“I thought it would be scarier … but it’s peaceful.” Erin marvelled at the capriciously carved interior and arching walls. She imagined being under the dome of a huge haunted cathedral.
“Now … we can go further into the second lake,” Sam said in an inviting tone.
“Okay, let’s go!” Erin cheered.
Sam quickly restarted the engine. Cautiously, he pressed ahead through the winding, unpredictable channel. At each bend, the basaltic cave revealed even more jagged columns and rock formations, moulded by nature over millions of years.
He skilfully steered the boat through the downward current, avoiding hitting the rocky edges, sometimes at the last minute. But as the cave walls were getting higher and the passages wider, he found it easier to advance.
As they reached the second, smaller lake, he turned off the engine and slumped on the side bench, proud of himself.
“There is something special about this place,” he marvelled.
“I think this is the farthest we can go,” Erin reminded him.
“I wanted to talk to you about something …” He said while holding her hands.
“What is it?” Erin looked at him hesitantly.
“Erin, we’ve been friends for years now. We know each other so well. But this friendship … for me … it has changed.”
His words came out in spurts as he struggled with what he wanted to say. He felt a deep pain in his stomach, trying to anticipate her response. Erin smiled broadly at him, trying to calm his anxiety while searching deep within her soul. She knew that her feelings for him would never define themselves entirely. She’d always thought of him as her best friend, but nothing more. So, she said nothing, ending up staring at him with a blank expression.
“I missed you so much, Erin, while you were at uni.” He held up her chin and tilted his head, trying to kiss her lips.
But at that instant, the boat violently rattled while sudden strong currents swept it away.
Sam grappled in vain to reach the controls as they both hit the floor. Like a fragile paper boat, the speedboat surged up and down, erratically swerving through the rushing waters.
“Are you okay, Erin?” Sam shouted as they both crawled and leaned against the boat’s sideboard. He hugged her tightly.
“Shhh! Can you hear that noise?” Erin put one hand over Sam’s lips.
Sam focused on the thundering rumble getting louder as they relentlessly moved downward.
“It’s the waterfall!” They embraced and shivered as they screamed in fear.
Sam and Erin kept taking deep breaths through the relentless water surge splashing on their bodies, helplessly waiting for the inevitable end. As they could hardly open their eyes, the deafening noise warned them of their impending approach to the waterfall’s edge.
As she gasped for more air, Erin suddenly realised water didn’t clog her airways anymore. She breathed in even deeper to get as much air as she could, and when she finally could look around with her eyes wide open, she found herself surrounded by an all-pervasive, orange haze. She turned to face a wholly bewildered Sam; they smiled at each other, glad to be above water with their boat still in one piece.
Slowly they rose to their feet while exploring their surroundings.
But they were astonished when they realised that some unknown force was keeping the boat steady amidst the pounding fast-flowing currents.
“Are you okay? Hold on tight!” he shouted at the top of his voice. “I’ll get you out of here!”
Erin wondered if this was some afterlife experience and she and Sam were already dead.
As they cautiously walked towards the bow, they baulked at the sight of the enormous black abyss in front of them, swallowing the tumbling waters. Still, their boat was holding on, propped up as if by magic.
They kept their eyes fixed on the dark gorge, not daring to move in case the boat gave way, blinking to try to clear their wet, weary eyes.
Their expectation grew as the haze became brighter and brighter, illuminating the plunging black walls and making the waterfall’s edge sparkle. Then a low revving sound rising from the deep warned them that some sort of vehicle was about to appear.
That sounds like a jet engine, Sam thought as he hugged Erin even tighter.
They felt the temperature rise as a metallic object kept on breaking through the cascade, revealing its sleek wing-shaped body, three times the size of their boat. When it finally stopped, the alien craft triggered a sudden splash of bubbles, frothing around its bright orange rim lights.