Rule Number 3: Always stay in a group of four or more people.
The sewers are quiet aside from the constant dripping of water. The sound of footsteps echoes off the walls as Luke, Samson, Jesse and Marisol make their way through the tunnels.
"Do we really have to have that on?" Luke complains.
Marisol's radio has been crackling the whole time they've been down here and it is starting to get on his nerves.
"It's company policy," She says with a shrug.
Samson nods, grey eyes scanning the tunnel ahead.
"It's also one of the Three Rules," He adds. "And we do not break those."
Luke huffs but doesn't make any further comment. The sound of dripping water grows louder as they make their way down the tunnel. They turn a corner and see the source. It is one of the water pipes. It's bent at an angle as if something large slammed into it. One of the joints is jarred and leaking.
Samson hums as he regards it thoughtfully.
"It looks like we'll need to replace this one. I'll patch it for now and then we can head back up."
Samson waves Marisol forward to help him as he begins laying out his tools. That leaves Jesse and Luke with nothing to do. Jesse is new and seems happy just to watch the other two work, but Luke quickly becomes bored. Why did they even need all of them down here? Samson probably could have fixed it on his own.
Luke drifts off from the others. It wouldn't hurt to take a look around.
Without the crackle of Marisol's radio, Luke's steps sound obnoxiously loud. He wishes he had a brighter headlight. Why did the tunnel have to be so big anyway? It wasn't like they are going to drive a truck down here.
He stills when he hears a soft scratching sound ahead. Rats maybe? Luke's lip curls. He isn't super squeamish, but something about the furry little monsters really creeps him out. He turns around and starts heading back toward the others. Samson and Marisol are probably done now.
Something whispers behind him. Luke whips around.
"Who's there?"
There is no response. It is probably just his imagination playing tricks on him. He turns around and begins walking again, a little bit faster. The others are probably wondering where he is.
"Waaaakaa," A strange hoarse voice murmurs from somewhere to his left.
Luke spins, his headlight cutting through the darkness in front of him. His heart is beating a little faster.
"This isn't funny… Where are you?"
One of the rats scuttles by in the darkness to his right, causing him to let out a little yelp. Sweat trickles down the back of his neck making his skin itch.
"Come on… you've had your fun now. Come out."
"Miiinnnn Daaahhh."
Luke turns toward the sound and this time a pair of glowing yellow eyes is staring back at him. Whatever it is, it's about the size of a raccoon and just out of his light's range.
"Mintark charra," It whispers taking a step forward.
Luke takes a step back. A second pair of eyes appear beside the first and then another and another. There must be about fifteen of them watching from just outside of the circle of light. They whisper and growl to each other in voices like rustling leaves. One of them giggles.
A deep visceral fear seeps through Luke's body like ice water. His knees are shaking. His breath is coming rapidly. One of the creatures takes a step forward into the light of his headlamp. It looks like a cat but Not. It's sniffing the air, bouncing excitedly on long spindly limbs. It licks its chops, takes another step forward and…
"Luke!"
A bright light shines on him from behind and the creatures scatter like cockroaches. Luke doesn't think he's ever been so happy to hear Samson's voice.
"Don't wander off like that," He says sharply as he grabs Luke's shoulder.
His hand lingers a moment as he looks him up and down. Marisol and Jesse stand behind him shifting from leg to leg uncertainly. After a moment he seems satisfied and releases him.
"Come on."
Luke quickly falls into step beside Samson, glancing back every few seconds.
"Did you see those things?" He whispers urgently.
"We don't talk about them." Samson's tone is terse. "You'd best pretend you never saw anything."
"But…"
"It won't end well." He turns his head and his gaze bores into Luke. "Never wander off like that again. You understand me? Never. The Rules are there for a reason."
Luke's throat is dry and his tongue sticks to the roof of his mouth. He nods. Samson gives his shoulder a quick squeeze and they continue walking.
Luke hears something rustle behind them. He almost looks back but Samson catches his gaze and shakes his head. Luke swallows and keeps his eyes forward. He focuses on the sound of Marisol's radio crackling gently as it sends out a signal to their human resources office.
An image of glowing eyes flickers through Luke's mind and he shivers. He wonders what would have happened if Samson didn't come when he did.
He resolves to never find out.