Chapter Text
I had never been outside before my journey to the shelter. I thought we were just going to drive there but nope, instead I had to be wrapped up in a bag and carried on her back. Sal said driving is too dangerous because it attracts BTs and that we had to take the long way there.
I don’t remember how long it took, we stopped to rest a few times and passed a few other porters that gave her some likes. Then the rain started. I felt it even before the first drop hit the ground. The insulated bag I was in suddenly became ice cold, and every hair on my body stood up. She cursed under her breath and hurried over to a rocky overhang that had just enough room for the both of us.
“Sorry kiddo, looks like we're going to have to wait out the rain” she handed me her canteen which I took a big sip from. The water was slightly warm but still refreshing
“How long will we be here?”
“Dunno...could be 10 minutes could be 10 hours” she began to loosen the straps on her back and lowered me onto the ground. I sat up and she unzipped me, I pulled my legs to my chest and shivered.
“Wait here”
“What? Why? Where are you going?”
she started to stand up and then froze, staring intently into the distance
“What's going on?” I whispered.
“Shh!” she put her hand to her lips and stepped back, stretching her other arm out in front of me, as if instructing me not to move.
It was then that I saw it, not more than 10 feet from where we were, a black string floated in front of us, I turned to her but she didn’t seem to notice it. I watched in horror as the black thread grew, a thick black cloud began to form at the end, getting bigger and bigger, growing arms and legs, a dark empty void of a person just floating there, the nightmare metabolizing in front of us and she didn’t even notice. Instinctively I covered my mouth to stifle a scream and to stop myself from hyperventilating I felt tears roll down my cheek, not of fear, but some kind of reaction to what I was seeing. I whimpered slightly and she turned to look at me then looked back out.
“What do you see?” she mouthed, just barely audible against the sound of the rain. I took one hand and pointed frantically at what I saw, she carefully moved closer towards me while I stared at the shadow’s back.
“You can see it can’t you?”
I nodded, still covering my mouth.
She leaned in to my face, “don't move, don't breathe, and whatever you do don't let it hear you”
We stayed there, for god knows how long. The air was wet and heavy, a thick rotting stench filled my nose. I was frozen in fear, unable to take my eyes off this thing. And then it started, the moaning, the crying, the horrible sounds coming from this creature. More shadows started forming and the groans became louder. I covered my ears but I could still hear them, like they were inside my head. I looked over to see if she could hear it, the hairs on her neck were standing up and a tear streaked down her face onto her chin. I didn’t understand at the time why I was the only one able to witness it but I remember feeling more scared for her than I did myself.
I looked back at the shadows in front of us and almost screamed, one of them was facing us, the place where its face was supposed to be an empty black abyss. It felt like it was staring right at me, my eyes wide and my body shaking, imagining it floating towards me, its arms outstretched and the moaning getting louder and louder until-
I felt a tap on my shoulder taking me out of my vision.
“Another porter with DOOMs told me they go after sound” I turned to see her with a rock in her hand looking straight ahead. I panicked and started shaking my head rapidly begging her not to do it.
“Don’t worry I won't let anything happen to you, we're in this together” she looked into my eyes, determination burning. Somehow, even though I was scared shitless I trusted her.
She took the rock and tossed it underhand into the distance. It landed about 12 paces away from where the BT was floating. We waited, holding our breath for what felt like forever, until I saw it moving. Black hand prints formed in the earth from where it was to the place where the rock landed. I looked up at her to see if she could see it, she turned to me and gave me a thumbs up. She took another rock and threw it farther out, attracting the attention of the other BTs in the area as their heavy steps shook the earth, leaving prints. She threw another one, this time even farther out leading them farther and farther from where we were. I began feeling a little more relaxed.
“Can you still see them?”
“Yeah...its working”
“Good” I felt her press a rock into my hand. “We need to go that way,” she pointed out to the right. I wiped my eyes on my sleeve and leaned forward so I could see past the rock. There were two BTs. the first a little ways away and another farther up the trail. I checked on the left to make sure we were safe on that side and saw nothing. I exhaled in relief.
“You think we can make it? I don’t think the timefall is going to let up anytime soon.”
