Labyrinth of Death | Chapter 14

Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14


Raenen screamed a second time, hanging flat on the roof with her magnetised gloves and boots. The water level touched her back and soaked through into her armour.
“Help!” she screamed. “Barras!”
A muffled shout came back. “Raenen!”
“I’m here!” she yelled. “Help!”
The water touched now soaked her hair inside her helmet. She screamed again. “BARRAS!”
Silence.
Tears moistened her face and ran down her cheeks. “No.” She squeezed her eyes closed and moaned in distress. Her voice broke. “Not…again.”
The water rose higher, seeping into her ears. She shook her head slightly. “NOT AGAIN!”
A scream ripped from her mouth. Anguish. Exhaustion. Her throat burned in pain. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as the water neared her mouth.
Her entire body relaxed as the water level covered her face. The water called to her, telling her to embrace death. Just let go and float to the bottom. She pulled her feet out of the boots, her air running out, and slipped her hands out of the gauntlets. Eyes closed, she surrendered to the call of the water.
A vibration underwater.
Her back rested against the floor, and darkness slid into her mind.

–––––

She opened her eyes and blinked. A groan issued from her mouth. “Where am I?” As her eyes focused, a face came into sight.
Barras.
Water dripped from his nose, and a dark bruise coloured a laceration on his jawbone. But he smiled, his eyes relieved. Victory beamed in his eyes. “You’re awake.”
Raenen shifted and suddenly convulsed, rolling onto her stomach and retching water. A series of deep, racking coughs followed. She moaned, her head resting on the wet ground. “Oh, I might just go to sleep and never wake up.”
“But you won’t,” came Barras’ voice. “You’re alive.”
“But how?” She looked up at him. “How am I alive?” Memories burned fresh in her mind. “How…”
Barras grinned at her. “I found the air output vent and smashed it.” He rubbed a hand through his short damp hair. “Water came flooding out of the hole I made. I dodged most of it, and then I crawled in and found you inside.” He sighed happily. “We’re both alive. And that’s good.” His hand traced the damp material of his snow coat. “I’m not as wet as you are.”
Raenen rose shakily into a sitting position. “How long was I out for?”
Barras shrugged. “Five minutes? I don’t know.”
Raenen reached over and dragged her helmet towards her. “We need to get out of here.”
“Hmm?” Barras’ smile stayed.
She glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. “It’s not safe here. I think there are wampas on the loose.”
Barras sucked in a breath suddenly, pure terror in his eyes. “Oh, no.”
Raenen clambered to her feet and put her hand against the wall to steady herself.
“I forgot,” whispered Barras. “Radoth released a virus.”
“What?” Raenen’s head snapped around. “Radoth released a virus? Why? When?”
Barras rose to his feet. “Radoth’s in league with Borj. Or was. Radoth slew Borj and tried to kill me. Then he released a virus—he called it a Sanjid—and left.”
“Sanjid?” Raenen shook her head. “I’ve never heard of it.”
“Green smoke.” Barras looked around, scanning the walls. “Do you know how to get out of here?”
Raenen pulled a blaster from her holster. “Where’d you come in?”
Barras gestured to a broken vent on the ground. “Through there. But that’s also the way the virus will come.” He reached for her blaster.
Raenen pulled the blaster away. “Mine.” She pointed it at the opposite wall and fired. Holes appeared in the door, and she rammed her shoulder against it.
“Ow!” She rubbed her sore shoulder and glared at the door.
Barras grabbed her blaster. “Let me show you something.” He placed the blaster against the side of the door and squeezed the trigger.
Raenen tilted her head as she watched him.
Barras pulled the blaster away and tossed it to her. She caught it and lowered the barrel towards the ground. “What are you doing?”
Barras pulled a long, thin knife from his thigh armour and poked around in the hole he had made. “This.”
A click, and the door slid open. Barras yanked his knife out before it clamped on the blade and sheathed it. He glanced into the dark opening beyond. “Shall we go?”
Raenen grinned. “Lead the way.”
Barras took a step into the passageway and flicked on his light. The beam hit something.
Two dark eyes. White fur.
The wampa’s roar shook the passageway.

––––––––––––––––––––––––

Dmitri Pendragon
Blog Moderator