Chapter 7

After getting a bit of rest until the sun rose, the Sheriff opened the shutters. The sun peering over the horizon down the road. But the streets were still empty. The town looked just as dead in the morning as it did at night. By six the phones started ringing. It was the dispatchers followed by a few officers, calling in sick. Lydia called after and like the rest of the calls Arnold picked up. "Officer Arnold is that you?" "Yeah," "What's going on? There were these things outside last night making awful noises, Is it safe to come to the station?" "We think so, be Careful. "I will, don't worry. I'll see you at the station." Lydia looked out her window and Heard several trucks revving outside. Her jaw dropped open as she hung up the phone and ran outside.

Francis Callahan put his truck in Park when he saw Lydia flailing her arms at him from her yard. He got out leaving a hunting rifle on his seat. Him and all the people with him were covered head to toe in camouflage hunting gear The truck had about seven men with hunting rifles in the back each of the three pickups carrying a small militia. "What's going on?" Lydia asked as Francis approached her on her lawn. "Some concerned citizens and myself are driving out to the cult outpost north of town, whatever that was last night, we don't have any doubt they're the ones responsible for those monsters and without a doubt the murders leading up to it. Now we're gonna go down to the station and tell the sheriff what we're doing and he can either bring some officers and come along. Or stay, it makes no difference to us." "I need to get to the station now." "Get in the back, miss?" "Just Lydia." "Get in Lydia." Francis said, getting back in his truck and moving his gun. As she hopped in the back wearing Jeans hiking boots and a green hoodie that read Amber University in yellow letters. She didn't bother getting work clothes on, she felt it wasn't gonna be a normal day and a dress shirt, skirt and heels weren't gonna cut it if she needed to run, after getting off her bus last night she was almost attacked by an animal outside her building. If she didn't take off the stupid heels to run faster she probably would have been dead on her own doorstep. Lydia couldn't get the thought of it's eyes watching her as her apartment's elevator doors closed. Lydia was snapped out of her thoughts as the trucks sped off down the road and an old man with glasses pulled a rifle out of a brown duffle bag and handed it to her with shaky elderly hands, initially she wanted to say no but as the militia passed a burning car crashed into the electronics store, the roof of the now flaming silver car had been ripped off and the driver missing, she took the gun.

Abe and Ben were talking outside the station as the sun came up slowly. The two aging men slumped on the rails in front of them as they lit smokes, 'taunting their mortality' as Abe put it. "Those men we saw on the way to the lake last night." Ben started to ask. "Do you think they were there, looking for Gerald?" Abe blew out a cloud of smoke before answering. "I'm almost positive. It seemed like they were just blocking the road at the time, hauling off vehicles and bodies that fell into their sick trap, But they were too far into the woods. Why block the road to lake Squire? It doesn't make any sense. The western road goes to lake Squire and that's it. gotta take the southern and northern roads to really get the hell out of Amber and what's east?" " Just Forest." "Exactly." Abe said with a grin pointing the fingers holding his smoke towards Ben. "that forest is how we get to their compound." "If Gerald doesn't get there first. Not that that would probably be a bad thing." ���No, it wouldn't be a bad idea, but I can't sit back and watch my son have a literal curse upon him and spread it to others willingly of all things. He learned a beautiful power and got bored with it. Twisted it to see if he could make himself into a monster. When he couldn't fully turn back, well you saw him." "Why is he like that and none of the others? Wouldn't nine foot grey giants be popping up over town?" "Not likely. Gerald was the first, so his change was willed, he forced his power to do that, maybe even against the powers' will. Yet still, He willed himself into a werewolf, spreadable curse and all." "Silver." "exactly. And Silver bullets aren't easy to come by otherwise my gun would be loaded with them and I'd be handing them out to the other officers like candy." Abe said with a chuckle that quickly disappeared before continuing "The others turned by force after being bitten by him or somebody bitten by him." "This is all so fucking crazy." Ben said flicking his smoke and lighting another one. "I know." Abe said doing the same. "If we can find out what the cult is up to, then we might know how difficult they will be to deal with." "Sneaking in?" Abe asked, sounding almost taken aback by the good sheriff suggesting a B and E as Abe used to put it. "Already have, Just gotta make a call." "Nice." Abe said as they both blew smoke clouds.

