19

As Leon was about to leave the control room, he noticed a folder leaning out from the others, and an instinct urged him to take a closer look.

Claire noticed his abrupt pause and felt a surge of impatience.

"Leon? We need to hurry," Claire urged as she observed him extracting the folder. "Check this out," he replied, pointing at the spine of the binder. "It says spares and backups..." He leafed through the pages until he paused at a section marked Keys.

Claire leaned in closer, her eyes quickly skimming the page before she exclaimed with excitement, "Look, it says the spare keys are stored in the room at the end of tunnel 12." Leon lifted his gaze from the page and glanced at the map on the wall. "There," he pointed, "it's not far from here." Claire let out a relieved breath, "Finally, a stroke of luck. I wasn't looking forward to searching everywhere when we're so short on time."

Leon returned the folder to its place, flashed a small grin, and said, "Let's go."

The duo navigated the slippery tunnels with caution, constantly mindful of the lurking threats as eerie moans resonated from distant sewer passages. As Leon led the way down a metal staircase, Claire hesitated, slowing her steps upon seeing the vast opening of the large tunnel leading to the key. The overwhelming sight and stench were unforgettable, triggering her instincts to urge her to keep her distance.

Massive piles of sewage mixed with an unidentifiable substance formed a network, as if some mysterious creature had been constructing tunnels from the sludge. Leon hesitantly glanced down the ladder that descended into the filth. "It would be nice if, just once, we didn't have to end up covered in shit," he sighed out loud. Claire examined the tunnel walls, knowing there was no alternative route, and reluctantly followed the young officer as he began his descent. "Just make sure to keep that shoulder above the water. Who knows what you'll catch down here," she added. "You don't have to tell me twice," Leon replied as he entered the icy water, spinning around with his firearm ready.

Everything was calm as the two waded through the chilly water, when suddenly the ground beneath them started to elevate, guiding them to the summit of a mound. Leon glanced down and sighed, "We'll have to climb back up this to get out later," he said, eyeing the steep descent. He turned to Claire, gave her a nod, and then cautiously slid down the slippery slope, using his good arm to control his descent and avoid falling too fast.

Claire closely trailed behind him as they navigated the dimly lit tunnel once more. Abruptly, Leon extended his arm backwards, halting Claire's movement. "Look," he murmured softly, indicating with a nod towards a large open pipe, approximately 7 or 8 feet in width.

Claire narrowed her eyes to examine what seemed to be a huge mound blocking the pipe's entrance. Without warning, the mound shifted with an almost lifelike movement, diving into the water with a splash. The two stood frozen, eyes fixed on the spot where the mound had vanished, their tense breaths audible, when suddenly the mound resurfaced with a terrifying screech.

"Run!" Leon yelled, urging Claire to head back the way they had come. As she pushed through the murky water, it felt like a nightmare, the kind where no matter how hard you try, you can't run fast enough. She reached the wall of the mound they had climbed down earlier and scrambled in desperation, but the slick surface offered no grip. "It's too slippery!" she screamed, "I can't get up!" Leon turned to face the approaching grotesque creature, which, in the dim light, resembled the massive beast they had battled in the station's boiler rooms. It was similar, yet distinctly different at the same time.

Leon fired at the creature, and Claire quickly drew her own weapon to help. The beast halted its advance and began to convulse strangely. The pair watched in shock as it vomited rat-sized creatures into the water, which then started moving towards them. Claire and Leon fired into the water, hearing tiny screeches as their bullets hit the mark, but not before one of the smaller creatures leapt at them from the water. Leon grabbed Claire's shoulder, pulling her down slightly while raising his arm to shield them. The tiny creature latched onto his arm with a high-pitched shriek, and Leon cried out as he felt its small teeth bite through his skin. At his cries, Claire quickly stood up and snatched the revolting leech-like creature, tearing it off his arm and hurling it into the shadows.

"That's enough!" Leon snarled with fury, his voice echoing through the tense air. He swiftly yanked the shotgun from its snug position in his back holster, the metal cold and reassuring against his grip. With a determined glare fixed on the grotesque creature looming before him, he leveled the weapon and squeezed the trigger. The explosion of sound was deafening, reverberating off the walls, as the shotgun discharged its deadly payload. "Die, you bastard!" he yelled, his voice a fierce roar, filled with raw emotion and unwavering resolve.

Much like the terrifying creature they had battled beneath the station, a grotesque eyeball emerged from the tangled mass of flesh that might have been the beast's shoulder. The sight was both horrifying and familiar. Leon instinctively adjusted his aim, his senses heightened by adrenaline. He unleashed a barrage of bullets, emptying the rest of the clip into the grotesque form, each shot a desperate attempt to bring down the monstrous adversary.

The creature let out an unearthly scream and collapsed into the water. The pair kept their weapons trained on the spot where the beast had just been, their ears now filled only with the sound of each other's heavy breathing.

"Come on, we're almost there," Leon encouraged, trying to ease the pain in his shoulder from their recent fight. He frowned at the small, bleeding bite marks left by the leech-like creature.

Claire took his arm and examined the wound. "I'm sorry if I hurt you when I pulled it off," she said

"Don't worry about it," he replied, brushing off her concern. "I didn't want that thing on me any longer than necessary."

Claire pulled out a first aid spray from her pack. "Let me take care of it quickly. It's the least I can do after you keep risking yourself for me."

He grinned at her. "Hey, it's my job. Although I didn't expect to get so banged up on my first day."

The pair eventually emerged from the tunnel, leaving the murky water behind as they ascended onto a raised platform. They proceeded into another room, where a steel staircase led them to yet another area brimming with monitors and control panels.

"Is this the place?" Claire asked with a hint of optimism, surveying their surroundings. "Over there," Leon replied, spotting a lockbox attached to the wall. They carefully navigated around a few corpses lying on the ground. Claire quietly pondered the fear the victims must have felt in their final moments, desperately wishing they wouldn't suddenly spring to life and try to attack them.

"Alright," Leon said, shattering the silence as he shook a key in her direction. "This one is clearly marked as the master. Let's get out of here."