The Vagabond War

by EnigmaticSerpent

Metro DLC Sam's Story Natasha is a bandit living in Vladivostok at the time when Sam is trying to get home. She enlists his help in the bloody clan war that her brother's clan is fighting with the other bandits. She has her own ideas. She is tired of losing her people and plots revenge on those who have wronged them, but she could have never predicted the consequences of her plans.

7. Echoes in the Dark

Chapter 7- Echoes in the dark

My head torch pierced the gloom only a few metres in front of me, as if the shadows reached out to swallow any light that touched them. Just out of sight, water dripped rhythmically off the low ceiling and an unseen draught of chill air sighed through the tunnel, prickling my skin.

I shivered. It was hard to be sure whether the raised bumps all over my skin were from the cold or from the fear that threatened to consume me. I glanced slowly over my shoulder into the void, my light barely slicing through the thick darkness. I had a vague sense of being watched by an unseen presence that slowly closed in on me, only to retreat back into oblivion the moment I turned around.

Each time, there was nothing other than impenetrable darkness that hungrily devoured my pitiful light. I was painfully aware of the feeling of deep unease that begun to settle in. I pulled my Kalash in tighter, tensing my hand around its barrel in a death grip.

In stories told around warm, distant camp fires, I remembered hearing rumours of unnatural occurrences happening in places such as this. Tales of terrible monsters and people vanishing without a trace, never to be seen again. Of people driven mad by unexplained phenomena in the dark.

While I was not usually one to believe in the stories of unknown travellers and vagabonds, it could be very easy to find yourself submerged in the fear specially reserved for these dark places. That same cold, spear of terror, worked its way up my spine as I dwelled on it. It was an entirely different kind of fear, I was sure. It was primeval and as dark as the shadows that moved around me in their strange ways.

I had never been underground and the thought of it had always been deeply unappealing. Now that I was there, my opinion had not changed. Tunnels were for demons and monsters, not for people with their weak eyes and vulnerability. Bad things happened in tunnels. Every one of my instincts told me that I should leave as quickly as possible and never return. It was just unfortunate that my only option was to go deeper into the darkness.

How did so many people live like this back in Moscow? There could be nothing worse than that. Was this how Sam felt living there for so long?

As I glanced behind me for the tenth time in only a few minutes, I longed for that irritating man at my back. I had to admit, somewhat reluctantly that I needed him; needed his gun, his quick reflexes. Hell, I would even take his vexatious remarks if it meant keeping the maddening silence at bay. It was almost deafening, even the water moved almost soundlessly around my feet. Or was I imagining that? I cursed those irrational story tellers as I trudged on, trying to work some warmth into my toes.

The tunnel continued for a few hundred metres before it branched off into two directions. The passage to the right was choked with concrete and bedrock debris from a cave in and the stream trickled around the large chunks. I shone my head lamp towards the ceiling, looking for any holes that may allow me to climb out of this hell. I frowned up at the pile, hoping to see daylight but nothing other than small pin holes of light filtered through.

I sighed. My only option was to continue left down the open passage. It stretched out before me like a giant gaping maw ready to swallow me whole. Reluctantly, I waded down its long throat into the beckoning darkness, casting another glance back down the tunnel I had just come.

I froze. Did the shadows at the far end just move?

I spun, aiming my Kalash back down the tunnel, heart hammering and breathing wildly. I searched the darkness for what I thought I saw, but nothing was there. No movement, no splashing of water, just an empty tunnel.

Exhaling the breath I had no idea I was holding, I slowly turned back down the new tunnel. Those damn story tellers really had my nerves wound tight. There was nothing there, just wild imaginings left to themselves. Just the shadows playing tricks with my head lamp. Yeah, that's what it was. I nodded to myself, but my fingers were now white-knuckled around my Kalash and I was looking behind me just about as much as I was looking forward.

I could not shake the insistent feeling of unease that settled like a cold lump of stone in my stomach. It also wasn't helped by the by the sudden, sickly stench of rotting flesh that drifted on the stagnant air. At first it was subtle, barely there, a faint hint that I couldn't be sure I sensed, but as I ventured further, it became omnipresent.

Clamping an arm over my face, I tried to block out the overpowering fetor, but it seeped through making me choke. After a few more steps, I begun to feel weak and dizzy, with a sort of fog setting in my mind. I had to stop to steady myself against the damp wall that was blanketed in a thick, olive green slime. It felt cool and spongy under my fingers as water dripped over my skin, almost soothingly.

In the weak stream of light, strange growths with long, finger-like protrusions spread out from amongst the slime blanket, like deformed spiders flipped on their backs. I was suddenly struck with unwarranted curiosity, drawing closer to the strange growths, so that my face was merely inches from the closest one. Somehow, the air around them became thick and I gasped like a fish as it caught in my throat. My head swam, blurring the edges of my vision and I started as the growths begun to move, groping the light with their morbid appendages. What the hell were these things? Some sort of mutated fungi?

Then slowly before my eyes, the drops of clear water that beaded over my hand, turned crimson, thick like blood that left streaks on my skin. They cascaded down the wall, bursting into the water at my feet, staining it with spots of blood that gradually expanded outwards until I was standing in a pool of icy blood. I stumbled back, fighting for breath. My eyes were fixed on the slime, which was now entirely red, as more streamed down the walls.

