Chapter 6: No Safe Haven
1: The Road to Nowhere
The old van rattled as it sped down the broken Texas road, its engine coughing like it was on its last breath. Alex's hands were stiff on the steering wheel, gripping it so tightly that his knuckles had gone white.
Beside him, Sally was barely conscious, her body slumped against the seat. The dim glow of the dashboard lights illuminated her face—pale, sweat-slicked, her eyes fluttering as she fought to stay awake. The blood crusted on her clothes made her look even worse, and Alex could hear the wheezing rasp in her breathing.
"Just hold on," he muttered, more to himself than her.
Sally didn't respond.
Alex swallowed the lump in his throat and forced himself to focus on the road.
The darkness stretched on forever, the cracked pavement cutting through an empty abyss. The headlights barely reached past a few feet ahead, swallowed by the suffocating black. There were no signs, no houses, no hint of civilization. Just the lingering dread that they weren't alone.
His eyes flickered to the fuel gauge.
Nearly empty.
A fresh spike of panic shot through his chest. They weren't going to make it much farther.
Then, as if answering his silent prayer, a shape emerged from the fog—a run-down gas station, its neon sign flickering weakly in the distance.
Alex's heart pounded.
"Hold on, Sally. We're stopping."
He pulled the van into the lot, the tires grinding against loose gravel as they rolled to a halt.
He killed the engine. Silence settled over them, thick and suffocating.
For a long moment, nothing moved.
Then, Sally let out a weak breath. "Where…?"
"Gas station," Alex said, scanning the area. "Might be supplies inside."
Sally let out a weak chuckle. "Unless they sell new skin and painkillers, I don't think it'll help."
Alex ignored her and stepped out into the night air.
A wave of unease crashed over him.
The building loomed ahead, its windows dark, the door slightly ajar.
His gut twisted.
Something felt wrong.
Side Quest: Find Shelter
Task: Secure a temporary safe place.
Reward: +1 Stamina
Alex adjusted his grip on the rusty tire iron he had found in the van. If there was something inside, he needed to be ready.
The wooden door creaked as he pushed it open.
Inside, the air was thick with decay. The scent of mildew and something rotten clung to the walls. Dust covered every surface, and old newspapers littered the floor. The only source of light came from a weak, flickering fluorescent bulb that barely illuminated the cramped space.
Alex's footsteps echoed as he moved deeper inside.
The shelves were nearly empty—just a few rusted cans of food, a pack of stale cigarettes, and a half-empty bottle of whiskey.
Then, from the back of the store, something moved.
Alex's breath caught.
A faint, shuffling sound.
He turned his head toward the noise, his heart hammering.
At the far end of the store, an old freezer sat against the wall, its door slightly ajar.
And something inside was moving.
Side Quest: Investigate the Freezer
Task: Check what's inside.
Reward: +1 Awareness
Alex's grip on the tire iron tightened as he crept toward the freezer.
A low creak filled the air as he pushed the door open—
And something tumbled out.
A corpse.
It hit the ground with a sickening thud, the scent of rot and decay filling the store.
Alex staggered back, gagging.
The body was decomposed, its skin pale and sagging, its face frozen in a silent scream. Deep gouges covered its arms and torso, like something—or someone—had been chewing on it.
Alex's stomach twisted.
The Sawyers had been here.
And if they had been here…
A loud thump echoed outside.
Alex's head snapped up.
2: Something is Watching
The hairs on his neck stood on end.
Slowly, he crept toward the broken front window, peering out.
At first, he saw nothing.
Then—movement.
A figure stood at the edge of the road.
Still. Watching.
Alex's blood turned to ice.
It wasn't Leatherface.
It wasn't Nubbins.
It was someone else.
Just standing there.
The moment Alex blinked—
The figure was gone.
3: The Race Against Time
Alex bolted back to the van, his pulse pounding.
Sally was slumped forward, her breathing weaker than before.
His stomach twisted. She needed help. Now.
"Hang on," he muttered, turning the key in the ignition.
The van sputtered.
The fuel gauge dipped lower.
They weren't going to make it far.
But they had no choice.
Alex floored the gas, sending the van roaring down the road.
He refused to look in the rearview mirror.
Because something told him that whatever had been watching them…
It wasn't done yet.
System Update: Side Quest Completed: Find Shelter → +1 Stamina Side Quest Completed: Investigate the Freezer → +1 Awareness New Status: Exhausted (-5 Speed, -3 Strength)
Alex had survived another night.
But the horror wasn't over.
Not even close.
To Be Continued…