Edan Osborne

After 24 hours, Dr. Asbjørn had used up half of their supplies of food and water. It seemed they had walked several miles and the corridor, dimly lit by gas lamps, seemingly had no end.

Suddenly, Asbjørn noticed movement up ahead.

“Hello?” they croaked, parched from rationing their water. The movement stopped, then began advancing.

Dr. Asbjørn put their hand to their pocket flamethrower, then relaxed as the shape moved into the light. It was a rat.

Something about it seemed strange, though. Its movement was too hurried, too frantic, and it barely seemed to notice the human standing between the panelled walls. It scurried under a radiator and into a small hole.

Asbjørn decided to try something. Taking a pencil from their labcoat pocket, they stumbled over to the radiator and tapped it.

The sound rang out across the corridor, carried by the old lead piping. They began to tap out a message.

.-.. --- ... - / -... . .-.. --- .-- / . ... -.-. .-.-.- / ..- ... . -.. / .--- ..- -- .--. ... - .- - .. --- -. .-.-.- / .--. ..- -. -.-. .... -.-. .- .-. -.. ... / . -- .--. - -.-- .-.-.- / ... ..- .--. .--. .-.. .. . ... / .-.. --- .-- .-.-.- / -.-. --- -.. . / ....- -.... ..--- ----. ...-- ---.. .-.-.-

(Lost below ESC. Used Jumpstation. Punchcards empty. Supplies low. Code 462938.)

They repeated the message four times, hoping somebody would hear, before collapsing against the pipe.

“So, so tired”, they thought. “Sleep now. Rescue tomorrow...”