Into the Depths

One can only imagine what might be down there. A glowing light coming from the basement of an abandoned house? That just smells like trouble honestly. And considering that the blood trail ended at this building, I think it’s certain who’s down there. Still, I can’t be entirely sure…

Opening the hatch as slow and carefully as possible to avoid any creaking, a ladder reveals itself, leading down towards a wooden floor.

There’s no way I’m going down there, right?

However, the two parts of my brain conflict. All my senses tell me that the only thing that awaits me there is certain death. But thinking rationally, that is not going down there, also leads to an unfulfilled mission and a noose with my name on it.

While I’d like to compare the odds of survival depending what choice I make, in the end it doesn’t really matter. I wouldn’t be able to escape either one.

Eventually, it comes down to this awful feeling in my gut. The feeling that I’m in this situation because of my wrong-doings. That someone was actually hurt by my ambition.

So, to write a right to my wrong, I descend the ladder…quietly.

Once my first foot reached the wood beneath, a throaty laughter hails from afar. Startled by the sudden noise, I curl down into a crouch. Even so, I compose myself again and keep moving, my hands trailing on the wall. That is until I reach a corner.

Even such a minor obstacle obscuring my view makes a big difference to my survival in this situation. which is why I have to prepare mentally even for something so trivial.

But what actually meets my eyes is a rather wide corridor. Well, wider in comparison to the one I went through and the others in my field of view. While the space is pretty narrow and cramped, it’s not impossible to walk in it. In that regard, this place is at least similar to the basements I know. Still, my anxiousness doesn’t waver.

On a whim, without any real reason, I choose to go right first. Though, just as I was about to turn the corner, a loud voice startles me once again.

“Tell me, where are the others tonight?”

“Oh y’know, they’re all out selling the dope tonight! That’s why only we are on duty this time.”

“Huh, well, at least we aint gotta run ‘round the whole block!”

His statement is met with a hearty laughter from what I assume are two other people.

This probably explains why no one is standing guard around here…

Anyway, I head down the corridor, trying to open the first door. It’s closed.

Then the next one. Also closed.

A stressful feeling forms in my gut. Are all doors closed?

But just before this thought could take hold, I’m able to open the last door at the very end of the hall.

I push the door carefully. Light instantly brings the whole room into view. The floor is made of white stone and there are walls separating small spaces on the wall. A shower room, perhaps?

After checking the room for any guards, I step inside.

Besides the showers, there’s not much. Some type of wardrobes, out of wood and green, are tightly cramped at the wall opposite the door. The ground beneath is wet, like someone stepped out of the shower and towards the ‘lockers’.

Inside are mostly normal clothes, dark and pretty much only made of fabric. Alongside are also ribbons, likewise black. Probably their way of showing they belong to the gang. However, the more significant find are the boots, which are made of thick leather. And they’re all smeared with blood.

Thinking back to the unfortunate people whose corpses I found in the alleys, they often had an appearance of having been stomped, sometimes having their head fully mutilated. So, this connection doesn’t seem that far off…

Better take a pair with me as evidence…

I leave the room, now heading the other way.

Pretty much immediately, there’s a rather long hall leading towards a big room. At least that’s what I think. Moving closer wouldn’t be a good idea, since this is definitely the room the voices come out of.

“I’m raising.”

“Aight, going all in.”

“Hah! You’re bluffing.”

Are they playing poker? That’s a thing here? Alright.

Not that it matters much, but it keeps them busy at least.

The doors that follow are all locked, so I turn another corner that only leads right.

More doors, all locked besides one. Well, it is kinda, but it was poorly done. So, with a bit of effort and force, I’m able to unlock it. Though, it doesn’t open well, It is as if pushing a heavy rock.

A loud creak erupts and the sudden looseness of the door makes me tumble inside.

Quickly I compose myself but…

It’s quiet.

The voices have stopped.

My heart rate has never quickened faster than at this moment. I can only stare at the ground, hoping for the smallest chance that they haven’t heard me.

And soon…the voices return. They’re talking like usual.

Heaving a heavy sigh, I carefully shut the door behind me.

Compared to the shower room, it’s really dark in here. Due to the light seeping under the door from the hall, I’m still able to see somewhat, but I still have to find my way not only through sight but also through touch.

Though, I regret my choice quickly after I touch something fleshy. I pull back instinctively, but once I inspect it closer, I realise it’s a person.

That’s also when I remember the reason I came here in the first place, to find the receiver. I look through his clothes and pockets. An ID.

Found him.

After I stand up again, I immediately grab onto the nearest wall I can find.

However, because of the darkness, I’m unable to see where I find my grip and accidentally push over something.

Multiple glasses shatter on the ground, the sound echoing throughout the whole basement.

My fight or flight instinct kicks in instantly. Fear runs through my whole body.

The voices are gone once again, but this time I’m certain they heard me.

Looking around frantically, I search for any spot to hide myself, no matter how bad the covert is.

While I search around the room, my view returns to the corpse.

…

“Who’s in here?!” The door opens up with a loud bang.

The steps get closer.

“Ah, god dammit!” One of the men says disgustedly.

“And I just changed my boots out.”

“Hey, look.”

The steps approach, I can hear them directly beside me.

“Didn’t you kill him already?”

“Looks like he still had some fight in him. Probably dead now though.”

“Let’s just make sure!”

Sounds of flesh being stomped in erupt in front of me.

“Come.”

They left.

I lift the crate, crawling out beneath.

The corpse is more mutilated than before. Though, if I didn’t lay him on the shattered glass, they would probably have investigated even further. It was my best chance, since turning this crate upside down and hiding under it was definitely a bad spot to hide in.

It’s one of the delivery crates, though the vials were already removed, so it was light enough for me to lift up.

I place the crate down, slowly opening the door. But it seems like they really just went back to their room.

Closing the door one last time, I trail back to the beginning, not even looking back behind me.

Out of the hatch and out of the door.

I escape into the night, with the ID and boots as evidence, getting as far away as possible from here.

Though as I run, I suddenly bump into something.

A large man stands before me, with dark clothes. However, my priority is getting home.

“Sorry!” I yell, running past him.