21: The Easy Part -Jay-

It didn't take too long to get up the moth's throat, and wasn't really difficult either. There were a few close calls of going back down, but I managed to keep steady. In a matter of minutes I found myself at the back of its tongue, feeling the heaves of breath flow in and out. The smell of the stomach below finally got to me now that I was out of it. I pinched my nose for a moment in hopes of drowning out the horrid stench. It didn't work.

The moth kept roaring in pain, its tongue flickering at the sides of the mouth. I guess John must have left a decent amount of damage for it to cry so much. I looked around in order to locate the beginning of its windpipe. The whipping of the tongue made it a bit harder to focus, since it meant trying to keep my balance. I risked a jump to the right side of the mouth, jabbing my knife in to the tongue by mistake. A wicked screech pierced my ears as the giant muscle flailed about with me holding on tight.

I began to feel dizzy, leaving me unable to do much until the thing stopped freaking out. I may have stabbed it on accident, but it turned out for the better on my behalf. One moment, the world of the inside of a giant moth was blurry and made no sense to me. The next thing I knew, I was flying down a tube; the windpipe. I clenched my hands to make fists. The blade was still in my hand.

This moth just made my job all the easier. As I fell, I slashed and hacked at what ever was around me. I felt no solid connection; only air. Turns out the tube was a lot wider than expected. Me being skinnier had nothing to do with this task. Either John just wanted the more convenient escape, or he felt that I was more capable of this. Maybe it was both.

Up ahead, I noticed a glow of light. I ended up plummeting to a pretty soft landing. The whole lung was lit up with a faint tint of yellow. Since when did the innards of a moth give off any light? Guess I should be glad that I have some light while stuck in here.

I remained seated after landing. It seemed pointless to try and stand in such an environment as this. Cutting this thing wide open seemed simple enough though, due to how fragile the lungs are for any creature. I gripped at my knife and started slicing away, leaving large holes behind. While doing this, I kept my free hand clinging to the floppy leftovers that were attached to the tube above.

It soon became obvious that the giant moth was struggling for breath, raspy sounds echoing through out it. I placed my blade safely back into my pocket and ripped a piece of the remnants for a source of light.

I may have only took out one lung, but it would get the job done. Any longer in this thing and I may not stand a chance of ever getting out. I kept on climbing with my arms, it feeling like eternity to reach the exit. Ten minutes later and I found myself at the top again.

Carefully, I made my way towards the front and clung to the bottom of its mouth; adding my knife in for insurance. The thing snapped its jaw every few seconds, making me wary of just jumping straight out.

I leaped in, landed in a stomach, climbed a throat, flew down a breathing tube and made it back up to where the exit was just ahead, and freedom was right there. Regardless of these feats, the threat still remained before me. It would seem getting in and doing the job was easy.

Getting out would be the hard part.

20: To Take Down A Moth-Beast -John-

I'm not sure why we thought it was a great idea to jump into this thing's mouth. Then again, we were hasty about it, seeing how the damn thing attacked our friend and all. Either way, I really didn't appreciate being reacquainted to the inside of this beastly moth.

This time I wound up splashing head first into stomach acid. Jay landed somewhere nearby, hitting me on the way down. I quickly stood up, wiping at my face the best I could. Did I mention it was dark in there?

"Sure would be nice to have some light right now.", Jay's voice echoed the massive stomach. "Forget the light, Jay. What we need right now is a plan," I pulled a blade from my pocket, "and all I got is this knife."

In my head, I began to go over the damage this giant moth had already taken: Many, many bullets were shot; even its one eye getting a taste of lead. We applied fire to it, and by the smell of things it was still set aflame. I even managed to jab my knife up and in to its belly and cut it open. What else would it take to bring this damned thing down?

You know, fumbling with a knife in the dark while thinking doesn't help. I came back to reality due to the sharp pain in my left hand, the tip of the blade poking at my palm. At least feeling it meant that I haven't gone completely numb yet. I heard sloshing sounds come closer and closer, which told me Jay was trying to find me. As if the knife weren't distracting enough, "Just stay where you are, would ya? I'm trying to think here."

Jay stopped, speaking up, "I have an idea."

Considering I was low on getting those things called ideas, I decided to hear him out, "What do you have in mind?"

"Tear at its insides."

A part of me wanted to say how stupid that sounded, but it was the best thing we could do. After all, we were armed with knives and knives alone, and I didn't plan on becoming a filling meal for this moth. My brain finally pulled up some thoughts with Jay's help, "We'll tear at it, alright. More specifically, I'll tear at its stomach here...", I thrust the knife down, meeting flesh in the acidic bath, "...and you'll go for its lungs."

"Wait, its lungs? We could just as easily slice our way out of this thing right here while cutting it up some." I turned to his voice, "Yes, we could do that, Jay. Except that isn't going to kill it any faster, now is it? If we can take away its ability to breathe, even if it doesn't take to the lack of air quickly, it should die even faster."

"I don't see why I have to go do that.", he mumbled.

"Simple, you're skinnier."

I knew he wasn't particularly happy with that plan, especially since it entailed him having to climb up its gullet and than down its windpipe. He didn't waste time arguing though. With out another word, Jay splashed his way past me and began to stab his way up the throat.

I was left with the sounds of gurgling and some splashes of stomach acid as the moth roamed about. I closed my eyes, readying myself. Numbness was starting to settle within my body. It was now or become moth poo. I opened my eyes, clenching at the blade's handle, "Robby, this one's for you."

I charged to the right, finding the stomach lining with its tip. With all my might I ran along, trying my best to not slip. I repeated the process once I reached the other side of the stomach.

Roars and gulps of air gushed on in as I tore at its precious insides. I began to stab and rip at the stomach floor before me, running in to the cut I had made on its outside. I cut over it, deepening the wound. In an instant, I dropped to the ground below, acid splashing all over the place with a slow sizzle.

I got up and moved as fast as I could, seeing no sign of Jay. I found cover nearby and hid behind it; a pile of scrap metal. As my heart pounded and my skin slowly began to be eaten way, only one thing came to mind.

I was in desperate need of a shower.