The air was thick with decay that seemed to permeate all of my senses, overpowering and consuming. It burned my eyes, filled my nose and coated my tongue as I tried to breathe. I was suffocating. I huddled against the wall, fumbling for Sam's gas mask, as my whole body protested for the lack of oxygen.

The walls around me continued to run with blood. My hands shook as the strap of the gas mask caught on my belt. On the edge of panic, I noticed they were also dark with blood.

What the hell was happening? I wanted so much to just go to sleep, but something told me that if I yielded to the darkness that closed in on the edges of my vision, I would never wake up.

My head swam, as I finally freed the damned gas mask. As I went to fit it over my face, something flashed before my eyes and suddenly I was staring at a bloody corpse at my feet. Bullet wounds and long gashes peppered its naked torso and a faded dragon tattoo snaked up its left arm and onto the shoulder blade. I paused, holding the mask in front of my face, fixated on the dead man. Did I recognise him? I peered closer.

Senya!

I scrambled back away from him, staring in horror. I knew it was him. The faded dragon tattoo, the bullet wound scar in the right bicep. There was no mistake. I had once known them intimately. I had run my fingers over that dragon's red and black scales.

Now, his sandy blonde hair was matted with blood and his body was a mess of oozing knife and bullet wounds.

How? Did I kill him?

No, he died on the surface, in Klim's cell. That was what happened right? Or had I actually killed him? Why couldn't I remember? The fog in my mind was thickening, like a cocoon that encroached on all of my thoughts.

I wanted to run, but my body was frozen in place and I could not move. My lungs burned and the dark tunnel spun.

Finally coming to my senses, I fitted the mask awkwardly over my face, barely conscious. I inhaled the filtered air deeply and slid down the wall. I was now level with the dead man- with Senya. I stared at him through the grimy mask. It was like he was sleeping, not dead at all and before I understood what I was doing, I reached out to touch the dragon on his arm like I had done a hundred times, to feel his skin one last time. It was not like I remembered. It was as cold and clammy as the grave. I jerked my hand back as if it burned me. Then slowly, he turned to face me with vacant eyes and I gasped in horror as his face melted away, leaving only an empty skull with vacant pits for eyes.

I screamed. The shrill sound was too loud in the darkness as it echoed off down the passage. I tried to run again, but my body was a lead weight. So I huddled against the wall, chest deep in freezing water, trying to fight the pervasive darkness, to stay conscious, to live.

Focusing on nothing other than taking another breath, I sucked in the filtered air greedily. Slowly, the embrace of shadow begun to relent, but my mind was absorbed by vivid images of Senya sitting before me, frozen in death, but bleeding like he was alive. The way he melted away was as sharp as glass, leaving a gaping void inside me and an overwhelming sense of guilt, of despair. He was gone and was never coming back. I would never again touch that dragon or lay in his warm embrace.

All I had left of him now was the vast knowledge he had imparted to me over the years. How he taught me to survive, how to shoot. How to be everything I was now. And to think Klim's bastards had his body trussed up in the ruins like a stuck pig at a butcher shop. It was a kick in the face, an insult to his memory and my anger flashed at the thought.

All of the emotion that I had forced myself to ignore, hit me like a train collision. For the first time since his death, I closed my eyes and cried.

I had no idea how long I sat there in the freezing sewer with no way to determine the passing of time. As the fog in my mind begun to clear, I attempted to make some sense of what had just happened. I glanced around in confusion. There was no sign of the blood that had turned the water red. The thick slime glistened with moisture in the weak light of my head lamp, but appeared normal. Nothing was out of place. The corpse was gone. The tunnel was just a dark abyss that stretched on forever. Had any of that really happened?

I peered along the tunnel at the congregation of grotesque fungi that lined both walls and ceiling. There must have been hundreds. Had they caused me to hallucinate? It was the only rational explanation. I wasn't about to give in and blame some supernatural phenomenon. It had to be those damned fungi releasing toxic fumes or spores. Whatever it was, I was definitely glad that Sam gave me his mask. I would probably be dead by now if he hadn't. I decided it would be best to leave it on until I found a way out.

But why had Senya appeared there? Why did it have to be him? My eyes prickled with unshed tears, but I forced them away. No crying. I did not cry. Ever. Those damned fungi.

I smashed one with the butt of my Kalash in anger. It exploded in an olive green mist that spattered my mask. I wiped an indignant hand over it to clear my vision as I stalked off down the passage.

Glaring into the darkness, I passed the unending jungle. On and on, nothing but the strange growths reaching out with still tendrils. Even with the filtered refuge of the mask, I gave them a wide berth, keeping to the centre of the stream as much as possible.

I hated them, hated this tunnel, this darkness. It was inexorable, winding further through some unknowable part of the city above. I wondered how I would ever find Sam again, or even if I would find a way out. I was inexplicably lonely, cut off from everything and I longed for the sun again. I longed for Senya, but only images of a dead man I had not really seen, filled my head.

How could he allow himself to get caught? He was Spetznaz, supposed to be one of the best. Yet, those bastards found him and killed him. Damn him. I hated him. How could he leave me like this?

