FLASH FICTION:-- HORROR, SCI-FI, HUMOUR, CRIME, SLICE OF LIFE, ETC.

Friday 14 September 2012

The short cut (Part 2)

Anyone wishing to read Part 1 of this mini-series can find it here:-

The short cut (Part 1)


THE SHORT CUT (Part 2)

I started the engine, and drove along the lane in a blind panic, although the twists and turns belied the fact, it soon became obvious that I was still travelling in circles. Passing the oaks, crossing the bridge, time and time again, just hoping that this nightmare would end and I would suddenly reach the main road, or wake up in my bed to discover it was just that, a nightmare.

Eventually the car, which had been low on fuel to start with, ran dry. I left it in the middle of the road, and I began to walk.

The slower pace gave me more time to take in my strange surroundings. I discovered that walking into the woods led nowhere. A few yards in, and on both sides of the lane, an impenetrable barrier of sharply-thorned briar ran the full length of the short cut. There was no escape.

The second time I passed my abandoned car I gave it a thorough search, looking for anything that may be useful.

My small shoulder bag containing a packed lunch was still on the passenger seat, I ate the sandwich and drank half of the orange juice, then slung the bag onto my shoulder, the apple and chocolate bar I would save for later.

In the glove compartment I found a small torch, kept there for night-time emergencies, not very powerful but the batteries were in good shape. I threw this into the bag alongside my half empty lunch box.

In the boot the only thing apart from the spare wheel and jack was a hefty tyre iron, which I slid into my belt, god only knows what I intended to use it for but it gave me a measure of comfort just knowing it was there.

I trudged once more along the narrow lane until again I came to the bridge, stopping in the centre of it I took a long look in all directions.

Of course! Why didn't I think of it before? The briar didn't grow across the stream, there was my escape route, my salvation.

Deciding it would be easier on the calf muscles to go with the flow, I waded into the knee-deep water and set off downstream.

The overhanging foliage dappled the sunlight on the water, a sight I would have appreciated the beauty of had it not been for the seriousness of the situation.

Trout swam lazily in the bright water, they would have been easy to catch too, it wasn't the thought of eating raw fish that prevented me from grabbing a couple, it was fear of the sign. “POACHERS WILL BE PERSECUTED” I wasn't entirely sure what that entailed, but it certainly didn't sound like something good.

On and on I went, my feet were cold and freezing, but I was driven with the expectation of discovering a break in the dense foliage on one of the banks, any moment now I would find the way out of this predicament.

There... A hundred yards or so downstream... A structure of some kind... Something!

I quickened my pace, pushing my tired legs harder through the water, eager to get to whatever it was that I could see.

As I neared the structure my heart sank, I felt like weeping, it was the bridge, the same one I had set off from.

I sat down wearily on a jutting mid-stream rock, exhaustion and despair were taking their toll.

That's when I saw it!

A tunnel! From my low vantage point I could see underneath the bridge, and there, built into the bank beneath the wooden support beams was a concrete pipe, about three feet in diameter, and heading off in the direction of the main road... and home.

The sense of relief was overpowering. I stared long and hard at the opening before plucking up the courage to approach it.

I shone the torch down the tunnel, the light penetrated a few yards, revealing a perfectly straight, and spotlessly clean tube. There was something strange about that too, I mean, I would have expected the tunnel to be slimy or muddy, or insect-infested, but no, it looked as though it had been built yesterday.

Holding the torch in my mouth I climbed into the tunnel and began to crawl.

I tried not to think about the pain in my knees or the ache in my back as I made my way along the pipe, I just concentrated on keeping moving.

After what seemed like hours, but was probably only several minutes, I thought I could see a speck of light a long, long way off. I switched off the torch, I might be needing what battery life was left later.

Yes, yes, there was light!

I moved faster, eager to be out of the claustrophobic confines of the tunnel. It had also struck me that I couldn't turn round in here even if I wanted to, which also meant it was an ideal place for someone... or thing, to attack me.

I crawled along toward the light, which grew larger and brighter by the minute.

Reaching the end of the pipe I emerged into a brightly lit but small concrete room.

