Shady Promises-Resident Evil 4

Chapter 28

The elevator stopped on a level much lower than you expected. When the gate door slid open, you were greeted with a large cave area, lit up with small, rusted lanterns and dying candles.

The only furniture occupying the small area was a set of empty shelves and a table. A typewriter similar to the one you first found sat on the surface, a stack of papers and photos laying on the side.

To the left was a set of green double doors, it looked like the only other path you could take. To be honest, you don't actually know where you were going, you felt like you were walking mindlessly in a maze.

"Look at this." Leon stood in front of the table, his hands occupied by different papers. "These look like Luis's notes."

"Luis??" You walked over quickly, looking down at the papers Leon held. You looked at the table and picked up one of the photos from the stack, tilting the paper slightly in confusion.

The picture was of grey rock slabs, holding some fossilized creature. For a moment, it looked like a simple carving in stone, chiseled to perfection, but it's creepy bug shape didn't give you a good feeling. "Is this that parasite going around?" You asked, looking at Leon while he read through the notes.

"It's called Las Plagas."

"Las Plagas?" You looked back at the picture. "Gross." You muttered, putting the picture back down. "It says that these parasites were once spores, living in a dormant state before they were discovered. They can't survive unless they get in contact with a host. That's how these Ganados were created."

"Dormant." It sent chills down your spine. "These things are in everyone, aren't they? The villagers? The animals?"

Leon put the papers back on the table. "Seems like it."

"Then," you stepped back from the table, making sure the picture of the parasite in stone was out of your sight. "They're dormant inside us too."

Leon looked at you, his face rid of any expression yet his eyes were filled with question. "Let's not let that trouble our minds right at this moment."

You turned away, biting your lip with deep concern. Leon was right about it, but you were still confused on how he was so calm about this situation. We could be killed at any moment, once these eggs hatch, it'll practically be too late for us. We're walking right into our deaths, aren't we?

"Right." You cleared your throat, keeping a tight hold on your gun. "Let's keep moving, maybe shooting a couple of Ganado heads will keep my mind distracted."

A chuckle came from him. "That's one way to put it."

You pushed open the doors, walking into a cave like tunnel, lit up by actual, flickering light bulbs. An old train track was built into the stone floor, the walls containing metal support beams. Echoes of machinery were heard ahead, followed by small talk coming from men.

You and Leon were quiet, watching your steps while walking down the path, soon seeing the familiar backs of two Ganados men. They held large torches, helping them see in the darkness as they spoke to one another, casually making conversation. Leon fired first, his bullet hitting one of the men's torches out of his hands. The flames caught on his clothes, setting him on fire with loud screams coming from his mouth.

The other man grew alert at the sight of his friend burning to death and caught sight of you two, that's when you started to fire at him, shooting straight at his head until he fell, joining his friend.

The path continued down into a large room, full of old train tracks and slowly rotating gears, working the old machinery. The working men occupying the area quickly spotted you, stopping their work to make their way towards the ladder on the platform you stood on.