"Hello, how are you?"

"Alive, I suppose."

The eerie presence giggled. - "That's good, isn't it?"

What could I know... - "It's better than being dead."

"It gets better, I promise."

"Eh?"

"If you ever need any help, I'll be there, but now... I need to go."

"Bye, then, dream-born."

My alarm beeped and I opened my eyes, forgetting the strange conversation once more. It was Monday, and my week off ended. The sun dawned behind the blinds of my window, casting warm, orange light. I took a quick shower, ate two toasts with grilled cheese, and prepared a thermos of Earl Grey's cheap substitute.

There was still an hour before my work started, so I turned on the TV to check the news. There it was, they still spoke about the discovery of a new sewer section. Our city had to hire foreign mercenaries to scout its antechambers.

The tar-thing, they got samples of its slime and devised a new substance, a white dissolvent of some sort. It spreads rapidly and melts the tissue, leaving no trace of the black horror. It also irritates the skin and is toxic to inhale, so the cleaners have to wear special hazard suits.

As for me, not much has changed, but I decided to start freelancing overtime for external contractors. The pay is marginally better and the tasks are riskier, but maybe... maybe If I manage to survive, I will be able to afford better equipment and a few basic courses.

Well, that was it. My start of the day. I took my spear and armor, then packed what was necessary into the backpack. I attached my first leather badge to it, a portrait of a shark surfing on the waves of filth, with a caption – 'Sewer Shark'. It was a gift from the management. I sneered at their miserliness and bad taste, but the symbol was nice to have. Although, a bottle of good Scotch would've been better.

My current contract was to inspect a few machines in 'Hollowed Beneath'. It had NDA and I had to study a folder of papers with instructions.

Hollowed Beneath. I was happy to work in (almost) dry conditions, but the charts of the place were massive, and large sections of it were unmapped. There also was that gargantuan pit in the middle, who knew where it lead? Perhaps, to the underworlds themselves.

In the metro, I put my headphones on, listening to a chill morning mix titled 'Unreachable Universe'. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to drift away, to become one with the cosmos.

It didn't last too long, somebody was tugging my trousers. In front of me, was a familiar girl.

“Good morning!!” - She called with excitation, revealing her beautiful, bright smile and rows of white teeth.

“Good morning.” - I answered calmly, but I never expected we would meet again this fast.

“How are you?”

“Fine, I think. You?”

“Great!” - The girl grinned. - “I get to meet my hero!”

I smiled gently. It was... nice to talk to someone so positive, for a change.

The girl inspected my backpack, I noticed that her eyes curiously scanned the 'Sewer Shark' badge. - “What is it?” - She asked.

“A memento.”

“Memento?”

“Yes.” - I awkwardly waited. What was I supposed to say? That I almost died?

“Oh, like my star!”

I nodded, I was glad she changed the topic.

“I hope you keep it safe!” - She added.

Okay, I actually wasn't glad she changed the topic anymore. The star got all wet in the murky waters, it was unrecoverable by the end of my shift. Should I lie to her? I... I didn't have it in me. She had to face the truth, the same way she had to face the truth about her friend's death one day.

“The star... didn't survive.”

The girl's head dropped, I was confident she would start to sob, right here, right now, but that didn't happen. She raised her eyes, inspecting my backpack once more, and just said. - “I will make you another one... but you have to stay strong until then, promise?”

“Promise.”

There still was a bit of time until the metro stopped. The girl was content just staying beside me, and I felt the same way. Yet, it didn't feel right. Perhaps, she felt ignored. I peeked at her and our gazes met, her big eyes glimmered with hopeful anticipation.

“I...” - What was I supposed to say? What was I supposed to ask? - “...I'm Sebastian, by the way.”

The girl smiled. - “Very dignified name!”

I didn't feel that way, but hey – who was I to protest? - “...and can I ask, what's your name?”

The girl's head dropped again, she drilled the floor with her shoe. For a long time, she would not answer. I didn't dwell on it and gave her time. - “They... call me... uhm... Alice.” - She finally responded, but why did I feel like I just caught a child lying?

“Alice... it's pretty.”

“Mhm.” - She admitted silently, she wouldn't show her face.

“Alice, how is the school?”

“School?” - Alice lifted her eyes, confused.

“Yes...?” - I responded, awkwardly.

“I... I don't go to school.”

Okay, this seemed... bad. - “Why?”

Alice continued to drill with her foot. She took her time. - “...because ...because they hate me there.”

...and so it was. What was I supposed to say, or do? I knew what she meant. How could I guide her, was it even my job? I didn't know, all I know was that she looked up to me. What was I supposed to do? Reality hurt. She couldn't just keep running.

“You have to go to school. It's about your future.” - I said, but for some reason, the words just washed off her.

“You don't understand! They HATE me.” - She repeated, angrily.

I knew that the cliches wouldn't help, I really did not understand. No, it was not my job. - “Do your parents know?”

The girl froze in place, uttering in a sad, low voice. - “I don't have parents.”

Her past was like mine. Would she repeat the same mistakes? End up like me? I didn't want that.

“Alice... I know it hurts, but If you don't face your problems, it'll only get worse.”

Alice started to sob. She hugged my leg, wiping tears in my trousers. - “I don't want to.”

“Be stronger than hate.”

