Hello everyone! I'm back with another chapter for you.

Before I go on, I realise that 'Replacing/Updating' chapters does not count as actually updating the story, which is a tad odd. So, as a note to those who may have missed it, all seven chapters before this one were updated/replaced last week with this new story. I suggest you read them first otherwise this chapter may not make a lot of sense. :)

Anyway here is Chapter 8 for you. This part of Amnesia was probably the scariest for me to get through, simply because of the amount of times the monster showed up and how easy it was to get lost. This prison was hell. :D

I think that's it for now! Enjoy the chapter and I will see you next Saturday with Chapter 9!

Arby xx


An eternity seemed to pass. Every thought only numbed him further. How could he get up now? Knowing what sort of unworldly creatures awaited him. His eyes travelled to the blackened corridor, which only looked darker because his eyes had adjusted to the warming light of the candle. His breathing was steady and his dizziness had long gone, but his mind still feared.

He got up, not giving himself a reason for it apart from 'it was something to do'. His legs carried him casually back the way he came, until he stopped at the bottom of some steps. This was the only way he hadn't been yet and he debated going up them at all. Another emotionless sigh passed through his lips as he placed one foot in front of the other.

*Growl*

About halfway up, a growl was heard and without a moment to think, the monster walked round the corner and caught sight of him. The expression on his face didn't change, but his mind was screaming.

"Not again! Run dammit! Run!" He suddenly turned on his heel and headed wherever his instincts took him. The monster gave chase, but the hedgehog had left his lantern off, which without realising, was the main reason the monster lost sight of him and left.

Shadow, whose breathing had deepened significantly, hid in the same candle-lit cell. Outwardly, he seemed unaffected by the encounter and tried his best to keep that façade until he got out… assuming he ever got out.

Once swiftly back up the stairs, he noticed an odd chair in the middle of the corridor with a pot of oil upon it. He picked it up and continued heading straight. More cells lined the next adjacent corridor. The left-most one offered a chipper, which Shadow realised was the other half to the hammer. The voices also came back, providing Shadow with another glimpse into his life before this.


Footsteps could be heard as they continued walking through the base. Shadow felt himself glance behind him only to feel a sudden sense of panic.

"Where's Tails and Cream?!"

"What?! They were right behind me!" Espio showed the same sense of concern.

"This just keeps getting better and better!" Shadow punched a nearby wall, his hand hurt, but he didn't care. "Come on, if they've been taken then they may be with Charmy."

The footsteps quickened until they could no longer be heard.


"Terrific…" Shadow's voice lacked any energy and emotion. He was like a zombie, mindlessly searching through cells for various items. The next cell he came to was locked with a padlock. However, it was very weak, but Shadow couldn't pull it off by hand. He got out the hammer and chipper, which fortunately did the trick. Inside was a barrel of oil, which barely filled the lantern at all. On the floor was a human skull and some bones. He stared at them for a second, but didn't react to them at all.

"Onto the next one." He thought plainly as he left and walked to the next door down. The door was open, but as he walked inside…

*Growl*

…a growl came from nowhere in the corridor he was just in. The door slammed in a sudden panic, which alerted the creature. Shadow stayed low in a corner and waited. His entire body was sweating, whilst his gaze was glued to the door. He could hear it walking and grunting, it was close… far too close, but nothing came. The monster soon walked off allowing Shadow to pick up the lighter and oil that was within the room. Only one more cell remained, which launched Shadow back into the past.


"It's a dead end!" Shadow shouted angrily. "Where the hell do we go now?!" Espio stayed silent, but he could hear him moving objects behind him.

"Here." He said simply.

"A hatch? How did you know that was there?" Shadow questioned.

"I didn't. I could merely feel the draft and followed it to these crates." Espio told him. A small smirk was on his face as he spoke again.

"Eggman needs to learn to do better with you around." They then opened the hatch and climbed down the ladder.


Shadow looked to see a bed in front of him.

