Serpentine Embrace

The building was shaking. It trembled just like Ray’s heart as he ran through the buildings many halls. The first crash he had heard was only a prelude and now the foundation of the establishment rumbled continuously as blow after blow was delivered. Though what was delivering them was still in question.

Ray cried out and skidded to a halt as a chunk of the ceiling fell right in front of him, almost plowing him in the head. Another quake throughout the building slammed him into the wall and before he could recover another jolt sent him to the ground.

A sharp pain shot through Ray’s arm as he landed on it. He groaned through clenched teeth and cradled it. He just prayed he hadn’t broken anything.

All thoughts of his aching arm left as another spine tingling screech threatened to destroy his eardrums. Ray wrapped his arms around his head to try and muffle the horrible sound that seemed to last forever. The roars were just as frequent as the quakes and the man didn’t know how much more he could take of either.

Remembering why he was trying so hard to get to his destination in the first place, Ray forced his body to move and hauled himself to his feet. He sprinted through the hallway for all he was worth, trying hard to ignore the shakes and the screeches coming from who knew where.

Finally, after many agonizing minutes, Ray reached the door he had been seeking. He practically collapsed against it in relief and was so happy the next roar was all but forgotten. With his fist he banged against the door repeatedly.

“George! George, can you hear me!?” he had to scream over the surrounding chaos. Ray reached for the doorknob to wrench the door open, only to find it wasn’t there. His eyes widened in disbelief. The doorknob was melted and it had seeped into the crack of the door, sealing it closed. What in the world could do something like that besides a blowtorch? He was momentarily brought out of his shock when a voice reached his ears.

“Ray? Ray, is that you?!”

“George! Thank, God! Are you all right?”

“Other than soiling my damn breeches, yeah, I’m just dandy,” George replied, making Ray wonder how it was possible for the older man’s sarcasm to shine through even in this situation. “What the hell is going on out there!?” George then demanded as another tremor hit.

Ray grunted as he stumbled and hit the door when he tried to rebalance.

“I don’t know!” he yelled, his cheek pressed against the oddly warm door. “You know just as much as I do.”

“Shit, then just get me the hell out of here! The handle ain’t workin’ on this side!”

Ray looked down at the hardened metal pool on the door that was once the doorknob. With his fingers he clawed at it and tried to pry it off the door. When that didn’t work he tried to wedge his fingers in the crack of the door to force it open, but this proved futile as well.

“George, I can’t!” Ray finally exclaimed. “The doorknob is melted and its holding the door closed!”

There was silence from the other side that was covered by another thunderous roar.

“What in blazen hell do you mean its melted!?” George then shrieked and Ray could hear the building fear in his voice and the man couldn’t blame him one bit.

“Something has melted the doorknob onto the door and its sealed shut!” Ray repeated. “George, don’t panic!” he then said when frantic banging came from the other side of the door. “Can you get to the phone in there? Maybe you can call for help!” he suggested, the idea breaking through his frantic thoughts.

“Don’t be stupid! I already tried that. Whatever the hell is going on has disabled the phones. Ray, you gotta get me out of here!”

Ray worried his lip as he looked around for something, anything that could pry open the door, but there was only rubble from the ceiling. With another injection of freezing dread to his system he realized there was nothing he could do for George at the moment.

“George, hold on tight. I’m going to go get help!” It was the only option he could see. No matter how much he didn’t like it.

“What!? No, you can’t just leave me here!”

The terrified sound of his voice broke Ray’s heart, but what else could he do?

“Listen to me. With the phones down we have no way to reach the outside world. If these tremors keep up then the building is most likely going to collapse and kill us both. The only way we even have a chance of getting out of this is if I can find someone to help me get you out of there. I’ll come back as soon as I can!”

Ray had to yell the last part as a roar tried to drown him out. He struggled to keep his voice as level, calm, and encouraging as he could. If he let his own fear and uncertainty show he knew it would only add to George’s and increase the older man’s anxiety.

The man was worried when he heard no reply from George, but another jolt to the building made him forget his worry as he fought not to be thrown to the ground again. The latest tremble seemed to make up George’s mind as the man’s voice shouted through the door,

“All right! Go, Ray, go! Dying in this hellhole is the last thing I want, so go! Just hurry back as fast as you can!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll come back with help and get you out of there. Just hold on, George,” Ray said, but before he could go do just that George stopped him.

“Wait! Ray!”

“What is it?”

“In case you don’t come back in time and I do die in here, I just want to say I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t believe you when you said you saw something. This could have all been avoided, but I was just an old, foolish bastard and didn’t listen to you.”

