1974 School Magazine

THE CAVE It had been a warm sunnv morning. when I had set out on my ',tour of -inspectioi;' of the famed Deathless Cave, yet here where I now was it was dark and clammy and more than cool. This morning -I had heard birds, people, dogs and cars, hcre, I had found a noise^mo're'deafening than all - silence. This morning I had watched childrcn playing games with tlieir ball, here I watcheci the painting. . fnj., painting was not an ordinary painting by all means. As I sat and warch6d.' I wai attractcd more and more, yet a part of me was revolted and unwilling to acceft. The colours of which the painting was composed were light greys_. mauve-, black, white and a creamy green but tlresc were often confused with brilliairt"reds, oraltses and purples. The fieures were of a woman, a -magnificent woman, and her two, what I took to be, children. I could not yei teli whether they were male or female. The chiidren were seated at their mother's lap with adoring . cyes raised upwards towards he?, and she, had one slender *ell shaped hand on'their heads. Thc scene was one of 'the greatest peace rund.bcar,rty. but my eyes detected some fault. I he assurance that something was wrong Jillcd. nre and, my rhoughts, but" although thE parntlng .was slorvly dissolving its misty v6il and lt wrls clearcl' than at first. I still was not able to su.u..well enough tc judge. A slorv dull rche rvas -beginning to fill me. With it canre fear. The aihe sp"read slowly, slowlV thror.rgh nry heacl, clown thro'ugh my neck, srloLlrocrs. ,nry. L'-ppef arm was now like a lump :ll u:"t.)) le'ad. My.back, legs, feer, roes. Throd, rnroD. throb. thr.ob. The pain seemed to be ker.'ping in steadl time to an unr.in drum. l-L-ar witsn-t hc.lping mLrch. either. Waves of it pountic'tl thr. channeis of my mind. If I was l]::"]ll l'd,bc quivering litc a rabbit.s whisker, our rnls dull stL-aclv potrnding hurting unwilling pain, u as far from bein_s nirmui.'--i fruo r,oO barelr'.nnr. cxperience of "pain in mv life-so ttris :::l].,1 to nragnifr n-r, feelings to on'.u.n g..ut.. s t agr.. . By' this tinte. *'hat seemed like years later, y]i1._r,,cil oyr-r,the paintin_u was gone. S,1aj."fy iir.i Drood. rushed ro nl) head, as my aching 6rain pounded and rocked with the astounding"know_ led-ee of rvhat I sau.. I,.ouLOn,i .r.up." it. rufv limbs could nor. No. woutO not-;;"";. I saw thc. rvoman's hands slide down-'-io'li.-eracetut rvhirc' nccks of herj children. i ,u*"li,E'ti.... cletcrminntion in her .facc.. I ,u* -f,.i f,u,iO gtid. io. the n:tpcs- of their necks. f saw -fre.- iranO :il't,,ll"i1d; Squeezc. I saw the vicims cry our rn lL'ar ilnd pain. I no longer saw _ I feit _ I felr incrc'clibte srre n_erh gi,f,i,i"gl frtlding. squeez_ ins. nrc. I ielt the 'n..8 fd. ,fi;.'Tl.f it. in_ sanity of ..nry ter.rorizer.. No. Mrrd;;;;. 'i t.tt. i1;:::. '^,.,^.], Ty cyes bulge. r fert my tongue rourng over my lower lip, I saw itre two dead bodics ar rhe fcet of ihe *Jruo.'"t ,u* triumph in her c.yes. I felt ihe .olJ^t'ou.f, of death cnfotd me like u ,r,iouo.'i .".". l;il . , death.

Wylie,