Parallel

A short dimensional rift originally published in the anthology GEEKS RULE, 2012

There were eight of them.

Eight friends who loved adventure, excitement, even danger.

Skiing, bungee jumping, sky diving, surfing, rock climbing; there wasn’t much they weren’t willing to try. Friends since high school and all through college, John, Mitch, Kevin, Bryan, Steve, George, Jin, and Marcus were irrepressible in their search for that next adrenaline rush, which is how they ended up at the cave.

The twenty four hour summer sun beat down on them relentlessly, showing no mercy since the early morning when they drove two four wheel drive SUV’s up the long dirt road through the thick spruce forest to the clearing at the base of the mountain. At eight that morning they got out and made their way along the narrow foot trail as the sun rose higher raising the mercury levels as each moment ticked by.Contrary to many people’s perceptions, Alaskan summers can get down right hot, well into the 90’s and beyond. This had been just such a day.

When they reached the 4000 foot level the direct s…