Something needed to die. I smashed the butt of my Kalash into several of the disgusting fungi in a flurry of unbridled fury. My chest heaved with the exertion as a fine, olive green mist rained over me. I glared at the damned abominations, smashing another before storming off through the persistent, icy stream. I exhaled audibly, trying to get a hold of myself. What I wouldn't give to see a friendly face.

My foul mood was not helped by the loud clattering behind me. I spun, glaring, ready to dust what ever it was, with bullets. Nothing. Strange silhouettes danced just outside my headlamp's beam, but the only thing I saw was a rat the size of a chihuahua, scampering away down the tunnel behind me. How could a rat make such a ruckus?

My nerves were as taught as a drawn bow string and I was sure it would snap at any moment. I needed out of this place.

The wretched sensation of being watched returned with a vengeance, as the shadows following my slow passage through the bowels of the city, formed themselves into a vaguely humanoid shape that set me on edge. Long fingers reached out towards me, touching my light and turning it away. I hefted my Kalash and sprayed the entity with bullets. Concrete flaked off the wall in a white puff as my hands shook.

Idiot! There's nothing here but rats and fungi. The fumes from the fungi must still be in my body, making me see things that aren't there. I could not afford to go firing at shadows. I barely had any bullets as it was.

What a hell of a mess! I swore inwardly at that American jerk, wanting badly to slap that smirk off his stupid face. I hated him too. I would tell him as much if I ever got out of here.

I was just berating myself for thinking about him again, when my boot caught something fleshy submerged in the water. I groaned, seeing flashbacks of being pulled under by a fugly. Only this time, I had no one to pull me back out.

In the absence of gnarled hands grabbing me, I ignored whatever I had kicked and continued on. I likely didn't want to know what it was anyway.

Just a few metres along, I prodded two more of the meaty obstructions and stumbled on another. It moved in the stagnant water and I jumped back, expecting something to attack me. I was not expecting the half decomposed, waterlogged carcass of a small, indistinct animal to float to the surface. It stared at me with an empty eye socket exposed by the decay that had ravaged its small body. Great. I guessed the other lumps I had kicked were more corpses.

My breath caught in my throat as I stopped dead. The beam of my headlamp raked over a small mountain of corpses stacked up against the wall, almost touching the ceiling. It spilled into the water like a morbid landslide and extended further into the tunnel beyond what I could see. Animals of various species; deer, rodents, dogs, watchmen, even humans, lay together in the grotesque burial pile in various stages of decay.

I had never seen so many bodies. Judging by the claw marks that marred just about all of the carcasses, I had just stumbled upon some carnivorous scavenger's hoard.

Blood congealed on the walls and stained the water a sickly red-brown that swirled around my boots. I fought the strong urge to wretch.

Why for the love of Russia, did these things happen to me?

I cast my mind around for something else to think of, as bile clawed at my throat. Stepping over the remains of a deer that had its rear legs torn off and black entrails spilling into the water, I inevitably failed. I barely managed to yank the mask free before I lost the contents of my stomach. It wasn't at all helped by the overpowering stench of rotting flesh that hit me like a sledgehammer as soon as I took a breath of the foul air.

Another wave of nausea gripped me and I closed my eyes, forcing it back down. I narrowly avoided the repulsive sensation by holding my breath while I strapped the mask back on. Then, taking slow deep lungfuls of unsoiled air, calmed my roiling stomach enough so that I could go on.

This had been what I had detected earlier. I assumed it was just another trick of the fungi and hadn't thought much of it.

This was all going horribly wrong and this death pile was my only way forward.

I steeled myself, stepping up on to the mound. My feet sunk between the corpses and I groaned, feeling my stomach clench uncomfortably again.

Steadying myself against the wall I closed my eyes, taking deep breaths of the mask's filtered air. I had never been so grateful for it.

Staring straight ahead, picking my way over bandits and deer, I refused to speculate as to what creatures had made this hoard. But as my rotten luck would have it I didn't have to, as the answer flung itself at my face.

It wasn't immediately apparent what had attacked me, as I tumbled backwards off the mound. I cried out as my back collided with the wall before I crumpled into the water.

Dazed, I glanced around, seeking the assailant. Apparently it had tumbled down with me and somehow ended up behind me.

Spurred on by the spike of adrenaline of prey species since the dawn of time, I sprang to my feet, ignoring that I had just used my back as a battering ram.

The giant, skinless rat mutant launched at me again before I could get out of the way. It's horrible, brown teeth gnashed at my face as I swiped at it with my Kalash. Sam's mask was taking a beating and a small crack spider-webbed over my left eye.

I thrust my Kalash sideways at its head and was rewarded with a crunch as part of its long tooth shattered. It shrieked in irritation, but not to be dissuaded, it regrouped and charged at me. I booted it square between its beady, black eyes, sending it skidding in a cascade of water, giving me enough time to spray it with bullets. I held the trigger until the weapon clicked and I slid my last magazine in place as the creature collapsed to join it's filthy collection.

I exhaled in relief, only to realise several more were growling at me from atop their mound. I raked the pile with gunfire, missing all of them, as they skittered back over the rim of the summit. Eldritch squeals echoed in the darkness beyond, yet none of the cretins returned and I was left questioning my resolve to climb up there. Stupid mutants.

