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Gradually, Aki's eyes squeaked open, his mind still muddled with confusion. His body lay motionless on a cold, metallic surface that felt like ice against his skin, pressing down upon him with an intense weight. Blinking his eyes, he strained to see anything in the pitch-black surroundings. A sudden flash of light from a nearby phone caught his attention. The device was lit up with a message, 'Happy Birthday Papa'.
With a jolt, Aki's senses came alive, and his head turned to inspect the cause of the heavy pressure on his chest. His blood ran cold as he realized that a lifeless woman was lying atop him. A wave of panic surged through his body, and he struggled to free himself from her unyielding grasp. Finally, he managed to dislodge the weight and rolled away, gasping for breath.
Suddenly, a sharp pain burst through Aki's head, and he yelped in agony, his hands flying to the source of the pain. His fingers came away wet and sticky, a bright crimson smear staining his palms.
"What the...? How did I get here? The last thing I remember was boarding the train to go to work," Aki muttered, piecing together the fragments of his memory to understand what had happened. The fear and confusion in his voice were palpable, and he wondered aloud, "Am I dreaming or is this really happening?"
He remembered how their train car had disconnected, derailed, and fallen. He quickly grabbed his phone, but there was no signal. He winced and almost cried at his situation. He used his phone's flashlight to illuminate the area. He was shocked to see the piled-up bodies that were just squeezed inside the train earlier.
Aki's heart was racing as he frantically searched for any signs of life. The smell of blood and smoke filled his nostrils, making him gag. He used his phone's flashlight to scan the area, revealing the gruesome sight of bodies piled on top of each other. He couldn't help but feel a sense of desperation and hopelessness as he realized the severity of the situation.
Suddenly, he heard a weak voice coming from a corner of the train car. Aki quickly made his way over and illuminated the woman with his phone's flashlight. Her twisted arm hung limply at her side, and she appeared to be in excruciating pain.
"Help me," the woman moaned, her voice barely audible over the sound of groaning metal and shattered glass. Aki could see that she was badly hurt, but her ID was still intact. He read her name, "Alexia Napoles," and made a mental note of it before turning his attention back to her injuries.
"Don't worry, help is probably on its way," he reassured her.
Alexia's voice was filled with bitterness as she spoke, "Help?" Her tone was dripping with sarcasm, as if the mere mention of the word was a joke. "We've been trapped here for hours. If anyone was coming, they would have already found us. It's not like a derailed train car is easy to miss. Were you not awake when the train fell?"
Aki was caught off guard by her question, his mind flooded with the memories of their harrowing fall into the darkness. He felt a knot form in his stomach as he realized that they were completely on their own in this dire situation.
"It was like the ground split open and swallowed us," she said with a shudder. "I don't think anyone knows we're down here. We're going to have to find a way out ourselves." Her words hung heavy in the air, and both of them knew that their escape would not come easily.
He looked around their cramped and mangled train car, trying to come up with a plan. But the reality of their situation was starting to set in. They were on their own, with no way to communicate with the outside world. The only thing they could do was rely on each other and hope for a miracle.
Aki's heart was racing as he surveyed the cramped space they were trapped in. The scent of blood and death lingered in the air, making him want to gag. He couldn't let the fear overcome him. He had to stay calm and focused on helping Alexia.
He noticed that Alexia's arm was hanging limply at her side, and her face was twisted in pain. Aki knew that she needed immediate medical attention, but that wasn't possible at the moment. They were on their own.
He tore the clothes off of a lifeless body, the fabric making a sickening tearing sound. The body was still warm, and Aki had to fight the urge to vomit. He tied the makeshift bandage around his head, the fabric wet with blood. The pressure of the cloth made the throbbing in his head more bearable.
Aki's eyes scanned the area for anything else he could use to help them. He noticed a stack of newspapers on the ground and rolled them up. He also tore a bunch of fabric from the cloth of the deceased victim.
"Can you walk?" Aki asked, his voice trembling with worry.
"I can stand up, but my arm hurts," Alexia replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
Aki approached her with a cloth in one hand and the rolled-up newspapers in the other.
He could hear the sound of Alexia's labored breathing, reminding him of the dire situation they were in.
"This will hurt like hell, but it's the only way," Aki said, gritting his teeth. He reached for Alexia's dislocated arm, and with a quick jerk, he snapped it back into place. Alexia's agonizing scream echoed through the train car, causing Aki's heart to sink.
