"No, no, no, no." Cody tried pushing against the black portal with both hands, but there was no give to the smooth, black surface. It floated, immovable, like an enormous slab of obsidian in the dim tunnel.

 

He dug his phone out of his pocket, but when he pressed the home button the screen was black. He tried unsuccessfully to start it multiple times, but he got no signs of life.

 

Cody looked around and groped for a large rock fragment that he could use to try to crack the portal back open. Of the three softball-sized rocks he found, nothing could get the job done. 

 

He felt stuck. Do I explore farther and look for another exit, or do I wait and see if the portal opens back up?

 

Searching a little farther out, Cody found that tunnel dead ended not far from the portal, leaving only one direction to travel.  The linear nature of the predicament wasn't lost on him. It was beginning to seem more and more like he was the protagonist in some video game nightmare.

 

He set off down the tunnel, navigating the rough floor in the dim glow. Other than the sound of his own boots on the stone and the occasional sound of dripping water, the cave was oppressively silent. The noise seemed to die down immediately, which surprised Cody, he had expected it to echo or reverberate. 

 

Twice, he had come to places where the tunnel he was following intersected with other tunnels. After spending some time in thought he decided to scratch a “P” for “portal” in the path he had been traveling, so when he backtracked he would be able to find his way back. 

 

As Cody scratched the letters into the wall, he discovered the glowing streaks were made up of a sticky, mucous layer, almost like a slime. There didn’t seem to be any pattern or form to the way the stuff was spread on the walls, but he did remember there were a few types of mushrooms and plants that had a similar glowing property, called “Bio-luminescence.” 

 

Shortly after leaving behind the intersections, Cody started to notice irregularities. There were places where some of the bio-luminescent streaks were brighter than others, like multiple layers had been caked on, one after another.

 

A clatter of rocks tumbling on the tunnel floor put Cody on full alert. It was loud, and it was close. He couldn't decide if the the sound had come from the front or behind, and, as he was trying to come to some sort of conclusion, he saw the monster.

 

Suddenly appearing behind Cody was a creature maybe four feet tall and walking on two legs. It had dark skin, streaked with the same sort of bio-luminescent quality that lit the tunnel walls.

 

"WHAT THE...!?" Cody was cut short as the creature rushed forward.

 

SKREEEEE!

 

It launched itself at Cody, screaming like something possessed. Instinctively, Cody raised his arms to shield himself and felt the creature tearing at him with sharp claws.

 

Pain flared up in Cody's arms as he began to wildly flail his arms against the creature, trying to free himself.

 

What do I do?! What is this thing?! Cody's mind raced. He'd never even been in a fight before, and now he was fighting against some strange creature in a dark, alien tunnel. 

 

Cody frantically tried to free himself, but when he couldn't manage to push the creature away he tried to slam it against the tunnel wall with all his might.

 

He scrambled to get a hold on the creature and swung it hard against the rock wall. 

 

BOOM!

 

The tunnel shook as Cody made contact with the wall. The creature’s body had been crushed entirely, and Cody found that he had been covered with the creatures's bio-luminescent blood and entrails, along with the surrounding tunnel.

 

He was stunned at the force he had just exerted. Cody stared at his hands as he repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists. I’m stronger and I’m more durable, why don’t I feel any different?

 

He had only hoped to injure it and get away. Before this moment, he didn't think he could have actually killed it with his bare hands.

 

The creature lay broken at the base of the wall, a bright, glowing pool of blood spread out around it, and he could see that it looked similar to a fairy tale monster: a goblin.

 

It had severe facial features: a sharp nose and chin, long, pointed ears, and jagged teeth. It was wearing crude clothing that could best be described as rags, and had a chipped stone knife hung at its waist.

 

Cody picked up the knife; it looked small in his large hand. A few meager inches of blade were still usable as he gripped the handle tightly, but he felt a little less anxious knowing he now had something with which to defend himself. 

 

This section of the tunnel was now growing brightly, and Cody had a chance to examine his forearms. Where the creature had been clawing at him there was a patchwork of bloody scratches between his wrist and elbow. It hurt, but it didn't seem serious.

 

A shrieking in the distance jarred him back to his senses. How many of these monsters are in here?

 

Even amidst the danger, Cody couldn't help but feel a touch of confidence. He'd already beaten one monster with his bare hands, and he wasn't unarmed anymore. He clenched the stone knife in his hand and slowly moved forward with a hardened resolve.