My first Fan fiction attempt. Inspired by so many good works here. I hope I have given life to the Boys of the Dwarf once more.

This Story is set at the closing scenes of Series 8 with Rimmer just being hit on the head by the angry vending machine.....

Rimmers body crashed to the floor, around him flames shot out of gaps appearing in the grey corridor walls. The virus was slowly eaten away at everything on Red Dwarf.

He awoke the heat around him becoming unbearable now. Rimmer wondered 'how long have I lay here?', he knew he had to get away, to get off Red Dwarf.

The exit to the other reality was now lost to him and so he ran down the corridor towards the Express Lift that would hopefully still be operational. Rimmers plan fwas to go for the flight deck on Floor 247 and get the hell out. He rounded a corner jumping over the large gaps that had started to appear in the floor. Gaps that meant he could see two maybe three decks down, he did not stop to look, to stop would be fatal now he knew his fear would take over and that would fix him to the spot.

There it was his ticket out, the shifny metal doors of an Express Lift. Rimmer slapped the call button. Hours seemed to pass, but seconds did. Nothing, 'SMEG!' he thought, 'the virus must have gotten to it'. What was he was thinking it was a stupid plan to use the lift, but how else was he going to cover the fifty five floors down to the flight deck.

Rimmers brain screamed at him, 'THINK DAMIT!'. then a spark a hope, yes there was a way the emergency access stairs, if they were still in one piece he could maybe, just maybe make it.

He stumbled through the door to the stairwell, strange groaning noises erupting around him. The ship was not going to last much longer. The stairs at least looked stable. He started down them, two sometimes three at a time. Floor 303, Floor 302, Floor 301, 'Smeg still 52 floors to go' Rimmer thought as his heart pounded hard. He continued on Floor 279, Floor 278, his chest now hurt.

His mind took his thoughts away to hide the pain, he thought why had he not done those morning runs for real? Instead of just rounding the corner and finding somewhere to wait just long enough until it was a safe time to return to his room. Lister who was often doing horrible things with his toe nails would sit there while Rimmer made out that his run had been a "Super work out Listy" when really he had been reading the latest copy of Telegraph Pole monthly. Why hadn't he work out - WHY!!.

Floor 258 and he collapsed onto the stairwell, his legs could not cope, his body could not cope, he was a wreck got dam it and he knew it.

Minutes passed his breathing got slower, maybe he could go on, 'he had to go on' he thought. 'SMEG it was only another 10 floors to the flight deck'. He ran on, down to his freedom, out from this hell hole, down over the grinding and twisting metal.

Rimmer heard a noise, it sounded like those old movies when a ship was sinking, a huge strain of metal. He dare not stop. Just as his legs screamed at him to go no further, there it was a glint of hope, the next floor was 248 the exit was only one flight down. Renewed he pushed on but fate was cruel and he heard the roar, the sound of metal folding and crashing down above him. He dared not look up, he lept through the open the door just as a mass of twisting staircase crashed past, down into the depths of the ship.

The dust settled and he looked at the flight deck and saw what he feared the most, he saw nothing, no Starbugs, No Blue Midgets nothing not a sausage. The huge flight deck was empty just a big blank space where his escape plan should have been.

Rimmer sank to his knees, he had nothing left, no energy for a primal scream, only enough to think. 'I give in, no more running'. He was done, time to meet his maker or whatever happened next. He waited, he waited for Death.

CHP1 V1.2

Thanks to Cazflibs for her thoughts and help, make sure you check out her work, it is much better than mine :)