The Tunnel - Kira Faye (poem)

 We had crawled into it in search of adventure
two teenagers with fingers interlaced
as we walked into darkness
the water ran in the opposite direction
but was trapped in the air,
its dampness a warning
We barely fit in the tunnel – the drainage pipe
our backs scrapping against the top as we walked
she led the way though gripped by fear
something I felt in my fingers, trapped by hers
something stirred and she screamed,
dashing back into me.
All went still for a moment
I reassured her and she pressed on

the smell was the first thing I noticed
the sign that we had found what we had feared
the sign to turn back immediately and never return
but neither of us recognized it
so we continued on
drawing ever closer to the source
with nothing but a flashlight to illuminate the horror
the faces staring back at us,
half submerged in the water
eyes bleeding out a radioactive ooze
the whole scene a horrid rainbow strung through darkness

we turned and we ran
blood stained our shirts,
seemed to come down from the tunnel itself
the light at the end promised freedom
but we would never be free again
those eyes would always watch us
and us them
their draped rainbow burned into our eyes
until we join them in the tunnel forever.

-Zero