Hi, guys! HAPPY NEW YEAR! So sorry for the long wait. I was having quite a bit of writer's block and got distracted by other works. I haven't abandoned the story! I hope you're all having a lovely holiday~
Chapter#8: Cellblock A
A cautious glance was cast over her shoulder as she swiped the keycard over the detector, wincing inwardly at how the activation beep seemed to echo for miles through the vacant hall. Quickly, she entered the lab and shut the door behind her, sparing a moment to ensure she was along, and then made a direct beeline to the filing cabinets stationed against the wall. She spent the better half of the next five minutes briefly scanning over documents and tossing them aside—until she reached the very back of the drawer where a little red tag stuck out. Reaching in, she pulled out a relatively thick folder that sported the word CLASSIFIED in big, capital, red letters stamped diagonally across its front. Finally, something she might be able to use. Placing the folder on a nearby table, she opened it and scanned over the top document.
Brief introduction to WALRIDER mythology for M.D.R. Support Staff
The Murkoff Corp.
NOTE- This is for support/notational purposes only, engage in NO direct contact with patients during or after therapy.
The WALRIDER, also known as an "Alp," "Mara," or "Schrat" is a demonic creature of German origin that torments sleepers. They crouch on a sleeper's chest and crush the breath from him. The sleeper wakes terrified, paralyzed, and asphyxiating. The name "Mara" gives us the word "nightmare." Sexual assaults by the demon are rare, but it has been known to drink milk from the breasts of sleeping women, and blood from the nipples of sleeping men.
"What the fuck?" What could this possibly be of importance to? Why was Murkoff digging up information on German demonology? Pulling out the page from behind the one she was reading, she read over the first few lines.
NOTE to all personnel from Consultant MM008, RUDOLF WERNICKE. (DBNR)
Do not worship the swarm, nor allow the delusions of the patients to influence your beliefs. Any sentient being based in this technology will be so far superior to us that illusions of godliness will be reasonable.
We have always looked into chaos and called it God. We are now blessed with sufficient power that such belief could destroy us. Do not be tempted. Remember that you are scientists.
Her head snapped up sharply at a distant clang, eyes glancing towards the door to ensure she had locked it, and after a moment she looked back to her reading. Taking out her phone, she snapped photos of them—when another clang, this time closer, echoed through the outside hell, and her head lifted once more in full alert. It was only when she heard a nearby banging did she decide it was time to move on, but she wasn't about to leave behind her recent find. Moving as quick as possible, she flipped through the folder, snapping photos of the files that grabbed her attention the most. Once she felt remotely satisfied, she strode over to the desk that controlled the decontamination chamber down the hall and pressed her hand down on the button—only to receive a deep scare when she looked up to be face-to-face with Chris Walker through the glass, bloodshot eyes glaring at her through the green fog pouring down from the vents.
Her eyes flew wide, all but throwing herself backwards when he suddenly threw his entire weight against the window, causing cracks to web across the glass at an alarmingly fast rate. Without a second's hesitation, she bolted in the opposite direction just as he managed to barge his massive bulk through, sending shards of reinforced glass scattering across the floor and control panel. His speed was impressive for his size, gaining on her within a matter of seconds, but she was ready for him.
Running for the corner, she jumped up, using her speed and momentum to her advantage as she ran up the wall a few steps before taking a sharp left. Walker had made a swipe for her in the same second, and it felt like time had slowed whilst she watched his arm swoop beneath her as she dove, landing in a roll atop one of the desks. Ignoring how the keyboard dug into her ribs, she was leaping away the next second, bolting for the door, and throwing it open. She barely managed to slam it in his face, the deadlocks sliding into place automatically, but that would not hold him for long.
Just as the thought crossed her mind, he had begun to throw his body against the thick metal in attempt to break it down, but she had already started to run. Flying through the decontamination chamber, she tore down the hall, running straight passed two patients and causing them to throw themselves backwards to avoid being plowed into. She didn't so much as glance back, but she did yell: "RUN!"
