Melody and Lyrics

"I don't know. I've never heard a sound like that in a cave before. Come on."

I take her by the undamaged hand and we start to follow the passages back. Some times we crawl, other times it's a duck walk. I finally stumble upright with a back wrenching pop as the cave opens up.

Ahead of me I see the place where the guy with the hammer knocked off some rock to give him more headroom.

The problem is the place he was chipping is now on the floor!

Very slowly, aware of the dangers, I move forwards towards the rock. A few pebbles drop down to echo in the little pool of water by the base of the stone. I make her stop before we get to it.

The stone is as large as my brother's VW bug. It completely blocks the passage!

"Oh shit." I say in a whisper. I didn't intend for her to hear it but in here a whisper might as well be a scream.

"You can't move it can you?" she asks me softly.

"Come on lets get back away from here." Turning away from the bolder blocking our path I move back from it. It is at least something to do. "It's not safe here. Come on."

I lead us back into the tangle of caves to where I can find a flatter place still near enough to hear someone yelling on the other side of the bolder.

"Lets take a break here." I say after a second.

"Brand?" there is a lot of fear in her voice.

Look up, I see her eyes are colorless in the glowstick light.

"No Melody, I can't move that rock. I don't even know that moving it would be safe. It might be all that's holding up the ceiling in that area." I lean back against the muddy wall.

"So how are we going to get out of here?" she asks after a few seconds.

Looking at the glow lights, I reach up and turn off my headlamp to save the battery. The pale yellow light is terrible dim after the brighter LED's.

"We're probably going to need some help."

When I look over at her our eye meet. After a few moments she looks away. I sit quiet thinking about a bunch of different things.

"I'm sorry."

Looking up to Melody's face I see the lines of tears running down her cheeks.

"Hey come on don't cry." I crawl over to her and wrap my arms around her. "We're going to be alright. We're going to be fine."

She slowly starts to shake her head

"We're stuck down here because of me. If I didn't have to prove that I'm as good as all you boys at everything you wouldn't be down here." She sniffles and tries to pull away.

I hold her tighter.

"Melody. I do the same kind of thing. I'm the next oldest after you. I've spent years trying to live up to Keith and Mike and the others. Every one of them has done things I could only dream of trying to do. I had to go looking for weird things to do just to find something they hadn't. Why are we in a cave? Because your brothers went caving right? Why did they go caving? Because I went caving and they thought it was cool. So in a way you're down here as much because of me as for any other reason. So this is as much my fault as yours."

"Why...why did you want to come to this dark muddy hole in the ground. It's wet, cold, dirty and full of bats." She looks up at me. I can tell she's hiding a lot of fear under her questions.

I chuckle.

"Well this one is. But there are places around the world where the caves are filled with some of the most beautiful things. Huge crystals made of gypsum, dozens of feet tall! Lakes, rivers, waterfalls all underground. Caverns so big you could build a building inside them. Massive columns of stone supporting a ceiling covered in spikes. Even working that tourist trap I got to see some beautiful things."

I look up at the ceiling.

"This one, Lyric? Well...it's beautiful in a dark muddy kind of way. When you sit silent you can hear the dripping of single drops of water. They echo endlessly around you till they fade, then the next drop hits."

"I noticed that! When I was stuck. I screamed till I couldn't then I just lay there listened in the dark. I could hear the water dripping. It was like wind chimes.

I nod.

"There use to be wind chimes in Song cavern. I hung a set there the second time I came. Someone took them a few weeks ago. I use to sit and listen to them for hours." I smile seeing her face light up a bit.

Looking to the fading glow sticks I slip around to place myself next to her and lean in a bit. She looks at me.

"We're going to lose the light here in a bit. Once it's dark I don't want to lose you again." I reach over and take her hand. "Don't worry. We'll be alright." I tell her when I see her shiver.

She gives a nod.

The silence begins to grow as the darkness deepens.

"Brandon?"

"Yea Mel?" I pop my eyes open. I'm starting to drift off a bit listening to the water dripping.

"Do you have any food in that bag?" she asks softly. Almost like she's afraid to disturb the dark.

Pulling my bag to me I click on my headlamp then dig into it. After a few seconds I pull out the gray green package. I tear it open and start pulling out the contents.

I hand her the chocolate bar.

"Here start with dessert till I get dinner going."

