Diving

"There won't be any homeless people." Mitch's voice cracked.

Kathy frowned. "Don't be so loud."

In front of them, the rag-man kept still. His eyes opened wide into their lamplight, drinking it in like a desert nomad encountering a waterfall. The light didn't flatter the rest of him, showing off the layers of dirt over ruined cloth and flesh.

"He sees us." Mitch took a stiff step backwards.

The rag-man kept still.

Mitch worked his hand slowly to his side, where he had all his emergency gear holstered. "We should come back with police."

The whisper carried across the empty factory floor. It bounced off of the high walls that bordered the gloom, giving the hints of boundaries to the blurry darkness that their head lamps barely disturbed.

Kathy took a step backwards.

The rag-man took a step forward.

Kathy scuttled back four steps.

The rag-man kept still.

Mitch stepped backwards, fumbling with his emergency gear as he did.

The rag-man took a step forward.

"I understand." Kathy whispered, taking out her flashlight.

She turned off her head lamp.

The rag-man moaned.

She turned on the flashlight, and the moaning stopped. The rag-man's mouth stayed open. Behind him, more bright eyes emerged from the gloom. Kathy waved the flashlight, and the rag-man's head followed the light. She took a step towards him.

The bang froze her in place, flashlight in her fingers and eyes unfocused. In front of her, the rag-man swayed and mewed. Those other eyes closed and vanished, a wail raising up from the distance. Mitch pointed the gun into the gloom and fired again, over the rag-man slumped body.

"We'll need the police to clear the rest." He said, taking Kathy by the arm and leading her out of the building