The Thing In The Darkness
I sprint down the passageway, bent almost double-why are all subterranean passages always so small?-pulling the girl along behind me. A heavy, wet shuffling matches our pace easily, gaining on us.
Under my breath, I am chanting a mantra of: “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!” My mantra builds to a crescendo as our pursuer gains on us; I shove her past me, hard. She bounces roughly off the wall-I don’t mind too much; twelve year-olds are remarkably tough and recover quickly.
“Valentine, what the-“ she stammers.
“RUN!” I cut her off, whirling about. She runs. I stand my ground, waiting to face the something that should most certainly not be here. No time to think, not time to-the thing careens into me-easily the size and weight of an adult grizzly bear-hurls me backwards.
Rolling to my feet, I yank my heavy knife out-god bless the USMC for the Ka-Bar-my mouth tastes coppery-bloody-I spit-leap forward. The thing roars and tries to leap-tiles shriek and crack under the weight of its claws. A faint glimmer of light in the almost pitch darkness-the only flashlight is with the girl-an eye, I bury my knife in it, as the thing gets its legs underneath it-roll sideways, jerking the knife out in a shower of searing hot fluid-have to stay close, it can’t move that fast, too big, too heavy-I slash its back, frenzied-we dance about, the corridor too narrow, too low for it to maneuver easily-one misstep and it’ll crush me against a wall-it roars again, deafening, I fear it’ll bring the blasted tunnel down on our heads-it turns away from me, driving its bulk towards the wall-the wall behind me-I dive forward, grabbing the back of its neck, the violence of its motion pulls me with it. I ram the knife into its throat, my body is driven against my hand, my entire forearm is driven into the flesh of its throat. I yank my arm back, drawing the blade across neck-meat. The thing emits a gurgling, weak roar, showering me with blood, collapses-collapses onto my right leg-a sickening snap reverberates through my entire body-I follow it to the ground, landing limply.
I shove with my arms and left leg, trying to roll its bulk off me-several seconds, minutes, aeons-the blackness turns brilliantly white, the agony threatens to overwhelm me-suddenly, the mountain shifts-I am free.
Sitting still, everything whirls about me, slowly settling back into place. How long passes, I am not sure, but I find myself crawling down the tunnel, dragging my useless leg behind me-my ankle is broken, I could feel the bulge or the bone under the skin.
Wavering, faint, growing brighter, a light moves down the tunnel, she holds something silver in her other hand-the revolver from my glove compartment.
Her mouth moves, forcing out frantic noises-I cannot understand her, something seems off, too much haze.
I am in my car; a small hand gropes around in my pocket, leaves with the keys. The engine purrs warmly to life; I sink into the seat-through it-into unconsciousness.
Under my breath, I am chanting a mantra of: “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!” My mantra builds to a crescendo as our pursuer gains on us; I shove her past me, hard. She bounces roughly off the wall-I don’t mind too much; twelve year-olds are remarkably tough and recover quickly.
“Valentine, what the-“ she stammers.
“RUN!” I cut her off, whirling about. She runs. I stand my ground, waiting to face the something that should most certainly not be here. No time to think, not time to-the thing careens into me-easily the size and weight of an adult grizzly bear-hurls me backwards.
Rolling to my feet, I yank my heavy knife out-god bless the USMC for the Ka-Bar-my mouth tastes coppery-bloody-I spit-leap forward. The thing roars and tries to leap-tiles shriek and crack under the weight of its claws. A faint glimmer of light in the almost pitch darkness-the only flashlight is with the girl-an eye, I bury my knife in it, as the thing gets its legs underneath it-roll sideways, jerking the knife out in a shower of searing hot fluid-have to stay close, it can’t move that fast, too big, too heavy-I slash its back, frenzied-we dance about, the corridor too narrow, too low for it to maneuver easily-one misstep and it’ll crush me against a wall-it roars again, deafening, I fear it’ll bring the blasted tunnel down on our heads-it turns away from me, driving its bulk towards the wall-the wall behind me-I dive forward, grabbing the back of its neck, the violence of its motion pulls me with it. I ram the knife into its throat, my body is driven against my hand, my entire forearm is driven into the flesh of its throat. I yank my arm back, drawing the blade across neck-meat. The thing emits a gurgling, weak roar, showering me with blood, collapses-collapses onto my right leg-a sickening snap reverberates through my entire body-I follow it to the ground, landing limply.
I shove with my arms and left leg, trying to roll its bulk off me-several seconds, minutes, aeons-the blackness turns brilliantly white, the agony threatens to overwhelm me-suddenly, the mountain shifts-I am free.
Sitting still, everything whirls about me, slowly settling back into place. How long passes, I am not sure, but I find myself crawling down the tunnel, dragging my useless leg behind me-my ankle is broken, I could feel the bulge or the bone under the skin.
Wavering, faint, growing brighter, a light moves down the tunnel, she holds something silver in her other hand-the revolver from my glove compartment.
Her mouth moves, forcing out frantic noises-I cannot understand her, something seems off, too much haze.
I am in my car; a small hand gropes around in my pocket, leaves with the keys. The engine purrs warmly to life; I sink into the seat-through it-into unconsciousness.