Shadow Slave: Rainy Days

Rain's heart started to race even faster, as she saw and felt the freezing water surge into the submarine boat through the broken glass. Her clothes and hair instantly started soaking, and she thought that she would die, but to her relief, the [Terranaut] Attribute did indeed allow her to breath and see clearly underwater.

The submarine alarm got louder, even though now muffled by the water, and the red lights started to flicker wildly. Thankfully, the Creature was too large to get inside through the window, but that didn't stop it from continuing its assault on the ship.

Rain's mind spun. She needed to think of a plan, very quick too at best. She turned around, seeing her teammates trying their hardest to swim towards the underwater equipment, that was attached to the wall- seems like they weren't able to breathe underwater like her.

While the males and the strong Iris succeeded, Lilly, the smallest and physically weakest of the group, didn't. And just like that, she had drowned.

Layla's expression transformed into one of even more horror, knowing, that that could've been her, if ahe didn't posses the [Terranaut] Attribute.

'Death really comes when it wants. What an unfair world.'

The others, way more affected by Lilly's death than Layla, still somehow managed to stay calm.

There was one thing Rain didn't account for though- she didn't know how to swim. She was a slum rat after all. Someone like her did not have the time or money to take swimming lessons, meaning that she now couldn't do anything.

Thankfully, Mark swam towards her and pulled her with him- not because he knew that she couldn't swim, but because he wanted to bring her to a certain place. And since Rain acted like she had no memories, Mark knew that she didn't know where the place was.

As he pulled her with him, the equipment making him faster than any normal human, the others followed. They swam towards the other side of the now pretty broken submarine ship, before going inside a room, where another boat was located. It was way smaller than the main one, barely being enough to fit them all. But for now, the escape pod was everything they had.

As they went into the boat, some weird filter making the water not flood the insides, John, the team captain, took control of it and started to run away from the beast, the boat dashing through the water.

They sat in the cramped pot, everyone of them wet and cold, their clothes clinging too them like a second skin. The air was thick and suffocating, the weight of what just happened weighting down on everyone.

For a while everyone stayed quiet, only the quiet sobs of Iris audible. Everyone was sad, everyone except Rain, who was only happy that she had survived. Lilly's death had slightly hit her, but they weren't really her emotions, but the one whose body she was inside right now.

'I wonder if this makes me a bad person. Not being affected by a death in front of you. But i was always like that. I have seen so many people die back on the streets, some even because of me.'

Rain pushed the emotions aside. This wasn't her problem- she wasn't allowed to make it her problem, not in a place like this.

Even thought it seemed like they were safe for now, a gnawing unease still settled in her cheat. Rain knew that this wasn't the last time she met that Creature. It was the enemy she needed to somehow defeat to leave the Nightmare after all.

"How long until we're safe ?", Mark asked, his voice still strong, even in a situation like this. But the slight tremble in his hands betrayed his calmness and mental wellbeing.

John didn't look back, his focus on moving through the water. "We're heading for the nearest outpost. It will take a few hours, but when we arrive we will reorganize and find a way to kill that beast."

"Kill that monster ?", Iris cried, her voice broken and hoarse from the crying. How are WE supposed to kill that thing ? IT TOOK LILLY FROM US, FOR GOD'S SAKE ! WE COULDN'T DO ANYTHING AGAINST IT, AS IT DESTROYED OUR SHIP!"

Before anyone could answer, she started to break down again.

"Why is no one of you reacting. Shouldn't you be sad, that Lilly died ?"

John, visibly hurt and frustrated, still stayed strong. He couldn't allow himself to cry as the captain.

"Iris ... we are all sad and broken because of her death ... but, we need to set our priorities straight. We'll get our revenge, okay ? For Lilly."

***

Hours passed, as the team sped through the large and seemingly never ending ocean. No one had spoken since Iris breakdown, everyone deep in their own thoughts.

But it was never intended for them to arrive peacefully. The silence was suddenly broken by a faint thumping sound. Rain thought that she had imagined it at first, but as it slowly grew louder and louder, everyone knew, that they weren't alone anymore.

Thump-Crack-Crshh

John suddenly made the pod take a sharp turn and accelerate even more.

"Guys, the bastard is back. Brace yourself, things might get ugly."

Rain pushed her way forward, wanting to look outside the glass that was in the front- she needed to know what was happening.

As she looked through the glass, seeing the Creature in the distance, Rain suddenly felt a weird sensation, like something wanted to lead her.

"JOHN, MOVE LEFT TOWARDS THE CORALS !"

Without even asking why, he complied- maybe because of his desperation, but maybe also simply because he trusted her.

As the pod made its way through the corals, they started to see what looked like to be an underwater cave in the distance.

Rain's heart pumped even faster and she couldn't contain her grin. Even though she was in a dangerous situation like this, the thrill made her feel good, maybe even euphoric.

'Was it my Guide Aspect that helped me to find this Cave ? Thank god I got that Aspect.

The pod weaved through the corals, the underwater monster struggling to follow. The beast then roared, the sheer strength crushing the Corals, but also pushing them forward slightly.

John sped up slightly, but so did the beast. It was a race. Either they would arrive quick enough into the cave and escape, or the beast would destroy their boat and kill them all with it.

Thankfully, they just barely reached it before the monster reached them, the boar now passing stones and driving upwards. It took a few minutes but the tunnel opened up into a massive chamber, a safe heaven for them to stay for a while.

Everyone caught their breath for a few seconds, knowing that they had just barely survived death.

Rain then opened the small circular opening, scaring everyone inside.

"We should get out and think of a plan. We definitely can't turn back now, we don't know if it's still waiting at the entrance or not."

She the climbed outside, stepping onto the cold, stone surface. It was pretty dark in this place, but the lights of the pod made it still possible to see.

Everyone followed, the captain at the front. They were all shaken up from this experience, especially Iris, who had been down since Lilly drowned.

John then clapped, gaining the attention of everyone.

"We should rest a while … and then explore the cave. Maybe we can find something to help us out."