Escape


Survive. Run. Those two words were all I could think as I urged my legs to keep up their sprint. It felt as if my legs were pistons who’s power source was draining. My breathing was heavy, and irregular. Air. I needed more air!

“C’mon,” I screamed as I urged myself forward. My chest felt as if it had collapsed, but I had to keep going, to keep breathing. I glanced behind me quickly, terrified of what I might see. There it was, just a few yards behind me.

“Leave me be!” The words came out before I could stop them. I needlessly wasted air. Idiot! I mentally scolded myself. I grabbed the wall to help me take a sharp turn right, and forced myself to speed up. I can’t keep this up much longer. What do I do?

That’s when I saw it. There was a large vent where the wall met the floor that it couldn’t fit in. But, I can. The cover was nearly torn off, presumably by the corpse in front of it. That could be me if this doesn’t work. I mentally prepped myself and ran for the space. I heard the creature behind me, its breathing raggedy and loud. God, its gaining! I have to go for it! I forced myself to slide across the floor, kick the vent in with the momentum, and enter the small corridor inside.

In my panic I crawled clumsily farther inside, nearly hyperventilating. I turned around and backed up until I hit a wall in the corridor. I could hear the monster gurgling ravenously, and angrily as it hit the wall above the entrance. I had angered it, and I wasn’t sure if that was good or not. I sat, unable to breath properly, staring at the entrance until it clambered away. I sunk back into myself, rocking and sobbing. I sat like that for maybe 20 minutes, utterly afraid. I knew I had to keep moving, but it hurt just to breathe. It was as if my body was angry with me, getting me back for the torment I put it through running.

Get yourself together, Fae! I mentally yelled at myself. I thought back to the first time I saw the creature, “Backbone” they called it. The men and women screamed the name as it slaughtered them, tearing their bodies in two, ultimately shredding them up for easier digestion. The vision still paralyzes me every time I think of it. To know that anybody, or anything could do that.

Backbone was easily 6’7’’ standing at full height, but it crouched/hunched more often then not, highlighting the feature that gave it his name. About a third of the way down his spine was a large vertebrae that stuck out like a fin, at least half the length of my arm. Black, rotted skin surrounded the bottom half of his “fin” bone, while the rest of him was grey with uneven blotches of light to dark blacks, and stained blood. And the eyes that I’ll never forget. His eyes were a dark, enveloping violet, with specks of maroon throughout and were surrounded by black bags, like it never slept. They shimmered with hunger, and animosity.



I collected myself, and tried to take a deep breath. Somewhat failing with that I stood up slowly on my weak legs, crouching as to not hit my head. I crawled hesitantly to the entrance as quietly as I could manage, and stopped to listen. I heard nothing except silence. It was nearly worse than Backbone’s moans, and snarls. At least those didn’t pierce through me the same way.

I peeked my head out, and looked around quickly, taking in the scene in front of me. The room was dark, with slants of light pushing into the room through the ravaged blinds shining on the drops of blood covering the walls and ceiling. I saw the bodies in front of the windows, murdered while trying to break them. The body before the vent was still there, the torment forever plastered on his bloody face. He was somebody. Possibly a father, but most definitely a son. Shhh, don’t think of such things, I need to get out of here. I pulled myself out of the vent, and onto my aching feet. I turned left, and peered around the corner. Clear. I snuck around the corner and into the hallway.

I was inside the “Saint Gregory Hospital for Ailing Souls”. It was a religious hospital founded by non other than St. Gregory himself in the 1800’s. It’s since been renovated, and built upon to make space for the advance machines, and increased population. My name is Fae D’Caprio, I’m 19 years old. I have auburn hair, and pale skin. I was just here for my yearly physical when it all happened.

There was a heavy, resounding scream issue from the hall, and then pounding footsteps running down the hall stopping every so often. A man was yelling, “Get out, its coming! Quickly, go!” Suddenly he was in the doorway of my room, then grabbing my hand, pulling me into the hall and pushing me to run. “Don’t look back, whatever you do just keep running!” he said. Its funny how human curiosity works, always pulling us to whatever we don’t know, whether its safe or not. We aren’t the best of judges, and half the time we don’t care.

I looked back and saw him. I saw his eyes fluttering about as he grabbed men and women at random, crushing their bones, and devouring their heads in a few bites. It paralyzed me, and the doctor had to stop to help push me forward. I slowly started to move again, only through pure instinct to run. I was to late though. The doctor that had warned everyone was caught by his collar, and dragged to the monster. Backbone broke his neck, and tore of his arm. Nibbling on it he ran towards the rest of us, and we ran, and ran until we escaped. Or so we thought.

Now here I was, one of the only few survivors left, possibly the last one. I hadn’t seen anybody for atleast a few hours. I refused to let myself dwell on it to long. I hoped with all I had that more people had gotten out. I was closing in to the door, and heard to no sound or clue of Backbone being near. I prayed in my head that he was on the other side of the building. I slowly brought the door ajar, and ran towards the gate to the street outside. And then I froze. I heard bothered, heavy breathing from the general vicinity, but I couldn’t place it. Terrified I inched forward as quickly as I dared. I looked around me, and stared backwards, stubbornly soldiering forwards. I ran into a wall, but it felt wrong, to smooth. I stopped and turned around. I disturbed the silence with one final scream before my neck was in two, ravaged apart by his claw like nails.