CHAPTER FOUR (PART SIX) - BREEDEN AZALAZAR “YEEEEEEEAAH!” A.J. yelped when Brian’s voice suddenly screamed through out the system. “What the hell-“ he said flustered, quickly he realized what it was and his mind surfed to the link. “Brian! What’s wrong?” A.J. asked concerned, thinking that the eater was trying to get to them again. “Get Howie and Kevin out of there NOW!” Brian shouted wildly. “That thing is going after them! Its there!” “What!?” A.J. yelped. “It there! It’s going to kill them! Get them out now!” Brian cried. Suddenly from far off A.J. heard the robot clicking its fingers. )))I’m afraid he’s right. I’m picking up a heavy object going through the tunnel.((( It called. “What!?” A.J. shouted horrified, everything happening way to fast. “Why the hell didn’t you say so before!?” He shouted franticly. )))Because it appears to have been traveling through the top of the ceiling of the bottom floor, it has now come out of a vent and is now in the black out tunnel!((( “Oh shit!” A.J. shouted, he instantly went back to the speakers. “A.J.! There’s something wrong with Nick!” Brian added. “I can only handle one life and death situation at a time!” A.J. yelled panicked. “Kev! Howie!” He then shouted, unknowingly still talking through the com link, suddenly he abruptly stopped talking as his glowing green eyes widened in horror as he saw the thing in the control room, it crawled towards the opening, disjointed and disfigured. “Oh my god,” A.J. said realizing that Kevin and Howie wouldn’t have time to get out, they were trapped. “KEV! HOWIE!” He hollered. Brian listened in frightened and tense. ```( )``` Howie typed in the finale codes needed and hit the last button with relish. “There!” He said triumphantly, “Finished and locked in, and with-“ Howie thought for a moment and then grinned. “Hum! An hour and a half! Not bad Major!” “Not bad at all.” Kevin agreed as Howie began to hit the button that would take the block into the wall when suddenly A.J.’s voice screamed through the speakers. “KEV! HOWIE!” “Jeez A.J.! There’s a dead person on the next deck who didn’t hear you!” Howie said indignantly. “SHUT UP! THAT THING IS COMING THROUGH THE TUNNEL!” A.J. shouted. “What!?” Kevin said horrified when suddenly a sound from the only exit out of this place rang out, making both man jolt. They froze looking at the tunnel, it remained black but they heard a familiar sound suddenly softly filled the air. TEET! TEET! TEET! Both their eyes widened, and their breaths caught. TEET! TEET! TEET! A.J. was silent to as he listened in to, his heart almost stopped when he heard the sound of the things claw, tapping against the wall, getting louder as it got closer, his eyes widened. “Guys?” he whispered afraid to talk. As Kevin continued to look at the door, his heart pounding Howie suddenly threw back his head. “Oh yeah! Some big help you were there!” He shouted at the ceiling. )))I’d suggest you hide!((( Came the robots not so helpful advice. “Thanks! Never would have thought of that one!” Howie snarled, fear making him unable to utter a sentence with out being sarcastic. He looked over terror making his voice catch in his tightened throat. He gulped as another claw against metal sound rang out, meaning to obviously tease them. At the sound of that, Kevin finally was able to move. “Get in there!” He suddenly said, his gaze still on the tunnel. “What?” Howie said confused looking at the major. “I said get in there! Go!” Kevin hissed pointing to the inside from where the block came from, Howie looked at the small space, but before he could object Kevin shoved him. “Go!” he barked and Howie instantly, with out question began crawling inside the boxed space. As he cramped his legs in, his back curled and his legs against his chest, Kevin while keeping his gaze on the tunnel began pushing on the block, the bar it was on was above Howie stomach, he sucked in a deep breath as the block computer came towards him and sealed him inside the wall, the block stuck out but Kevin had to stop pushing or he’d crush Howie. Howie instantly started breathing harder, feeling as if the walls were closing in on him and the air was leaving the small space. His body started to hurt from the cramped position he was in and claustrophia was settling over him. Being in this small space was almost as terrifying as begin out there with that creature. “Take it easy D,” A.J.’s voice suddenly whispered out from inside the room through a speaker on the panel on the part of the block that had been pushed in with him. “Take it easy!” Howie squeaked, panting. “Sssshhhhh! That thing will hear you!” A.J. hissed and Howie instantly stopped talking. Okay Howard calm down, Howie said to himself, it can’t see you, your fine, there’s plenty of air, your not going to suffocate, the walls aren’t going to compact, compressing you into a tiny little Howie box. It wasn’t helping. Kevin jumped back and instantly began running down the cat walk, his