Stuck in a cave

"All I wanted was to enjoy my birthday."

"In a cave?"

"Oh please, if you are so uncomfortable, why did you even come in the first place?"

"Well, I was dragged here without my will. We wouldn't be stuck here, had it not been for you stupid birthday in a stupid cave."

"Guys, just shut up," Lily shouted by making her friends stop arguing. Rachel and Maggie were making this more difficult for Lily. She was frustrated with her friend's childish behavior.

"Now, let's think about escaping from this cave." Lily pushed her hair back in frustration, but none of them got any ideas.

"Are you crazy, Lil? It's raining heavily, and the water is coming inside without a sign of stopping."

"You should have checked the weather before arranging your dump birthday party in a cave."

"You are testing my patience Maggie, do you want to fight?"

"Well, I don't fight with stupid people. So, no thanks."

Lily stopped Rachel when she was about to throw a punch on Maggie's face.

"Right now, we need co-operation. Not a fight scene."

"Well, she started it." Rachel pointed out Maggie, who stuck her tongue out in response, making the other even madder.

"Stop fighting and putting blames on one another. Now, how many torch lights do we have?" Lily was the youngest in the group but acted more mature than the other two who were supposed to protect her.

"I have three backups," Maggie said after checking her backpack. Lily had two more with her, while Rachel had one.

"Now, it's almost 9 p.m. We can't look for an escape way and waste our torch batteries. It leaves us to stay here tonight. Let us stay on the big rock up there, so water could not reach us"

Lily placed her backpack on a rock and climbed up.

The water was entering the cave, and it was rising for every hour. The sound of raindrops filled the cave making the three friends a little terrified.

"Do you think we are gonna die?" Maggie broke the silence while fiddling her fingers with her wet sweater.

"No, we will get out after the dawn."

Maggie sighed and closed her eyes and drifted her thoughts about her past. Though her family never cared about her, she oddly missed them. They were busy working and earning money for her, but they never understood her real wants.

She wanted their attention, rather than the money, and a luxurious life.

"I am sorry, guys. We are stuck here because of me." Rachel spoke after a big silence making the other two look at her. They both knew why Rachel wanted to spend her birthday with them. Her family was abroad, leaving her alone in the big mansion.

Maggie and Lily sighed by her confession and sat up on their rocks carefully.

"I-I hope the rain stops. If not, the cave would submerge in water." Maggie said while looking at the water slowly, making the rocks disappear.

"How can I sleep when anytime we could die?"

"We are not going to die, Rachel. Stop talking nonsense." Lily yelled at her friend, who was being a no help in this situation.

"Don't shout, Lil. Your ugly voice is echoing." Maggie countered, making the other two laugh.

The chillness was dominating inside, making the three friends shiver in the cold.

"Here, take this." Rachel threw her a small blanket to Maggie, whose lips and legs were trembling. She whispered thanks and covered it around her body.

"You know, I am thankful for you two guys. Though the party didn't expect as I wanted, I am happy that I am with two people I love the most."

"Well, I am glad that you guys cared and took care of me whenever I felt lonely," Maggie confessed, making the other two look at her with a smile.

"FYI, today is not the thanksgiving day. You both speak like it's the end of the world." Lily furrowed her eyebrows while Maggie and Rachel shrugged their shoulders.

"I am saying Lil, have you never felt happy when we were with you?"

Rachel asked by making Lily thinking about her life. Though Maggie and Rachel expressed their situation, Lily never did.

She never shared about her alcoholic father, who physically abused her every night. She was very thankful for the foundation, which always helped her scars on her face and body. But nothing could hide her invisible scars inside her heart. She wished she had a mother who would hug her and tell her, "Everything was okay." But nothing was in her life.

But deep inside she was always happy that she had Maggie and Rachel beside her. They made her forget about her pain, she cared for them like her own sisters.

The three were freshmen in their college, and she found something in them which made her feel comfortable, more like a family.

After their college, the three got into different fields and had a family of their own. But still, they managed to spend time with each other by exploring different things. She smiled without her conscience and looked at her sisters.

"You kidding. You guys are my friends but sometimes you both are troublesome kids." Lil snorted and looked above to see the walls where water was leaking and falling on them.

"I wish I never ditched that stupid swimming class." Rachel hissed and looked at the other side of the cave with her torch. It was flooded with water but there was no sound of rain.

"Switch off the torch Rach, it's too bright." Lily annoyingly said while covering her eyes with her hand.

"Aren't you afraid of water entering the cave. We will find difficult to breathe."

"Well, no one will know we are here. It's not like anyone is going to help us. Why do you bother anyway? Save the battery we might need tomorrow."

"So bold of you to think about tomorrow. Lil, we will never make it outside." Maggie sniffled her cries and stopped the tears from falling down.

"Why not? Come on we all knew we have seen worse than this."

Maggie and Rachel didn't dare to speak since they both knew Lily was right.

"We will never be here, had it not been Rachel's birthday. You would be busy babysitting your grandchildren, while Rachel would be going walks with her dog and I would be gardening. It's been many years since we gathered like this. I know we didn't expect anything like this to happen, but I am happy that we finally found some time to ourselves. And it's important because Rachel is turning eighty today."

Lily said while looking at her friends. Lily grabbed something from her bag and lit the matchstick by making Rachel gasp. The cave was brighter with the small candlelight. Maggie and Lily started singing a birthday song for their best friend Rachel.

They clapped their hands when Rachel blew away the candles and the cave became dark once again.

"Oh shit, wait let me get the torch." Maggie switched on the torch and saw Rachel cutting the cake piece with her shaky hands. They can't afford a knife in the darkness but didn't bother about eating in hands either.

"Now it feels like a party," Maggie yelled and it echoed throughout the cave.

"Now I can die peacefully."

"Shut your ugly mouth. I want to live." Lily and Maggie said in unison making Rachel laugh at their behavior.

Age didn't stop them from enjoying, their heart was still as young as their college days.