He dwelt in darkness under the earth. He lived in the lower regions and hunted eyeless fish in cold subterranean lakes. He was content for a long time.
Then the noises came from above. He heard digging, and drilling, and strange voices that seemed to call to him. As they grew closer, his curiosity became insatiable.
He found himself climbing up winding stairs and through artificial waterways, until he climbed an iron ladder and found himself in a vast stretch of light and noise.
The surface creatures were strange, ugly things. But he did his best not to be afraid.

“Manhole” by Joe Shlabotnik is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

My first very short story collection, The Mountain’s Shadow is available now from Amazon and Smashwords!

Everyday Drabbles © 2024 by Hugh J. O’Donnell is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 

Have a fabulous day!