shoes pounded against the metal, making it seem as if the sounds he was making were louder then they really were in the frightening situation. Holding his breath as he ran, he slowed to a walk in front of the tunnel as he listened but kept going. TEET! TEET! TEET! Jumping, Kevin turned and began running faster then he had ever in his entire life to the round plat form, his heart beat wildly and he felt fear race through him as fast as his heart beat. Breathing hard, Keivn skidded to a stop under the dangling tubes and stood there waiting, hoping that A.J. knew what he was planning. “Come on! Come on!” He whispered rubbing his fingers together in anticipation and fear, he looked over his shoulder as more sounds from that things claw rang out, right out side the door way. Looking up panicked, he felt relief course through him as a tube began to lower, he looked over his shoulder again as the tube descended slowly. The white glistening tips from the clawed gnarled hand suddenly slid into the light and gripped the sides of the tunnel slowly, Kevin looked back at the tube, his head going light, thankfully it was within reaching distance, he quickly grabbed it and gripped it, instantly it began to rise back up, taking Kevin to the ceiling and into the blotchy darkness that lingered there. As the plat form got farther and farther away, Kevin pulled himself up and climbed up further and held on for dear life. Thankfully he had climbed up far enough so that when the tube stopped, he did also in the darkness, his feet dangled in the light though. Holding his breath, Kevin clung on tighter and looked down. The tip of the claw tapped against the side. TEET! TEET! TEET! Kevin waited, his muscles going numb from tensing so hard. It waited there, tapping its claw as if trying to decide weather or not to even go in, or waiting for the right time. Finally, it slowly pulled itself into the light. The light fell over its grotesque lumpy face; the eye was fixed forward, a black lifeless eye, completely cold. Its skin glistened, as it slowly pulled into the room, Kevin was completely still; he hung onto the tube, his muscles locked. Howie was still as well, his heart beating furiously as he could hear nothing. Time seemed to freeze as the thing crawled forward a little. “Ooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” Howie held his breath and prayed as the moan rang out dully. Kevin watched it from the shadows as it came in further, a gurgling and clicking sound coming from it. TEET! TEET! TEET! Afraid to even breath, Kevin watched with a growing sense of fear as the thing’s eye shifted to the block that stuck out of the wall. Oh shit! Kevin thought as the thing growled and began slowly crawling to the block. A.J. who was watching through the cameras in the room, widened his eyes and the thing crawled closer. “Oh man!” He whispered to himself panicked, he couldn’t do anything! He could shot the block out and bash the creature, but then it would automatically go back into the wall and crush Howie! Crap! “What’s happening!?” Brian’s voice suddenly rang out scaring A.J. “Hold on!” he told him through the COM link, Brian stayed where he was on the stove, listening tensely. Howie was staying where he was, his body was aching, but he didn’t move, he couldn’t really hear anything, but somehow that was scarier. Sweat beaded his forehead as he started breathing hard. The anticipation was killing him, he still didn’t even know if Kevin had made it, he hadn’t hear him. It felt like hours were passing by, Howie gulped. Suddenly it seemed a little to quite, to still, Howie knew that wasn’t good, something was either going to happen, or was happening. And it did. Suddenly the tips of the eater’s claws ripped through the cracks of the block, Howie screamed and shrank back as it began screeching and pulling on the block, it wiggled back and forth. With a gurgling roar, the things claws wiggled in more. Howie clawed at them hoping to pry them away, no such luck, the thing had unbelievable strength. He screamed as a piece of metal was torn away and a black eye filled the space. Suddenly with a growl, the eye disappeared but the claws still tried to pull the block out, suddenly from the space, something yellow appeared and began spilling in a little, Howie recoiled in horror as three hands, trying to push through a yellow sack, pushed slowly into the room, moans filled the tiny space as the hand tried to reach for him, goo dripped into the space. Kevin reached behind him and pulled then gun from his belt where he had put it when he had started typing on the computer. He pulled it out desperately as the thing continued to pull on the block screeching, Howie terrified screams rang out louder. The block was pulled out enough for Kevin to see Howie struggling wildly inside the small space. Kevin pointed the gun and was going to fire when abruptly, the thing stopped, just froze. Kevin did as well, still pointing the