By the time they reached the station, it looked as desolate as the rest of Amber, though not on fire like a few of the other buildings. The fire department made it to the first fire at around one in the morning before being overwhelmed by the howling and snarling dark shapes that followed their trucks' sirens and lights until the engine stopped before swarming them. The sheriff didn't know what to do when he saw the row of trucks show up. "I knew this was coming." Abe said drawing a long drag off of his smoke. "Me too." Ben said in agreement. Amber had a relatively large hunting community and the community here had been warned about the Nocturnis Infernis in the past. At first they even reluctantly welcomed the small religious community with open arms. That was before they started handing out religious propaganda to children at the Saint Nancy Elementary school and at Kramer high school before being forced off the properties of both, Harmless though creepy at first, things escalated once they realized how lenient the townsfolk were to their presence. That's when the community started to distrust them and paid them more attention, but not enough. The trucks all stopped in front of the station and Francis Callahan walked up the steps nodding at the officer outside with the Sheriff as he passed.

"Morning Sheriff." "Good morning Francis." There was a small pause as Ben let out a sigh. "I know why you're here Francis." The bald, grey moustached man almost cracked a smile. "Good, then once the rest of your officers get in we're gonna storm that outpost and kill everyone inside.��� "This is the rest, Francis. Everyone else was either too scared to come, or dead. I'm not denying they're involved in this, in fact I'm sure of it. You in charge of this posse?" "Yes sir sheriff." Ben flicked his cigarette but into the snow, the ashtray was full and overflowing next to them. "Good, you come inside. We've got some stuff to fill you in on." the man in the brown trench coat finished his and stamped it into the towering pile of butts before walking inside behind Ben and Francis. When they got inside Francis noticed officer Delton having new bandages applied by Gina as Sarah watched him while talking quickly on the phone. His eyes darted frantically about the room, drenched in sweat. He looked like he had gone mad. "What happened to him?" "He ran into what was making those noises last night. Let's talk in my office, a little quieter." Ben spoke walking down the hall and up the stairs to his office on the second floor as Abe and Francis followed close. "IT'S BACK! GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!" Delton screamed fumbling for his gun before remembering the sheriff wanted him disarmed after Ben recalled how unstable Claude was at the hospital. picking up a green lamp that had been turned off behind him, Delton threw it at the wide stretch of empty tile wall in front of him before Sarah slammed down the phone. "There is nothing there! Calm down!" She yelled trying to hold him down as Gina helped and after a minute he gave up and passed out.

Abe and Ben explained everything to Francis. The creatures, Abe's son, the cultists.

Francis didn't know what to say, having learned his small army would probably be slaughtered come nightfall. "We could use your help Francis. We're heading back to doctor Barker's office to get Delton and I patched up." "What happened to you sheriff?" Ben moved his collar and Francis saw the bloody bandages that Gina luckily had enough of to patch him up with. "One of those robed freaks stabbed me last night, stings but not too serious. They killed a good officer and a good friend out there and I couldn't even find his damned body." "Don't worry sheriff. We'll get those bastards." Abe retorted supportively "What's the plan, sheriff?" Francis asked. "That is what we need to figure out fast." Ben replied standing up and making his way to the door. They discussed their plan more, what little of it they could as they walked. When they got back to the lobby, Delton was incapacitated again. "Francis keep your men ready. Gina help me get Delton to Doctor Barker. Sarah you aren't police, or a doctor, if you want to go home I won't stop you." "I'm not going fucking anywhere." "Okay it's settled, everyone here is coming. Arnold, radio Cole and get him back here. Gina lifted Cole by his legs and the sheriff by his arms. And the two walked the unconscious officer outside and put him gently in the backseat of his police cruiser. Gina got in the passenger seat as Ben got in the driver's seat and started the car and began driving slowly, occasionally having to make detours to get around crashed or overturned vehicles.

