Everyone was dead quiet as a shadowy figure crept into the area. It crawled on all fours, hind legs bent back at the knee, as if they had been put on the wrong way. Mottled grey skin stretched tightly over its thin body, that looked half-manikin, half-flesh. The thing made erratic, jerky movements and held its head constantly down. Its breath came loud and ragged then whistled on the way out. It placed one disjointed claw on the wall, testing, then started scaling the slimy brick. It reached a spot right above Xander's head then, remaining attached to the ceiling through its feet, dropped down. It's face jolted to a stop right before Xander's, if you could call it that. It had no eyes or nose, just a viciously fang-entangled mouth and two holes for ears. Xander didn't flinch. He remained calm, looking almost bored. He took the cigarette out of his mouth and blew smoke in the things face.

Nothing. It stayed hanging for a moment longer then swung back up. It twitched a little then started moving again.
"What the hell is…?!"
"No!" Xander yelled a second too late. It's head spun around and locked on to the officer. It screeched and with alarming speed it leapt at him and pinned him to the floor. Blood drenched the walls as sharp claws ripped into soft flesh. Sarah immediately opened fire, her gunshots barely heard over the terrible screaming of the poor officer.
"Get it off me! Help!" With a flick of his arm, Xander implanted three knives in the things head. It only seemed to aggravate it.

With the bestial vigour of a cornered animal it batted the officer, sending him flying towards the grate. He smashed into the metal with a thump, knocking free a bar, and slid down to the ground. Tails just managed to duck out of the way of the living projectile… if he was still alive. Tails didn't know whether he was dead or just unconscious. Fearfully, Tails looked back at the monster. It stood on all fours, between him and Xander. Perfectly still. Blood dripped from its maw as it started back up the awfully loud wheezing. It turned slowly, towards Xander and Sarah, and crawled forwards. Xander backed away, pushing back the wide-eyed Sarah with his arm. He narrowed his eyes at Tails then quickly threw something at him before turning and jogging.

Tails held his breath, hoping, praying, that the splash caused by the object didn't startle the thing. It didn't. To be safe, Tails waited until the sound of its breathing faded away, then waited a minute more, frozen. When it was silent he moved to pick up the thing. It was a simple silver coin, engraved with the picture of an hourglass. He wondered at it, then shrugged and tucked it away. Suddenly, as if with a sigh of relief, the great oppression he felt in the air lifted. The water recommenced its flowing, as if nothing had happened, and the flickering of light returned, along with the light of his torch.

Tails was glad for the return of normality. He turned and shuddered upon viewing the bloody body. He mustered up the courage to move up to the slumped figure and place two fingers on his neck. No pulse. Tails shed a tear for him. He didn't deserve this. Tails waited a moment, in silent prayer, then sighed and moved towards the opening in the grate. He was about to step out and onto the rungs of the ladder but he halted, a thought coming to mind. Although not wanting to defile a dead body, he had to put himself before a corpse. He bent over and took the mans handgun from his belt and tucked it behind his back.

'For protection…' Tails quickly stepped on to the ladder, wanting to leave this awful place. He climbed a few steps then flinched when he heard a far off screech. He shook it off and continued up into the warm, welcoming light coming through the manhole.