Green Grow The Rashes And Other Stories

by William Meikle

  ~-o0O0o-~

  I recognised where I was. The corridor structure almost exactly mirrored the structure of the warren here. Indeed, I began to fear for my sanity, thinking I had inadvertently returned home to find you all dead, all taken. There were no bodies in this part of the system, just long empty corridors, but that somehow only made matters worse.

  I went deeper.

  Although I was still safe inside the suit, the air seemed somehow thicker here, more oppressive; a faint trace of blue mist hanging in the air. If I were home, I knew I would be approaching the bionic plant. Despite the terrors of the eating area above, I was almost eager to visit the working parts of the site, as there may even be something salvageable there, something that would further prolong our own time here in the warren.

  I descended a stairwell and walked out into their bionics plant.

  Scores of pairs of eyes turned and looked at me, reflecting like twinkling stars in my helmet light.