I'm climbing the ladder? Why am I doing this? Where am I going?  ok, settle down. you need to stop and figure this out.

I hold onto the ladder and stop climbing. ok what's going on here? why am i in such a hurry? breathe, scott. breathe.

I feel the presence now, and my memory is whirring. I feel the hot, slavering breath on the backs of my calves.

Something is coming, Teeth and Scales and Fear.

I can hear the guttural growl of whatever it is.  It snorts, closer now, and I grip the ladder in fear.  Can it climb ladders?

God I hope not...

Something metallic clanks below me.

My legs are pumping me up the ladder without me telling them to. what is that thing?

The stone tunnel opens up above me. My arms and legs scramble to push me up off the ladder.

Another clank.

Another.

I’m thrust forward by my legs, running. I can barely see the walls of the tunnel I’m running through.

There’s another clank behind me. Claws on stone. Scrabbling. Scales creaking.

Pain in my side, trying to slow me down.

There’s a brick wall in front of me. The tunnel splits left and right. I can barely make out something scratched in the bricks… What does that say? I squint and try to read it through the gloom.

NO ESCAPE

what?

I run right, my fear pressing me on.  The presence is closing in on me, I can’t stop, I have to keep running! move damn it!

What’s going on? Where am I?

I feel the rumble of a growl.

I can feel the hiss of it’s breath. My ankle twists the wrong way. I stumble and fall, scraping my hands on the floor.

get up! get up and move!

My legs pick me up and carry me. I don’t want to die. Please, someone help me.

Another wall reaches for me, forcing me to turn. Another message.

ALREADY DEAD

I turn left. The same tunnels, stretching on forever.

It hurts to breathe but I have to keep running. Everything is the same. Endless.

Pain!

Pain explodes through my legs as teeth sink into my thighs. Salty breath burns the wounds. I’m lifted into the air and thrown. The brick of the tunnel wall is fast approaching my head. The wind whistles past my ears, stinging my eyes.

Light. Nothing.



“Mr. Saunders?” I hear the preacher say. I blink against the light of the candles.

“Sweetie?” My fiancée, stunning in her wedding dress is looking at me expectantly.

“I do…”