The People Who Were Lost

As another Tenome drew near, a putrid stench assaulted my senses—an acrid blend of rotten eggs and the sickening odor of decay. My stomach churned, and I stumbled backward, instinctively unleashing a burst of light that obliterated the creature before me. Bolstered by a surge of newfound confidence, I unleashed another shot, then another, feeling the tide of battle shift in my favor. But in my moment of bravado, I failed to notice the sinister presence creeping up behind me.

A sudden jolt of excruciating pain shot through my back, as if a legion of serrated blades, soaked in molten fire and corrosive acid, were tearing into my very flesh. I gasped, the torment nearly consuming me, as a chunk of my skin was violently ripped away. Spinning around, I caught a fleeting glimpse of the beast, its maw wide open, a nightmarish grin stretching across its face as it clutched my severed flesh, ready to devour me.