“There are 2 up ahead that way” I pointed, “the first one about 20 meters and the other maybe 10”
“Hmmm” she pondered.
“Do you think you could get close to them? How confident are you in your ability to sense them” she stared at me with a serious look in her eye. “I can’t see them but you clearly can, and now you know that you can manipulate their position”
I gulped. I understood full well what she was implying and I didn’t like it one bit.
“I don’t have any protection from the timefall...I can’t just go out there...”
She put her hand on her chin and looked down, thinking hard.
After a few minutes she stood up and began unzipping her jumpsuit.
“Wait, what are you doing!”
“I have an Idea”
I watched as she began undoing the laces on her boots, “I can’t just go out there! Your clothes are too big! And I don’t know what to do if something happens! What if I trip, what if I accidentally get wet or-or-” I tried to come up with more excuses but she wasn’t listening, her suit was down to her ankles revealing the clothing she had on underneath.
“Put the suit on first than the boots, I'll tie them for you”
I knew I had no choice, she was already doing so much for me, taking me with her and the least I could do was get us out of this situation alive. I stepped into the legs and she pulled the rest up, holding the sleeves out for me to put my arms into. It was way too big for me, the crotch sagging almost to my knees and the arms too long. She helped me step into the boots and tied them as tight as they would go, then rolled up my sleeves before tucking the excess into the gloves. Lastly she pulled up the hood and made sure I could still see out of it. She kneeled in front of me looking satisfied with her work, I stood there awkwardly, feeling uncomfortable in the loose clothing and being too afraid to move.
She put her hands on my shoulders and looked into my eyes. “Look kiddo if there’s anyone who can do it its you, you’re the only one who can get us out of here alive”
I exhaled, and watched my breath steam up in the cold. “I know”
I took a deep breath and stepped gingerly on the rocks. My eyes were on the ground, watching, making sure every step I took was on stable ground.
“One, two. One, two. One, two” I counted in my head as I slowly advanced on the shadows up ahead, checking my steps then looking up to make sure I wasn't noticed.
“One, two. One, two.” I bent down and picked up a rock.
“One, two. One, two. One, two” I grabbed another one.
Each step I took I breathed shorter and softer. “One, two. One, two.” I felt the tears again, but this time I didn’t stop to wipe my eyes. I held the rocks tighter.
I had come close enough to see them clearly now, confirming them as the creatures haunting my dreams. I was so scared, I wanted to run, I wanted to cry and scream and get as far away from them as I could but I knew that was impossible. The only way out was through and I was the only one capable of doing it.
I raised my arm and carefully scanned my surroundings for an ideal place. The path was on a slope and it looked like the best direction was down. I focused my aim and threw.
The first rock went too far down and the BTs in front of me didn't take notice
“Damn!” I thought, biting my lip to prevent myself from saying it out loud. I looked down and saw another good sized rock by my feet. I watched them carefully as I bent down, I didn’t take my eyes off them. I carefully grasped at the ground until I felt my gloved fingers touch it. Rolling it in my hand I slowly stood back up, this time more conscious of my aim I threw it much softer. It landed on the ground next to them and started rolling down the hill. I waited, then watched as they turned towards the noise and began moving. They circled the spot where it landed before finally, they stood still. I took the rock in my other hand and threw it further down the hill, watching them get farther and farther away until I felt I could relax. I took a few steps up the path to see if there were anymore. I turned around to see her face peeking out from the rock face, unsure of my mission’s success. I lifted my hand and gave a thumbs up.
Somehow we were able to get through the rain without encountering any more BT’s. When we got out of the rain and into the sun we both started laughing hysterically, like we had just witnessed the funniest thing in the world. She doubled over and almost fell, making me laugh even harder. It was strange, just minutes ago we were scared enough to piss ourselves and I was sure we were going to die there, and yet there I was laughing with her. Tears were streaming down my face and our stomachs were aching the whole way back. Every few minutes one of us would giggle and then we were back in a laughing fit. I think some other porters saw us but ran away when she tried to say hi, making her laugh even more. By the time we got back both of us were exhausted and our throats burning, every time I bent over my stomach cramped and it made me want to laugh even more. Strangely I didn’t have any nightmares for a while after that but they started up again soon enough.