1 00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:05,480 Speaker 1: I live under the greatest horror known to man, the 2 00:00:05,559 --> 00:00:10,720 Homeowner's Association. The scrutiny of the Esotoic rules is benign 3 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:14,759 only to them. You may hear tales of h oa's 4 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:18,239 that are sticklers to strict laws, but let me tell 5 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:22,800 you that mine is far worse. I once saw them 6 00:00:22,839 --> 00:00:25,920 site an old lady for undesirable decorations in a house. 7 00:00:26,679 --> 00:00:29,079 There were napkins that were blown around a porch after 8 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:34,439 a barbecue. Driving through the streets, the neighborhood almost looks 9 00:00:34,479 --> 00:00:39,039 like a movie set. Within minutes of being expressed, all 10 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:45,320 sense of personality is crushed. Still, I moved here at 11 00:00:45,359 --> 00:00:47,840 a much better price than if I lived in the city. 12 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:52,479 I've more space too. For the cost of my house, 13 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:55,560 I would be living in a small studio apartment that 14 00:00:55,679 --> 00:00:59,399 I wouldn't even own. So I put up with the 15 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:02,840 h o A simply by almost never being at home. 16 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:08,879 The only downside for me is the commute. I have 17 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:12,000 to travel far to get to work, and even further 18 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:16,319 if I want to do anything recreationally. But it's not 19 00:01:16,359 --> 00:01:19,560 too bad knowing that I've never caused any reason to 20 00:01:19,599 --> 00:01:26,519 be cited. Until one day I was sitting in my 21 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:30,680 little cubicle at work when I got an email. At 22 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:33,959 first I thought it might have been spam. It was 23 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:37,040 a citation from the HOA that I was being written 24 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:40,599 up about something. I thought this couldn't be the case, 25 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:42,760 since my home looked pretty much the same as when 26 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:46,680 I first moved in, But I opened it anyway just 27 00:01:46,719 --> 00:01:52,040 in case I disbelief faded. It must have been real 28 00:01:52,439 --> 00:01:54,840 because it had all my details that I used when 29 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:58,840 I signed for the house. Through some hoity toity nonsense 30 00:01:58,879 --> 00:02:01,799 speak that they were obviously using to try some more 31 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:05,760 professional than they actually were. It was a warning about 32 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:09,080 a fine i'd get if I didn't clean my yard. 33 00:02:10,599 --> 00:02:13,879 This couldn't be the case, I thought to myself. But 34 00:02:14,039 --> 00:02:17,159 sure as day, there was an attached picture of a 35 00:02:17,199 --> 00:02:21,719 heap of mess on my lawn. It didn't look like 36 00:02:21,759 --> 00:02:24,960 a trash can had fallen over. The pile was of 37 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:28,879 large pieces of junk, containing a mixture of broken furniture 38 00:02:29,159 --> 00:02:34,599 and discarded housing materials. Furious, I quickly opened my doorbell 39 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:39,919 camera feed and checked through the day. Sure enough, there 40 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:44,439 it was a dusty looking pickup truck that pulled over, 41 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:50,159 quickly launched the stuff off the back, and then sped off. Now, 42 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:53,039 you'd think this would suffice that I had good reason 43 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:55,439 that it wasn't me, and that I was a victim 44 00:02:55,479 --> 00:02:59,879 of what looked like a random dumping. However, nothing I 45 00:03:00,199 --> 00:03:04,479 said absolved me of any wrongdoing. I would be fined 46 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:09,879 if the site wasn't cleared by ten p m that evening. Begrudgingly, 47 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:13,400 I got on with work and sped back, hoping I 48 00:03:13,439 --> 00:03:16,039 had enough time to clear it up by the set deadline. 49 00:03:17,759 --> 00:03:20,919 When I bowled up to my drive, I was daunted 50 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:24,360 by the task that lay ahead of me. The mount 51 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:27,080 of rubble looked smaller on the wide angle lens of 52 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:31,719 my doorbell camera. In person, however, there was a heaping 53 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:37,800 mountain of splintery, rusty, nail riddled junk. I went to 54 00:03:37,879 --> 00:03:40,879 my shed, put on the thickest work gloves I could find, 55 00:03:41,439 --> 00:03:44,919 and prayed to the hepatitis gods. Then I wouldn't get 56 00:03:44,919 --> 00:03:49,639 a visit from them. Fortunately, I had a small trailer 57 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:52,919 attached to the back of my car. I'd used it 58 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:55,039 to move from the city all the way to this 59 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:58,840 neighborhood in one trip, knowing that the cost of renting 60 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:02,120 a van would have been astronomical for how little stuff 61 00:04:02,199 --> 00:04:07,360 I owned. I loaded piece after piece, narrowly avoiding cuts 62 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:12,479 and splinters with each item hurled into the trailer. It 63 00:04:12,639 --> 00:04:15,400 was getting close to the deadline when I was nearly finished. 64 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:20,439 Aside from a few small pieces skewed around, the last 65 00:04:20,639 --> 00:04:26,040 large item remained a door inset into the lawn soil 66 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:30,120 from how much weight had been on top of it. 67 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:33,600 It was old looking, but not decayed, more so in 68 00:04:33,639 --> 00:04:37,480 the sense of its build and lock. It had inset 69 00:04:37,519 --> 00:04:41,160 grooves that reminded me of a museum piece. Even the 70 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:44,079 smell of damp soil brought out that aroma you only 71 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:47,120 get from an antique shop that only stocks from the 72 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:51,800 freshly deceased. The doorknob was a marred brass that had 73 00:04:51,879 --> 00:04:56,399 long lost this metallic luster. I tried to pry the 74 00:04:56,519 --> 00:04:59,639 edges of my fingers for the perch, but couldn't get 75 00:04:59,639 --> 00:05:04,240 between the wood and soil. Goodness knows how, but it 76 00:05:04,319 --> 00:05:07,399 was perfectly flushed with the ground, almost like it was 77 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:11,399 painted there. I grabbed a thin piece of scrap from 78 00:05:11,439 --> 00:05:14,720 the trailer to try prying it from the ground at 79 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:18,000 least enough of me to get my hand under, But 80 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:20,800 my luck being the way it was, the piece of 81 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:26,920 scrap snapped almost instantly. I stood there for a few minutes, 82 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:30,519 trying to figure out what to do. I lived alone 83 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:33,600 and far away from friends, so I had no one 84 00:05:33,639 --> 00:05:36,959 to call for a helping hand. I was put off 85 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:39,680 the idea of asking a neighbor, knowing that the h 86 00:05:39,759 --> 00:05:42,079 away could be any one of them, and I had 87 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:46,000 no intentions of interacting with them. So I did what 88 00:05:46,199 --> 00:05:51,079 any man would do in this situation. I tried whatever 89 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:53,879 I could think of as soon as it popped into 90 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:58,199 my head. I kicked down on a corner to see 91 00:05:58,199 --> 00:06:01,439 if the other side would rise up an inch. Nothing. 92 00:06:02,519 --> 00:06:04,600 I looked a rope around the door knob and pulled 93 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:09,680 to the side, hoping it would slide out. Nothing. I 94 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:11,920 even tried to see if the previous house owner had 95 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:17,639 left any old tools in the shed. Nothing. The only 96 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:20,199 bit of movement I got was the door knob I dear, 97 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:24,360 which gave a slight, barely noticeable rise when I pulled. 98 00:06:25,399 --> 00:06:30,480 So I focused on that angle and tried more ideas. 