Around The Bend

Around The Bend

By Ashley Michael Day

I

Jimmy McManus was hiding in plain sight. He smirked at how cunning his disguise was. After all, who really notices the man dressed in a High-Vis waistcoat? Everyone sees the luminous greens and yellows, but never the person wearing them. It was the perfect diversion. Like the criminal who disguises himself in a false beard; glasses; scar; or tattoo. Everyone remembers those tell tale details. But they never recall precisely how tall the perpetrator was. It was also doubly fiendish, because no one would ever question a man dressed in High-Vis, entering a sewer…

The smell was repulsive as he climbed down the manhole. His steel cap boots slipping on the steel runs. But he had a firm grip on the sides through the thick, tan, leather work gloves. He had prepared for his descent into the sewer. He was covered from head to toe in multiple layers. Not wanting any of the filth to touch his bare skin. The only part of him exposed to the infectious environment was his face. Keeping in line with Covid guidelines - he had a face covering. But even with the mask and the dabs of menthol vick beneath each nostril, the smell of human feces made him gag.

The pungent aroma is indescribable!

As he reached the bottom of the ladder. He splashed, ankle deep, into a stream of sewer water.

Jimmy reached up to his plastic hard hat and flicked on the mounted torch. The pitch black tunnel was suddenly filled with light. A circular spot illuminated anything Jimmy glanced at. The tunnel was cylinder in shape, constructed from rust coloured bricks. Pipes of various sizes jutted out of these curved walls, spewing out oil coloured waste, that made him want to retch. These gushing fountains of filth sloshed into the trough of water he was standing in. Jimmy had no choice but to wade through this stream of excrement. As he made his way to the bank.

It's a dirty job, but someone's gotta do it, he thought.

Energy bills are getting higher. Rent was going up. Council Tax. The cost of living. Inflation...

Life was so unbearable at the moment.

Jimmy wished he'd caught Covid and died in the first wave. Not that you can afford to die nowadays, what with adverts reminding you how expensive funerals were. Even the price for that simple cremation was going up! Probably due to gas prices…

Nope. Got no choice. Got to get money somehow?

And if the rich and the powerful and their banks weren't willing to share. It's only fair that he, "robbed from the rich and gave to the poor,"...i.e….himself.

And maybe take a little extra on top, too?

Anyway, banks were insured. And insurance was the biggest bunch of thieves going. Why shouldn't they foot the bill for once?

Yes. A bank heist was his best solution.

Well…not a bank heist…

He wasn't going to rob a bank in broad daylight! He was a pacifist at heart and on the wrong side of fifty. He had no plans to go into a bank wearing a stocking over his head and waving a gun.

He was no Dillinger…

Where would I get a gun from? No. The whole idea of him bursting in shouting:

"Give me all your money!" was a ludicrous idea.

Tunneling into a bank?...To Jimmy, that was much more credible.

No one tunnels into banks anymore! Why the hell not?! Sure it is time consuming, but it must be a lot safer?

He'd borrowed some tools from his mate Darryl, explaining he had some DIY work to do about the house. He carried a backpack filled with them; a mallet, chisels, an electric drill, a canister of Liquid Nitrogen, and a saw.

The backpack was heavy and was causing havoc with his Sciatica. His doctor, (last time he got to see one) had warned him to avoid heavy lifting. But when you're in your Fifties and you've lost your job and can't cover your outgoings - you have to ignore medical advice…

He trudged through the reeking tunnels, feeling his feet grow cold from the icy water. His splashing footsteps echoing all around him. His head darted mechanically like a crow, aiming the bright spotlight in each direction.

You forget how, deep down, we're all afraid of the dark.

This dark eclipsing tunnel was not the night sky; filled with starlight and the reflective glow of the moon. Down in this mired labyrinth, the only comforting source of light was coming from a battery operated torch.

Jimmy tried to imagine the route above and compared it to the path he was taking underground. Like most sewers in major cities, they mirrored the streets above. Cities like Paris and Budapest, conduct guided tours and boat rides through these dank drains.

A tourist attraction of the city not many get to experience…

The underworld always has a macabre appeal.

