"…Hmmm… yes, I think this poop might be around a decade old, seeing that it no longer has the typical color of regular poop and the outer layer is as hard as I expected."
I muttered to myself as I judged the waste of the living creature. I did this to keep my sanity intact, knowing I'd likely start insulting myself for slipping on that moss, thinking it was harmless, and falling into the hole right in front of me. If I hadn't slipped, I might have sensed the hole and avoided it, knowing it was just another small gap big enough only for a crawling creature to fit through. But here I am, in a deeper part of the sewer, all because of that damn moss and the dark surroundings.
"Hmm… I don't think I can climb back up the sewer slide, considering the moss made me fall into this glorious ancient poop."
I looked around the new, unfamiliar sewer hole I'd somehow ended up in. Well, "somehow" might be an understatement at this point.
"Hell, I think calling this a mystical sewer might be a good name, considering there's a plant on the ceiling capable of producing light. Might be from a chemical reaction—I don't know. I never studied how chemicals and plants work, but if it exists, then it exists, and I won't question it any further."
For now, I'll try to find a staircase or any part of the sewer that can help me get back up. The smell here is ten times worse than above. I'm trying not to inhale too much, or I might end up puking—well, I speak from experience… about eight times of experience.
Sigh "Is saving the unknown woman even worth it anymore? Becoming the knight in shining armor… Am I not, in a way, in the same or worse situation than she is? I can't even bring myself to imagine her falling in love with me at first sight anymore… I just want to get out of this sewer already, man."
I gave myself another sympathy talk as I continued on my 'journey,' keeping the same pace as always. Then, I noticed something strange in this sewer.
"…I don't know much about sewers, but why does this one feel so abnormally weird? Well, aside from the red worm thingy, this sewer feels more like an underground city with its enormous size…"
I said to myself, noting how the light-producing plants were arranged in symmetry, which seemed to prove my point.
I rubbed my chin thoughtfully, striking a "thinker" pose, pondering a question that might seem stupid. Truth be told, even I was baffled by my own reasoning.
"…Agh, whatever. Like I care if it's someone else's hole or home. If I don't like the place, I'll go back home… But alas, beggars can't be choosers. I'm stuck in here and starting to get tired from this long journey, like a knight saving his princess from the castle guard by the dragon."
I said this in my funny voice as I attempted another dry joke. Call me insane, but I found it comforting to finally hear my own joke after the traumatic incident with the worm—probably because of the silence. Maybe it's also because I always talk to myself in my gaming room. Ah, what a day it would be to be in a cleaner environment. I miss you, my sweet gaming room… I thought, just before noticing something.
"Oh wait a minute, what's that movement over there? This might be a good way to keep my eyes occupied instead of constantly seeing this forsaken sewer and reviewing poop. Yeah, I'm getting tired of needing a new stick to check how hard the poop is—usually it ends up snapping in half because of the poop's weight. I can also calculate the current moisture of the poop based on how it sounds when I touch it, and the weight of it… Yeah, I'm really starting to get bored of the poop reviews."
I looked toward the end of the sewer tunnel I had been walking through. Even with the light from the plants, it wasn't very helpful since the light was dim—only about three meters of visibility, and the ceiling was high too.
As I continued on my unlucky journey, I noticed some movement in the distance, and it was coming fast.
"…Is something coming here at a rapid pace? It feels like a running pace." My heart began racing… I felt that same uneasy sensation I had before with the worms, but much more intense. I had a feeling trouble had come to seek me once again.
I began to slowly retreat, stepping backward, trying to avoid another problem before I could solve my own. Then, I heard a familiar scream, and I looked toward the source. That's when I realized the danger I was in.
"AHHHH!" The scream continued to get louder as it drew closer. As the scream reached a closer distance, the person finally noticed my presence. "Huh!? There's a person in here too!?" The voice was surprised by seeing me at the end of the sewer. "Hey! You need to run too, mister! Whatever you do, DO NOT get closer to this sewer hole, AT ALL costs!!!"
