Tenebrosity

In the darkness The heaviness of the darkness presses itself against me, sandwiching me between itself and the cold damp wall that my back was pressed against. Darkness was everywhere no matter how many steps I took, no matter how far I ran it's always there. It feels as if its grip tightens every time I move, the ever-present blackness surrounds me thickens with every breath I take.   Covering my mouth with my mask I struggle to take in clean air, the smog that is always around me is dense. It feels as if you would have to fight your way through it. I know they are out there. There are things to fear in the darkness and I fear for my life just like every other person left on this planet that I call home. I run through the darkness and watch for any movement in the ever-present blackness around me, pausing for the tell-tale sounds of being followed. Darting into a ruin of what is left of a house I head for the only part of the building that is functional, the basement.   Looking into the thick shadows that layer thickly in the room I mumble a curse. This room was too dark to peer into. I had forgotten a world with light a world where the darkness and smog don’t try to crush you with every second of the day, if you were lucky there would be the occasional sunlight that comes when the dust clouds disperse from the room is pure undiluted darkness. The world was no longer what it used to be not since the oppression.   Pulling the only light source I have from my pocket I check the batteries, it has been with me from the beginning, the batteries are starting to drain my only hope is that the clouds part tomorrow so I can get some charge in it, solar power was a good idea in the beginning when there was less darkness in the world however I regret not picking the hand-cranking torch.   Flicking the switch, I watch as the beam of light flickers and dulls I hope that it is enough to look at what is lurking in the shadows. The light sputters once more telling me that the batteries are close to the end of there life. Aiming the light at the floor I search for any stairs that lead down, all I can see are four stairs that are still intact looking worn and haggard, what is left of the rest are broken pieces of wood jutting from the wall.   Taking my time, I tentatively step forward placing my foot on the first unbroken step, it lets out a shrill creek, I still, muscles tensing, my heart pounding as I listen, hoping and praying that the sound has not been heard. Click, click, click. There was clicking in the distance, the sound of debris starts clanging as it starts getting closer. Its clicking is closer now. My heart stutters my adrenaline pumps around my body I dare not move but know that I must, my body starts to quiver with fright.   I have nowhere else to go, looking down I panic unable to see what I move into is not the best option, however, it is the only one I have. It screeches signaling to the others that it’s on the hunt, Panicking I make up my mind its either jump and hope for the best or die a slow painful death. They are still a distance away; I drop my torch and jump into the unknown.   Hitting the floor with a soft thud I’m glad that I landed on something soft, unable to relax I roll away from the opening and press my back against the hard surface which I hoped to be the outer wall. Feeling along the wall I search for any cracks, windows or any sort of exit from the room.   Stifling my heavy breathing I let slow heavy pants escape my lips my heart is still in a flurry of panic and I pray that I am gone unnoticed. The smell hits me before I see it, a daunting shadow looms over my only escape route. I stop search for an exit and freeze, the putrid stink of sewage and the sweet sickly smell of rotten meat make me want to retch I force myself to hold my gag in, flattening my body even closer to the wall I carefully feel my way along the wall further away from the hole. I hold my breath as I watch it search the area for me, its beady eyes glinting in the small amount of light from the dying torchlight it scours the area around me. It stops its searching; it is looking right at me. My heart skips a beat, my adrenaline increase I can feel sweat beading down my back as it stretches its head high and screeches, the intensity of the high pitch noise rings through the thick air, reverberating through the smoke like fog and surrounds the area.  I cower at the sound and crawl to the corner of the room hoping to go unnoticed while its preoccupied, Its head drops with its eyes shut, its maw wide open as its sharp tongue flickers tasting the air, it looks back to where I was but I am no longer in there, it careens closer to the opening. It starts searching for me again I make myself smaller slowly creeping into the shadows, I bump into something soft, I slowly and carefully feel for the edge of it is padded and quite thick I crawl closer to the padding making sure to make small quiet movements. I tap at the padding softly my eyes are starting to adjust to the darkness and I can just make out a large mattress leaning against the wall, it has a small gap between it and the wall which is just big enough to fit a crouching person in. I thank all that is good and wiggle my way behind the mattress. I hear something shift next to me and brush against my hand; I suppress a scream knowing that what is out there is much worse than what could be in here with me.