"Holy shit!" I scream as I work my legs through the waist high water. There's no way I can outrun this thing, not an animal made to run in—
"Keep going!" Madeleine shouts, and there's a splash in the water behind me. Bang! Light blinds me for a moment and my ears ring as a flash grenade goes off in the water several feet behind me. Madeleine had to use her last flash grenade on this thing to momentarily stun it. I don't stop to look behind me to see if it distracted the alligator, knowing it'd be the last thing I ever did.
Beyond the Styrofoam containers, deteriorating papers, and other bits of trash floating in the water. There's a massive pile of it lumped together in the middle of the path, forcing me to stick to the right wall.
With a growl the alligator crashes through the pile, sending trash into the water. Its teeth gnash together as I duck my head again. Its close enough a whiff of revolting breath cascades over me and wind grazes the back of my neck. The thought of any part of my body getting caught in those deadly jaws drowns me in icy cold fear.
Another trash pile is in my way now and I have to hasten my steps, my heart is in my throat as I cross through the water to the other wall. It's safer to stick to the walls while I can, I'm definitely not running in the middle like an idiot.
There's another roar and I feel the ground shake. I feel water droplets hit my neck and arms as splashes are made while it barrels forward, trying to lunge for me. My legs are shaking with adrenaline coursing rampantly through my body.
It's powerful jaws snap, but I've already darted back to the side. Not a moment too late as it reacts at missing me a second time by diving a second time.
I hit the wall so hard I lose my train of thought, pushing myself on and seeing there's a dip in the tunnel. Thank god, maybe it's a drop too big for this thing to follow me through. My hurried footsteps carrying me closer, a light hanging above lights the area up and I can make out the wall—
Growling erupts just as my hand makes contact with the ramp, vaulting my legs out of the water onto it and hitting the ground hard. Throwing my head back at the last second as I nearly miss the pipe strung horizontally across the ramp.
Crunching of metal is heard behind me and I see nowhere to go, the dip leading me to a dead end.
A ladder plummets to my right. Splashing into the water and I look up to see Madeleine standing there. "Climb!" she commands, and yanks her gun out as I wade over. Not needing to be told twice.
I'm to the top of the ladder, almost onto the catwalk with her and out of the room. Boom!
I grip the last run tightly as the blast of air nearly knocks me off the ladder. I stop and look behind me to see bits of skull dropping as the body of the alligator crashes to the water below with half its head missing and its body twitching. Averting my eyes to Madeleine, she shot that pipe. It must have been a gas line. She saved my life. Between all the creatures that managed to pin me more than her in the station. I'm becoming more indebted to her than I'd planned on.
When I climb onto the catwalk, I give the alligator one last glare. I hope that son of bitch choked on that pipe.
Ada appears from an open doorway that Madeleine must have come through, "What the hell was that?" I demand.
She scoffs and nods her head in the direction of the door before turning around. "Can't say I didn't warn you," the tone extremely unappreciated after what I just went through. I actually pissed myself for the first time since wearing diapers.
YOU ARE READING
The 0714 Files: File #1 Inferno (Remake 2)
Horror"I think you're going to learn a lot of things about this city and the people that you won't want to." Madeleine Sówka has spent the last twelve years of her life believing she knows what monsters look like. They are the people who hide in the backg...
