The Corrupted (Completed - editing)

Chapter 41 - "The Beginning"

Though I had seen the horrors of the ditch before on camera, nothing could have prepared me for the reality.

The air wreaked with the stench of death, radiating from the ceilings, floors, walls – everywhere.
And though the darkness seemed to consume all, it could not stop us from witnessing the mass amounts of blood and other substances over every surface.

It's as if the walls were speaking to us, recalling the horrors in which they'd seen.

Small whimpers echoed from the cages, yet not loud enough as to indicate that they'd seen us.

Fallon leads the group, as I creep forward beside her. She glances over at me, mouthing a string of incoherent words.

I nod my head to the side, towards the cage where I'd recalled Lee had found Ethan.

I prayed that he was still here.

We step together as a unit, some staying behind to the guard the doors, our footsteps in time as we approached the cage. Fallon switches on her night vision, which she'd explained was a feature in her special goggles, scanning the cage.

After about a minute, with no word from Fallon, she flicks off the switch and turns to me. I can see her face fall, as she slowly shakes her head.

He's not there.

I nod, turning around, continuing down the hallway. He had to be in here.

Behind me the sound of cages rattling sounded, echoing through the silent space. I spin around, flicking on my flashlight. It lands on a single face, trapped behind bars, their expression pleading.

"H-Hello?" She was a woman, with a frail figure and bony face, as if she hadn't eaten in weeks.
"P-Please, please help us..." She says, holding both bars to keep herself up.

I glance at Fallon, who had a finger pressed to her ear.

"We have a few minutes, they're approaching." She pauses, glancing around at the others before giving a nod of confirmation, "Get as many out as you can. Go, now, quickly."

Flashlights suddenly flick on, as we are set into action, quickly beating down doors, assisting the struggling figures out of the cages.

I pull open a door, helping each figure out, showing them the hallway to follow to find their way out, as Fallon had shown me.

A frail prisoner suddenly grabs my arm, my light illuminating her gentle elderly face.

"Are – are you an angel?" She murmured, searching my face, "Am I – am I dead?"

"No," I shake my head, smiling softly, "I'm no angel – and you aren't dead. You're free."

"Thank you," She smiles, exposing several missing teeth, brushing a hand against my face, "Thank you, my dear."

I give her a small nod with a crooked smile, as she stumbles away. The hole in my chest widened as she limped out of view, as I knew I'd probably never see her again. The odds of her escaping are slim, let alone the fact there's no way she could survive out in the hell we call earth.
I suppose what saddened me the most was her soft and gentle nature – an eerie reminder of my mother.
Whom, I thought, I'd probably never see again.

Another name on the long list of people who would always be lost in my trail of destruction.

"Eve." Fallon calls behind me, "We're all clear."

I turn around slowly, my gaze landing on hers. "He's not here."

She bites her lip, give me a soft nod. "I'm sorry, Eve."