Narrator

Maybe a trapped raccoon or something. That thing didn't feel like a raccoon, Trevor whispered harshly. Jesus. Just keep moving, Zeke pleaded ahead, voice thin and shaky. We pressed forward deeper into the cramped darkness. My mind raced. Something wasn't right. Dead animals were common underground. But this felt different. It felt wrong. Zeke suddenly paused again, voice trembling.

Maybe a trapped raccoon or something. That thing didn't feel like a raccoon, Trevor whispered harshly. Jesus. Just keep moving, Zeke pleaded ahead, voice thin and shaky. We pressed forward deeper into the cramped darkness. My mind raced. Something wasn't right. Dead animals were common underground. But this felt different. It felt wrong. Zeke suddenly paused again, voice trembling.

Guys, something's up ahead. It… it smells worse, like something died down here. I see a shape. A… a body maybe. my blood ran cold trevor began to whisper rapidly terrified we should turn back now zeke gagged violently ahead it's too close i cant i can't move any closer i need out now the pipe felt impossibly small trapping us in darkness with that horrible smell

Guys, something's up ahead. It… it smells worse, like something died down here. I see a shape. A… a body maybe. my blood ran cold trevor began to whisper rapidly terrified we should turn back now zeke gagged violently ahead it's too close i cant i can't move any closer i need out now the pipe felt impossibly small trapping us in darkness with that horrible smell

Whatever lay ahead wasn't something we wanted to see. Panic surged through me. Back out, I said urgently, fighting the desperation rising in my voice. We're done. No one argued. We scrambled backward clumsily, feeling trapped and vulnerable. As we passed the lump again, my lamp caught its wet surface, reflecting dark crimson mixed with clumps of black fur. My stomach turned violently.

Whatever lay ahead wasn't something we wanted to see. Panic surged through me. Back out, I said urgently, fighting the desperation rising in my voice. We're done. No one argued. We scrambled backward clumsily, feeling trapped and vulnerable. As we passed the lump again, my lamp caught its wet surface, reflecting dark crimson mixed with clumps of black fur. My stomach turned violently.

I hurried past, certain it moved slightly under my touch. No, it was just nerves. We reached the junction room again and climbed frantically back toward the original entrance pipe, squeezing desperately toward daylight. Sunlight poured through the opening as we crawled out, coughing and shaking, covered in that foul darkness. Never again, Zeke gasped, peeling off his shirt.

I hurried past, certain it moved slightly under my touch. No, it was just nerves. We reached the junction room again and climbed frantically back toward the original entrance pipe, squeezing desperately toward daylight. Sunlight poured through the opening as we crawled out, coughing and shaking, covered in that foul darkness. Never again, Zeke gasped, peeling off his shirt.

Bloody residue clung to his skin, thick and foul-smelling. I stared at my own trembling hands. Agreed. We knew better now. Some things were better left buried deep underground. We stood for a while in the clearing outside the pipe, shaking, breathing fresh air like we'd forgotten how good it felt. The late afternoon sun was a welcome shock after the suffocating darkness.

Bloody residue clung to his skin, thick and foul-smelling. I stared at my own trembling hands. Agreed. We knew better now. Some things were better left buried deep underground. We stood for a while in the clearing outside the pipe, shaking, breathing fresh air like we'd forgotten how good it felt. The late afternoon sun was a welcome shock after the suffocating darkness.

I tried to convince myself it was just a dead raccoon, something ordinary and explainable, but my gut wouldn't accept it. Whatever we had crawled over in that tunnel wasn't anything natural. Trevor rubbed his palms against his jeans, pacing anxiously. Zeke's face was pale, eyes wide with something close to shock. What the hell was that? Trevor finally broke the silence, voice shaking.

I tried to convince myself it was just a dead raccoon, something ordinary and explainable, but my gut wouldn't accept it. Whatever we had crawled over in that tunnel wasn't anything natural. Trevor rubbed his palms against his jeans, pacing anxiously. Zeke's face was pale, eyes wide with something close to shock. What the hell was that? Trevor finally broke the silence, voice shaking.

He peeled off his jacket, revealing streaks of blackish-red sludge smeared along his arms. The same muck covered my own clothing, making my stomach twist again. Maybe just an animal caught down there, Zeke muttered, sounding unconvinced himself. I glanced at the narrow pipe entrance. Animals don't usually feel warm like that, and the smell, it was wrong. Trevor grimaced, looking at his hands.

He peeled off his jacket, revealing streaks of blackish-red sludge smeared along his arms. The same muck covered my own clothing, making my stomach twist again. Maybe just an animal caught down there, Zeke muttered, sounding unconvinced himself. I glanced at the narrow pipe entrance. Animals don't usually feel warm like that, and the smell, it was wrong. Trevor grimaced, looking at his hands.

I need to get this off me. We moved quickly down toward a stream nearby, trying to scrub off the grime. The water turned a rusty, oily red as it washed over our skin. Zeke was quiet, his breath shallow and shaky. We should leave, he whispered. Forget this ever happened. I agreed silently, but Trevor hesitated, looking back toward the pipe entrance. "'We never turned away before,' he said quietly.

I need to get this off me. We moved quickly down toward a stream nearby, trying to scrub off the grime. The water turned a rusty, oily red as it washed over our skin. Zeke was quiet, his breath shallow and shaky. We should leave, he whispered. Forget this ever happened. I agreed silently, but Trevor hesitated, looking back toward the pipe entrance. "'We never turned away before,' he said quietly.

"'This is supposed to be our last run. Are we really going to let it end like this?' Zeke stared at him in disbelief. "'You didn't feel what I felt. You didn't see that thing ahead. It looked like—like a body, but worse.' Trevor clenched his jaw. "'Maybe your eyes were playing tricks.' We can't leave without knowing, I heard myself say, surprising even myself.

"'This is supposed to be our last run. Are we really going to let it end like this?' Zeke stared at him in disbelief. "'You didn't feel what I felt. You didn't see that thing ahead. It looked like—like a body, but worse.' Trevor clenched his jaw. "'Maybe your eyes were playing tricks.' We can't leave without knowing, I heard myself say, surprising even myself.

The need to confirm what lay ahead was suddenly powerful. It gnawed at my rational thoughts. We need to be sure. Zeke looked at me sharply, fear mixed with disbelief, but Trevor nodded slowly. We go back. We see clearly what's down there. Then we're done. Forever. Zeke looked between us, hesitant before reluctantly agreeing. The dread in my gut deepened as we approached the pipe again.

The need to confirm what lay ahead was suddenly powerful. It gnawed at my rational thoughts. We need to be sure. Zeke looked at me sharply, fear mixed with disbelief, but Trevor nodded slowly. We go back. We see clearly what's down there. Then we're done. Forever. Zeke looked between us, hesitant before reluctantly agreeing. The dread in my gut deepened as we approached the pipe again.