A Five-Minute Fiction: The Cave You Fear to Enter

“I just feel so listless, doc, I can't get over it.”

“When did this feeling begin,” the doctor said, uncapping his pen.

“Oh, I suppose it began after I found the cave.” The man laced his fingers behind his head and stared up at the ceiling; then he started his tale.

*

The cave was in side of a hill on my grandmother's wooded property down in Arkansas. I found it that day on my way to the fishing hole; somehow, in 20 years of rambling around that property, I had never before seen it.

Anyway, you might not believe it, but there was a dragon, I swear, breathing fire in the mouth of that cave. It was soooo Joseph Campbell. You know, 'the cave you fear to enter holds the treasure that you seek.' I wasn't amused. I didn't want to slay any dragon; I'd been on my way to have a relaxing afternoon at the fishing hole.

So, I decided the hell with Joseph Campbell. I'd show him. I wouldn't slay the dragon; I'd go around it, and still get at the treasure, whatever kind of treasure might be in there.

I went back to the barn and fired up grandpa's backhoe. It coughed and sputtered a bit, warming up; grandpa had been dead a few years at the point, and it hadn't been used for awhile. But it eventually got warmed up and I headed out to the hill.

Drove the backhoe up to the top and started digging. The dragon huffed and puffed at the mouth of the cave, but he wouldn't step out into the sunlight, so I wasn't worried about him any. In less than half an hour I'd broke through to the cave. I piled up some dirt to trap the dragon between the mouth of the cave and my entry point.

Easy-peasy. When I climbed down in there, let me tell you, doc, my heart almost stopped. There were piles and piles of gold dragoons just heaped up among the stalagmite. I swear, my eyeballs almost exploded with greed.

It took only a half hour getting into that cave, but it took about three hours to haul out all the gold. I cashed that in for dollars, put the dollars into bitcoin, and would you believe it? The next day bitcoin doubled in value!

Piece of cake! I still can't believe my luck.

Anyway, I got my treasure and I didn't have to face any fears. That Joseph Campbell's full of baloney.

I just wish I could get over this feeling of emptiness, doc, so I could enjoy my wealth!

Cover designed in Canva by @cliffagreen; dragon image from Pixabay.