Joe was an idiot....for the most part. A good guy but an idiot.
Shrugging off the yelling from his buddy Daryl, Joe rappelled down the shaft that was a mangled, melted entryway into the bowels of the warehouse debris. How could they not check this out? They blasted the last ton of concrete and boom...there it was, the elevator shaft down to the bottom level. It was where most of the damage had occurred yet here it was, almost perfect. With a flick, his helmet light came on and he checked out the area as he hung from his belt. Easing down, his feet touched jagged rocks below.
The smell was unreal. The ash and...something else. Oh, he thought. There must be more bodies down on this level. They had cleared out so many burnt out corpses in the past three months that you'd think he would've gotten used to the smell but...well you can never get used to the smell of burnt flesh. Not that he wanted to. Leaning forward, his helmet light could barely pierce the blackness. There were lumps on the black ground. Joe leaned forward on his toes when suddenly his safety latch decided to become unsafe and release him from his line.
With a resounding OOF, Joe hit the ground and cut open his knees on the jagged rocks he was standing on. A plume of ash puffed up around him and back down onto him. His helmet flew off and rolled down the dark corridor, throwing up shadows on the wall and illuminating the path in front of him. Wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt, he focused in on the black lumps that looked so damn interesting.
'Oh...shit.'
Overtime
'If you think I'm staying late...you are...retarded, Joe.'
Daryl rubbed the gritty sweat on his forehead, despite the fine powdered mist of snow gathering on the debris around him. 'I'm fucking serious...JOE.'
He had just watched his buddy Joe descend down the half melted elevator shaft. The sonic equipment had registered a portion of the lowest sub level of the Hillman warehouse was intact. Daryl looked at the crew picking up their gear and heading out. 'Hey,' he called over to a group of guys passing. 'Help me here, Joe's a fucking RETARD.' He yelled the end of his statement down the shaft.
The other guys gave Daryl an annoyed look. Checking his watch, he noted that it was five minutes to six and the sun was just starting to dip into the horizon. 'If he fucking goes down there, gets hurt and shit, we'll get stuck here well after dark and...I will have a fucking cow. Help me get him back out.'
With grumbles and much manly cursing, the men dropped their gear. Daryl took out his lead and connected it to the main line that Joe had climbed down. The other men followed suit and they descended down.
Foreman
18 years ago
Foreman
18 years ago
Daryl took a step closer to the shaft and turned around. Leaning back, he tested the taut line above Joe and began to rappel down when he felt the line go slack. Losing his stepping he fell back and into the shaft. His safety catch did its job and caught him before he fell back onto the rocks below, but slammed him against the steel of the shaft.
'Fuck...me,' he mumbled. His head hit the shaft wall first and his helmet light smashed. Shaking his head, trying to clear the dizziness, he tried to balance himself. 'Joe, I'm fucking killing you.'
Waving up to one of the guys, he signaled for a flash light. Grabbing the large mag lite, he pointed down the strong beam into the dark shaft. He couldn't see Joe, so the fucker probably fell all the way down. Daryl hooked the flashlight to his belt and continued down. Reaching the same jagged rocks that Joe has just stepped on, he took out his flashlight again and shined it on the rocks till he could get his footing. Looking up he could see the shadows of the other guys coming down. Swinging the light over towards the corridor, the bright light lit up the area about 12 feet out. Looking down, Daryl saw the black lumps that Joe had landed right in front of.
'What the fuck is that?'
Kneeling down Daryl nudge the lump with the tip of the flashlight. It was furry. There were red drops next to it and they led back towards Daryl's feet. Moving the light, he found the puddle of blood from Joe's cuts.
'Great.'
Now the idiot was hurt and screwing around down in the structurally unsafe warehouse bottom. Pointing the light up, he looked just past the furry lump. Footsteps lead down and around a corner. Closing his eyes, Daryl cursed a mighty blue streak. The fucker had walked off towards the darkness. Just then one of the other workers landed behind him. Standing, Daryl motioned to the other and walked towards the direction of the footsteps.
'What is that?' The other man asked.
Swinging his light back down to the lumps on the ground, Daryl whispered.
'Looks like a rat.'
