Hunted

Jason led the way through the ruined streets, Lexi close behind, Ryan struggling to keep up. Their breath came fast, their footsteps echoing through the hollowed-out city.

Behind them, the Boss’s men are still chasing.

Gunfire cracked through the night. Bullets struck the pavement, kicking up dust and debris. Jason didn’t look back.

They had to reach the tunnels.

Lexi pulled ahead, her movements sharp and practiced. She knew the city better than Jason did, knew the places where the ground caved in, where the roads led to dead ends.

They are running out of time.

“There’s a way down near the old rail station!” she called over her shoulder. “It’ll take us deep underground!”

Jason nodded, grabbing Ryan’s arm. The kid is exhausted, but they couldn’t stop now.

A bullet whizzed past Jason’s ear. He shoved Ryan forward. “Faster!”

They cut through a narrow alley, squeezing between the crumbling remains of buildings. In the distance, Jason saw it.. a broken staircase leading down into the earth.

Lexi reached it first. She took the steps two at a time, disappearing into the darkness.

Ryan hesitated. Jason didn’t give him a choice. He pushed his little brother forward, following close behind.

The moment Jason’s boots hit the bottom, Lexi grabbed the rusted metal door at the base of the stairs and slammed it shut.

She locked it.

The echoes of footsteps pounded above. The Boss’s men had reached the alley.

Jason held his breath.

A shadow moved past the thin slits in the door. Then another.

The voices on the other side spoke in hushed tones.

They are searching.

Jason tightened his grip on his knife. If the door didn’t hold.. they would have to fight.

Minutes passed.

Then, footsteps retreated.

Ryan exhaled shakily. “Did we lose them?”

Lexi didn’t answer right away. She reached for her flashlight and flicked it on.

The beam of light revealed a tunnel stretching into endless darkness.

They are safe from the men above.

But Jason had a sinking feeling.. they aren’t alone down here.

⸻

The Underground

The tunnel smelled of rust and damp earth. Water dripped from the ceiling, echoing in the vast emptiness. The walls are lined with corroded pipes, some of them cracked open, leaking filth.

Lexi led the way. Jason and Ryan followed, careful not to make too much noise.

They didn’t know what else might be hiding in the dark.

Jason kept his gun drawn, his other hand resting on Ryan’s shoulder. His little brother is breathing hard, but he isn’t panicking.

Ryan had changed. The kid who once hesitated now moved with quiet determination.

But Jason still saw the exhaustion in his eyes. They needed to find somewhere to rest.

Lexi stopped suddenly.

Jason tensed. “What is it?”

She didn’t answer right away. She crouched, running her fingers across the tunnel floor.

Then, she turned to Jason.

“Someone’s been down here recently.”

Jason frowned. “Who?”

Lexi shook her head. “I don’t know. But we’re not the first ones to use these tunnels.”

Ryan swallowed hard. “Are they… alive?”

Lexi didn’t answer.

Jason exhaled slowly. It didn’t matter. Alive or not.. whoever had been here before them had left tracks.

And if they aren’t careful.. they might not be the only ones being hunted.

The tunnels stretched out before them, dark and endless. Each step echoed, making it feel like something is moving with them.

Jason kept his gun raised, scanning the shadows.

Lexi led the way, moving cautiously. “There should be an old metro station up ahead,” she whispered. “If we can make it there, we can rest.”

Jason nodded. Ryan stayed close. His little brother had barely said a word since they’d entered the tunnels. Jason could see the exhaustion in his eyes.

They are all running on borrowed time.

⸻

The Markings on the Walls

After a few minutes of walking, Lexi stopped.

Jason frowned. “What is it?”

She shined her flashlight on the tunnel wall.

There are markings.

Symbols, scratched into the concrete.

Some are simple arrows, pointing deeper into the underground. Others are more… chaotic.Words written in a shaky hand, barely legible.

Ryan squinted. “What do they say?”

Lexi traced one of the sentences with her fingers. Her voice is barely above a whisper.

“Don’t go deeper.

They’re still here.”

A chill ran down Jason’s spine.

Lexi exhaled. “This isn’t just a hiding place. People are trapped here.”

Jason checked his ammo. One full clip. One half-empty. Not enough if they ran into trouble.

Ryan swallowed hard. “You think anyone’s still down here?”

Lexi didn’t answer.

Because the real question isn’t if someone is still down here.

It is if something is.

⸻

The Station Below

They pushed forward. The air grew heavier, thick with the scent of damp concrete and rot.

Then.. a faint light in the distance.

Lexi raised a fist, signaling for them to stop. Jason tensed.

The glow is coming from a platform up ahead. The old metro station.

Jason stepped forward carefully, gun raised. They aren’t alone.

Scattered across the station floor are makeshift sleeping areas.. blankets, old bags, half-eaten food. Signs that people had been here recently.

But where are they now?

Lexi knelt beside a backpack, checking inside. “Still has supplies.”

Ryan picked up a flashlight from the ground. “Then why would they leave it behind?”

Jason’s grip on his gun tightened.

The silence is too perfect.

Then.. a sound.

A faint clicking noise.

Ryan turned to Jason, eyes wide. “Did you hear that?”

Jason nodded slowly. “Stay close. Don’t make a sound.”

The clicking grew louder.

And then.. from the far end of the platform.. something moved.

A shadow shifted in the dim light. Not human. Not entirely.

Jason took a slow step back. Whatever it is, it had been waiting. Watching.

Lexi whispered, “We need to leave. Now.”

Jason didn’t argue.

They turned.. but then came the screech.

A high-pitched, ear-splitting shriek echoed through the tunnels. More than one voice. More than one creature.

Ryan grabbed Jason’s arm. “They’re coming.”

Jason gritted his teeth. “Run.”