“...fuck…” I backed away from the hole slowly, so the water under my feet did not make so much noise. I steadily back up until I feel the pointy rock wall behind me, holding my breath to see if anything would come out of the hole. Fear washed over me understanding why some people now fear Trypophobia. Not wanting to pass the hole out of fear that something would grab me. Screams I hear periodically now are consistently making me flinch at the newest choir of pain wondering if my cry will be next to join the ensemble.

‘I heard something move in that void of hell. Maybe I can lure it out and go in the direction of the flaming wreckage.’ I grab a rock that is almost dislodged in the wall and look toward the rocky corridor that shows a soft glow that emanated from the wreckage I passed earlier. I wanted to make as much noise in that direction as possible. Looking back at the hole I drew my hand and let the rock soar through the air until it made a hard landing, splashing water on the rocky walls.

I stood like a statue and stiffened as a monster shot out of the hole as if were shot by pressurized air. It almost looked like a centipede with its exoskeleton shining in the dim light and its numerous legs wiggling in the air almost made me make a sound of disgust. Though that was where the similarities ended, where its face normally would be was replaced with a mouthful full of sharp teeth. It slithered with all of its legs or should I say tentacles out of the whole. ‘It can’t see me, hopefully. I guess it has to rely on sound and smell good thing I smell like all of the mud.’ That is what I thought but it started to look in the direction of me like a snake sticking out its tongue to sense the irregularity. ‘Shit the smoke from the flames!’

I slowly picked up a small rock off the ground while not taking my eyes off that infernal creature. As soon as I had the rock in my palms I started to hear a hiss from the creature and instinct I threw the rock toward the rocky corridor I came in from. Its head turned toward the noise and sped off toward the sound in a frenzy. One of its legs sped toward me, I was frozen in fear as its leg landed about an inch from my face and pushed off in a force that was not natural like it did not even hit the wall first. The fear faded as more as the creature slithered toward the sound. I dared not to move until I didn’t see that creature. The creature finally it toward the source of the noise and hissed again. I guess it sensed something as it launched down toward the corridor out of sight.

I began to breathe normally as I dislodged a rock for future reference and started down the opposite corridor. Looking for those holes in the walls was my number one priority. I was devastated when I found more but those were higher than me. My instinct said to not go forward but I knew what was behind me so I started to move slowly under the holes that were about a foot above my head. As soon as I did I heard movement in the holes and sure enough one of those creatures popped out its head in front of me. I held my breath as its dull featureless eyes looked right at me and as it did it started to bear its atrocious fangs. ‘Fuck that.’ I thought as I threw the rock right at its head and started to sprint not wanting to look back at the multiple scratches and hissings behind me. Screams were still erupting from the cavern and corridors as I ran.

I sprinted until I found multiple corridors and ran to the left I threw a rock toward the right as one of the creatures went for the rock while two or more were still on my ass. The screams were getting closer as I ran until I found myself at another 4-way and proceeded toward the screams to at least see a person until I was ripped to fucking shreds. The creatures behind me made hissing and snarling sounds the closer we got to the screams and became a frenzy as a tentacle gripped the tunic I was wearing. Knowing the image I saw in great detail I tore at the fabric and let it have its fibrous snack. The creature by sound stopped and pulled the fabric to pieces as I still sprinted down the corridors.

“Get away from me!”

“We will work till we die!”

“Come back, please!

I heard yells as I turned down another rocky passage and saw a few figures huddled in a corner surrounded by a few of those creatures. Knowing that I was almost out of stamina I dead-sprinted until I was almost a few yards away and I threw the rock I managed to grab while I ran and threw it one of the figures. I was rewarded with a scream and the creatures behind me joined its kind as I only could figure out its feasting desire. I slowed down a bit as the screams behind me turned into bloody murder and faded out to gurgles and pleas.

Slowing down in one of the concave hallowed corners in one of the passageways. I managed to keep my sounds of breath to a minimum as I started to realize that I killed those men. ‘No! No, they were already dead by the screams they rang.’ I explained in my head but was caught short as the screams were silenced and crunching and flesh tearing was replaced. I silently said a prayer for them until I realized the fucking place I prayed to, sent me here as well? I was conflicted but brushed it away and started to down the passageway again until I smelled a sharp iron smell and looked down at my feet as the water that was clear black water earlier was now a gut-wrenching reddish black. It flowed over my feet and continued down the path I was resting on.

