Dark shadows danced madly against dank brick as we picked our way through the tunnel. I clenched my teeth against the cold. If they chattered, my mike would pick up the noise and some idiot would call me out on it later in the comments. It would be easy to feel smug about it when basking in the warmth of a computer screen. Greasy water sloshed around my calves, soaking into every inch of my old hikers. The boots would be destroyed after this, but it would be worth it if I could get good video of the waterfall. We’d been waiting for a decent rain, one heavy enough and long enough to filter down to the water table. The last time I’d been down here these corridors had been damp, but not flooded. Hopefully, the water I trudged through now was a good sign. I wanted video of water gushing down the side of the hidden mosaic, our lights illuminating the fountain spray.

 

      As we reached the end of the corridor, the water lapped at my knees. I adjusted the camera on my helmet, and checked the handheld to make sure my settings were ready to go. Ahead of me, Stacy preened. She fluffed her platinum hair around her neon lime spelunking helmet and reapplied lip gloss. She looked like an idiot spelunking in tight designer jeans and a Hello Kitty t-shirt, but the straps of her pack cradled her breasts in just the right way and her ass did look great in the jeans. My viewers loved her. I would love her more if she dressed for the job. Her legs were protected by my cinched waders, so naturally my feet were soaked and numb. She would probably trip over the oversize boots and land face down in the filthy water at some point. I grinned to myself. Stacy in a wet t-shirt would make this video viral in the first fifteen minutes it was online.  

 

      “Tank, get the lights set up. I’ll do the action shot as we enter the ballroom,” I gestured ahead of us and my heart-beat sped up as I pictured the shot in my mind. The dark corridor would suddenly open up on the cavernous inky expanse, only the cascading water lit by our spotlights. The mist would create prismatic colors amidst the graffiti and decay. It would be cinematic.

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Copyright Erin McFadden 2016