Out Of The Dark

I called out, hoping someone might hear. But when I tried to call out again, my body instinctively stopped. The hairs on my neck stood slowly, as if afraid of making any noticeable movement.

Something was approaching from behind me. I could feel it. I slowly turned around, my mind racing through all possible scenarios of what might be there.

But when I turned, there was nothing. Just the dimly lit corridor, stretching out into darkness. The air was heavy with a horrible stench, and I could feel it growing thicker, more oppressive.

I stood still, silently looking at the corridor. It mirrored the one behind me in every way. Same walls, same floor, same darkness. But something felt off.

I told myself there was nothing there. But some part of me wasn't buying it. The corridor seemed to be holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

And then, the sound of dripping water stopped. The silence was oppressive, heavy with anticipation. I felt like I was waiting for something, but I didn't know what.

That's when I realized the stench was getting stronger. It was coming from up ahead, from the darkness that lay beyond the reach of the faint light.

I took a step back, my heart pounding in my chest. And that's when I saw them: two yellow dots, floating in the darkness. They seemed to be watching me, waiting for me to make a move.

My mind went blank. Fear took over, and I was paralyzed. The dots grew larger, brighter, and I felt myself being drawn towards them.

Suddenly, screams erupted from within my soul. Fight, fight, no, run, run, hide! But it was too late. A roar came from the darkness, and I saw a giant, muscular arm emerge from the shadows.

The arm was nearly the size of my body, and it was followed by a chest, a torso, and finally, a face. A face that was twisted, corrupted, and barely human.

The creature's eyes locked onto mine, and I felt a jolt of fear. It gave a little grimace, and then it charged forward with incredible speed.

I tried to move, but my legs were frozen. My heart was racing, and my mind was screaming. But I was trapped, unable to move or escape.

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The book slipped from my fingertips, falling to the floor with a soft thud as the creature charged. Every second revealed more of its massive, muscular form, its ragged clothing flapping behind it like a dark banner. Rows of teeth, connected by boar-like tusks, gleamed in its open mouth, the stench of rot and decay wafting from its maw. I forced my eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable, my heart racing like a trapped animal.

A crash echoed through the air, and I was knocked to the ground, the wind knocked out of me. Panic set in as I struggled to process what was happening, my mind reeling with fear. Something grabbed me, and I prepared to scream, but then I heard a familiar voice, warm and reassuring. "Alex, wake up, wake up!" The voice belonged to Tristan, but when I opened my eyes, I saw Jayden kneeling beside me, his eyes fixed on something ahead, his jaw set in a determined line.

Jayden's gaze locked onto mine, and he asked softly, "Can you stand?" His eyes searched mine, as if checking for any signs of injury. "We need to move." Jayden picked me up, placing me on his back, his hands wrapping around my legs to hold me in place. I muttered, "What...?" but my question was cut off by the sound of crumbling rubble, the dust and debris filling the air.

Nkosi, ahead of us, turned and sprinted forward, his footsteps echoing off the walls. Jayden followed, his speed incredible, his breathing steady and controlled. We took a sharp turn, and a monstrous roar filled the air, the sound waves vibrating through my chest. Jayden stumbled, almost losing his footing, his arms wrapping around me to hold me tight. His eyes darted towards Nkosi, a hint of accusation in his gaze. "You made it angry," he said.

Nkosi's expression remained neutral, but his eyes flicked towards Jayden, a hint of apology in his gaze. Crashing echoed from behind us, the creature's roar growing louder, its footsteps pounding the ground like a drum. Jayden's eyes locked onto Nkosi's, a look of concern etched on his face. "Nkosi," he called out, his voice low and urgent.

Nkosi's response was barely audible, but his eyes met Jayden's, a hint of reassurance in his gaze. Jayden's breathing grew labored, his arms trembling with exhaustion. I felt a surge of fear, wondering if I was the cause, if my weight was too much for him. Jayden's eyes met mine, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of uncertainty.

Jayden abruptly dived into a side room, and I tumbled off his back, landing hard on the floor. He landed on his feet, his eyes scanning the room, his chest heaving with exhaustion. Nkosi entered, his eyes filled with concern, his face streaked with sweat. Jayden's gaze locked onto Nkosi's, and he said, panting, "Sorry, but I'm almost out of steam."

