The Van Helsing Incursion

CAT AND MOUSE

Elizabeth had guessed that the journey down the emergency stairwell would be the stuff of nightmares. As water poured from out of the sprinklers, the diffused lighting gave everything an ethereal glow. Water rapidly pooled on the landings, turned the stairs into white water rapids, and waterfalls fell over the sides for effect.

The cold had no effect on her mind, to the point of remaining completely unaware that her nipples were protruding through her bra and blouse. Stress brought on by whatever was chasing them, along with her need to pee, was more than enough to distract her. The adrenaline coursing through her veins also helped to block out potential distractions.

Still, after six floors of pushing through this torrential downpour, her body began to slow down. It was enough for the chill to set in which made her wonder what would happen once they left the building. The nearer they got to the exit, the more difficult it was not to dwell on that cold winter air taking the wind out of her.

Grace appeared to be no worse for wear. When they came across floors where the emergency lighting had failed, she took Elizabeth by the hand and guided her down to the next level. As a precaution, the young vampire periodically took a moment to pause for a listen.

"What—" Elizabeth yelled the first time, and because of the ambient noise, her voice sounded as faint as a fart in a gale force wind.

Grace shushed her and returned to whatever she was doing. This girl was somehow able to filter out the deafening sound from all that rushing water. In contrast, Elizabeth was barely able to hear the fire alarm blaring. Or am I imagining it?

Upon reaching the exit floor, Elizabeth spotted the red exit sign flashing on and off. Once more, Grace stopped to confirm, but this time, she grabbed Elizabeth by the arm, hard enough that it felt like it would be torn from its socket.

Elizabeth was led down another flight to the basement level. Here, the water was a good three feet deep. Grace waded in and pulled Elizabeth along until they were under the landing. The worried girl then pointed above and slipped below the surface.

Under normal circumstances, this would have been sheer nonsense. However, this went well beyond attention seeking behaviour. Elizabeth paused for a moment to calm down and took a deep breath. When Grace tugged on her sleeve, she dunked her head beneath the water.

The sounds that had been hurting her ears turned into a muted roar. It brought up memories of her childhood when she used to dunk her head underwater while the tub filled up. Wow that's amazing—scary!

While that thought materialised into her head, she felt ripples through the water. Someone or something was above them, and it was large enough to send vibrations straight through the steel and into the water.

To lend some comfort, Grace grabbed Elizabeth by the hand. Even in this frigid water, Elizabeth could not believe how cold this child's hands were. However, that thought soon slipped from her mind as the threat loomed above and her lungs began to burn. The urgent need to breathe worsened with every passing moment, causing anxiety to flood her mind. What the fuck is that thing waiting for?

Without being prompted, Grace moved in close and pushed Elizabeth against the wall. She then covered the other's nose, while pushing against the chest. Given Elizabeth's need to breathe, this added pressure forced air past her lips. By then, Elizabeth was close to a full-blown panic attack, but the girl's iron grip prevented her from struggling.

Before outright panic set in, Grace's cold lips pressed against hers. Elizabeth was not sure what was going on until she felt air rush in. She took in a breath which tasted foul and compared it with trudging through a sewer. Still, it tempered the burning in her lungs. Unfortunately, this distraction also caused her to relieve her bladder. God dammit!