EMP Ranch by Robert J. Walker

Author:Robert J. Walker [Walker, Robert J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-07-12T04:00:00+00:00

22

“Stay close,” Phil said to the others as they moved cautiously through the darkness. He didn’t want to use the LED headlamps unobstructed, because while they would flood the hallways with light, that light would certainly be seen from outside. With David’s headlamp dimmed by the shirt wrapped around his head, the soft glow it emitted only enabled the group to see a couple of feet in front of them.

The others didn’t need to be told this. If they lagged too far behind, they would be swallowed up entirely by the darkness, which was so dense in here it felt like a physical presence, as if it were fog or mist. One could not see one’s hand even an inch in front of one’s eyes in this blackness.

All of them were on edge. It didn’t seem likely that anyone else could be in the school, but the fact that they were in a huge and unfamiliar building, moving through almost impenetrable darkness meant that they couldn’t help imagining danger lurking around every corner.

“The nurse’s room is likely to be on the ground level,” Phil said. “There’s gotta be some stairs around here somewhere.”

This floor seemed to be all classrooms, with the only other rooms being bathrooms. David stared forlornly at the rows of lockers as he passed them and wondered not only when he would go back to school again, but if he ever would. Considering everything they’d seen and experienced thus far, a return to normality anytime soon didn’t seem likely.

They rounded a corner, and at last came to a stairwell. They headed down the first flight of stairs and were about to go down the second when Wyatt held up his hand. “Hold on,” he said, his voice low and urgent. “Does anyone else smell that?”

“Smell what?” David asked.

“Kerosene,” Wyatt answered. “I swear I caught a whiff of it. Very faint, but it was there.” He sniffed at the air again, as did everyone else.

“I don’t know. I can’t smell anything,” Phil said after a while.

“I can’t either,” Alice said.

“Neither can I,” David added.

“It might be the edginess of this situation making you pick up phantom smells,” Phil said. “This place is spooky as hell, and your mind might be playing tricks on you.”

Wyatt shook his head. “No, Phil, I didn’t imagine that. I promise you. I smelled a hint of kerosene in the air.”

“All right, well, let’s be extra cautious then,” Phil said, doing his best to sound confident and assured. “Guns at the ready, everyone…just in case.” The truth was, he was feeling very jittery and on edge, and the creepiness of this ultra-dark labyrinth was getting to him. He didn’t want to look nervous or worried in front of the others, though. He knew they needed strong leadership, and he had to provide that to get them through this situation.

They headed down another flight of stairs, and again, Wyatt stopped them, sniffing at the air again. “Dammit,” he muttered. “Didn’t anybody else smell that? I swear I caught another whiff of it.

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