Narrator

We squeezed back inside, the tunnel colder this time, air thicker. It was harder now, knowing what waited ahead. Still, we crawled forward, our breathing rapid and ragged. When we reached the junction room again, the dripping water echoed louder, the space darker somehow. Zeke stared silently at the narrow pipe ahead, visibly shaking.

We squeezed back inside, the tunnel colder this time, air thicker. It was harder now, knowing what waited ahead. Still, we crawled forward, our breathing rapid and ragged. When we reached the junction room again, the dripping water echoed louder, the space darker somehow. Zeke stared silently at the narrow pipe ahead, visibly shaking.

But he crawled forward again, driven more by grim determination than curiosity now. I followed, feeling trapped once more, the darkness pressing from all sides. After several long minutes, Zeke froze, whispering back urgently. The smell's worse. God, it's awful. I can't breathe. We were close enough now that I smelled it too. A putrid odor, thick with decay, chemical-like and burning my throat.

But he crawled forward again, driven more by grim determination than curiosity now. I followed, feeling trapped once more, the darkness pressing from all sides. After several long minutes, Zeke froze, whispering back urgently. The smell's worse. God, it's awful. I can't breathe. We were close enough now that I smelled it too. A putrid odor, thick with decay, chemical-like and burning my throat.

Nausea gripped me instantly. I see it clearly, Zeke hissed, barely audible. There's something sitting up ahead, against the wall. It looks… human. Are you sure? Trevor whispered frantically behind me. Yes, but the arms are too long, twisted weirdly, it's slumped like it's dead. Zeke's voice was panicked now, higher pitched, strained. We have to get out, now!

Nausea gripped me instantly. I see it clearly, Zeke hissed, barely audible. There's something sitting up ahead, against the wall. It looks… human. Are you sure? Trevor whispered frantically behind me. Yes, but the arms are too long, twisted weirdly, it's slumped like it's dead. Zeke's voice was panicked now, higher pitched, strained. We have to get out, now!

I felt frozen, trapped between Trevor blocking the way back and Zeke ahead, panic rising in my chest. I strained to see beyond Zeke's silhouette, my weak headlamp illuminating just enough of the shape ahead. It was slumped against the tunnel wall, clearly humanoid, but the limbs were distorted, overly thin, and extended.

I felt frozen, trapped between Trevor blocking the way back and Zeke ahead, panic rising in my chest. I strained to see beyond Zeke's silhouette, my weak headlamp illuminating just enough of the shape ahead. It was slumped against the tunnel wall, clearly humanoid, but the limbs were distorted, overly thin, and extended.

The figure's skin glistened wetly under our lights, slick and strangely reflective. The pool beneath it was thick, dark, and shimmering like oil. My stomach lurched again as the smell intensified.

The figure's skin glistened wetly under our lights, slick and strangely reflective. The pool beneath it was thick, dark, and shimmering like oil. My stomach lurched again as the smell intensified.

go back i urged quietly now we began scrambling backward in clumsy terrified bursts the tight pipe making movement difficult my heart hammered painfully trevor cursed rapidly behind me breath shallow i could hear zeke whispering urgently to himself words unintelligible As we reached the mass again, the thing we had crawled over, I paused instinctively. My beam flickered over it once more.

go back i urged quietly now we began scrambling backward in clumsy terrified bursts the tight pipe making movement difficult my heart hammered painfully trevor cursed rapidly behind me breath shallow i could hear zeke whispering urgently to himself words unintelligible As we reached the mass again, the thing we had crawled over, I paused instinctively. My beam flickered over it once more.

My breath caught sharply, its surface quivered slightly, something shifting just beneath the blackened, matted fur. I pressed against the pipe wall, trying desperately not to touch it again. But the tunnel was too tight, and I felt the sickening sensation of my chest brushing against its warm, twitching surface. A quiet wet sound emerged from it, a rasping guttural hiss.

My breath caught sharply, its surface quivered slightly, something shifting just beneath the blackened, matted fur. I pressed against the pipe wall, trying desperately not to touch it again. But the tunnel was too tight, and I felt the sickening sensation of my chest brushing against its warm, twitching surface. A quiet wet sound emerged from it, a rasping guttural hiss.

My pulse raced as panic surged through me. "'Move faster!' I shouted, voice raw with fear. We burst back into the junction room and scrambled toward the exit pipe, climbing awkwardly toward daylight again. We emerged gasping, choking, and sweating heavily into the fading sunlight." No one spoke for a moment as we lay on the ground, shivering uncontrollably.

My pulse raced as panic surged through me. "'Move faster!' I shouted, voice raw with fear. We burst back into the junction room and scrambled toward the exit pipe, climbing awkwardly toward daylight again. We emerged gasping, choking, and sweating heavily into the fading sunlight." No one spoke for a moment as we lay on the ground, shivering uncontrollably.

That wasn't human, Zeke finally whispered, voice hollow and strained. It wasn't animal either. Trevor stared blankly ahead, visibly trembling. I saw it move, the thing on the floor. It moved, didn't it? I nodded slowly, eyes fixed on the dark pipe entrance, now a gaping hole of dread. Yeah, it did. We stood silently, the fading daylight bringing fresh terror rather than comfort.

That wasn't human, Zeke finally whispered, voice hollow and strained. It wasn't animal either. Trevor stared blankly ahead, visibly trembling. I saw it move, the thing on the floor. It moved, didn't it? I nodded slowly, eyes fixed on the dark pipe entrance, now a gaping hole of dread. Yeah, it did. We stood silently, the fading daylight bringing fresh terror rather than comfort.

None of us knew what we'd disturbed, what had lurked quietly underground. But as we turned away from Wildcat Hollow, one thing was clear. Some places weren't meant to be explored, and some things were better left hidden, forever.

None of us knew what we'd disturbed, what had lurked quietly underground. But as we turned away from Wildcat Hollow, one thing was clear. Some places weren't meant to be explored, and some things were better left hidden, forever.