clinging to the edge.
Outside the cave, the air felt fresher. Ahead, a massive statue loomed into sight.
"We are almost there," Latisha said with a huge smile. The sight of her smiling, even after all that, made her look breathtaking. She still held my hand like an overprotective mother refusing to let go of her child.
Then we saw the statue, it was enormous, carved from stone, towering with the figure of the first sapiens. Its arms were outstretched, as though reaching for the sky. Its face was stern, its features strong, as if to remind everyone who looked at it of mankind's strength.
Moss and vines crawled over its body, but the aura it gave was divine.
Steps carved into its side led upward, and Latisha began to climb. I followed close behind. Soon, others joined, and the climb turned bloody. Contestants shoved, hacked, and clawed at each other, desperate to be the first to reach the top.
Hands grabbed ankles, knives slashed flesh, screams filled the air as the climb became a battlefield.
Latisha and I reached near the top. Suddenly, an arrow struck her side.
"Latisha!" I screamed. She slipped, her foot missing a step, and she dangled dangerously close to falling. I grabbed her hand just in time, holding on with everything I had.
Her grip trembled. Pain twisted her face, but she still smiled faintly at me.
"You have to keep going," Latisha whispered weakly.
"No! I can't leave you," I cried, my voice breaking.
We were so close to the light. She still kicked at others trying to climb past me, refusing to let anyone else reach the top.
"Only one can survive," she said, her voice fading.
"I don't care—we'll both survive this!" I shouted, trying to pull her up, my arms burning with effort.
Her strength slipped away, and her hand grew weaker in mine.
"Get the light… prove them wrong," she whispered, before her fingers slipped from my grasp.
"Latisha!" I screamed as she fell, her body crashing down the statue. My chest felt like it split open. Hot tears blurred my vision.
Someone who finally cared about me was gone. Dead.
I shook with grief, but forced myself upward. With every ounce of strength, I climbed and reached the top. My hand closed around the sacred light. I held it up like a champion, though I felt nothing but hollow despair.
I had won the survival game. But what was the use, if this was the world I was condemned to live in?
Scoffing bitterly, I descended. The crowd below gasped as I walked across the water, the light in my hand glowing like fire.
"The Lightning-Born has won!" voices shouted.
"The Lightning-Born!" they screamed louder and louder.
But for me, everything went dark. My body collapsed, sinking into the slimy, green water as the cheers faded into silence.