I stood upright, stretching the knots out of my aching back and limbs.

The room was illuminated by a single neon light set into the far wall, to my left a vertical steel ladder rose to the ceiling and continued its way upwards through a square shaft.

I gripped the rungs of the ladder, and began to climb.


Continued in:-

The short cut (Part 3)


©2012 Stephen. J. Green.

24 comments:

  1. Almost methodically toned, Steve. Made me think you were settling into a long serial.

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    1. Hi John. Yeah, although I intended the first part to be a stand-alone story, I decided to expand on it after reading the comments. This was one of those stories that could have turned into quite a long piece if I had the inclination, the thing is though I prefer to write very short fiction when possible.

      The idea for a follow-on came to me and I turned it into a 3-parter, which could be added to later if I decide to.

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  2. Hey Dad, You know what this would translate really really well into? An escape game. A very creepy escape game. I'd play it!
    Love ya
    L. xx

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    1. Hiya Lou, y'know , you're not too far wide of the mark with that guess.

      Love ya right back. XXX

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  3. Part one made me think this short cut might lead to some version of Faery but now I'm not so sure. Can't wait for part three!

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    1. Hi Sonya. The idea I came up with may seem a bit of an odd one when you read part 3, this episode is really a transitory piece between the two, I liked the idea, and hope the readers will too.

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  4. Oh dear. That's not going to be the major A road at the top of the ladder, is it? Either that, or he's going to wind up in a cross between The Three Billy Goats Gruff and Concrete Island.

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    1. Hahaha! Billy goat Gruff, eh?

      It just may BE a major A road up there...
      Or maybe it will come out somewhere along the lane...
      Or in the woods...
      Or perhaps on the other side of the bridge...?

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  5. I thought he would end up coming out the same end of the tunnel again, like an infinite loop.

    I could really feel the tension and his frustration as time went on. Great stuff.

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    1. Thanks Craig.

      I think all the loops in this story could possibly send the poor man loopy too. I hope you enjoy the finale. :-)

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  6. Ooh this is good...Enjoyed Part 1 and Part 2 is following along nicely. Shame we have to wait a week to find out what next!

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    1. Thank you Virginia, I hope Part 3 works for you too. :-)

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  7. I was half expecting him to crawl towards the light of his own torch!

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    1. Icy, that is a brilliant idea, I think it would be a bit cruel though having him meet himself coming the other way, I think that would probably tip him onto the insanity spiral. :-)

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  8. I know I'd go mental if I was in his shoes!

    Great stuff Steve. The frustration of the narrator is easy to believe and feel as well! The guessing game keeps playing, and I so want to know what is going about and where does that ladder lead to, but Friday is one week away.

    Looking forward to the finale!

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    1. Heheh! Don't worry Cindy, all will be revealed shortly.
      I'm quite looking forward to seeing how the ending works from the readers' point of view..

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  9. Ooh I wonder where it will lead to? I'll tune in next week to find out. ^_^

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    1. Hi Helen, I hope you find the ending pleasantly surprising. :-)

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  10. Part 2 flowed just as nicely, I thought. The tunnel presents all sorts of possibilities. Looking forward to part 3.

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    1. Thank you Richard, the pace picks up slightly in Part 3, and hopefully a surprising finale.

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  11. Part 1 worked for me as a stand alone piece. Part 2 is interesting but it's hard to comment until I've read part 3. What's here is teasing and tense but doesn't feel like a story, as you say it's more like an interesting bridge.

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    1. Hi Peter, I quite agree, the way I decided to end the story kind of determined how I needed to write the middle episode, and I didn't want to reveal where it was heading until Part 3.
      I'm still not sure if readers will accept the direction I have taken it in yet either.

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  12. How intriguing -- I hadn't gotten as far as thinking 'hey, let's take the stream', but that's a good plan -- I might've gotten there eventually. But, of course, that short cut wasn't about to give in *that* easily (oh foolish fish wanderer). And now the tunnel... I shall proceed to part 3, in an effort to 'see how deep this rabbit-hole goes'. St.

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    1. Hiya Stephen, See you at the other end of the tunnel... :-)

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