‘Wait, if those creatures can smell won't that…’ The multiple hissing and scratches were my answer as I heard more of those fuckers crawl out of their holes in the passages I ran past. I started to go down the jagged hallway as silently and quickly as possible. While I was speed walking I heard one of the screams that echoed was now above me. From what I saw down here a figure was being held by one of the guards and was let go. The scream that radiated from the man was ear screeching as it plummeted down toward the rocky earth. Though before he was to be brought to a swift death he hit the jagged wall and was tossed around like a doll until he fell and splattered all over the ground about 30 feet away from me. I looked back up to the guard and saw the guard was already gone and I propelled myself forward to at least search the slave before those monsters made do for what was left of him, or what was left of his corpse.

When I made it to his final destination I tried to ignore the viscera and blood flowing out of the man. I rummaged around his broken body to at least find some kind of weapon or item that can give me a fighting chance to get out of there alive. Though the only thing that I managed to find on the poor bastard was some orbs in his pocket that were dull grey and oddly felt like nothing. It was as if I was holding a ball of solid oil, but it had no temperature. While I was putting the grey orbs on the ground behind me I noticed the metal glint on the side of the slave’s crushed pelvis. I heaved his body to the side staining my hands in blood; I pay it no mind as I brandish a small dagger that was held in place by some leather. Grimacing as I lifted it to the light some of his blood dripped upon my face.

Unbinding the leather from his crushed pelvis and putting on mine I start to hear the sharp chitters from the tunnel I was fleeing from. I quickly pat the man and gave a silent thank you as I put the dagger back into the bind. Before I left I picked up the orbs and found some space to put them into. Following the stream where it flows praying for an opening or some kind of ramp that leads up towards the main cavern. Slowly and steadily walking down the water was already putting aches in my lower muscles. The screams that I hear now become constant reminders that I have to keep moving and avoid as much those holes in the walls as possible. While I was sneaking down the passage I squeeze through two stalactites. While I was wedgeing myself through the pointy rocks I see some small rocks fall down toward me. They fall in front of me, trembling as I look up I see one of those centi-fuckers crawling on the walls. Slowly freeing myself I knock one of the rocks at my feet. My blood froze as the creature stopped and looked with his head, it was as if there were no bones in the creature as the head turned a u-turn to see what was the cause of the noise.

Picking up the rock I knocked over, I hurled it behind the way I came and watched as the creature didn’t move as I hoped. ‘Shit, can this one see me? No, he would have reacted by now if that was the case.’ Staring at the creature started to give me thoughts of how it kills its victims. ‘Well it would be very fucking painful, so that is a totally cool outcome. If I run into those guys that I dropped off some hot and steamy monsters then I’ll ask them. ’ I jokingly thought to at least to try to calm myself down. Though that proved futile as the creature’s head moved away from my direction. Wondering if that was a good thing was stopped short, as the creature started to hiss, and from where I was it started to vibrate. Not daring to move I stayed silent and moved my breath to non-existent. Before I had a chance to blink or have a thought to be introduced to my head, a tentacle from the creature propelled from the creature and grazed my shoulder.

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Bolting from the position was my first action, the creature started to hiss and make some sounds that I could only be described as nightmarish. Not wanting to even look behind me, I dodged more of those pointy rocks in front of me. Though, curiosity got the better of me and I looked over my now bloody shoulder. The sight was totally not horrific as the creature was using its tentacles to literally wipe away the rocks like there was paper. Continuing to run I come to find the pathway to be narrowing. Though I have a fear of claustrophobia, the monster behind me shattering stone was gonna tip the fear spectrum more as I start to keep running through the ever more narrow passageway.

Fear was my drive as I continued to sprint, the water was still flowing at my feet faster now as that was my only hope, it didn’t really help when the water was red now. Even though the torches above me were bright it didn’t help much down here as only a bare minimum of light was now showing through the passageways. Looking forward brought me only more dread as the jagged passage was now becoming so narrow that I had to bring my arms forward and drag myself forward. The rocks were sharp enough that they had no trouble as they scraped and sometimes cut into my flesh. Survival was the only thing that burned into my mind at the moment and the scatches were only medals to show that. I could hear the creature or creatures all around me! I couldn’t turn my head because of the tightness but I know that they were close behind me.

The dimness was now turning black as I continued to pull myself into tighter spaces. As stress entered my mind at a ludicrous speed I noticed a soft glow from my waist as I made enough room for my hand to hastily grab whatever it was. I pulled it out and gave it to my other hand so I could see it. It was one of the orbs that I got from that fallen slave. Knowing I had another one I tossed the orb without a thought to at least light up the ground at least.