'Fuck...me,' he mumbled. His head hit the shaft wall first and his helmet light smashed. Shaking his head, trying to clear the dizziness, he tried to balance himself. 'Joe, I'm fucking killing you.'
Waving up to one of the guys, he signaled for a flash light. Grabbing the large mag lite, he pointed down the strong beam into the dark shaft. He couldn't see Joe, so the fucker probably fell all the way down. Daryl hooked the flashlight to his belt and continued down. Reaching the same jagged rocks that Joe has just stepped on, he took out his flashlight again and shined it on the rocks till he could get his footing. Looking up he could see the shadows of the other guys coming down. Swinging the light over towards the corridor, the bright light lit up the area about 12 feet out. Looking down, Daryl saw the black lumps that Joe had landed right in front of.
'What the fuck is that?'
Kneeling down Daryl nudge the lump with the tip of the flashlight. It was furry. There were red drops next to it and they led back towards Daryl's feet. Moving the light, he found the puddle of blood from Joe's cuts.
'Great.'
Now the idiot was hurt and screwing around down in the structurally unsafe warehouse bottom. Pointing the light up, he looked just past the furry lump. Footsteps lead down and around a corner. Closing his eyes, Daryl cursed a mighty blue streak. The fucker had walked off towards the darkness. Just then one of the other workers landed behind him. Standing, Daryl motioned to the other and walked towards the direction of the footsteps.
'What is that?' The other man asked.
Swinging his light back down to the lumps on the ground, Daryl whispered.
'Looks like a rat.'
Foreman
18 years ago
Joe felt the line swing behind him. They were coming down. He figured he'd look around a bit before they made him come back up. Standing, he walked down the dimly lit corridor. He had left his mag lite up top and had only his helmet. Piece of crap. It wobbled in the darkness, just barely showing a few feet ahead of him. Turning a corner he listened for any noise, particularly rats since apparently they were still down here. It amazed him how rats and cockroaches survived just about anything. Cockroaches could live in the radiation of a nuclear explosion and rats...fuck they were just everywhere.
As he slowly walked down the long corridor, he would test the ground every couple of feet, feeling if it was solid. Some spots were wobbly, mostly deformed from the heat. It became even worse as he made it down to the end of the corridor where the start of the explosion must've happened. It was at a T junction that was obliterated into a gaping hole. He felt something drop on his helmet and he looked up. Another hole up into sections of the higher levels they hadn't uncovered. The center of the warehouse itself. Looks like it went up a bit, but with his helmet light he couldn't tell.
There were foot steps behind him, just beyond the darkness. Probably Daryl and the guys coming to drag him off.
'Alright alright, I just wanted to check it out before we left is all.' Walking towards the steps he pushed up his helmet to itch at the grittiness there. The light shined up towards the ceiling and then he readjusted his helmet. The light came back down and into the face of the foot steps.
'What the...'
His screaming was exceptionally loud.
As he slowly walked down the long corridor, he would test the ground every couple of feet, feeling if it was solid. Some spots were wobbly, mostly deformed from the heat. It became even worse as he made it down to the end of the corridor where the start of the explosion must've happened. It was at a T junction that was obliterated into a gaping hole. He felt something drop on his helmet and he looked up. Another hole up into sections of the higher levels they hadn't uncovered. The center of the warehouse itself. Looks like it went up a bit, but with his helmet light he couldn't tell.
There were foot steps behind him, just beyond the darkness. Probably Daryl and the guys coming to drag him off.
'Alright alright, I just wanted to check it out before we left is all.' Walking towards the steps he pushed up his helmet to itch at the grittiness there. The light shined up towards the ceiling and then he readjusted his helmet. The light came back down and into the face of the foot steps.
'What the...'
His screaming was exceptionally loud.
Foreman
18 years ago
Daryl stood at the turn waiting for the three other men to come down the rope and join him down the corridor. They didn't need four men to drag Joe out, but he wasn't about to turn down the help, especially when he tried to peer down the dark corridor and the light stopped about 15 feet down. He no sooner took a step forward when he heard Joe's voice drift down the hallway.
