The Dark Cannot Consume

Swinging her feet out of the car and onto the ground, the first crunch of a leaf underfoot filled Brandy with happiness. She let out a joyful squeal, giving not a damn if people heard her. Keegan looked over and laughed at her from across the center console. “And what exactly are you all smiles and sounds about?” He grinned at her, amused by her giggles as she maneuvered her left foot over to crunch one more leaf before even getting out of the car. “It’s fall,” she said with delight.

Anne had loaned them a park map marked with a secret off-trail route to a good spot for a climb with purportedly phenomenal views. Brandy had badgered Keegan into accompanying her. Keegan was more than happy to do anything that Brandy found fun because she was the kind of person who could have fun in a cardboard box- and her fun-loving nature was infectious.

They circled around to the trunk of the old Bronco that was more rust than body at this point and unloaded their gear. Brandy tossed on her purple backpack and with a map and yellow, dented water bottle in hand. She stood at the trailhead. He was still struggling all of his stuff into his pack when he looked up and noticed her bouncing on her toes. “Brands, take it easy- we’ve got the whole day.”

Coiling the last of the rope into his pack, Keegan walked up to her, peaking over her shoulder at the map. “I think we diverge from the park trail about a half-mile in,” she said, indicating a small X on the paper that felt more reminiscent of pirates than rock climbers. It felt fitting though, that what she valued most was at the end of this treasure map.

Tucking it into her cargo pocket, they set off down the trail. It was a trail they had both been on many times, so they didn’t slow down to take in the sights but rather pushed on quickly. When they arrived at the place where they needed to depart from the trail, there was no good marking to indicate the secret path.

“Do you think it got washed out in the last storm?” Brandy asked. “I just don’t think we are there quite yet, lets go up to the first switch-back,” Keegan replied. “That seems too far, but I don’t see any markers here, “Brandy said, as she glanced around.

They both set off walking and hiked up to the first switch back of several that climbed the mountain.

“That looks right,” said Keegan pointing ahead to a small pile of stones stacked up about a foot high. A lot of hidden trails were often marked with notches in trees or stacked rocks by local climbers. It made sure that park rangers were either none the wiser, or maybe they just didn’t care since it was better than marking it with plastic tapes or spray paint. “This is a lot farther than a half a mile in. Didn’t Anne say a half a mile? It looks like the X is a half a mile in on the map,” Brandy hesitated. “You know how Anne is, do you honestly think her ADHD brain is going to remember if it’s a half mile or a whole mile into the trail?”

Keegan had a point. “And look, it looks like a notch is in that tree bark a little further away, pointing around those boulders,” Keegan said, sounding pretty confident. Apprehensively, Brandy followed Keegan as he stepped off the park trail. Walking towards the notched-tree, checking for other hikers or park rangers as they went and they ducked behind the boulders that were piled high. Out of view from any possible passers-by they pulled the map out to study it again.

“Hmmm, this doesn’t look right,” said Keegan. Brandy analyzed the map, and then her surroundings. “There!” Brandy pointed to another pile of stones. “I think that must be the way, because the map shows that the off-path trail circles the mountain and eventually it looks like you cross this creek to get to the back of the mountain where the climb is.”

“Well,” Keegan said, “it does look like this is wrapping around the mountain. Are you sure?”

Brandy nodded to the stone stack, “What else would those stones be for?”

They both picked their packs back up, heading stones. It led to spotting another stack of stones after another.

An hour in they saw a great rock-face against the mountain. “I think we’re here!” Brandy announced, jumping.

“We didn’t cross any creeks or streams though,” Keegan said, confused. “Maybe we somehow took a short-cut? Or maybe that creek has dried up?” Brandy offered. “We just had that storm though…” Keegan trailed off but Brandy had already started walking towards the base of the rock-face.

It was beautiful granite with plenty of hand and foot holds, but not too many to take the fun challenge out of it.

They arranged their gear, set out their ropes and readied for their climb. They climbed in a staggered formation. Brandy led the way to set up for Keegan who had only been climbing for a few years. They reached a ledge with plenty of space for them to both stretch out, have a granola bar and drink some water. The wind had been a little strong and would likely only become stronger. If this was in fact the location that Anne had given, it was even more of a local’s-only secret than Keegan thought. There were few physical signs of anchors or of anything having been left behind. He had only seen one anchor on the way up. Maybe the rest had been taken down?

He looked up to assess the next section of the climb. They had both decided on the third ledge. They could rest on the next one before ascending to the third. Then it would be time for the long climb down, or perhaps belaying down and leaving the anchors to return to later or for other climbers.