99 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:34,480 If pulling to the side didn't help, maybe using it 100 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:37,759 as a handle wood. So I tied a rope around 101 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:43,040 it and heaved upwards. The door rattled with each pull, 102 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:46,000 almost like some one trying to check a locked door, 103 00:06:46,959 --> 00:06:48,879 but the bevel of the knob made it to my 104 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:53,319 terrible tying skills were made apparent. The rope slipped off 105 00:06:53,399 --> 00:06:55,959 every time I felt I had a good purchase on it. 106 00:06:57,399 --> 00:07:01,040 This left me with my final option to try it 107 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:05,199 by hand. My grip was far from that of a 108 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:09,399 rock climber, so I didn't feel confident in this, but 109 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:14,360 it was worth a shot. I squatted down, gripped it 110 00:07:14,439 --> 00:07:18,040 with both hands, and heaved as hard as I could. 111 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:25,560 That minute lift gave but nothing more than that whatever 112 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:28,399 this was made from must have been the heaviest wood 113 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:31,800 known to man. No wonder the people ditching it didn't 114 00:07:31,839 --> 00:07:34,800 want to take it to the dump. Knowing that I'd 115 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:37,560 somehow have to heave this into a skip was just 116 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:41,759 as daunting as handling it. In the moment, with a 117 00:07:41,879 --> 00:07:46,959 heavy huff, I gave it one last hard pull. As 118 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:49,920 I adjusted my grip, the door knob did what it 119 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:54,480 was designed to do and twisted as I pulled, And 120 00:07:54,800 --> 00:08:01,759 as it did, I heard a familiar click. Suddenly my 121 00:08:01,879 --> 00:08:05,360 ass was wet on the lawn as the door flung open. 122 00:08:07,079 --> 00:08:09,839 In hindsight, the thing was the weight of a normal 123 00:08:09,879 --> 00:08:12,680 door that I'd forced open with all the might I 124 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:17,279 could muster. This door, haphazardly left crooked on my lawn, 125 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:22,199 opened and a gust of musty air seeped from underneath. 126 00:08:23,399 --> 00:08:29,720 And when I stood up, I saw why the wind whistled, 127 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:33,960 and the edges of the nowt upright door, which somehow 128 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:38,080 opened into a tunnel, perfectly lined up to the angle 129 00:08:38,159 --> 00:08:42,080 the door had been left. I was no longer amused 130 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:46,639 by the incident. However, the swirl of emotions never settled, 131 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:50,480 so I still can't quite place how I truly felt 132 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:56,039 about the situation. The door sat nearly upright, just tilted 133 00:08:56,120 --> 00:09:00,279 far enough that it didn't immediately snap closed. But that 134 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:04,679 angle was the furthest it sat. I tried pushing down 135 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:07,159 on it to somehow snap it off its hinges, to 136 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:09,759 try to get rid of it, knowing the new hole 137 00:09:09,799 --> 00:09:11,799 in my garden was going to have to be a 138 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:17,840 future issue, but to no avail. I dared not look 139 00:09:17,919 --> 00:09:20,840 into the hole for a while. I was daunted by 140 00:09:20,879 --> 00:09:24,759 the prospect of the job. Had it breached any important 141 00:09:24,759 --> 00:09:28,120 pipes or wires, Was it a straight drop which would 142 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:31,159 be a danger to the neighborhood, kids. What could even 143 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:33,600 have made such a hole in such a short time. 144 00:09:34,559 --> 00:09:36,519 I hadn't seen anything that could have caused it. On 145 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:39,879 the video from the doorbell camera, all I saw were 146 00:09:39,879 --> 00:09:44,360 the workers dumping the junk in my yard. This hole 147 00:09:44,519 --> 00:09:48,720 was a whole new development and something the HOA would 148 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:55,799 ever feel day with. When I finally peered in, something 149 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:59,639 struck me as odd. On top of the oddity of 150 00:09:59,639 --> 00:10:03,480 the whole situation was the angle in which the hole went. 151 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:09,320 It was steep, but sloped just enough to be able 152 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:13,320 to walk down, and my cellphone's flashlight didn't tickle the 153 00:10:13,399 --> 00:10:17,480 depths it boasted. Even sticking my arm as far as 154 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:21,600 I could didn't reveal where the hole ended. Though this 155 00:10:21,799 --> 00:10:24,799 was me lying on the edge so I couldn't reach far. 156 00:10:26,159 --> 00:10:29,919 I didn't dare walk down without a plan, so that 157 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:33,120 was the next step I took to figure the whole 158 00:10:33,159 --> 00:10:39,320 situation out. I grabbed a helmet I had stashed for 159 00:10:39,399 --> 00:10:42,360 the bike. I never used a flashlight. I had both 160 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:45,080 the power ever went out and a stick from the 161 00:10:45,159 --> 00:10:49,480 junk pile in case I needed to poke something. I 162 00:10:49,639 --> 00:10:53,039 was obviously inexperienced, but I didn't let this stop me 163 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:55,720 from trying to scope out what I was dealing with. 164 00:10:57,399 --> 00:11:02,519 The door, when opened never lay flat, standing nearly vertical, 165 00:11:03,159 --> 00:11:08,519 just past ninety degrees, but it held open untouched. So 166 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:12,600 I slowly made my way in, using my dim flashlight 167 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:17,840 to penetrate the thick darkness below. I made sure I 168 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:21,799 was always in sight of the exit. However, the further 169 00:11:21,879 --> 00:11:26,600 I went in, the deeper it went. I took a 170 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:30,159 few more cautious steps before I realized that the tunnel 171 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:36,159 did not end, but rather it split in different directions. 172 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:39,919 Whenever this hole was it seemed to lead into a 173 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:43,360 system of underground channels that ran much further than I 174 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:48,000 planned to go, so I had to rethink my plan. 175 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:52,240 I made my way back out and put on my 176 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:57,120 thinking cap. From what I saw, it was just hollowed 177 00:11:57,120 --> 00:12:01,039 out dirt. But my new fear was the direction one 178 00:12:01,039 --> 00:12:05,840 of the tunnels went. It turned towards my house, making 179 00:12:05,879 --> 00:12:10,399 me worry about the structural integrity. If this ran under 180 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:13,840 the foundations, I would be in a world of trouble 181 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:19,480 if the unsupported hollows fell through. I decided on one 182 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:23,240 last foray into the darkness, this time it equipped with 183 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:26,919 something to help me find my way back. I tied 184 00:12:26,919 --> 00:12:29,720 a couple rows of garden twine around a heavy piece 185 00:12:29,759 --> 00:12:32,559 of junk. I placed back of my yard and I 186 00:12:32,679 --> 00:12:36,639 unwound it. As I went back in, I had one 187 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:40,919 hand slowly unraveling the twine while the other held the flashlight. 188 00:12:41,879 --> 00:12:44,200 I had the stick under my arm for the time being. 