The Watch – Part 239:

(Tom’s perspective)

The walls were dripping with thick red blood. A shockwave of intense power soared through my body, tightening up my muscles, making me rigid, unable to move. What’s happening? A strong acidic smell forced its way up my nose, making me gag. I didn’t have to ask where that was coming from as the floor below me flooded with a mixture of vomit and blood. I had to get out of here.

I stood up and prepared myself to shout the place down until someone came to let me out, but there was no need: The door was unlocked and swinging precariously on its hinges. I didn’t stop to ask questions, I dived out of the cell. The lingering smell of the cell’s floor continued to force its way up my nose. Surely, the further I step away, the clearer the air would become.

I felt sick, dizzy with shock. But before I could start asking questions, the back of my foot collided with something soft. Once again, my body froze. My heart was beating rapidly, I was out of breath from being so scared, but I forced myself to look at what I had hit. I don’t know why I did, but I did, and I instantly regretted it. There, laying on the floor, his body contorted in an unnatural manner; a stranger, covered in blood, the shocked expression still etched on his face. Whatever had killed him, he was able to see it. I don’t know what’s worse. Not seeing what kills you or seeing what kills you.

Something must have broken out of its cell, but how come I didn’t notice anything. Did my headache render me completely unconscious to the world? I thought I had my eyes shut for only a few minutes. I guess not.

I looked ahead and saw the door leading to the many corridors that I had walked down earlier was open. If I can get out of here, I might be able to run away.

‘He’s having an allergic reaction to the chemicals.’

What was that? Who said that? It was a man’s voice. Maybe they’ll be able to help me. Why haven’t they noticed what’s going on here. My curiosity to find out the answers is being knocked off its podium and is being replaced with the sensation of just-wanting-to-run. I don’t care about what’s going on, I just want to get out of here.

I dived through the door. The corridor was no better than the room I was just in. The walls were covered with blood. Parallel lines ran right the way down from one end to the other, as if something dragged its claws all along the walls. Whatever caused this is at the other end somewhere. Is this the only way out? I don’t know. I don’t even know where the exit is. All I know of this place is the corridors I walked down when I woke up so many hours ago. I have to risk it. I have no other choice.

I ran as fast as my shaking legs would carry me to the other end. I came to a T-junction. Do I go right or do I go left? I have no idea and I have a feeling that no matter where I go, I’m going to meet whatever did this. I just have to pick.

Right.

I turned on the spot and ran down the right hand corridor. Another T-junction. All the lights are out, plunging me and the rest of this place in absolute darkness. Do I turn back? I think that’s the best option. I don’t like the look of the odds of what’s in front of me. I spun a 180 and ran back to the first T-junction and carried onwards, down the left side.

Yet another T-junction. The lights are flickering, but they aren’t completely off. It may not be the best, but it’s better than no light at all. When I turned to the right, I saw something on the wall. Massive capital letters written in blood. The flickering lights made it harder to focus, but when I read the word, it shook me so much more than anything else has done before.

YOU.

I don’t want to question it. I just want to get out of here. Whatever has done this obviously wants to send someone a message and I will not stay to figure it out.

‘Is there any way to stabilise him?’ A woman’s voice. I recognise that voice. That’s the voice of Dr Amanda. What’s going on here?

I ran down the corridor opposite to the writing, figuring that’s the best place to go. The flickering lights played havoc on my sense of depth and direction. Was I getting any closer to the end or not? But my legs carried me forward, not caring, just wanting to reach the end and leave this place once and for all.

Then I came to the end. No, I came to a room. The lights were off. There was no way I was going in there. I had better keep moving forward. But then the lights turned on, for a fraction of a second, but the scene that I was presented to me turned that second into minutes.

Bodies everywhere. A woman sitting in the chair opposite me: Dr Amanda, her head was tilt back and her arms were dangling beside the chair. A man laying against the table leg, his head was split in two, bits of blood and brain dripping on the floor. The smell was atrocious. I turned my head away, only to be confronted with two more bodies. One was laying against the wall, his head forcing his body forward. He had no arms, and his legs were cut to shreds. Beside the man was another woman, she had no legs, and her arms were cut to shreds.

And when I looked up, I saw another word.

ARE.

Then the light went out, and I was once again standing in complete darkness.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)