The Cave

K. descended the staircase, pulling the table over his head, placing it back in its original position as best he could. The table locked into position. At the same time, a light went on. Even with the light, K.’s eyes took a little while to adjust, it was such an extreme difference from the bright room he had just escaped from. When his eyes finally adjusted, he realized that the room was cave-like: dark, damp, and cold. There was a low ceiling from which a few lights hung. The lights were not strong like the ones in the examining room. The ground was made of dirt. The walls were poorly structured, curving over his head like a rabbit hole. There were many passages in the walls, each having one to three lanterns at the mouth. K. realized the extent of the cold in this room, but was relieved to find that his clothes were lying on a nearby table in an orderly manner.

K. quickly put his clothes on his shivering body. He wanted to get out of wherever “here” was and perhaps return to a place where he was familiar. Even if he ended up in somewhere outside, it would ha be to be better than the damp, dark place he was. K. ignited a lantern and journeyed down the passage which seemed to be most often used. He walked through the tunnel and noticed crevices that started on the left, slightly above the floor. They continued over head all the way to the right, stopping where it met the floor again. These crevices occurred in a somewhat regular pattern, suggesting to K. that this cave-like underground structure was man-made. K. walked down the path, staying on the part that seemed to be the most worn by footsteps.

From presumably nowhere, K. heard a woman’s scream. He was unsure whether he should stay on his path or follow the screams. He decided to walk on, but questioned whether or not to seek out the woman whose screams made the already dismal surroundings even more difficult to bear. K. strayed from his path to follow the shrieking cries. It sounded as though he was coming closer to the screaming. The screams began to echo throughout the passageway he was walking down.

K. then heard a man’s voice. Footsteps followed and seemed to be coming towards him. K. extinguished his lantern and held his breath while placing his back to an alcove in the wall along the passageway on which he was walking. This allowed him maximum vision of the man whose footsteps seemed to come closer and closer to K.’s hiding spot. There was a scuffle right next to him. The man couldn’t have been more than five meters away from him. K. prayed that he could hold his breath just a few moments longer. He was sure that the loud beating of his heart could be heard. K. took a breath as quickly as possible.

“What was that?” The man exclaimed. His resonant voice echoed throughout the passage lit only by his lantern. K. was sure that this was his final moment. Any moment no he would be caught. He remembered what had happened to the warden’s and feared a fate worse than theirs. He feared his escape was in vain. They had found him at last. K. took a shallow breath and held it once more.

“What was that!” The man said again. Just then, there was a squeak. “Damn rats!” K. then realized the scuffling sounds on the ground. Until that moment all he heard was his heart, his breath being held, and the man’s footsteps. There was another squeak followed by a thud. A rat’s body thudded against K.’s leg. The guard must have kicked it out of the way. “This place wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for all the damn rats! Now where was I going?” The man walked a few more steps and continued talking to himself, scorning and kicking the rats all the while. He scuffled to the left, and kicked another rat. “In through the door, fourth left, first right. Another right to the woman, now back down the corridor...” The man’s voice faded as he proceeded along the path disappearing with his light down the tunnel.