189 00:12:45,799 --> 00:12:49,600 Going down again, a strange thought crossed into my head, 190 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:54,159 one that whispered before, but feeling it the second time 191 00:12:54,399 --> 00:12:59,440 was too patterned to notice. The slope had rhythmic bumps, 192 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:03,960 interludes of rounded edges that were too perfectly aligned to 193 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:08,440 be natural, near smooth in the middle, but very apparent 194 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:12,960 when looking at the concave sides. It was almost like 195 00:13:13,039 --> 00:13:15,799 there were once earth and stairs that had been worn 196 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:20,159 down through use. I didn't want to dwell on that 197 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:23,279 too much, knowing this hole wasn't here for my entire 198 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:27,519 time living here, so to see something so used was 199 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:32,080 too much to bear. The whistling of the wind outside 200 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:35,559 faded the further I went in, mixing in with some 201 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:40,080 faint chatter. Maybe some passerbys were just as confused as 202 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:44,080 me about an open door on a lawn, And soon 203 00:13:44,879 --> 00:13:49,000 I was at the cross roads I found before. I 204 00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:52,240 peeked left and right, but knew the left turn would 205 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:56,039 lead under my house, the section I was most worried 206 00:13:56,039 --> 00:14:02,879 about in my head for a while about just turning back, 207 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:09,240 maybe calling a professional, though a professional what I did 208 00:14:09,279 --> 00:14:13,759 not know, someone else to take a look, but I 209 00:14:13,879 --> 00:14:16,759 mainly just wanted to make sure that my house would 210 00:14:16,799 --> 00:14:23,519 at least make it through the night. This decision was 211 00:14:23,559 --> 00:14:29,080 soon taken from me. The wind, there was only a 212 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:33,960 whine before gave a loud howl. It was a strong 213 00:14:34,039 --> 00:14:36,879 gust between the many small whispers it had been doing 214 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:40,679 until then. But the gust must have lined up perfectly 215 00:14:40,919 --> 00:14:44,360 with the door. Its slam shut with an earth and 216 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:47,519 thud rather than a wooden bang you'd expect from a 217 00:14:47,559 --> 00:14:52,240 door slam. The line was taught now. The twine held 218 00:14:52,279 --> 00:14:55,440 in place by the closed door, so I followed it 219 00:14:55,519 --> 00:14:57,879 back up to try to get it loose and try again, 220 00:14:58,919 --> 00:15:03,240 maybe next time, upping the door open for security. But 221 00:15:03,799 --> 00:15:07,639 as I gave the door a push, it didn't budge. 222 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:12,200 Silly me was pushing with the muscle memory strength used 223 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:16,519 to open a regular door, but this was horizontal, so 224 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:19,159 I realized I needed to add some heft to pry 225 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:25,519 it open, so I tried again with more gusto nothing. 226 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:36,039 I forewed at this, trying again harder nothing. Worried, I 227 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:40,799 perched the leg higher in the slope and shoved nothing. 228 00:15:42,799 --> 00:15:46,200 I crouched damn near into a ball, twisted the handle 229 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:52,879 and jumped with the door, flushing my back nothing. It 230 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:56,360 didn't even give a rattle, even on my strongest attempt. 231 00:15:57,639 --> 00:16:03,840 It was well and truly stuck. Now I bashed repeatedly, 232 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:07,799 hoping that the voices outside could hear me, but all 233 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:12,759 that remained was silent. Pressing my ear against the door 234 00:16:12,879 --> 00:16:17,320 didn't even yield the wines of the wind outside. Eventually 235 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:25,120 the silence was broken, but not from the outside. It 236 00:16:25,279 --> 00:16:30,200 was subtle at first, but unmistakable. There was a scuttling 237 00:16:30,279 --> 00:16:34,879 sound in the dirt. Deeper into the tunnels. The banging 238 00:16:34,919 --> 00:16:39,200 seemed to have stirred something dwelling in the darkness. This 239 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:43,120 left me with the ultimatum of my life, stay and 240 00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:46,159 keep trying the door, Knowing I was far into a 241 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:50,559 dead end, or go further in to find an alternative exit, 242 00:16:51,279 --> 00:16:53,480 to at the very least have a chance to move 243 00:16:53,519 --> 00:16:58,720 away from whatever was waking in the tunnels. I gave 244 00:16:58,759 --> 00:17:02,600 a final silent eve, putting my entire body into a 245 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:06,799 hard squat, making sure the doorknob was turned, but to 246 00:17:06,839 --> 00:17:13,960 no avail. I was stuck with option B. I knew 247 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:17,279 the twine I brought was finite, but I still opted 248 00:17:17,319 --> 00:17:20,599 to use it as much as possible. I made my 249 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:23,519 way to the crossroads and made the left I originally 250 00:17:23,519 --> 00:17:27,680 settled on when I first went in. My hope was 251 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:30,160 that if this was a system centered around my house, 252 00:17:30,759 --> 00:17:34,480 there might have been another exit in my house, though 253 00:17:34,519 --> 00:17:36,720 the thought of that was something I didn't want to 254 00:17:36,799 --> 00:17:41,240 dwell on too much in the moment. I carefully carried 255 00:17:41,279 --> 00:17:45,400 myself forward, trying to stay composed between more scuttling sounds 256 00:17:45,799 --> 00:17:50,279 or dirt sprinkling from the low ceiling. My senses were 257 00:17:50,279 --> 00:17:53,319 on edge, and they only got more heightened with each 258 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:58,039 step deeper. I kept my light downward, like the headlights 259 00:17:58,079 --> 00:18:00,960 of a car. I didn't want the bloom to bleed 260 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:04,319 too far forward in case something surprised me. Up ahead, 261 00:18:05,559 --> 00:18:09,480 I kept my presence as small as possible, minimal sounds, 262 00:18:09,559 --> 00:18:14,960 slow breathing, and slow steps. But a sound trickled into 263 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:19,640 my ears, making my hair stand on end. Something so 264 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:24,880 distinguished and recognizable that I couldn't logic it away as 265 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:30,240 dirt or paranoia, a huff of a deep breath into 266 00:18:30,279 --> 00:18:35,039 the tunnel behind me. This was only exasperated when, on 267 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:38,759 top of that, I felt the slightest tug on the twine. 268 00:18:40,279 --> 00:18:42,480 It must have stepped on a bit of slack in 269 00:18:42,519 --> 00:18:48,440 the darkness. The relief I felt from having looked into 270 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:52,200 the correct direction was overwritten by the feeling that it 271 00:18:52,279 --> 00:18:56,359 was stalking me from behind. No matter how far removed, 272 00:18:56,960 --> 00:19:00,359 it seemed to still be there, matching my pace, as 273 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:04,279 if watching me like prey. This was coupled with an 274 00:19:04,319 --> 00:19:07,880 intrusive thought that this was only making me move deeper 275 00:19:08,079 --> 00:19:11,880 and deeper into the tunnels, further away from the only 276 00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:16,640 exit I knew of. I was so preoccupied with this 277 00:19:17,319 --> 00:19:19,640 that my face made a soft thud with the wall 278 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:23,119 in front of me, and this was the tipping point 279 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:27,279 for whatever was following me, like the pop of a 280 00:19:27,319 --> 00:19:33,519 starting gun at a race. Whatever stalked now hunted. I 281 00:19:33,599 --> 00:19:37,240 heard its skitters rapidly pound the ground as it sprinted 282 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:41,400 towards me. My fear of a dead end was short lived, 283 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:44,720 as I saw it was another split. I dropped the 284 00:19:44,759 --> 00:19:47,559 twine and grabbed the stick from under my arm. Knowing 285 00:19:47,599 --> 00:19:50,519 the twine wouldn't last to run and I needed my 286 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:54,519 arms free to run as fast as possible. Having turned 287 00:19:54,559 --> 00:19:57,799 left before, I chose to go right this time and 288 00:19:57,920 --> 00:20:01,119 sprinted away, hoping I was at least matching its pace 289 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:05,799 to keep distance. With the light now pointed forward, I 290 00:20:05,799 --> 00:20:08,960 could see the next cross road. I chose left and 291 00:20:09,039 --> 00:20:14,319 kept running, still hearing the scratching sprint behind me. Another turn, 292 00:20:14,519 --> 00:20:19,119 another cross road, more turns. It wouldn't let up, and 293 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:22,279 as I reached another fork, I heard a new set 294 00:20:22,319 --> 00:20:26,240 of scratching that started heading in my direction. Another one 295 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:29,920 joined the fray. This forced my choice to the direction 296 00:20:30,119 --> 00:20:34,400 opposite to the sound. I ended up making so many 297 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:37,640 turns and splits that I was well and truly lost. 298 00:20:38,799 --> 00:20:41,319 There was no way to backtrack my direction or choices, 299 00:20:41,519 --> 00:20:47,480 with how preoccupied I was turn after turn, randomly choosing 300 00:20:47,519 --> 00:20:52,400 whenever a choice presented itself. I reached another split, for 301 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:57,559 this time something was in front of me. With flickers 302 00:20:57,599 --> 00:21:00,640 of my flashlight swings from my sprint, I