They adjusted their harnesses and headed for the next section. It was harder than what Keegan was used to, he slipped a few times. Thanks to Brandy’s well-laid anchors, he didn’t worry. He grinned up at her as she wore a face of concentration. He loved watching her talent at work, and the angle of getting to watch that talent didn’t leave him with too bad of a view.

Being all of four feet ten inches, she reeled back and had to spring up and to the right for her next hand-hold. Unintentionally it kicked some dirt into Keegan’s eyes. He had been spending too much time admiring the view of her climbing and it caught him off guard. His hand slipped, and though he was securely locked into his harness, being this high up had caused a brief panic. He scrambled to regain his hold on the wall and flailed his feet, knocking some of the rocks loose. It set a chain reaction of several rocks tumbling down- including right under Brandy’s feet above him.

She fell, pulling Keegan with her just as he had regained his footing and their highest anchor was yanked from the rock face. They were caught on the second anchor, now both of them catching the whiplash as they jerked and swung. Brandy wrapped an arm around Keegan as they swung all the way left and then coming fast back right to where all the rocks had tumbled. The rock slide had left a small ledge for her to wedge the toe of her climbing shoe in.

The new ledge was part of a gash into the mountain where the anchor had ripped open the rock face. The ledge was about three feet by seven feet, but a small crack that led into the mountain might provide some more room to regroup. The ledge looked completely solid. She tested it with her half her weight, then her full weight, and then Keegan joined her. They both sat down once it seemed solid and safe, huffing. Keegan’s face was full of panic and Brandy could not blame him. She was calm under pressure, but there was an edge of fear lodged way back into her brain.

“Jesus Christ,” Keegan said as it began to rain, “you have GOT to be kidding me.” They both stepped into the mountain gash which was more like a cave opening. A storm turned the sky dark. “There was absolutely no rain in the forecast,” Keegan stated with an attitude of anger covering his wild frantic fear very thinly. They both stared out into the pouring rain. “We will have to wait until it stops and I don’t know if it will cause a mud slide. Plus, the wind is blowing all that rain in here. Let’s go further in,” Brandy stated, being the problem-solver as ever. “Sure, let’s go IN the creepy cave. UGH, feet on the ground from now on. To hell with this.

Brandy partially tuned out his negativity so she could focus on the cave. It was pitch black after about 15 feet in. The cave started as a seven-foot width and ten-foot height, which seemed to continue and not shrink as it retreated into the shadows. Brandy thought it was odd. It was almost too perfect, as though it had been carved. She popped the button of the pocket of her cargo shorts and flipped on the light on her dying phone. And something barely glinted just out of sight from the slight light that reached it. Brandy mused that it could be a crystal.

She snapped back into reality and Keegan was still ranting on and on. “Shhhh,” Brandy finally said. She loved him but damn did he get on her last nerve. He quieted. “What?” Keegan said in a low tone, sensing the shift in her mood. “There,” Brandy pointed to the glinting as she waved her phone light back and forth. “Oh, hell no,” Keegan said.

She looked at him with a sour face and finally said, “Fine.” She walked brashly forward, camera light swinging back and forth to check the cave walls for any creepy-crawlies. A shape formed at the end of the hall, like an arch. She gaped. It was a door, she thought to herself. With her light illuminating it up close Keegan said from several feet behind her, “BRANDS HELL NO.”

Brandy disregarded him as she took in the tall wooden door that looked ancient. It was made of oak and gold. It looked like very, very real gold and a ton of it. Everything was ornately carved. Several loopy symbols, something that seemed like a language adorned the door. It was rimmed in gold and had a singular red jewel in the center.

She reached for the door knob as Keegan rushed towards her from behind. He smacked her hand away. “Keegan this is amazing, don’t you want to know? Aren’t you curious?”

His eyes were wide as he regarded her with confusion, “Why in the hell do you want to open a spooky door in the side of a mountain?”

“We are stuck here for a while, anyways. If there’s something to explore, we should,” Brandy crossed her arms defiantly as she stated her case.

“You have NO idea what is in there. What if it’s a tomb? What if it’s an evil spirit?” Keegan said, still astonished at her desire to open it. “Keegan, do you really believe in all that??” Brandy said. “My grams sure did when we lived in the mountains in Pennsylvania. I’ve heard things,” he said, looking away embarrassed. “Some things are better left alone.”

She scoffed. As a physics grad student, she simply didn’t accept any of that nonsense. She pushed his hand away and said, “That’s all garbage. Human’s have invented tales for centuries. This was probably put here someone. He looked at the strange language and then back to her, simply saying, “uh-huh.”

Her curiosity was getting the better of her- she twisted the door knob and pushed the door. It barely relented. Keegan huffed, defeatedly, and put his weight into the door. With effort, it swung open. Nothing could have prepared them for what they saw.