She takes the candy and looks between it and me for a few seconds. She unwraps it and starts to eat while watching me get the MRE meal together.

"That's like... one of those Army meals?"

"Yep. I carry a few of them in here. Were having..." I pick up the pouch. "Chicken and dumplings. We have a couple of protein bars. They taste like rice or pasta. There not either one but that's what they taste like." I pull the top off the heat tab and fill the cup with water from my canteen. "We also have tea or coffee. Your choice."

She chuckles.

"What?" I ask watching the heat tab quickly bring the water to a boil.

"I've never had a guy cook dinner for me before."

Looking up I grin.

"Well when we get out of here I will take you out to eat. These are good when your hungry but they're still an emergency meal pack. Coffee or tea?" I ask as I pour some of the water into the pouch with the meal. I sit the cup down with the rest and dig out the smaller bag.

"Tea. I guess."

Opening the bag I pull out the pack with the tea bag and drop it into the cup.

You can already smell the chicken and dumplings as they heat up.

"God that smells good." She says leaning forward. I watch her eyes close in pleasure as she smell the food. The look on her face is nearly erotic. I look at her then in a different light. So to speak.

Even covered in mud Melody is a beautiful woman. Under all that mud her hair is a pale almost white blond that hangs shorter than most women her age wear it.

She looks up seeing me looking at her.

"What?"

Shaking my head I look away. The meal cooked I reach up and flip off the light.

The two glow sticks are fading fast, or maybe my eyes need to readjust after the brighter LEDS.

"Brandon."

She smiles at me. "What were you looking at?"

I look back down at the food. Then back up at her.

"I was looking at you. You look beautiful."

She looks down at her muddy clothes.

"You have one very twisted idea of beauty. I look like a mudpie."

Smiling I hand her the small metal plate with her half of the meal. I take the fork and dig into the pouch. I open one of the protein bars for her and take one for myself.

"I seem to remember being told you and I sat in a muddy ditch making mudpies one time." I chuckle with her. "We were what four and five?"

"Something like that." She answers chuckling " I seem to remember Mom saying you liked to eat mudpies. Ate them till you made yourself sick.

What she just said she looked like and that I liked to eat clicks together in my brain like a switch is thrown.

I can't stop my lips from twitching.

"What?"

Looking up I see her make the connection at the same time.

Her blush is visible even in the dim light, and under all the mud. She looks down at her food and giggles.

We are soon both giggling in the growing dark.

The pack was really for one person to eat. I gave her the bigger half of it but it still only takes a few minutes to finish. The warm cup of tea is sweater than sin after she got a hold of the sugar pack but it too only last the two of us a few minutes.

"Still hungry?" I ask after a bit of silence between us. "I could fix another one."

She shakes her head.

"Save it. We may need it."

I nod. The fact that she's accepting we may be down here for a bit more than a few hours is a good sign to me. I prefer rational thinking to fear laced hysteria.

She holds up her glow stick and gives it a shake again.

"That doesn't rally help." I tell her softly.

She nods and sits it down. I see her shiver.

"Cold?" I ask.

She nods. I put my arm around her and pull her in tighter to me. She is soon a warm soft feeling against my side. I feel her lean her head over onto my shoulder.

"Brandon?" I hear a sniffle. "I'm scared. Really, really scared."

I give her a squeeze.

"I know Mel. I know. We'll be alright."

"Promise?"

Nodding at her silhouette I look down. One of the glow sticks is now dark and the other is fading quickly.

"I promise."

She turns her face up towards me. I see her eyes for a second then the light starts growing dimmer and dimmer.

Just as it disappears I don't know why, but I lean in and softly kiss her.

Melody's lips flutter against mine for a second then I feel her kissing me back.

I start to feel a growing passion in the touch of her lips. A building of need that comes to me in the dark. I feel her hand touch my chest the fingers finding the zipper of my coveralls and pulling it down. Her hand is silky against my chest as she runs her fingers through the sparse hair.

Her hands pull the zipper lower. I break the kiss.

"Mel?"

There is silence from my cousin for a second then I hear her draw in a deep breath. Her hands move away.

"Sorry. Making out with a guy in the dark, felt like something familiar. I didn't have to think about what I was doing. It was kind of helping with my nerves. I'm sorry Brandon."

