WNWN XXXV

Early the next day they were up and after a quick bite of breakfast they were soon on their way.
By now familiar with the path through the caves and taking advantage of the lamps they had spaced along the way it wasn’t long before they came to the passageway.
“Let’s get it done,” said Paul.
Conrad said nothing and turned on his lamp and soon disappeared into the entry way. Paul followed.
The interior of the passage was wet and slimy to the touch. The same foul smell of the cavern wafted through here too.
There was a low, green bio-luminescence which lit the way. Fortunately the distance they had to crawl wasn’t that far. Soon they came to the exit and stood in a large, well defined room.
On the walls were incredible murals still vivid after hundreds of years. Large glyphs accompanied depictions of fierce gods and demons, mythological monsters and tormented souls. The overall impression foretold apprehension and danger.
They also discovered a huge, ornate gate of an ancient design.
“The gates of hell,” Paul mused out loud.
“I think you’re right,” said Conrad.
To their surprise the gates opened easily to the touch and they walked through.
There they found the heat more intense and fumes more noxious. Far below them coursed a stream of molten lava, this surely was hell. The lava cast off an eerie, glowing reddish light and in the shadows they seemed to see something moving, strange demonic creatures staring with glowing eyes.
Both men were filled with fear.
“What are we doing here,?” asked Conrad, his eyes wide with fear, his voice quaking.
“I think there is nothing we can accomplish here,” said Paul, exceedingly calmly under the circumstances. “Let’s go back.”
“Yes sir,” said Paul, and they turned and began re-tracing their steps.
Suddenly there rose from the lava pit a huge, hulking lava monster with bulging eyes and a mouth full of fire. He soon was in their face and he reached out his molten, misshapen hand and pointed to them.
“I am Chunka-cal,” his deep voice boomed. “You are not to leave this place. Once mortal men enter here there is no escape.”
The two stood and stared, transfixed.
Paul then heard El Indio, speaking to him inside his head.
“Do not run or show fear. You can overcome this demon because his will is weak. You have power. Power comes to those who seek it. Seek it now.”
Time seemed frozen in the moment until, suddenly, Conrad could take it no more. He turned to run but the path crumbled beneath his feet and he plunged down towards the sea of fire.
Paul stared in horror as Conrad’s body fell.
“You have the power, seek it,” the voice said.
Paul then jumped in after Conrad. He felt no fear, only power and confidence. He was in control. He swept down, like Superman and he caught Paul in his arms before he hit the worse part of the heat and just as swiftly they were back on the ledge, singed but ready to face Chunka-cal.
Paul told to Conrad to run, which he did and he turned to face the monster.

WNWN XXXIV

“Mr. Hewlett, it is getting to be a long trek down into the cave. We might need to think about more precautions and procedures to help make this a bit easier,” said Conrad.
“What do you have in mind?” asked Paul.
“We should lay in some food, such as MRE’s, along the way in case of emergency. Also we could have batteries, extra lights, rope, cell phones other things we might need.”
“Well, let’s think about it. Meanwhile let’s get some rest, I want to go back early tomorrow.”
“OK.”
Neither slept solidly and both appeared the worse for it as the sun came up the next morning.
After a quick breakfast they were soon down into the cave. With each descent they became more sure of themselves and more familiar with the terrain and this helped them move more efficiently through the underground caverns.




Paul decided they would move on past the incredible discovery of the pyramid and see where the passage went from there. Neither man spoke. Each was thinking thoughts of what surprises yet lay ahead. They also felt uneasy thought neither told the other that was the case.
“It’s time to start leaving reference marks on the cave wall just in case we get lost we can find our way back,” said Paul. With that Conrad pulled out a large grease marking pen and made a big yellow arrow pointing the way to where they had come.
“How’s that?”
“That’ll do fine,” said Paul.
They crept along for nearly an hour all the whiled sending at a slight decline and with no great difficulty on the well defined pathway. There was an increasing odor in the atmosphere of the cave, a slightly sulphurous smell. Both men knew that oil wells frequently drilled into deposits of hydrogen sulfide, H2S, a lethal gas that smelled like rotten eggs, which had felled many an unwary rig hand or driller.
“Did you bring a sniffer?”
“Yes,” said Conrad. He pulled out the small instrument used to detect dangerous gasses. He took a reading. “It shows positive for hydrogen sulfide but not a dangerous level.”
“OK, we’ll check it again soon,” said Paul. And they continued slowly on. “It doesn’t take much for that gas to kill. We’ll have to stay on our toes.
It was getting noticeably warmer and they began to detect a slight, occasional tremor, adding to their discomfort level.
They passed more statues and bas reliefs on the walls, all bearing a strong resemblance to the Mayan art of the Yucatan and other locations.
“I have never read of the Mayans or related tribes in this area, I am sure it is not on any historical record. But this is obviously proof they were here. How long ago?” mused Paul. “This is a valuable discovery!”
“But this is a discovery we will not be able to share with the world, isn’t that so?” asked Paul.
“Well, yes, you are correct. That would upset all of my plans. Perhaps one day we will be able to disclose this but not in any immediate future.”
Now they approached what appeared to be a crude arch cut in the stone and covered with a large, round flat stone set on edge and decorated with pictographs and symbols.
“This looks like a calendar,” said Paul. “I wonder what it says?”
Suddenly Paul heard the voice of El Indio, as if he were there with them!
“This is a warning! It says go no farther or you risk unleashing the true demons of Hell!”
“I hate it when you do that!” Paul yelled out.
“What?” asked Conrad. “Do what? I don’t know what you are talking about,” said a startled Conrad.
“Sorry,” said Paul. I think El Indio is inside my head again. I heard him speak. He said this was a warning and should go no farther”
“Maybe he’s right, at least for today,” said Conrad.
“I think you are right. Let’s backtrack back out.”
Paul checked his watch. It took much less time to exit the cave than it had taken them to reach their stopping point. Soon they were back at the ranch house and enjoying supper.