Nkosi's expression turned sympathetic, and he walked toward Jayden, his eyes locked on his friend. "I'm out too," he replied. Jayden's eyes scanned the room, his gaze searching for any sign of danger. "How long till help arrives?" he asked, standing up.

Nkosi's eyes flicked towards me, and he replied, uncertain, "Five minutes, I think." Jayden's jaw set in a determined line. "We have no choice," he said. "We hold it off for five minutes." Nkosi's gaze locked onto mine, and he asked, his voice soft, "What about her?"

Jayden's expression turned sheepish, and he looked away, a faint smile flickering on his lips. "I forgot about you." The smile quickly faded, replaced by a look of determination. Jayden stood up, his eyes locked on the door. "Nkosi, do you hear that?" he asked.

Nkosi's eyes met Jayden's, and he replied, his voice barely above a whisper, "it's silent"

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Nkosi dived to the floor face-first, his body a blur as he avoided the creature's initial charge. Jayden charged forward, his fist recoiling like a spring as he connected with the door frame. The wood splintered, sending fragments flying outward like shrapnel. Jayden dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the creature's crushing blow as it burst through the doorway.

The creature's massive body filled the hallway, its ragged clothing flapping behind it like a dark banner. Rows of teeth, connected by boar-like tusks, gleamed in its open mouth, the stench of rot and decay wafting from its maw like a noxious cloud. Its yellow eyes locked onto Nkosi, who was now on his feet, his eyes blazing with determination.

A deafening roar shook the hallway, causing the small rubble near me to tremble. The creature charged forward, its massive body propelling itself with incredible speed. Nkosi stood his ground, not budging an inch as the creature advanced. But before it could make impact, Jayden collided with one of its legs, causing it to lose balance for a moment.

Nkosi seized the opportunity, dashing forward with incredible speed. He delivered a perfectly aimed dropkick to the creature's ankle, sending it crashing to one knee. The creature let out a grunt, lifting both its massive hands in a double axe-handle motion aimed at Nkosi.

Jayden lunged forward, his arms wrapping around Nkosi to protect him from the creature's blow. The force of the creature's attack sent Jayden stumbling backward, his arms straining to maintain his guard. Nkosi dodged to the side, anticipating the creature's lumbering swing. Jayden charged forward, his fists flying in a flurry of punches.

The creature's tusked mouth snapped shut, barely missing Jayden's ear. Its fighting style was brutal and barbaric, swinging its massive fists with reckless abandon and taking great joy in the destruction it caused. It let out a deafening roar with each strike, its eyes gleaming with a feral light.

Nkosi landed a series of swift kicks, targeting the creature's knee joint. Jayden followed up with a powerful uppercut, sending the creature stumbling backward. But to their dismay, the creature quickly regained its footing, its attacks growing more ferocious.

Jayden's breathing grew heavier, his movements slowing as fatigue began to set in. Nkosi's eyes darted towards him, concern etched on his face. They had been fighting for what felt like hours, but the creature showed no signs of weakening.

"We need to end this, now!" Nkosi shouted, his voice strained.

Jayden nodded, gritting his teeth. Together, they launched a final, desperate assault. Jayden's fists flew in a blur of motion, while Nkosi's kicks struck with precision. The creature stumbled, its attacks faltering for a moment.

But it was far from defeated. With a deafening roar, it charged forward, its tusks gleaming in the dim light. Jayden and Nkosi stood their ground, ready to face the creature's fury head-on.

The creature's relentless assault eventually took its toll. With a final, mighty roar, it flung Jayden to one side, sending him crashing into the wall. Nkosi, similarly overpowered, was hurled to the other side, his body sliding across the floor.

The creature's attention now turned to me. I lay frozen on the floor, my eyes fixed on the creature's towering form as it slowly advanced towards me. Its eyes, glowing with an unnatural hunger, seemed to burn with an inner fire. I tried to scramble backward, but my body felt heavy, unresponsive.

Jayden, struggling to get back to his feet, shouted a desperate warning: "Alex, get out of here!" But I was paralyzed with fear, unable to move or look away from the creature's approach.

Nkosi, meanwhile, stumbled forward, his eyes locked on the creature. "No...you don't touch her!" he snarled, his voice low and deadly. But the creature didn't even flinch, its gaze fixed solely on me.

As the creature loomed closer, I started to hear whispers, sounding like a thousand people speaking at the same time. The voices grew louder, more urgent, and I felt a strange sense of calm wash over me. And then, as the creature's shadow