Thousands of bugs glittered on the walls. Brandy gasped. They radiated a light that was not natural. Bioluminescence couldn’t do this. It’s liked they shined with natural light that was foreign to her. Keegan stared, mouth open.

They didn’t just line the walls. They crawled all over them, leaving dust that glittered scattered everywhere. The same ancient language was scrawled orderly on the walls in the same golden material as the door.

Brandy looked up, hanging vines with purple flowers- centers full of the glittering dust. Some of the bugs sat on the flowers, the glittering pollen dropping onto Keegan and Brandy’s upturned faces. They tried to shield their eyes but the glittering dust landed on them gently- almost anointing them with something ancient and primordial.

Their eyes didn’t burn, but everything around them became brighter. Keegan reached very quickly for Brandy’s hand. Light danced across the bottom of the cave, emitted by the purple blooms, the wings of the bugs reflected it like a disco ball. The winged creatures landed on the couple and Brandy realized they were small moths. They seemed normal save the metallic shimmers. She blinked intensively against the brilliance of one that had gently landed on her outstretched hand. It flew away towards the wall where the script was now perfectly legible. “KEEGAN,” Brandy gasped and pointed. “Can you read that...” she stammered. “Of course I can,” he slurred, seeming drunk. She whirled around to see him spinning under the falling pollen. He then sat down and stared lovingly up at the flowers. “Isn’t life beautiful? I have so many thoughts of the magic of life that I can’t even will them all to be still so I can sing them” he mused. What in the hell, Brandy thought aghast.He gently pet the head of one on his sleeve. Keegan never speaks like that. He seems affected by the plants’ pollen. Somehow, she thought, I’m not.

She realized Keegan was in no danger and there was not much to do other than maybe remove him from the room if she could.

“Hope is found in a single candle of the night; it is found in the brilliance of the day.

Follow the Glimmers- they’ll light your way.”

That seems hokey and like a horrible Robert Frost poem, Brandy thought. She turned seeing Keegan covered in the little insects.

“We need to go, now, “she asserted and grabbed Keegan by the hand, dragging him to his feet. She pulled him towards the door. It had a gem-stone sitting center facing inwards - black and shimmering. She ignored the urged to touch it as she walked by but Keegan reached for it with a strange look on his face.

As his fingertips touched it, the door slowly opened, widening their escape route. Then, a sound like rushing water echoed towards them and the hoard of moths flew at them. They brushed past them and it was like a caress. She gasped and quickly sprinted through the door and towards the opening of the cave.

If I can get to the opening of the cave, we will be fine. I can duck to the left of the opening where there’s that ledge, Brandy thought in desperation while dragging the still intoxicated Keegan.

She miscalculated her speed rushing to the edge and dug her heels in to avoid sliding right off the cliff. It was too late; they plummeted. The ground rushed up at them. She squeezed her eyes shut and couldn’t look at Keegan as he slipped from her hands. Then the rush of the wind in her hair slowed. Opening her eyes she saw Keegan gracefully floating in front of her. She stared hard until she realized she was also floating. The moths hovered around them, their tiny feet pulling against their clothes and gently pressed up on their limbs and feet. Their wings beat with music and they glistened. They glided to the ground. She stepped forward once six inches from the Earth, careful to not hurt them.

Magic, Brandy thought. This was not science yet to be explained.

She turned towards Keegan and suddenly his eyes glowed softly. Not with the same glowing as the moths, but something else.

Suddenly a wave of euphoria rolled over her and she felt like sunshine, the air and stars. Succumbing to the same drunkenness. It felt like flowers were blooming in her synapses and a summer rain was washing her clean.

Looking around she saw the small moths drifting towards the forest, seeming to light a path. Brandy let the realization wash over her like that summer rain again, “They’re the glimmers,” she said interlocking her fingers with Keegan’s. They trudged forward through the dark, following their new friends. The dark could not consume as they walked back, barely aware of even existing in time and space.

Brandy and Keegan awoke in their car. A haziness settled on them. “Oh my god, what happened?” Brandy almost yelled. Their memory of last night seemed lost in a fog with an illuminating light hiding behind it… somewhere. “My mom is going to be worried sick and I was supposed to TA a class this morning!” Brandy said. There was no worry in her voice. “I can’t wait to get to school so I can help out Anne with grading the papers- the students always have such incredible ideas.” Her smile glowed, “Remind me to show you Desiree’s astro-physics thesis. Keegan returned her smile, “I can’t wait to bring you a coffee and steal you away after your night class.”

All around them cars pulled into the trailhead lot- every single human brimming with hope.