In The Jaws of the Maw (Six X Seven/Runaway Kid)

Blood in the Air

  Before long, Six caught a familiar scent, and her stomach churned with need at the scent of it. She looked at Seven. "I th-think... I know where w-we need to go..."

  Seven frowned. He could hear the pain in Six's voice, despite her efforts to hide it. He was getting very worried about her. "...okay. Lead the way."

  Six followed the smell through the vents. Seven marked their path behind her, but Six didn't really care. All she cared about was that intoxicating scent. The closer they got, the stronger it became, making Six feel lightheaded as the hunger gnawed at her insides.

  Before long, the two reached a vent. Peeking through the slats of the cover, they could see that they were under the floor of a massive kitchen. Seven frowned slightly.

  "It looks empty right now," he whispered. "I think we're clear."

  Six nodded slightly, pushing the cover open and practically dragging herself out.

  Seven followed, looking around. "Wow... this place is so big..."

  Six nodded, stumbling forwards. She had to follow that scent. There was no longer any other option.

  You must feed, said the voice. Blood and flesh are your only sustenance. Tear and devour. You must consume.

  For once, Six found she agreed with the voice. She was practically drooling at the idea of blood in her mouth. She needed something. She craved meat.

  Seven watched Six worriedly. Between the way she was staggering, and the predatory look in her eyes, now bloodshot as well as tinged red, he decided he was probably safer staying behind her.

  This isn't normal, he thought. She isn't normal. What have I gotten myself into?

  He frowned, mentally pushing that aside. Maybe being hungry makes her sick. Does it really matter. She's still my Six. She's still my friend. My... more than friend. Whatever that's called.

  The two continued on in uncomfortable silence. The only sound in the kitchen was the repetitive echo of something dripping, giving the vacant chain of rooms an ominous sense to them. Seven hoped the sound was just the sink.

  Six didn't notice much about the kitchen. Driven on by her desperate hunger, she continued to stagger like a drunk towards the scent of blood. That was all that mattered now. Blood. However, it was becoming difficult to ignore the scuffling steps of the living creature behind her. She could not attack him, she scarcely allowed herself to even consider it, but it was quite distracting.

  He's at such close range, the voice that wasn't hers complained. You killed Twelve, why not him too?

 Six growled, willing the voice away. He's mine. Not yours. I will not hurt him. Never. He is mine.

  Seven tensed when he heard Six growl. The sound sent a shudder down his spine, and he wasn't quite sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. He looked at Six, making sure to stay close to her. Right now his worry about her far outweighed any concerns he had about her.

  "Six...?"

  She shook her head slightly, trying to snap herself out of her daze. "Y-yeah...?" Her vision was starting to blur.

  "...I was going to ask if you're okay, but clearly you're not. Do you need to sit down?"

  "N-no..." she hated how pathetic she sounded, and forced herself to keep walking.

  After a few minutes of unsuccessfully exploring the massive kitchen, Six and Seven reached a large metal door, which was open just a crack. Six froze outside of it. The blood smell coming from inside wasn't nearly as fresh as the one she'd been following, but it was closer. She knew eating would make the pain stop. She felt like her head had been stuffed with cotton. Making the pain stop was all that mattered, and that required eating. 

  Suddenly, just as Six slipped into the room beyond the metal door, a loud screech tore through the previously near-silent air. Seven scrambled back, ducking into a vent,  while Six hid behind the door. At the far end of the hall, another door that they hadn't seen before shuddered open. 

  Seven stared in shock at the thing that emerged from the door. It looked like it could have maybe been a person, if that person had perhaps been inflated like a balloon, then uninflated, melted, and dressed like a chef. The ugly thing wandered towards the metal door, and Seven felt his heart skip a beat. Six was in that room! He had no idea what that thing would do if it saw her!

  I need to do something!

  But there was nothing  he could do from the vent but watch in horror as the "chef" approached Six's hiding place. He felt sick to his stomach at the idea of that thing finding Six, and quite possibly hurting her. Six's hunger sickness was scary enough as it was, he didn't want her to be hurt too. That would just be too much for the ever-worrisome Seven to handle. But then a worse thought struck him.

  What if it kills her?!

  Six had hidden as best she could, her back pressed against the metal door, but she could still hear the heavy footsteps approaching. She began to wonder, terrified, what she could do. But in her current state, she could barely walk, never mind run. There was no escape. She was almost certain that she'd be caught, and what would happen to her then? What would happen to Seven? She tried to slow her panicked breathing. There was no way out of this.

  Six could feel her heart racing. So much was happening at once, and she felt as though she might explode. She could hear it shambling outside.

  Step.

  Step.

  Step.

  Squeeeeeeeeak.

  Six felt her hiding place move, but not in the way she'd expected. Instead of swinging open, the door she was leaning on was pushed closed. The force of it sent Six sprawling on the ground, She heard something click, and a startling realization crept in. She was trapped here.