I finally figured out the source of the voice was the woman. At first, I couldn't identify it because of the many echoes, but now it was clear.
She shouted at me in a high-pitched tone, which made me flinch a little. I'd never been screamed at before, but that's for later. Right now, a question arose in my mind that pushed my fear aside and replaced it with curiosity.
"Huh? Run away? What could be in there that makes her run so fast, faster than even Usain Bolt? That's one of the most impressive adrenaline rushes I've ever seen."
"Mister!!! I said… RUN! Please go back, mister!!!" she cried, getting closer with incredible speed.
She screamed again. From her current position, she was about five meters away from me. Of course, with everything going on, I was still unable to move my body.
"Gosh is this uncle deaf?! MISTER!!! I SAID GO BACK TO YOUR PLACE, JEEZ!!!" She grabbed my arm, realizing I was still frozen in place. Only then did I regain my senses and start to follow her, not wanting to drag her down with my attempt to be saved. But damn, she was too fast for me to keep up with. I might end up thanking her once I see the reason for her desperate need to keep running.
"What—WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING?!" I looked back and saw a massive creature, dog-like in shape but standing on two legs instead of four, like something out of a nightmare. Its black teeth were as large as an adult human, its claws resembling those of a demon. Its ears were long, pointed, twitching like a predatory hound. Its skin was darker than the night itself, and… the smile carved into its face. I knew for sure now that thing had only one objective… and that was to violate my rights as a human being.
"I don't know!!! Don't make me look at that thing like it's some kind of underrated art piece! Keep running, mister! I can't keep dragging you, you're too heavy for my size!"
She said as she finally let go, seeing that I had started running too, and then started to give herself a terrifying like sprint, leaving me behind… Now that was some of the most disrespect ass moment in my life, but do I really have the moment to respond for it? Hell no, we keep on running until that thing decide to slow his pace and began walking slowly, I found the moment slowing her pace to meet me, but what creep me the most is the say that thing action, it is more like that thing only chase us as a toys instead of food, and my point is back up as I hear some of a few chuckles noise coming from that thing.
As she and I finally running side by side, I leave a question for her so that I understand what the hell is happening right now.
"Hey, you! Why is that thing chasing you so passionately?!" I ask, the question slipping out before I could stop it. Of course, the answer I get is just as dumb.
"Oh, I don't know… maybe it wants a hug?… OF COURSE IT WANTS TO EAT US, YOU DUMMY MISTER!"
Alright, I know that was on me, but don't blame me too much—my mind's a mess after the sudden exposure to danger. It's like that time I got chased by a dog. I never really understood why it was after me, especially after seeing it finish the food a stranger gave it. Does the dog see me as a toy too? Too many theories, and none of them seem close to the truth.
Now that I think about it, I finally trace the scream I heard earlier—it was her, the one I'm trying to save. Maybe she fell into the small hole too, considering I heard her scream when I first woke up. To be honest, though, I think she's got more survival instincts than I do. That realization somehow makes me feel insecure, even in this dire situation.
As we keep running, I realize we're heading straight for the spot where I first fell in. Knowing what's ahead, I stop her from wasting any more energy.
"Wait! That place has no path! We need to find another way!" I say, gasping for air as we keep running.
"Huh??? You've got to be kidding me…" she exclaims, still managing her breath better than I am. I can't help but feel jealous of her stamina.
…Honestly, losing a long run to a woman—especially one I met halfway through—cuts deep into my pride as a man. But I don't have time to dwell on that. She saved my life instead of leaving me in the dark. Somehow, that fills me with a deep sense of gratitude.
"Okay, let's try hiding in the dark for a while instead! Maybe that thing won't see us! After that, let's escape this sewer together, mister!"
She says this with a smile, her optimism shining through like a burst of sunlight, thinking it's a great plan. I'm glad she hasn't forgotten about me. Still, I immediately object to her idea.
"Bad idea. I don't think that thing has any problem seeing in the dark, considering it can move in complete darkness. Besides… there's a plant on the ceiling that brightens up this sewer."
