Today’s song is ‘A Long Way Down’ by Nathan McCree, the version I’ve been listening to is a track from the Tomb Raider Suite album. You can listen to the song HERE and visit the online store HERE.
I hadn’t realised it at the time, but as you read on, the song’s title seems rather ironic and fitting of the theme of today’s piece. I hope you enjoy!
Sometimes, a death defying trap filled tomb was, surprisingly, a walk in the park. However, today’s was another story. The drop wasn’t one I’d felt like succumbing to. The skeletons that had been impaled on ivory spikes reminded me that I needed to be rather cautious. Thankfully, it was quiet enough to be able to plan my path as best I could.
The spike pit below was my main problem – I huffed with my hands on my hips as I assessed the unconventional assault course before me. A frayed rope, sloped ledges and broken rope bridge that appeared to lead to an exit. The glow which came from the window of freedom was hopeful, I just had to keep believing I could make it over there.
I peered over the edge once more, my stomach throbbed as I’d disturbed loose gravel underfoot which fell into the chasm below. Stepping back, I struck a flare and threw it into the abyss, tiptoeing forward again, but with far more caution.
My eyes bulged as I saw just how many people had fallen victim to this room; the lack of flesh served as a stark reminder of how nobody had tackled it since. I had to take it on with confidence; I knew if I’d met this ordeal with the fear of plummeting to my instant death as I’d grab the rope, this just wouldn’t work.
I paced as I strategized my plan once more, realising quickly as to why there had been so many who’d been slain in the pit below. Darts began to spring from the walls in front of me; I raised my eyebrows as two spiked projectiles flew into the wall either side of my arms. This was going to be tight.
Waiting, I listened and watched. I wanted to get the rhythmic sound of the darts striking the wall into my head and bathe in the metronomic echoes before I did anything else. I’d found myself in some rather dicey situations before, you’d think I’d be used to them by now.
I moved to the right, aligning myself with the questionable rope. With a deep breath, I backed myself up and sprinted towards it, thankfully grabbing just the right time. Using the momentum and with an extra swing or two for good measure, I leapt from the rope, managing to position myself just right to slide forwards on the ledge and missed a dart by millimetres. I jumped just in time over to the broken bridge; the wooden slats I’d clung to creaked, whining as I scrambled as quickly as I could to safety. My boot pulverised the last plank as I pushed off of it, managing to pull myself up from the ledge as the bridge slid from around me. I huffed as I found solid ground, quickly hearing the remains of the bridge clatter to the deadly floor below.
I got up warily as I freed my knees from grit; the leaps had finished yet the darts hadn’t stopped as of yet. The warm glow I’d seen previously had also felt it.
‘You’ve got to be joking,’ I said to myself, shaking my head as I slowly approached what I’d hoped was to be an easy escape. I was quickly proven wrong.
Torches pulsed from the walls this time without a pool in sight, blasting heat straight across the room and quickly off again. If I didn’t time this right, I’d be toast.
How the bloody hell was I going to get out of this one?
Victoria Pheasey 