Go For Stories

“Where are we going?” asked Levi. A wrenching crack sounded nearby and a steel beam fell to the floor between them and the albinoids, expanding the divide between man and beast. “It had better be close.”

“Don’t worry,” said Nigel, casting a glance at Audrey, who nodded in return. “It’s close.”

“Why is he here?” asked Milly, indicating Murchison’s tall and guilty form.

“We’re bringing him with us.”

“Why?” Levi wrinkled his nose in disgust. “This dickhead should stay and reap what he sowed.”

“Yes, but he refuses to stay, so he’ll have to come with us. Let’s just go.”

He turned and fled towards the lifts. Chittering, whistling, and screams washed upwards through the stairwell, gaining ground with each moment. Nigel jabbed some buttons on the watch, expecting instant results from the magical piece of tech. The lift never came. A sharp whirring, however, emanated from behind the double doors followed by a thin drift of smoke that snaked between the gap. A metallic grinding sound and a violent twang led to a series of crashes and bangs heralding the demise of the elevator car beyond.

“Fuck.” Nigel propped his spear against the wall and grabbed onto the gap between the doors, gripping hard with his fingers. “Help me out here.”

Everyone fell in, feeding their fingers into any spot they could. As a collective, they pried apart the doors, letting out a huge puff of acrid smoke. Nigel’s eyes watered as he coughed up a lungful of the foul stuff before peering into the dark shaft, expecting to see a clear opening, but getting a face full of bare steel.

“Where is it?” He asked. “Where’s the exit?”

“It’s hidden,” said Murchison, his voice betraying both his fear and his guilt. “Try that watch again.” He looked down at Nigel’s wrist before turning to Audrey. “I wouldn’t mind one of those when we get out,” he muttered.

His face reddened as Nigel shot him a warning look before returning his attention to the timepiece. Sure enough, a small icon flashed along the side; a grey arrow pointing towards the edge of the watch. Nigel pressed this and held his breath.

Nothing happened.

The accumulating sounds of the gathering hordes grew in intensity. They grew so loud that his head throbbed. He considered throwing himself down the shaft, in either a risky attempt to get away from the creatures, or simply to end it his way. He looked around at the others with an apologetic smile on his face.

“I’m sorry.” His voice broke as he spoke. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be, mate.” Levi slapped the side of Nigel’s shoulder. “Look.”

With an earthy grumble, the far wall of the elevator shaft split down the middle. Dust and small chunks of rock tumbled through the gap in the steel wall. It slid open with such a painful lack of urgency that Nigel felt they were likely to expire anyway. By the time it had opened wide enough to fit through, the albinoids nearby had mustered up the courage to move closer. They clambered over and squeezed through the growing rubble piles with sloth-like menace, but neared all the same. There was no doubt as to the location of the rest of the horde, either. The first glimmers of movement reflected off the doors of the stairwell a fraction of a second before the sound hit a terrifying crescendo.

“Jump.”

He didn’t need to yell or repeat himself, they knew what was required. Anthony was the first to go. He stumbled at the other side and fell to the ground. He was followed immediately by Audrey and Levi. Milly gave Nigel a sidelong glance as she leapt over the deep shaft, making it with ease despite her banged up knee. Nigel resisted the urge to look back over his shoulder as he sprang across the void. Halfway across, he felt a swiping sensation and cool air on his injured back. As he landed and the remnants of his shirt fell from him, he realised just how close he had been to death.

He took off at a sprint. There was no time to ruminate anymore. He could hear the heavy breaths of pursuing beasts and the chill of nearby spirits. The whistling and chittering and whispered shrieks were enough to light a fire in anyone’s legs. He pounded forward, catching up to his companions in a matter of seconds. Milly reached out for his hand and he took hold of it, realising only now that he had left his only weapon behind. The spear, the sting of his past, was lost to him. Now there was no fight left, no choice but to run.

