I knew at that moment I was fucked.
It was that red monster cave.
I could smell my own fear.
My body panicking.
My mind screaming.
Then I took some time to realize—
That girl.
Geetu.
She was missing.
I should look for her.
My heart said that.
But my brain kept shouting louder.
Find exit.
Hide.
Run.
I didn't even think twice.
I chose my brain.
I wasn't a hero.
I realized that in that moment.
I was a coward.
I ran.
Nowhere.
My ears felt like they would burst.
My heart pounding like crazy.
This cave… crimson red.
Glowing rocks everywhere.
Then I heard a growl.
My hairs from bottom to head—
Erect.
I was frozen for a second.
Then panic hit again.
I ran to the opposite side of the growl.
Slipped.
Fell hard.
My back hitting the stone.
Then I unknowingly looked up.
A river was flowing on the ceiling.
Like the roof itself was a river.
Water moving slowly above me.
And there—
Inside the water—
I saw an eye.
Blue.
Monster blue.
Watching me.
Then suddenly—
The thing leaped out of the ceiling river.
Straight at me.
Back in the university—
The senior finished the university tour.
"I hope everyone likes our university."
Jakeson raised his hand nervously.
"Senior… Bizam is missing."
The senior frowned.
"Who?"
"Bizam. I thought he was with us… somewhere behind. But he's not here."
The senior's face tightened.
He quickly counted the students.
Two missing.
He turned and shouted at the seniors who were supposed to watch from the back.
"That was your responsibility!"
They stood silent.
"Don't worry," he said quickly. "We'll find them."
He called another muscular senior.
"Take the rest to the hostel. It's noon now."
But Jakeson stepped forward.
"Sir, let us come. Me and AJ."
The senior hesitated.
Other seniors were few.
Some needed to stay with the group.
Finally he nodded.
"Fine. But stay near me."
He lowered his voice.
"Dushanbe is celebrating Navro'oz today. A festival… for an unknown guardian. It becomes chaotic. I will explain later. But staying inside the college during this time isn't good."
Jakeson nodded.
They ran.
Back through the same paths they took during the tour.
Hallways.
Rooms.
Ground floor classrooms.
Most rooms were empty now.
Just minutes ago they were full.
Students were leaving.
Walking out for the festival.
The senior frowned.
"It's already time…"
Then a guard appeared.
He spoke in Tajik.
Strange fast words.
The senior replied in the same language.
AJ whispered, "What the hell are they speaking?"
The senior replied quietly.
"He says the building is closing. We have to leave."
Jakeson said quickly, "Tell him someone is still inside."
The argument grew louder.
The guard pointing to the door.
The senior explaining.
Jakeson insisting.
AJ stepped forward.
"Okay, okay. We are leaving."
Jakeson nodded.
"Yes. We're leaving."
The guard watched them carefully.
They slowly stepped away.
Walking toward the exit.
Then suddenly—
They turned.
And ran toward the staircase.
Up.
Fast.
I kept running.
My legs shaking.
Water crashing above.
The growl still following.
My body getting colder.
But the growl stayed the same distance.
I don't know how.
Like it knew exactly where I was.
Then suddenly—
The growl stopped.
Complete silence.
My ears ringing.
I slowed down.
Bad idea.
Something moved in front of me.
Two blue eyes opened in the dark.
Low.
Watching me.
Then the creature stepped forward.
Tall.
Wrong shape.
Its mouth opened.
And the growl exploded again.
It leaped.
Straight at me.
I screamed and ran.
I pissed myself.
Warm inside the cold.
Didn't care.
Just run.
The cave opened wider now.
Red crystals glowing from the walls.
Huge stone pillars rising from the ground like dead trees.
The ceiling high.
Too high.
Water rivers flowing across it.
The beast landed behind me.
Stone cracking.
Heavy steps chasing me.
Fast now.
Much faster.
I ran between giant rocks.
Slipped.
Recovered.
Ran again.
Then suddenly—
The ground disappeared.
My foot stepped on nothing.
And I fell.
Down.
Down into darkness.
I crashed onto hard stone.
Pain shooting through my back.
Dust rising around me.
I coughed.
When my eyes cleared—
I realized where I was.
A pit.
A huge pit.
Round.
Deep.
Walls jagged with black stone.
Red crystals glowing in cracks.
Above me—
Two blue eyes appeared.
The monster looking down.
Then it turned.
And left.
Its steps echoing away.
It sounded furious.
I don't know how I survived.
God…
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Tears flowed down my face.
My body shaking.
I was broken.
Bleeding.
Stuck in this place.
This pit felt like a crack in the earth.
Even though I knew…
Of course I would die here.
My heart refused the idea.
Not here.
So I moved.
Slowly.
Grabbing rocks.
Pulling myself along the narrow path.
My fingers slipping on wet stone.
Then I picked up a glowing rock.
Sharp.
Good enough.
A weapon.
A bloody weapon.
To kill that monster bitch.
Look at me.
Getting courageous.
Damn me.
I have nothing worth living for.
Why am I trying this hard?
I'm a loser.
My life is worthless.
Nobody cares.
"Bizam… aren't you handsome?"
"You're so sweet."
Damn you brain.
She never even said that.
I'm such a pervert.
Look what I did.
I didn't even think about saving her.
Geetu.
I ran alone.
Selfish.
Selfish.
Selfishhhhh.
Damn these tears.
My body hurts.
Someone save me.
This is the worst dream.
I kept walking through the narrow path.
My glowing rock lighting the ground.
Then the cave opened.
A huge space.
Purple light glowing everywhere.
Crystals in the walls.
I stepped inside.
And froze.
Skeletons.
Human skeletons.
Everywhere.
Old clothes.
Rusty instruments/ weapons.
Remains of people who were here before me,
I guess.
I stepped deeper.
The ground was bones.
My legs sinking into them.
A bone swamp.
Crunch.
Crack.
Bones breaking under my steps.
But something strange—
No rotten smell.
Just cold air.
In the center of the bone swamp—
A yellow light.
Glowing softly caught my attention,
Inside the purple graveyard.
I moved toward it ,I don't know why
My heart told and I am doing it.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Bones breaking under my feet.
It was awful
My heart beating louder.
I reached the center.
But nothing was there.
The light wasn't coming from the ground.
It was falling from above.
I slowly raised my head.
High on the cave ceiling—
Something huge.
Like a nest.
Dark.
Moving.
My brain tried to understand it.
But
Too late.
Something dropped.
Fast.
Heavy.
Then pain.
A crushing sound.
Bizam's body fell.
But not all of it.
Only the lower half.
His legs.
His waist.
They dropped into the bones below.
His upper body—
Never fell.
It was already swallowed.
Inside the long neck monster nesting above the bone graveyard.