Mold and Blood (Ethan Winters x Reader)

It didn't take long to reach your destination, and thankfully, nothing blocked your path. But now, standing in front of the staircase that leads to the basement, the air feels heavier and colder.

You stand there for a moment, staring at the staircase, your chest tight with unease. The dim light from the door at the bottom flickers faintly, casting strange shadows that make the walls look like they're shifting.

"Ethan, are you sure we have to do this?" You ask, your voice is barely more than a breath. Something about this place feels wrong, more so than anything you've encountered before.

You feel Ethan stepping closer, his voice calm, yet firm. "Hey," he says softly, placing a reassuring hand on your shoulder. "I know it looks bad, but you can do this."

You take a shaky breath, glancing at him but seeing nothing next to you... oh how much you want to see him right now... read his face, look into his eyes, and see for yourself that he truly believes what he says.

Suddenly, you feel a shift and figure that Ethan's expression probably darkens if his voice is enough to go off of. "Please, do exactly what I tell you once you're in the basement." He hesitates for a moment before continuing, "There are monsters down there. Big, black, and dangerous. They're not like anything you've seen before... they're fast, and they hit hard."

Your heart skips a beat. "How do I fight them?"

"You don't," he replies, shaking his head. "You have your gun, but don't rely on it. It'll slow you down, and if you try to fight, you'll waste time – time you don't have. These things... they can swarm you. The more you hesitate, the worse it'll get."

The air around you feels even colder now. "So, what do I do?"

You feel Ethan's eyes lock onto yours, steady and serious. "You run. Duck, weave, whatever you have to do – just keep moving. Don't stop for anything. I'll guide you, tell you where to go. All you need to focus on is getting through the hallways as fast as you can."

You swallow hard, your palms sweaty as you grip your gun tighter. "What if I get cornered?"

"You won't." His tone is firm, almost protective. "I'll make sure of it. Just trust me. You duck, you run, and I'll get you through this. But don't slow down, alright? The faster you move, the better."

Despite the fear gnawing at you, his words ground you. You nod, determination starting to replace the dread.

"Okay," you whisper, your voice steadier than you feel. "I'm ready."

Ethan gives your shoulder a final squeeze. "You've got this. Now go."

As you push open the white door at the bottom of the stairs, a gust of cold, stale air hits you, sending a shiver down your spine. The basement beyond is pitch black, swallowing any light that tries to creep in from above. Your pulse quickens and you instinctively tighten your grip on the gun, even though Ethan's warning echoes in your mind— don't rely on it.

You step inside, the door creaking shut behind you, plunging you into darkness. "I don't like this..."

The silence is overwhelming at first, but then, you hear it—soft, wet sounds, like something shifting, dragging itself along the floor. It's faint but unmistakable.

Your breath catches as the sound grows closer, and then you hear it—a low, guttural growl from somewhere deep within the basement. It reverberates through the walls, chilling you to the core. The air feels thick, suffocating, and your every instinct tells you to turn back, to run—but you can't. Not now.

You take a step forward, the soles of your shoes barely making a sound on the damp floor.

Then another growl rumbles through the darkness, closer this time. Your heart pounds in your chest as the sound of something large and heavy moving in the shadows reaches your ears. "Ethan?"