Apocalypse

~chapter 5~

  It's been a day since we've arrived at the tunnel, if it's can even call it that. It's more like a sewer down here with a gross, musky smell and a few water puddles. We all have flashlights to see and try to find dry areas to camp out. "Hey, guys, I found a spot!", I exclaim. The tunnel is quite big and can fit three of us shoulder to shoulder and it's about ten feet high. Everyone comes over to where I am and they look around. "I think we should set up camp here.", he agrees.

We have no idea when morning or night is, but it feels as if we've been walking for hours so we decided to take a break. "This tunnel is gross," Ryan says, scrunching his nose in disgust. "Quit your whining. You sound like a little girl.", Zoe said. We all laugh and Ryan just lets out a 'humph', and starts to pout. That just made us laugh more and Ryan soon joins in. Chloe gets out her pack and passes a water bottle around. We each take a swig and pass it back to her. Everyone shares so we can save more than everyone getting their own. No one talks for a few minutes and we all lay on our backs in a peaceful silence and eventually fall asleep.

There was a faint sound but loud enough to wake everyone up. "What was that?". I'm not sure who spoke, but I think it was Jax. We all grab our flashlights next to us and get up to look around. The sound happens again and this time louder. The tunnel echoes so we aren't sure where to look. Five minutes pass by and the noise is gone. We are all still tense and waiting for it to return but it doesn't. "I think we should start moving again.", Chloe says, breaking some of the tension. Everyone just nods in agreement. As we start walking I hear someone's stomach growl and see Chloe look around in embarrassment from how loud it was. After a five minute break to eat we get up and start walking again.

The screech is back and I sit straight up. I grab my flashlight and see that no one else heard it. 'Was it just in my head?', I think to myself. I hear it again much louder. Nope, not in my head. I start to wake everyone up, telling them that we need to go and fast. They all sit up sleepily and ask for five more minutes so I let them sleep while I go explore. I ask Jax for a gun and ammo, though, just in case. I tiptoe back the way we came from and look around cautiously. And that's when I see a black blob- like thing coming straight for us.

"Run!!", I scream. "Guys, get up! We have to go now!" They all wake up but this time wide awake and scared. I'm a little out of breath from running and yelling, but I get a few more words out when I come to a quick stop. "Big.. fast.. spicorpian!!!", I say panting. They look at me, confused except for Chloe who says, "Spiders and scorpions have similar genes." Chloe does this thing where she starts naming random facts, and goes on to say, "The radiation must've altered their reproductive system and it went hyperactive, allowing them to cross breed with other species with very similar genes." Then there was a loud screech sounding behind us, and we all turned very slowly to look behind us. It was a five foot tall, and about two of us wide, spider and scorpion cross breed. It has a scorpion tail and pinchers with a spider body and staring straight at us with all eight of its large eyes. I think the radiation also made their growth spike. "Sp.. sp.. spicorpian..", Zoe spits out, nervously. "Alex.", Jax whispers. "Give me the gun. Slowly." Forgetting I had it, I look at him and pass it over trying to barely move. My hands are shaking when he grabs it. Then he talks to everyone, "on the count of three. Run. 1.. 2... 3!!", he yells and we all take off running as fast as we could, a gun going off behind us.

I stop when I think it's safe and look around for Jax, I start panicking when I can't see him and Ryan notices that he's not there either, but before anyone could stop him, he runs back to Jax with his bat in hand. I look at Chloe and Zoe and all of us are shocked and worried about the boys. 5 minutes pass and everything gets quiet. I feel my heart pounding deep in my chest and my stomach tightening. I want to run and find him, but my feet feel heavy and planted to the ground in fear. Please come back. Both of you, please.