True Identity // A Socksfor1 Horror AU

The Vents

(MUFFIN POV)

It's been a few hours since we arrived at the Skeld. Everyone else was asleep, and I was about it go to sleep as well when I heard someone behind me.

"Hey, kid."

I whipped around to see Socks standing in the doorway. I sighed in relief.

"You scared me!" I said.

"Get used to it, the ship makes noises all the time," Socks said, "What's your name?"

"I'm Muffin," I said.

"Okay then, Muffin," Socks continued, "I have a job for you. Follow me."

Before I could say a word, Socks was walking down the hall. I followed him until we reached Electrical.

When we got there, I turned to Socks. "Why are we doing this in the middle of the night?"

Socks winked. "I didn't want them to get jealous that you got a special task from the captain."

I nodded. I knew he was joking, but I went along with it. "So... what's the special task?"

Socks pointed to the corner. "See that vent over there, in the corner?"

I turned and saw the vent he was referring to. "Yeah."

"There's a maintenance shaft branching off. I can reach most of it, but at the back there's a bit I can't fit into," he explained, "You're the smallest of the crew, so I thought you'd be the man for the job."

"How will I know where to find the shaft?" I asked.

"I'll be right behind you," Socks said, his red eyes gleaming in the dark, "I'll guide you until we make it to the part I need you to go into."

I nodded, and followed him over to the vent. He opened it up and motioned for me to go in.

"Take a left a few feet in, I'll be right behind you," Socks said. I crouched down and climbed into the vent.

The shaft was small, but bigger than me. The walls around me were made of metal, like most other things on the ship. When I got a bit farther in, I saw the shaft Socks was talking about. I turned and crawled down it.

Soon I came across a smaller bit of the shaft. I turned back to Socks, who was crawling behind me, and pointed to it.

"This it?" I asked.

"Yep," Socks replied, "Just go down there, I'll give you instructions."

I nodded, and squeezed down the small shaft.

The shaft was pretty tight, and kind of made me claustrophobic. I continued down until I found a panel in the wall.

"Is it this panel?" I called.

No answer.

"Socks? Is it this panel?" I called again. No response.

Why isn't he answering?

I started to panic. He wouldn't leave me down here by myself, right? He's the captain, why would he do that?

Right?

I heard a faint hiss off to my right, and I jumped in surprise, hitting my head on the top on the vent. I rubbed the top of my head and groaned.

"Owwww," I muttered. 

In the moment I was distracted, I didn't even notice the snakelike black tentacle reaching for me.

The tentacle grabbed me by the neck, severing my airflow. I gasped (or, tried to), and coughed desperately. The tentacle dragged me down the vent, and I thought I was gonna pass out after hitting my head multiple times against the walls.

Not too long later, I felt myself get pulled out from the dark labyrinth under the Skeld and lifted into the air, the tentacle still around my neck. 

When I was turned around, I was met with two glowing red dots and a mouthful of razor-sharp teeth.

The creature screeched.

I screamed in terror.

And I felt one last pain in my neck before everything faded to black.

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WOOO FIRST DEATH >:33333

also first one to find the NTB reference gets a cookie 🍪

605 words