"You guys are really planning on killing those people in the woods?" Ben knew what she was getting at and he didn't like it either, but the more noble choices were too high risk."they're beyond dangerous and there's no telling how many there are. Bringing them back to the station could lead to a bloodbath in the centre of town if we miss one and they manage to get out." "So you're just going in with an armed mob to kill all those people?" Ben was silent for a moment. "People's lives are in danger because of them Gina. I don't like killing people and I doubt Francis is eager about it too, but you need to understand this isn't some hippie compound in the woods. They are there because they've been run out of town on more than one occasion. Did you know about that?" "No, why?" "I'm pretty sure they're insane. People had enough of them vandalizing homes and being terrorized so they burned down their church and they fled to the woods and built a new one with concrete walls nobody's even seen them until they made an attack on a restaurant yesterday. They killed everyone inside except that girl, Sarah Baker, the redhead back at the station." "Why? Why would they do these things?" "No one knows. But we're gonna find out tonight." the two remained silent the rest of the drive. When they got to Doctor Barkers clinic, Delton was grumbling in the back seat and started to wake up. Ben turned to speak to Delton who was gaining consciousness. Then decided against it.

Gina and Ben got out of the car and once again the two carefully carried Delton's body into the clinic. "What's going on?" Delton grumbled as Gina got the door open and Ben held it open with one arm while carrying Delton by his legs in the other arm. "Hello?" a feminine voice asked from the next room walking into the lobby. It was the dark haired nurse, Pamela Hodder. "Is Doctor Barker here?" "He's in the next room, I'll go get him." Pam rushed to the back room as Ben and Gina put Cole down sitting up in a chair. A few moments later she returned with Doctor Barker. "Oh my goodness what happened to him?" "Same thing that happened to Claude Williams. Can you help him?" Ben pleaded. "I can treat his wounds, but there's no telling if he'll live." "Do what you can Doctor. One more thing, would you be able to stitch this up?" Ben winced as he moved his jacket revealing the bloody bandage." "Pam, stitch up Ben I'll go get a stretcher for your friend and bring him into the operating room. Ben put his jacket which had a small bloodstain on the shoulder near his stab wound and the thin black haired nurse returned with a cotton ball, a small bottle, a syringe and a needle and thread. "Just some anesthesia for your shoulder." Pam spoke softly, not taking her eyes off the syringe as she poked it into the lid of the small jar and filled it with a clear fluid. She disinfected the wound and applied the anesthesia, making his shoulder numb and cold. Soon she was all done stitching up what could have been a pretty nasty stab had the knife gone even halfway through him.

"Pam could you give me a hand in here?" Barkers british accent called from the far room where he was fixing Delton. After a few minutes the Doctor and nurse stepped out with a fair amount of blood on the doctors white jacket. "Your friend is in a pretty banged up state, have you taken him to the hospital?" "The hospital… Was attacked. You and Gina here are the only living doctors in Amber right now." "My word…" "Gina, were you coming back to the station or were you gonna stay with the Doctor?" "I'll be right outside, sheriff." Gina said as Ben grabbed his jacket and slid it on. Ben nodded and opened the door, it had started to snow hard. Ben walked to the car and Gina was outside and running to the car, she didn't have a jacket and she probably wouldn't want the one covered in blood that Ben was wearing. When they were both in the car Ben reached into the back seat and grabbed a spare winter jacket that was black and said A.P.D in large yellow letters on the back. "Here, probably a bit warmer than that doctor's coat." "Thanks." Gina said slipping on the oversized jacket. She stopped shivering when the car warmed up on it's way back to the station but outside was almost minus twenty degrees.

