I move around the cave room to explore it a bit more. If I am staying here for the night I might as well see what else the cave room has. I move around in a crouch so I don't hit my head on the ceiling as I get closer to the cave wall.
As I get closer to the wall on the left I notice another offshoot from the cave room. It's on the bottom part of the wall. From what I can tell and feel once I stick my hand in. Is that it slopes down sharply, and is jagged on the sides.
After exploring the downward offshoot I move to my right following the cave wall. The wall is smooth and cold to the touch. As I move along for a few feet I notice a little crack in the wall. It's in the crook between the floor and the wall. My face moves closer to get a better look at it.
The crack is small about two hand widths wide and about one hand tall. And I can feel air slightly blowing in from the little crack. I peer through the little crack to see if there is anything interesting on the inside. There is a darkness that goes into an offshoot tunnel. At least I got some air coming in so it won't be as stuffy.
I continue my exploration by going to the right still. There is a foot size hole on the ground where I am crouch walking. Thankfully I saw it before my foot fell in. I peer into the hole and see that it goes straight down. I don't know how far due to Dark Vision only helping a bit. But it is a good ways down.
I move around the hole in the ground and continue to follow the wall. Almost making it back around to the entrance I came into this cave room. But before I make it to the entrance. My hand slips into another offshoot! How many are there in this little cave?
My hand goes in and upwards. So this offshoot goes upwards and I definitely won't fit in this one. My hand and arm are tight. But it does just keeps going, I reach in all the way, I might as well my arm is in it already. I keep reaching all the way till my head is against the cave wall and my shoulder is stopped by the offshoot entrance.
Now that I am next to the entrance to this little cave I might as well see if it still light out. I get on my stomach and look through the tunnel seeing that it is pitch black like everything else in the cave. I came to the realization that it is night time.
"Well at least I am safe down here."
'ROAR!!!'
A monstrous roar echoes through the cave, coming through right where I am looking. It scares me shitless. I scamper backwards, trying to get as far as possible from where I just heard the roar. I get all the way back to the edge of the cave. My back to the wall as I look at the faint outline of the entrance of the cave.
I really hope nothing can get in... If anything does, I am so screwed. I wait anxiously to see if anything might come in from the hole on the surface. Time ticks on or I would like to think it does. But I have no real way of knowing.
As I wait in the cave, my body starts to tell me it is exhausted. But I force myself to stay awake waiting for anything to happen. As soon as I am asleep something might happen. So in my vigilant state I stay awake.
'ROAR!' 'CRASH' .... "BOMB'
The ground shakes right after the bomb. Shaking the cave and some dirt hitting the floor below making 'tinking' sounds. My body involuntarily starts shaking thinking that some beast is going to come crashing through the ceiling. I wait and wait, expecting the worst to happen. And well, nothing happens.
I don't know how long I have been sitting here but, my butt is getting numb and hurting. I shift over to laying down to release the pressure on my butt. Then the roaring and crashing happens again. This time not stopping for a long time. Some monsters must be fighting or something.
After laying down and getting comfortable... Well as comfortable as one can be laying down on hard rock. My body exhausted and needing sleep, my eyes start to close without me realizing I drift off to sleep.
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(Content warning ahead Reader discretion advised. (Child Abuse))
"POLA! Get yer ass over here!"
Oh no! Not good! Haroon is drunk again, and I'm about to be on the end of the drunkenness again. I would rather it me than all the other little kids that live here at this orphanage. I shouldn't make Haroon wait too long otherwise the beating will be worse.
I make my way over to Haroon. The man being 6 foot 2, burly and a drunk. He is pissed at everyone who lives here. I don't know who made him in charge but that was the biggest mistake ever. Hell Harron doesn't even like KIDS!
Before I can ever get in front of Haroon something hits me in the head. I hear the clinking of a bottle hitting the wood floor, that is falling apart. A bump starts to form on my head as it throbs in pain.
"Look at you bastard, mommy and daddy don't want you! Isn't that why you are here, at this orphanage. Nothing but a piece of garbage that I can do whatever I want to! And guess what? No one would ever know what happens here!"
The whole time Harron is yelling at me spit goes into my face. I see the veins on his head bulging from how ferociously he is yelling. Then the hit comes, it knocks me off my feet and I crash to the side. Ears ringing, temple throbbing, and a scraped shoulder are the least of my concerns right now. It is bound to get worse.
And I was right, I feel a heavy impact in my stomach. Knocking the wind out of me. Then another and another. It's that man's foot. I try and protect my stomach but my skinny arms can't do much. Easily bruising and being pushed apart my arms are virtually useless.
"You were supposed to bring me a big pay day! Earning me 10 gold coins when you were accepted by that noble family. But! What you did threw my pay day out the window! No wonder your parents left you here! You are so useless, passing out in front of the noble family. They think you have something wrong with you. So now you get the repercussions."
He hits me so many times blood starts coming out of my mouth. Little droplets fall out as I cough. He then grabs me by my tunic that is falling apart. I don't know how it stays together. As I am in my thoughts. A first hits me in the face, over and over. My head ringing, vision going blurry.
The only thought in my head is that he is going to kill me this time. With the little strength I muster, I kick him in the balls hoping it affects him. And thankfully it does! He drops me and grabs his groin.
"You little bastard! Urgh."
I fall hard hitting my knee first, then my shoulder and head. My head spinning and my whole body in pain. I know I have to get out of here. I get up and stumble towards the door. I get to the door and push open the door. It opens and I stumble out trying to get as far as I can from here.
"Get Back Here!" I hear Haroon bellow out from inside the orphanage. I look back quickly and it's not Haroon anymore, it's some monstrous creature. Body of a man but the head of a wolf.
"Once I catch you, you're dead!" The creature bellows out but, it's with Haroon's voice. My eyes get wide and I move my beaten body as fast as I can. Not going in any direction just trying to get away!
Huffing and puffing, I feel my lungs burning. Along with my legs, then pain still there from the beating Haroon gave me. Everything around me is changing. From not so dense woods to heavy fog covering everything. I keep running. hearing the creature behind me getting closer and closer.
I glance back quickly and see that the creature is not a giant wolf! It makes any man look small. Steam coming out of its snout. Green piercing eyes look at me, its black fur pushed back with how hard it's running after me.
Shit! I'm gonna die! I got to be faster! Come on, body move faster!! I try and will myself to be faster but it doesn't work. The next thing I feel is hot breath on my neck and something tight around it too. Piercing pain radiates from my neck, as I feel something warm running down my body. Then my view changes.