Chapter 25: The Enemy Within

Chapter 25: The Enemy Within

The growl echoed through the darkened room, sending a chill down Ethan's spine. He wasn't sure what to expect, but the unmistakable sense of danger that had settled over him told him they were facing something far worse than they had prepared for.

Clara's eyes darted around the room, her mind working quickly. "We need to get out of here," she hissed, her voice low but commanding. "Now."

Ethan felt his heart hammer in his chest. He glanced around, searching for an exit, but the double doors they had just entered were already blocked off, and the only other way out was through the narrow hallway they had just come from.

The growl grew louder, followed by the unmistakable sound of claws scraping against the floor. Ethan's stomach twisted as the shadows in the corner of the room seemed to shift and move, coalescing into something large and menacing.

"We're not alone," Will muttered, his voice barely audible as he raised his weapon.

Ethan's mind raced. He was a survivor, but nothing in his past had prepared him for the horrors they were about to face. The creature stalking them wasn't like the infected they had fought off before. This was something different—something far more dangerous.

A shape emerged from the darkness, its eyes glowing an eerie red, its form massive and distorted. It was humanoid, but its proportions were wrong—its limbs far too long, its skin mottled and torn. The creature let out a low, guttural growl as it stepped into the dim light, revealing more of its grotesque body.

"What the hell is that?" Jess gasped, her bow now drawn, an arrow knocked and ready.

"I don't know," Clara said, her voice tight with tension, "but it's not something we've dealt with before."

Ethan's eyes narrowed. The creature's movements were unnervingly deliberate, its head tilted as if studying them. It was intelligent. That much was clear.

A flash of movement caught Ethan's eye, and he spun to see more figures emerging from the shadows. They weren't all as large as the first one, but their eyes glowed with the same eerie red hue. Infected. But not the mindless, zombie-like creatures they had encountered before. These were different—more cunning, more aware.

"Get ready!" Clara shouted, and the group immediately spread out, their weapons raised.

Ethan gripped his crowbar tightly, his knuckles white. His pulse raced, and his breath came in short gasps. This wasn't a fight they could afford to lose.

The first of the infected lunged at them, its claws scraping against the floor, moving with a terrifying speed. Clara fired first, a shot that missed but forced the creature to hesitate. Will swung his bat with all his strength, connecting with the infected's side and sending it stumbling back.

Ethan didn't hesitate. He charged forward, the weight of the crowbar in his hands as he swung it with every ounce of force he had. The weapon connected with the infected's skull with a sickening crack, but the creature didn't fall. It snarled, its glowing red eyes fixed on him.

It wasn't enough. They needed to end this quickly before more of them arrived.

"Clara, we need a way out!" Ethan shouted, barely dodging the swipe of another infected's claw.

"We can't fight them all!" Clara replied, firing another shot. "We need to escape before they overwhelm us!"

But escape wasn't an option. The hallway was too narrow. They were trapped.

As if the creature had read his mind, the massive one let out a high-pitched screech, and more infected began to pour from the darkness, filling the room. There were too many. The group was being overwhelmed.

Ethan swung the crowbar again, but his body was beginning to tire. His movements grew slower, and his focus began to fade. His legs ached from standing so long, and his breath was coming in ragged gasps. The infected were relentless, each one more determined than the last.

"Fall back!" Clara ordered, her voice commanding as she took another shot at one of the larger infected. The bullet glanced off its thick skull, but it barely reacted.

"Where?" Jess called, her voice full of panic. "There's no way out!"

Ethan's mind raced. He needed to think, needed to do something. They couldn't just keep fighting forever.

A sudden, horrifying thought struck him.

"What if we… use the building?" Ethan said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Clara looked at him sharply, her face full of confusion. "What do you mean?"

"There's gotta be something here we can use. If we can't fight them head-on, we use the environment. We turn it against them," Ethan said, his voice gaining strength. "We make them chase us, get them into a trap."

Clara's eyes widened. "You're suggesting we lure them into a trap?"

"Exactly. If we can lead them into a hallway or room that's narrow enough, we can pick them off one by one."

Will's eyes narrowed. "It's risky, but it might work."

Jess looked skeptical. "What if it doesn't work? What if they're too strong?"

"We don't have a choice," Clara said, cutting off the argument. "We fight smarter, or we die. We don't leave anyone behind."

The group immediately sprang into action. Clara and Will began to fire at the oncoming infected, drawing them toward a narrow hallway near the back of the building. Jess and Ethan stayed low, moving quickly behind them. The infected followed, their eyes fixed on the group as they stumbled over the bodies of their fallen comrades.

Ethan's heart pounded in his chest. The sound of claws scraping against the floor filled the air, louder with each passing second. They were getting closer.

"Now!" Clara shouted.

The group moved swiftly, taking advantage of the narrow space in the hallway. As the infected poured in, they were funneled into a small area, unable to move freely. Will swung his bat with all his might, knocking one back into the group, while Clara fired again, each shot taking down one of the infected.

Ethan grabbed a nearby pipe from the ground, using it as a makeshift weapon. He swung at the infected that got too close, his aim erratic but desperate. Every hit was a reminder of how far he had come—from a bullied, isolated man to someone who would kill to survive.

One by one, the infected fell, their bodies piling up in the narrow corridor. But even as the last of them dropped to the ground, Ethan knew they hadn't won yet.

The massive creature was still out there, waiting.

And now, it was coming for them.