Reaching out in the dark I catch her hand as it leaves my skin. I pull it back in till she's pressed into my skin just under my nipple.

"You just startled me is all. If it helps..."

She leans in a bit. I feel the warmth of her words. I can smell the chicken on her breath.

"It was helping, but we're ...cousins. I shouldn't have done that." She leans her head against my chest.

"Melody. I kissed you. It's not your fault." I lean my face down into her hair. The mud has dried there and crumbles under my touch. I hold her too me.

In the silence that follows I can hear the drops of water falling. The occasional squeaks of bats farther off in the caves.

I'm half asleep when I hear her whisper.

"I love you."

Her words are soft, with the echoes of my own sleepy feelings in them.

"I love you too Mel. Try to rest some. The time will pass quicker that way."

I just vaguely aware of her next words.

"I'm glad you came for me."

"Me too." I mumble.

Can't really tell I'm awake when I open my eyes. Are they open? It's so mind blinding dark in here. I blink but that does nothing.

I hear my name called off in the distance. Then Melody's!

"Mel? Mel, wake up they're here!"

"What? Oh!' I feel her stirring beside me.

"I'm going to turn on the light. Watch your eyes."

The LED's are painful even with my eyes closed. I slowly open them. It's like looking up into the sun! I see her blinking away tears.

"Melody! Brandon!"

The voices are closer.

"Come on." I pull us to our feet.

Leading us back through the passages to the room where the large rock is sitting blocking our path I can see little slivers of light from the other side of it.

I recognize one of the voices when they call out again.

"Were here!" I yell back to Melody's brother. Jason and Todd call out to someone else.

"We found them!"

Pebbles fall from above and I hear a strange sound.

From above me!

Rushing up to the rock and as quietly as I can, I call past it.

"Stop yelling. Jason...Todd. The ceiling is unstable. Stop yelling you could bring it down on all our heads."

"Brandon?"

"Yea. I found Melody. We're safe." I hear her start to come forwards but I turn and hold out my hand to her. "Stay there. Todd? Can you hear me?"

I hear Melody's oldest brother's voice come to me past the rock.

"Yea Brandon. How are we going to get y'all out of there?"

"You remember the place I worked? Cathedral Caverns. Get yourselves out of here. Call down there, you need to talk to a Simon Markus. Simon Markus. He's the top caving specialist in the area. Tell him what's happened. He will know what to do."

Pebbles rain down on me.

"Okay." I hear Todd say quietly. I guess pebbles are falling on him too. "Y'all going to be okay for awhile till we get back?"

More pebbles and another groan. I get ready to sprint back to Melody's side.

"All right are not we're not going anywhere till you get back. Now go. Remember, Simon Markus."

"Got ya. Good luck and take care of her."

The light starts to fade from the other side.

Walking back over to Melody I take her hand and lead us back to where we were sitting.

Pulling over my pack I unzip a side pocket and pull out two Snickers bars. They are a little warped from being melted and then cooled but I hand one to her.

She just holds it looking at it.

"We're going to be okay." I tell her after a few seconds.

She looks up at me. I see her slowly nod.

"Who's this Simon guy?" she asks as she unwraps the chocolate.

I swallow a mouth full.

"He was my boss. He knows more about caves than just about anyone."

"And he can get us out of here?" she asks.

I nod.

"If anyone can. Yea. He's helped with cave-ins before. In a lot of places."

We finish the chocolate and I lean back against the wall looking at her. She is covered in dried mud now. I reach over and rub a hand across her arm. It flakes away from her skin seeing this she starts to rub at the dried mud.

"I'm..." I hear her start to say. Then she stops

"Still scared?" I ask after a few seconds. She looks up at me. I see her slowly nod. Reaching over I take her hand and she moves over to next to me. I give her fingers quick squeezes.

Reaching up I click off the light.

Leaning into Melody I feel my lips brush hers in the dark. Then they settle against her's and I feel her hands come around to the back of my head.

Pulling Melody to me and I feel her body melt against me. Her warmth begins to spread against me as I kiss her. Ever so slowly I feel her tongue slip into my mouth.

In the total darkness I begin to slowly let my hands explore my lovely cousins body. The soft curves, the warm hard points, the firm flesh. I feel her moan into my mouth then she is hugged tight to me her head next to my ear panting.

