Indigo (NaNoWriMo13)

Chapter 22 - Invasion of privacy

Dedicated to Bababoey2u, aka my little derpy dragon <3 

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Chapter 22 - Invasion of privacy

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Standing in what she strongly suspected was Sirah’s old sewerage infrastructure, Athira folded her arms.

Despite standing on a raised section of stone walkway that appeared to be dry, foul smelling liquid still lurked at the edge of the tunnels. The entire space was only a few arm spans wide and almost twice the height.

She didn’t have an issue with that, exactly. She’d been in her share of sewerage systems before. It was surprising how many villains thought it made a good lair. No, her issue lay with what was clinging to the walls.

“No comments?” said Athira. Her colour was already crawling beneath her skin, itching to get at the sleeper goo. “Expecting carnivorous ooze in the sewer system, were we?”

The violet globules covering the walls, previously searching the cracks for hells knew what quivered at the sound of her voice. The tremor running through them was visible and fascinating to watch. It moulded their surfaces in a unified wave as they slowly began to pull together into one giant problem.

“This wasn’t here a month ago,” said Beth, apparently not sharing Athira’s appreciation. “We didn’t know it was--“

Although she’d kept her voice to a whisper, the noise only made it more excited. The sleeper’s mass shook as it squelched towards them, now as high as the ceiling would allow. The leftover globules continued to pull together as a second sleeper started to form behind the first.

Athira glanced at the tunnel that was now their only way out. The pole ended a few metres beyond their reach, but distance had never posed a problem for her before.

 “Back up,” said Athira, glancing at the twins. “Go, now!”

She didn’t wait for a response. Athira latched her colour around Chloe’s waist and lifted her body to the pole. When Chloe’s hands were firmly wrapped around its length, Athira raised Beth to join her.

With them out of hers and harms way, Athira turned back to face the sleeper to find it had covered more than half the distance between them. She fumbled for the cloak’s clasp around her throat, letting the fabric drop to the ground.

“Hey!” called Beth from above her head. “You coming? Quick, before it gets to you!”

“I won’t let it get into the city,” said Athira.

She raised her hands calmly, letting her colour coat the skin up to her elbows. Inventive curses came from the twins, but she pushed them from her mind.

You ready, Tal?  asked Athira, drawing a deep breath through her nose.

Ready, came his reply.

I won’t lose control this time. Not like I did on the monorail, or with Reader.

Nope, you got this. And I got you.

Athira nodded. This energy doesn’t dictate mine. I won’t let it.

Just keep it basic and you’ll be fine.

As the sleeper’s limbs reached out to engulf her body, Athira stepped to the side.

She ducked low as she let the momentum from her movement twist her body around and carry her behind the sleeper. She lashed out with her right forearm as it travelled past the violet mass. The colour on her limb cut through the sleeper easier than a knife through butter, leaving a deep, frothing wound in its path.