This was probably the slowest chase of all time.

Earl didn't want to die just yet but his legs weren't on his side: they didn't care that they might get eaten raw, they just wanted to stop running.

Earl would see the flashlight pointed at him and his shadow cast on he cave’s walls, which allowed him to see where he was going.

'I will get you!' Maxine murmured to herself. But the echo down there was such that a whisper could be heard yards away.

'I won’t die,' her breaths sounded forced, like, if she didn't breathe actively, her body wouldn't do it for her.

Maxine dragged her feet on the unusually rocky surface of the cave. Once in a while she'd nearly trip on bones on the floor which she couldn't see because the torch was pointed towards her next meal.

Earl reached a spot where the cave split into two, he went left. Maxine followed. This part of the cave was steep, cramped and, until Maxine was there to light it up, Earl couldn't see a thing. His legs had enough of sprinting and were about to quit. Earl knew that if he stopped now, he wouldn't be able to start running again.

‘Woah!’ Earl tripped on a skull.

Maxine pointed the flashlight towards Earl on the ground, 'I knew you'd stop eventually...' She grinned, revealing brown teeth and gums which bled out every time she opened her mouth.

She walked faster.

Earl wasn't able to get up in time. Thanks to the light beamed on him, he realized there were at least 3 skulls next to where he laid, with elegant old hats beside them.

He grabbed the large one skull, threw it at Maxine, and missed. Earl picked up another skull and threw it. This time he hit her forehead but did no damage.

Earl held the small skull when she jumped at his neck, with both hands, letting go of the flashlight. He tried to smash the small skull on her head but it cracked and broke.

Even if skinny, and light, Earl couldn't push her off him in that position. Blood from her gums dropped on his face when she smiled, watching him gasp for air.

'Die quickly, die quickly, I can't wait anymore…!'

Earl grabbed the flashlight and hit her with it just behind her ear.

'Argh!' She yelled and loosened her grip, enough for Earl to hit her again in the same spot.

She was knocked unconscious and fell to Earl's right side.

He could hear her still breathing, faintly.

Laid on the ground, he reached for her neck with both hands and squeezed as hard as he could.

Maxine didn't fight it. She couldn't. Her body had spent all the energy in trying to kill the man.

Maxine’s last thought was her crew of cave explorers, which she had grown to love over the years. In her vision, Maxine told them she was sorry, but they smiled and reassured her, 'You did what you had to survive...'

Earl kept his grip tight for what felt like 10 minutes.