Luckily they didn't advertise the same service here. Jimmy needed privacy to conduct his work…

He made his way along the maze of tunnels. Knowing he was drawing closer to his target. He wished he'd been able to bring his smartphone. He could've used the GPS on Google maps to follow his planned route. But he thought it wiser to leave his phone at home. He knew the police could monitor your whereabouts through your phone's GPS. They ping off the nearest mobile phone tower indicating your precise whereabouts at any time or place. If they suspected him of pulling off this caper, all they would need to do is to check the location of his phone to prove it. This made Jimmy smirk again at how devious he was. Deliberately leaving his phone on, at home, so he could use it as an alibi. He was also recording some shows on TV so he could tell the police what he'd been watching the night of the robbery.

He was no fool.

He could have made a watertight alibi and recruited someone into his scheme. But the chances were that they would screw up a detail and rat him out to save their own arse!

Not worth the risk.

Also, the police get suspicious of perfect alibis. You tell them you were at home watching the telly like a million others, it's difficult to prove otherwise.

Less suspicious.

He didn't like being without a GPS. Stuck in these sewers. Underground. Jimmy was frightened that he might lose his way…

Reverting back to his childhood, he used a simple method to prevent getting lost in the sewers. He recalled the story of Hansel and Gretel. But instead of bread crumbs, Jimmy had tied a ball of string to the ladder. As the ball unraveled in his hand. He was paving the path of his escape route.

He had to navigate through the festering sewer tunnels; going around one bend, and then another, and another.

It would be very easy to lose one's way down here…

Memorizing the map layout, it took him ten minutes to walk to his destination. He could imagine the familiar bank branch above him.

It was the middle of the night.

Nobody would be around to hear his labor.

Jimmy inspected the perimeter trying to imagine where the vault would be. Sadly, he had been unable to find out where the vault was. He could only guess from the few times he had cased the joint. Watching the bank tellers heading out back into the secured rooms. Jimmy figured the vault and safe would be in the back. All important things were kept out in the back.

It was obvious, wasn't it?

Circling the perimeter, Jimmy felt the damp brick walls for any signs of reinforcement. Any additional concrete that might have been added to defend the vault. But there were no signs of renovations. The sewer tunnels were identical. No tell tale signs of where the vault could be. It would be a case of trial and error.

He let the ball of string drop into the water. The ball floated with soggy scraps of pink toilet paper and grime. He then tied the string around an overflow pipe so it wouldn't drift away.

Jimmy removed his heavy backpack and set it down at his feet with a splash. He unzipped the bag and took out the mallet and chisel. Taking a step back, he struck the tunnel wall with the mallet. He hoped that the wall would magically crumble down, exposing the hidden bank vault. But no such luck. The wall was unmoved.

This was going to take some time…

II

The loud clang of the mallet hitting off the chisel echoed through the warren of tunnels. The chime of metal upon metal seemed deafening in such an enclosed environment. Jimmy was worried that someone strolling above might hear the percussion. But after the first hour he hadn't been discovered, so he presumed he was too far underground to be heard. Confident that he was safe to proceed, he attacked the brick work with a new found vigor. Soon he had a pile of crumbling bricks around his feet. As he chipped away at the cement and brick work, a yawning mouth of a tunnel was beginning to take form.

As he excavated the tunnel, Jimmy began to fantasize that he was in one of those old, World War Two movies he liked. Stalag 17. The Great Escape. The Wooden Horse. All those classics where the Prisoners of war through cunning and daring, burrowed out of prison camps under the Nazis noses. Except his Nazis were the greedy millionaire's, billionaire's, and now trillionaire's! The ultra rich who were unwilling to share!

People starving. Food banks running out of food. Old people freezing to death. But they're able to offer ten minute trips into space for the Super rich.

There's no justice.

If Jimmy was a rich man, (and hopefully tonight he'd be a very rich man) he'd do good with his fortune. He wasn't greedy. He'd share the wealth. Donations to charity. Helping out friends and family with some reasonable financial help. He wouldn't need a mansion, just a nice place with five or six bedrooms? A sports car or two? A few trips to the West Indies.

Not too much to ask?

As his thoughts drifted to drinking Cuba Libra's in a hammock on the sun drenched coast of the Bahamas. Jimmy heard a faint squeak between the loud bangs on the chisel. He stopped and looked over his shoulder. The bright spotlight danced across the curved ceiling of the sewer tunnel. The circle of light zigzagged as he searched for the source of the squeaks. He listened intently for the whereabouts of that high pitch squeak. Jimmy glanced a few feet along the tunnel and saw a rat. The rodent was sitting on its hind legs watching him. It was a dirty, filthy, sewer rat. It had scruffy fur that looked wet and greasy. The rodent had wiry, jutting, whiskers sprouting off its long snout. The rats nose twitched as it rubbed at its face with its tiny, fleshy hands. Its two ink dot eyes never left Jimmy. It seemed inquisitive. Studying this unfamiliar stranger who was causing such a loud noise in its home.