"I wonder…" He whispered as he moved it to see a small hole. There was no way he could fit through, but with the help of the hammer and chipper, the hole was soon big enough and the hedgehog could now see that an escape tunnel had been dug. "Thank you, Espio." He smirked before climbing and heading towards the Northern Cell Block.


The lantern hissed into darkness as the flame died. At least he had collected enough oil to keep it going for now. He poured in three out of the five pots he had and kept going until he found an exit. It was a hole in a wall, which led to yet more prison corridors. He found two signs; the first pointed right and was labelled 'Kitchen' while the other, pointing left, was labelled 'Storage'.

The hedgehog thought about which would likely be more useful to him and followed the signs to the storage area first.

Up more stairs he went. The atmosphere was quiet, which only added to his uncomfortable feeling. He halted when he heard banging on the wall to the left of him. Nothing broke through or made any other noise. He could only put it down to a 'strange occurrence' before continuing on. At the end, was a gap in the ceiling next to a cave-in, where Shadow took a second to gather his thoughts. The small spotlight allowed him to check his healing wounds without using more oil.

"Help…me…" An unknown voice whispered from the rocks. Shadow gasped slightly and backed away; unsure why it unnerved him at all. The mammal proceeded down another corridor and past a sign, which said 'Cell Area III'. Another storage sign pointed right, and then right again. Time seemed to slow as at the far end of the hallway, another split-headed monstrosity walked past.

*Groan*

His crimson eyes were wide and he could even feel himself trembling. It didn't notice him, but he knew now that it was in the halls with him; hunting just like the other.

Shadow made his way to two cells whilst staying low, in case the creature came back. There was one on either side of him and he pulled the left door first, but something stopped him.

*Growl*

His gaze shot either side of him, but nothing was there. It wasn't coming from the side this time; it was coming from in front. Shadow froze when he saw the monster walking towards him through the bars in the door and he flew himself into the other cell. A note and lighter were next to him, but he didn't move a muscle as the creature smashed clean through the iron door and into the hallway.

"You should be thanking me; this is merciful compared to what I could do to you."

A voice he recognised. He spun around multiple times, but no one was near him. It was deep, soothing, yet cold towards him.

"Espio?" He questioned, but he got no response. The growls continued to fill the corridor, until his chameleon companion filled his ears again.

"Soon you will know and only then will you see."

"Espio, please-" He was cut off.

"You will not get out unscathed!" He shook within his fur at how harsh his voice was. Did he hate him? If so, why? Upon remembering the note and lighter, Shadow shakily picked them up and read.

'We continued to walk through the now empty halls. We were both silent. I kept on thinking about Tails and Cream. How on Mobius did we not notice them disappear? I'm the Ultimate Lifeform!

How am I meant to keep my promise, when I can't even care for my own son and his two friends? Maybe I'm losing my touch.'

Shadow continued to listen for footsteps, but he checked with his eyes just to be sure, fearing that his hearing would fail him as the note said it did before. The ebony mammal checked the cell the monster was in, but only found a lighter and a pot of oil before heading further down the corridor. Turning right again and down some more stone steps, he made it to storage.

The room was small, but well-lit. It had various items including lighters, oil and an odd glass jar, which Shadow thought could replace the chemistry pot, since it was blown up in the previous storage area. Deciding that nothing else interested him, He swiftly left…

*Growl*

…just to go back in when another monster was in the corridor in front.

"I'm getting so sick of this." He growled behind gritted teeth. Once the distant growling became nothing, Shadow left storage again and followed the signs back as best he could. They led him back to the tunnel he came in at and after going straight past it, he went up some stairs and into the kitchen.

It was a well-lit room, although the smell of more dead pigs distracted Shadow from the fire's soothing flame. There were various shelves with items of food including potatoes and bread, along with tables; one of which had another note.

'The silence was beginning to bother me. I almost hoped that Espio would talk soon.