Alright...alright...he heard and then the rest floated away. Jesus he was down there pretty far in the time it took for Daryl to jump down. One of the other guys made a disgusted noise as they found the dead rats littered on the floor. He pointed the light down and counted...then lost count. They were everywhere, littered in the corner in rather high piles. Dried black blood spotted the floor.
'Christ, what the fuck killed these rats?' They proceeded down the hallway, Daryl moving his light from lump to lump, trying to avoid stepping on them. It was a gross soft feeling, like walking on mud only this wasn't mud. He was pulled out of his contemplation and nearly dropped his flashlight when he heard Joe's blood curdling scream.
All the men froze in place about 30 feet down from the turn of the corridor. The screaming turned to gurgling and then to nothing. Daryl took a step back. The other men behind him took about 100 steps back at the same time. The bobbing of helmet lights bounced all over the dark corridor walls, illuminating the steel framing that hadn't melted completely. The rats that weren't piled on the floor were viciously impaled on the steal beams. Daryl suddenly ran directly into something and hit the ground with a sick bone crushing thud. He felt like he hit the fucking wall, but when the wall reached down and grabbed him, he was fairly certain that whatever was behind him was now in front of him. The rest of the men were clamoring over each other, trying to climb up the rope to no avail.
Daryl felt the sting of his fingernails being ripped off from trying to dig into the ground as whatever it was that killed at least a couple hundred rats was dragging him back into the darkness from which it came.
Alright...alright...he heard and then the rest floated away. Jesus he was down there pretty far in the time it took for Daryl to jump down. One of the other guys made a disgusted noise as they found the dead rats littered on the floor. He pointed the light down and counted...then lost count. They were everywhere, littered in the corner in rather high piles. Dried black blood spotted the floor.
'Christ, what the fuck killed these rats?' They proceeded down the hallway, Daryl moving his light from lump to lump, trying to avoid stepping on them. It was a gross soft feeling, like walking on mud only this wasn't mud. He was pulled out of his contemplation and nearly dropped his flashlight when he heard Joe's blood curdling scream.
All the men froze in place about 30 feet down from the turn of the corridor. The screaming turned to gurgling and then to nothing. Daryl took a step back. The other men behind him took about 100 steps back at the same time. The bobbing of helmet lights bounced all over the dark corridor walls, illuminating the steel framing that hadn't melted completely. The rats that weren't piled on the floor were viciously impaled on the steal beams. Daryl suddenly ran directly into something and hit the ground with a sick bone crushing thud. He felt like he hit the fucking wall, but when the wall reached down and grabbed him, he was fairly certain that whatever was behind him was now in front of him. The rest of the men were clamoring over each other, trying to climb up the rope to no avail.
Daryl felt the sting of his fingernails being ripped off from trying to dig into the ground as whatever it was that killed at least a couple hundred rats was dragging him back into the darkness from which it came.
Ellis Duban
18 years ago
The snow had stopped and the clouds moved along, revealing a little bit of the parting sun as a dirtied and bloodied hand reached up and out of the hole the 5 men had lowered themselves into. Another hand came up and the owner of said hands pulled its body out. The exposed skin was sun kissed by the setting sun and it steamed ever so gently.
With a satisfied sigh, Ellis puffed a bit of hair out of her eyes as she took a seat, feet dangling in the hole. The sun was a minor annoyance in the grand scheme of things. She had been down in the bowels of the warehouse where Simon had left her, sleeping off the effects of her electrically charged blood lust that had left her defenseless against her disloyal subject. With the last bit of hate in her, she found solace under the debris of the exploding warehouse that blew upward. The fire had been horrific yet cleansing at the same time. With her broken body she crawled into a tiny crevace and slept.
A month passed before she realized she wasn't dead and had only gone insane from the pain. A rat had befriended her, the curious thing. She snapped it like a twig as she fed on it. The clearing from above was like music albeit slow. Three almost four months had passed as she listened to them get closer, then further away. They were escavating the opposite side at a quicker pace so she waited. They'd come and free her.
And free she was.
