Chapter 14: The Sound of Souls

The bell tolled endlessly through the town, like a low murmur in the night, carrying an undeniable power that seeped into every corner. Ray Quinn, Alina Smith, Ethan Hess, and the others were each drawn into the town, as if guided by fate, pushing them toward the same destination.

Ray and Nina Eichner took temporary refuge inside a decrepit building. Nina was still dazed, her brow furrowed as though she hadn't fully shaken off the influence of the bells. Ray held her hand, gently patting her shoulder as he spoke in a soft, reassuring voice, "Nina, stay close to me, and whatever happens, don't let any sound sway you."

Nina nodded faintly, still uncertain, but she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "Ray, this town is seriously creepy… are we really going to keep moving forward?"

"We don't have another choice." Ray's gaze was cold and resolute. After scanning their surroundings, he tightened his grip on her wrist. "Don't worry, as long as I'm here, I won't let anything happen to you."

Ray's words reassured her slightly. She held his hand tighter, feeling the familiar, steadfast strength—a beacon of light in the darkness that dispelled some of her fear. But the unsettling silence inside the crumbling building lingered, as if even the air had thickened, suffocating them.

"But… it feels like something's watching us…" Nina's voice trembled as her gaze darted around, her unease evident.

Ray gave her hand a comforting squeeze and smiled gently, though he, too, felt the strange sensation in his heart. "Nina, it's just the old buildings here playing tricks on you. There's nothing to be afraid of. We'll be safe as long as we stay put until the bells stop."

Suddenly, a faint rustling came from outside, as if something were swaying in the wind. Ray's gaze sharpened instantly, glancing in the direction of the sound. He pulled Nina closer to the wall and whispered, "Stay quiet. Stand behind me."

Nina held her breath, faintly seeing shadows shifting outside the window. Her heartbeat quickened, her grip on Ray's arm tightening, her knuckles pale. She felt a small wave of calmness in his steady presence.

After a few moments, the rustling faded away, disappearing into the darkness with the wind. Ray sighed in relief but remained vigilant, scanning their surroundings carefully. Only after confirming that everything was safe did he whisper, "Probably just branches swaying in the wind. Don't worry."

"Let's hope so…" Nina whispered, trying to steady herself, though the unease in her eyes hadn't faded.

Ray gently rubbed her shoulder, smiling faintly. "Remember, you promised to 'look out' for me, didn't you? Are you really going to let a little thing like this scare you?"

His teasing caught her off guard, and she couldn't help but chuckle softly, breaking the tension between them. She whispered back, "You really know how to joke… Alright, I'll be braver and keep exploring with you."

Ray nodded, holding her hand firmly, his gaze unwavering and calm. "Once the bells stop, we'll leave here. I won't let anything or anyone harm you."

A sudden crash shattered the silence in the room. Ray and Nina both flinched, snapping their heads toward the window. Something was pounding against the glass, causing it to tremble with an eerie, fragile sound, as if it could shatter any second.

Ray immediately placed Nina behind him, his gaze fixed intently on the window. "Stay behind me. Don't move."

The pounding outside didn't cease; it grew stronger, each impact fueled by a twisted malice, as though something was determined to force them into a corner. Ray's heartbeat quickened; he could sense the hostile force outside, pushing them to the edge.

Nina clutched his arm tightly, her voice shaking. "Ray… what is that?"

Ray didn't answer, gripping his small knife with a fierce resolve, his expression hardening. Just then, a strange shadow flickered past the window, accompanied by an intense shaking of the window frame. The outline of the shadow was blurred, exuding a chilling, malevolent aura.

He held his breath, speaking calmly, "Don't be afraid. This window is strong enough; they won't get in right away… if we stay calm, we still have a chance."

All the windows and doors began to shake violently, a deep, rhythmic pounding as though the whole building trembled. Ray surveyed their surroundings quickly, a cold sweat trickling down his temple. He sensed this disturbance wasn't accidental.

"Damn it, they're trying to break in…" he muttered under his breath, keeping Nina securely behind him, his expression focused and unyielding.

Nina clung to his arm, her voice trembling, "Ray, what's happening? Are we trapped?"

The pounding around them grew fiercer, each hit carrying a twisted force, as though it intended to tear down their only shelter. The door groaned under the strain, screeching as if it might burst open at any moment. Ray tightened his grip on his knife, steadying his breathing as he whispered, "Nina, remember, no matter what happens, don't panic. As long as we keep calm, they can't touch us."

But just as he finished speaking, a sharp crack sounded from the window, and a deep fracture spread across the glass. The chilling darkness seemed to creep closer.

"No, we have to find another way out. We can't stay here!" Ray gritted his teeth, looking around for a possible escape, knowing time was running out.

