Whispers (Hidden Jewels)

There is a bundle of dirtied, tattered notes sat on top of your desk. A sticky note on top of them states that they are apparently authored by one of the missing people from the Azuritum area - King, to be precise. The cave explorer. Do you read them?
>Yes / No
You pick up the notes and begin reading.
== Entry 1 ==
So far there’s nothing really special to this cave. Doesn’t really seem like there’s much here other than rocks and dirt, which is generally what you’d expect to find in a cave. It’s not particularly large so far, but I’ve found a few branching pathways I’ll check out later.
There’s a lot of worms in here. A lot more than I usually find in the caves I explore, but it did rain yesterday, so they’re probably just up here for some water. Not much else in terms of animals. Didn’t expect much anyway.
Supplies are doing fine. It looks like this might just be a one-day job, which is nice.
== Entry 2 ==
Went through one of those branching paths I was talking about. There’s a lot of skeletons back there, but they’re all of stuff like mice and frogs and stuff. About the most interesting thing I found back there was a ferberus skull, and I’m pretty sure someone dumped that back there on purpose.
Lots of worms back there, too. A little weird, since it wasn’t really damp back there, but I mean, they’re worms. I’m not scared of worms. They don’t even have skeletons, what’re they gonna do? Squirm me to death? Hah, as if.
== Entry 3 ==
I went through the other two branching paths. A lot of the same thing. Dirt, rocks, remains of small animals, and worms. Lots and lots of worms. I think I’ve stepped on more worms today than I have in the past three years. Ah, well.
The candle went out a few times while I was exploring the third path, but I think it was because I kept moving it around.
== Entry 4 ==
So, small issue.
I went through the fourth pathway. Bit of a tight squeeze, cave isn’t really that big. There’s nothing interesting back here, but I can’t get back out because of how the rocks are positioned. I’m going to have to find a different way out.
Something feels really off here, as well. If I had fur it’d be standing on end. Maybe it’s just because I’m stuck, though. Probably just that.
Also, when I get home I’m taking a long shower. I got worms to the face…
== Entry 5 ==
I swear I can hear something. I hope it’s not a burrow bear or something, really don’t like the idea of having to fight one of those. It sounds more like singing, though. Or maybe yelling? I don’t know.
I’ve gone through three candles by now. Hope I don’t run out before I leave, it takes forever to adjust to daylight again as it is.
== Entry 6 ==
Breakthrough!
I found a crack leading to a different area of the cave. It looks a bit bigger, and it looks like it might slope a bit. It might connect to the surface, that’d be great. Wouldn’t have to dig my way out again.
I’ll have to widen the crack a bit, but that’s not really an issue. I’ve got the tools needed. Just gotta hope my candle doesn’t blow out randomly, would hate to hammer myself in the hands.
== Entry 7 ==
It doesn’t lead to the outside. The slope up is blocked off by a bunch of rocks I can’t move, and I can’t get back through the crack I came through - I’d have to fly up, and it’s too small to fit my wings. The only way forward is down.
Still feel like I can hear something, but it’s probably just paranoia. Not often I get myself in these situations...Usually I’m much more cautious. Serves me right, honestly. I should have been more careful.
Hope I don’t dehydrate to death down here or something, though. That would suck.
== Entry 8 ==
I found another bunch of skeletons. Still mostly small animals, but I think I saw a charger skull in there. Kind of creepy. I wonder how they got down here.
Really hope that isn’t me in a couple of years.
== Entry 9 ==
Part of the cave floor gave out underneath me while I was walking. There’s a whole ‘nother set of pathways down there! This cave’s a lot more interesting than I gave it credit for. Though I am kind of miffed about the floor…
Regardless, hopefully one of these leads out. I don’t think I packed enough food to stay here more than four days. Definitely didn’t pack enough water for longer than five.
== Entry 10 ==
Okay, I can definitely hear something whispering down here. I don’t know where it’s coming from, but hopefully no one else is stuck down here. I really don’t want to be down here any longer than necessary, and I definitely don’t want to be stuck carrying someone back to the surface because they were stupid and went down a cave without experience.
Seems like the worms aren’t down in this cave - I haven’t seen any at all. It’s a little unnerving, honestly.
Slowly running out of candles. I might start using them more sparsely.
== Entry 11 ==
Most of the pathways lead to dead ends. Really sucks. Not in the greatest mood right now.
== Entry 12 ==
I thought I heard someone say my name, but when I checked around there wasn’t anyone there.
I think I might try to go deeper underground. There’s a ton of subsystems down here, and one of them might lead out. Sounds stupid, I know, but it’s worked for me before. I just hope I don’t break a finger again.
== Entry 13 ==
I’ve been digging for a while. Lots of rocks, not much soil anymore. All the worms are gone. I’m really starting to get tired, but I don’t want to stay the night in here.
I can still hear the whispering. It feels like it’s getting louder, almost? I don’t know. It’s probably just in my head, to be honest. I’m pretty tired.
== Entry 14 ==
Not much to say. Still digging. I think my shovel’s starting to crack a little bit, which probably isn’t good. Too tired to care much, though.
