in the grit of it

 Mannie kept his cool. They were lost. Typical. It was always this way. For a moment he thought he remembered before when they were both here. They'd fought with the beastly rats then, which seemed to guard the old tombs. 

Of course, his uncle would tell him, not to use the word tomb, because obviously there was nothing of value in them. Oddly, a lot of people used this cave for centuries. Some tribal. Some misfits and some just pirates. 

"You seem to forget easily," he told Sadie, or was he the one who forgot?

"What?" Like always her doe-like eyes got the best of him. 

"Nothing." It was best that she forgot. Especially, when they got to the top of the cavern and had to squeeze one by one into the slim shaft that was no more than possibly a death trap.

"Just keep moving," she went in first and he pushed her forward. "Just keep going."

She only fretted a little.

"Follow the sunlight."

"What sunlight?" She looked back.

"Don't look back, crawl, you can make it." Although, it felt they were stuck. Inch by inch felt like hours.

She didn't say another word. Maybe she remembered. But he doubted it.

They'd came here years ago when neither knew this place really existed. It was only for a hike. They were after all curious youngsters. She was much braver then. Perhaps it was his old uncle's doing. He'd wiped her memories clean. He said he didn't want her to know too much. 

Mannie was beginning to think the old man tampered with his memories too. Damn if he didn't hate that old soul's inner energy. Naturally, Mannie wondered about his own. It felt dead now. Nothing as it had been in his youth when he thought he might be somebody.

After all, he was only an owner of an old bookstore that no one seemed to know about. Now, it felt he was in a slow grind. As if this might be the end. But he squinted hard thinking he needed to find his inner energy before it was too late. 

Oh, the things he could have done with it. Being free as a bird. Strong as any superpower, because the energy could move rocks and things. Except now his brain felt fried. Perhaps, he just wasn't humble enough to sense it within.

Now, he sensed Sadie's struggle through the tight passage as she kicked back the dust and pebbles with her thick hiking boots. He doubted they were anywhere near the opening.

"Can you hear anything?" He wanted to know.

"Hear anything?" She was practically his echo.

Mannie sighed.

"I..I think I hear water," she said.