Muse 9 (ONC 2020)

Chapter 16

The tunnels were empty as I ran back towards the gutterfalls. Reaching the drainage pipe, I leaped across onto the ledge and grasped at the cable I had strung there. The stonecrete beneath my feet was slippery as I made my way across to where I had secured my upward-leading cable. Adjusting the clip on my belt, I began my ascent, pressing my boot soles against the stonecrete face as I worked my way up towards the tunnel entrance, the cable tugging me up as it retracted into the clip.

The water cascaded over my face and slammed into my back as I continued up the wall. My short hair was pressed flat against my neck, and my thin tunic and the remainder of my cloak were plastered against my body by the water's force.

As I reached the ledge below the tunnel entrance, I pressed my boots against it and shifted my weight from the cable to the ledge. But before I could fully transfer onto the ledge, the edge crumbled from underneath my feet and I dropped several feet, swinging wildly.

Grabbing for my clip, I locked the admitter closed before I could fall any farther. For a moment, I swung wildly, kicking my feet out against the side of the large pipe to prevent me from slamming into the hard surface. Water drenched me and I sputtered, spitting it out of my mouth.

The entranceway into the Drain was starting to decay.

As my swinging died down, I allowed myself a deep breath to slow my racing heart. Pressing my feet against the wall, I looked up at the ragged edge of the ledge and began to draw the cable through my clip again.

This time, I didn't place my weight on the ledge but continued to hoist myself up until I reached the entrance itself. Maneuvering myself until my boot heels touched the entrance, I lowered into a crouch before slowly inching my way backwards into the entrance, flattening myself to fit into the narrow space.

Loosening the cable, I managed to unhook it from the bar and restore it to my pack. Then I began to army crawl backwards until the tunnel ceiling had enough room and the walls were wide enough for me to turn around and continue crawling.

Eventually, I could stand again and I started to jog, looking to get back to my shop and prepare for the second half of my mission. When I left the tunnel, a sigh of relief escaped me as I headed in the direction of Othros, the village I called home.

I skirted Third Grate, pausing a moment to stare in the direction of the faint trickle of sunlight. Then I shook my head and continued home. I'll be in Kycene soon enough.

After more alternating between walking and jogging, Othros came into sight. The dreary looking village had never been a more welcome sight to my eyes. I jumped over the wide puddles and dodged the drainage pipes. The marketplace was closed down, the main lights shut off, the small night lights flickering erratically as I walked through Othros. Doors were barricaded shut, the shutters locked and forbidding.

Only a few people were out, and they all kept their distance from me. I was the strange loner who carried the memory rifle on her back and who had taught the locals several lessons through fighting before. No one wanted to mess with me. They had already tried and failed.

It was lonely, sometimes.

My shop came into sight, just close enough to the marketplace to not be labeled "on the outskirts." Hurrying towards it, I unlocked it and slipped inside before taking cover behind the low wall.

I wasn't taking chances, this time.

Looking up over the top with my rifle ready, I scanned the area near my counter before slowly rising and making my way over there. No one was behind the counter, and a quick sweep of my back room proved no one was there, either. The hatch leading up to my sleeping quarters hadn't been touched, so with relief, I returned to my door and locked up, ignoring the old stubborn bloodstain on the floor.

Retiring to my back room, I slid the door closing it off from my shop shut and slumped into my chair. For a moment, I allowed myself to rest, then I forced myself to stand and placed all my gear away before making myself a quick meal.

As I chewed on the dried fish strips and the thick slice of tough bread, I flipped through Eurykhan's book, absently scanning the worn pages. There were entries with information concerning his prey, the tunnels and dangers of the Drain, the weapons and the care needed to keep them working. The best strategies for bringing down prey. Notes on the other hunters who dared to enter the Drain. Other entrances.

I turned to the very end. There, the last entry on a form of mutant was followed by several pages of blank paper. I stared at the paper, rubbing my finger over it before drawing the letter from my mother out of my tunic. Smoothing it out, I read it over again silently before I tucked it into the book.

It slid in neatly, just the right size. With a half-smile, I closed the book and set it aside.

I stood and walked to the ladder built into my wall, scaling it to the top before reaching for the handle on the ceiling. After removing the locking mechanism, I opened the hatch and clambered into my sleeping quarters, climbing onto the mattress shoved up against the wall.

Sleep came quickly. The last thing I saw before I dropped off was my mother's face, smiling at me.