Rats

My God, I've found it. My hands tremble. I just know I'm going to break it, so I put it back down, gently. Breathe. Breathe. I fumble around it for the switch, and then...

CLICK.

In an instant, I witness the big bang. I'm blind. Immediately, I flip the switch, but it's too late; the damage has been done. My head aches and all I can see is a blue-green ghost wherever I turn my eyes. Dammit.

I sit in the silence and curse myself. It's been years since I've seen anything but candlelight. I've seen bulbs like this, but not from so close, only as I've crept around the outskirts of encampments, which I dare not disturb under any circumstances. I don't even risk a campfire, they're too dangerous for me... if the light doesn't give me away, the smell definitely will. And then those creatures will find me and tear me like wet paper.

But here, in the windowless basement of this godforsaken facility, the light cannot betray me. But I can't see for shit either. So, scrounging around in the dark like a rat, when I found it, I was elated. I thought I had finally unearthed something that would help me see in the dark. But alas. I wonder how long it will take my eyes to readjust from that stupid mistake.

How could I be so dumb? It’s not a very good tool anyways. A lantern illuminates everything, not only the path ahead, but also the person holding it. So it would just make me a target. Except, of course, in places like this, where no light can leak out. But even then, it's brighter than hell, and turning it on would ruin my night vision. And that takes a long ass time to recover, as I'm now learning.

It would only be useful if I had someone to share a camp with. But I don't trust anyone. No, I'd rather stay and hide in the darkness. Take my chances on my own. Even if it means constantly bruising my fingers from trying to see with my hands. Even if it means furtively straining my ears for every slightest creak, trying to decide whether I should freeze or flee.

You know, I do feel like a rat.

Before the conflict, we roamed the world like gods, going from place to place as we pleased, our chests puffed out, arms swinging at the sides. Now we crawl around in the dirt and filth like rodents. We never could eradicate them, back then. No matter how hard we tried, the rats always found a way to slink away, hide in the walls, keep breeding. Every stinking time. We used to squash them underfoot, poison them, trap them, sic our cats and dogs after them. Nothing worked. But now the creatures want to do the same to us. And there are fewer of us left every day.

So I keep crawling, skittering around in the utter lightlessness for something, anything. What am I looking for?

As I'm absorbed in these thoughts, I jam my fingers up against something hard, metallic, and flat. Fuck, that hurt. I'm halted in my search once again as I sit there for a few minutes, writhing in pain. I don't think I'm bleeding; I don't think I broke anything. But damn.

Slowly, the stinging dies down, and then, I notice that the ghost has finally faded away. I can see, a little. I think I jacked my hand on a some kind of metal panel, underneath a desk. From what I can tell, it looks like a floor safe. But that doesn't make any sense. I thought this facility was a telecom station, based the massive concrete buildings with sheer walls and prison-like windows, the imposing tower covered with satellite dishes, and the rows of barbed-wire fence. But why would corporate site have a floorsafe?

I tentatively reach my hand out again, and I feel the round lock. I give it a spin and I hear the distinctive click as it rolls around the circumference. Hmm. My hands tremble again. I wonder what could be in there?! Maybe this facility wasn't what I thought... maybe it's government. Some kind of research institution. That would explain why I found so many craters in the perimeter (presumably from other scavengers stepping on landmines). If that's true, then this safe could hold something much more valuable than I imagined.

CRUNCH.

My heart stops. I just heard something upstairs. Shhhh. My shoulders immediately hunch up, my head drops, and I freeze. Shhh. Listen.....

Nothing. I don't have time to open this safe right now. I don't want to get caught by a creature or a cannibal, right in the middle of trying to haul off my treasure. I'll keep it secret for now, whatever it is.

I head back towards the stairs. In the breathless silence, all I hear is dripping, probably from some decades-old leak. Step by step, I ascend the few floors back up to ground level and I find a window. I peer out of it. Nothing but wind blowing the weeds and reeds. The sky is full of clouds as black as an oil spill. That must mean it's day, cuz normally when I'm out at night, I can't make out anything. I must have lost track of time. The creatures are more active during the day, so I gotta be real careful. I swear to God if one of them is lurking around here...

I don't have time for this. I gotta go back down there. I gotta get the stash and go. I don't know this place well enough to navigate it safely, and I don't wanna get blown up like the other unfortunate souls who tried to get in here. But someone else seems to have made it inside like me. That lantern was set up too perfectly on the table to have been left there from before the conflict.

Shit. I know I have to search around a little more before I return downstairs. I don't want to. But I have to see if someone else is here.

I just gotta take a quick look around to see what made that noise. If it was a human, maybe he's still around... maybe he's even willing to cooperate. Or maybe he will shoot me in the back and take my boots. I've seen people killed for less. But then again, we can't all be like the cannibals. There have to be some good people out there. I have to believe that. I can't do this alone much longer. I'm getting desperate.

