[Chapter 10]

The sound of metal falling was heard from the dark side of the room, followed by an obscene cacophony of loud, wet sounds. Suddenly a scuttling sound was heard and two small shapes came quickly crawling from out the darkness.

They were these flat-bodied shelled beasts with long tails that swished across the floor as they scurried towards the trio. Yuri immediately took aim and fired at one on the far side and its corpse slid across the floor. Natsuki did the same as the one on her side got in range and bits of shell and flesh scattered across the air as the bullet tore through its body.

Simon, seeing how the door behind them was blocked and the other submerged in darkness, tried to think of a plan. His pondering was interrupted when a weak voice was heard from the shadows in the far side of the room.

It was a girl's voice. a weak, pained moan that floated from the darkness, barely audible above the sound of the unseen serpents slithering.

"That's her!" Natsuki said with wide eyes.

She was just about to rush into the darkness before Simon grabbed her shoulder and stopped her.

"Don't go in there! You'll be killed!"

Natsuki struggled against Simon's grasp.

"Sayori's in there!"

"Its a trap!"

"Simon." Yuri grabbed Simon's shoulder, making him ease his grip on Natsuki.

"There's no other choice, and if that's her, we're going to save her."

Simon gave each girl a stern look as he thought of a plan.

"We're not going anywhere near there without a light." He pointed at the kitchen on the left side of the room. "We'll find something there. Keep an eye out for more of those things."

The trio made their way to the kitchen. It was a filthy room illuminated by overly yellow light in the centre of the ceiling, the counters were strewn with pots, pans and plates with the large oven coated in black grease. Simon, having grabbed a broken broomstick and some old tea towels, was bent down with his head in a counter next to the oven looking for fuel to complete his makeshift torch.

Yuri and Natsuki stood with their backs to him and guns raised, keeping an eye out for any more creatures. Natsuki nervously held her pistol as she anxiously waited for Simon to finish his search. Suddenly another faint whimper was heard from the darkness.

"Hurry up, Simon!" Said Natsuki.

"I'm on it! Don't worry!"

Simon, with his head and upper torso inside the dark and cramped cupboard, grabbed hold of a clear plastic bottle. Cooking oil. It would burn fast, so they would have to be fast too. He was just about to leave the cupboard when something grabbed his ankled and fiercely pulled him out.

His panicked scream caused the two girls to turn around. They were met with the sight of Simon hanging upside down with a red veiny tentacle that had come out of the vent above the stove wrapped around his right ankle. He had dropped the bottle and spilt its contents all over the stove. Suddenly two more tentacles burst out from the vent and hovered in front of Simon. They were leech-mouthed worms many meters long and they uttered a sinister hissing sound as they slowly crept in on Simon.

Natsuki readied her gun but it was quickly slapped out of her hand by one of the worms, causing it to slide under a fridge. Yuri tried to bayonet the other worm but it wrapped itself around her rifle and tired to pull it out of her hands. As Yuri and the worm struggled, Natsuki unsheathed her sword and swung at the creature, cutting off its "head" in a single move. A strange "whining" noise was heard from the vent as the dismembered creature was quickly retracted up the opening. Just as Yuri was about to lose her grip on her rifle, Natsuki took another swing and did the same to the worm, causing the rifle to drop to the floor along with its head. Simon told Yuri to detach her bayonet from her rifle and give it to him. She quickly did so and as he held it in his hand he suddenly felt the creature try to pull him into the vent. Using his free leg against the edge of the vent to pull against it, he lifted himself upwards and proceeded to cut the appendage wrapped around his ankle. The worm suddenly recoiled and Simon dropped onto the stove on his back. Moaning from pain, he quickly rolled off the stove and onto the floor.

"Are you okay?" Asked Natuski as she and Yuri helped him onto his feet.

"I'll be fine" He said as he approached the stove and lifted the bottle.

By sheer luck, there was still some oil inside the bottle, just enough for the torch.

Suddenly a rumbling was heard from the vent and a dozen worms shot out, all writhing and hissing fiercely. Before they could react the worms grabbed hold off their arms and legs and began dragging them across the floor and towards the vent. As Simon was about to be lifted above the oven yet again, he noticed the spilt oil on top of the stove. His hand struggled against the worm's force as he pressed and turned a knob on the stove and a clicking sound followed.