didn't get 303 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:03,359 a good look at the thing, but what I did 304 00:21:03,359 --> 00:21:08,920 take in was sharp claws with concaves, like they were 305 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:15,000 made for tunneling, but doubled as extremely dangerous weapons. I 306 00:21:15,039 --> 00:21:17,559 didn't have time to stop, so I lurched my arm 307 00:21:17,599 --> 00:21:19,920 into a swing and lashed out of the thing with 308 00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:27,400 my stick. It barely gave any resistance before shattering. Without 309 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:32,920 a doubt, it did no damage, but it stundid enough 310 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:36,720 for me to slip by. I discarded what remained of 311 00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:39,599 the stick and headed away from the thing, knowing that 312 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:43,599 the others were also catching up. I dipped around, bends 313 00:21:43,599 --> 00:21:46,680 and turns as best as possible, but I knew my 314 00:21:46,759 --> 00:21:49,960 endurance was reaching its limit, and these things showed no 315 00:21:50,079 --> 00:21:55,200 signs of slowing down. This was their domain and they 316 00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:59,720 held all the advantages here. As I ran, I caught 317 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:03,839 glenn of the walls. Occasionally there were mars of marks 318 00:22:03,880 --> 00:22:08,359 in a symmetrical pattern, obscenely long gashes left by their 319 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:13,119 tunneling claws. Some were set deep, more than lethal if 320 00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:16,200 they were to hit me, showing me the consequences of 321 00:22:16,279 --> 00:22:21,599 being caught, I took a turn fast and my foot 322 00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:25,759 caught on something. I flopped face down into the dirt, 323 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:30,200 my helmet saving me from a broken nose. If slowing 324 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:37,000 down was a danger, this was a death sentence. I 325 00:22:37,039 --> 00:22:39,359 pulled my leg up to check the damage, trying to 326 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:43,440 be conscious of every second spent. But as I looked down, 327 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:51,119 I saw what I had tripped on. A body. It 328 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:58,119 wasn't human. It was one of them. It's more hung agape, 329 00:22:58,759 --> 00:23:02,319 life long since gone from its eyes. Signs of decay 330 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:05,519 had set in all over the thing, that made me 331 00:23:05,599 --> 00:23:09,000 rule out death of natural causes. With the puncture wounds 332 00:23:09,079 --> 00:23:13,599 littered all over the body. Whatever did it went deep, 333 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:19,319 but some that must have ricocheted stuck out. Thin metal 334 00:23:19,359 --> 00:23:25,160 needles protruded from some of the wounds. I was distracted. 335 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:28,960 I realized I'd been staring too long, enamored by the 336 00:23:29,039 --> 00:23:32,319 sight before me. At the pace that I heard them, 337 00:23:32,519 --> 00:23:37,079 they should have been on top of me any second. However, 338 00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:43,119 they weren't. I could still hear them, but they slowed, 339 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:48,599 then stopped. There were a few confused potters before as 340 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:52,880 quickly as they came, I could hear them slowly scatter away. 341 00:23:55,720 --> 00:23:58,160 I didn't have time to ponder and what caused this. 342 00:23:59,039 --> 00:24:02,519 As I heard more steps coming towards me, but these 343 00:24:02,680 --> 00:24:07,200 were much heavier, powerful thuds that I could almost feel 344 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:11,279 while still on the floor. In the direction I was headed, 345 00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:17,079 I saw a new figure larger, more humanoid, and slowly 346 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:21,680 lumbering my way. Its eyes reflected a faint green, and 347 00:24:21,759 --> 00:24:24,799 he was holding something in both hands, but I couldn't 348 00:24:24,839 --> 00:24:29,240 see what. I tried to stand back up, but I couldn't. 349 00:24:30,279 --> 00:24:33,200 My leg twisted under me, and I could tell the 350 00:24:33,279 --> 00:24:37,799 heat I felt was my leg swelling. Even if I 351 00:24:37,839 --> 00:24:40,680 had made it up, I did not know which direction 352 00:24:40,759 --> 00:24:46,559 to run. There was doom in either direction. I slumped 353 00:24:46,599 --> 00:24:49,079 back down, choosing to die in the comfort of the 354 00:24:49,119 --> 00:24:53,319 floor than the pain of running, and as the lumbering 355 00:24:53,319 --> 00:24:59,240 behemoth walked up to me, it stopped short. I looked 356 00:24:59,279 --> 00:25:01,920 back up, feeling that it was the last thing I 357 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:06,559 would see, but was stunned, trying to process what was 358 00:25:06,599 --> 00:25:12,440 in front of me. Beneath all the metal and technology 359 00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:18,000 that stood there was a man. I could see parts 360 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:21,039 of his lower face, and I recognized the gloved hand 361 00:25:21,119 --> 00:25:24,400 of a human. The top half of his face was 362 00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:27,079 covered with a helmet that seemed to have lenses where 363 00:25:27,079 --> 00:25:30,200 his eyes should have been, most likely a peripheral to 364 00:25:30,279 --> 00:25:33,759 let him see in the dark. He was decked out 365 00:25:33,799 --> 00:25:37,640 in something I'd only imagine from a sci fi movie. 366 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:40,799 I saw what he held in his hand, some sort 367 00:25:40,799 --> 00:25:44,480 of gun, but one I didn't recognize from my limited 368 00:25:44,519 --> 00:25:49,240 knowledge of current era weaponry. Looking at him, just stood there, 369 00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:53,759 not saying or doing anything. I think he was as 370 00:25:53,759 --> 00:25:59,480 stunned as I was. Eventually it was him who broke 371 00:25:59,519 --> 00:26:07,720 the silence. Who are you? He muttered, his mind probably 372 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:10,039 settled on it in the jumble of thoughts we were 373 00:26:10,079 --> 00:26:14,880 both in. I started to introduce myself, but I think 374 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:18,400 the reality of the situation kicked in, so he interrupted 375 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:22,160 me before I began, and told me to follow him. 376 00:26:22,599 --> 00:26:29,279 So I did, and he only led me to more questions. 377 00:26:32,359 --> 00:26:34,960 Where he took me was a stark contrast to the 378 00:26:35,079 --> 00:26:38,440 dark hells I just came from. I was in a 379 00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:42,519 makeshift room carved into what looked like a scientific facility. 380 00:26:43,799 --> 00:26:48,640 People worked on intricate machines, chemicals, and computers. A few 381 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:51,880 men standing around were in the same exo skeleton suits 382 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:55,519 as the man who brought me here. To avoid collapse, 383 00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:59,759 thick metal beams acted as pillars to the installed metal ceiling. 384 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:04,240 The metal panels lined the walls, which looked structural as well. 385 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:08,920 Each time some one glanced at me, they would do 386 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:13,039 a double take, the second time, wearing a shocked expression. 387 00:27:13,759 --> 00:27:16,559 Followed by quickly getting back to whatever task they had 388 00:27:16,599 --> 00:27:20,599 on hand. I don't know who'd win if there was 389 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:25,599 a competition for more questions. I sensed no hostility, though 390 00:27:26,200 --> 00:27:29,240 a step up from the horrors I'd been pulled from. 391 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:33,079 Soon I was brought to another man wearing another exo suit, 392 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:36,880 but marred with more damage and a collection of symbols 393 00:27:37,079 --> 00:27:41,720 which I could only assume marked his higher rank. Eh, captain, 394 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:45,240 I got a weird one found the sky on patrol. 395 00:27:47,799 --> 00:27:51,480 He looked at me inquisitively, a pause hanging in the 396 00:27:51,519 --> 00:27:59,599 air before he plainly demanded speak tell me everything, A 397 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:03,599 simple request. I had no reason to hold anything back, 398 00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:06,920 so I caught him up with everything that had happened. 