Jimmy hated rats.

It was the only part of the scheme that made him pause. They repulsed him. More than that…They scared the life out of him.

He had come across vermin before and they always had the same effect on him. No matter how big he was. No matter how much weight he bench pressed. Whenever he saw a rodent, it made his scalp tingle and cause him to involuntarily stand on his tip toes. They freaked him out. He could fight a group of four or five burly blokes and wouldn't think twice. But one mouse and he wanted to run away.

Never taking his eyes off the small mammal, Jimmy crouched down and picked up one of the broken bricks. The rat continued to watch him. The rodent was indifferent to this brightly coloured human. Jimmy took a few breaths to steady his nerves. He lifted up the brick slowly, taking aim. The rat showed no sign of concern as it gazed at him. Suddenly, Jimmy launched the jagged brick at his target. It was a perfect shot. The rat was entranced by the bright light of the torch. Like a deer in the headlamps. It didn't even see the missile until it was too late. Jimmy was able to see in great detail the resulting destruction of the rodent. All that was left of the defenseless creature was a bloody smear on the far side of the tunnel wall.

'Nice shot.'

The squeaking was silenced.

Returning to his work. Jimmy continued to hammer at the bedrock. The tunnel mouth was growing deeper into the wall. Solid chunks of rock and soil tumbled out into the sewer with each strike he made. The gaping throat was growing. It didn't need to be a large hole. Just a gap large enough for him to wiggle through.

He could imagine it now. The vault. A room of old white tiles with solid barred doors and walls. Picturing a heavy piece of plaster coming away from the wall…

Then another.

And another.

As more dust and brickwork crumbled into the vault. A hole emerges.

This hole grows wider and wider with every tap of the chisel. Soon it is a gap in the wall that is large enough for a man to squeeze through. He day dreamed about slither into the strong room.

And once he was in, he'd be like a kid in a candy store.

Piles of cash, maybe?

Maybe they had safety deposit boxes? He would drill through the key locks until they surrendered their goods. Lots of precious items were kept in safety deposit boxes. Cash. Deeds. Secrets. Diamonds. Jewelry. Hell, he might even attempt to crack the safe itself.

He'd watched movies where the safe cracker carefully listens to the gears as he gently twists the dial. Waiting to hear the subtle click of the lock dial falling into place. Or, if his patience got the better of him, he could simply drill through the keyhole. Or even pour some Liquid Nitrogen into the lock. Freeze the metal inside the lock causing it to expand, forcing the gears inside the lock to rupture?

Who knows? He shrugged, I've never cracked a safe before. Got to start somewhere?

Distracted by his thought's of wealth and success, Jimmy hadn't noticed a series of large cracks splintering along the tunnel wall. The cracks were spreading out like the veins of a spider's web. The first sign of danger he detected was when a few grains of dried cement crumbled down on him like dehydrated rain. Then an eerie groan from the tunnel as the earth began to shift. With no supports in place to hold the weight of the excavated roof…

It caved in!

Jimmy managed to utter a quick curse before turning away from the collapsing tunnel. He leapt out from the yawning mouth that was readying to swallow him up. Managing to clear most of the debris that was readying to bury him alive. He dived face first into the icy stream. As the sewer was filled with a cloud of dust…

III

When he came to, Jimmy found himself lying in sewer water. The taste of diluted sewage and fecal matter was in his mouth! He sputtered out black sludgy manure that streamed down his nostrils and mouth, causing his eyes to water. The revolting thought, taste, and smell induced him to vomit. Emptying his stomach directly into the drain he was floating in. The additional smell of bile added to the repulsive environment. He attempted to rid himself of the rancid taste in his mouth by spitting till his throat was dry.

He tried to move his legs…

Nothing.

They wouldn't move.

Endeavoring to push himself up off the sewer floor, he discovered he was trapped. He was lying on his front with his legs and torso buried beneath a landslide of earth and brick.

He was pinned down. Unable to twist round. Preventing any attempt to excavate his body from the debris. He tried to reach back with one free hand in a futile attempt to brush off some of the weight.

But it was no good.

A series of profanities echoed down the sewer tunnels.

Once Jimmy was finished vocalizing his frustration, he feverishly tried to think of a way out. His arms were free but he had to lean on one elbow to keep his head above water. The jagged pile of bricks beneath him were digging into his rib cage. His hard hat had tumbled off his head, but it was still shining a beam of light across the sewer.

