The iron cover had shifted even further, as if something from inside tried to move it! Upon closer inspection, Robert found that the metal was covered not just with rust; there were deep scratches on it, as if someone from inside had desperately tried to get out for a long time!!! Strange spots on the stones, which in daylight looked like ordinary mold, now, in the lantern light, resembled something else entirely! They formed patterns, almost like writing, and were too symmetrical to be random! Robert leaned closer and made out silhouettes in them — human figures frozen in poses of agony or supplication!
The air around the well was not just cold; it was heavy, as if saturated with invisible moisture! Breathing became harder, and Robert felt sweat break out on his face, though the night was cool! The lantern began to dim, though the batteries were new! He leaned over the opening and directed the beam downward!
The light truly got lost in the darkness, not reaching the bottom, but now Robert noticed that this darkness was unusual! It was dense, almost material, like black fog absorbing the light! And in this darkness, something moved! At first, he thought it was a play of shadows, but the movement was too purposeful! Something was slowly rising from the depths, approaching the surface!!!
Robert backed away from the edge but couldn’t make himself leave! He dropped a stone and started counting — one, two, three! The seconds dragged on endlessly! Ten, eleven, twelve! And finally, after fifteen seconds, came a sound — not an impact on the bottom, but a splash! So there was water below! But why did the stone fall so long???
«Is anyone there???» He called, feeling foolish! His voice echoed off the well’s walls and returned distorted, as if passed through some filter! The crying instantly stopped!
Such silence fell that Robert heard not only his own breathing and heartbeat but something else — a quiet hissing, like air slowly escaping from a huge balloon! Then from the depths came a voice, and Robert realized he was wrong thinking of a person who accidentally fell! This voice sounded as if spoken underwater, and it held such longing, such hopelessness, that chills ran down his spine!!!
«Help me! Please! I’ve been waiting so long!!!» The voice was barely audible but absolutely real! Female, young, but with such weariness, as if it had sounded for many years! Robert felt his hair stand on end — not just from fear, but from pity! Whoever it was, he or she was clearly suffering!!!
«Who are you?? What happened to you???» He shouted into the well! The answer didn’t come immediately! First came something like a sob, then quiet laughter more like crying, and only then words: «Can’t! Get out! So long! Here! So cold and dark! Help me, please! I don’t want to be alone anymore!!!»
In the last words was such pleading that Robert felt physical pain in his chest! The words came distorted, as if from underwater, but the emotion in them was so strong it left no doubt of the suffering’s authenticity! Robert inspected the rope again — 20 meters of strong climbing cord! He tied it to an old oak near the well, made several knots for security, and checked the fastening! The tree was massive, roots deep — it would hold!
But before descending, he decided to try connecting again with whoever was below! «What’s your name? How long have you been there???» «Charlotte!» Came from below after a long pause! «My name is Charlotte Bennett!!!»
«And the time???» «Time flows differently here! Sometimes it seems like eternity has passed, and sometimes like I just fell!»
«Fell? How did it happen???» «I don’t remember exactly! It hurt a lot — in the heart… And I thought it would be better here! That there would be no pain here! But I was wrong! Here the pain is different — the pain of loneliness!!!»
Robert closed his eyes… Apparently, below was a girl who ended up there from a suicide attempt! «How long has she been there? Days? Weeks? How did she survive without food and water???»
«Charlotte, I’m coming down to you! I have a rope; we’ll get out!» «Really???» Hope sounded in the voice, squeezing Robert’s heart! «You’re not deceiving? People often promise help and then leave!»
«I won’t leave! I promise!!!» He checked the knots again, turned on the spare flashlight, and slowly began the descent! Descending into the well was a real test!
The first few meters weren’t so scary — ordinary stone walls covered in moss and moisture! But the deeper he went, the stranger the sensations became! The lantern tied to his belt swayed and cast trembling shadows on the walls, but these shadows behaved wrongly! They moved out of sync with the light, as if living their own life! Sometimes Robert thought faces flashed in the shadows — distorted, full of pain, begging for help!!!
The stones became more slippery! What first seemed ordinary moisture, upon closer look, was some kind of slime! It was not just wet; it was warm, almost hot, and pulsed under his fingers, as if alive! Robert tried not to think what it could be!
The smell changed too! Staleness and dampness gradually gave way to something else — a sweetish, nauseating aroma reminiscent of rotting flowers and something chemical! The deeper he descended, the stronger the smell became, mixed with other notes — a metallic tang of blood and something he couldn’t identify!