Stacy--Part Forty-One

Splog # 151

Forty-One

   Stacy looked in surprise at what the ants, with their myriad of tiny insect bodies, had created on the floor of the cave. On either side of the center design were two arrows pointing her down the stairs and back to the raft. Also, when she turned in that direction, she saw that, to her left and right on each step, there was another arrow pointing to the raft. But, most curious of all, between the two arrows at the top of the stairs and separated from the seething mass of ants located just beyond it, was a word of five letters that caused her to reach into her pocket and pull out the envelope. She unfolded it and removed the scrap of paper. Once again she read the bottom two lines: "His name is Bones. Don't let his looks frighten you." She looked from the scrap of paper to the letters spelled out by the ants. B-O-N-E-S. And from the letters, six small arrows pointed to where the raft lay, waiting to take her to an unknown destination. She turned back and stepped down one step. As she did, the arrows on either side of her foot seemed to melt into a mass of shiny colors, almost black in depth, as others came pouring from behind her on the top step. She glanced over her shoulder and saw that no longer were there any letters or arrows. It was now a vast mass of ants moving inexorably towards her. With a sigh, she moved her other foot down to the next step. She gingerly put her weight on it, for this was her sore left ankle, and was relieved when only the the slightest tremor seemed to result. Again the arrows disappeared as they were absorbed by ants joining her on the way down to the raft. Just as she was about to move to the final level, a sound came floating down the passage through which the river was flowing. It was exceedingly soft and she brought her head up and held her breath to try to hear it more clearly. For a moment, nothing was discernible except the rushing of the water as it ran through the tunnel. And then she caught it again. It was the sound of someone singing a sweet high melody.