Howling Winds.

2. Help.

As the cave entrance became clogged and buried in the white snow from above, it became apparent to 0-1 that they were now stuck. Either way, it was better than being outside in the blistering cold, right? For now, the four-man team would have to cope with the icicle-covered roof of the cave they now found themselves thumped inside. 0-3 stood up.

"I know this isn't exactly the beeest plan in the world", he said begridgingly, throwing a cracked green glowstick deeper into the cavities of the crooked tunnel, "but I'm gonna go and explore, see if there's another way out."

0-1 simply nodded, waving him on to go and 'explore'. It would be another few hours till they saw him again. As each hour passed, 0-1 became more and more concerned for his teammate, now picking up his assault rifle and standing on his two feet, gesturing for 0-4 and 0-2 to follow suit. They did so, stacking up behind him as they began to slowly move away from what little light seeped through the cracks in the buried mouth.

It only grew darker with each step, 0-1 now having to tape his flashlight to the end of his rifle instead of throwing what little glowsticks he had left. He suddenly kicked something. It wasn't fleshy, which was a good sign, but he was heavy, seemingly scratching the stone floor. Metallic? possibly. He shone the light down on the object. 0-3's rifle. But why? Why would he abandon his weapon? If he was in trouble, why didn't he scream? So many questions with so few answers. 0-1 looked around, but the darkness was just too suffocating for him to make out anything. He grunted, stumbling and falling into the darkness. He watched as his gun-mounted flash light shattered on impact with the floor below him. However, he wasn't destined for death. Whatever God above that wanted him to survive this gracious lucifer-esque fall instead sent him thundering into the ice-cold water. He gasped for air, the sub-zero temperatures causing his lungs to contract rapidly as he frantically swam for the edge, only for something to wrap around his leg. As 0-4 and 0-2 arrived at the bottom of the steep descent, standing on the edge of the ice-cold pond, they realised they were too late. a fragment of 0-1's left sleeve floated towards them, the emblem of the Marine Corps clinging frantically to the torn piece of fabric as a large snake-like body swam across the pond, descending deeper into the depths where 0-2's flashlight couldn't reach it. With two teammates gone, one assumed missing, both 0-2 and 0-4 continued their trudge through the cave networks, desperate for a way out.