Reflections of Light

The Changing Tide

"There's too many of them." Evelyn breathed, watching the silhouettes of the creatures rising up behind the plastic curtain.

"Can we get back to the hatch?" He asked, turning his head back the way they'd come.

Evelyn chewed her lip worriedly. "We can try... But they're really fast."

Looking around, his eyes landed on a solid wooden desk. Grabbing her firmly by the arm, he towed her towards the item of furniture, pushing her down on the floor behind the solid wood of the cabinet underneath. "You stay there. I'll lead them off, then you escape with what we need. We'll meet up outside."

Before Evelyn could even object or comment on the plan, he was gone. There was the sound of a curtain being drawn back, and then a screech and a shout and sounds of savagery and conflict; until peering around the edge of the desk she glimpsed him, taking off down the hallway towards the main house.

Evelyn held her breath as she waited to ensure the coast was clear. One... Two... Three...

Slowly, she crept out from around the desk, brushing off dust as she stood. Hurriedly, she began snatching items up and cramming them into a bag; taking care with the more delicate items whilst shoving her notes unceremoniously inside on the logic she could iron them out later.

Slinging the bag over her shoulder, she sent one last look up the ravaged hallway they'd disappeared through, before turning and heading down the passageways to the exit hatch.

She was almost there when she heard an ominous sniffling sound from one of the passage openings up ahead. Slowing her pace a little, she turned her head to each opening as she passed it, eyes scanning the gloom.

There it was; a straggler. Stumbling up from where it was resting in the dark away from the pack- was it injured, perhaps? Watching her from the shadows, it crept slowly towards her, watching her with cold eyes.

Picking up her pace a little, Evelyn kept walking, purpose in her stride. One quick glance behind her confirmed her suspicions; the creature was following her.

At last, the stair came into view. Speeding up just a tiny bit more, she reached the stairway; and with care placed the the bag down on a step, before bending down to her right boot.

Seeing its chance, the Draugr broke into a run, bearing down on the exposed form of the woman, reaching out with cruel hands to rip and tear...

... Only to find a sharp knife blade protruding from its chest as Evelyn spun on her knee to meet it. Where it was usually hidden by her tailored suits, a knife-sheath was strapped to her leg; the knife in her hand long and sharp.

Using the creatures shock to her advantage, she wrenched the blade from its torso with a disgusting wet sound, sending it toppling over as she turned and snatched up the bag of supplies before charging up the stairs.

As she scrabbled out of the hatch, she could hear the monster scraping and clanging the metal of the ladder. Hurriedly, she worked to close the trap, but as she lifted the heavy door into place, an arm through the opening stopped her. Letting out an angered cry, the Draugr forced its way through the opening, out onto the twilit lawn.

Thrown aside by the force, Evelyn hit the ground with a smack, landing next to the bag. As she reached for the bag, a weight came down on her leg, making her kick reflexively; the grip on her leg tightened, and suddenly the creature yanked her towards him across the grass. Anxiously, she scrabbled for anything; her knife having fallen just out of reach.

Hurriedly, she grabbed the bag, ignoring the painful squeezing on her legs as she rummaged for anything she could use. A scalpel- although whether the fine steel blade could sufficiently harm such a thing was another question. They healed fast- naturally, considering what most of them were- and seemed near-impervious to pain.