Flames burst from the top of the oven in a quick flash. Simon felt the heat on his face as the worms recoiled and hissed at the flames scorching their skin. The brood of worms slithered back up the now-blackened vent as the team dropped to the floor. Simon realized that whilst the fire did not kill them outright, it did frighten them. As Natsuki grabbed her gun from under the fridge, Simon wasted no time as he constructed and lit his torch. He grabbed his shotgun and went back out into the mess hall with the girls.

"Keep your eyes and ears open." Said Simon as he stood before the darkness with the other girls. Natsuki decided to keep her gun holstered and her hands on her sword as it proved much more effected against slender, slithering creatures.

The trio walked through the darkness at a brisk pace. Yuri suddenly stopped as her foot made a squelching sound as it hit the ground. She felt something move beneath her and yelled. Simon and Natsuki rushed towards her, and the torch illuminated a small, writhing cluster of worms enveloping Yuri's foot. Simon's torch crackled as he prodded the cluster with it, being careful not to burn Yuri in process. A high-pitched wailing came from the worms as the flames flicked at their flesh, causing them to unravel and slither away. After making sure Yuri was unhurt, they pressed on.

Simon's torch cracked as he waved it across the floor, causing the unseen worms to screech and slither back into the darkness. Eventually the trio made it to the end of the hall.

The doors, and the walls were completely covered in a thick organic red mass that seemed to pulsate in some areas. Simon put his torch close to the wall to see if there was any way to pass the living barrier. Simon's search was interrupted by a gasp of terror coming from Yuri behind him.

Simon turned to see both girls looking up at the ceiling in fear.

"Oh, God! Sayori!" Yelled Natsuki.

Simon looked up, and to his horror found Sayori suspended across the ceiling a metre above them. Her limbs were outstretched, with her hands and feet covered by the wet, pulsing mass that covered the ceiling in huge lumps. Her head was hanging down, and the rise and fall of her chest showed that she was breathing deeply.

Natsuki attempted to reach up and grab her, but was too short. Yuri managed to get a hold of her forearm and tried to pull, but she wouldn't budge. Simon gave Natsuki his torch and helped Yuri with the rescue. They pulled and pulled and yet she wouldn't move. Out of breath, Simon looked at the fleshy mass that kept Sayori in bondage and saw something. In the torch's dim and flickering light, he saw that the mass itself wasn't a single solid organ, but rather a hive of tiny worms under a thin membrane that grouped together whenever Simon or Yuri tried to dislodge Sayori from its grasp and tightened its grip. It was then Simon got an idea.

Simon told Yuri use the bayonet of her rifle to pierce the hive's membrane whilst Natsuki would hold the torch up high and cause the worms to disperse. Simon would then try to lower Sayori out from the collapsing mass safely. They agreed and began the rescue.

Yuri began with the mass on the right foot. She slowly raised her rifle to the mass and pierced the outer skin with the bayonet. In a quick but gentle movement she made a large cut causing a small pile of worms to land of the floor with a wet splat and spilt membrane hung loosely from the mass. Despite this, the worms above could already be seen trying to close the tear.

"Quickly!" Said Simon as he gestured to Natsuki to use the torch.

She quickly lifted her torch upwards towards the open membrane. Within an instant the black mass of worms dispersed from the flickering flame and Sayori's foot suddenly became free and dropped through the membrane, causing her leg and hip to dangle in the air. Simon quickly adjusted himself to catch her if case she fell.

A faint murmur could be heard from Sayori.

"Don't worry, Sayo." Said Natsuki. "We're gonna get you out of here."

They did the same with her left foot. Her leg came falling from the ceiling, causing her to dangle by the wrists. Simon held onto her waist as he prepared bring her down.

Again with her left hand. Her arm fell free and she dropped slightly, her feet nearly touching the ground as Simon held onto her.

Natsuki's heart raced, she just wanted to get her friend out of here, to hold her and make sure she was all right. As they worked on the final limb, Natsuki could hear the sound of something heavy tapping against the floor in the darkness. Sayori fell into Simon's hold, and he gently placed her sitting up onto the ground.

Natsuki wanted nothing more than to rush over to her friend and make sure she was okay, but she knew something was out there, and she wasn't going to let it sneak up on them.

"There's something out there!" She yelled. She gripped her sword in her right hand and the torch in the other.

Both Yuri and Simon could hear the metallic clattering of many legs in the darkness. Simon told Yuri to stay with Sayori while Simon helped Natsuki fend off whatever was crawling out there. Simon told them to stay close together as not to be out of the torch's light. With his shotgun aimed, Simon was the first to see what lurked in the shadows.

