text: Hi, all this is my first time posting. I hope you like my story and I welcome any feedback. The rough sand beneath my cheek was the first feeling that came back to me. Slowly I pulled open my eyes. Where was I? All around was sand as black a coal. It was coarse and the putrid smell of rotting fish clung to the air. Turning I saw the coastline of the island I now found myself on. What happened? I searched for someone else, anyone else but I found no one. For over an hour I screamed my throat raw hoping someone would hear me but I was alone. The sun began to drop below the horizon and I knew I had to find shelter before it was too dark. I made my way inland hoping to find a cave or something in which I could wait till morning. As I made my way to the tree line, something was wrong. I couldn’t explain it but I felt a dread form in my stomach. There was something wrong with this place. For two hours I wondered threw the trees and bushes when I finally found something. It was a cave. I almost ran to the opening on the side of the hill. It was almost ten foot high and twice as wide and as I entered a warm air breezed passed over my weary body. The cave was darker than anything I had seen before. I fumbled in my pockets and pulled out the zippo I always carried. My mother told me that smoking would kill me but right now I thanked the lord I had never gotten around to quitting. The light from the flame was not much but it was enough to make my way deeper into the cave. I had to make a plan. I had to find out where I was and find a way to get home. I managed to get a small fire going using some dry wood I had found at the mouth of the cave. The dancing light warmed me and comforted me as I sat in my shelter trying to understand what had happened. The last thing I could remember was the plane me and Cassidy had gotten into, she had booked me some flying lessons and we were going up on our second lesson when a storm came in. It had hit us fast and hard and then lightning had struck the plane and the instruments died. I remembered to instructor trying to get the plane to start again then nothing. That was all I could remember until I woke up on the beach. Had the plane crashed? Where was Cassidy? I was so deep in thought that at first, I hadn’t noticed the noise. A rhythmic beating. Slowly it got louder and It drew my attention. The thumping sounded almost like drums but the rhythm was erratic and unearthly. I sat listening for a few minutes until I realised it was getting louder as if moving closer to me. Panic filled me and I was not sure as to why. I moved to the cave entrance and looked out to the moonlight night. There in the distance was a group of figures moving towards me. I was just about to shout out when something stopped me. There was something off about this group. Their movements were jerky and unnatural. I hurried back into the cave and stamped out my fire. Then I moved as fast as I could out of the cave and into a small gathering of bushes. I leapt into the bushes and pulled as many of the adjacent branches over me and covering my body. I had just gotten myself covered when the first of the group came into the opening where the cave lay. There were three of them, I could not make out their features as they wore a cloak-like garment with a hood covering their faces. I did notice the last one was carrying something over its shoulder. I moved slightly to get a better look when I saw the beautiful face of Cassidy. She was unconsciously bound with rope and slung over the shoulder of one of these people. They had found her and brought her here but why? The three took Cassidy into the cave. I sat in my hiding spot for longer than I am proud to admit but then I managed to pull myself together and I followed them into the cave. They had gone further into the cave than I had originally. I had to move pretty fast to try to catch up with them lest I lose them. We moved deeper and deeper into the cave. I always stayed just close enough that I could see where they went but not to close that I might be spotted. Finally, they came to a cavern almost fifty-foot wide, three times as long and almost thirty foot high. They took Cassidy to a stone tablet next to an underground lake and lay her unconscious body atop it. I frantically looked for a place to hide where I could see what they were doing. I managed to climb up to a ledge to the left of the entrance we had come from. The figures looked to be discussing something when one turned and moved over to an unusual looking stone. It then lifted a thick stick and began to beat the stone. A drumming noise like I had heard began to echo around the cave. The from the shadows grotesque figures began to emerge. Beings made from an amalgamation of hideous creatures from my worst nightmares. Slime covered tentacle-like limbs writhed around each one. Claws and bone protruded from their bodies in unimaginable ways. My mind felt like it was fraying at the mere sight of these damnable creatures. More and more of the horrific things pulled themselves from the darkest reaches of the cavern. They moved around Cassidy forming a circle around her. Cassidy slowly opened her eyes at this point and the scream she let off chilled my blood. The creatures lashed out tentacles wrapping around her arms and legs and holding her dow. Slowly one of the monstrosities moved up and slid a black pseudopod over her pale face down her neck and across her body. She thrashed at the things touch and in her wild movement her eyes locked onto mine. I could see the terror in her eyes as well as the pleading as treats ran down her face. I will never forget the look of betrayal as she watched me turn and run. Her screams followed me as I ran for the surface. I could not bring myself to look back as the screams finally stopped, I just kept running. Before I knew it I found myself at the beach once more. I ran for the water and swam out as fast as I could. I had no idea where I was but I knew I had to get out of here. I swam and swam until I found a bit of floating wood. I clung to the wood and slowly I fell unconscious. I awoke to the feel of rough sand beneath my face. Slowly I opened my eyes. Black sand surrounded me. I wept as I heard the rhythmic beating.