I point above me to back up my statement. She stares at the plant, then looks back at me, then back at the plant again, and finally meets my eyes.
"…Well, shit, we're screwed then." Her optimism shatters so easily, it makes me question if she's really the same person I thought she was. She drops the cheerful act and replaces it with a stoic expression. Then, she slowly sinks to her knees. Giving her the aura of a lazy person.
"Ahh… come on… I just woke up three days ago in this disgusting sewer… can't I catch a damn breath for a minute?" She says, finally letting the exhaustion show.
The revelation that she's been here longer than me is a big surprise. I walk up to her quickly, making her flinch at my sudden movement, and grab both her shoulders.
"Wait, so you ended up in here the same way? No way, me too!" I exclaim, my voice bright and excited, almost like I'm gossiping with a group of friends about a secret crush. Finally, I've got a lead in this crazy situation.
"…I don't really see the point of getting worked up here, though. Did you just wake up today? Also, back off, mister, this is my private space, and you're way too close." She shoves my hand off her shoulder.
"Ahh, sorry about that… Anyway, have you found any other people in the sewer?"
"Well, let's just say I'm a bit late to the party. Three days ago, when I woke up, unconscious like you, there were about five others already around me, asking if I remembered how I got here. I told them I didn't, which was honestly terrifying because almost everyone else said the same thing. They even said the people before them had said the same thing." She leans against the side of the sewer, probably worn out from running nonstop.
"So where's that group now?" I ask, trying to figure out what to do next.
"…" She points towards the sewer hole we just came from, like it's obvious.
"Ah…" I make a sound of understanding. "That thing caught the group, huh? Well… let's try to survive this. Uhh…" I trail off, realizing I don't know what to call her. Calling her "woman" might get me slapped, and calling her "ladies"… well, that just feels off, especially since she's more of a tomboy than a graceful lady. If I mess up now, I feel like I might get a punch in the gut, but a scorned look could come too. Either way, she's way too fierce for me to think we'd ever be friends.
She notices my hesitation and speaks up.
"The name's Alice, Alice Sins." She extends her hand, likely wanting to shake mine.
I extend my hand as well, shaking hers.
"My name is Al—… William, William Barrett." I stop myself before I let my real name slip. It might seem pointless whether she knows it or not, especially with the way her face is practically screaming, "I don't care about your life story, dude." Hell, she probably wouldn't even care if she died right now.
"Oh, William? Nice name. By the way, what are you even doing?" She asks, watching me as I keep pacing around. She probably thinks I'm a little strange, considering how my actions have always been a bit off, even back when I was on Earth.
It might be a little late for this, but now that the light is better, I finally get a clear look at her. She looks about 15, with dark golden eyes and long, wavy black hair. She's wearing a black suit, though it doesn't really help me figure out her height. But yeah, happy to know you, I guess.
"Surviving, of course." I say to Alice, offering a nonchalant response. The short answer seems to throw her off for a second, but she quickly regains her composure and responds back to me.
"…Duh, that's kinda dumb. Didn't you say that thing can see in the dark? And there's also that plant on the ceiling, which seems to give it more advantages than us, right?" She shakes her head at me, clearly judging my stupidity.
"Let's just give up, mister. Maybe this is just a dream in the end." She says, slumping into a pose that makes her look like a lifeless corpse.
I smile and glance at her, ready to counter her point once again.
I clear my throat, shifting into my most annoying, nerdy tone. "Uhmm, actually, you are absolutely incorrect once again," I say, raising my index finger in a 'no-no' gesture as if to provoke her.
"…" She gives me a murderous look, no doubt annoyed by my 'immaturity.' But hey, what can I say? This is just how I am. The stare lasts a few moments before she finally lets it go, sighing heavily and asking, "And what's your valid excuse for that, you immature mister?"
Somehow, she managed to come up with an alias for me in just a few seconds. What a terrifying girl to have a verbal fight with.
