It is hard to see in the darkness, for the spots of light—that emanate from their flashlights—have now engaged in a strange dance across the walls as their sources are swung around at random due to the group’s hectic dash for the exit. And if the unknown menace hadn’t already shaken them all down to their cores, the foul sound of liquids splattering across the floor behind them, without a doubt, does.

“We need a plan,” Xander finally manages to shout amongst the chaos. “We can’t let it follow us out into another station!”

“And what exactly is it?” Miranda shouts, out of breath and huffing. “Did you even see that? It had hundreds of arms!”

“Miranda, dear, I think your fear may have gotten the better of you.” Diane clears her throat and coughs. “It definitely looked closer to being human. Granted, it was missing it’s eyes, however—”

Yuuta frowns. “Wait, what?” he blurts. “What the hell are you both talking about? That thing wasn’t even close to being human. It looked like a shitload of intestines were bunched together and moving in this weird, sloppy manner, and—”

“Okay!” Xander shouts at the top of his lungs. “We get it. We all saw something different. But that’s not the point here. We need to leave and make sure this doesn’t get out of hand while doing so.”

“Holy crap, you mean you didn’t see it either?” Yuuta’s voice cracks. “Dude, what did you see then?”

“Yuuta! Shut up!” Miranda cries. “Look! We’re getting close to the exit. He’s right, we need a plan.”

“Oh great, now I’m the bad guy…” Yuuta mutters with a roll of his eyes.

“Xander? Any ideas?”

“I suggest we detach the station,” Diane says. “That way, nobody gets hurt, and we aren’t taking any risks here.”

“Uh, right.” Yuuta’s laughter is awkward. “That’s nice and all, Diane, but I think you forgot we need two people inside in order to do that.”

“I’m aware,” she says. “But do you truly think we have the freedom to choose here?”

“I mean… w-we could—”

“I’ll do it,” Xander says, his voice stern despite his obvious fatigue. “I’ll be one of the units that stay.”

Yuuta’s eyes go wide. “Hey, what are you talking about?” he asks, his voice shaken, as the world comes crashing down onto his shoulders. “That’s nonsense. Why would you—”

“It’s an emergency. We both know fighters and elders go first. I’m not as valuable as you. Top hackers are much harder to find.”

“But what about your dreams of—”

“There are no dreams, Yuuta,” Xander says. “This is reality.”

Yuuta traps his lower lip between his teeth. He bites down hard in an attempt to stop his tears from coming. “I’ll go with you then,” Yuuta blurts. “I can—”

“No!” Xander shouts. “No, you won’t. You’re going to go back to our station and report what you saw here.”

“As will you, Miranda,” Diane adds.

“Mother?” Miranda whimpers. “I can’t.” She shakes her head. “I can’t. I joined this unit to save people, I don’t want to lose another —”

“We are saving people.” Diane’s voice echoes throughout the hallway as their footsteps slow against the metallic floorboards. By now, the noises of the monster they’d seen is distant, yet, still nearing in a pace fast enough to make Yuuta’s heart race.