The orb lit up the ground as it hit the water below my feet. Though what terrified me more was the tentacles now coming above me trying to find me. Luckily the light showed me that the path was not head level anymore so the threat above me would be no more. Though I would have to crawl the rest of the way, though my body didn’t want to, I did not want to. I was severely claustrophobic, I could feel tears go down my cheeks involuntarily at the thought. Though before I had a choice the light started to move forward by the stream. I silently cursed at myself as I started to go down and enter the crawlspace. I could literally feel the walls cramp around my skin as I moved forward trying to keep up with the light that was flowing freely by the stream of water.

I wanted to scream, wanted to sob, and crawl up in a ball but I barely have enough room to breathe and move at the same time. “Fuck this, fuck everything in this world, fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK!” I mutter under my breath to try at least to calm myself with some foul language. Using the rocks ahead of me as handholds, I constantly propelled myself forward. The water was staining my chin as I scraped my head through squeezing crevices. I had to keep up with the light as it drifted about 5 feet ahead of me and what it looks like, ‘gaining speed?’

The hissing behind me grew sharper, ‘those creatures can't possibly fit through here.’ That is what I thought until one of the tentacles wrapped my right leg. I instantly used my left hand to hold a rock that I had yet to squeeze through. “Shit, get the fuck off of me!” I used my other hand hastily and frantically down to my waist. Hitting my head on the severely low ceiling getting enough room to grab the knife. I could only get grab the sharp end of the blade, but I rather have cut fingers than have no leg or be dead. Cutting my fingers to grab the handle of the dagger took grit but I instantly felt myself being tugged away from the already fleeting light in front of me.

“Let Go!” I yell desperately plunging the knife somewhere near the tugging sensation on the leg. The worst part about the threat is that I can’t see the tentacle so I have to make guesses on where it is and hope to my totally great cool god that I plunge the knife in my thigh or calf. Hearing the soft cut of meat but causing me no pain was already a great sign that I did not miss the first time. Looking at the light ahead fading was already getting me crazy, plus with the tightness all around me, I was losing my mind as I said to hell with it and made several thrusting motions with the knife not caring about the accuracy. I whimpered at the pain as the dagger cut into my flesh, but it proved more effective as the tentacles finally had enough of the self-destruction so its prey can escape, and receded.

My right leg felt like it was on fire and in water. Though the adrenaline did not fade from my blood as I tried to focus on the distant orb of light. I kept pushing and pushing trying to keep the thought of death in a tight space out of my mind as possible. ‘Just yesterday I had a shot of whiskey and drove the kids to the Christmas tree farm, heh.’ The thought of the not-so-distant past drove me a little forward but proved null as the light ahead finally vanished. The hope in my heart quickly vanished as lightheadedness quickly replaced it. ‘ I am losing too much blood’, pushing my hand down to the burning sensation. Pulling it back as soon as I felt the warm liquid touch my skin.

Crawling was now such an effort that I had to catch my breath I think to be every 10 feet. The adrenaline was gone now replaced by icy throbbing pain. The shivering cold that now encompassed me did not help as I felt my eyelids weigh down. ‘Hell it doesn’t matter anyway, it to- TO dark to see ahead of me.’ Jerking myself forward and kind into the wall next to me to keep me awake.

“Need to stay moving,” I muttered trying to drag my leg by force. I couldn’t tell what was worse that I no longer felt pain in my leg or the fact that I could not move it either. Feeling all hope to leave my body and darkness all around me creeping into my brain, it was no wonder that I could barely be surprised when I started to hear voices ahead and behind me.

“Alex, can we please get a tree?!”

“Alex, can you pick up some food for us on the way home?”

I was fatigued and worn out as I answered, “Sure, sure.” There were more questions but I couldn’t keep up with them so I started to answer all of them the same to keep from going further crazy. My brain was already hallucinating trying to keep me alive or whatever it does to keep at least one neuron firing in that matter upstairs. Although the questions from my phantom siblings got more eerie and dark.

“Why did you kill us?

“Why did you do it?

Slurring, “I never would have known, I didn’t know.” It could have been the blood loss or my brain trying to soothe me but I purple glow showed itself at the end of the tunnel. Though it looked like the glow was under the tunnel.

“He said we were asleep!”

The voices were getting louder as if they were yelling right next to my ear. I ignored them as I reached a corner and sloppily heaved my body against the rocks. The scratches and cuts I could feel were now critical. But I didn’t care, ‘If I was to die, I want it in the light, not the dark.’

“We were in the dark when we died you should die like this as well!” The voices of Leon and Katlyn were now synchronized. Their relentless berating felt like they were in my head now.

