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“Don’t you think we’re pushing our luck?”
Viktor’s face contorts as I continue to protest, laying out my million reasons why I cannot join him tomorrow on his quest.
“Ghosts don’t exist, are you sure luck does?” Viktor shots back, annoyed.
“Are you sure ghosts don’t?”
“No more questions buddy, just tell me, you coming or not?”
Viktor asks as easy as his persona is. His long silver hair waves in the wind and covers up half his face, hiding any traces of disappointment at my refusal.
“I don’t want to, and I don’t want you to, either.”
But Viktor doesn’t seem like he even registered what I said, his usual response to my refusals, really.
“Tomorrow morning, be there by 6.00a.m or I go alone.”
“Don’t you dare!”
“'dare’s my middle name!” Viktor shouts and vanishes in to the dark without even a good bye while I stand on the bridge, at our usual spot of meeting in the night, wondering what the hell he is getting me in to this time.
Did I tell you he’s my best friend?
Well, he is. And he is right when he said his middle name is ‘dare’. It’s actually ‘Ivanovich’, but said ‘Ivanovich’ is so hell bent on proving that ghosts don’t exist, he deserve all the rights to call himself Mr. Dare.
We have been friends since kindergarten, friends through primary, best friends after Viktor saved me from a brawl in our teen years, friends when Viktor’s papa died in the mine accident that changed our small village and friends even after we started our adult lives; me as a fresher in the municipal’s accounts department and Viktor taking over their bakery and relieving his mother.
“What are you doing tomorrow? I went to get some bread today and Viktor said you two are going to cave number five?”
“I can’t mama, I’ve got to go to work in the morning.” I say the same thing to my mama, which I said to Viktor an hour ago.
Her response is the same unhappy question. “Saturday too?”
I’m still her pet at twenty, much to papa’s annoyance. She would never send me to work ‘hard’ at a desk job if she is the breadwinner in our family. “It’s a half day’s work, I couldn’t say ‘No’, I’m the fresher, remember?”
My mom holds her chin on her palm and stares at me. “I’d like it if both of you don’t go there at all, it’s spooky when he said it’s the last cave you two have to ‘prove’.”
She says this with a little ‘mummy steel’ in her voice. She is probably wishing I listened to her, upon hearing ‘that’ tone. I still live under their roof, after all. But I’m twenty, and twenty is twenty. So I get the option of when to listening to her and when not to.
‘Prove’ is that, Viktor wants to prove that ghosts don’t exist in the abandoned mining caves in the mountains, among whom his father is rumored to hang out.
Viktor father was a mine worker, mama a baker.
I have an office worker father who earns enough to keep my mama a housewife.
His papa died in the mine accident five years ago and the mine company never recovered enough to resume operation. Bankrupted, the mine was closed. No new owner bought it because there wasn’t enough gold left to bother. So the floating souls in the town got in there in the night looking for leftover gold. None of them returned, their bodies were found floating in the river that came over the mountains down to the valley where the houses stood.
After a few bodies, no one dared to steal the ghosts’ gold. Stories spread quickly that the miners who died were haunting the uninvited visitors. Viktor was hurt, his father died there too. Despite the rescue efforts, he was stuck under the rubble for two hours before he died without oxygen, along with five others, all who knew the then fifteen year old Viktor. So he became obsessed with proving that ghosts didn’t exist, at least in the caves, at least not his father and his colleagues.
“I don’t want to either, I’m kind of-” As the only other team member in Viktor’s ghost hunting squad, I never thought I’d say this, but - “I’m kind of scared.” I said swallowing my pride. It’s just my mama and mamas never judge. Right?
Besides, it’s the last cave and the only cave we have yet to explore. The one where the accident happened. I’m sure she agrees.
I went to sleep that night thinking about Viktor, who doesn’t even answer my calls. I know why, he doesn’t want to confirm the fact that I won’t come tomorrow and he will have to cancel his exploration.
But who said ghost hunting had to be done in the wee hours of the morning? As I’m going home after half day work, with a full belly after lunch, I see Viktor all dressed up in his exploration gear and waving his hand at me. I don’t even get to pass the bridge, before I see him standing on the mountain path and doing the gesture that stands for ‘catch me if you can’; the sign that started a race when we were boys, before we became men who stopped racing at all and started day dreaming about the car we will buy when we one day become rich, enough.