Jimmy could see everything.

Some areas were dimmer than others, but at least he'd been spared the fear of being trapped in the dark.

Well, for the time being…

The backpack containing his tools had spilled amongst the rest of the rubble. The mallet and chisels were scattered in the filthy trough. The contaminated water would soon have them rusty. Even if he was able to gather them up, they'd be of no use in his current predicament.

'Think, dammit, think!'

But no solution came to mind. He couldn't stay there. He had no food and only a half litre bottle of Evian water tucked in his backpack. The bag was just out of reach. He could see the Evian bottle. He had stowed it away from the bottle of Liquid Nitrogen in case the proximity would freeze the other. Not that the bottle of Liquid Nitrogen was cold. Jimmy had been lucky that the bottle hadn't leaked after the tunnel collapsed. The last thing he needed was a spill of Liquid Nitrogen!

It's funny how quickly your priorities can change…

Before, Jimmy couldn't sleep worrying about his finances. Not knowing how he was going to pay his bills or feed himself. Now, those concerns meant nothing to him. He had bigger concerns than the bailiffs. Bigger than going to prison! He was facing death! It was now a matter of what killed him first; disease or starvation?

'Help! Help!'

But no one could hear him underground.

'Help!'

Jimmy listened as his plea echoed through the sewer tunnels until it faded away into silence. He thought back on those old World War Two films that had led him to this catastrophe. Where his only hope now was discovery and certain imprisonment.

How would Dickie Attenborough get out of this? he wondered.

He needed to signal for help. He had no phone. No one could hear his cries. How else could he signal an SOS to the outside- -?

The thought came to Jimmy in a flash.

He fished into the freezing cold water for the mallet. His soggy gloves had chilled his hands. His shivering fingers felt for the familiar shape. As he searched blindly, he heard a recognizable squeak.

Lifting his head, he looked over the surface water, to the islands of bricks and rubble. On one of them he saw a sewer rat. The rodent was watching him from the same vantage point as his previous visitor. The rodent seemed indifferent to the burst creature, literally, only a stone's throw away. It ignored the pulp of blood and fur. Instead it stared at Jimmy McManus. But not like his predecessor, this rat wasn't staring at him with the same sense of idol curiosity. This rat was staring at him with a vacant expression. Its unblinking eyes never strayed from him.

Jimmy grasped the handle of the mallet and turned away from his inquisitive spectator. Twisting beneath the pile of rubble, Jimmy lifted the hammer and started to strike on a large industrial iron pipe. It was gnarled and blistered from years of rust. It was a solid tube of metal. It would bear the brunt. He hit the pipe with a deliberate rhythm.

Bang-Bang-Bang

Bong - Bong - Bong

Bang-Bang-Bang

He remembered the Morse code for SOS. He'd picked it up years ago as a child.

Was it in the Scouts? Or was it another one of those war films?

Three quick bangs, followed by three slow bongs, then another three quick bangs.

SOS.

The tunnel echoed with the loud percussion, over the constant sounds of dripping water. Jimmy kept sending his message. Pausing long enough for it to be clear. Waiting for the last metalic chime to die away, before starting again.

Bang-Bang-Bang

Bong - Bong - Bong

Bang-Bang-Bang

SOS.

Bang-Bang-Bang

Bong - Bong - Bong

Bang-Bang-Bang

SOS.

Squeak, squeak.

The squeaking from the rat sounded different. Almost like it was over lapping its--?

Jimmy turned away from the pipe. As he looked over his shoulder, pivoting on his supporting arm, he discovered that the rat was not alone…Another two rodents had joined it. The three of them were watching him with an unnerving fascination…

IV

Jimmy had no idea how long he'd been trapped down in that sewer? His watch had smashed when he'd dived for safety.

Buried underground beneath a pile of earth and crumbled bricks. No clocks. No windows. No sounds from the outside world. The only way to count the passing seconds was the incessant drips that rained down from above, seeping off the roof of the sewer.

Drip-Drop, Drip-Drop.

There was simply no way of knowing? Hours were non-existent underground. It could've been one day, or maybe two? Jimmy had lost track.

Drip-Drop, Drip-Drop.

Was it night again?

Drip-Drop.

He had no way of knowing…

Bang-Bang-Bang

Bong - Bong - Bong

Bang-Bang-Bang

Bang-Bang-Bang

Bong - Bong - Bong

Bang-Bang-Bang

He'd lost count of how many times he'd hammered out his distress call…

Drip-Drop.