Crawling toward the purple light was well, what felt like my only goal now. I could see it clearly now, the light was shining in a hole in the tunnel. The water was flowing down the hole in a gushing frenzy. The squeeze of my body was now unbearable as I had to stop breathing and exhaust all the air from my lungs just to get past a few more inches.

“You should have been with us!”

“W̴̩̰̯̩͈͚̪̥̖̬̫̼̘͖͙̬̭̘̳̘̱̆͆̈́́̾̑̈́̏̔̆̉͋̌̚̚͘͜͜h̴̢̡̨̢̯̙͔̙̹̥͚̫͚̤̲̥͖̭̱̰̤̬͗̂̀̽͌̈́̓̈́͑ͅͅo̸̺̠͌́̀̔̒͒̾̐̈́̊͑́ ̴̡̨̝̝͍̺̰͇̯̤͎̗̲̞̲͔̮͇̳̭͓͎̪̪̥̗̠̉͜á̸͈̮̥͉̹̞̝̫̪̠̞̰̹̼̗͚̽̏́̈̈́̊̄̚r̶̛̭̬͇̦͎̳͋̅̒̐͂́͊̿̾̄̍̃͋̑͗̎̉͑̾̚͝e̵̡͎͌̍̄́̒̆̐̂͂̆̓̄̋̈́̑̊̓͗̎̀̚ ̴̨̟̝͉̘͇̦̬̬̙̲̙̺͎̚͜͜y̶̨̡̠̪͕̯̪̠̯̪̠̳͇̮̳̥̹͔̰̯̮͓͉̹̗̑͑͘ò̵̢̡̲͚̺͓͓̫̰̱͓̼͍͉̥͈̣͚̻̞͆͆̊̊̓̈́̋̾̿̇̓͛͐̓̀͊͂̕͝͠ͅu̵̢̢̼̘͓͎̞̞̟̖̱̥̪̲̹̗̲̓̓̽͒̐́͛̂̽̈͒̆͌́̀̅̄̄̀͛̐͘͠͠͠͝”

“I don’t know.”

I muttered as I used my fleeting willpower to drag my body toward the light. The glow felt warm, like a sunny day every time I drugged my almost numb body toward the light.

"̸̝͊͛̑̌̍̇͘͝W̷͔̪̭͔̝̜̱̟̫̓ͅh̴̼̀̐̌͛͝ȇ̸̺̬̼̊̒̓̅r̸̡͓͙̄̈́ͅe̷̡̡͉̥̼̤͚͒̄̀͋̄̐͗ ̸̡̛̬̘̝͑̿̈́͒̊͋̇̊͝à̴̭͋̏̂̐̇̉͝ŗ̵̀̀̆́̓̽́̕͠ẽ̵̘̖̟̐̎̉͂͝ ̵͈̺̥̫̞͈̪̄̃͆̂̈́͜͜y̶͔̺̟͐ǒ̵͎͗̿̃́̐̾̐͑̚u̶̞̘͓̠͎̮̥͚͐̑̈́͋͒͝͠ͅ ̴̨̢̮̫͔̺̫̈́f̶̨̨̫̝̈̀͐̀̈͆̚ŗ̷͈̯̟̮̳͓͉̳̘̕ợ̶͓͈̘̿͛̓̌͋̈́͌m̴̧͇͔͆́̎̐̈́̀͆͐͆?̴̟̙̦̗͍̗̄̍̈́͛͜"̸͓̪͐̍͋̌̂̓͛̒͠

“Nowhere, I belong nowhere.”

As I pull myself toward the hole. The light was now blinding as I grasped the edges of the hole. Pulling my raw body, my head dangling finally as I looked down the hole. The purple glow was far down and what looks like to be underwater. I didn’t care at this point as I pulled my body so I can finally be free of that plutonic hell tunnel. The free fall was a welcomed comfort. Freeing as I felt lightless and featherless.

"̵̮̮̀͝Ẁ̷͕͉h̸̦͈̓ą̵̩̈́t̸̲̜̊̊ ̷̞̓ẅ̷̨́ḯ̴͎̩l̴͕̻̿l̵̮̾ ̷̲́̓y̷̤̏o̷̡̎̈́u̵͕͑͝ ̶̭͗̌d̶̛̬͈ǒ̵͍̝ ̷͍̽̋n̷̥̈̎ö̵͔́ẉ̵̙͛?̸͔͖͌"̸͉̽

“Anything to find them.”

I hit the water. Darkness and coldness were like a blanket that covered me as I sunk downward toward the light. Dread was gone, hope was gone. I was nothing, I am nothing. As my consciousness started to fade I heard one final sentence.

“Nothing you will be, no more.”