gun, the thing stayed still; Howie was cringing back, but had stopped screaming. Suddenly the thing let go and slid down, Howie’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head as it just let go, Kevin watched it confused as it slid to the floor and stayed there, seemingly still. He saw Howie fidget, totally confused as well and terrified. Kevin raised the gun above his head to get a better grip on the tube, seeing as which he was beginning to slowly let go, as he did, the eater looked up, straight at him. Kevin froze. It stared right up at where he was, he wasn’t sure if it could see him, but it even looking in the direction that he was in was scary enough. Both stayed still, looking at each other, that’s when Kevin, felt the blood from the cut on his arm start to slid down again, the warm substance melted into the fabric of his shirt. His eyes widened, oh god! He realized, it probably can smell the blood! Shit! Kevin’s mind raced, trying to think of what to do. Starting to breath harder he quickly looked up and grabbed onto the tube some how managing to keep his grip on the gun, shutting his eyes Kevin took a deep breath. “A.J.,” He whispered hoping that he could he hear him because he was talking so soft. “When I say so, release the tube and just drop me down, just automatically release it, I don’t care how far up I am or how fast I drop, just do it! And tell Howie to get out of that place and make a break for the tunnel as soon as this thing climbs up the wall, got it?” He knew A.J. wouldn’t answer and give anything away to that creature; he just counted on Howie to actually do what he was told to do. Howie shrank back as far away from the opening as he could, feeling fear from not knowing what was going on or what was happening, where was that thing? “Howie!” Howie instantly let out a yelp and recoiled away when A.J.’s voice suddenly whispered in front of him. “Howie!” A.J. repeated more urgently from the small speaker, “Kevin says that when that thing starts going up the wall, crawl out and make a run for the tunnel.” “What!?” Howie asked shrilly. “How the hell dose he know this thing will go up the freaking wall!” “Just do it!” A.J. hissed. “Well where the hell am I supposed after that!?” Howie demanded wildly in a hushed tone. “Uh………….” A.J. thought for a moment, “Oh! I know! When you reach the outer control room, hide behind the consol!” I’m gonna die, face it Howard, your are so screwed, in so many ways it’s a goddamn miracle your still alive as it is. Howie said to himself but didn’t argue. He began to shift so he could crawl out when ready. The creature stayed where it was, absolutely still, staring up at Kevin who’s grip was slipping every few second, he need both hands, and the strength to hold on was cramping his hands. But he stayed still. TEET TEET TEET TEET TEET! Its claw tapped against the catwalk. Keivn squeezed his eyes shut and winced from the constant ach that had settled over his arms, when he opened his arms and looked down his blood ran cold, the creature wasn’t there, instead, it was crawling up the wall, very quickly too. Shit! Kevin instantly reacted; he jerked in surprise and then let out a little gasp and froze as the creature, who was crawling up the wall like a spider froze. Swaying a little, Kevin held his breath, everything froze. The things claw hit against the wall, as if deciding if that was something to worry about. CLINK!…………CLINK!……CLINK! Kevin’s hands ached, not only from gripping the tube, but from slowly gripping it tighter in fear and uneasiness. Silence lapsed on, a slight sign of movement suddenly caught Kevin’s attention, he tore his eyes away from the thing, even though it took an enormous amount of will power to do, he saw Howie, squeezing out of the small space and over the block. Howie looked up fearfully, and while keeping his gaze on the eater, slowly crawled out and set his foot on the catwalk, silently he got himself out fully and backed away slowly, being as quite as he could. Howie was to scared to run; he backed away from the thing that was crawling again, slowly digging its claws into the cracks of the blocks to pull itself onward. Kevin glanced at the eater then back at Howie who was going faster now, quickly speed walking away, Howie turned and began to silently run to the black out tunnel, Kevin didn’t notice the thing slithering into the shadows where was, he watched with a small sense of relief as Howie quickly disappeared into the tunnels blackness. In the silence Kevin could hear Howie’s footsteps quickly fading away as he out and out ran. Kevin let out a little sigh of relief that was short lived. He froze when he realized that that thing wasn’t where it had been. Kevin quickly searched around the walls, but didn’t see it. Oh crap. A.J. watched through the camera’s as Kevin looked around. “Its above you. It’s above you. Its above you.” He whispered to himself, unable to tell Kevin. Behind him, he could tell the robot was peeking through into some of the camera’s to see as well. )))The other one is in the outer control room now,((( The robot was reporting to Brian, who still hadn’t moved from his place, he listened fearfully. )))The leader unit is still in the ceiling.