Chapter 7: Betrayal in the Shadows

The pain surged through Adam's body like a thousand needles, sharp and relentless. His vision swam, blurring as a strange sensation washed over him. The moment his fingers touched the crystal, it was as if the very fabric of reality shifted. For a split second, Adam felt as though he were being pulled into another world—a place of endless darkness, where the only thing that existed was the pulsing energy of the crystal. It was an experience he couldn't fully comprehend, a fleeting glimpse into something far beyond his understanding.

Then, just as suddenly, the pain stopped. The world snapped back into focus, and Adam found himself gasping for air, his hand still clutching the crystal. But it wasn't the same as before. The crystal had changed, its glow now faint and cold. The once-bright energy had dimmed, as if it had been drained of its power.

Adam's heart hammered in his chest, his body trembling from the strange sensation. He had never experienced anything like this before, and for a moment, fear gripped him. Had he made a mistake? Was the crystal somehow corrupted? His mind raced as he tried to make sense of what had just happened.

"Adam?" Monica's voice cut through the fog of his thoughts. Her tone was anxious, her footsteps hesitant as she stepped closer.

Adam blinked, trying to steady himself. The world around him felt oddly heavy, as if the weight of the hospital had increased tenfold. He took a deep breath, willing himself to focus. The pain was gone, but something had shifted inside him—something that made him feel more aware, more alive than ever before.

"I'm fine," Adam said, his voice shaky but determined. He glanced at Monica, who was watching him closely, her face etched with concern. "I think... I think I just absorbed some of the crystal's power."

Monica didn't look convinced. She took a cautious step forward, her gaze flicking from Adam to the now-dim crystal in his hand. "Are you sure? You look different—distant. What's happening?"

Adam held the crystal up, turning it over in his hand. The faint glow was still there, but it no longer pulsed with the same intensity. He could feel something in his mind stirring, something new, something... powerful. But at the same time, the sensation was unfamiliar, unsettling.

"I don't know," Adam admitted, his voice low. "But I don't think this was supposed to happen."

Monica's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

Before Adam could answer, a sharp sound cut through the air—a low growl, followed by the unmistakable shuffle of footsteps. Adam's instincts flared, and he whipped around, his machete already in hand. His heart skipped a beat as he spotted the source of the noise.

A group of zombies had emerged from the shadows at the far end of the hallway, drawn by the energy of the crystal. But these weren't ordinary zombies. No, these were different—larger, faster, and more vicious. They moved with a terrifying speed, their glowing eyes fixed on Adam and Monica. At the front of the group was a massive, mutated zombie, its body twisted and grotesque, its skin mottled with sickly shades of green and black.

Adam's grip on his machete tightened, his mind racing. There was no time to think. The mutated zombies were closing in fast, and he had to act quickly.

"Monica, get back!" Adam shouted, pushing her behind him. He didn't wait for a response. With a swift motion, he swung his machete at the first zombie, slicing through its throat with brutal efficiency. The creature crumpled to the ground, but Adam didn't slow down. He was already moving, his mind operating on pure instinct as he hacked through the oncoming horde.

Monica wasn't idle. She darted to the side, swinging her pipe with deadly accuracy, knocking back the zombies that got too close. Her movements were swift, calculated, and deadly. Adam had never seen her fight with such ferocity before, and for a brief moment, he felt a flicker of admiration.

But the battle was far from over.

The mutated zombie at the front of the pack let out a guttural roar, its eyes flashing with a predatory gleam. It was unlike anything Adam had faced before—a true monster, with jagged teeth and massive claws that could rip through flesh with ease.

Adam didn't hesitate. He charged at the creature, his machete raised. The zombie lunged at him, its claws slashing through the air, but Adam was faster. He sidestepped the attack, using the momentum of the creature's miss to swing his machete at its side. The blade cut deep, but the creature barely flinched. It turned on him with terrifying speed, its claws swiping in a deadly arc.

Adam barely managed to block the attack, his machete striking against the creature's claw. The force of the blow sent a shockwave through his arm, and he gritted his teeth, refusing to give in. He needed to end this quickly.

With a roar of determination, Adam pushed forward, driving the blade deep into the creature's side. The mutated zombie screeched in pain, thrashing wildly, but Adam held firm. With a final, powerful strike, he plunged the machete into the creature's skull, driving it into the soft spot behind its eye.

The zombie collapsed, its massive body falling to the ground with a sickening thud. For a moment, the only sound was the heavy breathing of Adam and Monica, both of them covered in blood and sweat.

"That... was too close," Monica said, her voice shaky but relieved.

Adam nodded, his body still tense. But as he looked down at the fallen creature, something in the back of his mind shifted. The crystal in his hand pulsed faintly again, as if responding to the kill. His heart skipped a beat. Had it just... absorbed the energy from the mutated zombie?

He didn't have time to dwell on it. The remaining zombies were still coming, and they wouldn't stop until they were dead. Adam turned to Monica, his voice steady but urgent.

"We need to move. There's no time to waste."

Monica didn't argue. Together, they fought their way through the horde, their combined strength enough to carve a path forward. Each strike, each blow, brought them closer to the end of the hospital, closer to the crystal's power—and to whatever secrets it held.

But as they neared the exit, Adam's instincts flared once more. Something was wrong. A presence—familiar and dark—was watching them from the shadows.

Before he could react, a figure stepped into the dim light of the hallway. It was Mark—the scavenger who had betrayed them earlier.

"Well, well," Mark said, his voice smooth and cold. "It looks like you made it after all. But don't think you're getting away so easily."

Adam's blood ran cold. Mark's eyes were filled with malice, and there was a glint of something in his hand—a weapon. Adam's grip tightened on his machete as the reality of the situation settled in. This was no coincidence.

Mark had been waiting for them.