Running on Empty

Sewer - Sheridan, Wyoming

As Finlay followed Lydia through the dimly lit sewer tunnels, his initial embarrassment, observable by a soft smile, over Lydia's blushing and awkward explanation faded into the background as his adrenaline levels from the escape faded. Instead, he became increasingly aware of his own physical condition. The exhaustion that had been building since his last transformation now hit him with full force, and his steps began to falter.

As Lydia continued to speak and ask questions, Finlay's focus waned. He leaned against the sewer wall for support, desperately trying to stay upright. His vision blurred, and he found it increasingly difficult to process her words. He shook his head to try to clear his thoughts and wake up. When Lydia eventually dropped to all fours and began crawling through the narrow tunnels, Finlay's strength gave out completely. He sank to the ground, his back against the cold sewer wall, and his eyes began to close involuntarily.

In his dazed and depleted state, any attempt to communicate came out as a barely comprehensible murmur. He realized he was falling behind, but his body refused to cooperate. All he could do was hope that Lydia would notice he was no longer directly behind her. Finlay lay there conscious, but unmoving from fatigue; a petite girl forcibly resting in oversized clothes with the darkness of the sewer as blankets.