Chapter 54: Sound
"Watch out!" Rhys shouted, pushing Eun-woo aside.
They both rolled to the ground just as the creature landed with a thud. The ground shook under the impact.
Eun-woo barely had time to sit up when the creature turned its head towards him, its mouth opening with a high-pitched screech that made his ears hurt.
"Run!" Rhys shouted, standing in front of Eun-woo and raising the flashlight like a weapon.
As the creature lunged at them, Rhys landed a direct blow on one of its feathery ears. The impact resonated with a sharp crack, and the creature shuddered, letting out a high-pitched squeal. It staggered, clearly stunned by the blow, which gave them only a few seconds’ head start.
Rhys rolled to the side. The creature sped past, hitting the rock wall with a crack. Stones tumbled in its wake, but it didn’t seem to affect him.
"He doesn’t have eyes!" Eun-woo shouted. "He’s tracking us by sound!"
Rhys understood instantly. He caught his breath as he looked around. The creature whipped its head around in his direction, moving on all fours like an animal.
Eun-woo threw a rock toward the opposite end of the cave. The echo caused the creature to turn violently and launch itself in that direction, its claws scraping the rock.
Rhys crawled over to Eun-woo, and they exchanged a quick glance. Eun-woo pointed firmly at the slimy mass that, in the flickering light of the flashlight, looked like a huge block of thick, dark jelly. It stretched from wall to wall.
Just to the left, one of the walls featured an irregular opening, wide enough for them to crawl through one at a time. It might not be a way out, but at least it would get them away from the creature.
Without needing words, Eun-woo drew a trajectory with his fingers: the creature, the gelatinous darkness, and the exit.