Breathe. Breathe. You can do this.

I fight my fear that sits in my gut and press onward. I avoid the long, sterile hallway and dart across it into one of the interior rooms. There's not much here except lab tables and shattered glass. Nothing worth taking. But clearly someone...or something... has already made a path through here. My heart is pounding again. I can't breathe. Fuck this. I don't wanna do this anymore. I don't care if someone else is up here. I'll hide in the darkness forever if I have to.

I head back to stairwell. I creep back down to the basement and renew my attempts on the safe. After what feels like two hours, I finally find the full combination. I'm exhausted at this point, but it's too late to stop now. I gotta see what's in there.

CLACK.

The safe is unlocked. I slowly open it, and there's a loud screech from all the years of rust. Hands trembling again. I reach in... nothing. That can't be!

Slowly, I pan my hand back and forth. All I can feel is an empty box, with one raised square. I press it. I hear some whirring. What did I just do? I don't know what time it is, but it's gotta be peak daytime. This is the worst possible time for a surprise.

Heavy rumbling. Oh shit. Oh shit shit shit. If is a creature in this facility, it's going to hear this. Where's that damn lantern? Maybe I can use it to blind him. I frantically search the room, and I kick something hard.

CRACK.

Oh no. I think I just broke the lantern. Slowly, I pick it up, this time shutting my eyes hard and looking the other way. I flip the switch, and the skin of my eyelids is bright red. I flip it back off. Phew.

The rumbling stopped. I look at the floor at my feet and it's glowing like lava. I whip around— a door in the wall is opened, and light is coming through it. Red light; some sort of emergency system must be powering things here...

I hear footsteps in the stairwell. Something is approaching. I've got no choice, I have to go through the door, no matter what lies beyond it. I run towards it, and leap over a crumbled desk. Noise be damned, whatever is here with me already knows I'm here. I slip through the door and come to another door. It’s locked.

As I look to the stairs, I see the distinctive silhouette of a snout with whiskers... I'm doomed. But then, I see it right there before me— a lever, on the inside of the first door. I pull on it. It won't budge. I put both hands on it and yank with all my might— I yank and it moves. Just then, the creature turns towards me, eyes gleaming. It lowers to all fours, and starts sprinting towards me.

The first door is closing, but slowly. Too slowly. So this is how it ends.

The creature hurls itself over the desk and lunges towards the door. At the last moment, its claws pierce through the opening. I'm too afraid to do anything but cower in the corner, praying that the door is stronger than the creature.

CLANG.

It locks into place. A deafening howl. The creature's severed hand falls to the floor. I'm saved! I lean my back against the second door and try to catch my breath. Breathe. Breathe. I'm wheezing now. I can't catch my breath. I'm so goddamn weak I can't even hide without nearly dying. I didn't even fight back when the creature was trapped.

I hear a crash and then loud footsteps on the stairwell. It must be looking for another way in.

I've got to keep moving. I don't know how many creatures heard its howl, and I don't want to stay to find out if that door is going to hold against them all. Still wheezing, I come to my feet, and feel around. Another button. I press it, and nothing. I press it again and again click click click, and finally I hear rumbling. The second door creaks open, and as it does, I hear a succession of electric zaps and see more emergency lights flickering on. The room inside is massive.

This must be some kind of...bunker. The room is flanked with lockers, covering every wall from floor to ceiling. From the passageway, I lean in to take a closer look, and I'm stunned. The jackpot. Holy shit, I've found it. This is the jackpot. Everything I could ever need to survive. Holy shit.

SCREECH.

Before I can step over the bulkhead into the room, I hear the hair-raising sound of a scream. It's coming from upstairs. The creature must have found the other person who's here. Again, I'm paralyzed with fear.

What do I do? Before me is unimaginable treasure, every scavenger's dream. Behind me is a ferocious monster, and another human at its mercy. From the sound of the scream, it's a woman. Do I leave her to die? But if I go out there, there's no guarantee that I can even save her, or myself. But I'm safe here. But if I stay here, what would I even do with all this stuff? Live a few more years, and then die... alone? What kind of life is that?

Surely I can use the resources here for something bigger than myself. Are we all just going to die out like this? Does humanity end with a whimper instead of a bang? I know there must be some good people out there. People worth fighting for. Or else what? I stay here and I leave everyone else to fend for themselves...

As I'm still standing there, deliberating, I hear another scream, this time longer and louder and closer.

I don't have time to think any more.

Fuck it.

I yank the lever again and the first door opens and I leap over the table and grab the lantern as I go and I reach the base of the stairs and I look up and see...