He looked around as he ran. What he had originally taken for a corridor carved into the earth, he discovered was much rougher, more natural.

“Is. This. A cave?” He asked between heavy breaths.

“What?” Murchison’s voice came to him from the side. “You thought. We. Dug this? The hole. Was already here. We just … filled it.”

That made sense. He’d never really thought about it, but it would have been a nigh impossible task to excavate such a vast foundation without raising more than a few eyebrows. Want to keep a big secret? Find a sinkhole and chuck it in there. They must now be running through a connecting tunnel from the main chamber. At least there was light. A long line of old bulbs hung from the ceiling like incandescent stalactites. These must be powered separate to the complex as they appeared unaffected by the destruction happening behind.

He continued to ignore said destruction, but it grew more and more difficult as the ground lurched beneath them and the groans of the earth combined with the screams of otherworldly beasts. Now, the roars and shrieks had developed a hint of fear of their own. Were they still running from the creatures, or were they running with them? All could now be fleeing for their lives while the ground fell about their heads.

Up ahead, a shimmer of grey appeared in their path. From this distance it looked to be a mirage, a reflection of hope. As they neared, it solidified into something very real. The light reflected from the surface of the metal wall in trembling waves.

“Tell. Tell me. That. Opens.” It was getting harder to talk through the burn of his lungs.

“Yes,” Murchison responded in a painfully quiet gasp, barely audible over the increasing shrieks from behind. “Motion …” Instead of finishing his words, he waved his hand through the air in front of him, indicating that the wall was motion activated. It was probably set up on its own circuit in case of emergency. Given Anthony knew what he was up to; he no doubt knew he would need an escape plan.

There was no second wind upon seeing the end in sight, however. Nigel had used his second, third, fourth and final winds in the past few hours. He slogged it out alongside his two friends. Both of their faces were red with strain, their skin shining with sweat and blood. They had fought and survived, and now they would get out of this literal hellhole. Nigel allowed himself a moment of hope as they neared the door. A single shining moment of happiness before it all fell apart.

The shuddering of the complex stopped for half a second. Everything went quiet and still. Then, the world shattered around them. A blast of hot air and rock knocked them all down to the ground as it cracked and opened up around them.

Milly and Levi were flung free of the opening hole beneath them. Nigel’s footings loosened, then collapsed. He grabbed out, clasping at any handhold he could, digging his fingers into the soft dirt atop bare stone. He slipped, tearing the skin from the tips of his fingers. He scrabbled once more and found purchase, his entire lower half hanging over a fissure so deep the view of the bottom was swallowed in darkness. He clambered out of the hole, feeling the tension of brittle ground beneath.

Audrey screamed beside him and he found her in a similar position to that he had just escaped, only she hung from the legs of Murchison instead. Her knuckles were white with the effort and the veins in Anthony’s face stood out with the strain of holding them both above the void.

“Don’t let me go,” she pleaded. “Please hold on.” Tears streaked down her frightened face, forming rivulets of mud through the dirt that now clung to everything around.

“I … I can’t.” Anthony shook his head. He slipped an inch, shocking another scream from his companion. “You’re too heavy.”

“Mr Murchison,” she sobbed, “Anthony. Please. I’m scared.” He slipped another notch, bringing his entire lower half over the chasm now. Audrey lost grip with one arm and twisted above opening, dangling like a broken branch in a storm. “Don’t let me go,” she whispered, holding up her free hand for him to grab.

He shook his head, his breaths sharp and ragged.

“I’m not strong enough.” He cast his eyes away from her as she screamed and cried. His grip held tight …

… but hers did not. Her fingers opened and she fell. Her screams carried into the bowels of the earth as Murchison hauled himself to safety.

Nigel crossed to Milly and helped her get Levi to his feet. They both stared back at Anthony with scorn in their eyes. Nigel joined his gaze to theirs to find the dust settling over the other side of the hole in the ground. Beyond, a tidal wave of monsters fought to be free. Those that could not fly, rolled over each other in flashes of black and white. Their growls and snarls blended into one horrific roar.

