He Was Dying

Chapter Twenty-Two

The heavy breeze blew past me, causing me to squint my eyes. Stumbling towards it, I dragged my feet across the rotting floorboards of the asylum. I trudged down the third corridor, not hesitating to stop and even spare a glance down the second hall. Somehow, I knew what was before me.

  A square hole-- maybe three-by-three feet-- made of metal had its lid swung open. Dust fluttered in the air, obvious the cover hasn't been unlocked in ages, possibly years. A sense of dread hung in the atmosphere, as if the feeling were crawling out of the hatch, the pitch black ominously looming from inside the opening. I leaned towards it, seeing the dull shimmer of a stream or mud at the bottom.

"Bryce?" I called out.

Footsteps thundered above my head, as they ran through the rooms and halls upstairs. Thumping of shoes down the wooden steps of the stairs. "Omega?" his voice echoed out.

"Over here."

  The sound of running stopped behind me, everyone seemingly stumbling to a halt. "Is that.." someone muttered. "..the hatch?"

"Hatch?" My voice sounded gravely in my ears, but I was unaware as to why. Maybe it was because I was sort of dehydrated, or, possibly, I was just nervous. I glanced over my shoulder to look at them. Bryce, who stood in the doorway, walked up to my side. His slim fingers slipped past mine and held my hand. I looked down at our hands, his a warm contrast to my cold palms, and the size difference was hilarious.

  "Doesn't look too deep!" Bryce grinned. "If we're fast enough, we can all get out before any of the monsters even know we were here." Cheers of agreement hang out behind us.

Bryce sat down on the hatch's ledge, slipping down until his sneakers splashed into the sewer water below. One by one, I helped the guys through the hatch (Brian giving me a bit of a sneer) until Smitty stood beside me, the only one yet to have dropped down.

  His breath hissed through his teeth as he inhaled, shoving his hands into the pockets of his sweatshirt. "What are you gonna do?" I turned towards him with a questioning gaze, and he continued. "I mean, are you really coming along? What if you can't leave, gates or hatch? What will you do if they find out that you let us go?"

  I paused before replying, "What do humans say? I'll take the bullet? That's what I will do."

"What do you mean? I don't know if they have guns," he added sarcastically.

"If I can't escape with you all, then I will stay behind and fend them off if they find you and try to follow. I don't want to die knowing it was all for nothing, so I would want you to leave without me."

  Smitty exhaled, his breath a cold fog. He turned to gaze up at me, looking away from the hatch and the group waiting below. "You're a great friend, Ohm." A warm feeling collected in my chest and I smiled.

  "Dropping down, boys!" Smitty called as he jumped down into the sewers. I could hear him splash into the dirty water followed by murmurs of questions. I heard him say, "Make way," and that was my queue.

With a swish of wind, I yanked the hatch door down as I leaped in, shutting it. No other monster knew how the hatch worked, so it was safe to close it. The group stumbled back as I splashed into the muddy stream. The sewer was lit by electric-powered bulbs, wires snaking across the walls and ceilings. Dripping pipes created an uneasy lull but was somewhat calming. I glanced down as a figure brushed beside me, staring at Bryce as he leaned against me. We remained where we stood as Brock began leading the group down the tunnel.

 "You're coming with us?" he whispered.

  "I will try to."