The station was never truly quiet, but there were moments when the noise seemed to dim, leaving an uneasy silence. Simon walked through the corridors, his footsteps echoing faintly. The dim light from the makeshift lamps created shifting shadows on the walls, making the narrow space feel even smaller.
He paused in front of a crude map etched onto the concrete wall. The base layout was simple: residential quarters, a small storage area, a weapons cache, and the central gathering point. Beyond the boundaries of the map, the tunnels stretched endlessly into darkness.
"Lost again?" Victor's voice broke through the silence.
Simon turned to see the older man approaching, his usual smirk in place.
"Just thinking," Simon replied, gesturing toward the map. "These tunnels… They feel like they go on forever."
"They might," Victor said, leaning against the wall. "No one's ever explored them fully. Too dangerous. The Abyss might be watching."
Simon frowned. "Do you really think it's… alive?"
Victor's expression grew serious. "I don't think. I know. The Abyss isn't just a void. It's a force. A hunger. And it's always reaching out."
Simon shivered, the weight of Victor's words settling heavily on him.
As they stood in silence, a faint sound echoed from the depths of the tunnel. It was a low, almost imperceptible hum, but it made Simon's skin crawl.
"You hear that?" he asked.
Victor nodded, his hand instinctively moving to the knife at his belt.
"It's closer than usual," he muttered.
Simon's heart raced. "What do we do?"
Victor glanced at him, his expression grim. "We watch. We wait. And if it comes too close, we fight."
The hum grew louder, accompanied by a faint vibration underfoot. Others in the base began to notice, their murmurs spreading like wildfire.
"Get everyone to the central chamber," Victor ordered, his voice steady despite the tension. "Now."
Simon nodded and ran toward the residential quarters, shouting warnings as he went.