Chapter 1220: Story 1220: When Water Rose
INT. STORM DRAINS – NIGHT
Lena jolted awake. The whispers were gone. Only the slow drip of water and the low, rasping breath of the wounded Briggs remained. Ward stood at the tunnel mouth, checking the map he’d scrawled on a piece of duct-taped cloth.
WARD (gruff):
“The east junction’s close. If we make it there, we climb out.”
LENA:
“Unless the water rises before then.”
A distant rumble echoed. The pipes trembled.
THE GIRL (panicked):
“What was that?”
Lena crouched near the tunnel floor. A faint trickle touched her boot. She held her breath.
LENA:
“Rain upstream.”
EXT. CITY EDGE – ABOVE GROUND – NIGHT
A massive storm dumped sheets of rain into broken gutters, gushing toward the old flood tunnels. A rusted floodgate groaned—and burst open. Water roared into the drainage system.
INT. STORM DRAINS – MINUTES LATER
Water surged past their ankles.
WARD (shouting):
“Move! Now!”
Lena hoisted Briggs while the Girl lit their way with a cracked phone. The walls shook. Debris floated past—syringes, bones, children’s shoes.
THE GIRL:
“It’s getting faster!”
They rounded a corner—dead end. A rusted maintenance ladder disappeared into a manhole above.
WARD:
“I’ll boost her!”
He lifted the Girl up. She climbed fast, reached the cover—and slamd it. Locked.
THE GIRL:
“It’s bolted! From the top!”
Lena banged on the wall. The water reached her knees. Briggs moaned in delirium.
Then, a voice called down.
VOICE (muffled, above):
“Who’s down there?”
LENA (yelling):
“Survivors! Four of us!”
VOICE:
“City’s sealed. No one goes up. Not without clearance.”
WARD (furious):
“Open the damn hatch!”
No response.
THE GIRL:
“They left us.”
The water rose to their waists. Panic clutched Lena’s throat.
Then she saw it—a maintenance pipe barely wider than a person, half-subrged.
LENA:
“There. We go through that. It’s tight—but it leads up.”
WARD:
“We won’t all fit.”
Briggs convulsed. Water foad near his mouth.
LENA (to the Girl):
“You first. Take this flare—wait for light. Then pull Briggs.”
THE GIRL:
“I won’t leave you.”
LENA:
“You’re not. You’re clearing the way.”
With shaking hands, the Girl slid into the pipe. Seconds later—a red glow blood on the other side.
Ward lifted Briggs into the tunnel. He barely fit. The water rose to Lena’s chest.
WARD:
“You go.”
LENA:
“No. I’m not leaving without you.”
He smirked grimly.
WARD:
“Then let’s drown together.”
They pushed into the pipe just as the tunnel behind them filled—a rushing roar of floodwater.
EXT. ABANDONED MAINTENANCE SHED – NIGHT
A rusted grate burst open. The Girl tumbled out first, then Briggs, coughing. Monts later, Lena crawled out, soaked and shivering.
WARD followed—barely conscious—water vomiting from his lungs.
The four lay on the floor, soaked, gasping.
THE GIRL (softly):
“Why won’t the world stop trying to kill us?”
Lena stared at the storm.
LENA:
“Because it’s already dead.”
User Comments
0 comments from readers