They had both whipped around at Walker's bellowing roar, and with a speed to rival a bullet they had scrambled down the opposite hall.
Her legs carried her through the halls with the swiftness of a gazelle, leaping over fallen objects and turning sharp corners with nothing but the hope she wouldn't run into more trouble in her efforts. Before long, she began to realize she was entering a cellblock, the multiple security checks and number of reinforced barred doors making the theory apparent. At the very least, she could no longer hear Walker behind her, but that didn't mean she had lost him. More than likely, he wasn't far behind.
Not long after, she came to two large double doors labelled Cellblock A. Okay. It's not like we've never been inside a cellblock before. A cellblock in Mount Massive, perhaps, would be a bit of an adventure. Pursing her lips, she exhaled a slow breath.
"Walker or a room full of stir-crazy lunatics? Take your pick, Auaora..." Stepping forward, she leaned in to see if she could get a look through the small glass window. When a patient's deformed face suddenly pressed up to the glass, however, she took a sharp step back, hands finding and whipping out her batons on instinct, eyes fierce.
The patient on the other side of the door only stared at her for a moment with what she took as mild curiosity before calmly walking away. Her brow drew together, waiting a moment before cautiously edging back towards the door. Cracking one of the heavy metal doors open, she looked out in the direction the man had left, but he was nowhere in sight. A glance to her left. Nothing.
Hand hovered over the baton at her hip, she took her first step into the cellblock, makes sure her camera was still on. Patients were locked in their cells, some staring at her in open fascination, others in resentful disdain, and some—lust. Others merely stared into nothing, a few laying curled up in fetal positions in a random corner of their filthy cells. Some didn't even have beds, just an unpadded box spring. In the few cells that did have mattresses, they were stained with substances she dared not identify, hardly an improvement from having no bed to begin with.
Despite knowing that some of these men could be coldblooded killers, her sympathetic nature always reminded her that she did not know, and therefore she could not judge them. No matter their past offences, they were all victims to Murkoff's experiments, and that was enough for her. Upon peering down over the railing, she saw a couple patients aimlessly milled about below, muttering to themselves incoherently. That was when she received a deep startle when the man in the cell across from her suddenly threw himself up against the bars with a louder than necessary "hey!".
She kept herself pressed against the railing, staying out of his reach as she scanned him over with guarded eyes.
"Y-you have to let us out of here! If you don't, it'll come for us!"
Her eyes narrowed. "What will?"
"The Walrider," he hissed through his teeth. "If... if you don't let us out... it'll come for us one by one! We need to get out."
She looked off to side with an inward scoff. "There is no such thing. You're better off in there where no one can get you—"
"The Walrider is real! And these bars won't stop it. If it doesn't get us, Walker will! Please! You have to let us out!"
"I'm sorry—" She tried to walk away, but he grabbed her by the arm as she passed.
She whipped out her blade, pointing it at his throat, eyes promising death. His were nothing short of pleading, scarred features bleeding fear, and before she knew it she felt her glare soften without her consent.
"The Walrider is real," he said, voice dropping to a beseeching level.
"Let go of me."
"It got out. It's killing everyone—"
She pressed the very tip of her knife to his jugular, not saying a word. The menacing glow in her eyes communicated all the warning needed, and he reluctantly released his grip on her arm. She took a prompt step back, removing her knife from his throat as he pulled his arm back into the cell. Hands gripping the bars, his eyes fell, pressing his forehead against the cold metal.
Aurora eyed him a moment, noting the gloomy despair in his eyes, and her teeth gritted together as guilt ate away at her better judgment, head turning off to the side in silent defeat. "Tell me more about this Walrider."
He looked back up at her, and she met his eyes once more. "I read something called Project WALRIDER. You know anything about that?"
"It's the experiments!"
She looked up at the upper-level cells, and another called out: "They were a conjuring! A conjuring to summon a demon!"
"They used us."
Her attention turned back to the man before her. "To summon the demon. Our dreams... the experiments..."
"You're telling me the experiments were to summon a demon? A supernatural entity?"