Meanwhile across town near the Dog park where he was first attacked, Claude Williams woke up shivering in a pile of garbage naked. "What the fuck?" he said rubbing his eyes,as he stood up leaning against the wall still shivering in the cold. Claude tore through the bags ignoring the filth looking for something to wear. He found a yellow or very faded white blanket with a hole in it that stunk of shit and smoke. Claude shook the blanket off and draped it over himself as he made his way home hoping nobody would see him. "Where the hell is Donny?" Claude walked shivering for nearly fifteen minutes before noticing everyone was gone. Almost everyone. He recognized the black and red robes standing at the end of the block and dived down an alley fast. "What the hell are they doing in town?" He said peeking his head around the corner still clutching the blanket. "There's one! Get him!" a male voice called from the figure as it lifted a finger in Claude's direction. "Shit shit shit!" Claude repeated as his teeth chattered with the blanket over his head. He ran down the alley as he heard several footsteps heading his way. There was a metal trash can with a lid next to him and Claude overturned the bag on the ground and hopped in putting the lid on to hide. He heard about six people running before stopping further down the Alley as he listened closely. "He had to go this way, naked just like the rest. He probably went further down the alley." "What about the dog? It's one too right?" "Yeah it is. Check near the station again but be careful. The police aren't the only ones looking for us anymore." "The police station." Claude said in a whisper as the footsteps and voices carried on down the alley. Claude poked his head up, lifting the lid of the can about an inch and saw the alley was cleared. That's when he sprung out, still draped in the dirty blanket and made his way back out to the street, quickly and began making his way to the station hiding from those figures along the way. 'What were they saying? Were they looking for Donny too?' Claude was alone with his thoughts as he followed the distant clock tower towards the police station, hoping to find his dog along the way in the freezing wind and snow.

When Ben pulled into the station he noticed the trucks were parked and empty. Everybody must have moved inside. Ben and Gina got out and made their way up the steps. When they heard the sound of a man screaming in the distance. "Somebody Help! Please!" Ben turned in the direction of the voice. It sounded like it was coming from a block south of the station. "Get inside!" Ben yelled as he took off on foot through the snowstorm towards the voice. It was difficult to see but the sound of a trash can being knocked over amidst the pleading cries for help pointed him in the right direction.

Claude ran barefoot through the snowy ice covered alleyway, surprised that no shards of glass cut him down from beneath the snow. But it didn't matter. There was a brick wall ahead of him. Three figures in black and red robes with some sort of abominations skull on top. with blood soaked hatchets in shaking hands they cornered Claude whose cries for help meant nothing as in his fear he dropped the blanket to shield his face with his arms preparing for cold steel to cut him to bits." "Get Down!" A voice called from behind the robed men and Claude hit the snowy pavement cowering beneath the disgusting though warm blanket. three loud bangs filled the air and two of the figures slumped to the ground. The other turned and raised his hatchet to Ben before being put down with a bullet to the head. "Are you alright?" Ben asked, putting his Gun away as he helped the trembling naked man get to his feet. "What the hell are you doing out here naked? Wait a minute, Claude? Where the hell did you go last night when the hospital was attacked? How did you get out here like this?" "the hospital was really attacked? I just woke up in an alley down the road on a pile of trash. My clothes were gone so I dug around for this blanket."

Claude muttered as he covered himself with the blanket. He almost added: 'I thought that was just a nightmare…' he thought to himself. He didn't like how any of this was adding up and he wanted no, needed to find Donny fast. "Come on kid let's get you to the station, we'll get you some clothes from the lost and found. How are your feet doing?" "Could be better." Claude chattered. "Alright it's just a few blocks away, take mine, I got thick socks on." "you, you mean it?" "Yeah. I do." Ben said sitting down on a closed trash can to untie the boots. Ben had thick cotton socks on, and this kid looked like his feet were halfway to permanent frostbite damage. Claude tied up the boots and clutched the blanket around him. As the two quickly made their way up the road to the station they noticed someone looking out the front door of the station. They couldn't tell who it was until they got closer. It was officer Cole "What the hells going on out here!?" He shouted over the wind. "When they got inside there were more people inside then on a busy day at the station, only two of them were officers amidst a doctor, a civilian and Callahan's army led by Francis Callahan himself all wielding hunting rifles. It was a surreal sight for the station. "Arnold, help Claude find some clothes." "What happened?" Arnold asked as he approached. "He had a rough night, now go get him some clothes, and see if you can find some shoes for him too." "Sure thing." He said as he turned and led Claude down the long hall where a large wooden chest sat under the stairs full of old clothes and some shoes. "That trunk should have something in there that should fit you." "Arnold said pointing at the box as he left Claude alone to pick something, he quickly grabbed a pair of jeans, and an Amber University hoodie much like Lydia's along with a faded pair of black sneakers and threw them on as fast as he could. Still semi shivering, Claude made his way back to the Lobby fast. "You look like you're doing a lot better." Francis said with a smile. As Claude handed Ben's boots back to the sheriff who slipped them back on quickly. "Yeah, as good as it can be. I've gotta get back out there and find my dog." "Claude?!" Sarah just noticed Claude, she hadn't seen him since before he was attacked and ran up to him. "Where have you been?" "I don't even know to be honest and I don't want to think about it." "Well what matters is you're fine now." "Thanks." "Hey wait," It was officer Cole running to Claude as he pushed the door open. "The sheriff wants me to head out there with you." Claude turned to Ben who was watching them with a grim expression as they stepped outside.