I dropped the nerdy tone and quickly tried to explain, honestly a little afraid of the possibility of getting kicked or punched by her.
"Well, actually, when we first met, I took a little itsy-bitsy peek at the creature. It was… a very unpleasant experience for me, just so you know…"
"Heh, deserved," she smiled, clearly enjoying my suffering. She really reminded me of Dean in the most unpleasant way.
"But here's the thing that changes things—did you see the eye of that thing?"
"Well, yeah, of course I saw it! It had a black eye. I've literally been hunted by that thing for the last two days. Better call me stupid if I didn't already know how it looked!"
She seems to know a lot about what we're facing, but I'm more focused on the plot twist that she's actually been capable of running for two days straight. To cope with the blow to my manly pride, I decide to slip into my nerdy voice again.
"Wroooong!" I put up an 'X' gesture with my arms, and she looks at me, more annoyed than before. Maybe when she first saw me, she thought she'd found someone she could rely on, someone she could trust as an adult. But now, I think she's realized she's the one who needs to lead and take charge.
"What you saw was actually fake. That thing doesn't have an eye at all. It only has an eye socket," I say, feeling confident. Finally, I get to use my keen observation skills in real life instead of just video games.
"What… but what's the point? That thing can still hunt us normally, even without an eye—"
"Wroooong!" Another 'X' gesture, and she looks even more pissed. I can tell she's trying to breathe and calm herself down, realizing that I'm hopeless as an adult.
"…," She stares at me for a moment, her frustration mounting, before she finally offers a counter to my point.
"I… don't think it would give him any trouble at all, seeing how that thing just runs faster than my group, killing one by one… until I was that thing's last prey…"
She gazed away, her eyes distant, as if lost in the memory of her group, the ones who had been with her from the start.
Even though it lasted only a moment, I could feel the shift in the air, a palpable weight of tragedy settling between us. I felt a pang of pity for the girl—knowing that losing her entire group at such a young age, and witnessing their deaths one by one, had to be deeply traumatic, even for someone as tough as her. I shifted my tone, trying to soften it, hoping to calm her down. I never would've guessed she'd be carrying this burden all along.
"Well… I might have a way to make that thing stop hunting us. It's still just a theory, but let's give it a try, okay?" I said, my voice laced with empathy, thinking about her unfortunate past experience.
"…Well then, let's hear your dumb idea, Stupid Mister," she replied with a smirk and a sarcastic tone, but I could sense there was a hint of appreciation hiding beneath the words.
"Alright! My first theory is that it's scared of light!" I said with as much confidence as I could muster, offering the most straightforward answer possible. Her expression instantly shifted into a look that clearly said, 'I should have expected this dumb idea from you, mister.'
"…Sigh, what luck to have you around, mister…" she sighed, but surprisingly, she nodded in agreement, though her words carried a hint of resignation.
"…But that thing doesn't even have an eye, remember? You even said it yourself, just so you know, mister…" she said, her face already showing signs of defeat.
"True, it doesn't have an eye," I replied, "but we're not concerned about its eye. We're going after the rest of its body because even other parts of it can react if exposed to light." I explained confidently, hoping it would make sense.
"…Okay, I see your point," she said, nodding. I might have believed her if not for the way her face remained locked in that smile of despair, like she was just humoring me.
"…Whatever. So, what do we do to test your theory, Mister?"
"Easy~. Lift me up so I can grab that plant on the other side," I said, pointing toward the tallest concrete pillar nearest to the ceiling where the plant was.
"…But I'm only a girl, mister…" She shot me a look that clearly communicated 'You've gotta be kidding me.' Of course, I didn't care. I'd already abandoned any pride the moment I realized she had more stamina than I did.
"I don't care. I'm weaker than you, and even your breathing is calmer than mine. So, be a 'man' for me!"
"…Sob, sob… yes, mister." She mockingly let out a noise of pretend sadness, as if I were doing her a great injustice, before she began walking toward the designated spot I'd assigned to her.