I stashed my bag under a bush by the bridge and rolled up my sleeves. Viktor watches me from the distance like a fair gentlemen, waiting to start the race. But as soon as I take my first step towards the mountain, he leaps. He has a lead of a good few hundred feet, but I’ve always been the faster one. Viktor’s long legs never compared with my short but faster ones.
But I’m on a full stomach, so I stop to take a breath as my newly filled stomach protest. Viktor runs like the wind, through the path that leads to the mines on the other side of the mountain, like the tall grown weed and the pebbles and boulders doesn’t bother him at all. On the other side of the mountain, is the water fall and the river bed just below the mine grounds. A concrete wall secures the mine ground from the steep fall that leads down to the river. I was told that it’s a beautiful scenery from there, to look at the river bed down below from the top of the mine grounds, the river water making cloud like ripples as it bounce off the river banks.
But I’ve never been to the mine number five before, papa never allowed me there, and I was a boy then, who listened to mama when I heard that ‘tone’ in her voice. But Viktor has. He used to take lunch to his papa. He had trotted a secret path from the mine grounds to the river below, so he could get a secret swim behind his papa’s back as he leave. He would hand his papa lunch, walk down the road until his papa disappears inside, then come back up to the mine grounds. Then he would trot down the secret path, scampering the weed and bushes, to reach the river bed. Because of the waterfall, the river is considered to be unsafely deep, but Viktor is a skilled swimmer that puts my runner’s legs to shame, and he used to boast all his swimming adventures to me in the evening, at our usual spot on the bridge.
Swimmer body and Runner’s legs? I’m debating that now, as I still cannot catch up to Viktor. We have reached the other side of the mountain, and he waves his flat cap at me from the mine grounds above. I’m struggling with my office boy stamina. I make it a point to start racing with Viktor again, shouldn’t feel like my fifty year old papa at twenty, now should I?
I resume my run again at a brisk pace, very evident that I cannot catch up to Viktor. As I manage to reach the mine ground, Viktor runs in through the cave number five’s entrance with no breaks what so ever.
Viktor and I had done enough research before we started the ghost hunt. I was able to get the mine’s maps from the municipal’s library. We researched it as best as we could to make sure we won’t get lost. Cave number one had been a disappointment, a very short journey. Its wall were fallen from both sides, we didn’t make it more than a few meters. But Viktor made sure the word spread that the cave number one was free of ghosts. After we proved cave number two too were free, the word started spreading around the small village. While I hid in the office, Viktor became the spokesperson in his bakery shop. Pretty much happy, clearing his papa’s name.
I sit on a rock. Tired.
Viktor and I always took a break when we reached the cave grounds before we entered the cave number one to four. But today he seems eager, adrenalized to finish his exploration with cave number five and clear his papa’s name and as a collateral benefit, the attention of the girls for the heroic man who conquered the caves. But I’m too tired today to boost his ego, so I sit slumped until I catch my breath. Underneath it all, I’m scared too. Sun may rise from the west, but there is no way I would admit that to Viktor.
Viktor comes out of the cave and stands with his hands on his hips. He gives me this look of disappointment, like asking me, ‘how old are you man?’
He, being my best friend for life, knows which buttons to push. I could never take a criticism against my stamina. Too proud for that, I stand on wobbly feet and a pounding heart. As it is the theme of the day, Viktor collects his hands to give me the ‘catch me if you can’ sign. Groaning, I start chasing him. But the total darkness and bat smell hits me on the face as I take the first step inside like a rude awakening. I’m not in my exploration gear, nor have I the necessary tools. I used to bring papa’s rechargeable light and a mask. Cursing, I switch on my phone’s torch, which gives away a notice that battery is low. My other hand clutch on the nose blocking most of the smell, allowing only the bare minimal oxygen for my lungs to function.
“Viktor!” I shout at the dark. “Stop playing games, I’m so not ready for this.”
As I shone the phone’s light towards the darker inside of the cave, Viktor appears at the penumbra of the light beam, gives the ‘catch me if you can’ sign again, and runs in to the deep of the cave.
“Are you crazy? Have you got some kind of radar senses I don’t know about?”