I huffed. I was not afraid of a few rats. Huge rats, with sharp teeth and claws, but rats all the same. No. I was not about to be beaten by fear.

I flexed my fingers on my Kalash, working up my nerve. Gritting my teeth, I climbed the hill of corpses. Silence and more dead bodies met me there, but no overgrown rats. Where could they have gone? I was sure I wasn't up for a game of hide and seek with the damned mutants.

One of the dead deer moved as if it had suddenly woken from a long slumber and I thought I saw a hint of something underneath. My stomach heaved again as it dawned on me that they were using the carcasses to conceal themselves. I stupidly shot the deer, knowing even as I squeezed the trigger that I was wasting bullets I didn't have. There was a muffled shriek from somewhere behind the corpse, but nothing came bursting out at me.

Silence, heavy and oppressive, settled like a shroud around me. It was as if the frantic chaos of the last few minutes had been a figment of my imagination. Was I hallucinating again? I shook my head, certain that mutant had been very real. The crack in the mask's eye piece was testimony to that.

Or had I damaged that when I fell? Damn it, stop thinking and find a way out of here!

The darkness of the tunnel beckoned. With the way clear of mutants, I stumbled over the bodies at the top. The heap plateaued so that I found myself having to hunch over as to avoid bashing my head on the ceiling. More of the hallucinogenic fungi sprouted from the concrete and I was just ducking under one, when a meaty thud behind me forced me to turn around sharply, almost losing my balance.

The rat mutant that had hidden itself under the deer carcass, climbed out of it's macabre shelter as soon as I had turned my back. As if on cue, I heard several others emerge in front of me when I wasn't looking. I snapped my head around, catching the sly cretins ducking back out of sight. They clearly understood my vulnerability from behind. Damn things.

The first mutant raked its claws over the back of my calves. With gritted teeth, I booted it in the face, just as two more came at me from the front. They scampered away as I retaliated, hiding in the pile.

My legs blazed and blood oozed from the new wounds. As my blood soaked the back of my trouser legs, my rising anger exploded. I roared into the darkness. "Why won't this fucking end?"

I drew my knife, listening to my own anguished voice boom off into the darkness. Muffled chittering answered me from various locations, but I ignored them. I'd had enough of this.

I set off down the side of the pile and as expected, one of the rats burst from hiding to tail me. This time I was ready for it. I hurled the knife at the beast. The blade flipped end over end, embedding itself with a meaty slap into the mutant's face. I quickly retrieved the weapon as the body lay still, only to send it at a second that tried to flank me.

"No, you don't," I growled.

Others that had intended to join in, thought better and retreated, but I was too aware that they scampered after me at a distance. Probably waiting for me to drop my guard so they could add me to their trove.

"Come and get it you cowards," I screamed at them, wiping blood from the knife onto my trousers.

Of course they stayed away, but I noted that their numbers had grown and I now had a whole contingent shadowing me. I swore. The damned bastards. I reached for a bone and hurled it at them.

"Get out of it!"

They skittered out of the way, but closed in again almost immediately. I felt completely exposed as I picked my way over the dead bodies. The horrible creatures stayed with me and a few times, took swipes when they thought I wasn't looking. Those that did were rewarded with a knife blade to the skull. Eventually, the rest got the hint and disappeared. I could be certain though, they were still watching.

My stomach churned as the living mutants shifted their focus on their fallen comrades, gnawing at their fresh bodies. I fought hard not to be sick again. I was so ready to be out of here and I was certainly not ready for the sight that met my eyes as I picked my way around a slight curve in the tunnel.

I stopped dead in my tracks almost tripping on the leg of a bandit corpse. The tunnel ahead was packed from floor to ceiling by corpses, rammed in together with no way through them. I wanted to scream until my lungs burst. No! No! This could not be happening! After everything I had already been through, this could not be happening! There had to be another way. I was not trapped in here with these monsters. I couldn't be.

On the edge of panic, I whipped my head around, seeking anything that would get me through. The beam of my headlamp flashed over the dead, over the damp walls. It was swallowed up by the darkness behind me. Could I go back? Try searching for a way out at the point where the tunnel had caved in? Walk back to where I fell in? I screwed my eyes shut. No. There was no way out back there, I was certain of that. I would have found it already.

I knew the tunnel marched on beyond the wall. I just needed to clear a space large enough for me to climb through. If I had to dig my way out of here I would. I did not relish the thought of shifting so many decaying corpses, but it was the only way forward. I would not stay here any longer.

I set about my unappealing task, with one eye kept over my shoulder for anything trying to sneak up on me. Shoving the bodies aside, I willed myself to think of something else. Anything else, of what I would rather be doing and mentally scolded myself when my first thought was of Sam. I shook my head. It was ridiculous. That bastard had me wound up and I wanted to punch him. I wondered if I would be able to resist the urge when I saw him. It would be a close thing. Instead, I took my frustration out on a bandit, hurling the dead weight aside with renewed vigour.

The merest hint of a breeze across my exposed neck, made me pause in the middle of shoving aside a mutilated fugly. With no way for the trapped air to circulate out, the atmosphere in the tunnel had been still and stagnant for most of the journey. My spirits lifted slightly as I understood what that breeze meant. I dropped the fugly corpse, wiping slime off my hands and set about searching for the source.

