Epics of Noche 4, Asylum

EON CH 15

FIGHTING INMATES.

1777, APRIL 03rd, SUNDAY 12:15 pm.

Back in the present time, at the bottom of the abyss, white spots appeared on a door of thick metal. They ate away at everything they touched until there was a flash of light and it was gone. For the first time in two years, Noche stepped out of her cell.

In the fading light, four other doors were revealed in this room as well as stairs leading up. The blonde didn't hesitate, she began her ascent. It took forever before she reached the top of the stairs. A locked metal door barred her path and corruption dissolved it in a matter of seconds.

She entered a dark room full of humanoid shadows that were scattered all about. If anyone in this room noticed her entrance, they hadn't reacted to it. Granted it was a large room, about half a mile in diameter and while there was light in this room it was a dim blue and didn't illuminate much in this cold tomb.

Still, it was far better than the place she had just left. Noche began her search for the stairwell out of here. She crossed paths with a handful of prisoners, they ranged from all types across the world, and there was no separation of sex here. They all seemed sick or injured with festering wounds and pallid flesh. The abuse made her stomach turn.

One person was pissing on the wall, another pair that was fighting over a torn-up shirt, and one guy – Noche stopped. She blinked her one remaining eye to make sure she was seeing things correctly. Was he using a rat corpse to masturbate? Yep, nope. She needed to find that exit.

Despite being naked and looking like a walking corpse, there was a certain type of confidence to Noche's walk. A pride and arrogance that hadn't been seen down here in a long time. The few inmates she came across recognized something was different about her and avoided her like the plague. All but one. A small young man who barely reached up to her chin.

"Hello miss, I don't think I've seen you before?"

Noche stared at the boy for an uncomfortable period of time. He tilted his head to the side and there was an almost unnatural innocence to his face. If it wasn't for the fact this was near the bottom of the asylum she might've been fooled.

"That's cause I came from the floor below," she said.

The corner of his smile twitched.

"Is that so? How'd you do that?"

"I forced my way out."

Long dead instincts flared to life – Noche twisted causing the shiv aimed for her back to miss. She stuck out her right leg behind her causing the unseen assailant to trip. He crashed into the boy and the two went down together.

"Did you really think I'd be distracted by an innocent face? At the bottom of the asylum?"

The boy threw the man off him and growled. His eyes darting all over Noche's form; it occurred to her she was still naked. It also occurred to her that this kid was roughly the same size as her.

"Your clothes. Hand them over," she said.

He gave her a blank stare. When he didn't respond she moved towards him, but the man on the floor swung the shiv at her legs. Noche dodged the strike but bumped into a third person. They grabbed her in a headlock, but Noche leaned forward and tossed the person to the ground. A middle-aged woman hit the floor.