Rae made his way towards his friends and teachers on the other side of the gorge while the remaining students, along with rangers and park personnel, stood on the other side ,the site of their recent exploration, similarly making their way towards them.
Their trip to the Valdenstein-Kapatia National Park had so far been a very enjoyable endeavour.
Nestled between two very biodiverse countries, the park had a rich ecological and cultural significance.
Although the group of teenagers could only go as far as the authorities had permitted them to, no doubt with their safety in mind, the things that it had to offer were still such a wonderful treat to the students' inquisitiveness and passion for adventures; of the legends associated with the ridges to the majestic peaks of the Kapatia range, that the animated stories of their anecdotes had begun to take the shape of those mythological tales of long forgotten era.
It was perhaps thanks to this, that the unruly bunch did not give the rangers and their caretakers much to worry about. The old teachers could, for once, also unwind themselves; as much as it would allow them with 50-odd teens on their watch anyway.
Rae was now sitting with his friends in a clearing, opened up by the rangers after crossing the bridge on the Himmelton ridge. They were talking gaily about the breathtaking scene witnessed just now, the cascading curtain of aqua draped over the face of ancient rock, hammering down like a deceptive force, gentle at sight, brutal in nature, before finally streaming down the gorge to the depths of the unknown.
Although not too steep, the location made it such a breathtaking and picturesque site that even the teachers could not help but stay past their planned hour.
Thus they would have to embark for their next excursion, that is the Gulbrandsen Caves, a little early.
As the kids were talking and chatting about with their peers the head ranger called out to them,
"Alright, kids. Ve must get a move on now, ja? Ve haf to finish de cave exploration before de sun sets. Haf rested enough yae?"
Rolf, or Sir Adler, as the crew and the students called him, announced in a tone a bit more stern than usual; to be as clear that he meant business. Though the students knew better by now, it was just a facade he wore for work.
The students, with their ever-present vigour standing up at once, with giddy expressions and near jubilant body language even after half a day of hiking, answered in chorus,
"Yes sir!"
The teachers looked a bit tired but knew that they had to move.
"Alright then, make a file and follow, ja?"
With that, the crew made their way to the Caves, which were not too far from their resting point.
About 15 to 20 minutes later they reached the site of the Caves.
"Alright, you can move now, but make sure to stay in de bounds marked vith ropes along de caves, ja? And as always, make sure to move in groups."
Said Sir Adler along with the usual safety directions that all the kids could, by now, swear by heart; what with the number of times that they heard it.
Even still, at least one ranger accompanied every group of students and the rest secured the parameters.
The teachers sat down by the trees a bit away from the cave feeling secure that the students were in good hands.
***
The cave was sprawled in a huge area, mostly underground, with many entrances at many places. The place where they were now was the largest entry point.
The cave was on low ground. Its entrance was broad but immediately after entering the cave sloped down quite a bit.
Immediately after entering the cave, the students could feel a chill in the air that was absent before. Strange shaped stagmitaties rose along the ground and walls illuminating strangely in the faint light coming from outside.
Going a bit deeper they could feel the wet sensation on their skin and hear water droplets echo in the distance. Eerie shadows dancing in the light of the rangers lanterns and flashlights unsettled them further.
There were some mounds and marks on the walls as well as grounds; some open and dug and some intact. The rangers informed them that they were burial mounds likely made by early humans inhabiting the region in antiquity. They could see more mounds and even what seemed like fossil marks in the barricades area.
Some branches ended in what seemed to be areas that were still in the process of excavation. Some had such peculiar plants sneaking out of a crack of rocks or a puddle of water.
Students carried forward. There were many branches that diverted from the route they were traveling. Some were barricaded with bright yellow and orange ropes, while some were free to access.
Eventually, all the students brave enough to keep walking reached the famed underground lake they had heard much about from the park personnels. Beautiful crystal structures adorned everywhere. Stalagmites and stalactites, quartz and gypsum.
It evoked awe in everyone that beheld the scene. Under the illumination of soft light from the flashlights, the crystals glowed with a soothing light that calmed their heart and filled them with accomplishment at continuing the journey till here.
Some students inspected the crystals, touching them ever so slightly, feeling their cold textures. Glass-like smoothness of quartz, stalactites occasional smoothness in its otherwise rough texture, the grainy selenite and polished gypsum.
The rangers occasionally briefed them about the types and the process under which they end up how they are.
Rae was similarly meandering through these beautiful protrusions, but his primary focus remained on the lake in the middle. It was entirely calm, without a single ripple. There occurred some faint ripples whenever a few careless students pricked their fingers with some odd shaped protrusions or stubbed their foot with a rock and grudged out a yelp, but aside from that it was the very picture of tranquility.
Rae beheld it with an absent mind for some time when suddenly he noticed a faint ripple across the lake. It was quite different than the previous; Rae could not quite put his fingers on it, but he felt it. The lake was still calm, but it gave him a different feeling now.
Gone was the peace; it now gave a sense of foreboding danger. A calm before the storm.
It rippled again.
This time a mere fraction more violently than the previous yet it made his heart palpitate.
Another ripple. This time it was accompanied by a faint tingling sound. Rae, standing at a place for some time now, felt as if the earth hummed somehow.
His heart was in disarray now. He looked around towards his friends still busy with their exploration. But he felt relief when he saw some rangers looking around a bit cautiously. It seemed he wasn't the only one who felt that.
Thrum
This time even the occupied companions clearly felt something. The rangers on the other hand had alarm on their faces now. They exchanged a glance before one of them ran out of the chamber.
"W-what's happenin-"
Thrummmm….
Some students got disbalanced, while some fell over. The lake had lost all calm now. It was rippling violently. The vibrations from the crystals were clear now.
The answer that the student got to his unfinished query unnerved him, as well as every one of the students present.
"Don't panic. Stay calm everyone! We need to move quickly and quietly to the exit. Please don't rush and watch you step. Follow me quickly!" Said one of the rangers before making his way through a route.
All the students immediately followed him. Fortunately, there were only an odd 13-15 students and the path could fit 4-5 students at a time. Students regained some calm, seeing that tremors weren't too intense right now.
Every student in the cave right now made their way to the clearing where many paths converged some distance from the entrance.
The earth continued trembling violently. Students lost their footing every few steps. Even the walls shook, much to the dismay of escaping students.
But they forced themselves calm and kept moving. The intermittent tremble as well as the constant fear of the crystals falling on them made their path much treacherous, but they persevered collectively.
As the clearing came into view, some noises akin to someone crying began to be heard. As they almost reached the clearing they saw many students escaping from the tunnels and some already outside. Sir Adler was in the clearing, helping students evacuate quickly.
Just as they reached Sir Adler, the cave trembled with brutality. Rae felt as if the cave was consuming him so as to never let him go. He felt as if the roof was falling on him. He felt…
-Rumble,rumble,Thum-
The students, teachers, and a few personnel a bit away from the cave saw in abject horror as the cave collapsed on the panicked students and the rangers.