Chapter 40: Dark Passage
The group slowly filed out of the gym. Morgan had arranged them all in rows of three.
Brandon, Morgan himself, and Grimm took point, in a manner reminiscent of their first scouting mission.
Miles was in the second row, alongside Chloe and Ryan. The rest formed the vulnerable flank of the group, with only Mia having any real capability of protecting herself there. Even then, Miles wasn’t exactly sure how her skill worked.
They were all armed with whatever they could get their hands on, mostly mop sticks and pipes from the storeroom. The bats were all concentrated up front.
An increasingly familiar cold wind greeted him as he stepped into the narrow corridor, beginning his mental step count. Its roar drowned out any attempt at communicating using whispers.
’At least there’s a windbreaker this time.’
He kept his gaze focused on Morgan’s back, following in step, slowly approaching the end of the narrow corridor.
’Eleven... twelve.’
The first row reached their twelfth step, pausing on it. Morgan glanced at the two beside him before raising three fingers for a countdown.
Three... two... one.
They jumped out of the corridor as a group, landing on the large snow pile below the shattered window.
Morgan turned, nodding at the second row before stepping off into the corridor on the left. Brandon and Grimm followed behind.
Soon enough, it reached the second row’s turn. Miles paused at the edge of the corridor, turning to find Ryan staring at him, hand raised in count.
He said nothing in response, letting the boy begin his count.
Three... two... one.
He jumped, Ryan and Chloe moving in unison with him, before landing in the pile of snow. Ryan gave a nod to the third row, where Mia was, before walking down the same corridor as Morgan.
Miles followed, with Chloe trailing behind. Behind them, the third row got ready for their own jump.
This was the manner of movement they’d settled on for safely getting to the cafeteria. It might’ve looked a bit silly, but it was the only thing protecting them from potentially fatal slumber.
The first row waited a few steps from the turn, a new corridor spreading before them.
Grey lockers lined its walls, barely illuminated by a dull emergency light hanging off the center of its ceiling. Dim was far too generous a term for the light. It mostly served to make the shadows cast by the hallway that much darker.
Miles felt his breath hitch at the sight of indistinct figures lurking in that darkness. Tightening his grip on the bat in his hands, the chill of its metal against his skin brought some reassurance.
Slowly, the last rows made it into the new corridor. Just in time too, as the figures slowly began moving. Guttural, inhuman groans sounded out from their positions.
Morgan raised his free hand slowly, then clicked his fingers.
Immediately, the hall flooded with light, illuminating the three ghouls already moving towards them.
Miles could feel the glare of the flashlights behind him through his peripheral vision. Everyone in the back rows had been given lights. If they couldn’t fight, they could at least help with that.
Bathed in the new light covering the hallway, the ghouls picked up speed, as though it was only now they properly saw their prey.
Morgan raised an open palm, stopping Brandon or Grimm from taking any actions. There were no complaints there; the memory of what happened in the illusion remained fresh in their minds.
He took a few steps in front of the group, bat at the ready, as he let the first ghoul approach. Then he swung the moment it got close.
A crack sounded as his bat met the side of its face, crumpling bone and tissue inward as it crashed into a locker to the side.
The next two followed closely, less than two steps from each other.
The man kept his calm. He had to, letting both run up to him.
Sidestepping the first one, he slammed his boot into the side of its knees as it passed by. Then he swung his bat into the ribs of the ghoul right behind it.
The first ghoul went tumbling past the first row and into the second. Morgan ignored it entirely, focusing on dealing with the second.
Before the monster could reorient on its twisted leg, Miles was already upon it. He smashed his bat into the back of its head, sending it down completely.
The feel of metal against bone sent vibrations running up his arms, yet he still swung twice for good measure, only stopping once its skull caved in.
[Soma-class Larva slain: Ghoul]
[You have gained 10 points. Approach the nearest pylon to use them.]
A notification popped up then, one he easily dismissed with a thought.
Morgan was just about done on his side. He shot Miles a worried glance but said nothing and fell back into his spot.
It was the arrangement they’d all settled on.
The front row taking the brunt of the assault, and the second dealing with anything that slipped through. For now, though, only Morgan could act.
After all, Grimm and Brandon’s abilities were far too disruptive to use when they weren’t desperate. Too much attention would be drawn by the noise.
The ideal situation would be making it through without needing the two to act. Not that Miles imagined either of them would be happy about that, but if it kept them safe, there wasn’t much they could complain about.
With the ghouls dealt with, the first row soon began moving again through the now illuminated hallway. The second row naturally followed, stepping over the ghoul corpses as they passed them by.
Soon enough, the first row reached their twelfth step and had to hop again. Morgan performed his hop earlier, since he had moved when dealing with the ghouls earlier.
Luckily, Miles hadn’t moved from his position at all, so he could still jump with his row.
’What’s most important is keeping track of your own steps.’
They drew near the end of the corridor, and towards what Miles feared would be the most dangerous stretch of the journey.
The main hall.