I think that most readers would probably say that the central pit in the room is the first danger, and the body slicing pendulum is the second danger. That makes a lot of sense as an answer especially when a reader considers that the title of this story is "The Pit and Pendulum." However, I don't think the pit is the first danger. I think the first danger is the complete and total darkness that the narrator opens his eyes to. He even admits that he fears opening his eyes; however, he doesn't fear seeing horrible things. He fears seeing nothing. The narrator then gets up the courage to open his eyes, and his worst fears are confirmed. The darkness is unbelievable.
It was not that I feared to look upon things horrible, but that I grew aghast lest there should be nothing to see. At length, with a wild desperation at heart, I quickly unclosed my eyes. My worst thoughts, then, were confirmed. The blackness of eternal night encompassed me.
The darkness is so oppressive that the narrator struggles for breath, and he finds it difficult to remain calm and use reason. This unbearable darkness is the first danger because of how it could affect him mentally and emotionally. Because he can't see anything, his imagination threatens to take over completely.
I felt nothing; yet dreaded to move a step, lest I should be impeded by the walls of a tomb. Perspiration burst from every pore, and stood in cold big beads upon my forehead.
The darkness could drive him insane. It could drive him to panic. It could drive him to give up. The darkness is a danger because it limits his ability to obtain information and process what is and what is not dangerous. If the room had even a sliver of light, then the pit itself is no longer dangerous. It would be visible and avoidable.
The first danger the narrator faces in the story is the existence of a large "circular pit." His dungeon cell is enveloped in a darkness so complete that the narrator can see nothing of his surroundings. He decides to try to map out the area by wedging a rag into the wall and then counting the paces around the room until he gets back to that spot. Luckily, the narrator trips on his robe and falls flat on the ground, just missing the pit, which seems to be very deep, with water at the bottom. He realizes that he was always meant to fall into that pit and, in that way, meet his slow and agonizing demise.
Soon after, he is drugged, and when he awakens, he sees that he has been bound to a wooden framework. Heavily-seasoned meat is within his reach but no water. Large rats come up from the well, tempted by the food. He realizes that there is a bladed pendulum above him and that it appears to be descending, comprising the second danger to his life.
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