They made their way down the steps to the station and Cole got in his squad car while Claude got in the backseat. "So where did you see your dog last?" "The hospital, last night before I blacked out." "You think there's anywhere he would go?" "home maybe, there's my apartment, a few blocks west of here." "The one in front of the grocery store?" Cole asked through the cage separating the front and back seats. "That's the one." "Okay let's go." Cole spoke as he started the car. After about twenty minutes and three detours they made it to the seven story white building, across from a blue supermarket building. "Is this parking lot always this empty?" "Not normally, Never seen that van before though, hey over there!" Claude pointed to a shattered sliding glass door on the first floor. Of the building. "That's my place." "Okay let's go."

Officer Cole Winters led the way quietly stepping over the glass. The living room was ransacked. The dining table was missing a leg and everything on it had crashed to the ground. The couch flipped and tore open. Shredded magazines scattered across the rug. Claude stepped further inside looking around, the main door was still locked and untouched. "Donny? You in here boy?" A thud came from Claude's room. It sounded like Donny jumping off the bed and Claude took a couple of steps before his Bedroom door opened slowly to his left. "Donny?" The door slammed hard and in front of Claude was a man wrapped head to toe in bandages with a green jumpsuit that looked like a janitor's uniform though there was a light spot where a name tag had been ripped off. Claude tried to back up as he saw the man's eyes widen. He looked burnt around his eyes which looked furious. That's when Claude noticed he was holding the missing dining table leg and raised it above his head to strike Claude but Claude caught him off guard and cracked the mysterious stranger in the jaw with a hard punch knocking him backwards Into a wall but it wasn't enough to knock him down as he retaliated by spearing Claude across the hall and into his front door before laying a flurry of punches to Claude.

Cole heard the whole thing and ran towards them gun drawn. The figure turned wide eyed and wrapped his arm around Claude's throat in a tight grip. "Try anything and he dies. Put the gun down. Now." The figure spoke in a deep voice that sounded altered by a voice changer. The bandaged man pulled out a curved karambit knife and held it to Claude's throat. "Easy." Cole muttered not taking his eyes off the man as Cole slowly put the gun down. "Now kick it over." Cole held up his arms in surrender as he flicked the gun over with his foot. "Don't hurt him." Cole muttered backing up. "Quiet." the knife moved down to Claude's leg. "Try anything and I'll slice open your femoral artery and let you bleed to death here. Do you understand?" Claude nodded slowly as the bandaged figure bent down picked up Cole's gun and shot the defenseless officer sending him back into the wall. He slumped to the ground with a small trail of blood. "No!" Claude yelled as the knife tightened against his throat followed by the hot barrel of the gun against his back. "Walk, Now!" Claude was escorted outside to the van he paid little mind to when they arrived. "The bandaged figure swung open the back door where Claude saw Donny either dead or sleeping in the back of the van. He couldn't tell before the grip of the handgun cracked the back of his head and his vision blurred and he fell forward. The bandaged man pushed Claude inside and slammed the doors shut and walked around to the driver's seat and pulled out a cell phone, and called the one contact saved to the phone. "I've got them." ��Good bring them back to the cabin." "Are two enough?" "One is more than enough but the more, the merrier." "I'm on my way." The voice bandage man was talking too was more twisted sounding and inhuman than his own voice. After hanging up, bandage man started the van and started to drive out of the parking lot. He was too distracted to notice the trail of blood leading back to the police car.