“Don’t talk like that, George,” Ray was quick to snap. If George was already saying such words that meant he had or was close to giving up and accepting his fate. Ray couldn’t let him do that. “I’ll only accept your apology once we’re both out of here, safe and sound. Don’t give up!”

Without giving the old security guard the chance to reply, Ray dashed off. He had to get out of the trembling building and go get help. It was the only thought he let fill his mind. He blocked out the quakes and the savage, animalistic roars and focused on getting out and saving George.

When Ray reached the stairs that led from the lower level to the first floor he took them two at a time. Some of the steps looked like they had been crushed and he tripped more than once, almost smashing his face into the broken steps. He had to keep himself from stopping when he reached the door to the first floor. Much like the boiler room, the door had been knocked out and a massive hole had been left in its wake.

Instead of stopping to gawk at it, Ray made himself keep going. He couldn’t stop. Not for anything. Or so he thought before he made it to the lobby. What he saw made him stop dead in his tracks and for a moment he thought the stress of the situation had snapped him mentally. There was no way what he was seeing could be real. No possible way.

It was larger than anything Ray had ever seen. There was hardly any room for it to move around the lobby as it twisted and thrashed around. It stood on four legs, but could stand on two just fine as it swiped at the air with its front feet that were armed with monstrous claws, the very claws that had made the marks in the concrete wall. Dark purple scales covered the entirety of its body and faded into a deep blue on its underside. Like the blue from the depths of the mysterious ocean.

Its snout was delicate and narrow and it snapped at the air with hundreds of razor sharp teeth. Two sinister blue horns, the same color as its underbelly, grew along its skull and stuck out behind its head. It let out a tremendous bellow, shaking the glass in the room as well as all of Ray’s organs, and it flapped gigantic leathery wings in agitation, almost blowing the stunned man over.

When Ray was younger he had loved reading fantasy books. About old, ancient lands filled with strong, brave heroes, magic, and fantastical creatures. He just never once believed that, in the real world, let alone in the modern age, he would come face to face with one of the most renowned and greatest creature of them all.

“A…dragon?”

Ray felt short of breath and thought he would faint right there and then. It couldn’t be. Dragons didn’t exist. They were only in storybooks, myths, and legends. They weren’t real.

But no matter how much Ray tried to convince himself that what he was seeing was a trick from his mind the violent shaking caused by the reptile like creature lashing its head upward and smashing it into the ceiling told him otherwise.

It was then he realized what it was doing. It was chasing something that was flying around its head. Like a pestering fly one would like nothing better to do than squash. That was when the dragon maneuvered itself skillfully and, surprisingly, gracefully and swatted at the thing with it long, thick tail.

Ray winced when whatever it was smashed into one of the walls, causing a cloud of dust and debris to rise. When it settled a huge crater had been made in the wall. When the man saw what was embedded in the crater he collapsed to his knees and prayed to God that he’d wake up and this would all be some horrible nightmare.

At first Ray thought he was looking at a man, but the longer he stared the more he knew it could only be considered half a man. His head, torso, and arms were of a normal man. He was built sturdy and had a good amount of muscle rippling down his chest and abs and his arms looked like they could snap Ray’s neck like a twig. His flowing, waist length silver hair that spilled around in a mass of tangles and the matching goatee that adorned his strong chin was a bit out of the ordinary, but it was the rest of the man that Ray couldn’t believe.

Where the man’s pelvis was supposed to meet leg, it instead morphed into an extremely long, thick tail. It resembled that of a serpent and coiled around the man from his impact. The underside of the snake tail was pure white and the rest of the scales darkened to a light gray and even darker grey stripes slashed across it. Gray, leathery wings sprouted from his back and black claws protruded from the tips, but the wings were bent at an uncomfortable looking angle from his position.

Like the dragon, two horns grew from the man’s skull. They were pure black and, instead of growing back, they curved forward and down a ways before they ended in outward points. They contrasted his light, silver hair and made his long, pointed ears more noticeable.

As both stunning and terrifying as this other creature was Ray realized this wasn’t the Snake-man’s first fight. His body was literally littered in pale scars. All across his arms, shoulders, chest, and down his long, serpent tail were numerous scars. Though a scar that trailed from his right cheek, down his throat, and ended at his collar bone was the only one that marred the area of his face.

Reality came back to Ray’s senses when the Snake-man moved to dislodge himself from the wall. Ray had to get out. The situation had gone way over a simple earthquake. He had been thrown into a scene from a movie, or he had gone into a psychological meltdown. Either seemed plausible at the moment.

