Hellspawn chapter 9

9

The women takes my hand, my body isn't listening to me, I can't stop her. She starts to lead me away from the others, I try to catch Sims' attention, but she seems oddly distant. Everyone has blank stares, everyone except Private Cheing. He seems to come to his senses and turn to the sergeant and to my horror punches her square in the jaw. It looks like this woke her up though, and she spots me instantly.

She rushes into the darkness where I am. She shoots the women and the back and she releases me. My body tingles and I can feel my limbs warm up, I know I'm in control again. I turn and see Cheing has awoken the others now.
"what the hell was that, private?" Sims shouts at Cheing.
"it's an apparation!" he shouts back at her.
"and what exactly is that?"
"it's a spirit that uses your thoughts to hurt you, I'm sure Corporal Cooper recognised that women, didn't you?"
I feel queasy, so I simply nod.
"how do we fight them?" Mathers asks from the back.
"shoot it. Let's move now, we gotta find this box." Sims says to us. 
We rush into the darkness, Walls seem to slowly grow around us like hedges. After about five minutes the Walls seem to reach the roof, we reached what looks like a semicircle. I turn on my flashlight and look around, the others follow suit.
"look, there!" Dane says in a whisper, I follow his trail of light to see what he found. At the end of the light I see what looks to be a stalactite, but on closer inspection I can see that it's moving towards the ground.
"oh no! We need to leave now!" Private Cheing shouts out, I turn to him and see all colour has left his face.
"we can't leave until we destroy the box." Maeves says to him.
"you don't get it, we're in the box!"
The ground gives a devastating shake and I fall to the ground. When I get up again a dark red glow has came from the ceiling, illuminating my surroundings. The Walls seem to be made of stone, yet they give off an eerie glow.
 "it's time to die, humans. Thank you for unleashing me from my chains." a voice says from all around me.
Before anyone gets to their feet hundreds of small creatures rise from the ground. They're about the size of an infant, but have no other resemblances. They stand on two scaly feet and have round, scarred bodies. They're teeth look like a sabre tooth's, and when one opens it's mouth a horned tongue shoots and tastes the air. It has small little horns where it's ears should be. The creatures bare their teeth at the group of us and we stand cautiously.
"which ways the exit?" I hear Dane whisper to Sterling.
When I look around I notice that my surroundings have changed. There is now six identical paths that form to where we are, a now perfect circle.
"Listen up everyone, we're going down the path in front of me." Sims whispers.
"when?" Thompson says to her.
"Now!" Sims raises her gun and shoots at a group of the creatures blocking her path. I raise my shotgun and hit a few that try to leap at her. The ten of us run down the path, some of us shooting at the crowd running towards us, others shooting shots over their shoulders at the ever-growing horde behind us.
"someone chuck a grenade!" Maeves shouts while she reloads her gun. In response I see Cheing toss a grenade over his shoulder, and a moment later hear it explode. 
Suddenly the path splits into two halls, Sims turns left and we follow suit. 
"how do we get out of here, private?" Sims shouts at Cheing.
"well, pandora would be able to change the box as he pleases, this is his realm. But I doubt he can change it now he's gone." he replies through heavy breaths.
"but how the f**k do we get out?" Thompson shouts from the rear.
"keep running!" he shouts back.
We continue to run until we're led back to the centre. The creatures numbers have dropped slightly, but I'm now out of ammo for my shotgun and I can see others tossing a gun away.
"f**k! This isn't working!" Thompson screams.
"shut up! Which way Sims?" I say, but Sims seems distant. I walk up to her and notice she's crying silently.
"Sims! What way?" I ask again.
"I don't know. I give up!" she screams at me. I turn to the others and see their faces fall as they watch their leader give up. I know I can't let them die here. I look and see the creatures are almost upon us, even with Dane shooting down the hallway.
"listen to me Sims! We're not going to die here, we can all get out. Now get up!" 
She wipes her face and looks back to me for answers.
"let's go! This way!" and I head off in the opposite direction of where we came. The others follow and when I reach another split in the path I take a right, I can see a large demon charging from the left and I want to stay far away from it. Dead ahead I can see where the Walls start to shorten, I can see a small light ahead.
I hear a thunderous crash and a scream. I whip around to see a wall shattered and demon has came out of it. We quickly turn our fire onto it and take it down, but a moan escapes Vegrent's lips and I see him on the floor with Price, it looks like a large piece of stone hit Price in the temple for he's not moving.
"ugh! It stepped on my leg." Vegrent moans, I can see where the bone has snapped and sticks out irregularly. Sterling quickly grabs the back of his vest and starts to drag him.
"you got him Sterling?" Maeves asks him.
"ye, but I can' shoot now. Take me gun!" he says as he rips his gun off his strap with one arm, he tosses it to Maeves, who tosses her empty one. 
Within a few metres it's evident that we're moving to slowly with Vegrent though, and he's screaming in pain.
"stop! Stop! You guys gotta run. They're gaining on us. Pass me any grenades you got left and I'll blow the fuckers sky high." he says weakly.
"no way! We can't leave you!" I start to say, but Thompson is already handing him two grenades and has pushed past me.
"there's no time. You have too" he's tossed another grenade by Maeves and the others push past me, only Cheing stays behind.
"I'm sorry." is all I can manage, I grasp his shoulder and squeeze it.
"go! Now!"
We turn and run. I don't look back, but I hear the detonation. We make it to the staircase and we stop to catch our breath. A small crack catches my attention and I jump. The others turn to me and stare, they heard it too. It goes off again, only louder this time.
"hello? Hello? Is anyone out there? Lieutenant, respond."
I look down at the radio attached to my vest that I completely forgot about. It seems to be working now.
"anyone? Respond! We're here to pick you up."