As In Life, So In Hell

[deadwesley1.livejournal.com]

~The mucus secreting monster is wholly dedicated to its pursuit of the unfortunate shades in the narrow tunnel. Snape says he knows one of them, a Mr. Barty Crouch Jr., whom he claims to be not worth liberating. But it's clear this Crouch has a companion, and there's no telling what sort of person he or she might be. Wesley and Snape can't hear the other shade, they just assume Barty's not just talking to himself.

At any rate, judging by Snape's assessment of Barty's character, Wesley can't be certain that Snape's not the slightest bit prejudiced regarding this man. Was he a student of Snape's? What sort of relationship did they have? It's possible that Barty might indeed be deserving of some punishment, but does he deserve what he's receiving in Hell? And Wesley can't stomach the idea of abandoning the other shade about whom they know nothing. He or she could be anyone...

Wesley takes Snape's pickaxe firmly in his left hand, his own in his right, and gives Snape a determined nod. When he was alive, Wesley had slain a demon of this species, but only with Angel's and Gunn's assistance. He didn't really need to slay it here, simply distract it long enough to enable Snape to remove the others to relative safety. He draws in a long, slow, calming breath, shuts his eyes, and focuses his energies. He'd give anything for a high powered cross bow instead of two rusty pickaxes. Actually, he'd really love a high powered rifle. But this is Hell, and one must always be able to work with what's at hand. He checks Snape's position and exhales, slowly, releasing all tension, fear, and self preservation. Here goes, he thinks, and with all his might, he hurls himself at the rear of the putrid demon, sinking both picks deep into its rubbery, viscous hide, and is slightly disgusted by the squelch as he attempts to draw them back out, before his hands are claimed by the beast's body. The corrosive ooze sizzles his flesh and he curses, screaming a challenge to the beast.~ Don't be such a coward! Come out and defend yourself, or I'll open you up to the worms!

Comments

[madlymirthful9.livejournal.com]

Where? I don't want to go. I'm not finished. Not nearly. Not until we have to pick fleshy mush from out between our toes.

[wetandbothered5.livejournal.com]

Will you listen... *nods his head toward the end of the tunnel, where the noises grow louder*

[madlymirthful9.livejournal.com]

*at this, Barty finally diverts his eyes from Snape*

[wetandbothered5.livejournal.com]

*his grip slackens with unimpressed relief* Yes. Oh.

[madlymirthful9.livejournal.com]

...Well, that changes things just slightly -

*from behind Wesley and the first creature rears another shape, moving a bit too fast to be the same manner of horror*

[wetandbothered5.livejournal.com]

*Regulus takes a skittish jump backward but doesn't run until anyone else does*

-We should definitely go.

[severus-snape1.livejournal.com]

*Snape glances at the other creature arriving and sighs.*

Can we agree on a temporary truce? At least until the four of us are somewhere more stable?

Pryce?! Company!

[deadwesley1.livejournal.com]

I CAN'T-

*Wesley tries to disengage from his current situation, risking a glance at the new arrival to the scene. He's unfamiliar with this particular species, but he's knowledgeable enough to surmise it's more than he can handle, especially with the odd sensation in his belly. Poison, perhaps, from this brute. Whatever the case, it's clear Snape is having no luck convincing the wizard shades to join them, but they are at least freed from the menace of this beast and free to make their own escape.*

FALL BACK, SNAPE! I'LL CATCH UP TO YOU, JUST GET OUT OF HERE!

[severus-snape1.livejournal.com]

*Snape is less sure about his chances with the demons now, but he still knows better than to expose his back to an enemy, and Barty is certainly that. He gestures for Reg and Barty to precede him.*

After you.

*He'd much rather not leave Wesley, particularly since he doesn't exactly know how he's going to get out of this, but he's pretty sure that he can't be of help, either, and might even hinder him if Wesley worries about his safety. Perhaps he just won't follow Reg and Bart very far.*

[madlymirthful9.livejournal.com]

*what begins as the brisk stride of a man who doesn't want to let in on to the fact he's suddenly rather frightened fast devolves into a clanky, encumbered run - his clever disguise, which by now is thoroughly coated in frost, suddenly becoming dangerously inconvenient*

[severus-snape1.livejournal.com]

*Snape waits until both Barty and Regulus have a small head start, and then he jogs down the tunnel after them, with one final backwards glance of concern for Wesley. He has decided to pace himself; Crouch will exhaust himself, particularly lugging all that weight with him, and Snape doesn't want to be too close to him when he's forced to stop.*

[wetandbothered5.livejournal.com]

*by now frostily fused to Barty's gear from holding him back, Regulus is forced to run awkwardly alongside him but it's lucky they have been in this situation enough times to become rather skilled in Hell's version of childhood three-legged races; the tunnel is long but up ahead on the right an opening to another gapes and he aims for it*

[madlymirthful9.livejournal.com]

*this new tunnel looks rather larger then Barty would like - earlier complaints about excessive crawling now long-forgotten, they barrel forward as the thing behind them lets out a now nearly-distant screech*

[deadwesley1.livejournal.com]

*Wes is ready to get out of here. He's incapacitated the first demon; he's nearly deaf from its screams of pain resulting from the nasty wounds to its sensory organs which protrude from either side of its neck, allowing it to maneuver effortlessly in the dark tunnels. Not a chance of it following them now. The other demon...

Wes doesn't have the faintest clue about it and he doesn't wait around for a lesson. Time was when he'd... oh, nevermind! He flees toward Snape's retreating form, calling ahead:*

TAKE CARE! THIS NEW BEAST MAY HAVE ALERTED OTHERS!

[severus-snape1.livejournal.com]

*Snape slows upon hearing Wesley's warning; he doesn't want to blunder into an oncoming demon, and he doesn't want to become separated from Wesley if he can help it. He's also not feeling well; now that he's no longer having to concentrate on Barty, he's aware of the pains coming from his midsection. He'd like to chalk it up to the tension of avoiding the fight with Barty, but he suspects otherwise. Instead, he pauses right at the entrance to the tunnel Barty and Reg have taken, listening intently for unusual sounds while watching Wesley catch up.*