A/N: why do you guys keep assuming that Knuckles is here, I don't remember saying any thing about him being here now, maybe he won't appear in the story at all, did you ever think of that!
After Shadow's little "episode" the pair hade walked out into the courtyard with an awkward silence hanging between them. And when they came across another zombie, Sonic dispatched it easily by sending a sidekick into his spine and snapping it like a twig. When that was over they continued down the path, Shadow still seemed to be contemplating what happened back at the mansion. So much so that when they came across a little cottage nestled neatly in the surrounding forest, he ran right into the corner of it. As soon as he hade gotten done cursing the house a slight snicker escaped Sonic, however, it was quickly cut off when Shadow sent a death glare his way.
The door to the cottage opened easily with out a sound, and as they crept further in a small whimpering noise could be heard escalating from a box further down the hall. Sonic could have sworn he hade heard this voice some where before, and when they opened it he was overwhelmed with feelings of relief and pity. For huddled in side was Amy Rose.
"S-sonic," she stuttered, the amazement showing brightly in her blood shot eyes. The tear lines running down her checks looked like old dried up rivers, just waiting for the next shower of tears. At the same time the bags hanging under her eyes where deep and black giving her the look of someone who hadn't slept for days. Her hair was sprawled across her head in every direction imaginable, and all of these things put together made the usually sparkling Amy Rose look like she hade been to hell and back.
"Amy, what happened to you, and where's Tails?" as Sonic spoke he was swept with concern for the pink little fuzz ball in front of him, and his dear friend which was no where to be seen
"Oh Sonic!!" she cried springing from the box and clinging on to him for dear life. As she buried her head into his warm chest fur she could feel the hot sting of tears as they rolled down her face.
"MeandTailscamehearjustlikeyouaskedbutwefoundthesezombiethingsand... and..." Amy shoved her head back into the forest of his fur before Sonic could catch her crying again.
While Sonic continued to try and shush her Shadow decided to take a look around, and as he went on down the hall further into the cabin he discovered a cellar door, it almost looked like a trap door. It was held tightly in place by a padlock of some kind, covered in rust and cobwebs it looked like it could be broken easily. Shadow didn't know how to explain it, but he could feel it in his bones. Something a lot more lethal then those decaying freaks out there was coming their way, and in the end he decided to break the lock anyway, just to be safe.
When he finally got back to Sonic and Amy, he saw that the blue hero hade managed to get his unofficial girlfriend down to sniffling over his shoulder, and as Amy saw him walk in a quick smile flashed upon her lips before she rested her face back in her love's fur.
"How's she holding up?" Shadow asked gently stroking the quills on the top of her head. As he did this Amy's body suddenly shook all over, Shadow and Sonic believed it was because of shock, but in reality it was because when Shadow hade touched her a cold chill fell across her like a blanket resting over a new born. This chill reached down into her very soul and on a subconscious level Amy knew that before this night was over their lives would be changed forever, one way or another. "She should be fine in a couple of minutes." The hero replied patting her on the back, and as if proving Sonic's point Amy bobbed her head up and down in agreement.
After he stroked her head a few more times Shadow looked up and said "I think we need get out of here as soon as possible." When Shadow spoke there was a slight click, and almost seconds after the click a low shuffling sound could be heard from where Sonic and Shadow hade come in followed a soft creaking sound. The trio dismissed it as nothing more than curtains moving in the wind next to an open window somewhere.
"Do you think you can stand Amy?" Sonic asked gently trying to lift her to her feet by lightly pulling her up under the arms. "Yeah, I think so." She whispered with a slight sniff.
Amy hadn't noticed it before, mostly because she was to relieved to see Sonic, but both of her legs hade completely fallen asleep from staying cramped up in that little box for so long. Now that she stood up she could feel the pricks and pins begin to crawl up and down her legs as the blood started to flow again. The numbness in Amy's legs caused her to stumble forward, but luckily Sonic was there for her, like he hade been so many times before. His hands snatched out to catch her before she even got close to hitting the ground, and as one of his arms fell across her breast a small fluttering feeling began to stir in her stomach. "It's okay Amy, I'm here. Come on let's get out of here." Sonic assured her as he began to lead her to where they hade come in, and where a sinister force was also waiting to spring its devilish trap.
While Sonic helped Amy regain her balance he heard Shadow's foot steps as the black hedgehog continued down the hall. When the noise grew soft enough to the point where he could barely hear them, there was a slight pause followed by a sudden crash causing him to snap his head up in surprise. "It's nothing Amy. Come on, this way." Sonic said, but Amy couldn't help but notice the panic rising in his voice.
As the pink little girl looked up to see what was wrong, she heard the sound of screeching sneakers as Shadow darted from around the corner shouting "Not this way! Not this way!"
Before she could register what was happening the dark blur of Shadow was already past them and heading for the back of the cottage. Then the shuffling sound from earlier hade returned, combined with a low groan. That was more than enough to get the bewildered pair moving again before what ever it was hade a chance to turn the corner and confront them. When they reached the back of the cottage shadow was standing there holding open the little trap door he hade found earlier motioning for them to hurry up by twirling his forearm in a tight circle.
Sonic was the first to go down the ladder; his hands barley touched the poles as he slid downward with one foot on either side of the poles holding the rickety old thing in place. Once he hade reached bottom Amy soon followed suit, but she was far from able to muster up the courage to mimic Sonic's lead, so she simply followed by scampering down as fast as she could. Once Amy was safe on the ground Shadow nimbly jumped the thirty feet from the door to the wet ground below pulling the door shut after him. As his feet touched the ground he let out a little grunt while a small cloud of dust arouse to encompass Shadow's waist.
"When the hell could you do that?" Sonic asked, awestruck at the feat his dark counter part hade just pulled off. "Since now." Shadow replied with a little smirk, and as he spoke Amy could hear the creak of old hinges as what ever was after them followed them down their little rabbit hole.
"Um, guys... I think we need to get out of here." As soon as the tiny pink creature was done stating the painfully obvious another creature responded with a chorus of low moans and groans.
Sonic and Shadow didn't need any more encouraging after that, they just picked up there legs and headed for the nearest exit, which was a dark cave leading into the bowels of whatever hell awaited them. For when the three emerged from the thigh deep water that was drowning out there path, what they saw was one of the strangest sights they would ever see. What lay before them was a cave that hade been formed over centuries of decaying rock and limestone, but it wasn't the cave its self that stunned the hedgehogs now standing with in it, it was the decorations. The cave was filled with candles of every kind; some were even dangling from the ceiling by chains. On the walls rested old torn up rag dolls, there must have been hundreds of them because the place was filled with the smell of rotting towels about the air, and seemed to be more of a shrine than some things living quarters.
"Can we get out of here now?" Amy asked huddling behind Sonic as if every flickering shadow was a demon ready to spring to life and snatch her way into their own dark dimension, and as they headed away from this twisted little nightmare a golden box caught Sonic's eye, glittering in the artificial light of the candles. Once he hade reached the box he found it to be locked, but as he picked it up for closer examination he found a little picture near by with writing on the back. As he was about read the message Amy's squeaky voice brought him back to reality pleading that they push on ahead.
When they moved forward Sonic lead the way again, until that is they came upon a square platform with a coffin resting peacefully in the middle, and as Sonic knelt down to examine the fatal drop into the abyss he heard foot steps coming towards them. As he swung his head up to see what was coming, his vision was filled with red and a shrill scream stretched across the night.