My light halted on something wispy and coated in slimy residues, fluttering in the subtle air current. I booted the bandit corpse aside and investigated the small opening that had been broken through the wall of the sewer. Ignoring the blood smears and rotting flesh, I lay prone and peered into the darkness beyond. My light speared through what appeared to be a cave, illuminating the base of several glistening stalagmites. Right in front of my eyes, a very fresh trail of blood lead deeper into the cave. Evidently, something else had found the rat mutant feast and helped itself. And whatever it was, was somewhere in that cavern.

The gap was just wide enough for me to crawl through on my stomach. I had no idea where it would take me, or what else may be in there, but it beat digging my way through dead bodies. I would take the risk and if it ended up being a dead end, I could crawl back through and continue digging. If it gave me even a chance of getting out of this damned sewer, I would take it.

I shuffled myself through blood soaked corpses and into the new passage, grateful for the solid cave floor under me. I pushed myself to my feet, aware of the blood that covered me from head to feet. I left red footprints as I explored the cavern with my light.

The first thing that became apparent, were more sheets of wispy fibres like those that covered the entrance to the cave. The lumpy walls and ceiling were turned a translucent white, thick with the fibres and shredded strands hung from the stalactites above.

I reached out to touch one of the sheets and pulled my hand back quickly to find it entombed in sticky threads. I swore as a tried to pry them off. They stuck to my soiled clothes but remained laced around my fingers as a cold shiver run down my spine. Spider webs.

I peered around at the walls again. Every inch was wrapped in the webs, making the cavern look like a giant cocoon. I gaped. What kind of spider makes so much web? Mutant spiders? I hated to imagine what horrible possibilities could have been made true by the nuclear embrace.

Please no. Of all the things that could have mutated.

Something half way up one of the walls caught me eye when I swept my light around. Snapping my head back I just saw a vaguely arachnoid creature with a long tail, scuttle into the shadow behind a stalactite. It was about the size of my face and looked like an odd mix of spider and scorpion with six legs. I exhaled sharply in relief. They still weren't my favourite things, but if that's all I needed to worry about then I could deal with that.

I wasn't looking forward to wading through their webs though. There really were a lot of them. How many of those creatures were here? I shivered, taking a few hesitant steps around a bend, hugging my Kalash to me and wishing I had more ammo.

It was then that I caught sight of the blood splatters on the cave floor again. The streaks lead away into a gaping hole in the wall behind two giant, tooth-like stalagmites. The blood glistened wetly in my light. Something had passed through here just before me. I groaned, feeling my heart rate quicken. I did not want to find out what it was, but I had a terrible feeling that I was about to.

I glowered down at my Kalash helplessly. Its metal and wood casing bore multiple scratches and dented; scars of the battles it had carried me through. It had gotten me out of plenty of tight places, but right now it was next to useless. I had barely half a clip left and Sam had not given me spare ammo for the Stallion. It was full for the moment, but they wouldn't last long if I was to encounter a large group of mutants.

With an exasperated sigh, I shone my light around the cavern. I stopped when it fell on a cluster of lumpy, web lined, bulbous growths against the rock. They were vaguely egg shaped, fleshy and tan coloured, glistening with a thin film of moisture. Dozens of the clusters spread throughout the cavern ahead and beyond my light's reach. More grew over the rock formations towards the ceiling. I did not need to speculate on what they were, as the fleshy membranes writhed with the movement of the life forms inside them.

The familiar unease that had travelled with me thorough the tunnels, prickled my skin again. I was sure I didn't want to disturb whatever stirred within the eggs. So I backed away slowly, quietly, hoping I would be able to pass through the cave without notice.

Bones and husks of dead insects littered the floor of the cave. There was definitely a good food source here, supplemented by the corpse pile. My boot crunched a small skeleton on the floor, probably once belonging to a rodent. I cringed at the sound. Every step I made seemed too loud in the silence.

At any moment, I expected something to burst out of the eggs or from one of the dark openings in the rock. I heaved in a shaking breath. I just wanted to be out of it. They could do whatever they wanted down here, as long as they let me leave in peace.

Inevitably though, the sudden loud skittering in the darkness behind me, told me that would not be happening.

The sound was scratchy, like claws on rock and stark in the looming silence. Ice speared through my veins as I spun. My light flashed over some boulders and something large with lots of legs, darted out of the light's reach with a piercing shriek. This was then answered by multiple other shrill screams from everywhere around me, from the tunnels ahead.

It seemed that I had woken up the inhabitants of the cave, and I was surrounded by creatures I could not see. My heart raced and I was sure it was loud enough to wake the dead. I walked backwards, focusing my light on the boulders where I had seen the creature. It quivered with my ragged breath, but I saw nothing. The scratching sound begun again somewhere behind me and several others joined it so that I could not determine how many there were.

I snapped my head around in all directions, trying to catch a glimpse of the creatures. They were quick. Every time I thought I saw one, it was gone and I was unable to see what they were as they endeavoured to stay away from my light. I could hear them drawing closer and I heard a scratching behind me. I snapped my head around again and finally saw one. My breath caught in my throat as I realised what I was looking at.

