Underground

28/5/13

This is a piece I wrote when I was experimenting with punctuation. A similar storyline to 'The Dark'.

Silence. Eerie silence. Soft footsteps. Click-clack, click-clack. Hiding. Darkness. Holding breath. Footsteps quieter. Eyes squinting. More darkness. Bodies huddled. Strained moans. Pretending is futile. They’re coming. We know it. No escape. Impossible. Never stop trying. Stuttered movements. Rearranging cramped muscles. Sharp hiss. Collective jump. Air vent. Laughter. Disbelief.

Tunnels. A labyrinth. Maze. Unplanned. No direction. Lost. Spontaneous fortune. Still alive. Somehow. Slimy stones. Sturdy walls. Arched roof. Erosion. Moss. Algae. Death trap underfoot. Uneven surface. Tripping. Tumbling. Stumbling. Mumbling. Stop running, certain death. Constant drip. Sudden gush. Foul smell. Heavy air. Burdened lungs. Singed nostrils. Intoxication. Unsafe. Not for human dwelling. Forced by circumstance. Cold. Shivers wrack everybody. No relief.  Sweltering heat. Sweat engulfs pores. No control. Feet splash. Weary. Fatigue. Must sleep. Find temporary safe-haven. Night shift. Terrors. Tremors. Jolt awake. Shaky breathing. Surrounded. Allies. Eyes closing. Shuffling. Packing. Moving on. Another day.

No light. No shadows. No fresh air. No life. How? Blind Hell. Chaos for the senses. Visually numb. Still not accustomed. Soldier on. Get past this. Self-pity won’t help. Shake it off. Feel strength. Balled fists. Surge of belief. Look round. No use. Try to sense comrades. Inspire them to continue. Leadership. Unwanted. But accepted. Drive onwards. Pushing weary legs. We must find it. Defeat them. At all costs. Severely outnumbered. Definitely easily overpowered. No real chance. Striving for survival. Seemingly pointless. No time to think. To try and predict fate. Altering destiny is the only hope. The only way. These people. Refugees. Forced out of civilization. Salvation has been earned. It’s deserved. So we battle. Freedom fighting. In the shelter. Shelter of darkness. Cocooned by it’s anonymity. All-consuming. It used to be scary. Now it’s our refuge.

Barking. Gnashing. Jaws. Teeth. Foam. Sinister sniffing. Ears pricked. On the hunt. Blood-thirsty. Attack is imminent. No hesitation. No endurance. Piercing eyes. All-seeing. Cutting through the eternal night. Watching. Waiting. Searching. A scurry of little feet. Heads snap upwards. Eyes locking on prey. Not the target. Pointless game. Poised to pounce. Muscles quivering. Claws gripping. Lips rippling. Growls ricocheting. Chills. The beasts. The hounds of hell. Messengers of death. Delivering suffering to all on their list. Master’s orders. They patrol nightly. The only known exit. Tendrils of light. Creeping through cracks. Illumination is so rare. We stand. In awe. A heavenly glow. Instills new faith. Deep breaths. Staggered steps. We recount the plan. How to tackle the beasts? Bait. Sick. Twisted. Stomach churning. But necessary. Sacrifice for salvation. In the half-light I notice my comrades. Each dirty face. Scarred by life here. Terrified. Unsure. And I know. It’s me. My time. I want this. To die a hero. A proud demise. With a loud whistle I seal my fate. Stepping from the black. I reveal myself. The animals howl. Blood-curdling. Running. Sprinting. Ripping through the tunnels. Nothing stops me. Until. A snarl. Right behind me. Hot panting breath. The ground abruptly breaks. A leap of faith.