"It's still here... in the walls... lurking in the shadows..."
"So Murkoff is a cult."
"Nazi bastards!" another voice snarled from above.
"They're in our blood and want to get out!" cried another. "The voices! They never leave!"
Her eyes closed with a sigh. This isn't going to get me anywhere…. She moved to leave.
"Wait!"
Again, she stopped, eyes closing as the man gripped at the bars, gazing out at her.
"Will you let me out? Please."
"I am lost in a mental asylum with escaped patients trying to rape and kill me. I don't need to add more to the mix."
"I'm not a rapist!"
She said nothing.
"If you leave me here I'm doomed! Please. I won't bother you. I… I won't even leave the cell until you're gone!"
She hesitated, watching as his anticipation rose from the corner of her eye, hands tightening around the bars.
"Please!"
"Look, even if I wanted to let you out, these doors are deadlocked. There isn't even a lock for me to pick."
His shoulders fell, eyes lowering to the floor in dismay. Aurora's eyes grew a slightly saddened glint in spite of herself, and she turned her head up to gaze at the upper level cells. Rattling filled the room as men stared down at her. It was like watching lions pace in their cells, deciding whether or not she was prey or ally. Casting one last, even apologetic, look to the man in front of her, she left through the doors on other side of the room, and she was presented with another long stretch of hallway.
Just as she was nearing the door at the end of hall and reaching for the handle, however, was when a series of terrified voices reached her ears, making her whip around sharply. It took her seconds to realize it was coming from the cellblock, and only one explanation surfaced in her brain.
Walker.
Perhaps he would just pass straight through in his determination to get to her, but if he didn't….
But if he doesn't….
They were all helpless, trapped like rats in their cells. Easy prey for the beast.
Her attention flickered briefly to a movement at her left to see two pairs of eyes watching her from the corridor stemming off from the one she currently stood, eyeing her with a combination of curiosity and suspicion. Taking her eyes off them, she returned her attention to the doors leading to the cellblock, where the screams of terror only grew louder in volume.
"Fuck me…" Taking out her blades, she made a run for the cellblock, leaving the two patients eyeing her to stare after her in incredulity.
"Don't do it, don't do it!" one hissed.
"Walker will kill you! He'll kill us all! Stupid girl, stupid!" said the other.
As she drew closer, the voices grew louder, and she could only pray he was not right there when she kicked the door in with her boot. The doors swung inwards, and at first she couldn't see Walker; though, the frantic men panicking in their cells all around her told her he was definitely in the room. A few had managed to break out of their cells and were making a mad dash for the nearest exit, while others cowered in the corners or under the beds of their prisons, shaking and pleading for mercy. Others still made attempts to break down the reinforced doors, but to no avail.
That was when she heard it, the sound of heavy breathing through clenched teeth, followed by the terrified shriek of a patient, which quickly turned into a choked gag. It was coming from below. Running up to the railing, she peered downwards at the lower level of the cellblock, where Walker had an inmate by the throat, his feet dangling beneath him as his hands clawed at Walker's helplessly.
Lips parting, her muscles clenched as she prepared herself for what she was about to do. "I must be insane…" Climbing up onto the railing, she disregarded the wide eyes watching her, and she was taking the leap.
The patient in Walker's grasp's eyes had snapped up in shock as she descended from the ledge, unnoticed by Walker, and the next second her feet were making firm contact with the hulking monster's upper back. Surprised and staggered, Walker dropped the man in his grasp, but his sheer mass kept him from falling over as he turned around with an enraged snarl to meet his attacker. Aurora had swiftly flipped backwards when he made a swipe for her, eyes darting to the patient on the ground behind him.
"Go!" she snapped.
Walker's features twisted into a sinister sneer, eyes narrowing into slits, but he displayed no interest in the inmate as he scrambled for the stairs, nearly tripping in his haste. Aurora's eyes shifted back to Walker's, there was a brief, tense stare-off—and she was bolting in the opposite direction with a speed that could have rivaled a bottle rocket.