My fears of mutant spiders were apparently true and of course, the reality was worse than I had imagined. The abomination that leered at me was nearly as tall as I was. It was armoured with a hard carapace of black chitin and had six sturdy legs ending with sharp claws. Worst of all, two long, dangerous fangs, dripping with viscous saliva, raked the air before it. It was unlike anything I had ever seen.

It sprang at me at the same time I fired my Kalash. The bullets pinged off its thick plates ineffectively. It reared up, front legs held high above it body, grotesque fangs flailing at me. It's mouth was lined with small, jagged teeth.

I barely held it back with my Kalash. I kicked out at it. With a crunch, my boot caught it in one of its thick fangs, giving me just enough space to raise my Kalash again.

Before I could fire, it started to convulse unexpectedly and shrank back. It shrieked as red blisters formed over its hide. What was happening?

I watched it retreat into the shadows, where it seemed to regroup. I was so fascinated by this, that I had not realised that several other spiders had come up from behind me. One leaped at me, pushing me to the ground as the others closed in. I rolled onto my back to see at least five more spiders, this time with long, scorpion-like tails, advancing on me. My light speared them and they too screeched in pain as red blisters bubbled on their bodies.

My light! They were hurt by light! I gritted my teeth, shining my light on the closest mutant. It shrieked and retreated. I turned my light on each in turn just as the big spider came up behind me. I dodged out of its reach and speared it with my light. It writhed and screamed as if its skin was on fire. I kept the light on it until it became covered in angry blisters, flipped over and lay still with legs curled up tight to its body.

Emboldened by this discovery, I backed up to one of the boulders so that they couldn't flank me. I grinned. I never knew I could use my light as a weapon.

Each time one drew near, it was roasted, until it either retreated or died. As long as I didn't allow them to get behind me, I would be fine.

With the immediate threats dealt with, I tentatively made my way down the passage, vigilantly looking back over my shoulder every few steps. I could still hear scuttling in the darkness ahead, which despite knowing they were hurt by the light, set me on edge.

As I continued making my way through the cave, the spiders kept coming. Mostly the smaller, scorpion tailed creatures, but a few of the large, well armoured kind found me. I lost count as I fought them, through the endless tunnels of the cave.

I gritted my teeth as another burning spider corpse fell at my feet. Even as more skulked around me, clicking and scratching in the dark.

How long would this go on? When would I see the sun again? Would I see the sun again? I hoped this cave wasn't another dead end.

I sighed as I climbed over a boulder. Then I was knocked off my feet by a spider that lunged at me from out of no where. I sprawled down the other side of the boulder landing heavily with a grunt of pain. I looked up just in time to see the underside of the spider as it dove at me.

With protests from my body, I somehow managed to roll out of the way before the claw on the tip of its leg could impale me. It screamed at me, flailing its front legs and fangs. I turned my head torch on it, but it must have been damaged when I fell, as the beam was weak. The spider seemed to only be irritated by it and came at me regardless.

I fired my Kalash until the empty magazine clicked ominously at me, then switched to my knife, hacking at one of its beady black eyes. Thick blood gushed out over my hand, sprayed onto my mask. The spider screamed in agony, drawing back, swiping at its ruined eye with a front leg. I found my feet as it writhed in front of me and with a grunt of anger, I speared the devil through its soft under belly. It keeled over and lay still.

I took a few deep breaths to calm my raging heart and cursed. My light was barely visible and that was a major problem with so many spiders still around. I tapped it lightly with my fist hoping to make it work, but it just seemed to get more dull.

I could hear the spiders moving around me, getting closer. I gripped my knife tight before me.

But the sounds of something screaming and being ripped apart, somewhere ahead, rooted me to the spot. The spiders seemed to stop too. I stared wide eyed into the gloom, barely able to see. The spiders fled into their tunnel's, leaving me alone with whatever new, terrible threat approached.

Time stretched out seemingly forever, the tunnel went silent so that my rapid breaths were all I could hear. Then, from beyond the range of my headlamp, two small pin holes of reflected light, stared at me. Death itself. Fear overtook me and I pulled the trigger of my Kalash with trembling fingers forgetting it was empty. Click click. No!

The owner of those piercing orbs stalked forward, perhaps sensing my vulnerability. I wrenched Sam's Stallion from my belt, flicking off the safety. A low guttural growl rumbled down the passage as the creature entered the weak light. I stopped, a feather's touch away from firing as a watchman materialised from the shadows. It leered at me for a moment then, as I was about to fire, it turned its head to show me its neck.

I stared at the rough leather strap in astonishment. The one I had tied there myself. I could not believe what I saw seeing.

Seraph!

How did that astounding beast find me under ground, obscured by the stench of the sewer and death?

I stood, staring at her stupidly as she padded up to me. I thought I knew all of her capabilities, but even after all this time, she still surprised me.

And I very nearly shot her.

I dropped the Stallion to my side, exhaling with relief, unable to speak. I could have hugged her! Although this might have resulted in me being bitten.

"I really have to get you a bell or something," I said, finally pulling myself together. "Hey, if you found me, then there is a way out. Show me!"

With a grunt, she turned on her heels and trotted back the way she had come, me following closely.

