PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

Finn stood, and made her way to the edge of the pit as she heard grunts of exertion,  Richard was coming. She got down on her hands and knees, about a metre away from the edge of the hole. She bit her lower lip, in nervousness, not knowing whether to be anticipating him arriving in dread or delight, or hope. She finally saw the top of his head as he came over the edge. His arms were empty, and her heart first leaped in her chest, then dropped, visualising the best, and the worst case scenarios. Richard climbed to the top of the pit, and then turned, and reached down, and her heart leaped high again, she crawled over to the edge of the pit, and reached down, grabbing his other hand, and she and Richard pulled Jalindal up over the side of the pit as a team, grins on all their faces, to the sound of a rejoicing roar from the surrounding men.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~



Jalindal looked into the flames of the camp-fire,  his untouched meal in front of him, and his mind at the bottom of the pitch black cave, where the bell none-the-less gleamed.



From the sky above, you plummet down

Into dark, here no light be found

Upon this bell you read the script

This shimmer of light in the darkened pit

Welcome to my home, bravest seeker

Strike me hard be none the meeker

Let my sound go through and through

Let my ring envelope you

Or turn your tail and go back above

Back to the things that you so love.

But what would happen had you rung

What gorgeous notes could I have sung

Let these questions drive you mad

What would have happened if you had?



The words kept playing through his mind,  'Strike me hard, be none the meeker' He couldn't stop thinking about it, the gleaming bell, the little hammer to strike it with,  'What gorgeous notes could I have sung,' What note was it, the gleaming brass, high or low. 'Let these questions drive you mad,' He abruptly shook his head, and sat up, clearing his head of the thoughts, but it didn't work for long, 'What would have happened if you had.'. The words had a finality to them, a distinct ending. He shook his head, trying to shake the words from them.

“I feel a little ill...” Finn at once looked over at him, alarmed. She stood, and made her way over to him, kneeling, a hand on her forehead.

“Are you okay?” Jalindal shrugged, as she checked the massive lump on the back of his head, then the bindings on his hands, where he'd shredded the skin on his palms and fingertips, sliding down the wall of the cave.

“I think I might just go to my tent and lie down for a wee while, or go to sleep or something. Ye can stay 'ere.” Finn nodded, still concerned, but as he stood, and walked away, she again turned to Richard, and became engrossed in the conversation, the firelight flickering across her face, making her hair gleam. He watched her with a pained look on his face, his heart a pang in his chest as he contemplated her, before turning, and leaving the safety of the camp fires and tents, heading towards the black pit that he knew lay just a little beyond the ring of light.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~



Finn opened the flap of the tent, and came inside, then turned, and took the steaming cup that Richard handed through.

“Here, Jalindal, we made you thi...” She turned, and for the first time noticed that the one man tent was empty. She swore, vehemently. “He's gone.” She turned, and crawled out of the tent,  spilling the mug over that she'd placed on the floor, but not caring. “Richard, he's gone, he's gone back to the pit... we have to follow him, we have to get him back... the bell must be drawing him...” Richard had told her about the bell, and it's strange inscription. He nodded in agreement, grabbing her hand, and helping her up.

“Come on...” He started to run off, towards the pit. They couldn't waste any time with telling anyone where they were, and they both knew it as they ran out towards the pit, dodging branches and vines that seemed determined to place themselves in the way. Finn got to the clearing with the cave in it first, frantically looking around while Richard caught up. Finally he was there. She looked over at him while he bent over, hands on knees, trying to catch his breath.

“I can't see him!” She wailed, wringing her hands, almost running to the edge. Richard said nothing, he knew where Jalindal was.

“Maybe...” His words were cut off, as a loud crack reverberated through the earth, and the ground collapsed beneath their feet, any words that he might have said then were drowned out by their screams as they plunged to the floor of the cave, as well as every bit of rock, grass, and tree that was around them.  Finn had walked fast, too quickly to the edge of the already unstable hole...



After the rock fell, all was quiet, silence reigned.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~



There was a soft grunt of effort, and near the wall of the cave a small stone skittered down the side of the pile of loose rocks and rubble. A hand emerged, soon followed by an arm, then another arm. There was another grunt, and Richard emerged, from the hollow he'd miraculously fallen in, a large stone leaning against the side of the wall had offered him shelter from the crushing rocks. He climbed out the small hole he'd made at the top of the pile, and turned around, extending a helping hand to someone else inside. There was another soft grunt as Richard dragged them out, and Jalindal was hauled out, completely unharmed. He looked around, then over at Richard.

