| Episode 091 | |
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“I can’t see what’s happening. Are we boned?” Bender, Futurama
The adrenaline’s still rushing through my veins as we push on. The rough edges of the alternating fence-like mesh and metal plates digs into my skin as we crawl. The space we’re in is more narrow than last time. There’s barely enough room to move. I can’t even lift up onto my hands and knees, much less sit up. The sense of claustrophobia gets a running start on me. I feel like a giant plate is being lowered down on us. Every tiny ridge or hump in the roofing that is our ground makes me more paranoid. What if the roof falls down on us? What if it gets to low and we get stuck? What if we can’t get down? What if we find an escape, but we can’t open it because the ceiling’s too . . . “Stop.” I freeze in mid-motion before it even registers that it was Slate who spoke. I can see her roll over in the light of the flashlight and she lays down on her back. “Take a break guys.” I realize my shoulders and hips are burning. It didn’t even hit me that this is really hard. I wonder how she knew to ask? “Thank god.” I hear Patrick say. I look back as he drops onto his stomach. I accept the break and lower down as well. “Slate, turn off the flashlight.” I hear Patrick say. “Like you said, conserve the batteries.” I look up at Slate as she reaches for it. “Wait.” I say. Flashlight in hand, she pauses and looks back at me. I look at her, but then shake my head. “Nothing.” I say. There’s no point. Click And we’re in darkness. Even though it’s not the first time I’ve been in total darkness, my eyes panic the way they always do. For a brief moment, everything visual in my world flails around fearfully in search of something to latch on to. But as the visual absence fear subsides, my world expands out. It’s as if the eyes gave up and tagged the ears into the ring. I can hear. And unlike my eyes, I can hear all around. I can hear Patrick panting. I can hear Slate breathing meditatively. Maybe that’s how she does it. She’s some type of yoga person or something. No, I can’t see her being that passive. I imagine if it doesn’t involve shoving something or hitting something, she doesn’t deal with it. But my awareness expands out farther than my eyes could. It’s like I’m aware of the entire narrow space that we’re crawling through. Like I can ‘feel’ it. It’s weird. But I want to try something. I close my eyes. I breathe in deep. I open my eyes. I’m standing up. Before me is the Virginian tree line at the edge of the abandoned home improvement store’s parking lot. The cloudy sky races by as if a hurricane is chasing it away, all while the watchful moon sits indifferently to the world in its throne of the night. I don’t even look at my racing gear as I turn around. And he’s there. The massive giant stands over me, his tall frame and dark demeanor almost hidden by the darkness. For a moment, he and I just stand. His head is lowered, most of his face hidden behind his black hat. I stay still, petrified in fear. But with a deep breath, I’m able to trick my heart into beating at a reasonable rate. “How many more are there?” I ask. His head lifts up. His hard, dark eyes lock on me. “Five escaped.” He says, his voice sounding like broken glass tearing through free-hanging flesh. “Three remain. Find the others, and you’ll see me no more.” “How’d they get out?” I ask. “How they got out,” He snaps, his eyes flashing with violence like lightning sparking a forest fire. “Is not your worry; only that they go back.” I’m lying down again. I have to consciously close my eyes and touch them to make sure that my eyes are, in fact, closed. I listen out. I hear a gurgle. “What was that?” It’s Slate’s whisper. “My stomach.” I whisper back. “I’m hungry.” “We all are.” She bites back. Then I hear something else. Sliding. “Slate.” I say, my voice rushed. “Flashlight. Now.” Click. Zombie. |
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