BatIM Five Trials

Chapter Sixteen

In the middle of her first task, Jade kept getting random surges of chills, like the air was trying to freeze over. Especially when she got close to the gearboxes, simply because they were louder than the ambiance in the rest of Trial Three territory. Every time she approached one, Alice's warning rang through her head.

"He hears everything, every footstep, every fearful heartbeat, every terrified scream."

Jade held her wrench a little tighter at the thoughts, but relaxed a bit when she remembered she had a bit of a strategy. Boris stayed back at the lift, and every so often he'd change levels, staying away from the one she was currently doing work on. The thought was that the sound would get him to look elsewhere for her instead of where she was, so she could do the angel's bidding without freaking out for her life. Another thing was that she had left her bag behind with Boris, so the zippers and contents inside wouldn't move around and make noise as she did her task.

So far, the teen had gathered two gears and was currently searching for more. She had backtracked far enough to be back at the path she had not taken while up on Level K initially. Mainly because she didn't want to make Boris wait.

Well, he's going to be safe, I might as well go and get my curiosity resolved. She stepped into the area. The hallway quickly lead to a recording with two names on its label, Thomas Connor + Wally Franks. She pressed the play button, as usual, leaning down to hear it better.

"Okay, so let's go through this again. If the pressure goes over forty-five, I screw the safety bolt down tighter, right?"

"No! For the last time! You do that, you'll blow every pipe in this darn place! Is the pressure exceeds forty-five, you unhook the safety switch!"

"Are you sure? You know this sounds harder than comparing bee's wax with ear wax!" Wally objected.

"Look, it's not that difficult! Just keep an eye on the gauge."

"Listen, pal, if you think I'm doing my job and yours, I'm outta here!" The recording clicked off after Wally's typical catchphrase.

Jade chuckled a bit before getting up and moving on. Soon enough came a sect to the right, and Jade took it, almost feeling a sense of deja vu. This feeling strengthened as she came upon a metal grating with the sounds of the Ink Machine echoing starting to resonate through the room-like area. The only difference was that it was much louder, and was close enough to make her heart start to beat heavier. This heaviness only got worse rather quickly as the massive machine made its presence known, causing Jade to put up a hand to her chest and cough softly. She didn't even need a hand up to be able to clearly feel her heart. The machine continued to lower past her, the echoing fading as she leaned against a wall, trying to recover from her heart suddenly going haywire after she had been so used to it being normal.

Okay. . . this is weird. That was only a dream, right? She finally recovered and kept walking, going back to the main hall and continuing the way forward. The hall began to become more and more familiar, just like how she saw it in her dream. Finally, she had reached the end of the hall, where a Miracle Station was with its door torn off. Only one difference lingered from her dream. . . an ink message reading Feel Familiar? Was on the inside of the station. Jade stared at it for a second, but suddenly froze

If this is just like my dream. . ! Her thoughts trailed off as she noticed traces of the ink web and her heart starting to get a bit faster. She turned behind her, frightened. There was the demon himself, limping toward her. She was trapped, cornered. Oh god, what do I do?! I don't want to die!

Her heart started picking up as the demon got ever closer, and finally, he started running at her. Seeing this almost made her think he didn't know she was there until that moment, or perhaps he wanted to create suspense.

What do I do?! She was panicked but knew she couldn't back up because she'd trip into the Miracle Station. The demon was coming ever closer, and finally, she was in reach of his claws. Jade had frozen up with fear until that moment. The demon raised his claws, ready to make a fatal slash. I've got to protect my neck! It was too late to strike back with her wrench, so she decided to have her shoulder take the blow instead. The claws going through her shoulder burned worse than an inferno of blue flames. She let out a cry of pain, the sheer force the demon put behind his claws sent her stumbling to the ground. Hissing in pain and clutching her shoulder, her eyes forced themselves shut to deal with the pain.

WATCH OUT! She heard the scream inside her head, once more her eyes shot open just in time to see the demon's claws coming for her again. Acting quickly, she hit the attacking claws with her wrench, scrambling up. Back on two legs with a new sharp alertness she had never felt, she knew she had to fight her way out. The warmth of blood leaving her body was starting to coat her shoulder and her left hand, but she didn't care as she watched the demon for his next move. This soon came as another slash aimed for the neck. Now's the chance! Jade hit the attacking hand as hard as she could and then ran past the demon, hitting him in the head with the wrench as she ran past.

The demon roared out after a couple of seconds and chased after her. Jade was nothing short of absolutely terrified, waiting for the pain to flare up in her healed injuries, but it didn't. She guessed whatever was causing it knew better than to now, since she had to run for her life. She had run out of the dead end and, making a quick decision, ran back toward the lift. That was where she knew the closest Miracle Station was that was also fully intact. She heard the demon behind her still, picking up on the path she was taking.

Come on! You can do this Jade! She urged herself as the Miracle Station came into her line of sight, pushing herself to run faster. She barely had enough time to scramble into the station and shut the door behind herself before the demon had caught up, slamming his hands against the shut door and looking into the open slot, snarling at her.

I'm dead! I'm so dead! She thought as she stared up at her predator, the one she presumed was about to take her life. Take care, Boris. Please, be careful for my sake. Instead of yanking open the door, the demon just continued to stare at her, as if contemplating exactly what to do. Finally, with one final breath of ink scented air, he left, walking away with the sound of unevenly rhythmed footsteps. Those quickly faded as the darkness of the ink web started to lighten up, and then suddenly disappeared.

He. . . didn't kill me? She opened the door of the station quietly, hesitantly only to find herself alone on the balcony of Level K with a wound to nurse. Boris would definitely be concerned about this one, it was the worst one she had taken yet. She could again see the off colored injury that the ink from the demon's claws had mixed itself into. The typical gray of her shirt sleeve was already getting stained from the red substance.

I should have used my left shoulder. . . She thought to herself, looking at the claw mark on her right shoulder. This was her dominant side, so she'd either have to deal with the pain or miss the broad side of a barn with her left hand. Deciding that the former was better for her survival, she decided that she'd just have to deal with the punches. I can't let myself get cornered like that again.  

(Hello everyone! Wolfy here! I just have to say expect chapters a bit more often because I'm on a time crunch for a self-set deadline. I'm hoping to write all the way through Trial Five by the end of 2018. Can I do it? I sure hope so!)

~Wolfy