Only stopping from weariness. He had grown light headed from hunger. His stomach kept growling with complaint. His dry throat was scratchy due to thirst. It felt like he'd swallowed shattered glass. At first he had decided to ration the little water he had. He didn't know how long it would take for help to come. Hoping that he had been reported missing. Jimmy had decided to wait a few hours. Then, using his mallet, he would reach out to the backpack and try to drag it towards him.

But that was before the rats had arrived…

It seemed every time Jimmy turned his back to hammer his distress call, more and more vermin gathered behind him. He had hated it when there had only been three of the disease spreading rodents behind him. But that was a long time ago.

Jimmy swallowed back the creeping pang of panic that was tying knots in his stomach. Desperate to get help, he would twist back under the mountain of rubble and hammer out his message. But whenever there was a lull in his banging, the squeaking would increase. His brow would break out in beads of sweat. His scalp tingling. Frightened to turn around and confirm what he already knew…that more rats had gathered to watch him.

He tried to ignore their presence. Until one of them scampered over his left hand. Instinctively he flinched, only to fall and splash back into the freezing drain water. He landed on the rodent, causing it to shriek in surprise as it fled. Jimmy also screamed in shock, as he tried to wipe the sensation off his hand on his top. Looking up from the filmy water, he saw them. Hundreds of them! Out of sheer terror and repulsion, Jimmy swung his mallet down, splashing the filthy water. Those close to him scurried away from the threatening blows. They squeaked and squealed as they dodged the steel mallet. They were quick. They raced away. Right out of reach.

'Away! Keep away, you dirty-!'

Trembling, he saw them gathered together, watching him like an audience. They were spread out in the sewer tunnel sitting on the islands of debris. Observing him with those black pearl eyes of theirs. Their noses twitching. Some had nestled on top of his backpack. They were all different colours. Brown. Grey. Black. No matter what colour, they all stared at him. It was as if they understood him. He had screamed at them. Swung at them. Slung stones at them. There were some casualties. But none fled.

They would dart away from the missiles and then return to their places. Sitting and watching him. They looked as if they were waiting. But the question was:

Waiting for what?

V

'"There's a place up ahead and I'm goin' - Just as fast as my feet can fly. Come away, come away, if you're goin' - Leave the sinkin' ship behind."'

Jimmy was exhausted. And after what felt like days of hammering for help, he had switched to rock and roll classics. Banging a tune on the pipe to the, " Do-do-doo-do, " chorus.

He thought, I may as well entertain the crowd.

He looked out at the swarm of vermin that encircled him. They watched him with eyes that displayed no emotions. Nothing but idol curiosity. Where once there were hundreds, the crowd had increased to over a thousand. The sewer heaved with the filthy, scurrying rodents. All of them were waiting for him to drop his guard.

Jimmy hadn't slept. Each time he tried to drift off, they would take their chance.

The first time, he felt one bite into his cheek. Jimmy had shrieked, more from panic than agony, as he violently shook his head from side to side trying to throw off the vicious creature. The rat had locked on, taking a chunk out of the side of his face when it eventually flew off! The others scattered after he had swiped at them with the mallet. He had bludgeoned many like some ghastly game of Whack-a-mole. It had been messy work. The corpses were piling up before him. Their crushed, splattered bodies had given the drain water a pink hue. He could see it in the faint torch light.

The batteries were running low, he assumed. What am I going to do when they run out?

The rats were growing bolder. Whenever he felt his eyes growing heavy, causing him to squint, a rodent would make its move. Nipping him at every opportunity. They would race forward, sink in their long, yellow incisors, and then retreat before the hammer fell. Some were quicker than others. The blow of the mallet would result in a grizzly shriek that would make Jimmy wince. Fresh blood would spatter across his face. Sometimes it would take two, or even three strikes to finish it off. Silencing its death throes.

He didn't know how long he could keep it up? Jimmy was weak and weary. He was struggling to stop his eyes from drooping. As soon as he felt like he was falling asleep, he would start, jolting himself awake. This would catch some of the more eager rats off guard. They would rush in haste to take a bite, only to have every bone shattered by the heavy weapon.

'"Come on the risin' wind - We're goin' up around the bend."'

He bit into the limp body of one of the crushed rodents. The raw, bloody flesh squelched between his teeth. He minced the stringy meat in his mouth, struggling to swallow his food.