As he searched, a decayed hand suddenly reached through the cracked window. Its flesh had rotted, turning black, with fingers twisted like hooks, broken and sharp. The hand swayed, as though driven by a relentless will, intent on breaching the room.

Ray's heart tightened, and he immediately shielded Nina behind him, his gaze steely. "Don't move. Stay behind me, no matter what happens."

Nina stared at the hand in horror, her voice shaking, "W-what is that?"

"It's not human." Ray's eyes locked onto the decayed hand, his right hand gripping the knife at his waist. He took a deep breath, quickly assessing their situation. The pounding intensified as more arms stretched through the shattered window, each one rotten and foul, driven by boundless malice, closing in on them.

Ray knew they couldn't wait any longer. In a low voice, he told Nina, "We have to get out of here now." Holding his knife tightly in one hand, he grabbed her with the other, leading her toward the back of the building to look for another exit, trying to avoid the decaying hands that continued to claw at them.

"Ah!" Nina screamed as a cold, rotting hand clamped down on her wrist, an unbearable stench immediately hitting her. She struggled, but the hand's grip was unnaturally strong, like a vise, making it impossible for her to break free.

Ray heard her scream and immediately turned back, a flash of lethal intent in his eyes. Swiftly, he swung his knife, striking down at the decayed arm with determined force. With a dull thud, the arm was severed, its fingers still clinging to Nina's wrist, but the severed limb fell lifelessly to the ground like discarded flesh.

"Don't look," Ray said calmly, grasping Nina's wrist and prying each of the remaining fingers away. Finally, she was free. He looked at her pale face, and with a soft voice, reassured her, "We're going to make it out of here safely. I promise."

Nina nodded, trembling, her eyes still filled with fear but comforted slightly by Ray's resolve. She took a deep breath, steadied herself, and followed him as they continued searching for a way to escape.

The pounding sounds around them grew more intense, as if the entire building were responding to the sinister force. Ray shielded Nina as they retreated into a room on the second floor. Quickly scanning the surroundings, he found this room even darker than the others, with dust piling up in the corners and only a faint sliver of moonlight filtering through a cracked window.

"Get in!" he urged, pulling Nina into the room and quickly shutting the door, pressing against it to prevent the unknown terrors from breaking in. His breath quickened, cold sweat beading on his forehead. Outside, the pounding continued, relentless, with rotting arms and filthy nails forcing their way through gaps around the door and walls, refusing to relent.

Nina slumped against the wall, hugging herself as she shivered uncontrollably. Her eyes were filled with terror, and she murmured, as if on the brink of collapse, "Why won't they leave us alone… what did we do wrong…"

Ray turned back and pulled her close, looking into her eyes with unwavering resolve. "Nina, stay calm. Whatever these things want, it's not our fault. It could be some curse on this town. But I promise, I'll get you out of here."

As he spoke, the pounding outside became heavier, as though something even more terrifying was approaching. Ray tightened his grip on his knife, his gaze sharp as a blade, fixed on the door, ready to confront whatever threat lay beyond.

Ray whispered to Nina, "Hide in the wardrobe. No matter what you hear, don't come out, don't look."

His voice was steady and commanding, leaving no room for argument. Nina's eyes widened, trembling as she looked at him, seeming to want to say something, but finally, she just nodded, swallowing her fear and turning to hide in the dilapidated wardrobe in the corner of the room.

As the wardrobe door closed softly, Ray watched it tremble slightly, taking a deep breath to gather the last shreds of his calm.

The pounding outside grew closer, and the door frame began to shake violently as if it would burst open at any moment. He pressed himself against the door, holding his breath, preparing for the unknown attack.

A low, heavy breathing seeped through the cracks in the door, followed by more forceful pounding, as if something was willing to destroy everything to get in. Ray's gaze darkened, his muscles tensing, his whole body like a hunter ready to strike.

"Whatever happens, don't come out…" he silently prayed, trying to ignore the oppressive weight from the darkness, hoping he could hold on long enough to give Nina a chance to survive.

A loud crash suddenly echoed as the door was forced open, and a wave of stench washed over Ray, almost suffocating him. He scanned the doorway, where a horde of zombies was now flooding into the room. Their skin was decayed, eyes vacant, and their mouths emitted low, hoarse growls. Blood-red eyes locked onto him, as if they sensed the presence of living flesh.

Ray stepped back quickly, his heart racing as he instinctively entered a combat stance. The knife in his hand trembled slightly, his knuckles white from the grip as he took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. He knew there were too many of them; he couldn't fend them all off.

The zombies dragged their decayed bodies forward, their crazed, hungry eyes sending chills down his spine. Ray glanced at the corner of the room, ensuring Nina was still safely hidden in the wardrobe before he turned back, meeting the advancing horde with a cold, determined gaze.