Aki knew they had to move quickly. He quickly fashioned a makeshift sling for Alexia's arm out of torn clothes and newspapers. Alexia's face was pale, and she was sweating profusely. He gently eased her back against the wall to rest, but there was no time to waste.
Aki took a deep breath and peeked outside the train car once more. The tunnel stretched out endlessly before him, and he couldn't see any signs of rescue or escape.
"Can you move?" Aki asked, his voice laced with urgency.
"I'll try," Alexia whispered weakly, her face contorted in pain.
"It's a good thing that first aid is part of our job," Aki said as he finished tending to Alexia's arm. "If you're feeling okay, check the things that people left behind, we might find something useful. We have to get out of this place to survive. We'll die if we stay here."
Alexia slowly got up, nearly stumbling as she stood up, still getting used to the thing tied around her. She checked the bags one by one. She took out some pieces of bread from one bag, and a half-empty bottle of mineral water from another. There was no time to be picky about what to eat or drink.
Aki pushed the door of the train carriage with all his might until it opened. Outside, there were still a few bodies of train passengers. They stumbled upon severed body parts of the people who were stuck in the crowded train earlier. They slowly left the place, uncertain of where they were headed. They just kept going, hoping to find an exit at the end of the place where they were.
"It's already four in the afternoon," Alexia quickly checked the time. They couldn't tell what time it was inside because of the darkness.
As they were walking, Alexia heard a rustling sound coming from a dark corner. She shone her light on it, but saw nothing. She held on tightly to Aki, feeling a sense of unease.
"Did you hear that too?" Aki asked Alexia.
Alexia just nodded with fearful eyes.
"Who's there?" Aki said with confidence.
"Whoever you are, please help us," Alexia pleaded.
No matter how many times they spoke, they didn't hear a response. They eventually decided to continue walking, thinking they might have been mistaken in what they heard.
After a few moments, they saw a light. They hurriedly walked towards it, their breathing mixed with relief and joy. They knew they were going to make it out. They were still lucky compared to those who were left behind in the tunnel.
Before they could approach the exit, a man suddenly appeared. He had bulging eyes, a lump on his back, and some parts of his hair were bald. He also looked dirty, as if he had been wearing the same clothes for years.
"Don't go out," he shouted at the two of them, with a hint of anger and stood in front of them.
Alexia felt a wave of fear wash over her as she gazed upon the strange man. His bulging eyes and bald patches of hair gave him a grotesque appearance, and his dirty clothes made it apparent that he had been down there for some time. She let out a scream of terror, and for a moment, she froze.
Aki was also taken aback by the man's sudden appearance, and he couldn't fathom why he was trying to stop them from leaving. However, they didn't have time to ponder his motives. With a sudden burst of courage, Aki pushed the man with all his might, causing him to fall to the ground.
Without a second thought, the two of them ran for their lives, their hearts beating fast in their chests. They didn't even look back to see if the man had gotten up. They just kept running until they finally saw a light in the distance.
Their relief and joy were palpable as they hurried towards the light, their hearts pounding with the thrill of the escape. They knew they had been lucky to make it out alive, but their faces quickly turned to confusion when they saw that the area looked nothing like anything they had seen before.
As they looked around in confusion, Alexia and Aki noticed something odd about the environment. The structures that were buried in the ground looked like trees, but the branches moved like tentacles, giving them an eerie and unsettling feeling. The ground under their feet felt like it was breathing, and the air was filled with a strange, pungent smell that they couldn't identify.
They also noticed several creatures that gazed at them with curiosity. The first one they saw had a body that resembled a bark of a tree, but it was covered in small bumps that looked like warts. It swayed back and forth, as if dancing to an unheard beat. Another creature had small, round creatures surrounding it, with bulging eyes all over their bodies, making it look like they were constantly watching and observing their surroundings.
Perhaps the most peculiar creature they saw had no hands or head, but it had a dozen feet, each with its own set of teeth. It crawled on the ground like a centipede, leaving a slimy trail behind it. It seemed to be searching for something, and when it saw Alexia and Aki, it stopped and looked at them with its dozen eyes.
Alexia and Aki screamed in horror at the sight of these strange creatures, their bodies trembling with fear. They had no idea what was happening, or where they were. But one thing was certain, they had to find a way out of there, or they would never see the light of day again.
Meanwhile, inside the tunnel, the man lay on the ground, his ears pricked up as he heard the distant cries of a man and woman.
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