Surrounding Joe, as he exited the crevice, was a wall of bioluminescent fungi, which coated everything Joe saw with an eerie green glow. Joe, who was still under the influence of the strange happenings of the last day, stood in the middle of the open area, hands on his hips and screamed towards the cavern’s roof. “Fuuuuuck me!”


    Joe was elated. He was alive, all of his body worked, and even the fuzz on his brain since his accident had been shorn. To draw parallel from the man of myth himself, Joe had emerged from the cave with the stone of memories reborn. Of course at the moment he didn’t quite look like how he felt. A bag of bones, stinking remnants of vestments hanging from his body like old bin bags in a tree. His features, green and cavernous, festooned with a filthy beard, gave him the impression of some bog creature risen from the muddy deep. Needless to say, he needed a bath and a meal pronto.


    Joe looked around, seeing three exits from the green cavern including the crevice from whence he came. He remembered one of Gandalf’s lines and took a deep breath, gagging immediately. ‘Hmm it’s likely Gandalf didn’t smell like a rubbish truck’ he thought to himself. Instead Joe decided to choose a route at random, shuffling his way through the gloom. Exiting the green cavern Joe came to yet another sprawling mass of rocks and debris, with the fungi once again lighting his way. Hauling his gaunt frame over the rubble with surprising dexterity he made it to the other side, to find what seemed to be a breach into a man made tunnel. The bricks were slimy with moisture yet with great tenacity retained the tunnel''s shape. To the right of the breach was more rubble piled to the ceiling and hence inaccessible, the left was clear.


    He proceeded up the tunnel with the light becoming increasingly dim until once again, he was enshrouded in darkness. Still, with no physical obstruction, he struggled on, his left hand slipping along the moist wall for guidance. After what seemed like an age had passed, Joe’s hand struck something foreign, something hard and cold. He groped around the area and found similar protrusions, realising with joy he had found a rusty ladder. He held what seemed to be a rung and slowly let his weight descend. No movement, not even a creak. Breath held, he reached above the solid rung and found yet another. His heart began to beat faster and slowly, he began to climb. After a moment, Joe found himself suspended in the darkness, his bare feet resting against their own respective rungs, as his hand groped above him finding the ladder had no more rungs to give. He flailed his arm, searching for anything, but all he found was empty air, somewhat foetid as he buffeted it around him. He had an idea and placed one arm in front of him perpendicular to his shoulders and tapped down. Poof! A burst of dry dust erupted under his palm and hit his face, causing him to splutter. Inspired, despite the coating, he pushed his way up and rolled his body onto the dusty surface. He took a moment to lie on the ground, exhausted. It was only recently that he had practically died and his body was beginning to reach its limits, despite his new found inner fire. Taking a dust laden breath, Joe took to his knees, and then tentatively to his feet, wincing at his tall figure crown struck the roof of the space he was in. Knowing if he walked in the wrong direction it''s quite likely he would fall down the shaft from whence he had come, he shuffled his feet forward, grasping at the sides of the small space for added security. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Alone in the dark he shuffled, the only company to his invisible parade, the motes of dust he kicked up behind him. Joe was happy however, this was progress, he was going up, and it was getting drier. His only concern was that he would walk past the exit in the dark unknowingly, forever to be trapped beneath London like a banshee of yore. Luck was again on his side, for this time it was his hearing that saved him. Directly in front of him he heard it, the herald of freedom and humanity. It was the telltale rattle of the underground. Following the sound a cooling breeze hit his face carrying the scent of oil and atmosphere. He was close. Pushing forward with greater haste as his excitement took over, stumbling occasionally, he made his way through the tunnel. His efforts were rewarded for he began to see the pale outlines of his foreground, from whence a light glow illuminated the walls. Picking up his speed now he could see where he was going, he made it to the exit in short time and found himself facing two sets of parallel tracks. He leant back against the wall, sliding down into a squat position, covering his face with his hand. He began to laugh into his hands, at first softly, then maniacal, and finally a profound sob.