"Come on…" he muttered, raising his knife, sinking into the ruthless mindset he'd honed as a former assassin. Even faced with an overwhelming number of zombies, there was no fear in his eyes, only fierce resolve.

One zombie lunged at him, and Ray swiftly sidestepped, his knife flashing through the darkness, slicing into its skull with precision. Blood splattered, yet the number of zombies didn't decrease; more of them closed in, surrounding him from all sides.

Ray panted, knowing he couldn't hold out for long. But if he could buy just a little more time, Nina might have a chance. He continued slashing, each strike hitting vital points, yet his strength and speed began to wane, his movements growing sluggish.

"Hold on… you have to hold on…" he repeated in his mind, forcing himself to stay strong.

Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his knife was now coated with dark, decayed blood. Despite the growing number of corpses around him, rotting arms continued to reach out from all directions, trying to drag him into the darkness.

"Roar—" A zombie lunged from the side with unexpected speed, and Ray couldn't dodge in time. It tackled him to the ground, its putrid breath nearly choking him. The zombie's rust-stained teeth drew closer, ready to bite down.

In a split second, Ray kicked up at its jaw, using all his strength to push it away before scrambling back to his feet. But the exertion and looming fear of death were pushing his body to its limits. He panted heavily, his vision blurring, knowing he couldn't last much longer.

At that moment, a faint sound came from the wardrobe in the corner. Ray's heart jolted, and he turned, shouting in a low voice, "Nina! Didn't I tell you not to come out?!"

The wardrobe door opened slightly, and Nina's pale face appeared through the crack. Though terror was written all over her expression, a glimmer of determination shone in her eyes. She held a broken piece of wood she'd picked up from the floor, her voice shaking but resolute. "I can't let you face this alone…"

Ray's heart was both anxious and touched, but with more zombies closing in, he knew there was no time to argue. He nodded and said in a deep voice, "Follow my lead, stay close behind me, and don't make any sudden moves."

Nina suppressed her fear, keeping close to Ray. With their backs against the wall, they faced the advancing horde, both aware that they had to find a way out of this darkness, or they'd be swallowed by the monsters at any moment.

Ray took a deep breath, gripping his knife firmly, slipping back into his calm, assassin's mindset. His eyes were sharp, fixed on the enemy in front of them. He had only one thought in his mind: no matter what, he would keep Nina safe.

The zombies drew nearer, reeking of decay, their twisted arms reaching out, grotesque faces flickering under the dim light. Ray's every nerve was tense, fully aware that even the slightest mistake could mean being overtaken by these creatures.

"Nina, stay behind me, don't move," he ordered, swinging his knife forward, trying to carve a path for them.

Nina nodded, clenching her teeth, doing her best to suppress her fear as she clutched the wooden stick tightly, her gaze fixed on the approaching zombies. Her hands trembled slightly, but her eyes were resolute; no matter how scared she was, she was determined to stand by Ray through this ordeal.

Ray scanned the surroundings quickly, spotting a broken window in the corner. He knew it might be their only chance to escape, but reaching it would be a huge risk.

"In a moment, I'll go open the window. Once I clear a path, run through it immediately. Got it?" Ray's eyes were locked on her, his tone brooking no refusal.

"What about you?" Nina asked, her voice trembling with worry.

"Don't worry about me!" Ray replied coldly. "Run as far as you can. I'll follow once I shake them off."

Before she could respond, he surged forward, cutting down the zombies in his path with determined swipes of his knife. The zombies growled, trying to close in on him, but he dodged skillfully, pressing toward the window.

Finally, he struck the window with his knife, shattering the glass. Nina hesitated for a moment but quickly understood, rushing toward the opening and scrambling out.

"Run!" Ray shouted after her, immediately turning back to fend off an approaching zombie, shoving it aside to buy himself more time.

Nina stumbled a few steps, then looked back to see Ray still wrestling with the zombies. "Ray, hurry up!" she cried out in desperation.

Ray glanced at her, giving her a faint smile, but before he could respond, a zombie lunged at him from the side, forcing him to defend himself. He swung his knife with all his might, but the endless swarm continued to press in.

"Go!" he roared, his eyes fierce and resolute. He knew his only choice now was to cover Nina's escape as best he could.

Tears welled in Nina's eyes, but she knew that staying would only weigh him down. She clenched her teeth, turned, and ran down the narrow path into the darkness, her vision blurred with tears. All she could do was keep moving forward, praying that Ray would find a way to escape and return to her.

Behind her, Ray faced the horde of monsters in the dark, gripping his knife tighter, resolved to hold them off to his last breath to give her the chance to get away.