Kev ducked, his arms over his head. “Shit! What are you doing?”
Johan hesitated, his finger poised on the trigger. He blinked and stared into the darkness beyond Kev.
“Put the gun down!” said Simon. “What the fuck are you doing?”
The whistling stopped, and Johan gazed through the empty archway. He slowly lowered the gun.
“Someone was there,” he said. “I swear.”
“You could have killed me!” said Kev and jabbed his gun in Johan’s direction.
“Ah shit!” said Spence. Everybody looked in his direction. He pointed to another of the archways. “There. Something... something was there.”
Johan pushed past Richie and walked around the pit. He stopped at the archway and took a cautious glimpse through the other side. The tunnel led away into shadows.
“There!” Richie shouted.
Johan returned to the circular chamber in time to see Spence jump away from an archway, his feet landing on the edge of the pit. His arms wheeled in the air, and for a split second, he fell backwards. Spence bent and stepped forwards, away from the void.
“For fuck’s sake,” said Johan. “Keep away from the hole and keep an eye out. I wanna nail this bastard.”
Backs pressed against the wall, the boys fell quiet and listened to the dripping water from the tunnels. Kev’s breathing rattled from his chest. His face had returned to a deep red.
Johan expected one of the leering, painted faces which he now saw in abundance around them, to lean out of the walls and attack. Like old portraits in ghost stories, their eyes seemed to follow him.
Should not have fucked with us, thought Johan. He adjusted the sweaty grip on the gun. Should not have fucked with us at all.
Movement. In a tunnel to the right.
Johan stayed still, convinced it was the light playing tricks. If their pursuer wanted to show himself then—
“Listen,” said Simon. “I can hear him.”
Johan blocked out the gasps of the others. He heard faint footsteps splashing through water.
“Think he’s going away?” asked Simon.
Johan glanced at each archway.
“I don’t think so. I know why we were led here.” He pointed. “I think we’re supposed to end up in the pit.”
“Shit,” said Kev. “I nearly did, too.”
“Sssh!” Simon hissed.
The footsteps diminished, sounding further and further away.
“He’s definitely going,” said Kev. “What do we do now? The dog’s gone too.”
They all looked at each other across the gaping hole, waiting, Johan presumed, for his decision.
A figure emerged from the shadowed archway next to Kev and grinned.
The sight jolted Johan.
Kev stood oblivious. He held the gun loosely at the side of his thigh, pointed at the floor.
The figure leaned towards him, hand outstretched, reaching for the weapon.
Johan recognised him, the stinking, weird tramp, still in his stupid striped jumper.
Without hesitation, Johan levelled his weapon.
The tramp made it to Kev’s gun, and the touch sparked the big man into action. He whipped his hand away, and the weapon slid free. Striking the floor, it slid towards the edge of the pit, scraping the concrete.
With his face still dominated by the toothy grin, the tramp ducked back into the shadows.
Johan squeezed off a shot. The gun jumped in his hand, recoiling hard. The sound of the blast was a chisel blow to his ears and head.
A brick in the archway exploded in a cloud of grey dust.
Johan cried out and clutched his wrist. “Dammit!”
“What happened?” Richie cried.
“Did you get him?” asked Spence.
Johan pushed past them all. His wrist throbbed. “Move!”
He pounced through the archway. The light revealed the first few metres of the tunnel but darkness cloaked everything beyond that. An odd whistled note drifted back to Johan accompanied by the frantic sound of footsteps. He barely heard it with the ringing in his ears.
“Shit,” said Johan. “He’s gone.”
“Are we going after him?” asked Richie. “You want the flashlight?”
Johan stared into the darkness for a moment, blood rushing in his ears. Hunting down the maggot would be fun but may lead to another wild goose chase.
I think we were getting close. This painting… we must be close to their territory.
He growled from the back of his throat.
This is all their territory, crawling around in the filth and rot.
“Johan?” said Simon from around the corner. “What are we doing?”
