"RUN!"
Marie could only stare in horror at the sight that met her disbeliving eyes. Her mouth opened and closed a few times as she tried to frame words that refused to come, then the figure running towards her grabbed her hand pulling her along in his wake. Back along the tunnel that could only have come from one of her very worst nightmares.
Strange bluey black organic looking material covered the rockfaces, dripping with water or something else entirely she couldent tell and didnt want to know. She could however put a name to the faces she saw entombed in various agonizing postions within the substance. Trying not to stumble over the uneven flooring Marie tried to concentrate on running, but it was hard.
So hard to forget them...
She'd seen only a few of her former workmates but a few was enough. The faces of people she'd been talking to only a few days before contorted with agony and desperation. Frozen in a rictus of pain forever more and below the faces the chest...gaping holes where...where...
"FASTER!" The man bellowed.
Marie swallowed and forced the image away. If she didnt focus it was entirely likely that she and her companion would end up the same way.
The tunnel curved upwards slightly bringing with it a hint of oil and metal. The foundry lay just ahead and once inside it was a straight run to the exit, and Marie hoped an escape from the nightmare below.
His shoes slapping the hard rock rythmically the Doctor risked a glance behind them. There was no sign of pursuit but from what he'd learned of these creatures a straight approach would be unlikely. No they wouldent be seen until it was too late.
Senses beyond the five humans possesed could tell they were being followed though and just on the edge of his hearing the high pitched squeals and hisses of the creatures themselves reverberated. Though he was unable to pinpoint exactly where they were coming from.
Gripping Marie's hand with as much reassurance as he could, he increased his speed willing her mentally to keep up with him. It had been hard going and his hearts were racing, both with adrenaline and yes with fear... In the Doctor's experiance most species had their levers, some way of reasoning or barganing with them. Even if it didnt work nine times out of ten, yet with these creatures he knew there would be none of that. No logical explanations, no attempt to persuade them to stop. They were vicious, highly intelligent and absolutely deadly. Predators though and through and that was that, the most he could do was to save those that could be saved and then leave a warning behind for anyone who might come to this place.
The pair of them crested the rock slope and sprinted into the foundry. With it's hissing, groaning machines pushing steam and smoke into the air it was hard to see anything especially with the low hellish red lighting. He slowed slightly and felt Marie overtake him, with her now leading the way the duo sprinted for the exit and freedom.
Fresh air! He could smell it and seconds later they exploded through the double doors into a downpour and into the waiting arms of the nightmare...
TBC