“Where's Finn?” He asked softly, looking around again. Richard didn't answer, his gaze fixed on something in the very centre of the cavern.

“There...” He murmured, his voice thick with suppressed emotion. He pointed, briefly, before letting his arm fall back to his side, and starting to walk over to the broken form half buried by a pile of small rocks. Finn. Jalindal followed him, and as one they knelt by her side.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~



They stayed that way, just... looking at her, their minds filled with a blinding grief that they couldn't quite take for real. Finn was dead. It kept echoing through Richard's mind as he looked down at his friend, tears filling his eyes. She's dead, she's dead, she's dead... Endlessly the litany went on, echoing through the relative emptiness of his mind. Next to him Jalindal started crying, covering his face with his hands and rocking, just rocking, back and forth, as he wailed, cursed, swore at the God's in his fury and guilt. Richard cried to, but silently, his cries echoing inside, deep in his soul. She's dead, she's dead... He brushed a lock of her hair from her face, and she stirred. Miraculously, she was alive.

“Quick! She's not dead...” He started to franticly dig at the pebbles and dirt covering her, as Jalindal looked down at her, shocked into silence,

“W.. wh... what?” He said, softly. He looked down at her, and shook his head, “It's wishful thinking Richard... she's... she's dead...” He said, in a strangled voice, before he looked down at her as her eyelids started to flicker.  He swore, “She's not dead! Quick!” He said, joining in the scrabbling at the pile of pebbles covering her. He laughed, almost sounding like a madman as they dug, and she was uncovered more and more, almost completely unscathed, miraculously, her only injury a nasty set of bruises, and a couple of cuts. She moaned faintly, as the last couple of pebbles were lifted off her, and Jalindal scooped her into his arms. There was another sharp crack, and a faint skittering off rocks sliding down the pile as another part of the cavern roof collapsed. Jalindal looked around, before pointing to the section of the wall they'd been before, where the bell was, that was covered with the huge slab of rock leaning against the wall.

“That's the safest place I think...” Richard nodded,

“Lead the way...” Jalindal didn't answer, just slid down the side of the mountain of loose scrabble, and Richard followed. They made their way slowly to the bottom of the pile of rocks, and scry, Jalindal constantly aware of the precious thing he carried in his arms, a life. When they got to the shelter they sought Jalindal softly laid Finn down, a tender smile on his lips. He straightened, and looked around, surprised as he saw the malevolent glow of the bell, as if he hadn't noticed it before. The words shimmered on it's surface, From the sky above, you plummet down... It was amazing, Jalindal thought, that even as he was kneeling by Finn's unconscious side the bell still managed to occupy his mind. He turned his back on it, very deliberately, and looked down at the girl lying in front of him. Richard sat down on the other side of her, and looked up at Jalindal,

“I'll take first shift if you want.” He said, softly. Jalindal shook his head.

“It's okay. I'm fine.” He said with a shrug. Richard nodded, and immediately curled up in what was left of his ragged cloak, as they waited, and waited, for someone to come and rescue them.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~



It was just past Dawn when Finn started to wake. Richard was awake a few feet away, every couple of seconds looking down to watch her, before tossing a small pebble against the wall of the slab, making a game of it. If he could make it bounce off, and hit Jalindal's head, it was three points. His crotch was five, and anywhere else was one. If he hit Finn it was negative three-hundred. He was on -290 so far. As she woke, her eyes opening, he looked down at her, and beamed,

“Finn!” He almost cried out, and Jalindal woke with a start, wondering why he had pebbles resting on his groin... He shrugged it off, as he realised that Finn was awake, and sat up, moving to her side, immediately taking a hand.

“Finn...” He whispered, almost just breathing it out. She looked up at them for a moment as she tried to figure out who they were, her eyes blank, unknowing, before she remembered, and sat up, throwing her arms around Jalindal's shoulders, almost clinging to him in her relief. Richard looked at Jalindal with a sour expression on his face, as Finn clung to Jalindal still. He had his eyes closed, so it made no difference to him. Finn was whispering something to him, that Richard couldn't hear, but he knew what he'd said a moment later, when Jalindal pulled away from her, and smiled, almost beaming.