From where he was, Nigel could see a gap through the middle, a parting of the sea of death inhabited by a solitary figure. It travelled at great speed. The clusters of creatures neared the edge, going too fast to stop. They would never fall to their deaths, though. Sure, one or two might make the descent, but they would jump and clamber and make their way to the exit, spilling out into the sunlight. They couldn’t have that.

As it closed upon them, Nigel saw clear the solo figure that travelled amongst the wave. He was not surprised to find it was his Julia, smiling at his presence. He watched her close in and knew what was to be done. He raised a hand to her.

“STOP.”

The gathering mass slowed, but kept moving. Julia raised her hand too, mirroring Nigel’s. The slowing crowd skidded to a stop. Nightmare limbs twisted around each other. Some creatures were pushed from the edge, some leapt in an attempt to reach him, but an invisible force pulled them back and into the abyss. Nigel stepped closer and Milly grabbed his shoulder.

“What are you doing?”

“It’s okay,” he said to her before turning to his wife. He called to her. “You want me that bad?”

Julia stared at him. Her jaw hung loose and her eyeballs bulged out of her skull. Even so, her smile was evident.

“Nigel,” Milly spun him towards her, “Nigel, you can’t.”

“I have to Milly.” He took her by the shoulders and leaned his forehead on hers. Despite facing away from Julia, he could feel the heat of her jealousy on his back. “Don’t you see? It’s the only way for any of us to get out of here.”

A grinding sound came from behind Milly. He looked up, beyond Levi who stood watching with tense interest and beyond Anthony, who slunk towards the rising door, his head hung low. Nigel threw a quick glance towards the nightmare gathering at his back. They twitched and swayed, nervous to be out, but under the spell of the witch, his wife. She stood, smiling and patient.

“But how?” asked Milly. “How will this help?”

“I don’t know. Oh, god.” He let out a shuddering breath. His heart quickened. This, above all else, had him frightened beyond belief. “I don’t know how, but I have to try. I have to know you’re safe. Please.”

She gripped his arms and squeezed, pressing her head against his, bringing a soft pain to his forehead. A tear ran down her cheek.

“I’m sorry, Nigel. I’m sorry it didn’t turn out different.”

“Hey.” He took a step back, gently prying her hands from his arms. He gave Levi a nod, which was returned with solemn ritual. “Look after him for me.” Levi moved forward and wrapped an arm around Milly’s waist. Nigel then pointed to Anthony Murchison, the man who had condemned thousands with his ambition. “And make sure he pays for this.” He ground his teeth together. “Make him fight for redemption. Make him earn his life.”

“We will, mate,” said Levi. “We will.”

“Okay.” Nigel stood tall and sucked in a breath. “Now go.”

He turned from his friends, hearing a quiet sob as he did, and faced up to his former love. Her entourage of creatures jerked in anticipation, watching the fleeing couple with undisguised relish. Nigel spread his arms wide as the ground began to tremble. This, he knew, was the last shudder of a dying reactor. It would not be long.

“You wanted me?” he asked Julia. “Come and get me.”

Something changed in the air, the albinoids, wraiths, and floating eels surged forward as one, leaping the chasm with ease. Heavy footsteps sounded behind him, growing quieter, being replaced by the sounds of the horde. The ghouls swept around him like water around a stand of rock. He stood firm amidst the rush. There was only one thing on the dead’s minds now; freedom.

The shuddering stopped, as the nearby complex took its final breath. Everything grew still. Nigel afforded himself one last look back, just in time to see the door slam down at the end of the tunnel, blocking off all chance of escape. He sighed in relief, Milly and Levi had made it out. He was Julia’s now and they would fall into the dark together: the married couple and the hordes of death. They stood, separated by nothing more than a crack in the earth and smiled at one another.

The world trembled, the air exploded and everything turned to black.

THE END.