It's just like tartare, he kept telling himself, it's just tartare.

Corse rodent hairs caused him to gag. Jimmy spat out the stray hairs. He took another bite of the cold, coppery flesh. He chewed on his stomach turning meal, glaring at the gathered rats, who watched him intently.

'"Do-do-doo-do ah. Do-do-doo-do ah.'"

VI

You are what you eat, Jimmy thought.

Rats and mice urinate everywhere they go. When they move, they pee. They can't help it. It's partly why they spread filth and disease. They have to be able to squeeze through narrow gaps.

Can't do that with a full bladder.

Jimmy, stuck beneath a mound of dirt, had grown used to soiling himself where he lay. The warm sensation of urine was a welcomed change from laying in the freezing drain water.

The pain in his throat was agonizing. He'd dare not reach for his backpack, despite the knowledge of the bottle of spring water. Jimmy had attempted to claim his bag back from the rats wriggling over and inside it. Each time he had tried to claw it with the mallet and tug it towards him, the rodents would crawl along the mallet and gnaw on his hands. Some wounds on his knuckles were almost down to the bone! Jimmy's arm would be attacked by the gathered vermin, covering it like a sleeve. He would recoil in horror and vehemently shake the rats off. Then hammer down upon those attempting to swim away. The tunnel echoing with their high pitch squeaks.

He had exterminated over thirty rats now. Their bloody pelts were piling up before him. The other thousand kept a safe distance.

Waiting.

You see, they know all they have to do is wait.

'Isn't that right, boys?! Huh? You know it's all a matter of time. All I have to do is fall asleep and your food is ready, yeah?! That's what you've been waiting for. Sitting. And waiting. All these hours. All these days. There I was thinking I was banging away trying to summon help, when all I was doing was ringing the dinner bell…'

He glared accusingly at the leering crowd. But the rodents didn't answer. They just continued to watch him with those black, doll eyes.

'Is that what you want to hear?'

Jimmy twisted round and banged on the rusty pipe.

'S-O-S, yeah?! Let's invite more of your disease ridden mates, huh? But you think you've got the upper hand. Well you haven't. Fact is, I want more of you to come. That's right! You think you're gonna eat me, nah, you're not gonna eat me. I'm going to eat you. You lot are going to keep me alive! I'm going to eat you and drink your blood. I'm not going out like this. You hear me? I'm going to eat you all. Just you see!'

The tunnel was filled with a thunder of hysterical laughter. The sound echoed through the warren of sewer tunnels. The laughter eventually died away as tears rolled down Jimmy's cheeks.

I don't wanna die, he thought, not like this. Not down here.

He twisted round to face the front. The gathered vermin were no longer staring at him. They collectively were crouched on their hind legs looking down the sewer. They seemed agitated. Their whiskers flickering wildly. Suddenly, the rats immediately retreated up the opposite end of the sewer. They raced along the drain water. It sounded like a tropical monsoon. Their cries, as they left, filled Jimmy with fright. His heart was pounding in his chest.

Why would they flee?

The stampede stirred the murky drain water as they fled from sight. Jimmy could hear their squeaking cries fade away as the ripples in the water settled.

Jimmy tilted his head in an attempt to see what they had seen.

But he couldn't see anything...

The torch light on his fallen helmet was growing weaker. The tunnel was lit with a dim haze. The angle of the torch cast long shadows across the curled, brick walls. The behavior of the retreating rats had unnerved him. He swallowed painfully as he tightened his grip on the mallet. Anxious of what to expect. Not knowing what was lurking out of sight.

The drain water had grown as still as a mill pond after the exodus of the rodents. The milky surface fractured occasionally by the ripples of dripping water. Jimmy raised the mallet in the air, not knowing what to expect. He trembled, lying on his belly in the murky water, as he stared down the sewer. Jimmy had never felt so vulnerable.

Trapped.

Buried up to his waist.

With no way of escaping...

It came out of the gloom, crawling slowly into the fading light. Jimmy gasped in horror. His eyes widened in fear as he saw a gargantuan rat. This rat was like no other he'd ever seen. It was a monster! It was a feral creature that was as big as a dog. The rat's body was gnarled, balding and fleshy. It looked diseased. Like it was cancerous. With pulpy tumor growths protruding round its face and contours. There was no guessing how old this predator was. It had lived long and fed well, judging by its unnatural size. The creature was covered in old scars and healed wounds that gave it a deformed appearance. The rat had long, discoloured incisors that protruded from its growth covered snout. Jimmy could only imagine what damage they could inflict. His cheek throbbed from his previous attack. This evil monstrosity could rip off half his face if it got close enough.

