★彡
THE SOUND of dripping water echoed around the group, Matilda had since discarded her flashlight, and was now using Chris', who was still leaning against her.
"You sure you don't just want to go ahead? I'm slowing you down, Til." He kept his voice quiet, every noise heard in the sewers was quickly amplified.
Matilda tutted, after everything they'd been through tonight, how could he think she'd even consider leaving him behind? The girl huffed, pushing herself closer against Chris, who was still looking down at her, waiting for an answer.
"Help me!"
The two froze, the other three had gone ahead of them once more, but faintly Matilda saw the outline of Ashley go further into the sewer.
Chris blinked. "Did you hear-"
"Help me, please!"
"It-it sounds like Jess..." Matilda shakily said, her eyes shut tightly as she forced herself to walk, the anguish in 'Jess'' voice bouncing off the walls and into Matilda's skull.
"Remember what Ash said? They can mimic, it's not her." Chris whispered, trying to make her feel better, but it had the opposite effect.
"I know, but that means she-she called for help at some point... Her cries... Those screams... She screamed like that." Matilda clutched at Chris' coat, tightly enough to make her knuckles go white and fingers ache.
The two walked in a shuddered silence past the noises, past the thumping of wood, past the screams for help, they walked with uncertainty until they met up with the rest of the group again, Sam hurried over to them, her hands on each of their shoulders.
"I was gettin' worried, you guys okay?"
Matilda looked over her shoulder, the screeching had stopped but the sound of it would forever haunt her. She looked back to Sam, and found she couldn't find her voice.
"We're... Okay." Chris finally said, forcing himself to stand up straight, his thumb rubbing circles on Matilda's shoulder. "How far do you think we are from the sanatorium?"
Sam sighed, shrugging her shoulders, now reunited, the group began to walk again, this time slowly enough to accommodate Chris. "I'm not sure, feels like we're going in circles if I'm honest."
The rubble and dirt Matilda had been walking on were replaced with planks of broken, creaking wood. She looked around herself, the remnants of the mines, and shuddered. How long had this all been here? The atmosphere had become beyond unsettling hours ago for Matilda, and presumably the rest of the group too, she wasn't sure how much more she could take.
Chris seemed to have noticed the change in Matilda, how, she wasn't sure — perhaps she had sighed too many times. He tilted his head down to her. "Hey, you feeling okay?"
As he spoke, Ashley turned her head to look at them both, her eyes once again drifting to Chris' limping leg.
Matilda held back a sigh, and forced a smile up at Chris. "I'm just... Very tired, I think, tonight's been a lot to process. I'm not- I'm not sure how much more I can take." She was trying to keep her voice as quiet as possible, not wanting her negativity being heard by the group. "I just want to find Mike, find Josh and wait for the police." She looked over her shoulder to where 'Jess' had been screaming once more.
"I know how you feel, and my leg isn't making things easier." He sighed, and looked down at his leg. "It'll be over soon, Til, we'll get Mike, and Josh and just go home." His voice wavered, not believing his own words.
Matilda nodded, not knowing what to say back, instead gave Chris' side a supportive squeeze, the two continuing to walk in silence.
~
A CURVED arch ahead of them caught the attention of the group one by one, Sam hurried ahead, followed by Ashley, the two pointing up to something out of Matilda's view, but eventually she saw it. Ladders. Broken ladders.
"The ladder..." Emily began.
Ashley tilted her head back and groaned, only now seeing the fate of the ladder. "It's busted, what the hell are we supposed to do now?"
Despite the group seemingly giving up hope, Sam stepped forward, hands loose on her hips she nodded to herself. "I think I can make it." She looked back to the group, and gestured to the wall. "It's like a rock climbing wall, see? I think I can handle it."
Matilda frowned. "Are you sure? We don't know what's up there."
"Yeah," Nodded Emily. "are you sure you don't want us to come with?" The girl watched as Sam grabbed various rocks, checking to see which would hold her weight best.
"Em, I'll be fine, just get back to the lodge and stay safe, okay? I'll come back with Mike and Josh," She looked back to the group. "I promise."
The group watched with surprise as they watched Sam seamlessly climb up the wall, eventually, she was in reaching distance of the broken ladder and jumped sidewards to grab it. Pulling herself up, she let out a tired gasp as she reached the flat surface high above the group.
"Holy crap." Chris said in amazement, eyes wide.
Matilda nodded, despite knowing he wouldn't be able to see her do so. "Stay safe Sam, please. We'll see you soon."
"I will, I will you guys, scouts honour." She gave the group a salute before turning around and out of sight.
Emily blew out a long breath and hugged herself. "Not to be like... Negative, but I feel a lot less safer now she's gone." Her lips pursed into a line as she glanced at the three before her.
"No... I know what you mean." Admitted Matilda, a chill running down her spine. "Let's just get back to the lodge, you guys remember the way?"
Ashley nodded, pointing her flashlight to where they'd come from. "Yeah, I made a list of things I saw on the way here in case something happened." She manoeuvred past Chris and Matilda, beginning to walk, though her strides weren't confident.
"Do you think she'll be okay?" Emily asked to Matilda and Chris, her head looking over her shoulder to where Sam had gone.
Chris nodded, pushing up his glasses as he did so. "Yeah-yeah of course, I mean its Sam, what can't she do?" He stretched his leg out, wincing, but not as much as he had been other times. He turned to Matilda. "I'm going to try and walk on it without help, okay?" As he spoke, Matilda opened her mouth. "I'll stay close." He smiled slightly, reading her mind, she closed her mouth.
Though he was still slow, Chris was able to move on his own, Ashley wasn't far ahead of them, and Emily had hung back to walk beside Matilda. Now they were in no rush to head somewhere, the group took their time heading back to the lodge, letting themselves catch their breath.
"Do you think it'll be safer there? In the lodge, I mean." Ashley asked, stopping to let the group catch up. "I've been thinking about it, this place is a tomb, maybe we'd be safer down here until dawn?"
Emily scoffed, and kicked a piece of small rubble with her boot. "It'll be our tomb if those things come from either direction. We'll be safer in the lodge, at least there's like a dozen exits." She tutted, and waited for Ashely to continue walking again.
Routinely, Matilda looked behind herself, she wasn't sure if her mind was playing tricks on her or if she was really hearing something. She thought about telling the group, but decided against it, unsure if she was hearing anything at all.
Beams of light coming from the sewer grate shone into the ground before the group. Ashley sighed with relief, and hurried toward it, beginning to make her way up toward the grate. Once she reached it, grunted out curses as she struggled to push it up and off the hole. "There!" She exclaimed triumphantly.
Chris went next, Matilda and Emily stood at the bottom with their arms raised but it wasn't needed, as he managed to climb up and out of the hole on his own, calling himself a 'master climber' in the process.
"You go next." Matilda offered, looking behind herself once more, her brows pinched, certain she heard something that time. "Guys..." She began, as Emily made quick work of the ladders. The group looked down at her with tilted heads.
Far into the darkness, a loud gargled screech echoed through the tunnel.
Matilda looked up at the three, her wide eyed face soaked in light. "Guys you need to run, now!"
Brave: Increased
Charitable: Increased
can you believe we're
nearing the end ‼️