We spent at least another hour winding our way out of the cave. Whenever the spiders decided to come out and attack, Seraph made short work of them, saving me from having to deal with them.

Finally, thin slivers of sun light cut through the darkness and for the first time in hours, I felt like I wasn't trapped or hopeless. I had never been so relieved to see the dull, steel grey Vladivostok sky as we emerged.

"Best girl!" I grinned, scratching the watchman roughly on the head. "What would I have done without you?"

I pulled off Sam's gas mask, inhaling deeply, feeling the cool air fill my lungs.

"Now, there's one more thing I need you to do for me," I held Sam's Stallion in front of her nose.

"Find that American asshole," I told her. "And no, unfortunately, you can't eat him,"

She quickly took in his scent, turned her flat nose to the prevailing wind and without hesitation, took off uphill.

I ran after her, trying to get my bearings. I glanced towards the looming bridge and saw that the port was closer than it had been before going underground. I swore. The sewers had taken me further away from where I needed to be. We now needed to retrace our steps to get back to where I was. Hopefully, I we could avoid another cave in. I'd rather not have to go through all of that again.

I need not have worried, as Seraph lead me through some ruins that by passed the car dump and bog where I fell into the sewers. She had her nose lowered, seeking out the scent. I hoped I could stop her from attacking Sam when she found him. To her, she was hunting. She didn't know the difference.

After a short time of searching, the watchman paused, her paw raised. We were outside what appeared to be a school, with a rusted play ground and some broken seats under dead trees. I held Sam's Stallion by my side, watching her as she lifted her head to sample the air.
"What is it? Did you lose the trail?" I asked.

In response, she emitted a low, rumbling growl, warning of danger. Her body was low and tense. Had she found him? Or something else?

I slowly raised the handgun, glancing around at the school building. I scanned the empty windows on the second floor, the shrubs and trees, for anything she might have sensed.

Gunfire answered, booming around the school yard. Seraph howled her deep and forlorn note that still made my blood run cold. I threw myself behind a ruined wall, while bullets spattered the dirt. I watched Seraph hunker down near by, growling, hoping for something to kill. If I could just see where they were firing from, I could send her at them.

I had to get to a better position. I peeked up over the crumbling wall and instantly saw movement in a second floor window. I couldn't fire back with the hand gun from this distance and didn't have the ammunition for a drawn out fire fight. It was probably best to avoid whoever it was and focus on finding Sam. But of course, Seraph had other ideas.

Upon seeing the figures in the windows, she tore across the yard towards the school.

"Damned monster!" I cursed, knowing that if I didn't want her to get killed, I would have to go after her.

She disappeared through the open doorway as I forced myself to leave the safety of the wall and bolt across the yard.

There was a brief exchange of gunfire from the gunmen up stairs and someone else outside, when I ducked through the door. I guessed it was the usual turf wars between two clans. And I just happened to get caught in the middle with a half empty hand gun. I didn't know who's territory we were in, but it certainly wasn't ours and this wasn't the time to try to take it. That would have to come later.

Seraph howled somewhere up ahead bringing me back to the problem at hand. It was followed closely by a scream of pain as she found someone to kill. Well, at least that was something.

I peeled away from the door, quietly moving up the debris strewn hallway, following the scuffling above me. It sounded like Seraph was getting to work on a second unfortunate victim.

As I ascended the old wooden stairs to the second floor, I found a fresh body in a pool of still warm blood and bloody paw prints leading into an adjoining room. Growling and then another round of gun fire echoed from within. No!

I burst in to the room, expecting to see a dead watchman, but she was tearing into the bandit that had fired. Bullet holes peppered the plaster on the wall behind, where the shots had gone wide and missed.

I exhaled in relief as she glanced up at me. "Good girl. Now can we go?"

Of course she ignored me, taking a bite from the body at her feet.

With a huff, I walked up the bandit's side to check for ammo. He had a hand gun, which I took and an old, battered MP5. Not bad as weapons go.

I nodded as I picked it up. It had a full clip and a quick search of the guy's pockets, turned up three more. It would do until I met up with Grigor.

I slipped Sam's Stallion into my belt and checked the MP5 for damage. It seemed in good enough firing condition, despite the casing being made of mostly scratches and dents. I checked the breach and firing mechanisms for grime. They were in dire need of a good cleaning. I rolled my eyes. These idiots should really take better care of their guns. When I had a chance, I would take it apart. But now was not the time. I was reminded by this as another volley of gunfire cracked outside.

In the silence that followed, I held the Stallion in front of Seraph's nose again to remind her of what she was supposed to be doing. With a grunt, she scented the air and padded casually up the hallway, towards the stairs.

At the bottom of the stairs she suddenly stopped, another rumbling growl emanating from her throat. She, quickly scented the air, then hunched low and bared her fearsome teeth. Several seconds later, I heard multiple sets of boots moving up the hall towards us. I raised the MP5, listening to the steady footfalls. They seemed to know someone else was here and sounded like they were checking the rooms. It would not be long before they found us.

Seraph wouldn't give them the chance to ambush us. She launched herself around the corner with a howl, teeth flashing. I darted out after her, ready for a fight.