“I love you to...” He said softly, meeting her eyes, a faint blush rising on his cheeks. She simply smiled, and hugged him again, as Richard got up, and walked out of the shelter, seemingly to give them privacy, although really it was to hide the tears stinging his eyes.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~



Later that day, at a more acceptable time, they were all asleep again. Jalindal and Richard had got hardly any rest at all, and amazingly, Finn wanted yet more sleep. Jalindal had her in his arms, while Richard was as far away from them as he could go, hugging himself, his back to them. All was quiet, until a faint whisper jolted Jalindal from his sleep. He sat up. Softly laying Finn back, smiling as he realised she was still asleep, he rose from the floor, looking around. He couldn't see anyone who could have made the noise. He emerged from the shelter they'd found, and looked up at the hole they'd fallen through. He couldn't see anyone, craning his neck backwards. He sighed, frowning, as he looked around again, wondering how they'd get out of here. He sighed again, and moved back into their little shelter. He sat down, before looking over at the bell, which was still gleaming. He sighed, moving over to it, his arms folded. He wouldn't ring it. He just wouldn't. But he could look at it. The script on it was still glowing, a faint glimmer in the semi-dark, lighter then the bell itself.



From the sky above, you plummet down

Into dark, here no light be found

Upon this bell you read the script

This shimmer of light in the darkened pit

Welcome to my home, bravest seeker

Strike me hard be none the meeker

Let my sound go through and through

Let my ring envelope you

Or turn your tail and go back above

Back to the things that you so love.

But what would happen had you rung

What gorgeous notes could I have sung

Let these questions drive you mad

What would have happened if you had?



The words were still firmly burnt into his mind, but reading them seemed just to be more of a powerful experience, and the words took on new meaning. The bell could help them! How could he not have thought of it before?!  What would have happened if you had – it was a clear indication. The bell was telling him that it could help. Sense left him as he seized the hammer. Finn and Richard woke at the clang  the hammer made as he wrenched it from the wall, both realising what he was doing, and crying out, just as he drew his arm back and struck the bell. There was very little vibration in the hammer, although the note that rung out was clear, and loud. It took a crescendo, the volume rising as the note continued. It was high pitched, the sound seeming to vibrate now, echoing in different pitches off the walls of the cave. One other sound echoed around the cave. A scream. Finn was kneeling on the floor, her hands hard over her ears, her mouth open in a high-pitched, seemingly never ending scream. Richard was on the ground as well, kneeling, his hands over his ears, although he wasn't screaming. Jalindal held out a little longer, before the ring of the bell got to him, and he to felt his knees buckle, his hands fly to his ears. As the bell started to fade, so did Finn's screams, until she collapsed, just as the bell fell silent. Richard immediately moved to Finn's side, panting, unable to hear anything, the bell still ringing inside his head, although he knew that it had fallen silent. He rolled her onto her back, just as she sighed, her last breath leaving her body, and a gleaming, silver thing escaped her, like a wisp of smoke. Her soul. It floated for a moment, hovering over her body, as Richard and Jalindal watched it, tears streaming down Richard's face, even as they both stared at it, dumbly fascinated. Captivated. Richard couldn't wrench his eyes from it. It finally moved, heading straight for the bell, sucked straight in. The bell glowed bright for a moment, blinding. It seemed evil, malevolent, for a moment,  before the glow subsided, and the bell itself was visible. The bell seemed to loose it's hold on them then, and they both sat there for a moment, confounded, before Richard looked down at Finn, and immediately snapped back to his wits.

“Finn!” He whispered, a hand flying to her throat, feeling for a pulse. He didn't find one. He started sobbing again, bowing his head, letting loose his grief. Jalindal just sat there. He couldn't say anything. Couldn't think anything. Couldn't do anything. It was his fault, that much he knew. But he didn't know why. Why had he rung the bell... he'd... he'd known he shouldn't, and he couldn't remember why he had. He looked over at the bell as he thought about it, his eyes widening as he saw that the inscription on the bell had changed.



So you returned, curious stranger

You took up the hammer and the danger

You struck me hard and let me ring

You came back down to hear me sing

I've done my part, you've heard me rung,

But now you should realize what you've done

My words before invaded your mind

And now these words are of the same kind

Look around see the result

Come to see this is your fault

It's not the end, there is a cure,

If you do what I adjure.



Jalindal paled, the bell wanted him to do something. He looked down at Finn, lying in the dust in front of him, her skin already cold to the touch, her skin pale, and Richard sobbing, her hand in his grasp.

“I will not fail you again.” He whispered, to the body in front of him.