Chapter Three
In the lit part of the tunnel, Tom could now see the source of the screams. There were about five very strange-looking humans (?) of both sexes carrying the body of a teenage girl further into the tube tunnel. They were quite short and skinny and had funny-shaped heads and bow legs with little but long wispy hair. They were filthy and dressed in sack-like clothes. Their eyes were quite big and they were very pale.
They moved passed the lit area and disappeared down the tunnel away from Tom. He did not move; he could not: he was too scared. Tom was no coward and for an eighteen year old he was quite big being just over six-feet-tall with a medium-yet strong build. But he was in shock at what he was seeing. One part of him refused to believe what was happening: it was too incredible; surely he was dreaming. This was the 21st century yet he was looking at some creatures out of a horror story. But another part of him could not deny the reality of it.
He felt very frustrated and ashamed of his fear and did not know what to do. The creatures though smaller than he were wild and evil-looking and greater in number. He also instinctively realised they were capable killers. But he must do something to help the girl.
Eventually, after what seemed like a long time, he gathered himself together and found some courage. He forced himself to move into the tunnel. He carefully made his way to the source of the lit area, a small stairway with railings and a green emergency exit sign with an arrow above it.
He quickly looked through its entrance, which led to some wide stairs going up, typical of a tube station, to the right. But straight ahead, past these, He could see another green emergency sign pointing to the left on some railings. He could not sense any danger from this passageway and moved further down the tunnel, in the direction of the creatures.
He was trying his best not to make any noise but there was a lot of rubble on the floor of the tunnel and he knew that if ‘they’ were listening they would probably hear him. He put this thought out of his head, as he tried to control his fear; he had to help the girl.
He reached the mouth of the now narrow tube tunnel on his left, which was like an arch in the bottom left of the bigger arch of the ‘station platform area’. He was very scared but poked his head into it. But there was nothing to be seen: it was just too dark. He could, however, hear some noises up ahead about twenty metres away. The creatures had seemingly stopped and were hustled together doing something. He strained his head closer but still could not see anything; nor could he hear anything any longer.
He felt that he had to follow them into the tunnel but he was scared about a possible tube coming; for he knew there would be no space to hide if one came. He looked at his watch: it was just past 12.17 a.m. He knew that he had been on the last tube going northbound but was not sure about the last southbound tube. He realised he had not heard any tubes since he had first heard the girl’s screams on this tube but was still not sure.
He cursed himself for his indecision and forced himself to move; he knew he had to do something to save the girl.
As he was about to enter the tunnel, however, he again heard something ahead. There was something moving. He stared down the tunnel but again could see nothing in the darkness; he could only feel a cool wind on his face. But the noises were getting closer. Then he suddenly realised what they were: the creatures were returning and could probably see his silhouette from the light behind him!
He froze with fear again. He did not want to move and a part of him was almost happy to wait and see what happened. Tom, you must move! You must get the hell away from here, he urgently demanded of himself.
He finally forced himself to do so, turned around, and began to run in the direction of the emergency exit.
‘STAYS THERE! STAYS THERE!’ he heard from behind him in the tunnel in loud, rough, guttural shouts. This increased his fear: he had not realised the creatures could speak. It also made him go faster: he did not want to be caught. He reached the lit stair area with the emergency exit sign. The creatures were now quite near to him, well out of the tunnel. He felt his heart beating stronger.
He moved up the small stairway and passed the other wide stairs on his right, which were completely dark. He turned left at the emergency exit sign on the railings in front of him.
He then saw another green arrowed sign pointing down on some metal railings of some kind of bricked-off room. He went down the concrete stairs of these, around some concreted area, and then up some more stairs at the other end. He then continued into some other narrow passageway, before he reached a brick wall with an opening on the left.
This led to some other wide tube station stairs, which like the ‘platform areas’ had no tiles on their walls. He saw another arrowed sign pointing up on the right-hand one of these.
‘COMES BACK! COMES BACK! WE HELPS YOU, BOY!’ Tom gulped with fear when he heard this, as he began to run up the stairs; he instinctively realised that he did not want any of the ‘help’ they would give him, but knew they were going to catch him.
He was running as fast as he could, a little tired and out of breath but not wanting to be caught and then who knew what. He could hear the creatures coming quickly behind him. He ran up the stairs, about fifteen of them, and at the end followed the tunnel that turned right, over what must be a bridge over the tube line.
At the end of it was an open metal door, through which he could see another emergency exit sign which pointed to the left above another railing. He went through it and then tried to pull it shut behind him, but it was heavy.
As he was doing so, he could see the first of the creatures at the top of the stairs he had just come up. It was wild with crazed eyes. A wave of fear went through him. Move, move! he said to himself leaving the door still partly open.
He then saw a very round tunnel up ahead with some stairs veering to the right. He rushed up them; at the end there was a small corridor. At the end of this there was a lift door on his right and a narrow metal staircase going up on his left.
He heard the heavy door he had come through open with a bang behind him. Damn, they are getting closer, he thought. He ran up the stairs, which another green emergency sign had pointed to. Another sign said there were 197 steps.
‘COMES BACK! COMES BACK!’ He had run up about twenty steps before he heard them. His legs were getting stiff and he was not going as fast as he would have liked but fear spurred him on. The staircase had some railings like the bricked off room he had been in. It was also rectangular-shaped with about thirteen metal steps per flight in a circular shaft, a part of which had also been bricked off for the lift shaft.
He could now hear the creatures running up the stairs behind him, their feet making a clanging sound on the steps. He wondered whether he would be able to escape them, as his legs were now stiff and heavy. He could feel himself slowing down all the time.
How many more steps are there? he wondered. He must have climbed at least six flights by now. He was out of breath and was staggering rather than running up the stairs.
Then, his legs nearly finished, he came to the top of the staircase. There was another lift door on his left and then in front of him another doorway. He went through it, not even bothering to try to close the door behind him, still hearing the pursuing creatures. They seemed to be getting closer and he forced his ‘jelly’ legs to move a little faster. They mustn’t catch me. No way. No way, he thought to himself, exhausted, and almost in pain.
He felt very disheartened when he saw another staircase in front of him. How much bloody further is this exit? he wondered. This staircase was different, being concrete and enclosed by walls. He started to go up it using both the safety rails as he did so. His legs were now hurting and he was well out of breath. But the sight of another green emergency exit sign gave him some encouragement.
After about three flights he came across a small landing with a doorway to a room. He rushed passed it and got back on the stairs. Eventually, after about three more flights – he had stopped even
trying to count by now - he came to the top of the stairs and could see a door in front of him with a sign on it saying ‘Emergency Exit’ and underneath another one saying ‘Push Bar to Open.’
He pushed the bar but nothing happened. He felt panicked and could hear the creatures getting closer. ‘STAYS THERE! STAYS THERE, BOY!’ one of them shouted from behind him in a hideous female voice.