His hand brushed along the wall, searching for balance on the stairs made slippery by moss and ancient dust. The small flashlight in his hand was beginning to dim—the battery wouldn't last much longer. Daniel gritted his teeth, quickening his pace before the darkness could fully swallow him.
Below, another sound began to emerge. Not just the echo of his footsteps. Not the wind. But something like… **breathing**. Heavy. Deep. Not far from him.
Daniel held his breath. His flashlight swept across the wall. Cracks, hanging cables, and a long corridor to the left. He saw marks—not human footprints, but drag lines… as if a body had been forcibly pulled inward.
He stepped forward slowly, following the corridor. Each footstep felt like it was piercing through an invisible web. The deeper he went, the thicker the air became. The walls began to be coated in faintly glowing fungi, pulsing softly like living things. This shelter wasv no longer a place for humans.
He found a small open room, once perhaps a guard post. Inside, remnants of an old life remained—a toppled chair, shattered monitors, and a bulletin board on the wall: "Day 7 – the noises from the lower floor continue. We lost two people this morning. We... are not alone."*
Daniel swallowed hard. In the corner of the room, a surveillance camera was still on, blinking faintly. There was no way electricity should still be running... unless **something** was keeping it alive.
Suddenly, a loud, sharp **bang** echoed through the air. Daniel turned around. The corridor behind him was empty, but the air had changed. Colder. Heavier. The flashlight in his hand flickered—once, twice—and died.
In the darkness, he heard footsteps... or claws. Rapid movements along the walls. On the ceiling.
Daniel reached into his pocket and pulled out a flare—his last one. He lit it.
Red light burst forth wildly, chasing away the shadows. But only for a moment. At the end of the corridor, he saw a silhouette Tall. Thin. Hunched. White eyes glowing from the dark, staring straight at him.
The creature stood still, unmoving. But Daniel knew... this was no illusion. It was real.
He backed away slowly, then ran.
Behind him, the creature **slammed against the wall** and let out a shriek—like bone grinding against bone, and rusted metal screaming.
Daniel was no longer looking for safety. He was looking for a way out—or worse, for the truth
Because one thing was now certain in his mind:
whatever hunts humans after the war… still lives beneath the ground.*
To be continued in the next part