Claws in the Dark | ✔

XXVII (Part IV)

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Gina and the children hurried towards the place Bill had shown her. She knew Rebecca wasn't exactly in the right frame of mind, nor was she physically strong enough to bustle. But there was no time to slow down and catch a breath, not with a Clawden on their tails.

Bill's screams sounded in the distance behind them and Gina paused, looking back. She gasped as tears left her eyes and then she continued.

"Mommy, is Bill going to be okay?" George asked.

Gina sighed. "I don't think so, honey."

"M-Mom?" Rebecca finally muttered. "W-what's going on? Where are we?"

"We're at the hospital, sweetie," she said. "You were hurt pretty badly and Bill brought you here on your brother's account." She pointed at Rebecca's wounded side, where stab wound was stitched up.

Rebecca's hand rubbed over it slightly and she winced. "Is Dad here?"

"No, he's not." A loud roar emanated from somewhere; Gina gasped. "Come on, quickly."

When they finally made it to the room, she Sat Rebecca on a chair and told George to stay next to her. She went over to the shelf Bill had put there to block off the tunnel's entrance, and tried to move it out of the way. She pulled with all her might, dragging it along the tiled floor, and the screeching noise caused her to grind her teeth.

"Let go of me!" she yelled, squirming in his grip. "Mom! Help!"

Gina spun around to see Niko holding her daughter hostage, a gun pointed at her head.

"No!" George shrieked, running towards him and attempting to fire a few punches at his legs, but when Niko aimed the gun at him, he shied away and ran behind his mother.

"Let her go. What are you doing?" she asked, taking a step forward.

"Don't come any closer," Niko threatened, glaring at her. His hair was matted to his face and blood speckled on his cheeks. Rebecca seized the opportunity and stomped on his foot, but as she was about to run away, the doctor grabbed her by the hair and yanked her back into his grasp. "Try that again, bitch, and I'll blow your FUCKING BRAINS OUT!" he hollered in her ear.

"Why are you doing this?" Gina, asked, fearing for her daughter's life.

"We were safe here," he sputtered, blood flicking out of his mouth, "until Bill had to let you in. Now, look what's happened!"

"What? This wasn't our fault."

"I don't care!" He waved the gun threateningly at her. "From the inception, I knew you would bring nothing but trouble. But did anyone listen to me? No. They all just ignored me--the head doctor--and did whatever they wanted. Well, I'm not going to stick around here and die because of their mistake." Niko tightened his hold on Rebecca and was about to make his way across the room to where the entrance to the tunnel was.

"Hey, asshole!" a voice shouted from behind him. "Get your fucking hands off of my daughter!"

As Niko turned to see the intruder, a balled fist connected with his face, causing him to stumble and fall, as well as lose hold of Rebecca and his gun altogether. Gina gasped when she saw who was standing there, wringing his hands as he stared grimly at Niko.

"Daddy!" George exclaimed running towards Miles, embracing him in a long-awaited hug.

"But...I thought you were..." Gina started, but all she could have done was watch on in disbelief.

"A few monsters can't kill me," he said, walking towards her. "I told you, I'll always come back for you guys, no matter what it takes." And he leaned in and kissed her passionately.

"Ew, guys, come on," Rebecca said, and they all chuckled, enjoying their reunion.

Gina helped Rebecca to stand again, while, at the same time, Niko rose from the floor, grabbing and wielding his weapon, once more aiming it at them. "No one move," he instructed.

Miles stood in a protective stance in front of his family, ready to fight for them. However, his angry glare vanished and his eyes widened as a Clawden appeared behind Niko. "I suggest you move, though," Miles told him.

"Huh?" Niko said, scrunching up his eyebrows in confusion. There was a low grunt behind him, causing his lab coat to flap in the draft. Slowly, he turned around and fear washed over his face. But before the scream could escape his mouth, the Clawden slashed his throat and bit into his chest.

Miles hurriedly pushed the shelf to expose the remainder of the tunnel's entrance and ushered his family through. "Go, go, go." Once past it, he pulled the shelf as much as he could and blocked entry to the monster still feasting on Niko's corpse.

"Where's Bill and Dolph?" Miles asked.

Gina shook her head. "They didn't make it," she said. "Dolph got injured on the way here and I'm pretty sure that one of the monsters got to his room already." A tear escaped her eye and trailed down her cheek as she took a shaky breath. "Bill sacrificed himself to give us time to escape." She burst into tears and Miles came and hugged her, shooshing her as he ran a hand through her hair. "I thought I'd lost you for good."

"Everything's going to be fine now," he said. "We're together and you're never going to lose me again, okay?" He pulled Rebecca and George in for a group hug until his daughter hissed in pain and backed out, clutching the recently stitched stab wound.

Miles growled. "When I get my hands on the bastard that did that to you, he'll be very sorry," he seethed. "Come on, let's get out of here." He started down the narrow path and asked, "Do you know where this leads to?"

"I don't know, and Bill didn't say either," Gina replied. "He just told me to use this passage as a means to getting as far away from here as possible."

"Well, we're basically walking blindly here, then," Rebecca commented.

"Look, I know it may not be wise to do this, but, right now, we have no other choice," Gina said.

"Your mother's right, sweetheart," Miles agreed. "Let's just focus on finding the exit and, hopefully, the others."

☆ MARDAIS ☆