The only way he could defend himself was to intimidate it. Spook it with violence. Jimmy couldn't kill it with his mallet. If it got too close, this fiendish rat could sink its teeth into his throat, then eat him alive. Even if he lashed out with the mallet, there was no guarantee he could fight it off. Jimmy dropped the mallet and started to launch bricks at it. Despite its size, the giant rodent was fast and managed to dodge each brick Jimmy threw at it.

'Get away from me! Go on, get away!!'

He lobbed a missile at the beast. The brick ricocheted off the tunnel wall.

'Keep away!'

Jimmy threw another clump of concrete at the enormous rat. This time hitting his target. The creature scurried into the shadows, out of sight. The blow had made the monster retreat, but hadn't inflicted any injury.

Jimmy knew it would attempt to attack again.

What can I do? How can I stop it?! If I throw my mallet at it and miss, I'm vulnerable to attack. If it charges at me, it will rip out my throat with those blade-like teeth.

What should I do?!

As Jimmy was racking his brain he glanced around his surroundings. He was wondering if he could sling the rodent corpses at it.

Maybe it might eat them and leave me alone?

But deep down Jimmy doubted a monster of that size could survive on such small morsels. Then, suddenly he saw a glimpse of hope. His backpack. No longer covered in vermin. It still had the Liquid Nitrogen inside.

Taking up the mallet, he reached out for the backpack, attempting to hook it. Jimmy clawed at the fabric, trying to find purchase, glancing back in the direction of the creature. Its pointed snout was edging back into the light. Awaiting for another rock to be catapulted at it. When no rock came, the rat took another step forward. It had taken up a stalking stance as it slowly crept towards him.

Jimmy swallowed painfully as panic set in.

He desperately fished for the bad. All the while he stared into the menacing onyx eyes of this ghastly rat. The mallet splashed into the drain water multiple times as it missed its mark. As Jimmy used the tool to feel for the bag. Jimmy glimpsed briefly back at the bag so he was able to grope for the rucksack. Banging it down like a judge's gavel, he eventually slammed the head of the mallet onto the backpack.

Jimmy turned back to the engorged rodent who was closing in. He could see the water dripping from its grey, greasy tufts of fur. The long, yellow, snaggled teeth glinted in the torch light. A creeping terror caused Jimmy's stomach to twist in knots. The thought of those filthy teeth biting into his exposed face made him squirm.

Keep your nerve, son. Keep your nerve.

He slowly began to drag the mallet back with the baggage. Taking his time. Not wanting to spook the creature. Causing it to dart forward and attack.

'No worries, ratty. No need to rush.'

The bag was getting closer. Nearly in reach.

'Everything's fine. I got a little surprise for ya.'

The rat opened its mouth in a snarl as it approached its prey.

Jimmy tugged the bag into reach. Never taking his eyes off the hideous monster that was only eight feet away. He slowly set the mallet down, under the scummy drain water and reached into the bag.

The rat kept coming forward.

'Good rat.'

Got it!

Jimmy carefully pulled the bottle of Liquid Nitrogen free. He flicked his thumb against the lid.

Nothing.

It didn't twist.

Shit! Child proof cap.

He fumbled his hand over the top of the lid and applied pressure on the cap. The lid started to twist anti-clockwise.

The vicious vermin was four feet away.

'Nice rat.'

The lid popped off. He could feel the cold air rising from inside the bottle upon his palm.

Now!!!

With one quick decisive action, Jimmy splashed the Liquid Nitrogen into the gnarled, cancerous face of the monster. A high pitched shriek rang out inside the sewer. The creature recoiled in agony as it stumbled away from him. Jimmy didn't stop the onslaught of his attack. Splashing more and more Liquid Nitrogen onto the body of the giant rat. The monster fled, squealing in pain, as it stumbled against the rubble. The Liquid Nitrogen had blinded the rodent. lt crashed into the rocks and tunnel walls as it thrashed away. Jimmy watched as the beast vanished down the tunnel into the shadows.

VII

Some hours later, Jimmy lay silently in the fading torch light. He had expected the beast to return seeking revenge. But it never came. Perhaps too afraid of the helpless prey it had once thought was easy pickings.

The torch light was flickering as the battery was dying. Each time the light went out, Jimmy would hold his breath. Then, when the light returned, he would gnaw on the limp body of a dead rodent. Pausing again, whenever the light flickered.

