Hope

The Tunnel Below

The tunnel was cold and narrow.

Water dripped from the ceiling, echoing through the dark like a clock that never stopped ticking. The walls were lined with broken pipes and hanging cables that sparked weakly from time to time.

Riven’s boots splashed through shallow puddles as he followed the others. His rifle felt heavier than ever. Every step away from the surface felt like walking into another world—one even deader than the one above.

Jax led the group, his heavy armor lights cutting a path through the darkness. Nyra followed close behind, checking her wrist map.

“This tunnel used to connect to the old subway lines,” she said. “If we’re lucky, it’ll lead us closer to the filter core.”

Tarin let out a low laugh. “And if we’re not lucky?”

“Then it’ll lead us to whatever’s been living down here,” Sera said quietly.

Riven looked around. “You think the Hollowed come down here too?”

Eloen nodded. “They follow noise. Heat. Anything that moves.”

Dray added, “Sometimes they disappear underground for weeks. Maybe months. No one knows where they go.”

Riven shivered. The sound of dripping water suddenly felt louder.

After a while, the tunnel widened into what looked like an old station. Rusted signs hung crookedly from the ceiling. Faded letters spelled words Riven couldn’t fully read: …CENTRAL LINE… EXIT 3…

Jax stopped. “Movement ahead,” he said.

Everyone froze.

Riven held his breath, scanning the dark. At first, he saw nothing. Then, from behind a pile of fallen concrete, a small light flickered.

“Not Hollowed,” Tarin said. “Too steady.”

They approached carefully. When they got closer, Riven saw what it was—a lantern. A working lantern. Someone had been here recently.

Next to it lay a few metal cans, a broken knife, and a torn piece of fabric with a faded symbol—three lines inside a circle.

Nyra crouched beside it, frowning. “The Raiders,” she said. “They’ve been using these tunnels.”

Riven’s pulse quickened. “Then they could’ve brought the captives through here!”

“Maybe,” she said. “But if they’re still around, we have to move quietly.”

They pressed forward, deeper into the tunnels. The air grew thicker and smelled faintly of oil and decay.

Every few minutes, Riven thought he heard footsteps behind them—but when he turned, there was only darkness.

After what felt like hours, they reached a large chamber. Pipes ran up the walls like veins, and a huge metal door stood in the center. Faded words were painted across it:

A.R.C. Research Division — Restricted Access

Dray whistled softly. “ARC. That’s old-world tech.”

Eloen stepped closer. “You think the filter core could be in there?”

Nyra nodded. “If ARC built anything that still works, it’s worth checking.”

She turned to Riven. “You’re the mechanic. Can you open it?”

Riven stepped forward, studying the console beside the door. Most of it was burned out, but a few lights still blinked weakly. He knelt, brushing away dust. “I can try.”

He pulled a small tool from his belt and started working on the panel. Sparks flew, and for a moment, nothing happened. Then, with a heavy groan, the door began to slide open.

A cloud of cold air rushed out, smelling faintly like chemicals and old metal.

Jax raised his gun. “Stay sharp.”

They stepped inside. The room beyond looked like a laboratory. Tables were overturned, papers scattered, and broken machines lined the walls. Some of them still hummed faintly.

Riven moved closer to one of the terminals. Its screen flickered to life, showing a half-broken message:

PROJECT: REBIRTH — STATUS: FAILED

SUBJECT 23 — ESCAPED CONTAINMENT

EMERGENCY LOCKDOWN INITIATED

Eloen frowned. “Project Rebirth? What is this place?”

Dray scanned one of the machines. “Looks like medical equipment. Human testing.”

Riven’s stomach turned. “They experimented on people?”

Nyra’s voice was low. “Before the war, the surface governments tried to cure radiation sickness. Maybe this was one of their labs.”

Sera ran her hand over a table covered in strange black stains. “Then what’s ‘Subject 23’?”

Before anyone could answer, a sound echoed from the dark corner of the room.

A soft, wet dragging noise.

Jax swung his light toward it.

Something moved.

A figure crawled slowly into view. Its skin was pale, but not like the Hollowed—it was smoother, fresher. Its eyes glowed faintly blue. Tubes hung from its arms, still connected to shattered machines.

It looked at them. Then it spoke—its voice cracked and dry.

“Help… me…”

Everyone froze.

Eloen took a step forward, whispering, “It’s still alive…”

Nyra raised her hand sharply. “Don’t move. We don’t know what it is.”

The creature reached toward them, trembling. Then, without warning, it screamed. Its voice turned sharp, inhuman. The blue glow in its eyes flared bright, and the machines around it started to hum violently.

“Back!” Nyra shouted. “Everyone out!”

Riven grabbed Eloen and pulled her toward the door as the room filled with blinding light. The last thing he saw before the door slammed shut was the creature’s face—half human, half something else.

Then silence.

Only the sound of his own heartbeat filled his ears.

Minutes later, when the noise faded, Riven turned to Nyra. “What was that?”

Nyra’s expression was cold. “Something that should have never been made.”

Riven swallowed hard. “Do you think the Raiders know about this place?”

“They might,” she said. “And if they do, that’s where your sister could be headed.”

Riven looked back at the sealed door.

The word REBIRTH still glowed faintly on the console.

He didn’t know what it meant.

But he could feel it—whatever happened here wasn’t over.

And whatever the world had become, it was worse than he imagined.