“We keep going,” Johan said and walked back into the chamber. “We’ll find him another time. We always do.” He carefully manoeuvred around the pit.
“Do you think he’s with them?”
Spence’s words slipped between his thoughts with the sharpness of a scalpel. Johan stopped and turned back to the group.
“You think he could be?” He rubbed his forehead. “All the times we beat on him. He could be one of them?”
“I don’t think so,” said Kev. “I mean, look at him. He looks normal. Those other ones…” He forced the words between his trembling lips. “They were freaks, really messed up. He’s not a monster.”
“Maybe so,” said Johan. “But it’s something to chew on. Get the gun.”
Kev nodded, his chin and throat wobbling. His piggy eyes darted back and forth in his head, searching the floor. “I can’t see it.”
“Here.” They all looked to Simon, who stood clutching the gun. He held it close to his face, studying it intently. “It nearly went down the hole.”
A hush descended on the group. After a moment, Johan spoke up.
“Give it back to Kev.”
Simon raised his eyes to glare at him over the firearm. “What?”
“You heard me,” said Johan. “Give the gun back to Kev.”
Simon slid his fingers around the handle and lifted the gun, the barrel pointed at Johan.
Needles seemed to dot up Johan’s back. His balls twitched. He reaffirmed his own grip on his gun.
“We’re wasting time,” he said, voice without a quiver. “Kev, get the gun and let’s go.”
Kev hesitantly stepped forwards and held out a hand.
Simon slapped the gun against Kev’s chubby, glistening palm and released the handle. Kev snatched it back.
Johan faced the wall to hide his relief. He closed his eyes and blew out through pursed lips.
I can’t let this happen. Not after coming so far, he thought. We need to find these things soon. He can vent his frustration on their mangled hides.
He opened his eyes and found several naked figures decorating the wall directly in front of his face. A woman with several eyes was sandwiched between two men, heads tilted back in bliss. A tongue hung from between her lips and reached down her body, its tip wrapped around the base of a penis.
“We’re going,” said Johan. His stomach bubbled, and a sour taste flooded his mouth. He coughed to try and shift the acid. “This place is too fucked up.”
30.
Johan entered the lair, alert for the slightest sound of rushing water. The level barely reached the top of his boots. He prayed it stayed that way. The pram lay in the opposite corner from the night before, now a tangle of twisted metal. The room stank more than ever. What appeared to be mud lay in pancakes around the floor.
“Come on,” said Johan and headed in further. “It’s empty.”
He inspected the cell and the various bits of furniture while the others climbed through the entrance.
Simon, gazing around, joined Johan.
“I can’t believe we finally found this place and they’ve gone. Who knows how big this network is.” Simon squeezed his fists. “They could be anywhere.”
Johan kicked a wooden stool that had fallen on its side. It skidded across the floor and stru
ck the wall.
“Then we carry on looking, all night if we have to.” He nodded towards the pipe leading out through the opposite wall.
Abandoning the lair, they stepped up into the pipe and ducked through. Kev struggled with his climb. Storing the gun in his belt, he grabbed the offered hands of Spence and Richie. They pulled him up.
The pipe emerged out into yet another tunnel
“I’m getting sick of this,” said Johan.
The tunnel had dried out completely and the boys walked without splashing and slipping. No rats scampered against the walls or sat on the various ledges of brick, washing their whiskers. The absence of any noise, especially the dripping water, added to the claustrophobic grip of the tunnel.
“I’m going to need you, Rich,” said Johan, taking the lead again.
Richie caught up with him, the flashlight already turned on.
The two paused at the exit pipe and listened.
“Anything?” Johan whispered.
Richie shook his head.
“Then get some light down there. Be careful. These fucks seem good at coming out of nowhere.”
Richie immediately leaned into the pipe without a word of complaint.
He’s getting confident, thought Johan. He’s realised what this is. A hunt.
