The X-Files: From the Depths

Chapter Four: The sewer

Mulder heard the rush of water beneath him, but he couldn't see it. Eventually, his feet found the slippery ground. Tentatively, he walked a few paces from the ladder, making room for Scully and Barnes.

"Stinks to high heaven down here," Mulder said, raising his voice over the noise. Scully came alongside him.

"That will be the sewage," Scully said. She put her hand across her mouth and gagged. "If I'd have known we were travelling halfway across the globe to end up in the sewers, I think I would have preferred to stay at home."

Barnes came down beside them and switched on a powerful red strip light. It created a crimson glimmer over a river of waste flowing below them. They stood on a raised metal grill walkway, the oval brick roof of the sewer forming a suffocating lid above them.

"Levels are quite high today. We'll need to be careful," Barnes said.

"Which way?" Mulder said.

Barnes shrugged. "This way will lead toward the Thames. That's where I saw it last time."

"OK," Mulder said. "Lead on."

Mulder followed Barnes with Scully behind him. The metal flooring was wet and covered in a slimy substance he didn't want to identify. He tried not to focus on the smell. The situation demanded his full concentration. If the research from his friends at the Lone Gunmen were correct about what this monster was, they would have to be careful. It could kill you before you would even know it was there, Frohike had said. Mulder patted his inside pocket. His gun pressed into his chest and reassured him.

The path came to a split in the tunnel and Barnes led them down the fork to the left. The tunnel widened. Mulder continued to survey their surroundings, looking for any sign of movement or anything out of the ordinary. After a while, the raised metal platform led to steps and then an ancient brick walkway. The crumbling brick path continued to follow the sludge of sewage that flowed through the centre of the tunnel. The rushing noise of the flowing sewage slowly subsided, and the current calmed to a steady flow.

"It's not so deep here," Barnes said. "Not that I would recommend taking a dip."

"Thanks for the tip," Mulder said. "How much further?"

"The Thames outlet is just up—"

"Mulder!"

Mulder turned towards Scully. He instinctively reached for his gun and pulled it out, cocking the safety off and settling his trigger finger.

Scully stood with her back to the wall, staring at the river of sewage.

"What did you see?" Mulder said.

"There was something in the water. I only caught a glimpse. Two large eyes were floating just above the surface. I turned, and they disappeared. It went back underneath."

Mulder scanned the river, looking for any sign of movement. It was difficult to tell with the shadows caused by the red-coloured strip light and the erratic tidal waves.

"Could have been a rat," Barnes said. "We get some real big ones down here."

Scully shook her head. "I've seen rats, lots of them in medical school. This wasn't a rat. Rats may get bigger, but their eyes are never as big as what I just saw."

Barnes shrugged.

Mulder kept searching the water, but he saw nothing. He relaxed his arms but held onto his gun. "Whatever it was, it seems to have gone now."

"We should get a search team down here," Scully said. "They need to dredge this entire—"

A shrieking sound came from along the tunnel in front of Barnes. Mulder turned to aim and saw a dark shape running on four legs towards Barnes. It moved with such speed. Mulder couldn't get a clear shot, with Barnes stood frozen between his gun sight and the creature's body.

Mulder watched as it leapt at Barnes, large rose-tinted teeth showing, and another shrieking noise that echoed off the hard surfaces of the sewer. "Move!"

Barnes flung his arms up to protect his head and cowered down.

Mulder saw the creature fully for the first time and registered its sharp claws stretched out in front as it attacked. He shot twice, the sound deafening and causing him to wince.

Barnes dropped the strip light, and it flickered out. They were plunged into darkness.

A second later, Scully had turned on her torch. Its narrow beam darted all around.

"Barnes!" Mulder shouted. He couldn't see the creature. He didn't know if he had hit it. Maybe?

A moment later, Scully found Barnes with her light. "There," Scully said.

Mulder and Scully moved towards him.

"I'm OK," Barnes said. He sat huddled against the wall. Mulder scooped his arm under him and lifted him back to his feet.

"Did you get it?" Scully said.

Mulder shook his head. "I don't know. It happened so fast. I might have."

Scully searched the floor with her torch. "I don't see any blood."

"Jesus," Barnes said. "Did you see it? I thought I was done for."

"What was that thing, Mulder?" Scully said.

"I don't know," Mulder said. "But I have some ideas. Come on, let's get out of here. We can't stay down here like this. We don't have enough light. Besides, I don't know about you, but I could really do with a shower."