I shout at him as I find the way with the little light from the phone. But he must have had enough time to get used to the path if he came alone in the morning. “This isn’t fair!”
Another turn, another sign from Viktor to chase him. I stumble my way in a few meters. Then I see a bright light ahead and I thank god.
“Finally you came to your senses.” I blamed Viktor who is a no show now. Its Viktor’s torch, the large one he threatened to break the skull of a man who casually mentioned that his papa too could be a ghost in the caves. I smile at it as I pick it up, and the phone gives in.
“Great! No phone, but thanks for the torch, now where the hell are you?”
No answer comes. I shine the torch in to the cave. Its light beam is powerful and breaks open the palpable darkness inside. It’s still breathable.
No sign of Viktor. It’s just me, the torch, my dead phone and the…the site of the accident! Ahead of me.
The wide cave divides to two, one cave is clear, abandoned mining equipment lay around. The other cave is closed. It’s the collapsed one. Its entrance is blocked by wooden poles nailed across the entrance, and degraded police yellow tape. But a few of those wooden poles lay on the ground, pulled out of the wall by the strength of a man, no doubt by gold diggers of the aftermath, or by Viktor. There is room enough for one man, if one dare enough to enter the cave path that the accident happened.
Of course, Viktor dare would dare.
“I am not coming in!” I swear from outside.
A bustle comes from in there. Then it stops.
“I am not coming in!” I promise louder this time.
No sounds at all.
“If I die from a heart attack, tell mama it’s your fault!”
It slips before I stop myself. I have admitted my fear even before I know it. I could imagine all his boasting back in the bakery for the evening crowd, while he generously mention that I was scared to even step in. Mila would also be there, to buy the fresh evening bread, dressed in her usual flowery silk gowns, her sandalwood perfume mingling with the smell of freshly baked bread - there is no way she could hear this story! It’s up to me to save my reputation. Or else Viktor will not let me live it down.
I drag my feet through the gravel begrudgingly. ‘For Mila.’
One step, two steps.
Five more steps ahead, I hear another bustle. ‘What the hell is Viktor doing?’
Another step and I stand my ground. “I’m pretty sure you are planning the most bizarre scare game in there, but I’m not scared.” I announce from outside, so brave, yet at the verge of a heart attack.
I clutch my chest to steady and take a good breath.
One step. Two steps.
One more feet and I stretch my hand to grab a wooden pole and peer inside. The torch light barely cuts in through the dark.
Viktor runs towards me like a tornado. Even with the bare light, I see the fear marked on his handsome face. It’s twisted. He is so scared, so scared I could feel it.
Like a flash he runs past me, pushing me aside.
“Viktor!!!”
Then I hear the bustling sound again from inside, like someone is meddling with the rubble, like someone is trying to shift a load of rubble. But the rubble of soil and rock refuse to give in.
If the bustling sound didn’t come from Viktor then…
Before I know, I’m on my feet. My runner’s feet come alive. I run without looking back. My feet thumps faster than the beat of my heart, or does my heart beat faster than my feet thump and stumble on the cave floor. I feel the bustle closer to me.
I run faster, earlier fatigue is not holding me back, I am fast.
But it’s faster.
I hear it close by.
So close.
I take a turn, another turn and the light from outside is there.
One step outside and its freedom. I try not to think about the river down the ledge. Viktor is waiting by the cave entrance. He is jumping up and down, waving his hand in a hurry, signaling me to run and an inhuman sound escapes me as I gather all my strength and fuel my speed. I’m so scared, so scared because the bustle still follows right behind me.
As I close the gap between us in record time, Viktor starts to run too, he is guiding me. We are out of the cave, the sound still follows. It’s not just the sound now, there is a palpable presence behind me, like it just got an upgrade. So much for thinking that stepping outside would free me! Despite the physical activity, a cold envelops me and my hairs stands on its end.
Viktor is by the concrete wall that guards the cave ground from the steep fall, below is the cold river.
Viktor runs along the short wall, keeping his eyes on me and guiding me. We run like the wind. And he guides me to where the wall ends. He jumps down from there and lands softly.
I feel victorious as I realize it’s the secret path he trotted as a kid to go for swims in the river. I jump behind him and follow him. The bustle dies behind me.
