Chereads / Landfill Life / Chapter 21 - Addicted Life

Chapter 21 - Addicted Life

In the dead of night, where each action of picking up a piece of trash in their mouths created the faintest of scratches that rang through the ears of each mole. But as the listener relaxed, the hundreds of moles repeating this action blended together to sound chalk rubbing on fresh chalkboard continuously. But when a mole dropped to the ground, the deep sounds of gravel being rolled over resounded through the ears, which stood in stark contrast to the lighter scapes from the other moles.

Slowly they approached a large circular protrusion which was perfectly round, with a gentle flow of water splashing on the worn rocks below. But blocking the moles from going inside were thick fuzzy green rods that interlaced with one another to form a lattice which the holes in it were too small for the moles to fit through. The pool of water shone as it reflected the moonlight from above onto the abundant green carpet on the ground radiating a gentle cushion which invited rest. The water itself was obscured by a layer of vibrant green dust, as if an entire world of green lay beyond. The mist caused by the continual stream of water splashing down blew over every mole as the mist formed droplets that flowed over each crack in their skin and caressed every wrinkle and fold in their skin.

Each and everyone of the moles relaxed as the water relieved all stress from them as each drop formed and slid away. A mole which had just begun to fall back also experienced the same treatment from the mist of water as the muscles which had begun to dry up and stiffen began to loosen up again.

--Sample Cage 458421--

The mole, now several times larger and with bulging veins running through its eyes, paced around frantically smelling for the substance that had been injected into it from the beginning but could no longer find more of. It was simple. It wanted more. There was a wall that didn't hold up to it and who knows what lay beyond. If those little guys could move around then it should also be able to move around.

So that was how the electrified chain fence was bent, twisted and snapped apart and the thin steel wall was torn like paper and burst through like it was a liquid.

What greeted the monster was a narrow hallway with a low ceiling. The hallway was filled with a reflective light grey and nothing else. The lights in the hallway were set into the ceiling and the profile of the hallway was a perfect rectangle. Along the hallway it could see a brightly lit opening, beckoning it to go closer.

Except the hallway was too narrow. The mole was going to have to push through steel cages on one side that were stacked side by side with no space in between them and a steel wall reinforced with concrete on the outside and backed up even further by the sheer amount of dirt from the fact that it was underground.

At first its own cage was ripped to the side as the mole pushed forwards and left with a gash in the wall with metal plates curled both ways into a spiral but as soon as it reached the next cage, the corner of it was simply pushed in like a worker had kicked the cardboard box as hard as they could've while shipping it. It continued as the worker needed to move the cardboard box across the warehouse floor and soon the entire side was lined with dents and the one side of the box had collapsed.

This was sample cage 165010.

As the mole pushed its way through the wiring above the ceiling was pushed upwards and the cables that were connected to the fence and the platform. Only when a creature decided to touch both the platform and the fence would the circuit be completed and the test subject be shocked. A shock that would be fatal to a normal, naked human.

But there were three cages that stood in the way between the mole and the rectangle of the warm inviting light which mixed with the cold, blue light from the ceiling. It pushed forwards and onwards to the yellow light, determined to find more of that liquid that was injected into it.

It pushed onwards. This was cage 072827.

A ray of light gave a glimpse into the cage of sample 165010. A wide flat round cylindrical body whose skin was just slightly transparent, tinting the platform of metal suspended in air and fence set into the wall behind it a light yellowish green. Throughout its body were blurry black organs within that slowly floated around, suspended within its leathery skin.

Without any force however, it was unable to take advantage of the lack of electricity in the electric fence and remained stuck inside. But the reason it was locked in such a cage was simple: it was able to climb walls.

The next cage was the closest cage to the doorway. There were thick black stenciled numbers that read 017999 against the shiny grey background that was almost blue.

As the mole moved across and pushed everything aside, it reached the light at last. It burst in to find a no descript blanks grey room that was significantly wider than the hallway previously but still the same height. The lights were popped up and slammed back down after the mole had passed.

Faced in a short open with a pair of metal doors at the end, the mole slammed through only to find a tall shaft leading up. There was a thick steel cable attached to a large metal counterweight and the mole clutched onto this strand of opportunity by clinging onto it and climbing up.

But when the mole reached the top, there was no doorway to be found. Only a sliver of light shined through a thin crack in a set of doors. The faintest wisp of the scent finally blew past. The smell was a gentle refresher to the drive in the mole's heart, one that was slightly worn by the arduous task of climbing up a steel cable. But now, clinging onto the cable halfway from the top, staring at a crack which promised him relief from his constant desire, he pushed off against it and flew at the crack which only dented slightly when he hit it. Then the mole fell.

He had to try again. He was too close to stop. And so he climbed up again. And dented the doors further. Again and again he fell. The fall was nothing though, nothing he couldn't heal off.

And after just a couple times, the doors gave way and the mole fit its head through the hole.

Yes.

The smell was stronger now. It saw the same hallway as was back down there, but having only his head through meant that he could do nothing. He had to give up this chance and to jump again. So he did.

This time he fit his claws though and tried to pull his body through, only to rip those plates of metal off that had stopped him so many times. It released the walls and clawed at the walls. He found some purchase and pulled his entire body through.

There he happened upon a long white hallway with many doors leading to it.

That door? No. Maybe that one? Maybe a bit further. Maybe not just a bit. Maybe a whole lot. Yes. That one. The one on the left.