The clattering grew ever louder until the creature's foul, gaping mouth lunged out of the darkness. It was the very same beast that they had encountered in the woods, but it had morphed into a new form. The creature's body was still that of the red worm and a circular, many-teethed mouth, but was now supported five pairs of long, insectoid legs that lifted it a metre off the ground and moved dazzling speed. The shape of a large, hammer-shaped tail was visible from the end of its body as it swung to and fro as it rushed towards them.

Simon fired as soon as he saw it. The creature lunged to its left side, propelled by its powerful legs. Simon turned and aim to where it had landed, and saw that its right side was bleeding, as the pellets had only grazed it. He fired again, and the creature leaped to its side. Simon struggled to keep up with the creature's speed as it kept dodging his fire. Suddenly the creature leapt towards with its pincers outstretched. Simon took aim and fired, the volley of pellets hit the creature, causing a chunk of flesh to tear and fall off the side of its head before it fell and slid on the ground, nearly knocking Simon over.

Without warning, the creature suddenly leapt on its feet and swung its body around. Simon was knocked over by the creature's heavy tail and flung to the wall next to Yuri and Sayori. Simon attempted to get up but was embedded in the living walls like Sayori was before. Yuri nearly got up to rescue him but he told her not to worry about him and stay with Sayori. The creature then turned on the pair, who were both sitting on the floor as Yuri was trying to support a near-unconscious Sayori. Yuri quickly lifted her rifle and aim at the beast, but just as it was about to lunge at them it suddenly recoiled and screeched in pain. The beast turned and Natsuki was seen behind it, brandishing her bloody sword in both hands. The torch was now on the ground, emitting little light.

She took another swing, and slashed the beast across the face. The creature then took a few swings at her with its pincers, but she managed to dodge them. All the while, Sayori was slowly waking up.

"Muh-Monika..."

"Sayori!" Said Yuri, with her rifle still aimed. "Don't worry, everything's going to be alright."

The creature's head was now bloody and covered with gashes. Natsuki was just about to deliver the final stroke when the creature suddenly came at her with its pincers. She failed to dodge in time, causing her sword to be parried by the pincers receiving a nasty cut to her stomach, causing her to fall and drop the sword.

The creature loomed her, its legs forming a cage around her as the blood from the cuts in its leech-like head dripped onto her face as it as it went further and further closer to her…

Suddenly a deafening gunshot was heard and the creature wobbled and staggered as blood burst from its side. Natsuki narrowly avoided being impaled by the creature's legs as she rolled out form under it. She looked to where the noise had come from and in the faint light of the torch, saw Yuri holding her rifle, with Sayori, now wide awake, covering her ears. Sayori then pointed to Natsuki's sword on the ground. Without hesitation she ran and grabbed it, then ran back to the creature that was still staggering from it's latest wound. Before it could get a chance to regain itself, Natsuki climbed atop the creature, struggling not to slip off its wet skin. She delivered several strong and deep cuts to its back. She then felt the creature's back stretch from under her. She looked back and saw that the creature was raising its tail to the side, its heavy, hammer-like bone looming over her. She quickly lay flat on the creature's back as the tail waved above her. She then raised herself upwards with one final stroke plunged her sword deep into the creature. The beast screeched and staggered to and fro. Natsuki quickly got off the creature before it fell to the ground. The torch finally died, and they were in darkness again.

Then what sounded like paper crackling began being heard all around her. Light began escaping from holes growing in the walls behind them. Soon enough the light illuminated the suddenly decaying and dried out corpse of the creature. Natsuki turned and saw that piles of dead and dry worms had formed on the floors next to the now clear walls. Simon then climbed out of one these piles, shaking off any remnants of worm carcass before running over to Natsuki.

"We did it… Are you okay?" He pointed to the wound on her belly.

The adrenaline in Natsuki began to cool down, and she was made aware of the pain. She inspected her wound, and found it to be a small but rather painful flesh wound.

"I'll be fine, for now at least."

She then ran over to Sayori, who was being helped off the ground by Yuri. As soon as she was standing she hugged her, and held on tight. Sayori responded in kind with a weak embrace.

"I was so worried. I'm so glad you're okay."

"Thanks for saving me. Again."

"I'll never let anything hurt you again, you can count on me."

The two then gently released from each other's embrace and looked at the door leading to the exit. Simon opened them and saw a white room with a spiral staircase leading upwards.