Johan waited behind Richie, ready to grab his jeans and pull him out of the pipe at the first sign of a struggle. After a few seconds, Richie shuffled back out.
“It’s big in there,” he said. “I can’t tell you how big. The flashlight beam will only reach so far.”
“Signs of life?”
“No,” said Richie and swept a hand through his hair.
About to clamber through and inspect for himself, Johan hesitated.
Can’t rush in. Need to play this slow. They might have traps like the fucking Goonies.
“Spence?”
Fumbling with his bag, Spence peered over.
“Pass me one of those flashes. I wanna see exactly what’s in there before we go strolling in.”
Spence smiled, apparently glad to be of some use and eager to use his flashes. Releasing the clasp on the backpack, he pulled out one of the black tubes.
“Here,” he said and tossed it to Johan, who caught it one handed.
“Let’s see if these were worth the cash,” he said and unwrapped the top. Revealing a coil of wire, Johan gave it a sharp tug.
The tip burst into a bright pink flame, spraying out sparks that drifted to the floor.
“Fire in the hole,” said Johan. He threw the flash. It spun through the air and entered the pipe. Johan leaned in and watched it land with a hollow clack.
“Well?” asked Simon. “Anything?”
Johan peered inside.
A thick, circular pillar appeared pink in the cast light. The far wall remained in the shadows.
“It’s a vast room,” said Johan. “I can’t see how big it is. I’m going in. How long do you think those things last?”
“Maybe a few minutes,” said Spence. “I suppose we should get moving.”
Sure that the gun was safely stored in his coat, Johan grabbed the upper lip of the pipe and hoisted his body from the floor. Swinging his body in feet first, he shuffled through the pipe. For a worrying moment, his legs poked out of the other end, dangling out in the open. He hurried along. His feet landed on the floor with a splat.
A groan escaped from between his lips.
The room smelled worse than all the tunnels combined. His boots slipped in the brown carpet of sludge. He held out his arms to keep from falling.
His reflexes took over, and Johan dove back towards the pipe. He gagged. Holding onto the sides, he dipped his head and took a deep breath.
Fight it! After everything you’re going to let this stink beat you?
This isn’t just a stink, it’s like someone took a dump in my mouth!
“What’s in there?” Richie shouted, the shape of his head silhouetted and framed in the pipe. “Anything?”
“Oh yeah, it’s a dream,” said Johan and coughed a glob of phlegm on the floor. “Get your arses in here.”
Standing in the pink light, Johan blocked out the glare with his hand and gazed upwards. The room equalled the height of the painted chamber. The light cast by the flare failed to reveal the ceiling. Barely visible, the far wall lay about thirty feet away. A wide tunnel, different from all the others, led into even deeper darkness. Like giant fingers of stone, the various pillars reached up into the shadows. It reminded Johan of a church, despite all the years since he’d entered one.
The beam wavered from the pipe, and a moment later, a hand emerged holding the flashlight. Johan grabbed Richie’s wrist and helped to pull him free.
“My God,” said Richie, raising his free hand to his face. “You didn’t tell us it stank so bad.”
“Suck it up,” said Johan and suppressed a choke.
Something fizzed at the centre of the room.
Johan nearly fled for the pipe, expecting a sudden rush of water. The flickering pink light flashed brighter for a second before sputtering out with a low hiss. Johan blinked, the flashlight beam in his face.
“Put that down,” he said.
Richie lowered the flashlight. The beam revealed his boots and the layer of shit around them.
“What we going to do?” Richie asked.
“The flash ran out, that’s all. Cheap shit,” said Johan. “I’ll get another. Keep a look out.”
He headed for the direction of the pipe. Despite it being so close, Johan held out his hands to feel for it. The tips of his fingers found the rounded edge.
Richie shrieked.
“Rich?” said Johan, his heart thumping. “What happened? Rich?”
The flashlight beam found its way onto his face again.
“Sorry,” said Richie, his voice drifting out of the darkness. “It was just one of those pillars. Took me by surprise.”
