Run Like Hell

Run Like Hell- Prologue- The Tunnels

Prologue -The Tunnels

Andy ran, her converse-clad feet echoing loudly in the tunnel. There were only dim lights placed at regular intervals along the roof to guide her, and most of them were failing. As she passed one, it flickered then winked out. There were rusted and dripping pipes running along the ceiling and the walls. Normally Andy would have wrinkled her nose in disgust at the stench of rust, damp and stale air, but today she was glad to have something to draw into her lungs, however foul.

She threw a glance over her shoulder and cannoned into a wall, swiftly bouncing off it and further into the maze of tunnels only to slip on the water-slicked stone floor. Wincing, she pulled herself to her feet and ran on, not noticing the blood streak down her leg. The leaking pipes made the ground treacherous, and Andy had already fallen twice despite the grip on her shoes.

A left turn. Another left. A right; and then Andy came to a three-way fork. She only paused for a split second before running full-pelt down the middle tunnel. This tunnel smelt worse and was considerably darker; the bare light bulbs swinging from the roof becoming gradually dimmer as she raced through the tunnel until eventually there was almost no light whatsoever and Andy was stumbling blindly through the tunnel, one hand out in front of her so she didn't run into any more walls.

Her hand found cold stone. She halted in front of the wall she couldn't see and began to run her hands along it, trying to gauge where the next turn was. Her breath caught in her throat.

Dead end.

Andy pressed her back against the dirty wall and slid down it, fatigued, then pulled up her legs to her chest. Just yesterday her legs had been lightly tanned and elegant; now they were bruised and aching and her jeans were in tatters. Andy took a few shuddering breaths. She didn't know how long she had been running but she knew she probably wouldn't hold up if she tried to keep going. At least they shouldn't be able to find her. The tunnel was dark and she was crammed into a corner, her dark top camouflaging her further. She hoped she'd spent enough time in the maze of tunnels for her individual scent to be now practically indistinguishable from her surroundings.

She decided to get what rest she could before searching for the exit again. She didn't know what she was looking for and was well aware that she could have passed it numerous times. And where did the exit lead to for that matter? It wasn't worth thinking about. She would know when she got there. Until then, just concentrate on staying alive.

Andy leant her head against the wall and wrapped her arms around her legs. She started when she felt wetness on her left knee. She wanted to dismiss it as water or some kind of tunnel sludge but it was warm to the touch and when she tentatively put a wet finger into her mouth it had the distinctly metallic taste of blood.

Andy looked back down the tunnel, stricken with horror, as she heard the scratching and scrabbling of claws on stone and the howls of dark creatures hungry for her blood.

Vampires.

Well here it is! The prologue of my new novella "Run Like Hell". It's fairly short, but prologues don't have to necessarily be long.

There won't be chapters in this story; it is divided into a prologue, four parts and an epilogue. "Chapters" will equal whenever there is a natural break.

Sorry if there are any spelling, punctuation or grammar mistakes. I've gone through and edited but there's almost always something you miss. =]