Brighting

Chapter 16: No Turning Back

Bright exhaled slowly, his breath unsteady as his eyes darted around, taking in everything at once.

This wasn't just some dark alleyway or a strange abandoned building.

It was a cave. A huge one.

The walls stretched impossibly high, disappearing into an endless void of darkness. Massive stalactites hung like jagged teeth, their tips glistening with moisture. The air was damp, carrying the familiar earthy scent of wet stone—but there was something else beneath it. Something foreign.

His surroundings were barely visible, lit only by the soft glow of the portal behind him.

Bright took a few cautious steps forward, trying to get a better look.

Nothing.

The darkness swallowed everything ahead of him.

That was enough.

His curiosity was satisfied—at least, enough to know that he wanted no part of this.

"Alright. Cool. I've seen it. Time to leave," he muttered, turning around.

The portal shimmered before him, exactly as it had been when he stepped through.

He reached out, feeling for the thin, invisible film between him and home.

His fingers pressed against it… and met resistance.

Bright blinked.

He pushed harder.

Nothing.

His stomach dropped.

Slamming his palm flat against the surface, he tried to force his way through—only to be repelled.

With growing panic, he threw his whole body into it.

Nothing.

Or rather—something.

The portal bounced him back.

Bright hit the cold, hard ground, his heart pounding in his chest.

He sat there for a moment, staring in disbelief.

"…No."

That was all his brain could come up with. Just 'no.'

This wasn't happening.

"Curiosity killed the cat," he muttered. "This time, curiosity kills me."

His mind spiraled with every possible worst-case scenario.

What will Emily do if I don't return?

Would she look for him?

Would she cry?

He almost wanted to see her crying face.

But not like this.

Bright shook his head violently.

No.

He wasn't dead yet.

"When there's a will, there's a way," he muttered, pushing himself to his feet.

He dusted himself off, took a steadying breath, and turned back to the portal.

One more time.

Bright pressed his hand against it.

Still solid.

Still unmovable.

He contemplated using his gun but dismissed the idea.

Shooting a magical barrier wasn't exactly a foolproof escape plan.

Which left him with one option.

Forward.

Bright tightened his grip on his gun, ensuring the silencer was secure and the extra rounds were firmly in his pocket.

He wasn't dressed for an adventure.

A black shirt, green shorts, and basic sneakers. Not exactly combat gear.

But he'd make do.

Moving slowly, methodically, he crept deeper into the cavern, gun raised.

His ears were straining for any movement.

His eyes, however, were almost useless in this darkness.

With his free hand, he felt along the rough, uneven wall, guiding himself forward while trying to make as little noise as possible.

His entire body was tense.

All he wanted was to find a way out, go home, and sleep for a week.

It felt like he had been walking for five minutes, yet nothing had changed.

No branching paths, no sudden drops—just one long tunnel.

At first, his mind played tricks on him, making him wonder if this really was some huge scam.

Then he heard it.

Thump.

Bright's entire body tensed.

A distant, rhythmic thumping.

Like something hopping.

It was getting closer.

Bright's grip on the gun tightened.

"A rabbit? A kangaroo?" he thought, trying to make sense of it.

Then, suddenly—silence.

His breath hitched.

Had he imagined it?

A long exhale escaped his lips. Maybe he was just—

THUMP.

Closer. Faster.

Bright's pulse spiked.

Then—

A deep, guttural snarl.

His body reacted before his brain did.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The gunshots echoed violently in the enclosed space.

Bright had fired three times in quick succession, heart hammering in his chest.

He barely registered the sound of something crashing and sliding toward him.

His hands trembled, the metallic scent of gunpowder filling his nostrils.

The body landed at his feet.

Bright looked down—

And his stomach twisted.

He had expected a mutated animal or some deformed beast.

Instead, what lay before him was something else entirely.

Something that shouldn't exist.