“Viktor, slow down, it’s too steep.” I warn at him. But he is still as fast as he was on the cave grounds. He is used to the path, he knows it like he knows my mind. In contrast, this is my first time on it, like the same way I am usually oblivious to what goes on in my mind.
We are half way down the path when Viktor’s feet disobey and he starts sliding uncontrollably.
“Viktor!”
He hangs on to tall grass and I run down sliding myself to grab at his arm. But he is too far ahead of me.
“Viktor!!!”
His eyes connect with me. I expect fear from him. But.
I cannot read him.
It’s empty. I see his lips move. But I can’t read it or hear him. No sound comes from him. It just plays in front of me.
“Viktor!!”
His body takes a turn with the speed, and he lose the grip on the bush he was holding on to.
In a second, I lose him on my sight. All I hear is the sound. The unmistakable sound of something big plunging in to the river.
I halt.
Grasping for air, bleeding from the bruises. I stop and breathe.
Viktor fell. But he fell to the water. The river is no stranger to him, he must have taken countless swims in this same place as a teen.
I climb down as fast as I could. The river stares back at me like nothing happened.
“Viktor.”
He should be out of the water by now.
“Viktor!!!”
Where is he?
“VIKTOR!!!”
I take no time jumping in to the river myself. It flows over me, pushing me down with the weight of the water. My legs feel numb from all the running, but there is nothing that would stop me from finding Viktor.
I surface, heaving for oxygen. My lungs hurt as if I tore them from inside.
‘Is this how the miners felt when they died without oxygen?’ But do not allow myself to dwell in that line of thought, I dive in again, and look for him. To no avail. He is nowhere.
Surfacing again, floating on the water, I look around. No sign of Viktor. I dive down and look for him. Surface for oxygen and look for him. My eyes search for him through the bushes along the river banks. Among the rocks and boulders.
He is nowhere.
“Viktor!!!”
I cannot maintain myself in the water. The cold and fatigue makes sure of that. On top of it, I know nowhere else to look for him. My body in autopilot drags me to the bank.
Sprawled on a rock, smoothed by the flow of water, I stare at the sky panting.
Before my heaving die down, I know I have to inform someone. Call the police. But the phone is dead.
I start a mad dash along the banks of the river. I’ve never run that fast in my life before, over the rocks, I stumble and get up. Over the grass I slip, over the mud I get stuck, but I don’t stop. I cannot stop.
The bridge come in to my view, a few meters from there is my house, and Viktor’s. Even in my mad dash I wish that Viktor’s mother isn’t home today. Viktor is all she has, there is no way I’m gonna tell her that I couldn’t rescue Viktor; my best friend and my brother. Other than mama and papa, he’s all I have too.
As I run pass the bridge, I can already see a police car parked on the side of the road. There are a few neighbors standing in front of Viktor’s home. I stop still in place. How? How do they already know what happened?
I start to drag my feet because my head reminds me it could be for something totally different, the police may be here for another house. In which case, I‘ll have to continue getting help for Viktor. I restart running again towards our houses, but a scream from a voice I know too well puts the period to my run.
It’s Viktor’s mother. It’s her voice. What on earth is happening?
Then I see a few of our friends come out of Viktor’s house, and my mother, distraught. As soon as she see me, she runs to me.
“Oh! My Yuuri. I’m so sorry.” She wallows as she hugs me. By now I know instinctively, there is no point looking for help.
“Mama” I call her, I don’t know what to say or ask.
“It’s Viktor.” She tells me. “They found his body.”
“What?”
It’s only been a few minutes. He couldn’t have…
“He went to the cave alone.” Mama clarifies through her flooding tears.
I try to protest, because no, he didn’t go alone, he waited until noon to go with me.
“He told his mama he couldn’t wait until you came from the office, so he went there in the morning.”
“No, mama, no! That’s not…he ...”
“They found his body a few hours ago.”
“But we went there only an hour ago!” I try to protest but it dies down my throat as the realization brings me to my knees. I have no strength left at all. 'My Viktor is really gone!'
Viktor did signaled me to follow me, but he never spoke a word to me, never wanted me to catch up to him. Because he wasn’t actually there…
He just wanted to show his best friend what happened…how he finally left us…left me…
And warn – the ghosts really do exist, in cave number five, and they don't really care who the living is...