A/N: Two chapters in one day: I wanted to make up for my absence. Thanks to Fan of Games for reminding me of this, even though I hadn't forgotten ^.^ I'm having fun getting to the twenty chapters, and I have hopes this will get to the fifty or so. Yes: I want to make this a long collection of oneshots, and then comes a full-length fanfic! Maybe even sooner, but anyway, enjoy!^^

Disclaimer: Apply the usual here; copyright goes to Frictional Games.
Note: Any other request, shoot them my way!

XVII

The Sewer Monster

Mud, sweat and blood: a mix that sent my stomach lurching.

I'd been wandering through the sewers for only God knew how long, taking wrong turns every now and then. Once I'd tripped over a rock and fallen face-first into the calf-high murky water; another time, I'd come across a dead end. I'd also heard voices, as if someone was being dragged deeper into the humid maze of halls, and then a desperate plea. It had happened some times before, as if Brennenburg was showing me all I wanted to know.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead, having come across a set of stairs. I reached a room full of machinery, and I soon realized what it was for. The sound was oddly familiar to the one I'd heard coming from the spinning wheel that blocked my path. I used the switches until the sound was much fainter than before: aware of my progress, I turned on my heel and headed back. But just as I reached the end of the stairs, a loud low moan came from my right: something was coming, something even worse than the other atrocities.

I raced back the room, my heart pounding furiously in my chest, and I looked for a place to hide. It was coming: it had already broken through the bars… and I hadn't closed the door. I strode towards it, slammed it shut, and then I knew where to hide: behind a large pipe right in front of me. I wasted no time: I crouched behind it, shrinking as much as I could, trying to make no noise whatsoever. The door suddenly burst into bits… and then I saw it.

This monster was a head taller than me, and it had nothing human to it. Its head was split in a half: it was only a mouth with unlined teeth, but that wasn't what scared me. Its skin was rotten, open and showing the muscle beneath, and he was clad in a Greek-like robe that was made out of wood nailed into its body. One of its arms was still somewhat human, except that nails and screws had pierced the flesh from side to side; the other was hollow, the entire forearm bone structure disposed of, and in their place was a gigantic butcher's blade. It was like an attachment, only done to a human body.

I stared in horror as it made its way inside, dragging the blade along the stone floor, looking for me. It could hear me, it could smell me: even though it couldn't see me, I had the feeling it would get to me someway. It moaned, breathed loudly, remained idle for a few seconds until the idea of making a run for it crossed my mind. But that was suicide: even if I ran at my fullest, the creature would catch and kill me in just two strides and a swing of its blade. And so, I remained still, tearing my eyes away from it.

I had signed my death sentence seconds later.

My lamp fell from my lap with a loud clatter, more that loud enough for the monster to know where I was. My heart sped up: when I wanted to realize, I was running at full speed, trying to get away. I could hear the monster moan and the blade make a louder sound as it chased after me. I forgot the lamp: I didn't care less about it. All that mattered was getting away from that thing, but I doubted I would make it; still, I couldn't even scream due to my panic. The splashes would only draw it further, and my two mishaps didn't make things better. When I looked back, it had caught up to me.

I was done for.