I'm not exactly a good person, nor am I proud of many things I've done. When I got the option of participating in an experiment to earn a fresh start, I took it without hesitation.

Part of the terms include documenting my time in the tunnels on this terminal. I suppose this is my only real contact with the outside world.

My partner in this trial goes by Bolton, a six foot four mountain with knuckles scarred like fishnet. He's got a wild look in his eye, but he's friendly enough.

"Down there, right?" I asked my partner.

With a simple nod, he descended the unusual subway entrance.

The warm afternoon sun left my back as I followed after him.

CLANG! a deafening metallic crash exploded from behind me. The suddenness made me jump to the landing. Looking up, my heart skipped a beat.

"What was that… damn!" Bolton appeared from the dim lighting, staring past me at the barrier that had sealed us in.

We quickly ascended the stairs, inspecting the solid metal wall that blocked our escape.

"It's submerged in the ground and completely smooth. No way we're getting it open." I assessed, dread tugging at my optimism.

"Let's go," Bolton huffed, marching down the stairwell. "There's a station down here, maybe we can find a way out."

Just as we entered the station, a bell dinged.

In a voice not too dissimilar to Google Assistant, the speakers stated "line R will be arriving shortly. Please prepare accordingly."

"What now?" I groaned, leaning against the wall beside the door. To my right, I saw the twin tracks. Above them, a display with the full alphabet was present. The R lit up neon red.

Bolton sighed, flipping through a book of some sort. "Might as well play along. This manual has to have instructions somewhere?"

The R flashed, then a whistling began from up the tracks.

"Ten seconds…" the speakers announced.

Sure enough, ten seconds later, it arrived. I say 'it' because, while it was designed like a passenger train, it most certainly was not built from standard material.

"Bolton!" I gasped, breath ragged. "Fuuu…ck!" I frantically made to lock the door. There was no lock. I tried pulling the shelves and chairs to the door as a barricade. They were bolted in place. "Hurry!"

Bolton began flipping through the book faster and faster, fumbling with the buttons and levers on the control panel.

"Line R has arrived. Please stand clear as the doors open." The robotic voice called.

The doors pulsed open, throbbing every few seconds. Dark red trickled from the parting doors like a leaky faucet, increasing in pressure as the doors parted wider. Then the moans began.

"Skin…" dozens of voices wailed in harmony. "Need skiiiin…"

My voice caught in my throat as I laid eyes on what spoke those words. Raw muscle and sinew waded through the tide of blood, people stripped of their skin stumbling from the train.

"Hurry! They're coming!" I screamed, pressing myself against the door in a last ditch effort to buy time.

"Skinnn… must have skinnn…" the crowd chanted, pressing more and more against the door.

Tears welled in the corners of my eyes, not ready for this to be my end. Squeezing my eyes shut, I focused on holding the door.

Then… then I slipped…

In my panicked state, I hadn't noticed the pooling crimson beneath my feet. When I tried to reposition myself, the slick floor yielded no traction.

My heart sank as moist, spongy hands pinched and pulled at my flesh. I couldn't even bring myself to open my eyes. I don't know if I was even breathing.

The bell dinged and the speakers spoke, though I don't know what was said. All I heard was the revolting sucking sounds of skinless bodies and gallons of blood retreating through closing doors.

With a deep, pained blare of those people's scream, the R train departed our station.

I layed in that cool, tiled floor for what felt like an eternity, adrenaline and terror slowly cycling out of my system. At some point, a million miles away, I heard my name.

"Diaz?" Bolton called, then shouted "c'mon Diaz!"

That's my name… I'm Diaz… I'm still alive? These thoughts filled my head as my eyes slowly fell open. Above me, the concerned expression of Bolton stared down at me.

"Good, you're alive" Bolton released a sigh of relief. "Let's get you somewhere to rest-" he began, but darkness claimed me.

—

"Line Omega is now departing" the robotic voice woke me from my slumber.

Jolting upright, my body protested. Wincing from the already formed bruises, I saw a plate from the corner of my eye.

Hunger hit me like a truck, and I dug into the food like a ravenous animal. The squicks from my feast and rocking bed must've tipped him off that I was up, as Bolton knocked on the doorframe.

"You seem lively, good," he gave a hollow, lifeless grin. "I managed to figure out how to get us food. I see you've already discovered that."

With my mouth full, I could only nod.

"It's not over, not by a longshot," Bolton grimaced. "Each food item we take frees another passenger for the night. We'll have a tough night, I'd suggest we take shifts."

I nodded, swallowing hard. "Weapons?"

At that, Bolton smirked. "Luckily I smuggled in a tool," he winked, pulling out his multitool. "I managed to dismantle some stuff around the station. They ain't pretty, but they should do the trick." He walked back through the doorframe, returning with two metal chair legs.

"I'll take first watch. I'm supposed to log our day anyways," I shrugged, taking a chair leg.

Bolton didn't protest, flopping onto the other bed in the room. I made my way to the terminal, where I typed this all up.

I keep hearing moans and strange footsteps from both directions of the tunnel. I don't know what's out there, but they're getting closer. I don't know if I will survive.

I just heard something knocking at the door. It isn't coming in… just knocking. What should I do?