399 00:28:09,279 --> 00:28:12,279 He was amused that this started with me just trying 400 00:28:12,279 --> 00:28:16,720 to sort out a fickle hoa situation, but he had 401 00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:20,680 no reason to doubt anything I said. After more thought, 402 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:27,680 he finally uttered a call to take him to the room. Wait, 403 00:28:28,079 --> 00:28:32,839 what's going on? How do I get back? This is 404 00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:35,480 all I managed, the mutter as my arm was grabbed 405 00:28:35,519 --> 00:28:39,559 and pulled away. I blurted out more questions, but they 406 00:28:39,559 --> 00:28:43,759 were ignored. I tried asking my now prison guard, but 407 00:28:43,880 --> 00:28:47,039 he stayed silent under the watchful eye of the captain. 408 00:28:48,640 --> 00:28:50,960 When he let go, I was in a room with 409 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:54,920 a few others. This crowd did not look like they 410 00:28:54,960 --> 00:28:58,359 stumbled in here like I had. They were dressed like 411 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:01,160 some of the people working the equipman in the main room. 412 00:29:02,759 --> 00:29:06,480 Stay here, we'll figure out what to do, he said 413 00:29:06,559 --> 00:29:09,799 in an assuring tone, though there was only so much 414 00:29:09,839 --> 00:29:14,279 assurance I could have in this situation. He closed the 415 00:29:14,319 --> 00:29:19,359 door and I heard it latch shot. In a futile attempt, 416 00:29:19,599 --> 00:29:25,000 I tested it and it was indeed locked. Questions still 417 00:29:25,079 --> 00:29:28,480 swirling around my head. It wasn't long before I was 418 00:29:28,519 --> 00:29:33,640 the one to broach conversation. What is going on? What 419 00:29:33,839 --> 00:29:38,319 is this place? A pause of silence followed as they 420 00:29:38,359 --> 00:29:42,599 gathered their thoughts for one of them spoke up, giving 421 00:29:42,640 --> 00:29:48,079 me their best attempt at enlightenment. So you really don't 422 00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:50,799 know what this place is. You weren't sent here from 423 00:29:50,839 --> 00:29:54,960 the higher ups, one man said. Before I could answer, 424 00:29:55,599 --> 00:29:59,720 another captive deduced the answer. Look at him, he's not 425 00:29:59,799 --> 00:30:04,680 in uniform, He's just some guy. This doesn't make sense. 426 00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:10,880 I started to get frustrated. I was in some place 427 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:16,200 beyond imagination, with horrors above my comprehension. Yet I was 428 00:30:16,279 --> 00:30:21,480 treated as the anomaly here, so I snapped at them, Look, 429 00:30:21,799 --> 00:30:24,440 I just stumbled in here. I have no idea what's 430 00:30:24,480 --> 00:30:28,599 going on. I've been lost, god chased, nearly damn well killed. 431 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:33,599 Just tell me something anything, I I don't know what 432 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:38,559 to do. I child off at the end my outburst, 433 00:30:38,680 --> 00:30:42,440 quickly losing gusto, knowing that they were as captive as me. 434 00:30:44,240 --> 00:30:48,359 Another pause before the first man spoke of my name 435 00:30:48,519 --> 00:30:52,640 is doctor Jamieson, and you've somehow wondered into base ivory 436 00:30:52,680 --> 00:30:55,920 of the He was cut off by a hushed too 437 00:30:56,000 --> 00:31:02,319 much before he continued, Look, you've somehow stumbled into an experiment. 438 00:31:03,160 --> 00:31:05,799 We found a way here through a door, a sort 439 00:31:05,839 --> 00:31:10,240 of dimensional anomaly. We scientists were stationed here to make 440 00:31:10,279 --> 00:31:14,039 grand discoveries. You've seen our personal guard, the men in 441 00:31:14,079 --> 00:31:17,359 the tech fits. They were assigned to protect us while 442 00:31:17,359 --> 00:31:23,160 we carved out an outpost to work in. However, as 443 00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:27,359 he took a moment, the others faces dropped the signal 444 00:31:27,599 --> 00:31:34,640 of bad news. Our door just stopped working, or at 445 00:31:34,720 --> 00:31:38,359 least somehow jam shot. We don't know if it was 446 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:42,079 intentional from the higher ups. They've been known to experiment 447 00:31:42,160 --> 00:31:46,279 on the experimenters. But since this happened, we've not been 448 00:31:46,319 --> 00:31:49,720 allowed to work on an exit strategy. The tech fit 449 00:31:49,839 --> 00:31:54,039 marks have us working on our experiments regardless of circumstance, 450 00:31:54,720 --> 00:31:57,519 following the commands of those who sent us here, and 451 00:31:57,559 --> 00:32:01,960 they refuse to deviate despite the circumstance. This room is 452 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:07,359 where they put people who tried to do otherwise. At 453 00:32:07,400 --> 00:32:12,079 this more silence fell. But I had a lingering thought 454 00:32:12,319 --> 00:32:17,559 itching in the back of my brain. So what does 455 00:32:17,559 --> 00:32:22,119 this mean for me? He just looked back at me 456 00:32:22,359 --> 00:32:28,960 one more time and said, I don't know. This ended 457 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:34,720 the conversation as we all had things to think about. Eventually, 458 00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:37,480 a call was made from outside that it was time 459 00:32:37,559 --> 00:32:45,200 to sleep, so we settled into the bunks. I awoke 460 00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:48,559 ton't yelling at what sounded like the pinging of metal. 461 00:32:49,759 --> 00:32:54,319 At this, I bolted up and looked around. It seemed 462 00:32:54,559 --> 00:32:57,359 I was the only one perturbed by this, but my 463 00:32:57,440 --> 00:33:02,240 motions seemed to have stirred Doctor jameson awake. What's going on? 464 00:33:02,920 --> 00:33:07,279 I asked, Probably the males. One must have gotten close 465 00:33:08,519 --> 00:33:13,240 the males, I asked back, Yeah, you said you were chased, 466 00:33:13,319 --> 00:33:15,799 so I'm guessing you saw them or at the very 467 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:21,119 least heard them blind mammillion tunnelers. We discovered them after 468 00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:24,359 losing contact from the higher ups, so we were never 469 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:28,480 given a name for them, so we just called them males. 470 00:33:29,759 --> 00:33:33,039 In my head, I scoffed at the mundane name, but 471 00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:36,079 chose not to let it out to keep conversation flowing. 472 00:33:37,039 --> 00:33:41,480 So what are they? We don't know. It's one of 473 00:33:41,559 --> 00:33:47,880 our tasks down here, examine local species. He spoke of 474 00:33:47,920 --> 00:33:50,839 this like a job rather than a fight for survival, 475 00:33:51,759 --> 00:33:56,920 but his causual nature did give some slight assurance. Having 476 00:33:57,000 --> 00:33:59,640 ran out of questions, he took my silence as the 477 00:33:59,759 --> 00:34:04,319 end and rolled back over to sleep, knowing there was 478 00:34:04,359 --> 00:34:09,239 nothing more to do. I did the same. When I 479 00:34:09,280 --> 00:34:13,760 woke next, there was a metallic bang. The door rattled 480 00:34:13,800 --> 00:34:16,599 from the other side, and an authoritative voice yelled for 481 00:34:16,679 --> 00:34:19,719 us to wake up. With the lack of urgency the 482 00:34:19,760 --> 00:34:22,920 others had, I assume this was just a routine wake 483 00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:27,199 up call. We stretched the sleep away and opened the door. 484 00:34:28,119 --> 00:34:30,440 A guard stood there and glanced at the room and 485 00:34:30,519 --> 00:34:37,159 stepped aside. I frowed my brow in surprise, thinking that 486 00:34:37,280 --> 00:34:39,800 if we were to escape, he had left more than 487 00:34:39,840 --> 00:34:43,440 an opening. But I was even more surprised when I 488 00:34:43,480 --> 00:34:47,760 saw the others meander out of their own accord. What's 489 00:34:47,800 --> 00:34:51,039 going on? Are we being let go? I asked Doctor 490 00:34:51,119 --> 00:34:56,119 Jamieson as he walked by. It's breakfast, we're being let 491 00:34:56,119 --> 00:35:00,599 out to eat, he replied. I load my voice to 492 00:35:00,599 --> 00:35:04,639 a hush, but this is the perfect time to escape. No, 493 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:08,679 it's just one guy. I glanced over to him. He 494 00:35:08,719 --> 00:35:13,559 doesn't even have a weapon. This gave Doctor Jamison a 495 00:35:13,639 --> 00:35:18,000 chuckle and go where we're safer here then out there, 496 00:35:18,599 --> 00:35:23,719 and they know this. At this he joined the line 497 00:35:23,719 --> 00:35:28,519 filing out and I followed in suit. We ended up 498 00:35:28,519 --> 00:35:32,000 in a sort of makeshift mess room. Tables and basic 499 00:35:32,079 --> 00:35:37,079 kitchen appliances. Stacked high were large boxes, and each person 500 00:35:37,119 --> 00:35:39,360 in turn put their hand in and pulled out a 501 00:35:39,440 --> 00:35:45,480 random metallic bag. Damn Curry, I hate this one, one muttered, 502 00:35:46,079 --> 00:35:48,280 and he took it over to a kettle and started 503 00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:52,719 preparing it. Everyone pulled something out, and I was last, 504 00:35:53,159 --> 00:35:57,800 reaching in to find a bag labeled LAMB. I looked 505 00:35:57,800 --> 00:36:00,800 at it confused, and doctor Janie and peaked at what 506 00:36:00,880 --> 00:36:06,360 I had. Wow, Lucky, that's the best one. I'll trade you, 507 00:36:06,840 --> 00:36:10,280 he muttered. Do you not get to choose what you get, 508 00:36:10,760 --> 00:36:14,719 I asked back. I mean, yeah, you could, but the 509 00:36:14,800 --> 00:36:17,199 randomness of what you eat is damn near the only 510 00:36:17,320 --> 00:36:20,519 entertainment you can get down here. I'm pretty sure hitting 511 00:36:20,559 --> 00:36:23,639 the lamb jackpot is what gets some people saying down here. 512 00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:27,599 I looked down at my bag of food, knowing he 513 00:36:27,760 --> 00:36:31,400 probably needed this more than me, so I agreed to 514 00:36:31,440 --> 00:36:35,320 the trade without seeing what he had. His bag was 515 00:36:35,400 --> 00:36:40,199 labeled Cowboy Casserole. I followed the instructions in the bag 516 00:36:40,400 --> 00:36:44,119 and prepared it as best as possible. It wasn't a 517 00:36:44,159 --> 00:36:49,000 spectacular taste, but it wasn't bad either. These were probably 518 00:36:49,079 --> 00:36:51,800 standard issue m or ees they'd brought with them when 519 00:36:51,800 --> 00:36:55,760 they set this place up, damn near unperishable food for 520 00:36:55,840 --> 00:37:01,400 long expeditions. When Doctor Jameson opened it lamb bag, I 521 00:37:01,480 --> 00:37:04,519 expected a divine aroma compared to what I was putting 522 00:37:04,599 --> 00:37:10,039 up with, But no, it was just as mundane as mine. 523 00:37:11,679 --> 00:37:14,119 I think they must have created a placebo of a 524 00:37:14,199 --> 00:37:18,719 lamb hype. Maybe someone initially started the rumor, knowing it 525 00:37:18,760 --> 00:37:21,760 would add some excitement to someone's day and have others 526 00:37:21,800 --> 00:37:26,280 looking forward to something, Thinking that it was a pragmatic ideal. 