"Where's the control room to the cellblock?" she shouted, to anyone that was willing to answer, as she tore up the stairs with Walker hot in her pursuit.
"The floor above us!" a voice called back, and she recognized it as the patient she had been talking to earlier.
She looked up as she turned down the catwalk, and she saw the window where security could observe the cells from the office. She had to get up there. It was the only way. Her quick observation skills pointed out a broken section of glass to her as she neared, as well as a small stool sitting between two cells on the floor almost directly beneath the window. It was a longshot, but it was her only bet.
Not daring to look behind her, she summoned forth a burst of speed, counting each step in her head as she gained distance. One, two, three, one two, three, one, two, THREE. Kicking off the ground, her foot landed on the stool, and with every ounce of power in her body she used it to boost herself upwards. It was a good four-foot jump, but the adrenaline pumping through her veins had fueled the muscles in her legs, and she was able to grab onto the ledge above—barely.
A curse left her as her body swung, nearly causing her to lose her grip, but she managed to hold on and heaved herself upwards, narrowly avoiding the swipe Walker made for her foot. Punching out the jagged pieces of glass along the bottom of the window, she dragged herself over the edge, landing on the floor with a less than graceful thud.
"Fuck…" She didn't have time to catch her breath. If Walker wasn't already on his way up to her, he was about to take out his frustration on the defenseless inmates below. If she didn't set them free, he would surely be back for them.
Getting to her feet, she ran up to the control panel, and to her relief the key was still inserted, likely left by the dead guard who lay on the floor beside her. Licking her lips, she gripped the key. God, I hope I don't fucking regret this…. She gave the key a single twist, and through the hole in the glass she could hear the doors swing open, followed by the sound of running footsteps and voices shouting at each other in a frantic race for survival as Walker's voice roared in fury. Running up to the window, she gave the cells a quick scan with her eyes to ensure all doors had opened before rushing back over to the control panel and removing the key from its slot. Perhaps it would come in handy again in the future. She could only hope the men she had just released would repay her with the same honor.
Walking back to the window once more, she looked down as the last few of the patients bolted through the door. Walker was nowhere in sight. If she had to guess, he was likely on his way up to where she was, so her safest bet was probably to backtrack. Despite being a mindless killing machine, he seemed to know his way around, but strategically he didn't strike her as too bright. Going back down would likely throw him off, since he was probably expecting her to leave through the door and take the corridor. She could only hope.
Placing her hands on the ledge, she carefully swung her legs over one at a time, mindful of the stool so she didn't land on it, and she jumped back down to the cellblock. Her feet made quiet contact with the concrete, and in the same second she heard a startled gasp, causing her to turn her head towards the cell she had landed before. Cowering in the far corner was a patient, curled into himself with his arms covering his head. He was shaking like a leaf, too scared to move. the sight was pitiful.
Despite her better judgment, she stepped into the cell, keeping her movements slow as she came to kneel in front of him, ready to deflect an attack at any second. "Hey—"
He emitted a startled sound, head snapping up to her in obvious surprise, and she held up a hand to signal peace. He'd been so scared he hadn't even heard her enter the cell.
"Easy…. Look, you need to get out of here. He might come back through looking for me."
He said nothing—just stared at her with the single eye he had. The other had been gouged out, the socket sewn crudely shut and causing the skin to tug. It seemed every single patient sported some type of grotesque deformity inflicted by a crude surgical procedure. The hospital had literally been transformed into a giant dissection lab, and the patients were the guinea pigs. She shook her head slowly, eyeing him with empathy.
"You need to move. Hide anywhere else but here." With that, she stood, and she continued on her way.
He said nothing in reply, nor did he make any move to follow her. She couldn't make him. With soundless feet, eyes alert and ears perked, she peered out through the cracked door, and she stepped into the corridor to continue her journey through Mount Massive's hellish core.
Next up, we get a better look at those documents Aurora photographed, and a reunion is on its way. ;) We can only hope for Aurora it's not with Walker.