There was a brief shout of surprise as she sprang at the new comers, knocking the closest one to the floorboards. She gnashed at him violently, at the same time I realised I knew the man.

"No!" I screamed, flying forward to seize Seraph around the neck, forcing her away from Grigor before she could hurt him. Her teeth snapped just inches from his face, as he held her back with an arm in desperation as he lay on his back.

Sam then appeared from behind a shocked Simon, levelling his Kalash at Seraph as I tried to haul her off Grigor.

"No, don't shoot!" I pleaded, wrestling with the writhing watchman.

Sam gave me am incredulous glare, but did not lower his gun until Simon tentatively pushed the barrel down.

"It's trained," he gave Seraph a nervous glance as I tried to restrain her. "Ah, more or less," he added quickly, as she did her best to break out of my grasp.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Sam spat, glancing between me and the watchman.
"Unfortunately not,"Simon replied sheepishly, taking a step back.
"Ah, yeah. She's had that thing for ages," Grigor said, sitting up.
"From a pup," I added proudly.

"It just tried to attack you," Sam pointed out.
"You started her," I protested.
"We startled, her?"
"She thought you were bandits,"

Sam threw his hands in the air. "You're out of your fucking mind. Why do you even have it?"
I shrugged, loosening my grip on Seraph's collar as she stopped fighting me. "People keep pets,"
"No, a dog is a pet. That is an abomination,"

I nodded, scratching Seraph behind an ear. "Well, there's no denying that, but she is very useful. She is a very good tracker. She found you,"
"Well good, now get rid of it,"
"No, she's coming with us," I folded my arms in front of myself stubbornly.

"No, it's not," Sam objected.
"You want to argue with a watchman?"
"I'll put a bullet in its head,"
"You'll die yourself before you got the chance," I countered.

"Ah, who exactly are you?" Grigor cut in, taking a few steps closer to Sam. "You said you were trying to find her, but didn't explain why,"
"No one you need to know about," Sam growled acerbically, eyeing him.

Grigor and Simon exchanged unfriendly glances.
"I think you are a bit out numbered here, pal," Grigor replied.

I stepped between him and Sam, tightening my grip on Seraph as she growled again, sensing the tension boiling between them.
"Guys, everything is fine," I said. "He's with me,"
"That tells us nothing, Natasha. Why are you with this American? Is he a friend of Tom's?"
"I wouldn't say friend," I replied, not entirely sure about that. "Sam is trying to get home, he ah, encountered Tom's thugs,"

Sam watched me with a dark expression.
"But he knows Tom," Simon added. "Then he is a threat and we should deal with him,"

The words were like an electric shock that jolted Sam immediately into action. He raised his Kalash, pointing it at Simon. Both Simon and Grigor raised their own weapons in return. Seraph tried to lunge for them and I had to pull her back.

"Calm down everyone!" I snapped, fighting to hold Seraph. "No one is killing anyone! Sam is helping me, and it has nothing to do with you. I just need supplies to get back to the swamp. Yuri said he needs to talk to me,"
"You are taking him to the swamp?" Grigor demanded, flicking the nose of his shotgun towards Sam.

"We need access to the upper marshes," I sighed.
"Why?"
I rolled my eyes. "Because we do,"
Grigor frowned at me. "You should not take him to the swamp. He might tell Tom where we are,"

I huffed. "Tom likely already knows where we are, Grigor. He's not stupid and I doubt he really cares. We're just bandits to him,"
"You should make sure it stays that way," Grigor warned.

"I don't have time for this," Sam interjected peevishly.
"Yes, we need to go," I agreed, turning back to Grigor. "What can you give me?"

He glowered at me for a few moments, with deep distrust in his grey eyes.
"We don't have anything here," Simon replied reluctantly instead.
"What? Yuri told you-"
"Yes, I know," he cut me off in irritation. "We left in a hurry when we couldn't get you on the radio. We thought something happened to you,"
"Yeah, I fell in the damned sewers," I said wearily. "I must have lost reception,"

I glanced at Sam, who glared back at me, clearly unimpressed with his present company.
"Why are you even together right now?" I asked him.
"We found him when we came to find you," Simon answered first. "We thought it was suspicious that he was in the area, but he didn't look like a bandit. So we asked him what he was doing. Turned out we were looking for the same thing,"

"He almost shot us," Grigor snarled. "And he wouldn't say why he was looking for you,"
"Well, now you know," I replied with a sigh. "Right, can we go? I really don't want to stand around here all day. I am freezing and a mutant clawed my legs, and I could do with some hot food,"

Grigor shot Sam another suspicious glance and grunted. "But we don't know, and I still don't trust him,"
"You don't need to trust him, Grigor. You just need to trust me," I glanced pointedly back at Sam. "For now, we are friends,"

"Yuri will kick your ass when you get there," Grigor retorted, as he glanced toward a narrow strip of land surrounded by swamp and thick mud.
"I am not worried about Yuri," I dropped my voice so that no one else could hear me. "He will see soon enough,"

I apologize for how long this has taken to post. I have been unwell and struggling with motivation. I promise that I will keep posting new chapters, it might just take a while. I am very thankful for those who have followed and commented on this story so far. You have given me the motivation to keep writing. Thank you and I hope you continue to enjoy the story.