Two.

‡CHAPTER TWO‡

MARTINA

I lingered in the shadows, gripping the handle of my cart tightly as I walked slowly. The soldiers lingered at the mouth of a dark alley, their heavy armor reflecting the flickering light of the torch they carried. The way their hands tightened around their firearms tells me they were bracing for something.

I swallowed hard, my breath barely audible over the sound of their murmuring. The corridor stretched out in front of them. I was supposed to take that alley to reach the other sections but I guess I'll just round up other path.

*THUD!

Something slammed inside the alleyway with a loud crunch, followed by a sickening growl that made my skin crawl. The soldiers froze, until I see them retreat one by one. Instinctively I bolted too, stampeding my way out as I dragged my heavy cart in the uneven ground–trying to escape the danger that is about to unfold.

What the hell. I said in my mind as every instinct of mine screamed at me. My legs pounded the earth faster than I thought possible, driven by fear that clung into my chest like a leech. Each breath tore my lungs, draining every ounce of strength I have to move faster.

"FIRE!" The sharp scream tore the air, jagged, carrying the tone of terror that froze the body. It wasn't just a scream–one laced with panic and urgency.

The shots came in, the whole scene getting swallowed by the relentless sound of gunfire. I stopped in my tracks, and hid behind my cart, fearing I might get hit by the hundreds of bullets rounding up in the air. I curled up in the corner, covering both of my ears using my hands. The sounds wasn't just heard–it's felt. The air vibrates with the sheer force of a rattling firearm, carrying the weight of explosion into my skin, it feels like standing close to a giant drum–each burst sends a faint but palpable ripple of vibration into the atmosphere.

"FALL BACK! I SAID FALL BACK!" Their commander barked, I can hear them go full panic mode, their shouts and gunfire drowning out everything else. A low guttural growl echoed, louder than the relentless ricochet of guns. My mind raced , piercing together the chaos that I'm about to witness.

I crouched behind my cart, trying to make myself small and invisible. The stories I've heard before–the one's about people morphing into monstrosity, came rushing back to me. Mutants they called them, unknown cause causing people to transform into monsters.

I never thought I might actually see one, the soldiers must be fighting one right now. Trying to kill one of their own.

My stomach chummed as I slowly peeked towards the corridor, the flashes of their muzzles lighting up their desperate faces as they continue rattling every single magazine they had. With an ear-splitting roar, a shadow figure shot into the air.

"DON'T LET IT ESCAPE!! FIREEE!"

My eyes went wide.

Shit!

Shit!

Shit!

ITS COMING STRAIGHT AT ME!

Without a second thought, I hauled myself upright and sprinted blindly, letting my feet decide on which direction I would go, leaving my cart behind as I try to escape the danger that is about to lunged at me. The sharp cracks of gunfire shattered the air, but I clamped my hands in my ears, desperate to drown the sound of chaos.

Then, the ground trembled. A defeaning thud! reverberated through the air, knocking my balance. I hit the dirt–the hard, uneven surface scraped against my skin, my chest hitting the dirt letting the shock travel all over my body–my vision blurred, my whole body ache as I brace my arms to stand up.

I looked behind me, my ears ringing and my mouth filled with dust making breath harder to do. Everything felt like it was in slow motion, the world seemed detached, as though I were a spectator of reality itself. The sound of gunfire was replaced with the constant ringing of my ears.

The grotesque creature loomed in the distance, coming towards me. It was inhuman, it's elongated body stretched upward, the hands-dozens of them protruding of it's hideous form–twisting and clawing as if it's trying to reach for something. It's bony fingers curling as if desperate to hold onto anything it reach.

It's pale translucent flesh marked with countless tiny holes left by the bullets that had torn through its body. Its head a horrific distortion of human skull, skin barely holding on to a gaping maw that stretched too wide, it's jagged edges trembling like it's thirsty to bite into something.

It was running towards me…

And I froze. My body defied the frantic pleas of my mind.

I'm going to die..

That thing is going to kill me..

Everything was in slow motion, even the act of turning my head became an agonizing eternity. I looked at the direction of the soldiers, their figure distorted hands dicing through the air in desperate signs. I can't hear what they say. Like something is clogging my ears, as if I'm plunged underwater, I can't hear them. Their voice muted, swallowed by otherworldly silence.

I can't move..

I'm going to die..

Shit.

…...…..

THIRD PERSON

"HOLD YOUR FIRE!" The commander gritted his teeth as he locked eyes with the terrified gaze of the woman. His knuckles turning white as he grip his rifle tightly. The soldiers watched in horror as towering figure loomed over the defenseless woman, even though their instincts tells to intervene, the monster is too close, and any gunfire will hit her instead.

"GET UP! RUN!" One of the soldiers his face masked with fear, shouted his voice trembling.

"STAND UP!!" Another soldier yelled, his voice almost pleading, laced with desperation and fear. The woman looked at them, her eyes darted with terror, but remained pinned in the ground.

The mutant lunged forward, closing the distance, and just with that it struck. Thorns protruding on its claw, reaching the woman's back and penetrated through her chest. She didn't screamed as if she already accepted her fate, her body fell into the ground, limp and soaked in her own blood.

For a moment, the soldiers stood frozen, stunned by the brutality of the scene.

"ENGAGE!" The commanders voice tore through the shock. The soldier's opened fire, bullets rippled through the air, ripping the grotesque form of the mutant. It roared in pain, as it tries to lunged an attack at the soldiers who kept their formation, firing mag after mag. The beast struggled and contorted in pain, as blood splattered across the ground.

It took longer than they expected, even with the force of a six men taking down a beast always has a casualty. The mutants durability is otherworldly, it's body barely faltering even after tanking hundreds of bullets. But as the soldiers adjusted their aim hitting the most vulnerable parts of the beast like it's joints and head, the creature finally collapsed, it's misshapen body twitching before falling still, it's body surrounded by pool of blood.

The squad approached cautiously, their weapons still aimed on the creature. The commander approached the woman's lifeless body, her face pressed against the dirt. The commander crouched beside her, his hand hesitated when he noticed the gaping hole in the corpse's back. Flesh torn wide open, with dark blood pooled around her. The creature had torn straight through, leaving nothing but death.

Swallowing hard, the soldier reached and gripped the woman's shoulder, he rolled the corpse onto her back. It's limp head rolling to the side. Trying to suppress his unease, the soldier's fingers moved over the blood-soaked clothes, searching the pockets for some clue about the woman's identity. After a few more rustling under the fabric he found a piece of metal, carved with letters that spelled the woman's name and address.

"Here." The commander said coldly, as he throws the piece of metal in the air, letting one of his soldier catch it.

"Call the soldiers stationed in that area and find the relatives of this woman, and that piece of shit throw it in the chamber, burn that bastard before the residents sees it." He commanded.

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