It was just a matter of time.

Time, Jimmy no longer had. He had spent days hammering for help, but none came. And soon he would be enveloped in darkness.

What if the rats return? What if IT returns?!

He would have no way of seeing them coming. He would be open to attack. Laying alone in his own filth, chewing on dead vermin.

What a way to go?

His eyes filled with tears as the light went out…

Epilogue

'Bloody kids,' Barry Yeats grumbled as he reached the exposed manhole. The lid had been left at an angle covering only part of the opening.

A complaint had been lodged with the council about it being a trip hazard. And a nosy do-gooder was wondering, "Why the safety barriers had not been erected to prevent an old age pensioner from breaking their hip?!" Barry hated being dragged out on these wild goose chases. His bosses had already explained that no scheduled work had been arranged, so obviously kids had been snooping about. But no, it still needed to be investigated.

Barry shook his head in annoyance, wanting to just push the lid into place and get back home for Strictly Come Dancing. It was movie week after all.

He was sorely tempted…

But a nagging doubt stopped him from cutting corners. All it took was one mistake. One failed check and he was out on his ear with no pension.

'Bloody kids! Health and safety gone mad.'

He dragged the heavy steel lid away, exposing the hole. The solid metal scraped loudly across the tarmac.

One of the couples was planning to do an Argentinian Tango, too!

Barry switched on the torch mounted on his hard hat. He was dressed in bright orange overalls, a High-Vis waistcoat, and industrial waders. He would check the immediate area making sure no kids were down there fooling about. As he descended the ladder, Barry thought back to his own youth. He'd done similar explorations himself at that age. His curiosity of that secret world beneath had steered him into his career path. He knew these sewers like the back of his hand. And could tell you some stories that would freeze your marrow.

'What the hell?'

He had reached the bottom of the ladder and had discovered a length of cord had been tied to one of the runs.

'Hello? Anyone down here?'

No reply.

'Hello?!'

Nothing…

Barry followed the string along the sewer. He was accustomed to the foul smell. So much so, that he never even noticed it. He held on the trail of cord and gently ran his hand along it. Following it around each bend.

'Who left you, eh?'

His footsteps splashed in the drainwater.

The water level seemed higher than normal.

We haven't had much rain recently? Maybe a dam of fat had formed?

It was a growing problem in the world of sewer maintenance. Lumps of fat from greasy food were collecting in the drains and making giant blockages. Like the veins of a morbidly obese person getting a clot.

As he trudged further along, his flash light lit up a gruesome sight. A swarm of rats were devouring a hollowed out carcass. Its rib cage had been picked clean. Barry couldn't distinguish what it was? But going by the size, it must have been as big as a wild boar. A chorus of squeaks complained about his presence. But the rodents were too busy with their feast to take much notice of him.

Barry gingerly walked past the gathered rodents and continued to follow the string.

Out in the gloom, he could see a faint glow of luminous colours in the shadows. As he drew closer the bright patches of green, yellow, and silver grew clearer. It reflected off the torch light. It was a bundle of High-Vis.

Or was it…?

As he continued on his journey, Barry started recognizing anomalies. Large slabs of brick and concrete were scattered in the tunnel. He nearly tripped over a few bricks. He stretched out his arms to steady himself against the sewer wall. He slipped on some submerged debris but managed to stop himself from falling face first in sewage. Steadying himself, Barry lifted his head and saw that the tunnel had ruptured. A large landslide had filled the sewer.

'What the hell's been going on down–?'

What he saw next would never leave him for the rest of his day's…

My fifteen minutes of fame.

The accolades and pats on the back he'd received for rescuing Jimmy McManus were an honor. But talking about it would cause Barry to break out into goosebumps. The press had a field day with the story of the man trapped underground. And a publisher had already bought the book rights off Jimmy McManus, despite him being on remand.

There was even talk of a movie being made. One man's story of survival against desperate odds.

But Barry knew the truth. It wasn't a man he'd saved that day, but a wild, deranged creature. He would wake up in an icy sweat, remembering those dead eyes staring up at him with mad, pinprick pupils. The wild, damp, greasy hair. The snarling defensive growls. Its face smeared with blood as it buried its mouth into the sanguine pelt of a dead rat. Those ghastly black eyes never left Barry Yeats. As he watched Jimmy McManus gorged on a rodent in front of him.

The creature in that tunnel was more rat than man…

Barry quit his job after that.

Pension or no pension.