Narrator

Zeke eyed it warily. I'm not sure, Zeke started. Come on, Zeke, Trevor laughed softly, forcing enthusiasm. We used to do way worse than this. Zeke hesitated, then sighed, giving in. Fine, I'll lead this one, but if it gets any tighter I'm turning around. Deal, I whispered back.

though something about the pipe unsettled me-a black tunnel impossibly narrow zeke went first sliding on to his stomach trevor followed then me within moments the oppressive weight of concrete surrounded me again closer than ever each breath tasted stale mingling with rust and moisture My elbows scraped painfully against gritty concrete, but I kept crawling, feeling trapped by my own choice.

though something about the pipe unsettled me-a black tunnel impossibly narrow zeke went first sliding on to his stomach trevor followed then me within moments the oppressive weight of concrete surrounded me again closer than ever each breath tasted stale mingling with rust and moisture My elbows scraped painfully against gritty concrete, but I kept crawling, feeling trapped by my own choice.

We made slow progress until Zeke suddenly stopped. "'There's something here,' he called back, voice echoing strangely. "'Blocking the pipe. I think it's a dead animal.' "'Can you get past it?' Trevor urged impatiently." We can't exactly turn around here. I heard Zeke breathing quicker, shallow gasps of disgust. Oh God, I don't know. It feels gross. Warm. Warm. My stomach churned.

We made slow progress until Zeke suddenly stopped. "'There's something here,' he called back, voice echoing strangely. "'Blocking the pipe. I think it's a dead animal.' "'Can you get past it?' Trevor urged impatiently." We can't exactly turn around here. I heard Zeke breathing quicker, shallow gasps of disgust. Oh God, I don't know. It feels gross. Warm. Warm. My stomach churned.

Just go over it quickly, Zeke. He groaned, retching quietly. Fine, fine. I heard scraping as he crawled over, his voice panicky. "'Oh God, it's all over me! Hurry up!' My heart pounded as I moved forward. In the dim circle of my lamp I saw it, a dark, shapeless lump filling half the pipe. My stomach clenched.

Just go over it quickly, Zeke. He groaned, retching quietly. Fine, fine. I heard scraping as he crawled over, his voice panicky. "'Oh God, it's all over me! Hurry up!' My heart pounded as I moved forward. In the dim circle of my lamp I saw it, a dark, shapeless lump filling half the pipe. My stomach clenched.

As my body brushed against it, I felt a sickening warmth, my fingers sinking slightly into the mass, fur-like and slimy. The smell hit me next, like rotten meat mixed with chemicals, burning my throat." I fought the urge to vomit and forced myself quickly over the foul obstacle. Trevor cursed softly behind me. What the hell is that? I don't know, I said weakly.

As my body brushed against it, I felt a sickening warmth, my fingers sinking slightly into the mass, fur-like and slimy. The smell hit me next, like rotten meat mixed with chemicals, burning my throat." I fought the urge to vomit and forced myself quickly over the foul obstacle. Trevor cursed softly behind me. What the hell is that? I don't know, I said weakly.

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.