HOME | DD

Description
The boy clad in green stared down into the dark cavern apprehensively, trying to make out something in the deep gloom.
The darkness refused to be shifted though, and a haunting echo whistled through the gaping maw, causing him to shiver in fear.

He had come across the entrance while exploring the woods near his house, and had immediately grown excited at the prospects. What if it housed ancient ruins? What if there was buried treasure? What if an evil monster had captured a terrified princess, and needed his help to save the day?
The boy had dashed home, thrown on his green adventurer's uniform, put on his lucky green cap and packed as many supplies as he could carry. Food, water, a compass, a map, spare clothes, a money pouch, rope, netting, anything he thought might come in handy. Upon finishing, he had beheld the bulging rucksack, only to realize he had forgotten something important... his trusty sword, destined to strike the finishing blow to the king of evil!
First checking the window to make sure his father was still out, the boy pushed a chair up to the fireplace and gingerly took down the ceremonial sword that had always sat above the mantel. The sword was actually more of a dagger, but to the boy it was the perfect length. His eyes sparkled with glee as he suppressed the urge to start swinging it around wildly right there in the living room, instead carefully slotting it into a makeshift sheath attached to his belt.
As the boy ran out the door, he suddenly halted, and turned to look at his old toy shield lying on the porch. When he was little he had adored the wooden toy, especially the intricate design painted on its face. Lately he had abandoned it for "cooler" toys, but now he carefully tied the strap to his right arm and then headed off towards the cave.

Now he stood before the dark entrance, his initial surge of adrenalin and excitement running thin.
The boy had imagined an evil castle, torches flickering with sickly purple light and haunted suits of armor lining the walls. Instead, all he saw was a dark, wet cave.
And he had imagined himself as the heroic warrior, valiantly fighting for what's right. Instead, all he felt like was a scared kid.
Discouraged, the boy collapsed next to the hole, taking off his rucksack and stretching his tired shoulders. He pulled out his water bottle, and then begun to fiddle with his shield, when it suddenly came loose and fell straight into the cave. The boy leaped to his feet with a look of terror and peered over the edge, but there was no sign of his toy, and the sound of the shield bouncing down the incline continued until it was too distant to hear.

The boy stared forlornly into the cave, his most precious possession lost forever. But then he remembered his earlier plans for adventure, and his resolve strengthened. Slotting his water bottle back into the rucksack and then placing the whole thing on his back, the boy carefully made his way to the edge and lowered himself into the cave.
Not feeling a floor, he clung to the edge, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the dark. Slowly shapes began to form, and he saw that a foot below him the cave panned out diagonally, and even though it was a steep climb it wouldn't be impossible to stand on. Steeling his nerves the boy let go, catching a stalagmite as he landed to stop his tumble forward.
Carefully moving from rock to rock the boy made his way down the cave. Although the cavern had various holes and pathways branching off these were all too small for him to fit inside and he hoped that the shield had rolled down the main path. Eventually the seconds began to bleed into each other and the boy lost track of time, but he kept walking. When it seemed to the boy that he had been walking for hours the path finally began to flatten out, and then suddenly it opened out into a massive cavern. The boy stared in awe at the huge stalactites that hung from the ceiling, but when he lowered his gaze he noticed his shield lying in the very center of the room.

The shield had been arranged carefully on a pile of rocks, facing the direction that the boy had come from. Sensing a trap, the boy unsheathed his sword, and slowly made his way towards the strange shrine. As he neared it, there was suddenly a loud screech - and a gigantic bug came crashing down from the ceiling!
Jumping back in fright, the boy composed himself and began to slowly strafe around the beast, studying it carefully for weaknesses. It was indescribably ugly, with four slimy legs as thick as tree trunks, a bulbous tail that oozed a disgusting yellow slime, and two huge pincers, one larger than the other. The boy looked up, expecting the eyes of an insect, but instead there was a giant bulbous eyeball perched in the middle of it's head. The monster screeched again, baring it's fangs at the boy, and then began to charge.
The boy stood his ground, waiting for the beast to reach him, and then leaped to the side, barely missing a swipe from it's claws. The boy dashed towards his shield, grabbing it as he leaped over the boulder it lay on. He quickly hugged his back to the rock, just in time to watch the monster fly over the top of him, crashing to the ground where he had been only moments before.
The beast spun, hissing like a snake, and began to advance on the boy. Distancing himself from the boulder, the boy slowly circled to the left as he carefully strapped the shield to his arm. He just managed to tighten the last clasp and raise his shield when the monster struck, it's larger claw glancing harmlessly off of it's steel surface. The boy swung his blade, but the beast blocked with it's other claw, and smashed into his chest, knocking him clear across the room.
Gasping for breath, the boy frantically clambered to his feet, watching as the beast made it's way towards him. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he desperately tried to think of a plan. The monster's shell was too tough to pierce with his sword, but how could he get to it's eye! The boy shook his head angrily, but then he noticed something; even though it kept stumbling over boulders on it's way to it's victim it always kept the smaller claw close to it's eye for protection. Realizing what he had to do he broke a long, thin stalagmite off of the floor with his shield arm and waited for the monster to reach him.
Once again it swung it's larger claw, but this time the boy ducked. The monster, hesitant to leave it's eye open to attack, simply jabbed with it's smaller claw, but the boy was expecting it and stuck out his arm, latching his shield onto the claw. The monster lifted him up into the air, preparing to slice the boy in half, but the boy smiled, and threw his sword at it's eye. The beast moved it's smaller claw in the way and easily blocked the blade, but as it brought the claw towards it's eye, it swung the boy forward, bringing the spike held in his hand straight into it's eye.
A horrible sound bellowed from it's mouth as it screeched in pain, flinging the boy into the air once again. It scratched desperately at the stalagmite embedded in it's eye, hurting itself even more. It started to spasm, it's legs flailing around uselessly, until finally it let out one final hiss and collapsed to the ground.
Breathing heavily, his shield arm hung limply by his side, the boy made his way around the corpse and retrieved his sword. Suddenly the monster made a strange noise, making him jump. Slowly approaching the front of the corpse, the boy saw that it had coughed up something... A sparkling ruby in the shape of a heart. The boy was astounded that such a beautiful treasure could have come from something so grotesque. Carefully placing it in his rucksack, the boy looked around the cave one last time, and made his way to the exit.

When the boy got home that night his father had returned, waiting at the door impatiently. The boy tried to explain what happened, but his father refused to listen, admonishing him both for staying out so late and also for stealing the sword that his grandfather had left him. The boy was sent to bed without supper, grumbling as he climbed the staircase, but when he was safely inside his room he quickly locked the door.
Setting his rucksack on the floor, he rummaged through it, gingerly removing something from the bag. The boy looked down at his treasure, the heart-shaped rock he had found in the cave, and smiled. Looking out the window at the world outside, he was already planning his next adventure.