November's story

Sue got the most votes scoring three.

Next meeting is in January and the word is "piece"

'Futile' 

It's futile.  I have been round and round trying to find a way out, but I am getting so tired now and it's pitch black.  Even if I close my eyes for a few seconds, then open them again, I can't see any difference.  I sag against the nearest wall, then sink down in a heap, completely spent, thinking, "I'll just rest here for a few minutes before I start again."

Behind my closed eyes I relive the beginning of this nightmare.  We'd been driving to a remote cottage in the Scottish Highlands, where we were looking forward to doing some walking in the rugged countryside.  The weather was pretty awful, with heavy rain and a sort of twilight all day.  James had just said to Isla that we should be there soon when he gave a shout and Isla screamed once, before the car was veering crazily across the road, then tipping sideways and starting to career madly down the steep hillside.  There was a grinding crash and we tipped over even further so suddenly that my door flew open and I was catapulted out and continued to roll and bounce down the crag side.  I saw a stunted fir tree right in my path and tried to avoid it, evidently unsuccessfully, as the next thing I knew was opening my eyes and seeing nothing below me.  I was wedged into a fork at the base of the tree with my head hanging over the void.

I stayed like that for a few minutes to get my bearings and check how I felt.  Apart from being battered and bruised, I felt okay, so looked cautiously around.  I was on a narrow ledge with a solid rock wall at its back.  The ledge seemed just wide enough to accommodate the tree, then petered out to nothing.  I wriggled around until I could get myself out of the tree, then carefully backed towards the solid rock and looked up.  It soared away above me until it met the sky, so there was no hope of climbing up that way.

As I sat there, I noticed there was a scrubby bush at the base of the tree.  I idly pulled at it and realised it was concealing a low cave entrance.   "Well," I thought, "This looks like the only way to go, and besides, at least it will be dry and a bit warmer in there."

 I had sat in the small cave and pondered for a while, getting myself pulled together, then decided to see if there was another way out.  At first it had seemed very promising, as there was a narrow passage leading back into the hillside.  I followed this slowly, bumping against the walls, as I couldn't see where I was going.  It felt very damp and smelled of small creatures which had sheltered in it before me.  Then suddenly there was nothing either side of me and I realised I must be in another cave.  

So here I am, having followed the walls blindly for I don't know how long, always coming back to the passage I had come down, recognisable by the lump of rock at its entrance which I kept falling over.

I must have slept because I suddenly jerk my head up and think, "I'll just go round once more, then go back the way I came."  I must be going even closer to the wall this time, because I find a small slit in its surface and eagerly investigate.  Is it wide enough to slide through?  I try putting my head to the gap - not a chance.  But I persevere and bend lower.  Yes, it's wider here, and I stick my head through, then squirm first my shoulders, then my body, after it.  I hope I don't get stuck.

I find the new space is a little larger and seems to go even further back into the hillside.  It begins to slope more steeply downwards as I creep along.  Soon I am having trouble keeping up with my feet and lose my balance, sliding down the steep slope until the ground disappears altogether.  "Help," I scream in my head as I tumble on, then splash into icy cold water which closes over my head before I claw my way back to the surface.

I soon realise I am being borne along on a rushing torrent and before I can gather my wits, whoosh, I am catapulted out into the dim daylight again and find myself in a pool at the base of the hillside.

I drag myself to the bank and lay gasping for several minutes.  Then I become dimly aware of noise, people calling my name, so I drag myself up and stagger towards the sounds, realising at the same time that it is James and Isla calling.  Then they spot me trying to run towards them and cry out in relief, "Oh, Scotty, there you are.  Good boy, we wondered if we'd ever see you again when you were thrown out of the car and lost your leash".