Emerged In Darkness

Chapter 16

Saran felt frozen, watching Ethan as he looked between the two until finally he grabbed Mia's arm and shoved the needle in, injecting the serum.

As Mia's face melted in relief, Zoe began to look more and more horrified. Finally, she stuttered out, "It's fine."

Zoe paused, her eyes straining to look anywhere but them. Her whole body tensed up as she spoke again.

"It was foolish thinking I could escape."

Saran felt helpless in the situation. Ethan had made the choice himself but she had so dearly wished that they could have helped Zoe too. But all she could do was stand up straight and watch as Mia walked toward Zoe, hands outreached and eyes full of pity.

"But Zoe-"

"Go! All of you just go!" Zoe interrupted, her voice full of pain and anger.

Mia backed away as Zoe pointed toward the boat.

"Come with us," Mia tried again, "I'm sure there's someone who can help--"

"This is my home. Apparently, I belong here." Her tone was cold as she looked upon the couple and then to Saran.

At the bitter reply, Mia began to back away and let Ethan gently help her into the boat. After he settled Mia in, he looked toward Saran, waiting. She took that as her signal and began walking forward. Saran only stopped when she was standing next to Zoe.

"I know you don't want to hear this but I'm sorry. I'm sorry this hellhole has taken so much from you. I hope you'll find some semblance of peace someday," She whispered, just quiet enough for Zoe to hear.

The female looked at her, shocked before anger settled over her features again and she looked away. Saran sighed and walked to the end of the pier and stepped into the boat next to Ethan.

As Mia and Saran settled themselves on the boat, Ethan looked back at Zoe.

"I'll send help," He spoke with determination in his voice.

Her scowl deepened and the anger on her eyes flared up.

"Don't bother! There won't be anyone left to help!" She snapped, harshly.

Sorrow filled Ethan's face and he sat down next to Saran

As Ethan began steering the boat away from the dock, Saran turned to stare at the young woman. She watched as Zoe stared back at her for only a second, something shiny reflecting off her cheeks. Then, she turned her back to them.

Guilt grew in her chest and it did little to comfort her that Ethan said he would send help for her. Even if he did, it would be nearly impossible with how horrible the place was. She really couldn't blame Zoe for not believing him, she didn't really believe it. But as cold as it sounded, Saran's urge to leave this place was bigger than her urge to try and help Zoe. So, she tried not to think about it and turned to face forward.

"Ethan, thank you," Mia's voice spoke softly.

Saran looked toward the couple, watching them.

Ethan's face turned to one of surprise.

"Who the hell else was I going to choose?" He asked, incredulous.

Suddenly, the air got tense and Mia gasped in shock. "Ethan!" She reprimanded before turning her back to him.

Feeling as if she had no part in this, Saran looked around at their surroundings.

The sky was nearly ink black and faint dark clouds hung over them. Crickets and other insects chirped in the bayou and the dirty water rippled quietly around their little boat. All around it was dark and imposing and Saran couldn't wait to get out of there. She couldn't wait to go home.

At this point, Saran wanted, no, needed to go home; she needed to forget this place ever existed. She needed to run into her mother and Cole's arms and pretend that this never happened, that she never had to kill Mason. And as they were going now, in a few hours, she would be able to do exactly that.

Her thoughts shattered as the tiny boat rocked heavily and she caught sight of a huge ship in front of them.

Ethan reached out and caught Mia from shooting off the boat.

"You're OK," He soothed to her before asking, "What the hell was that?"

Suddenly, in the water behind Mia, black goo began to rise up.

Under Saran's fingers, the boat began to turn black and gooey, like the molded monsters.

As Saran looked upon the scene in front of her, fear began to infiltrate her mind. Whatever was about to happen wasn't going to be good.

"What the fuck? What is that?!" Ethan shouted, standing up in the boat.

Before she could even blink her eyes, the goo shot down and hit them. The boat reared and flipped, capsizing.

Saran lost sight of Ethan and Mia as she plunged beneath the swamp's surface. The breath whooshed from her lungs and water took its place. Bubbles edged from her lips and she let out muffled cries of despair. Saran desperately turned this way and that to find a way back to the surface. She caught a glimpse of Ethan sinking further and further into the depths.

She tried to swim toward him but something crashed into the water next to him and she was thrown back by the current. Her head knocked against something hard and pain filled her skull.

Her awareness faded away and when she finally came to again, she was above the surface, drifting through the water. Not far from her sat an opening into the ship. With as much strength as she could muster, Saran swam toward the opening and pulled herself into the ship.

As she stood to her feet, she realized that once again her clothes were soaked. Even worse, bits and pieces of mud clung to her shirt and pants. And her white shoes were no longer white but brown. Luckily, the bag with her things still clung to her back. Unfortunately, the gun she'd shoved in the waistband of her pants was gone.

Saran sighed before looking all around her.

The metal walls and floor of the ship were dripping with the disgusting black goo. And the doors around her looked like they'd been rusted shut. Her only option was to walk forward into a dim, dark hallway just in front of her.

She took a few staggering steps forward before nearly tripping over a body in the floor.

Saran kneeled to the ground to inspect him.

Goo seemed to cover every square inch of his husk of a lifeless body. But the horrified look on his face was still evident.

He was stretched out almost as if he were trying to run from something or trying to get to something.

Her eyes followed along the path of his body until they landed on something gleaming in the dull light.

She got up and walked a little closer to see that it was a handgun. Saran grabbed it off the sticky floor and checked the mag before gripping the gun tightly in her hands.

Then, she turned and stared at the hallway in front of her.

It looked daunting and dangerous.

Before all this, she would have never even thought about going to a place like that. But that her was gone, replaced with someone who had to survive and who'd had to do things that she never imagined she'd have to. This her was a survivor, one who was going to go back for her friend. For Ethan, and for his wife.

Saran steeled herself before walking into the hall and blending into the shadows.