Descent Into Madness

Chapter 5: I'm in a Situation

I squinted at the screen, trying to make out the image that was being sent. We had managed to get three cameras working. One appeared to be in a trashed office room, another was just showing the scratched floor of an unknown room, and the one we were looking at seemed to be a break room. The image was blurry, but there was what looked like a vending machine in the corner. If it had stuff in it that was still good, that could help with our food and water problem.

"I'm going there." I pointed at the image.

Phineas nodded. "I'm coming with you."

I shot him a lidded look.

"What?"

"You're not coming. I don't know where that is, and you're hurt. I'm not putting you at risk."

A rare frown graced his face as he turned fully towards me. "It's not your decision."

I raised an eyebrow. Really?

"Okay, maybe it is, but what if you need help?"

I shrugged. It was a risk, but I could take care of myself. I couldn't take care of both myself and him out there, though.

"I don't like it," he complained.

Shrugging again, I shot him a look to ask what other choice there was.

He pursed his lips before sighing. "Fine. Just be careful."

I stuck the knife in my belt and nodded at Phineas to open the door. He still didn't look happy as he messed with the keypad to unlock it for me. As soon as the door had enough of a gap, I left the room, not looking back as I heard him close and lock the door behind me.

Since I was at the end of the corridor I didn't have much choice in direction as I started walking.

The red emergency lights flashed in places where they were damaged, creating an annoying strobing effect.

Snorting, I thought about how fitting the scene would look in one of those cheesy horror movies Phineas and I would stay up late to watch.

All was silent except for my footfalls on the tile floor and the buzz of the lights.

I quickly glanced into different rooms. Some were lit up, other still cast in darkness. Considering there was light in the pictures being sent from the camera, I could cross off all of the darkened rooms. I doubt they would have vending machines on this floor anyway.

As I walked, my hand fiddled with the hilt of the knife.

Finally, I reached the room where we had first come through. Looking inside, I was half hoping to see an open portal, but there was nothing.

Sighing, I began to continue on when a hiss cut through the silence, and I froze.

I tightened my grip on the knife as I peeked over my shoulder.

The creature was on the ceiling, and I was stuck by just how human the body was despite the claws and deformed head and limbs.

Reaching down its arms, it dropped to the floor with a wet plop as it detached from the ceiling.

It just stood there on all fours. Where a person's eyes should be, its skin appeared to melt down over the area.

Maybe if I don't move, it won't know I'm here.

Its mouth opened, revealing pointed teeth. Something shot out its mouth across the ten meters between us, whipping by my ear at such a close range that I could feel the air movement as it passed with a whoosh. Then immediately shot back into the thing's mouth.

It hit me with startling clarity. That was the creature's tongue.

That's creepy on so many levels.

I cast my eyes around. It didn't look like the being was going to leave me be. I needed a way out.

The creature pushed itself up onto two legs, standing awkwardly. It appeared hunched over and to the right. A scratching sound grated at my ears as it rubbed the long claws on its hands together.

Turning my head slightly, I looked farther down the corridor for something, anything.

Several doors lined it, but most would more than likely lead to dead ends. Then, I saw it. A lift, the doors bent outward.

I rolled my eyes to the ceiling. This was either going to be completely epic or completely idiotic.

Closing my eyes, I readied myself as the creature's footsteps fell on the floor behind me.

With a deep breath, I shot my eyes open and sprinted at the lift. The noise behind me increased. I blocked it out, focusing solely on my goal. On where my feet would land as I moved towards it.

Reaching the doors, my foot came down half on the floor, half on empty air that filled the lift shaft. I push off with that foot, launching myself forward through it and reached out my hands, hoping for the best.

For a brief moment, I was free falling. Then I hit something in the middle of the shaft. My hands grasped at the cool wire, finding purchase, but still sliding down it. Gritting my teeth at the pain of the rope burn, I tried to brace my feet on it to stop myself from falling any further down the cable.

A shadow blocked the light above me. I looked up in time to see the creature dive into the shaft. Unlike me, it didn't latch onto anything, instead falling straight down. The air rushed past me as it disappeared into the darkness of the lower levels.

I didn't hear it land. This shaft couldn't possibly be that deep, could it?

Blinking once, I reached up one hand, grabbing the cable higher up and started the tedious process of climbing it.

I wouldn't return to the same level. Since I was already here, it would be a waste not to see what was on the levels above.

My hands slid on the wire and something wet ran down my arms. The smell filling my nose told me it was blood. I must have reopened the cuts. It was making it nearly impossible to make progress, forcing me to rely of the rubber soles of my sneakers to make any at all.

Alright, so I should have thought this out better.

Something rough and slimy rubbed against my ankle. I glanced down but wasn't able to make out anything in the dim red light that leaked in though the broken doors. Still, I had a feeling that I knew what it was.

It wrapped around my ankle, tightening.

Closing my eyes, I let out a sigh. I could tell where this was going.

I didn't try to fight it as I felt my leg be forcefully yanked downwards, merely letting go of the cable and hoping for the best.