Nora and I walked shoulder to shoulder, the only light in the entire cavern coming from the small flame hovering above her palm. It floated like a tiny sun, warm, steady, and very judgmental whenever I stepped too close and nearly singed my eyebrows.
Our footsteps echoed.
Soft splashes reverberated every time our feet touched the ground.
The ground was damp, slick enough that every few steps I nearly slipped to my dramatic death.
"So," I said, because silence always made my imagination invent horrors. "What do you think we'll find down here? Gold? Artifacts? Ancient treasure? A legendary sword? Maybe a hidden door that leads to a secret boss fight?"
Nora snorted. "Treasure? Really? No. We're going to find dead bodies. Old skulls. Maybe a ribcage or two."
"What kind of mindset is that?"
"A realistic one," she replied. "And if you've learned anything by now, it's that the universe hates you."
"…Fair."
We shook on it.
Her palm was warm.
Mine was cold.