527 00:37:26,920 --> 00:37:29,960 I kept my thoughts to myself and ate as much 528 00:37:29,960 --> 00:37:34,239 as possible. When we were done, we were lined up. 529 00:37:35,159 --> 00:37:38,239 The soldier walked back and forth a few times, glaring 530 00:37:38,280 --> 00:37:43,679 at us occasionally before speaking up. As you know, delinquency 531 00:37:43,679 --> 00:37:47,719 and insubordination is not tolerated. You have been designated to 532 00:37:47,760 --> 00:37:52,000 the room indefinitely for your actions. However, this is your 533 00:37:52,079 --> 00:37:55,519 daily chance to come out, return to work, and do 534 00:37:55,599 --> 00:38:01,760 not cause trouble for the others with your plans. Silence fell, 535 00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:05,079 and a few dropped their heads into feet and stepped 536 00:38:05,079 --> 00:38:09,880 out the room. After a while longer, he spoke once more, 537 00:38:10,079 --> 00:38:15,639 in a defeated tone. Okay, then everyone else follow me 538 00:38:15,719 --> 00:38:22,280 back to the room. The remaining people shoveled back. Myself concluded, 539 00:38:23,559 --> 00:38:25,960 knowing I'd be stuck back in that room for a while, 540 00:38:26,519 --> 00:38:29,719 I paid more attention to my surroundings, trying to get 541 00:38:29,760 --> 00:38:34,800 as much information as possible. I noticed much more now 542 00:38:34,840 --> 00:38:39,280 that adrenaline wasn't altering my focus. I saw things that 543 00:38:39,400 --> 00:38:43,360 were working on sampling the dirt, picking apart the bodies 544 00:38:43,360 --> 00:38:46,079 of the moles, and tinkering with pieces of the armor, 545 00:38:46,119 --> 00:38:51,079 the guards where and other technologies. I got some glances back, 546 00:38:51,679 --> 00:38:54,800 presumably from people who hadn't seen me the first time around, 547 00:38:55,840 --> 00:39:00,719 But one scientist in particular had a startling gaze. He 548 00:39:00,800 --> 00:39:04,320 looked like something in his head clicked into place, maybe 549 00:39:04,320 --> 00:39:07,880 an epiphany on something he was working on. Yet his 550 00:39:08,000 --> 00:39:12,199 expression never shifted back to his work. It was solely 551 00:39:12,320 --> 00:39:16,599 focused on me. When we returned to the room, we 552 00:39:16,599 --> 00:39:22,480 were simply told to await further instruction. The conversation in 553 00:39:22,519 --> 00:39:26,920 the room was dry. Either they were socially inept or 554 00:39:26,960 --> 00:39:30,679 purposely closed me out, and I couldn't figure out which. 555 00:39:31,960 --> 00:39:35,199 The closest to answers I had was doctor Jamieson, but 556 00:39:35,280 --> 00:39:37,840 the way he was cut off showed they didn't trust 557 00:39:37,880 --> 00:39:41,480 me with the information. If I could get him alone, 558 00:39:41,800 --> 00:39:44,679 I was sure I could get him to spill more details, 559 00:39:45,079 --> 00:39:50,280 but it was impossible with this room situation. Suddenly there 560 00:39:50,320 --> 00:39:53,599 was a scuffling sound from outside and people were shouting. 561 00:39:54,519 --> 00:39:56,960 I couldn't distinguish what was said through the thick door, 562 00:39:57,559 --> 00:40:02,440 but it sounded heated. The door banged then quickly opened. 563 00:40:03,280 --> 00:40:05,679 The scientist that was pressed up against it falling in 564 00:40:06,880 --> 00:40:10,079 his face, scrunched up in anger, and expletives were thrown 565 00:40:10,119 --> 00:40:14,719 at the guard who ignored him as he locked the door. However, 566 00:40:15,519 --> 00:40:19,920 the second the door clicked, his facade dropped, his expression 567 00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:24,599 lightened up, and he set to a sly grin. When 568 00:40:24,639 --> 00:40:27,320 I got a good look at him, I recognized him 569 00:40:27,320 --> 00:40:30,000 as the man glaring at me when I walked back 570 00:40:30,039 --> 00:40:36,559 to the room. Hi, he opened with. However, it wasn't 571 00:40:36,559 --> 00:40:40,239 a universal greeting to the people in the room. It 572 00:40:40,360 --> 00:40:47,559 was directed solely at me. Oh ah, hi, I mused back. 573 00:40:49,559 --> 00:40:53,119 Not deterred by my hesitation, he went on a lot 574 00:40:53,159 --> 00:40:55,679 more open than the people I'd been stuck with so far. 575 00:40:57,320 --> 00:41:01,039 My name is doctor Kirkland. You're obviously not from around here, 576 00:41:02,159 --> 00:41:08,000 so how did you get here? He asked. I went 577 00:41:08,039 --> 00:41:11,519 on to explain my situation, though I wasn't happy with 578 00:41:11,559 --> 00:41:15,639 a lack of reciprocation. Each time I did this, his 579 00:41:15,719 --> 00:41:18,679 face displayed his feelings on each bit of information he 580 00:41:18,760 --> 00:41:22,480 extracted from my tail, not hiding his thoughts on my predicament. 581 00:41:24,199 --> 00:41:30,480 After some deliberation, he broke his silence. Look, I want 582 00:41:30,519 --> 00:41:33,199 to get out of here, need to get out of here, 583 00:41:34,119 --> 00:41:38,400 and I want your help. I just wore a shocked 584 00:41:38,440 --> 00:41:42,800 expression at this. He continued, gesturing to the people around 585 00:41:42,880 --> 00:41:45,280 him to listen. In, who are now leaning in to 586 00:41:45,280 --> 00:41:51,280 pay attention. We are safe here. We have use. You don't, 587 00:41:52,760 --> 00:41:58,599 he pointed at me, Your safety is not guaranteed. He 588 00:41:58,599 --> 00:42:01,599 almost sounded like a salesman giving his best pitch to 589 00:42:01,679 --> 00:42:05,400 sell his idea. But I also couldn't refute his logic, 590 00:42:06,239 --> 00:42:10,880 especially with how little I knew. Before I could even respond, 591 00:42:11,280 --> 00:42:15,320 the roused crowd started to pipe in, sure, we have use, 592 00:42:15,599 --> 00:42:18,760 but to compromise the facility with escapers grounds for termination. 593 00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:23,559 They would not let that fly. One chimed in. Harms 594 00:42:23,599 --> 00:42:27,599 of agreeance resounded from the audience. Even if we did 595 00:42:27,639 --> 00:42:30,599 get out, where will we go? These aunds some pushovers 596 00:42:30,599 --> 00:42:35,519 like the FBI or CIA. Another person interjected, I was 597 00:42:35,559 --> 00:42:38,159 surprised that he spoke so lightly of what I was 598 00:42:38,239 --> 00:42:41,559 led to believe were the best. This must be deeper 599 00:42:41,679 --> 00:42:45,679 than I could possibly imagine. This is a room for 600 00:42:45,880 --> 00:42:49,480 the smartest people in this dimension that he called the shots, 601 00:42:49,800 --> 00:42:53,039 but wear the brains behind everything. You don't think we 602 00:42:53,079 --> 00:42:56,119 could manage something easy like this. I know for a 603 00:42:56,159 --> 00:42:58,280 fact some of you have achieved feats that make this 604 00:42:58,480 --> 00:43:03,719 lug child's play. At this, he shot some specific glances 605 00:43:03,760 --> 00:43:07,519 to certain people which they looked back with growing confidence, 606 00:43:08,440 --> 00:43:11,320 which again I had no context to what he was 607 00:43:11,360 --> 00:43:16,239 talking about. Remember, we don't just work here, We made 608 00:43:16,239 --> 00:43:21,039 this place. You didn't think I would think ahead. At 609 00:43:21,039 --> 00:43:24,519 this Doctor Kirkland pulled out a pale blue device with 610 00:43:24,599 --> 00:43:28,480 a mismatched asymmetrical pattern on the end, almost like the 611 00:43:28,519 --> 00:43:32,320 teeth of a skeleton key. If his speech hadn't fully 612 00:43:32,320 --> 00:43:38,519 convinced everyone, this revelation certainly did. In turn, everyone who 613 00:43:38,599 --> 00:43:41,840 thought themselves of use chipped in with info or services 614 00:43:41,840 --> 00:43:45,679 they could provide. I know the code for the equipment room. 615 00:43:45,960 --> 00:43:48,800 There's a set rotation the guards follow. I made the schedule. 616 00:43:49,440 --> 00:43:51,880 The north side tunnels the least guarded. We'll have our 617 00:43:51,880 --> 00:43:57,599 best shot there. Excitement grew in the room, and I 618 00:43:57,760 --> 00:44:02,719 started falling for it. It seemed individually no one had 619 00:44:02,760 --> 00:44:07,440 any look towards escape, but together they were the dukes 620 00:44:07,519 --> 00:44:12,800 or pieces that fell perfectly into place. Once the plan 621 00:44:12,920 --> 00:44:17,000 was set, all we had to do was wait for 622 00:44:17,079 --> 00:44:23,880 the perfect time. One man had his ear to the door, 623 00:44:24,519 --> 00:44:27,039 the room silent for him to make the call for action. 624 00:44:28,159 --> 00:44:31,480 Doctor Kirklin stood by with his strange key, ready to 625 00:44:31,559 --> 00:44:36,119 move on the signal. After many agonizing moments, the man 626 00:44:36,199 --> 00:44:39,480 up front raised his hand and everyone snapped into place. 