When Allison Valentine, a self-proclaimed z-lister, fled suburban England for the shimmering lights of New York City, she didn't expect to find faux fame. But when a text from the best friend she left behind warns her that the very horror she fled f...
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So we sprinted. The forest opened out to us as we ran aimlessly, already having lost the trail we came through in our haste. Hands clung to mine as we panted, twigs crunching under us as the rumbling behind our heads grew louder and louder. When I dared look back, I let out a wail.
"Don't look!" Michael cried to me, tugging me forward instead. It was too late, though - the image was burned into my mind. An army of the dead were following us in the most terrifying forms: a dead woman limply dragging herself from tree to tree as her dislocated jaw dragged on the ground, a stamping beast with the legs of a horse and bloody arms reaching out to heave us back, a tiny boy with the blackest of eyes, grinning as he charged at us, growling ferociously.
Hell. Literal hell.
It all seemed too easy as a pipe stuck out of the ground, the only thing separating us from miles of forest. It was wide enough for us to crawl down and though I had no idea where it would lead, it had to be somewhere better than what loomed behind us.
It was a collective decision as we threw ourselves downwards, scrabbling through the tunnels as we cried out shallow breaths, barely enough room to move. It grew darker and darker till we were in the pitch black, voices echoing as we ignored the thundering footsteps behind us.
"Go, go!" Violet cried, "They're... they're coming into the tunnels!"
As the person in front of everyone, I found myself scraping my body to pieces as I scrabbled forward, no idea where this damp tunnel would lead. If it would end. If it would stop dead, if Vika would simply set us on fire inside of here and that was it.
"You got this, Al'," Michael panted, "You've always had this. You're so much stronger than you think you are..."
"Stop talking like you're going to die," I pleaded, panting as I heaved my body forward, "Michael, I need you-"
"You don't," he told me firmly, "Al', somebody has to, and I need to know you're going to be okay if I'm not here-"
"Stop!" Seb's voice came through from the back, "If this doesn't lead anywhere, Finn's picking me-"
"No-" "Stop!" Seb cried, "It's the right thing. You girls have each other, Al' needs Michael-"
"We need you!" Violet cried, "We need all of you, oh my god." I had to hold back my sobs as I continued moving forward, wondering if my mind was playing tricks on me.
"For god sake, we can't just give up-" "Wait!" I cried, "I... I think I see something!"
And I did, because even though the thunderous growls behind us seemed to be moving ever closer and Seb could probably feel them looming right behind him, I saw light. Literal light at the end of the tunnel.
"Move quicker, there's a way out!"
It wasn't a way out, though, it was a way in. Because a valve in the tunnel appeared and it was cracked open, enough to see brightness.
"Stop moving!" I cried behind me as I shimmied breathlessly to the valve, trying to pull it open. It was moving, but barely as laying on my front meant I couldn't get any strength behind my arms. I let out a yell as I pushed at it, pleading with it to move.
"Please, please, please..."
"They're coming!" Seb's voice was frantic, even though I could hear him trying to keep himself calm for our sakes, "Get yourselves in!"
Their voices grew louder and deadly screeches and yells overpowered my senses, the smell of rotting flesh and blood filling the tunnels. I could only imagine the kind of creatures creeping up on Seb as they moved to lunge at him, sinking their teeth in-
But it moved. And at the first budge, I let out a quiet yelp as a creaking noise sounded and the contraption flew open, leaving enough room for me to painfully pull myself through and thud to the damp ground feet below me, groaning in pain. My friends followed one by one, clambering to our feet in yet another large tunnel until just Seb was left, fingers flexing as he moved to pull himself through.
"They're-"
His voice was cut off as he suddenly disappeared from view, yanked backwards out of nowhere. I let out a cry as I flew towards the entrance, yelling his name.
"Seb! Seb!" Nothing.
"Boost me!" I cried, trying to claw my way back upwards, but it was Finn who moved clumsily towards the entrance, jumping to reach it. Before he even got a chance, Seb's hands clutched the exit once more, his voice coming through as a pained cry.
"They're holding me," he wheezed, "Just run!"
"Don't be insane!" Michael cried, "Finn, get on all fours!"
He did, and I could only watch as my brother clambered onto Finn, now able to reach Seb's hand as he grabbed on clumsily, attempting to pull.
"Just go!" Seb repeated but my brother growled in response, pulling as hard as he could. I dropped to the floor on all fours, gesturing for someone to stand on me.
"Help him!" I cried, "Please, help him pull!"
It was Kira who hopped on me, joining Michael to yank Seb through the dark tunnel. There was a horrifying moment where the two people above me stilled and the monsters clambering above us screeched that I thought Seb had been pulled to his death, swift and horrifying. But as a yell sounded and I was suddenly hit with too much weight and bursting pain, I realised the painful heap on top of me was Seb. "Allison!" he scrambled to roll off of me, trying to lift my body, "Oh my god, are you okay? I'm so sorry!"
Everyone moved to help me to my feet because even though my back cried out in pain, I was more concerned about hell stuck to the walls of that tunnel, thundering down and ready to fall on our heads.
"Close it!" I cried, right as my brother and Seb co-ordinated so that the latter could yank the door down, slamming it closed behind us. A single bloody and mangled hand made it through the gap, desperately trying to hand onto Seb. He let out a cry, lifting and slamming it down once more to free us of the servants of hell who now slammed on the tunnel walls, gargling and screeching.
"I don't wanna stay here," Kira whispered, and we didn't need telling twice. As we finally took in our surroundings, it seemed we were in a white-lit tunnel which seemed to open into miles of space before us. Buttons and levers covered the walls and honestly, I wasn't even sure this place was real. I'd long since learned demons would gladly fill our heads with whatever they wanted, leading us to the path they'd already chosen.