Cole winced in pain as he clicked his seatbelt. His breathing was heavy. The bullet didn't feel like it hit anything important but god did it hurt. "Come on. I aint fucking losing you." Cole spoke through gritted teeth with his hand on the key in the ignition. He watched the van leave the parking lot before following. It felt like it would be impossible to follow without being seen but Cole didn't have a choice. He followed trying his damndest to stay unnoticed. Usually staying around a corner waiting for the van to turn before turning. Luckily it didn't take long before the van reached its destination and from a block away, just around a corner, Cole peaked to the furthest point of his windshield stretching his head left to get a look at bandage man who walked to the back of the van and pulled out the dog sliding the massive creature under his left arm. Then Claude, who was thrown over bandage man's right shoulder. "What the hell is this guy?" Cole muttered watching as bandage man effortlessly carry what looked like an uneven three hundred pounds effortlessly inside the house.Cole opened the glove compartment to see if he could find a first aid kit, his hopes were half met when he saw a clean rag Cole used for the windshield and a roll of duct tape for whatever problem arises. Cole pressed the rag to his wound under his shirt and lifted the blue uniform and wrapped the rag to his wound with about six passes of the tape. It felt weird and uncomfortable. But it beat bleeding to death. "Cole where are you?" Ben's voice crackled through the radio "Claude and I were jumped at his apartment, he was taken hostage and I'm following the perp to a house." "Are you injured? Do you need backup?" "yeah, I got shot." "Okay what's your position?" "Cole looked around for street signs not realising how dizzy he was from his wound. "Twenty second street sir." He mumbled struggling to keep his eyes open. "Got it. Officer Arnold is on his way. Francis, his men and I are gonna be heading to the Nocturnis Infernis outpost once you get back." "Roger that sheriff." Cole hung up the radio. And looked around. It was nearly three o clock and the sheriff and Francis's plan was falling dangerously behind schedule. It was risky and neither of them wanted to have another failed raid that ends in a bloodbath on their hands. Cole struggled to keep his eyes open as he watched the house from his car waiting for Arnold to pull up or the radio to make noise.

After what felt like ages Cole picked up the radio like a drunk picking up a bottle. His makeshift bandages was soaked and he was slipping "Where the fuck are-" a knock came from the window to Cole's left and he screamed dropping the radio. Arnold was on the other side in a winter coat. "Jesus fucking christ you scared me." Cole laughed rolling down the window. He wasn't sure if the laugh was blood loss delirium or just being spooked by a friend. Regardless he opened the door and stepped outside. "What the hell took you so long?" "roads were blocked off on just about every road here it's insane. I parked behind you. You didn't hear me?" Cole looked behind him and was surprised to see Arnold parked right behind him and he didn't even notice. "Whatever let's go. This way." The two stayed low as they followed a row of cars that went from parked to progressively more crashed and smashed.

The last car had another car, crashed at the bumper rolled over the roof of the next car was good cover for Arnold and Cole who was breathing hard as he ignored the pain. Arnold readied his gun when Cole reached for his. "Shit." He grumbled forgetting that he was disarmed. He limped back to his squad car and opened the trunk. Now Cole was a cop that played by the rules, never hurt anyone he wasn't supposed to, although when a firefight broke out, sometimes it paid off to have a little help. Even if the sheriff didn't know. In the trunk Cole kept a tech nine handgun. He'd never pulled it out until now. In the trunk was a hidden compartment with his gun and three long magazines. Cole loaded one and put the others in his pocket before staying low and walking back to Arnold who was staying low. "Where did you get that?" "Fell off a truck, let's go. You got the time?" "Five fifty." "Jesus Christ, are you serious? Was I passed out when you found me or something?" "You looked pretty out of it." Cole let out a small breath as he shook his head and left cover, Arnold behind him, both of them had their guns ready as they approached the house.