627 00:44:40,880 --> 00:44:44,440 Though these people were only the scientists, I could tell 628 00:44:44,480 --> 00:44:49,119 they had some form of military training. No words were uttered, 629 00:44:49,719 --> 00:44:53,199 only silent hand motions directed the squad on how to move. 630 00:44:54,159 --> 00:44:57,519 Even the way they walked minimize sound a lot. Compared 631 00:44:57,559 --> 00:45:01,039 to them, I sounded like a lumbering giant, and even 632 00:45:01,119 --> 00:45:03,760 though I was trying my best to mimic their posture, 633 00:45:05,239 --> 00:45:08,559 we slipped around corners, the front man moving with confidence, 634 00:45:08,960 --> 00:45:12,840 knowing we were moving through blind spots. We reached the 635 00:45:12,920 --> 00:45:16,360 turn and he double checked if it was clear. He 636 00:45:16,400 --> 00:45:19,000 made a motion with his hand and another man turned 637 00:45:19,000 --> 00:45:22,159 the corner. When I moved round to follow the rest 638 00:45:22,199 --> 00:45:25,400 of them, he quickly entered a combination on a number 639 00:45:25,440 --> 00:45:31,199 pad and opened a thick metal door. Inside was something 640 00:45:31,239 --> 00:45:35,400 that looked like something from the future, equipment that I 641 00:45:35,440 --> 00:45:39,400 hadn't the faintest idea did what, But it seemed I 642 00:45:39,440 --> 00:45:42,840 didn't need to, because each scientist went straight for what 643 00:45:42,920 --> 00:45:47,039 they needed. Some grabbed goggles that had a green hue 644 00:45:47,039 --> 00:45:50,079 on the lens to grab the large rifles I saw 645 00:45:50,119 --> 00:45:53,079 the guards carrying, and others grabbed things I hadn't seen 646 00:45:53,159 --> 00:45:56,840 before since I was apparently not given a crash course 647 00:45:56,880 --> 00:45:59,719 on how this tech worked. I was simply left with 648 00:45:59,800 --> 00:46:03,920 my helmet and flashlight, much to the degrading looks from 649 00:46:03,920 --> 00:46:07,760 the others. If bets were placed on who would die first, 650 00:46:08,679 --> 00:46:12,840 all of them would have bet on me. We left 651 00:46:12,840 --> 00:46:16,599 the room as silently as possible in a single file. 652 00:46:17,000 --> 00:46:20,480 I followed the point lead around more turns. We passed 653 00:46:20,480 --> 00:46:22,599 by rooms that looked like they were used for storage 654 00:46:22,719 --> 00:46:25,840 or an office, but other rooms were so beyond what 655 00:46:25,920 --> 00:46:28,679 I understood that I had no idea what they did 656 00:46:28,719 --> 00:46:33,079 in them. As we reached a straight tunnel that transitioned 657 00:46:33,079 --> 00:46:36,079 from metal to dirt, a sure sign of an exit, 658 00:46:36,960 --> 00:46:41,239 we heard yells from behind. Now I couldn't fully understand 659 00:46:41,239 --> 00:46:43,920 what they said, but I picked up on the distinct 660 00:46:43,960 --> 00:46:50,000 word escaped. They knew we were gone and would soon 661 00:46:50,039 --> 00:46:57,320 be behind us, and now the chase was on. We stopped, 662 00:46:57,480 --> 00:47:00,679 just shy of the darkness. Some I just their goggles 663 00:47:00,679 --> 00:47:03,519 to see in the dark, others pulling out strange looking 664 00:47:03,519 --> 00:47:05,880 devices that lit up the tunnel in front of them. 665 00:47:06,880 --> 00:47:10,440 Doctor Kirklin turned to me and adrenaline fueled grin beaming 666 00:47:10,480 --> 00:47:14,440 at me. Okay, where is the entrance? He came in 667 00:47:14,440 --> 00:47:19,280 from He asked, what, Oh, I don't know. I was 668 00:47:19,320 --> 00:47:23,920 lost when they found me, I replied. His face dropped. 669 00:47:24,960 --> 00:47:27,880 Wait did you hinge this entire plan on that? Doctor 670 00:47:27,960 --> 00:47:33,119 Jameson blurted. A look of confidence reappeared on Doctor Kirklin's face, 671 00:47:33,880 --> 00:47:37,719 though this one looked more forced. Don't worry, have he 672 00:47:37,840 --> 00:47:41,480 got in It means we can get out, he roused. 673 00:47:43,599 --> 00:47:48,159 We all made our way deeper footsteps picking up behind us. 674 00:47:48,880 --> 00:47:51,840 I didn't have the heart to tell him that my 675 00:47:51,960 --> 00:47:58,599 dord jammed just like theirs. It wasn't long until all 676 00:47:58,679 --> 00:48:02,239 hell broke loose. I was held up in a dark 677 00:48:02,320 --> 00:48:06,199 cubby with Doctor Kirkland running so fast that some of 678 00:48:06,280 --> 00:48:08,599 us got split up on the first fork, and the 679 00:48:08,639 --> 00:48:12,400 scuttling forced more of us to separate the ones carrying 680 00:48:12,400 --> 00:48:15,199 the rifles. When kneaded at the front, but lagged behind 681 00:48:15,280 --> 00:48:18,639 due to the weight, and when I saw on fire, 682 00:48:19,320 --> 00:48:22,239 it sent the scientists near horizontal from the kick back 683 00:48:22,519 --> 00:48:26,000 after only a few shots. What shots landed on the 684 00:48:26,039 --> 00:48:28,800 mole well and truly killed it for the loss of 685 00:48:28,840 --> 00:48:33,360 control sent a few shots into innocent bystanders. The wounds 686 00:48:33,440 --> 00:48:37,599 left behind were near perfect holes straight through the wall behind, 687 00:48:37,679 --> 00:48:41,599 having the remnants of metal spikes a caseless rail gun 688 00:48:41,679 --> 00:48:44,679 shot that could be used for long excursions. I was 689 00:48:44,719 --> 00:48:48,079 told during some down time I had lost track of 690 00:48:48,119 --> 00:48:52,199 doctor Jamieson, but the footsteps followed by shots and screams 691 00:48:52,719 --> 00:48:56,719 told me that the guard's leniency had been spent. It 692 00:48:56,800 --> 00:49:01,719 was either stay in work or die, and we had 693 00:49:01,760 --> 00:49:07,079 all chosen the latter. Doctor Kirkland and myself were holed 694 00:49:07,159 --> 00:49:09,840 up in a cubby just big enough to fit us 695 00:49:10,480 --> 00:49:14,639 a blind spot if someone ran past. We stayed quiet 696 00:49:14,679 --> 00:49:17,199 when we heard a scuttling and felt a breeze of 697 00:49:17,280 --> 00:49:21,440 moles rushing towards the commotion. I have to get out. 698 00:49:21,599 --> 00:49:23,280 I have to get out. I have to get out, 699 00:49:23,840 --> 00:49:28,320 Doctor Kirkland kept muttering to himself. Despite the chaos and 700 00:49:28,400 --> 00:49:31,599 all the lives lost, he was driven to get out, 701 00:49:33,320 --> 00:49:36,599 him not saying us or we had me rethinking his 702 00:49:36,719 --> 00:49:40,519 pragmatic coaxing of the group. Were we just fodder to 703 00:49:40,559 --> 00:49:44,760 help him escape? There were noises still, but far off, 704 00:49:45,719 --> 00:49:50,039 so I had to find out. Talk to me. You 705 00:49:50,119 --> 00:49:52,679 had a plan to get here. What do we do now? 706 00:49:53,119 --> 00:49:57,079 I whispered. This seemed to break him out of his stupor. 707 00:49:57,800 --> 00:50:00,679 And he sat there for a while in silence, thinking 708 00:50:02,119 --> 00:50:05,280 I need to get out. We need to get out, 709 00:50:05,719 --> 00:50:09,880 wait until they've passed, and we moved forward. It was 710 00:50:09,920 --> 00:50:12,880 such a vague plan, no thought beyond what I could 711 00:50:12,920 --> 00:50:16,480 have come up with myself. What sickened me was the 712 00:50:16,559 --> 00:50:20,159 lack of initiative to help the others. We just sat 713 00:50:20,280 --> 00:50:24,280 there hearing their cries for help. They were secondary to 714 00:50:24,320 --> 00:50:29,400 his own escape, myself included most likely. So I pried 715 00:50:29,599 --> 00:50:32,079 and what I was more curious about in that moment, 716 00:50:33,639 --> 00:50:36,119 why do you need to get out so badly? I 717 00:50:36,199 --> 00:50:42,920 asked bluntly. At this he took another pause, contemplating a response. 718 00:50:44,719 --> 00:50:48,239 I have a family. I missed them. We were sent 719 00:50:48,280 --> 00:50:50,880 here on the promise of returning. We were to set 720 00:50:50,920 --> 00:50:55,239 up the facility, then cycling scientists to work here. I 721 00:50:55,280 --> 00:50:58,199 was one of the first in I need to get out. 722 00:50:58,679 --> 00:51:02,239 I need to see them. He was fixated on this. 723 00:51:03,519 --> 00:51:06,760 He must have thought this humanized his actions, but the 724 00:51:06,840 --> 00:51:09,760 screaming and dying in the distance made it all the 725 00:51:09,800 --> 00:51:14,480 more selfish. Who knew how many families were losing someone 726 00:51:14,519 --> 00:51:18,519 here just for him to try to see his All 727 00:51:18,559 --> 00:51:21,079 I knew was that he grabbed one of those insanely 728 00:51:21,119 --> 00:51:25,000 put together weapons, so sticking with him was still my 729 00:51:25,039 --> 00:51:31,519 best shot. The screaming and fighting were dying down, requieted 730 00:51:31,559 --> 00:51:35,719 down ourselves as our surroundings did, and as we did, 731 00:51:36,239 --> 00:51:40,920 heavy and deliberate footsteps approached, no doubt one of the guards. 732 00:51:42,400 --> 00:51:45,599 They were creeping with caution, on the lookout for hiding 733 00:51:45,679 --> 00:51:51,480 scientists and violent moles. A barely audible whisper trickled into 734 00:51:51,519 --> 00:51:56,559 my ear. If he sees us, point your flashlight in 735 00:51:56,639 --> 00:52:02,639 his eyes, I will do the rest. My mind boggled 736 00:52:02,639 --> 00:52:06,239 with responses. Was he planning on us taking the guard 737 00:52:06,280 --> 00:52:10,559 down together or using me as bait? I no longer 738 00:52:10,559 --> 00:52:15,360 had faith in his motives. However, the footsteps were drawn nearer, 739 00:52:15,920 --> 00:52:18,840 and each step taken was taking away time to reply. 740 00:52:20,199 --> 00:52:23,000 I hadn't decided on what to do, so I let 741 00:52:23,039 --> 00:52:27,159 myself move in the moment. The steps clung to a 742 00:52:27,239 --> 00:52:30,639 stop before us, and a pause lingered in the air. 743 00:52:32,039 --> 00:52:35,719 The crackle of static rang out, and he spoke into 744 00:52:35,760 --> 00:52:40,920 his radio. I've got one ear ready to engage. Click. 745 00:52:43,239 --> 00:52:46,440 We were compromised, so now was the time to strike. 