Fresh Blood

Now having found out the source of the noise was just a slightly large strange rodent, my worries did not decrease but instead I became even more troubled as I realized that animal was no scavenger like I knew it to be but instead a predator that hunts for its meals. 

Looking to my right the mines path continued down that way while where the rat was trying to get into, I could not know what was behind the door. There was risks in ignoring that door as it could actually lead to an exit while I could accidentally go even deeper inside the mine unknowingly. 

'It would also ensure that I would not be followed when it lost its interest in getting inside'. With the seconds seeming like forever I made the best choice. 

Gripping the hilt of the knife I made my decision as I slowly crept closer to the animal while leave the heavy sack around the corner. As I inched closer I thought the way to effectively kill it, since the blade had no edge my best bet was a heavy strike to pierce its insides. I had been lost in my thought that I just began to realize that it had made a big enough hole with its claws and was trying to get through the small opening. It was about 2 meters way from me but even so this was my chance, so I made a full sprint.

'Gotta hurry!, its the best shot I have!!'. Sprinting began with the intent to kill it as fast as possible.

Hearing my approaching foots, the rat movements was a panicking manner as it tried to push itself back out but it was too slow. As I reached the door I hurried to grab it to place pressure down so it does not move, and with the adrenaline kicking I drove the knife in multiple times and stabbed it around eight times till it made its last sound. 

*SSSSSQQUUUEEeee..ee.e.....*. Its tail and legs wriggled around until it took a slump with no life left.

"Hah hah...got you ..hah". Taking fast breathes as the adrenaline began calming down. " Was a little easier than I thought".

Since I had the feeling of short breath I sat down beside the door catching my breath. Pulling out the knife out of the rat I also grabbed its long tail and yanked it out in one go. It looked heavier than it actually was as it weighed as much as a house cat but now taking a closer look, it was as creepy up close with its giant eye open. 

"Well lets see what is on the other side". Crouching down with the large crystal light.

I was about to look through the hole that the rat made with its claws but before that I thought I would try my luck on the handle which to my surprise was open. Pushing the door in what I came to see was what looked like a storage room with equipment but before I could focus on that I immediately smelled something, it was death. Closing the door behind me what I found in the corner of the room was a corpse that looked like a mummy with a thin frame and what little flesh of skin covering the visible bone under it. 

"God you smell worse than the pig pen on a hot summer day". Lifting the tattered shirt over my nose.

Doing the best at ignoring the scent I carefully began to search room, first starting with the shelves. The place most have been abandoned for a while as everything covered in dust and metals have rusted to a terrible state. It seems this was also an office with papers scattered around a desk thou I could not understand nothing written. 

"Why are all the letters are jumbled up, maybe because of its old age?". Lifting the sheets that felt like it would crumble if I was not careful.

After leaving that aside and a little more searching I found what I had been looking for so long. Since this place seems like it had some type of management they would have had some blueprints for the process of mining. What I found was some layout maps of the floors, it seems like there were 8 floors but some were damaged as only the 1,2,4,7 maps were understandable. Looking over them I was on the second floor at a relatively close distance to the way up to the first floor which looks like the entrance as it was smaller compared to the others. 

"I should start making my way then as I don't wanna be here any longer". Turning and putting the four maps into the sac to go.

At the moment of thinking to leave I turned around to face the body, I had developed a bad habit from games where if I did not search everything it would nag at me later on. Doing the best to ignore the scent to do a quick search as there was not much to be found except some small items. Which were a key ring with six keys numbered 1-6, a different type of coin currency than what I had as it was silver coins with separate values of {1,5,10,20,50} engraved on them with a total of $348 and the most surprising a gold nugget that is the size of a large chicken egg. 

"hmm, I don't know how valuable gold is here but its better than nothing". Taking a glance at the mummy. "Looks like you came all the way down here to get this only to get trapped in here by that animal". 

Seeing as there was nothing of interest left I made my way to the door and slowly opened it but I completely froze on the spot. There was 2 more of the monster size rats that was right outside as they were in the middle of cannibalizing the one I killed moments before. While that was not enough to worry about the far bigger one began sniffing the air and soon began to walk in the direction of where my sac was which it most have smelled my food. 

'I cannot afford to lose my only food!'. The mind raced with the grip on the knife growing tighter. ' I need to take out the smaller one so I do not get ganged up on'. 

Slowly opening opening the door and after finding the right opportunity, I sprinted with everything I got. 

*squeak!?* Hearing approaching footsteps it turned around only to be met with the crystal club thrown into its face. 

'Got it!!'

Not wasting time I stomped down on its tail to hold it still and one stab into its chest insured a quick death. Having heard the commotion of the death of its companion the bigger one came running back but halted as it starred at me. Maybe its because I always snuck up on them but I did not realize how fast these things are as it began running around my legs at a fast pace. While that was happening it would use its claws to cause small scratches and cuts around my legs as I kept trying to hit it with the knife.

"Keep still damnit!!". A quick hard left hand wild swing from its blind side, I manage to hit it with my bare hands. 

I might have not know my own strength as the hit sent it rolling over to the wall where its movements slowed down from the impact. Focusing back on killing it before it recovers as I quickly grabbed its neck and pressed its back down on the hard cave floor. 

"Just die alre--!!, AAaaHHH!!!". While lifting up the Blade it opened its mouth to get a bite in between my fingers with the little reach it had. 

With the sight of my own blood coming from the wound on my left hand the only thing I felt was anger and pain. With all of the strength I had in me I drove the knife into the large rats stomach and even felt it hit the stone as it pierce all the way through it. Then with one quick motion I dragged the knife across its stomach splitting its lower stomach in half as organs began to fall out and blood spurts on my face. Quickly backing up I watched as it tried to crawled a few inches as it then slowly died. 

"Fuck...ha..this...hah PLACE!!". Seeing as the danger was gone I next quickly checked the wound I received. 

What I found was not a hole in my hand caused by the teeth rat but instead it was slowly healing and flesh that seems like it was alive soon covered the skin till it was unnoticeable and the marks on my leg also healed.

'Does the medicines affect linger for a while?'. Everything that I have seen until now boggles my mind.

Seeing as two more of those things showed up after I dealt with the first one, I would not want to face four now after what just happened. Now gathering all my stuff as quickly as I could, it was important I moved in the most efficient manner as I slowly made my way up to the stone stair case up to the first floor so I can finally escape this hell hole and see what the surface is at last.