The dank, rounded walls radiated noxious fumes. Solomon swung his flashlight and shone the light behind him. Water dripped from above. Solomon sighed and resumed his trek. He shuffled his feet along the narrow path above fetid water flowing through the tunnel. Rats scurried before him in all directions.
“Stupid foreman. Why doesn’t he come down here to check things out? I don’t get paid enough for this.”
The screech of bending metal echoed through the tunnel. Solomon paused. He shivered for a moment, then continued down the passage for a few more feet. He shone his light at the ladder leading back up to the surface. Large gouges embedded in the rough metal extended into the concrete behind it. Solomon took out his phone and snapped a picture.
He ran his fingers along the grooves in the wall. “I don’t want to see what made that. That is one hell of a bite.”
A soft moan floated in the rancid air. Solomon glanced around the bend in the tunnel. A soft glow shone at the other end. Another moan emanated from inside the tunnel. Solomon pointed the flashlight at the dirty water. He scanned the stream but saw nothing.
The two-way radio in his back pocket crackled. “Find anything?”
Solomon grabbed the radio. “Oh, nothing unusual down hear. You know, stinky water, rats, odd moans, a weird glow, and something that can bite through metal and concrete. You know, the usual.”
“Sarcasm is not appreciated. Now keep searching until you find something.”
Solomon looked at the water. He closed his eyes momentarily, then opened them again. Small ripples in the water traveled from the far side of the sewer to where the burly factory worker stood. Solomon stepped back and bumped into the wall behind him. He stifled a shriek as a rat swam to the edge of the water and crawled out in front of him.
“I’m definitely not getting paid enough for this.”
He waited for the rat to disappear into the darkness before he continued around the bend. The light at the other end intensified and Solomon shaded his eyes against the brightness. Static crackled on his radio. He paused for a moment, then took a slow step towards the light.
A loud groan echoed through the tunnel. Solomon froze. Ripples formed in the water nearby. An icy hand reached out of the water and grabbed the burly man around the ankle. Solomon screamed, dropped his radio, and bolted back through the passage, splashing through the murky water. He stopped at the ladder leading up to the surface and scrambled up through the manhole. He climbed out and jumped onto the street.
The foreman glared at the factory worker. “Well?”
Solomon handed the flashlight to his boss. “If you want to know what is down there, you go and find out. I quit!”
“You can’t quit. It’s three in the morning! Where am I going to find someone to do the job?”
Solomon walked away. “That’s your problem, not mine.”
The foreman shrieked. “You get back here and find out what is going on down there or I will have you thrown in jail!”
Solomon stopped. He turned slowly to face the other man. “Then you might as well lock me up and throw away the key, because I’m not going back there.”
The foreman glared at his employee, his face red. Solomon watched the man for a moment, then turned and disappeared into the darkness.
“Stupid foreman. Why doesn’t he come down here to check things out? I don’t get paid enough for this.”
The screech of bending metal echoed through the tunnel. Solomon paused. He shivered for a moment, then continued down the passage for a few more feet. He shone his light at the ladder leading back up to the surface. Large gouges embedded in the rough metal extended into the concrete behind it. Solomon took out his phone and snapped a picture.
He ran his fingers along the grooves in the wall. “I don’t want to see what made that. That is one hell of a bite.”
A soft moan floated in the rancid air. Solomon glanced around the bend in the tunnel. A soft glow shone at the other end. Another moan emanated from inside the tunnel. Solomon pointed the flashlight at the dirty water. He scanned the stream but saw nothing.
The two-way radio in his back pocket crackled. “Find anything?”
Solomon grabbed the radio. “Oh, nothing unusual down hear. You know, stinky water, rats, odd moans, a weird glow, and something that can bite through metal and concrete. You know, the usual.”
“Sarcasm is not appreciated. Now keep searching until you find something.”
Solomon looked at the water. He closed his eyes momentarily, then opened them again. Small ripples in the water traveled from the far side of the sewer to where the burly factory worker stood. Solomon stepped back and bumped into the wall behind him. He stifled a shriek as a rat swam to the edge of the water and crawled out in front of him.
“I’m definitely not getting paid enough for this.”
He waited for the rat to disappear into the darkness before he continued around the bend. The light at the other end intensified and Solomon shaded his eyes against the brightness. Static crackled on his radio. He paused for a moment, then took a slow step towards the light.
A loud groan echoed through the tunnel. Solomon froze. Ripples formed in the water nearby. An icy hand reached out of the water and grabbed the burly man around the ankle. Solomon screamed, dropped his radio, and bolted back through the passage, splashing through the murky water. He stopped at the ladder leading up to the surface and scrambled up through the manhole. He climbed out and jumped onto the street.
The foreman glared at the factory worker. “Well?”
Solomon handed the flashlight to his boss. “If you want to know what is down there, you go and find out. I quit!”
“You can’t quit. It’s three in the morning! Where am I going to find someone to do the job?”
Solomon walked away. “That’s your problem, not mine.”
The foreman shrieked. “You get back here and find out what is going on down there or I will have you thrown in jail!”
Solomon stopped. He turned slowly to face the other man. “Then you might as well lock me up and throw away the key, because I’m not going back there.”
The foreman glared at his employee, his face red. Solomon watched the man for a moment, then turned and disappeared into the darkness.
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