"It's a bit of a climb." He turned to Sayori. "Can you manage?"

Sayori put her arm around Natsuki's shoulder.

"Yeah, I can."

The team made it upwards, and after a few flights of stairs made it to the surface. They found themselves in some waiting room with a reception desk and rows of chairs. The late afternoon sky could be seen outside from the windows which overlooked a rural suburb. Simon noted a first aid cabinet by the reception desk.

"We can stay here for a while and rest. But we'll have to get moving soon."

Yuri and Sayori sat down on the chairs while Simon and Natsuki searched the medical cabinet behind the desk. Simon took some gauze and antiseptic cream from the cabinet. Natsuki's shirt and blazer where quite bloody and he needed something to clean the wound with. He then noted a door leading to a small room with a sink by the desk.

"We can probably find some water in there." He looked to the other girls. Sayori was looking out the window whilst Yuri was sitting on a chair looking at the floor. "We'll be right back."

They made there way into what turned out to be a small kitchen. Fortunately the facet was still working and there were some clean tea towels in a cupboard nearby. Natsuki sat on a chair whilst Simon wetted a towel under the facet. Simon then knelt down in front of Natsuki with the towel as she lifted her shirt to expose the wound. She silently winced as the cold water touched her skin. It was just Simon realized what he was doing. At first he would usually ask Natsuki if he wanted him to help her, but seeing what they both went through and the state she was in made him do these things without question. Just as he was about to finish fixing the gauze Natsuki put her hand on his head.

"Simon?"

Simon looked up at her.

"Yeah?"

Natsuki placed her other hand on Simon's as he closed the bandage.

"Is this going to get worse?"

He knew what she meant. And he knew she already knew the answer, judging by her tone.

"It will. But we'll handle it." He gave a gentle smile. "You already did some pretty impossible stuff today."

Natsuki smiled and took her hands off Simon. She then leaned in and hugged him. Simon was already feeling quite nervous, but this just added to it. But then Simon returned the hug. Sure he was nervous. But this was a good nervous. A much needed rush of positive emotion coursed through him as he held onto her. He felt all those horrible feelings, all the terrors and abysmal things they had encountered wash away for a few moments. Even though Simon didn't know it, Natsuki felt safe in his arms.

"Everything okay in here…?"

Simon looked up and saw Sayori standing by the doorway. She had an embarrassed smile on her face and her eyes looked to the side.

"Do you, um, want me to leave, or-?"

Simon and Natsuki quickly released from each other's embrace.

"No, we're fine, just finishing up here."

"Okay." Sayori left the room.

Simon looked down and saw Natsuki sitting on the chair, her face red. She coughed and stood up, pulling her shirt down.

"Let's go" She said.

The team were sitting on the chairs in the waiting room. Simon took some bandages and other materials from the first-aid cabinet and divided them amongst the group and quickly told them what to do in case they got hurt. Simon and Natsuki were sitting next to each other while Yuri and Sayori sat opposite them with their backs to the wall. Sayori showed them a pipe that she found under the desk that she could use as a weapon. She seemed somewhat gleeful at the prospect of taking the fight to the enemy.

"How much time do we have?" Yuri asked Simon.

"Hopefully an hour. I can usually tell when its up."

"You can tell?" Said Natsuki.

"Like a feeling. Like something about to close in, something you can't see. Like I said, we're gonna have to move when that time comes over else whatever's out there will come to us. So if you have anything to say best say it now."

"You said you saw us when we were in the woods, right?"

"Yeah, been meaning to tell you what I saw, here's what happened..."

Simon told them what had occurred while he searched for them. The monsters, the TVs, everything. He struggled to reveal some of the more disturbing parts of his journey but they still wished to know.

Yuri and Natsuki were astonished at what they heard. Natsuki was especially shocked at the mere mention of her father's name. To them, it was as if Simon had walked into their minds during their darkest moments.

"You… saw a lot." Said Natsuki.

"Yeah…"

"…Is this your double's doing?" Asked Yuri.

"Has to be. This is his type of thing."

Yuri visibly gripped her rifle tight, and a look of anger briefly crawled onto her face before disappearing with a quick sigh.

"Did you see me?" Asked Sayori.

Simon tensed up. The image of Sayori's lifeless body flashed in his mind. He didn't know what to say. He didn't want to upset her further. He looked down as he struggled to talk. He was silent for a few seconds. He looked up and saw her face. She had that dejected look again.

Sayori stood up.

"I think it's time we go."