//Chapter 42//
1198 Words
My blood went cold as I saw what was in front of me.
The tunnel had devided in to three tunnels. One was our original tunnel, with the clean cut clay and stones. The other two seemed to be more recent than that. There was a foul smell coming from them. There were debris fallen from them to thr original tunnel, indicating that someone carved them from outside, connecting them here.
And Kahlee's scream was coming from inside them.
I did not have anytime to think. I followed the tracks and the screams to the middle tunnel. I noticed bones and grime and remaining of various creatures.
This was the den of some underground creatures.
I opted for going in dark, leaving the torch behind, but I decided against it. These things seemed to be adjusted to the dark. And I could not afford to lose my vision.
Kahlee's screams stopped.
I concerntrated, sending tendrils of my power in all directions at once. All the living things had bio electricity around them, forming thoughts. I had the ability to sense and manipulate them, creating illusions.
I was reaching out. I practiced this everyday for two years in that cell. Like a web, my powers went along the tunnels, searching for a life.
There. Ten or so foots infront of me, I felt them. They were not moving, as if waiting for something to happen. Or someone to come.
They had already detected my presence.
I let my power inside their heads. Nobody is coming. Everything is normal.
I went further and further in, gripping my dagger. The stench was unbearable. Some soft gooey mess stirred itself up as I stepped.
When I saw them, my jaws opened in shock. They looked like humans.
There were no hair on their transparent bodies. I could see all the organs inside them. A clear jelly like substance had replaced their muscles. Those teeth were long and sharp. Their limbs were extra long. And the thing that scared me the most was those empty eye sockets.
They stared at nothing, caught under my illusion. Some were standing while some were lying down. I carefully took my steps, not wanting to step on any of them. Inspecting these things were not my purpose. I had to find Kahlee as soon as possible. Since I had blindly reached out with my power, I suspected that she was also under the illusion.
I searched around. I almost set fire to a creature when I finally saw a finger, half eaten with still some muscled attached to it. I had to find her fast. If that finger belonged to her... I did not want to think about the worst.
And I found her.
She was half buried in the earth. Blood and saliva of those creatures ran from one on her hands. Her eyes were unfocused. I sheathed my daggers back and ran to her, drawing my power back from her mind.
Her eyes cleared. It took a several seconds for her to see me. I expected her to be relieved at the sight of me, but instead, her eyes widened in horror.
"It's okay." I said, cradling her head and pulling her to a sit. "Let's get out of here. They can't move."
"Not you." She said, barely a whimper. "Above you."
I looked up to see three of them looking at me, teeth bared in a greedy smile. I had not thought of above attacks. Their limbs slithered as they moved, fast and lethal.
I threw my power at them, holding them a second before one of them bit off my face.
After making sure there was no one else undetected, I ripped apart my cape and bandaged Kahlee's hand. Our emergency supplies were destroyed. I had to meet with Resh and others as soon as possible.
Kahlee had not said a word. I half carried her out of the tunnel, wanting to get away from there as soon as possible. Still, I'd have to run, considering the fact that tunnel openings could not be closed with me alone.
I set her down after we got a considerable distance away from those creatures. There was no feeling of being watched, which was a good sign.
" Are you alright?" I asked. I knew very well that she was not alright. She was missing two fingers on her right hand.
"They... they ate them." Kahlee said, looking at her hand. Her eyes were wide and unfocused. "They held me down. And they ate my fingers."
I rocked her back and forth, hugging her tightly. "I am sorry I could not come faster. I am so sorry."
Finally, her gaze cleared as she looked at me. Her eyes welled up. "I don't have fingers. My fingers are gone." She showed her hands to me. "They are not here. See, Sumi, they are gone."
I felt tears striding down my own cheeks. "Let's go back, okay?" I smoothed her tangled hair. "Let's get you treated."
She sobbed in to my shoulder. I held her as she cried, gently patting her back. I wanted to tell her how sorry I am. If I has persisted her to sleep while I did the watching, none of this would have happened. Hell, if I hadn't decided to run from Savin and come here with him instead of her, none of this would have happened.
But, it was not the time to think about that. We were not out of the danger yet. Those creatures could come back anytime. We had to move.
The problem was, to where?
I could go back with Kahlee, then Resh would be in danger. I could not think about going forward with her, considering the pain she was bearing, the blood loss and the fact that she was missing her index and pinkie from her hand.
The decision fell on me.
I pulled Kahlee a little bit. "Can you stand up? Let's get out of here. They can come back anytime."
She silently nodded her head. There was something wrong with her. I could not pit my finger into it, but her eyes were rolling backwards. She needed immediate medical attention.
I bent down. "Get on."
She hesitantly wrapped her hands around me. I lifted her up and started walking.
"This is not the way." She said, after I walked for a while. "We are going in the wrong direction."
I didn't stop. "No. We have to get you treated first."
"What are you talking about?" She struggled a little bit. "What about Resh?"
I didn't spoke for a while, concerntrating on ahead, searching for any creatures. "He has a potential threat. You are injured. I'll get you back on outside and come back later."
"But then-"
"Stop. Okay?" I said as gently as I could. "There's no way I'm leaving you here. This is the best choice."
"Is it?" Someone asked from the shadows. I froze on the spot. I knew that voice.
I yearned for that voice.
I didn't say anything as Savin came to the light, his eyes dark from anger. "Are you sure that is the best choice, huh?" He asked.
- Writer