"Brandon...if we do anymore I wont be able to stop. I feel her shiver against me. I turn my head into her skin and begin nibble down the side of her neck. Little flakes of mud fall away. I feel her gasp and her nails dig into my shoulders through the coveralls. "Brandon?"

I pull away from her a bit and rest my forehead against hers.

"I don't.... want us to stop, Melody. I don't want us to."

"But we're cous...."

Turning my mouth up I silence her with my lips. I lean back against the side of the cave wall and pull her to me till she's half lying across my lap. Softly kissing her I run a hand up under she shirt and slowly across her soft stomach. I feel the tips of my fingers touch her bra. The fabric lacy but damp under my fingertips as they caress up across the bare skin above.

Her lips leave mine then her chin moves across my mouth as she leans her head back. I kiss at her throat, then turning my head I follow the line of her jaw to her ear. I puff the flaky mud from my lips.

She giggles in the dark, as the warm breath touches her. I feel her fingers unzip my coverall and her hand slips inside again. This time her nails dig into my skin a bit.

Then suddenly she's moving in my arms. I feel her slip away, then her warm thighs straddle my legs. I feel fabric brush my nose for a second. I can tell she's done something but not what. Her hands close around the back of my head and I'm pulled forward into her chest.

Ah, she took her shirt off. I place soft kisses on the warm soft skin above her bra the scratchy lace brushing my chin as I kiss and nibble my way down into her cleavage.

"God I wish I could see you." She say her lips press into my hair. I turn my head up and find her mouth with mine.

My hand runs up her bare back across the bra strap and into her hair. I feel dry mud flake around my fingers as I clench my fingers in the short hair at the base of her scalp. I hear her gasp then her breath becomes a pant.

My other hand moves from her side around her back and I catch the clasp of her bra. In less time than you can blink I open the hooks and I fell her bra slip open.

"You did that one handed?" she says startled.

"I've had a bit of practice."

"Really? Who?"

"I'll tell you who, if you tell me who you lost your virginity too." I say teasingly.

She goes still and quiet in my arms.

"Melody? I was kidding you don't have to tell." I say after a few second of the silence.

She's next to my neck then her face buried in my hair. I feel her words as a warm whisper.

"I've fooled around a lot but ...I've never let it go that far."

I sit back but hang onto her.

"Really? I've heard Barry..." I start to say something then stop.

"I never did more than kiss him." I hear her say with more than a bit of anger in her voice. "I've heard he's been bragging about me doing all kind of things with him. If he wasn't gone off to college on that football scholarship I would have beat his ass blue by now. What did you hear I did?"

I really don't want to tell her.

"It's okay Brandon, you can tell me. I've heard most of what he's said from my friends."

I swallow.

"He didn't know I was standing nearby. I over heard him say you had given him a blowjob on the last day of school." I take a deep breath. "On the bus on the way home."

"I gave him a goodbye kiss but it sure wasn't on his dick! That piece of shit." I feel her lean in against me. Her breasts are bare against my chest. I pull my zipper down to my waist and I revel in the feel of her skin against mine.

"When we get out of here you want me to go kick his ass for you?" I ask half joking.

"When we get out of here I'm going to kick his ass myself! Then you can kick it." She leans down till her forehead is leaned against mine again. "Brandon?"

"Haven't gone anywhere." I say softly. I begin to caress her side with my hands. "Got no plans to either."

"Do you think I'm nice looking?" I hear her ask softly, a lot of uncertainty in her voice.

If she could see my smile.

"Oh my yes. I love your dark eyes, black hair, midnight skin and all those sexy black clothes your wearing."

I hear her chuckle.

"You ass. I was serious."

"You beautiful Melody. You one of the most beautiful women I've ever known." I place a soft kiss on her nose. Okay I was aiming for her lips but... I was close at least. "Now what brings up that question?"

"All the other girls I went to high school with...They were so very sexy looking. They had much bigger breast, I know you noticed Margaret!"

I chuckle.

"When you park two small planets next to each other of course you notice." I let my hand drift up her side then out onto her breast. "Yours are nice. A very good size. I wouldn't have you even one size bigger."

"Really?"

To answer I lean in and after a few attempt place a long lingering kiss on her nipple. I feel it tighten under my lips.

"Oh Brandon...Oh good answer."

Her fingernails dig into my scalp as I suck in her nipple and lash the hard point with my tongue.