== Entry 15 ==
So I fell through my own hole into a bunch of ancient ruins. I’d be more excited if I wasn’t so exhausted. Feels like my back’s about to give out.
This place at least has walls and stuff. Actual walls, not just cave walls. They’re a little bit crumbled, but they seem sturdy enough, so I’m gonna stay the night here. I don’t think I can go much further.
== Entry 16 ==
I woke up feeling a lot better. I’m still stuck in a cave, which is bad, but on the bright side, these ruins are in remarkably good shape! Half of the furnishings are still intact, and I’ve found a couple mosaics that almost look new. If I didn’t know better, I’d say these were recently painted, but the paint’s too old for that and the stones used to make ‘em are too cracked for that to be the case.
A few crudely drawn images of furniture and paintings take up the rest of the page.
== Entry 17 ==
I’m going to keep going deeper. I think it’s less about getting out at this point. Honestly, I don’t think I’d care very much if I died down here, which is kind of concerning. I should probably see a therapist if I ever get out.
I can still hear a whispering in my ears, too, but I think that it might not actually be whispering - it might be wind blowing through the cavern, which is good news. If I follow the whispering, I’ll probably find a way to the surface.
== Entry 18 ==
Shovel broke. Going to use my hands. Not like I haven’t done it before.
== Entry 19 ==
It’s really cold down here. Feels like I’ll never be warm again. It gets in your bones, y’know? It’s always cold at this level, but usually I don’t go this deep unless I’m dressed for it. And usually I bring more rations when I’m going this deep…
I’m really hungry.
== Entry 20 ==
I’m almost out of water. It’s been at least a few hours. I’m really tired again, but I need to keep going.
I think the whispering’s getting louder again. It’s telling me to go deeper.
== Entry 21 ==
So I passed out as soon as I reached another cave, which was...probably a couple hours after I wrote the last entry?
This one’s a bit weirder than the last one. It’s got some sort of liquid on it. I drank some of it. It’s not water, but I don’t feel like I’m gonna vomit, either, so maybe it’s safe? I certainly feel less thirsty. Still hungry, though. I can’t eat too many of my rations or I’ll run out.
I think I’m going to keep going. I’m going to keep following the whispering. It’s stupid, I know, but maybe it’s actually trying to help me? I’ve heard stories of spelunkers led out by cave creatures…
Hopefully I'm actually being led out and this won't become one of those stupid cautionary tales mothers tell their hatchlings to keep them from wandering off.
== Entry 22 ==
I just realized I can’t remember the past three months before I entered this cave. Hopefully it’s just hunger clouding my mind.
== Entry 23 ==
Found more of the weird water. Drank some of it. My hands are bleeding, but they don’t hurt. I don’t know if that’s a good sign or not.
== Entry 24 ==
The note is illegible. It’s smudged out by blood and dirt, and torn at the edges. Nothing remains of what was once written on it, except for the heading.
== Entry 25 ==
I need to go deeper. I need to find out what’s down there. Something’s calling to me, and I need to know what it is.
Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back, right? No harm in it.
== Entry 26 ==
I can’t remember what year it is. That’s really not good. It could be brain damage, or lack of oxygen? I don’t remember if lack of oxygen causes memory loss, but it seems plausible.
A piece of rock fell down and hit me on one of my headfrills earlier. Bounced off and bonked me on the head. Maybe I have a concussion from it? I know concussions cause memory loss sometimes. Hope that’s all it is.
== Entry 2 7 ==
My hands hurt . Theyre shakin g really bad. Can barely wri te. I hope tha t
== Entry 28 ==
Found another cave and proceeded to set up for the night there. It’s filled with all sorts of crystals, very colorful. Hope I don’t poke my eye out on one of them, though. I don’t really want to have to deal with bleeding out on top of everything else.
The whispering is getting really loud now. It’s less of a whisper and more of an actual voice. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not, but I find it’s getting harder to really care.
== Entry 29 ==
I’ve gone really deep now. The voice is so loud. I think I’ve shredded all the skin off my hands at this point, but they don’t hurt.
I’m out of food and candles. I really hope this is legible.
== Entry 30 ==
I think I’m here.
== Entry 31 ==
There is something greater than me, here. Something so much larger than life. It is very old.
It led me here. It’s led others here. It wants me to help. I can do that, I think.
The dirt won’t come off my hands. One of the candles is stuck to me. I can’t get it off. It’s alright. It doesn’t hurt anymore. Nothing hurts anymore. I see so much. It sees through me.
It promises paradise. It promises home. I think I like that idea.
I don’t remember anything anymore. I don’t remember who I was supposed to be...Why did I come here again? Why am I writing this? I don’t know. I don’t think I want to. This is better than where I came from, I think. No, I know it is.
I want to join it.
I want to help...
== Entry 32 ==
Excerpt 4132
And then I watched carelessly
as the sea rose above the sky
casting waving shadows over
the world.
I saw the silhouettes of
creatures both familiar and
forgotten. And suddenly I
found myself falling upwards
towards an ocean of darkness.
The notes end there.
(written by salemcookie #490403, total of 2126 words)
(Credits: Entry 32 is from Spooky’s Jumpscare Mansion. Everything else is original.)
Category:Hidden Jewels (Contest)