Ellis stood, the setting sun cursing her soft skin. Freshly fed, and rather gorged, her body regenerated fast enough to ignore the stinging pain. Spots would crack and then heal themselves. No matter. Her outfit was a ridiculous mess of leather. Stained, burnt and nearly falling off. She grabbed a lone duster off the ground and put it over her bare torso. Padding the pockets she struck gold and pulled out a pack of Pall Malls, unfiltered.
'Fuck yes.'
Finding a 79 cent bic lighter she inhaled deeply as she lit the cancer stick, releshing in its disgusting fumes. The site was clear of workers and finally the sun died, sliding behind the protection of the horizon. Ellis looked around, not quite sure how long she had been away. A lunch box and a newspaper laid underneath where the duster had been. She tucked her cigarette in between her lips and picked up the paper.
March. First day of spring. How ironic, she thought. The devil had finally risen from her makeshift grave on the first day of a new season. Ellis smiled, cigarettle dangling from her lips. Perusing through the paper she noticed the headline. A recent explosion. Sounded like fun, she was sorry she missed that.
Tucking the paper under her arm she took a final drag of her cigarette, she had unknowingly smoked it quickly and deeply. With a flick of her fingers she tossed the butt back into the hole. She had things to look into. The situation of her clan unless....he wasn't that stupid. Would Simon try to claim the clan now that he thought she was dead? She thought a moment. Yes, he was that stupid. The human Kyle Evans. She'd have to pay him a visit. Right then she had to see about her property and fortune. She now had the luxury of running rogue until she figured out how to get to Simon.
In the three or four months of sitting in the dark, feeding on rats, she took the time to let her hate build and her cup runneth over. Ellis sighed happily and set about to take care of unfinished business.
With a satisfied sigh, Ellis puffed a bit of hair out of her eyes as she took a seat, feet dangling in the hole. The sun was a minor annoyance in the grand scheme of things. She had been down in the bowels of the warehouse where Simon had left her, sleeping off the effects of her electrically charged blood lust that had left her defenseless against her disloyal subject. With the last bit of hate in her, she found solace under the debris of the exploding warehouse that blew upward. The fire had been horrific yet cleansing at the same time. With her broken body she crawled into a tiny crevace and slept.
A month passed before she realized she wasn't dead and had only gone insane from the pain. A rat had befriended her, the curious thing. She snapped it like a twig as she fed on it. The clearing from above was like music albeit slow. Three almost four months had passed as she listened to them get closer, then further away. They were escavating the opposite side at a quicker pace so she waited. They'd come and free her.
And free she was.
Ellis stood, the setting sun cursing her soft skin. Freshly fed, and rather gorged, her body regenerated fast enough to ignore the stinging pain. Spots would crack and then heal themselves. No matter. Her outfit was a ridiculous mess of leather. Stained, burnt and nearly falling off. She grabbed a lone duster off the ground and put it over her bare torso. Padding the pockets she struck gold and pulled out a pack of Pall Malls, unfiltered.
'Fuck yes.'
Finding a 79 cent bic lighter she inhaled deeply as she lit the cancer stick, releshing in its disgusting fumes. The site was clear of workers and finally the sun died, sliding behind the protection of the horizon. Ellis looked around, not quite sure how long she had been away. A lunch box and a newspaper laid underneath where the duster had been. She tucked her cigarette in between her lips and picked up the paper.
March. First day of spring. How ironic, she thought. The devil had finally risen from her makeshift grave on the first day of a new season. Ellis smiled, cigarettle dangling from her lips. Perusing through the paper she noticed the headline. A recent explosion. Sounded like fun, she was sorry she missed that.
Tucking the paper under her arm she took a final drag of her cigarette, she had unknowingly smoked it quickly and deeply. With a flick of her fingers she tossed the butt back into the hole. She had things to look into. The situation of her clan unless....he wasn't that stupid. Would Simon try to claim the clan now that he thought she was dead? She thought a moment. Yes, he was that stupid. The human Kyle Evans. She'd have to pay him a visit. Right then she had to see about her property and fortune. She now had the luxury of running rogue until she figured out how to get to Simon.
In the three or four months of sitting in the dark, feeding on rats, she took the time to let her hate build and her cup runneth over. Ellis sighed happily and set about to take care of unfinished business.