“I know... but they'll hurt me.”

That... that shouldn't be happening. Where were the teachers, the adults? No... I knew, I was well aware of how it was in public schools for the ones like us.

I really had no answer.

“Endure.” - These words just slipped out of my mouth.

She hugged me tighter and sobbed louder. I made a terrible blunder. Minutes passed and she slowly calmed down, but I skipped my station. She finally let go, her face still wet. - “I will... I will try.” - She uttered.

I knelt, looking her straight in the eyes. - “Don't give up, it'll get better. I promise.” - These words, why did they sound familiar? We would soon arrive at the next stop. - “I have to go, but I have a gift for you.” - I took out my emergency comms. - “If you ever need help, just press the button here and call three-seven-two. I will answer.”

Alice looked at me, I would swear that for a moment, I saw an entire universe reflecting in her pupils. - “Okay... and you can always call me.”

I smiled gently, then patted her shoulder. It was time to depart. - “I will remember. It's a promise.”

We said our goodbyes and I disappeared into the industrial depths of Hollowed Beneath.

[ … ]

An annular platform around a gargantuan pit, wailing echoes of rushing winds. I was almost there. The lurking rats were more skittish than usual, the lack of combat saved me a lot of time. For the starters, I had to check If the fans were working.

I walked down the spiral staircase at the edge of a pit and entered the first slanted tunnel, climbing down the steel ladder until I found a drain. Brown water trickled down the inlet, I would definitely get wet.

Hop!

There it was, the first maintenance corridor. All indicators on the panel were green, I was good to go - back to the pit!

As I walked lower and lower, the rusty staircase would creak under my weight. It felt as If it was unmaintained for centuries, and perhaps it was true. At least the gray lights on the walls were walking, so I could save on my lantern's batteries.

One more ladder down, about eighty meters.

Fifty.

Thirty.

Ten.

“Here.” - I looked around, it was a platform size of the pit, welded together from small steel crosses. A large red lamp illuminated the tunnel on the other side, but I was hesitant to enter due to a familiar, flapping sound. - giant cockroaches.

They were more dangerous than rats since, with their wings, their mandibles could reach any part of your body. One to three wouldn't be an issue, but If a queen was nearby, that was a whole different talk. Their swarms were smaller than rat ones, but there was no escape without a bug repellent, which wasn't a cheap commodity.

I moved inside slowly and listened. There was just one, feasting on a rotting corpse of a rat. I walked closer and impaled its abdomen onto my spear. It still squirmed when its yellow bodily fluids oozed out, so I crushed its head with the sole of my boot, freeing the tip of my weapon.

Another fan, another row of green indicators. Everything went smoothly.

The next one was... I shivered. Several hundred levels below. I had to take an old elevator. The positive was, that it was a separate dungeon, so I was confident that nothing that lurks in the depths would be able to surprise me.

I moved back to the platform and pulled a lever. The sound of grinding gears reverberated throughout the pit. Below me, a number of pit goblins took a flight. They were small, bat-like humanoid creatures with scrawny silhouettes and long noses. Extremely cunning and dangerous, but as long as I was in the iron cage, I would be safe.

...so I rode, all the way down the pit, to the maintenance shaft U-102.

A strong stench of blood invaded my nostrils. What were leeches doing here? I signed NDA, so I couldn't just call management and ask... but I knew, that they feasted on G-hazards or larger creatures.

Just go in, check the indicators, and get out. It was a simple mission. The leeches themselves were slow and harmless, unless...

PLOP!

Yeah, unless you allowed one to drop on you from a ceiling. They would wrap around your body and pierce it with hundreds of their tiny leg-teeth-spikes, then start draining your blood.

I moved aside, where none of the worms could ambush me, and sidestepped to controls, crossing a large perpendicular tunnel.

All green.

Now, I had to scout what was in the perpendicular access tunnel. It was the only way to the pistons. There, my job would end.

Ugh... more leeches... and that smell, rotting flesh.

What... what the?

A tunneler?

Tunnelers were... monsters kindred to a mammoth snake, but from underneath their scales, they secreted acid that could melt both the stone and iron. Their mouths were round maws with rows of fangs and a nozzle, that also could shoot acid.

Sure, they lived deep underground and never unburrowed, but meeting one was statistically improbable. I had to call... uh... an overseer of contract.

“Halo?” - He seemed busy.

“Jaeger, reporting. A dead tunneler blocks entrance to the pistons.”

“A tunneler?”

“Yes, asking for an official permission to recall.”

“Granted, but... are you sure that you can't get there?”

“I would have to take a detour, but the task is above my pay grade.”

“We can double the payment.”

“Sir, with all due respect - Perhaps I wasn't clear. No sane person would undertake this task. I have to file an official report to the mapping bureau, and the area needs to be closed off.”

“...really!? That would halt the entire production line!”

“Those are the procedures.”

“Can't you... just fail to report, until we send another technician? We will quadruple your pay, as a reimbursement.”

“Sir, are you trying to bribe me?”

“No... no... of course not. I just... ten thousand credits, If you finish the task today. My last offer.”

Of course, he was trying to bribe me... and it sounded tempting, but then I recalled her, Alice. She called me a hero. Would I really be one, If I tried to help to build this world of lies and corruption?

I turned off the comms and called the bureau.

I would not risk my life today.