The two creatures stood off with each other. A deep glare darkened the Snake-man’s face and a snarl curled the much larger dragon’s upper lip, but then it abruptly stopped growling. Its nostrils flared and Ray could hear it take in loud, deep breaths. It was smelling something.

A yelp ripped from Ray and he fell back completely when the dragon’s head whipped around and its eyes locked directly on him. The snarling started again only this time it was aimed at the terrified man.

The Snake-man looked perplexed for a moment before turning his head and spotting Ray for the first time and for one, brief moment, they both shared the same horrified looks.

“Shit!” he cried out and Ray was shocked further that the creature could speak.

He didn’t have long to be amazed when the dragon launched itself at him with murderous intent. Ray’s scream reverberated off the walls and all he could see was rows of teeth about to devour him whole.

However, the mouth couldn’t reach its goal as the dragon’s head was slammed down into the tiled floor, mere inches away from its victim.

Ray could only stare in a daze before realizing what had happened. The Snake-man was now on top of the dragon’s snout and had his serpent body wrapped around its jaws, serving as a muzzle. The half man half snake also had his hands buried wrist deep into the ground and his muscles strained to keep them there, effectively preventing the dragon from raising its head.

Ray gasped when the man’s head snapped up and fierce, steel gray eyes stared into his light green eyes.

“What are you waiting for, Idiot!?” the Snake-man yelled at him, making Ray jump in alarm. “Run!!!”

Ray didn’t have to be told twice as the dragon took that moment to wrench its head up, making the Snake-man lose his grip on the floor and send him flying through the air. Ray turned his body and scrambled to his feet and dashed away just as claws swiped at where he had been seconds before.

The front entrance was not an option now, what with the dragon blocking it. Ray ran toward the only escape that was right in his line of vision. The elevator. He squeaked when a chunk of debris flew past him and smashed into the elevator button, opening the doors for him.

Ray skidded and smacked his side into the back of the compartment. The jolt of pain was his least concern as he saw the dragon coming after him. Ray rushed forward and began hitting the Close button frantically.

“Come on! Close! Close! Close!!!” he screamed in panic as with each second the mighty beast was closing in. Ray pressed his back into the wall as the teeth came for him again.

Whether it was luck or good timing, the elevators slid closed right before the dragon reached him. Ray whimpered and sunk to the ground when the doors wailed with strain as they were bent inwards as the creature tried to break them down.

Ray struggled around the misshapen doors and reached out desperately with his hand and hit a random button. A bloodcurdling screech sounded seconds afterwards as the elevator moved and lifted its occupant away from the enraged beast to a higher floor.

The man collapsed on the elevator floor in a heap. He was breathing heavily and his body was shaking uncontrollably. Ray could feel his heart beating so hard it hurt. His vision blurred for just a moment then his cheeks became wet. He was crying. Tears spilled freely down his face and he couldn’t stop them even if he had been in his right mind to do so.

The elevator came to a stop and a ding sounded throughout the small space. Ray’s arms trembled as he lifted himself up. He had to keep going. He couldn’t stop here. He’d die if he didn’t keep moving.

The doors squealed as they tried to open, but the damage done from the beast only allowed them to open halfway. Ray squeezed past them the best he could. Stumbling and falling to his knees when he broke free. He looked up and spotted a window on the other side of the room he had come to. He recognized it. It was one of the windows connected to the fire escape. His escape.

Ray was working on automatic now. All he knew was that he had to get to that window. He had to if he wanted to live. He numbly clambered to his feet and made his way toward the window. It seemed so far away. He had to get closer. He had to reach it.

When he was halfway to his goal he stopped. He looked around as the entire room began to tremble and shake. With wide eyes he looked down as the floor beneath his feet began to rise. The floor then lurched upwards and Ray was thrown back.

“No! No! No! No!!!” Ray screamed when the dragon burst through the floor with a mighty roar. Ray turned himself over onto his stomach and tried to crawl back to the elevator. A pain laced wail tore from his throat when the dragon stepped on him with its front foot and pinned him to the floor.

Ray was disoriented from the blow and it took him a second to realize he was being lifted into the air. The dragon’s claws were long enough to act like fingers and it picked him up like a rag doll.

“No,” slipped from Ray’s lips over and over and he tried to fight the dragon’s hold. He stopped when he was brought face to face with the beast. It stared at him with bright amethyst eyes and he could do nothing but stare back. Then, if Ray didn’t know any better, he swore it smirked at him.

That was when the dragons grip tightened. Ray screamed as his body was constricted until it was so tight his lungs refused to work, silencing him. His bones creaked in a sickening way. The pressure was too great for his body. He was going to be crushed.