Nothing had attacked us, which was very odd. I felt nervous and unsettled, but I made sure that Espio didn't notice.

I slowed my pace a little until I was walking alongside him. I noticed the glance he gave me, but other than that, nothing. Could this situation be affecting him more than I thought? He was always one to be independent and that is a trait which could sometimes hurt him.

I'm here for you, Espio… but I'm not sure if you're here for me.'

After picking up another pot of oil next to the fire, Shadow stepped into the farther half of the kitchen only to be startled by a growl from outside of the door.

*Growl*

He effortlessly vaulted behind a large, wooden table and crouched down. The monster simply walked in as Shadow realised that he had left the door open. It walked around and appeared to study the kitchen as it stood still for several seconds. It then turned and left again, with its appearance still making Shadow uneasy. The hedgehog climbed out and made sure that the door was closed.

"Don't do that again." He scolded himself, before approaching a barrel full of illuminous, green liquid. He recognised it from the Laboratory and knew that it was acid. Hoping that he could put it to good use, he got out the glass jar and carefully retrieved some, being sure that he didn't get any on himself. He handled the jar carefully, but his hand shook enough for a few drops to land on his arm. Shadow hissed as it burnt at his skin. He placed the pot on the floor and quickly got out some Laudanum.

"Ah!" He cried, as the pain only got more severe. It only lasted for a few seconds, but his arm bled where the skin had burned away and was very sore around it. Applying the Laudanum stung badly, but the injured hedgehog knew it would help him. "How can such a small amount do so much?" He questioned coldly as he saw the damage to his arm. At least it wasn't the same arm the killer flesh cut open all that time ago.

Ironically, Shadow found another bottle of Laudanum on a shelf next to the acid along with two more lighters on a separate shelf. He huffed at the bottle, as if it knew the mammal would mess up at some point. After that, he left, but now, he didn't know where to go.

The last thing he wanted was to be lost in the catacombs of stone corridors and wandering monsters, but he had to find some way of escape. He noticed one more corridor that headed left, which he hadn't been down yet, unfortunately, it was just a dead end. After some thought, Shadow refilled his lantern using three more pots of oil, and decided to head back in the direction of storage. On his way, he found another path which went left that he hadn't been down yet. It led to 3 cells; one at the end and one either side of him. Going right first, a different flashback appeared.


"Help! Somebody! Get me out of here!" Charmy pleaded, but no one friendly was around.

"Zip it, you little pipsqueak! No one is going to save you down here, at least not yet."

"Screw you! Shadow and Espio will tear you apart for what you've done!" He yelled harshly at him.

"Perhaps, but I could tear you apart right now at the touch of a button, so I suggest you be on your best behaviour!"


"Charmy…" Shadow whispered before picking up two lighters and a pot of oil from both cells and heading into the third to find a note.

'Every time I glanced at him, I saw determination bordering on rage. I understood how he felt, but I wasn't sure if it was aimed purely at Eggman.

I still blame myself for this happening, but I didn't want Espio to turn against me. If Charmy, Tails and Cream are to be saved, assuming they are also with him, then we have to stick together no matter how bleak things look.'

The hedgehog took the note and was about to leave…

*Growl*

…when a monster wandered around the corner at the end. Shadow slowly backed up and closed the door as carefully and silently as he could. After a few minutes, he decided that it had moved on and chose to do the same.

He continued and turned left and left again, but was forced to stop at a barred gate. It had a worn padlock, but Shadow knew how to deal with it. He tried the hammer and chipper, but to no avail. He thought for a second before remembering the acid.

With an irritated grunt, he carefully poured the corrosive substance on the lock.

*Growl*

The fur on his back stood up when he heard the growl right behind him. His eyes shot back to see a monster wander from where he had come from and spot him. With panic, Shadow slammed the hammer onto the lock, causing it to break off. He flung the gate open and ran for the door behind it. While it was heavy, Shadow used his new found determination to get through it, escaping the creature's grasp yet again.