746 00:52:47,360 --> 00:52:50,559 I heard doctor Kirkland yell out and out of reflex, 747 00:52:50,840 --> 00:52:53,440 I flicked my light on and swung it around, looking 748 00:52:53,480 --> 00:52:56,639 to get in in his visor, but as soon as 749 00:52:56,639 --> 00:53:02,039 I found his head, we both stopped. He wasn't looking 750 00:53:02,039 --> 00:53:06,800 at us, but was looking further down the hallway. However, 751 00:53:07,159 --> 00:53:10,159 our outburst made him turn to face us, to which 752 00:53:10,199 --> 00:53:14,119 he flinched from being blinded by my light. I guess 753 00:53:14,159 --> 00:53:17,639 Doctor Kirkland was right. Whatever they used the scene, the 754 00:53:17,719 --> 00:53:20,760 dark seemed to flash bang his vision with a direct 755 00:53:20,840 --> 00:53:27,199 light sauce. A screech followed straight after, but it wasn't 756 00:53:27,239 --> 00:53:32,639 from the guard, it wasn't even human. A sprinting thud 757 00:53:32,719 --> 00:53:36,039 crashed from where he was looking at and as I turned, 758 00:53:36,559 --> 00:53:40,480 a mole dove straight at us. Doctor Kirkland fired a 759 00:53:40,480 --> 00:53:43,880 few stray shots, and one pierced straight into his abdomen, 760 00:53:44,800 --> 00:53:48,800 But like before, the shots also sent Doctor Kirkland falling back, 761 00:53:49,519 --> 00:53:51,519 and this left him no time to get out of 762 00:53:51,519 --> 00:53:56,159 the way. With the mole's momentum, it landed claws first 763 00:53:56,480 --> 00:54:00,519 into both Doctor Kirkland and the guard, who never stood chance, 764 00:54:00,559 --> 00:54:04,519 were blinded. The guard fell from his hit, and the 765 00:54:04,559 --> 00:54:07,719 mole dug its nails wildly at both of them, goring 766 00:54:07,760 --> 00:54:11,960 them into a mess. Each swipe slowed down until it 767 00:54:12,039 --> 00:54:16,480 stopped still perched between them, and slunk onto the floor. 768 00:54:17,920 --> 00:54:21,039 Turning my light towards it more, I saw it had 769 00:54:21,079 --> 00:54:25,679 bled out from the wound doctor Kirkland had inflicted, and 770 00:54:25,840 --> 00:54:33,519 silence remained. I froze, now flying so low. If doctor 771 00:54:33,559 --> 00:54:36,480 Kirkland had a hollow plan that he was loosely following, 772 00:54:37,239 --> 00:54:41,599 I was now left entirely alone a ship in open 773 00:54:41,679 --> 00:54:47,639 water with no wind. The guards radio crackled a deep voice, 774 00:54:47,719 --> 00:54:51,199 repeatedly asking for an update, but who knows if they 775 00:54:51,239 --> 00:54:54,599 knew the exact turns he made to find him, or 776 00:54:54,599 --> 00:54:58,920 what was left of him. At least, however, one tiny 777 00:54:58,960 --> 00:55:02,440 piece of information was the basis for my steps forward. 778 00:55:03,840 --> 00:55:06,480 The direction we heard the guard come from was my right, 779 00:55:07,480 --> 00:55:10,679 which told me that was the direction of the facility. 780 00:55:12,280 --> 00:55:18,519 So I turned left and started walking. I opted not 781 00:55:18,639 --> 00:55:21,679 to take the weapon. I had seen it get someone 782 00:55:21,760 --> 00:55:26,079 killed more than it saved. The tunnels rewarded agility over 783 00:55:26,119 --> 00:55:30,400 brute force, but this didn't ease my mind, and the 784 00:55:30,480 --> 00:55:38,159 challenges that faced me time passing was mental agony. I'd 785 00:55:38,199 --> 00:55:40,719 been wondering the tunnels for what must have been hours, 786 00:55:41,440 --> 00:55:45,159 sometimes running from the skittering chase of a mall. Other times, 787 00:55:45,280 --> 00:55:49,199 lurking in cutaway channels from the guards. Through the distant 788 00:55:49,280 --> 00:55:52,480 chatter I would occasionally hear on their radios. They were 789 00:55:52,519 --> 00:55:55,719 looking for only one or two more scientists, but it 790 00:55:55,800 --> 00:55:59,719 was still kill on sight. If they would so easily 791 00:55:59,719 --> 00:56:02,679 disp bows of people a million times more useful than me, 792 00:56:03,880 --> 00:56:07,599 I would be squashed like an ant on site. They 793 00:56:07,599 --> 00:56:12,280 wouldn't even think twice. The distance I'd create from the 794 00:56:12,280 --> 00:56:16,360 guards did not provide safety. Each step away from them 795 00:56:16,880 --> 00:56:18,960 was also a step away from the safety that they 796 00:56:19,039 --> 00:56:23,000 used to provide. I was past the protection of their capture, 797 00:56:23,599 --> 00:56:28,480 however long there would have lasted. Gunfire broke me out 798 00:56:28,519 --> 00:56:33,800 of my thoughts. Nearby war cries rang out, and footsteps 799 00:56:33,800 --> 00:56:37,559 of all types were bouncing around. The lighter skitters, though, 800 00:56:37,679 --> 00:56:42,320 were headed towards me, scared half in my direction. I 801 00:56:42,400 --> 00:56:45,199 turned on my light, knowing that stealth was no longer 802 00:56:45,239 --> 00:56:48,199 an option, and ran away from the noises as fast 803 00:56:48,280 --> 00:56:53,079 as I could with my still swollen ankle. The gunfire 804 00:56:53,159 --> 00:56:57,639 rang out every so often, screeches of beasts and men intertwined. 805 00:56:58,880 --> 00:57:03,239 It was an even fight, skirmishes that happened sporadically between 806 00:57:03,280 --> 00:57:08,679 the mole's retreats and attacks hit and run tactics. Each 807 00:57:08,760 --> 00:57:12,039 battle created more distance between them and me, but they 808 00:57:12,039 --> 00:57:17,119 would catch up between fights, Whether intentional or not, each 809 00:57:17,199 --> 00:57:21,079 turn I made they would follow. It was impossible for 810 00:57:21,119 --> 00:57:23,360 me to tell if the moles thought my footsteps was 811 00:57:23,400 --> 00:57:26,519 one of theirs back up, leading the guards into a 812 00:57:26,599 --> 00:57:29,559 trap where if they knew the guards were hunting me, 813 00:57:30,079 --> 00:57:34,559 setting up a distraction for them to ambush. I dodged 814 00:57:34,559 --> 00:57:39,079 around turns, making each choice as randomly as possible, but 815 00:57:39,199 --> 00:57:43,239 all the parties were still on my tail. Another skirmish 816 00:57:43,280 --> 00:57:46,039 broke out, and it only sounded a few turns away. 817 00:57:47,280 --> 00:57:50,840 I was too slow with my hobbling run. It wasn't 818 00:57:50,880 --> 00:57:53,039 long until they were on the same corridor as me, 819 00:57:53,800 --> 00:57:56,760 so I looked for somewhere to hide, hoping they'd pass by. 820 00:57:58,239 --> 00:58:01,480 Fear came over me. No, this plan had its flaws. 821 00:58:02,480 --> 00:58:05,599 Images lingering in my head that they'd find me curled up, 822 00:58:06,159 --> 00:58:08,559 or that I was caught in some sort of crossfire. 823 00:58:10,519 --> 00:58:12,840 My light lit up a turn that deviated from the 824 00:58:12,840 --> 00:58:16,760 tun where I was in, but the dirt sloped. Something 825 00:58:16,840 --> 00:58:22,000 insect caught my light color standing out from the dull 826 00:58:22,119 --> 00:58:27,719 brown and gray of the ground, thin and linear. It 827 00:58:27,760 --> 00:58:31,679 was my twine I had somehow made my way back. 828 00:58:33,480 --> 00:58:36,199 I rushed up the slope, my legs burning from my 829 00:58:36,280 --> 00:58:40,440 monumental journey so far. As soon as I reached the top, 830 00:58:40,800 --> 00:58:43,639 I grabbed a handle and paused with a silent prayer. 831 00:58:45,079 --> 00:58:47,880 With a make or break war cry, I twisted and 832 00:58:48,000 --> 00:58:53,639 shouldered the door as hard as I could, expecting resistance. Instead, 833 00:58:54,760 --> 00:58:59,480 it flung open with ease, sending me reeling out. I 834 00:58:59,559 --> 00:59:02,519 rolled on the ground from the momentum and quickly scrambled 835 00:59:02,559 --> 00:59:06,480 to my feet. I slammed the door shut, silencing the 836 00:59:06,480 --> 00:59:10,320 battle beneath, and grabbed the heaviest thing nearby, dragging it 837 00:59:10,400 --> 00:59:15,199 on top. I had to catch my breath. Lost from 838 00:59:15,199 --> 00:59:19,960 both exhaustion and adrenaline, I slumped onto my back, the 839 00:59:19,960 --> 00:59:24,400 weight of everything keeping me grounded. I was still for 840 00:59:24,440 --> 00:59:28,840 the first time in so long, and I was relishing it. 841 00:59:31,079 --> 00:59:33,760 The sun was dull, which I estimated to be the 842 00:59:33,880 --> 00:59:39,440 late afternoon to early evening. Turning my head gently, I 843 00:59:39,559 --> 00:59:45,000 saw where I was Scrapped cars and discarded belongings scattered 844 00:59:45,000 --> 00:59:48,360 around a crane in the distance that was used to 845 00:59:48,400 --> 00:59:53,920 whole mess around into a nearby compactor. It was a dump. 846 00:59:57,280 --> 01:00:01,559 My peace was short lived. I felt a multitude of shakes, 847 01:00:02,400 --> 01:00:06,679 but not from the door. My phone buzzed repeatedly in 848 01:00:06,719 --> 01:00:11,320 my pocket. I had almost forgotten about it since losing signal. 849 01:00:11,360 --> 01:00:14,880 All stuck down there, the battery had the slimm miest 850 01:00:14,920 --> 01:00:19,000 of red lines left. Still there was enough to see 851 01:00:19,000 --> 01:00:23,960 the notifications now rolling in, the signal returning, opening the 852 01:00:24,000 --> 01:00:29,320 floodgates of everything I'd missed. Messages and missed calls from 853 01:00:29,320 --> 01:00:32,440 work rolled in, ranging from asking to where I was, 854 01:00:32,800 --> 01:00:36,840 to anger about skipping a shift, to concern about my whereabouts. 855 01:00:38,159 --> 01:00:42,679 Their concern warned me a little. I had messages blasted 856 01:00:42,719 --> 01:00:46,239 from family asking where I was, a range of jokes 857 01:00:46,239 --> 01:00:48,639 at first about overdoing it on a late night out, 858 01:00:49,119 --> 01:00:54,599 to genuine fear of my well being, and finally a 859 01:00:54,760 --> 01:01:00,440 single email. It was from the h OA, telling me 860 01:01:00,880 --> 01:01:03,440 that I had not removed the mess in time, so 861 01:01:03,639 --> 01:01:07,679 they hid some contractors to clear it up, the bill 862 01:01:07,800 --> 01:01:25,079 of which would be added to my fine.