The two crouched behind the wooden fence when they heard shouting coming from inside that sounded like Bandage man's distorted voice. "GET THE FUCK OFF ME YOU STUPID FUCKING DOG!" followed by three gunshots and a door slamming. "I'll take the front. You take the back." Cole said through heavy breaths. The sun was setting behind them but Cole didn't notice. "What the fuck is wrong with these two?" the voice from inside spoke as Cole let out a breath putting his gun on automatic. "Shut up in there!" Cole opened the door slowly. He now heard what the bandage man was hearing, a series of snarls and barks coming from behind what looked like the bandage man's basement. "Hey asshole, get on the ground!" "The bandage man turned holding Cole's gun and raised it, but not fast enough as a Cole's gun let out a burst of eight bullets, the bandage man's body convulsed and his limbs flailed and spilled with blood with each bullet that sputtered into his body before hitting the ground with a groan that sounded more like being rendered unconscious then dying before Cole put a bullet between his eyes. "Hold your fire." Arnold said coming around the corner, making Cole aware of his presence so as to not get shot by accident. "Does the sheriff know you got that thing?" "That's on a need to know basis. Besides I've never used it till now. Cole wrenched his handgun from the bandage man's tight grip and put it back in it's holster.

"Not a word of this to the sheriff." Cole muttered. "Let's get these two out!" Cole yelled over the loud screams and barks coming from the room. "When they opened the door their blood turned ice cold and they were paralyzed with pure terror. The face loosely resembled Claude but his body was bending and breaking as he screamed in horror. He reached out towards officer Cole with long nails sprouting from underneath and breaking his finger nails. His legs snapped and bent while his voice twisted. "GET! OUT! OF! HERE! NOOOW!" Arnold and Cole snapped back to reality and made a break for the front door when Claude cried this pleas in a deep inhuman voice as his nose broke and his teeth cracked and fell out, his face bent monstrously outwards. He screamed louder as thick razor-like teeth filled his skull, filling his mouth with blood as they tore through his gums. his eyes had turned a deep yellow as hair was growing rapidly from his limbs and body, so much so rapidly it ripped through his skin so quickly he was covered in blood. Donny the Rottweiler was an even more nightmarish sight. The black dog had grown almost as large as Claude, The dog let out persistent whimpers in pain as it stared up at the officers with seething yellow eyes that were turning bloodshot while the dogs teeth cracked and fell out onto the ground like Claudes and a high pitched whimper filled the air as the dog shook and convulsed the whimper died out as long black hair grew fast and painfully. Soon the room was dead silent. As low growls permeated the air. Claws clicked against the hardwood floor in an eerie pattern. The Creatures flowed out of the room and passed the pool of blood where the bandage man was, they ignored the bloody footprints from where he fell leading to the back door. And made their way to the front sniffing the air, they could smell the officers and didn't waste any time pursuing them. The sun was gone. Cole was half unconscious in the passenger seat as Arnold started the car and the two sped off, back for the station to meet up with the Sheriff and Francis who were preparing for the raid and waiting for the two officers to return with Claude and his dog. They were almost at the station when the ground shook. A car destroyed by an explosion the previous night was drenched in bloodstains leading to the sewer. Arnold wasn't prepared when the road in front of him caved in and the car fell forward into the sewers Crashing into the filthy water. "What the hell?" Cole's eyes peeled open in astonishment to find himself and Arnold submerged up to their belts in sewage. "What the fuck was that?" Cole muttered as him and Arnold both shook off the airbags opening from the impact. "Some kind of earthquake?" Cole noticed something in the rearview mirror of the car. "Arnold, get out of the car." Cole said as he caught sight of eight bright yellow eyes behind them, but no bodies he could see. To his left there was a tunnel with a small ladder leading out of the water, though not out of the sewers with dim lights hanging from the ceiling. "On three we make a break for that tunnel you understand?" Cole asked as Arnold was just noticing the eyes behind them, floating unnaturally in the darkness. "Yeah, on three." Arnold muttered in agreement. "One." a deep growling unlike any of the creatures they've heard before filled the air. "Two." a loud stomp shook the tunnel, followed by another a few seconds later. "What the fuck is that…" Arnold said with awe and terror in his eyes, unable to look away from the mirror. "Three!"