Johan closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath. “Fuckwit.”
He retched, the foul stench invading his body.
Need to clean need to clean need to clean…
“Johan?” Simon called from the other side of the pipe. “What’s going on in there?”
“Nothing,” Johan replied, composing himself. “Just Richie being a dick. Get another flash from Spence. This one ran out.”
Johan waited in the dark. Shuffling sounds came from the pipe.
“Guys?” said Richie. “I think I hear something in here.”
The flashlight beam pointed upwards and bobbed from pillar to pillar. Johan watched it over his shoulder.
“Probably just you,” he said. “Simon, give me the flash.”
Emerging from the pipe, Simon pressed the cylinder into Johan’s palm. Without hesitation, Johan unwrapped the tip and yanked the wire. It burst into a glittering flame. Holding it at the bottom, Johan raised the flash over his head.
Simon pulled himself out of the pipe and almost fell head first onto the floor. With a twist of his body at the last moment, his feet hit first with a splat. On the borders of the rosy light, Richie still aimed the flashlight beam upwards, studying each of the pillars.
He glanced over. “I swear I heard something up there,” he said.
Ignoring him, Johan called through the pipe. “Kev. You come through next. Spence can give you a hand up.”
Muttering from the other side.
“What’s the hold up?” Johan said, concerned the stripy jumper freak had returned.
“Spence doesn’t want to be left alone,” said Kev.
“Well tell Spence he can come through next, but expect me to beat the piss out of him if he does. Understand?”
More whispers echoed through the pipe.
“I’m coming through,” said Kev after a few seconds. “Can you grab the bag?”
Johan reached in and removed Spence’s bag of flashes. He placed it on a reasonably dry patch of floor underneath a wide plastic pipe. The pipe rose from the floor, bent nine
ty degrees and ran into the wall. Its surface had congealed with dust and grime over the years. Its joints looked rotten.
Leaving Simon and Richie to investigate the room, Johan began the arduous task of pulling their fat friend through. For one sickening moment, Kev became lodged in the pipe and refused to budge. After some wriggling and frantic pushing and pulling, he popped free. Johan tugged him out by the arms and kept hold to stop him from falling in the muck. Short and thin, Spence slipped through the pipe with ease.
“I think Rich’s hearing things,” said Simon. “There’s nothing. Let’s keep moving. We have to go through here.” He pointed to the wide tunnel leading away. “There’s no other way out.”
“Makes the choice easy then,” said Johan. He crossed the chamber and approached the tunnel. On closer inspection, the entrance had been covered with a mesh, like chicken wire.
“I think we’re getting close,” he said and touched the cover. “Who else would do this?”
“Can we get through?” asked Simon, joining him.
“I think so.” Johan bent down and hooked his hands underneath the edge. Thankfully, it hung a few inches from the floor. His hands stayed relatively clean, but he couldn’t help but think of the bacteria crawling over the metal. With a pull, the wire curled upwards and the gap between the floor widened.
“Help me,” he said. “This is pretty tight.”
Simon leant a hand and the metal curled easier. They created a sizeable gap.
“You guys,” said Johan. “Go under while we hold this thing up.”
Richie, giving the upper reaches of the room one, final, cursory glance, clicked off the flashlight and walked over. He ducked underneath and waited on the other side. Kev quickly followed. He removed the gun from his belt.
“Wait,” said Johan as Spence stepped forwards. “We forgot the bag.”
Spence’s eyes darted from the bag back to Johan. “But…”
“We’ll still hold this open,” said Simon. “But get a move on.”
“Yeah,” said Johan. “Come on, Spence. Move it!”
Spence grunted and headed for the other side of the room, his head held low. Johan willed him to hurry up. His arms ached from holding up the coiled wire.
The flare fizzed, and its flame sputtered out.
“Guys?” said Spence from the pitch darkness. His voice quivered. “Guys? What’s going on?”
Mother's Boys Page 24