Then Ray was falling. He hit the ground and a faint squeak escaped him. Though he was now further away from the beast, he had taken its arm with him.

The dragon screeched as silver blood gushed and sprayed from its shoulder where its arm had been severed. It stumbled and turned its long neck to look at the place its limb used to be. It then began to roar and shriek, as if just realizing what had happened.

That was when the Snake-man appeared. He coiled up in front of Ray protectively, though now he had taken on a change. His left arm no longer was covered in peach colored skin, but the same grayish scales as his snake body. Lethal, black claws took place of his fingers and were as big as Ray’s forearm. They looked sharp enough to cut through most anything, even through the tough hide of a dragon’s limb. The Snake-man laughed cruelly as he watched the dragon writhe in agony.

“Has being asleep for so long made you slow, Valeria?” he asked mockingly. “You may as well quit while you’re behind. You won’t be spilling any innocent human blood tonight.”

The Snake-man continued to speak to the dragon, but to Ray it was becoming muffled until he could hear nothing. Even though the dragon’s arm had been cut off from its body, it still had a death grip on him.

He could only get in small breaths of air, but it wasn’t enough and soon his lungs became starved for oxygen. His head began to swim and felt too heavy to hold up so he let it fall back. His vision dimmed and he had one last thought before all went dark.

This was what it was like to die…

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Hello everyone. Wow, I wrote the next chapter much sooner than I ever could have dreamed. I suppose all of the wonderful, kind words I received for the first chapter fueled my fingers to write up a storm. And for those fantastic reviews I receive I would like to reply to them

MibuWolf: Thank you so much. I never dreamed a stray idea I had would be received so well and I’m glad you already like Ray, cause, really, how enjoyable is a story if you hate the main character? So I am very glad. And I hope I put your fear of me leaving this at one chapter to rest. I couldn’t not continue on with Ray, he’s also caught me. Thank you again and yay for “SE’s” first fan! *hugs*

Baku: Oi, I’m sorry to hear about the cockroach, I hope you’ll be able to get rid of it, but I guess I should thank it for helping you identify with Ray. Yes, Judy is…not one of the nicest of people, to put it nicely. And don’t worry about old George, he’s a lot better off than Ray at the moment. Thank you so much for saying I executed the characters nicely. I hope I did the same this chapter and I hope you enjoy it just as much. Thank’s again for the wonderful review.

KatFo: That’s good and I hope this chapter makes you want to stick around too. Thank you for reading let alone reviewing.

Coco: Mwahaha you should be and I’ll be satisfied if this chapter terrified you. Thank you for the review.

SeriouslyJoking: Oh, wow, you flatter me far too much, but I’m honored that you think I did Ray such justice and I hope those thoughts carried on into this chapter as well. I’m also glad the length of the chapter made you happy that’s something I’m sure I can keep up with. Hmmm I see what you mean about that kind of trap. I didn’t even think of it until you pointed it out. I know having comical relief is good, but I see how it can really deter from suspenseful/scary scenes. I’ll make sure to look out for that from now on and I hope all of what Ray experienced in this chapter was believable for you and the rest of the readers. Hehe no worries, babble as much as you like, no need to stop yourself and thank you a hundred times for the wonderful review *hugs* As for what the plot actually is, I’ll be curious to see what that is, too. *grins*

White m&ms: Well, I’m glad I was able to surprise you then. I figured the summary would be very deceiving. Heh as for being on the edge of your chair, I’m sure this chapter didn’t help any, did it? *Hides* Don’t hate me for it! But thank you for the review and I really hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Pizzaboyyy: Thank you and I hope this chapter made you love it more. Heh I’d be afraid to fall in too. Who knows how long you’d fall for, or how hard you’d hit the bottom. Thank you again for your review.

I want to thank everyone who reviewed, rated, and read. You’ve all made me so giddy with how well received the first chapter was. I can only hope this second chapter will be just as liked. I’ve sure put poor Ray in a horrible situation and you finally got to see what caused the earthquake and the giant holes. Anything you were expecting? Well, I assure you this isn’t the last chapter, so come back once the next one is up. Though, I’m warning you now it probably won’t come as fast as this one did, so don’t hold you’re breath, but again, I’d love to hear feedback on how its going so far and constructive-criticism is always welcomed. Until then everyone have a wonderful day!

P.S. Am I the only one who finds it extremely funny that while “Snake-man” is being macho and cocky to the dragon, poor Ray is dying right behind him? Is that just me? Hehe silly name-not-yet-known character *pets him*