((( Kevin was still looking around; his shoulders were screaming for release from him still hanging there, breathing hard, his heart pounding and stomach lurching, Kevin looked around wildly. It’s never this easy, he thought, it’s still hear. Slowing his breathing, Kevin forced himself to be calm. Do you want to die? He asked himself, panic just makes you irrational and do stupid things. Clam down. Kevin listened intently for any off sounds, and he got one, right above him. The slow, deep breathing streamed out, it was soft but noticeable, Kevin’s breath caught, oh man! He thought, as if to confirm the worst, something dripped onto on his hair, Kevin didn’t move as the bead of dark blood ran down through his hair and down the side of his face, Kevin’s head went light as more drops of blood dripped down past him and fell smoothly and quite a ways, it splattered against the cold floor. The silence was so thick Kevin could almost hear the sound it made. Slowly, ever so slowly, Kevin’s hand let go, the one with the gun, he kept his arm above his head, ignoring the pain in it and his shoulders. He finally got the gun in a good grasp and pointed it upward, through keeping his gaze down, focused on the blood splatters. He took a deep breath, squeezed his eyes shut, and said a small prayer to get out of this alive. He fired the gun, sound exploded deafening his ear drums, firing five times light flashed like a camera in the blotchy darkness where he and the creature were concealed. The creature screamed as the bullet hit the human arm, it lurched forward with a furious roar just as Kevin lunged upward grabbing the tube again as he screamed. “NOW!” The tube instantly laxed and Kevin was suddenly dropped, the sudden shock of falling through the air almost made him let go of the tube, but he somehow managed to cling to it, the floor rushed up towards him and Kevin despite telling himself to be calm, felt terror go through him at how quickly the floor sped towards him, blood from the creature was falling with him, in a fleeting and ever so brief moment, Kevin saw the round red orbs around him, and experienced a dull weird sensation of almost floating because he could see the drops right with him, but he knew that he would end up like the drops, splattered against the ground. No! Kevin thought horrified, I’m not going to die this easily. The ground was so close, twenty feet, that’s when Kevin grabbed the tube tight just as it suddenly and violently was stopped by pulling up a little. That sudden action almost dislocated or even ripped Kevin’s shoulders, his entire body jerked and his neck whip lashed, it happened so fast Kevin accidentally let go and fell the rest of the six feet, but the action of being pulled up saved his life. Kevin slammed into the hard ground painfully and almost blacked out as the wind was knocked out of him, his head bounced off the floor and he did pass out for a few seconds, when he opened his eyes again, his entire body hurt. “YES!” A.J. screamed in delight and instantly punched one of the blocks out, the one the creature was hanging over. It punched out so sudden it knocked the eater right off the ceiling. It screamed in surprise and rage as it began falling as well. Kevin gasped and rolled away down the ramp and onto his feet, he was instantly off and running down the walk and towards the tunnel, he never felt such joy then he did at that moment then as he ran into the darkness with out even looking back to see that thing hit the ground, half way into the tunnel he heard a horrible sound of bone and flesh splattering against the very floor he had, the sound lingered in his head as he ran, his shoes pounding against the floor, he ran feeling as if he were in some sort of dream in the dark, and finally, he reached the outer control room. Kevin ran out into the room and fell, to the ground just as the door whirled shut. Howie instantly jumped up from behind the consol, and saw Kevin lying on the floor unable to move any further. He instantly ran over. “Kevin!” He said horrified as he ran up, he skidded to a stop as Kevin held the gun up, his eyes closed. “Take it!” He groaned and Howie hesitated for a brief moment before talking it. Kevin then held up his finger. “Give me a minute.” He requested groaning in pain. “Okay.” Howie said backing away. “Dude! That was so cool!” A.J. howled in delight, his grinning face filling every monitor. “Thanks.” Came the groaning reply. “Need a minute?” A.J. asked sensing Kevin’s fatigue. “Maybe two.” Howie mouthed to the screens. “Ah!” A.J. said nodding. “That’s cool. No rest for the brave huh?” “No kidding.” Drifted Kevin voice from the floor. BACK NEXT |
| Science And Madness |