Chapter 10: Monster? Zombies? Drugs? (Part 1)

The officer narrowed his eyes, glancing down at the mangled, twitching form on the floor. For a moment, he didn't answer. Then he gave a slow nod.

"We'll treat it like a live specimen," he said.

With swift coordination, the officers lifted the impaled creature and dragged it across the floor into the classroom. 

Arthur turned to John, his face tense with frustration. "That student could've died!" he hissed. "I could've warned him!"

John exhaled sharply, his expression unreadable. "And what? You think yelling across the hallway would've helped? You would've just drawn more of those things toward us."

He let the words hang for a moment before adding, "Aren't you happy that it wasn't us?"

Before he could snap back, Migs stepped between them, hands slightly raised.

"Hey—chill. Both of you." His voice was calm, but firm. "John's not wrong about the noise... but Arthur's right, too. That student almost got grabbed. We can't pretend that didn't just happen."

He glanced at Arthur. "You did what you thought was right. I would've wanted to do the same."

Arthur's shoulders eased slightly, the tension in his stance loosening.

Migs looked back to John. "We've all seen what happens when someone hesitates. Let's not turn on each other, alright?"

John didn't respond at first, just gave a slow nod and turned his gaze back to the creature on the floor. It was still twitching, its body slightly weaker than before, but it hadn't stopped moving.

John took a moment before speaking. "Myreign, I know this might be a lot to ask, but could you record this? Even if you just set your phone down and don't watch. I think it'd be a good idea to document what we've learned so far—and maybe even send it to your friends' group chat. If they've encountered one of these things, this could help them survive."

Arthur's expression darkened as he shook his head firmly. "No. Absolutely not," he said, his voice laced with conviction. "First off, it's completely immoral. And second, it's downright inhumane." He gestured toward the creature, his jaw tightening. "We shouldn't be treating this like some kind of experiment."

John crossed his arms, his tone firm but measured. "We know nothing about this thing, Arthur. If you have a way to stop it for good, then by all means, tell us." He glanced at the creature, still twitching on the floor. "Because let's not forget—it almost grabbed that cadet and bit him, and that was after it had already been weakened."

Arthur clenched his jaw, his frustration evident, but after a tense pause, he finally let out a slow breath and relented.

Myreign hesitated, shifting uncomfortably before giving a small, reluctant nod. "Alright… I'll do it," she murmured, pulling out her phone with a shaky hand and pressing record.

John coughed twice before beginning, his tone steady but cautious.

"Here's what we know so far. This thing still looks human, but we can't tell if it's truly dead or alive. Its arm keeps twitching—almost like it's still got some kind of life in it. Earlier, it only reacted when a normal person got close, attacking without hesitation. Sound doesn't seem to be a major trigger unless it's really loud, and even then, it only moves in the general direction of the noise.

Once it engaged, it immediately tried to grab the closest person with that one arm, the one that seemed… different—like it's stronger or controlled by something else. And even after taking heavy damage, even after its head was destroyed… it still hasn't stopped moving."

"The student who got away… he was bitten," he continued. "But he managed to escape after stomping on the creature's chest. That's something to think about—maybe there's a way to break its grip or disable it without just going for the head."

He glanced at the others, gauging their reactions. "We need to consider what that bite could mean. If this thing is contagious—if whatever's happening to it can spread—then that guy might already be in trouble."

John shook his head, trying to push aside the uneasy thoughts. He turned his gaze back to the group, scanning their faces.

"Anybody here slightly versed in biology or medicine?" he asked. His tone was firm but laced with urgency.

The others exchanged glances, some still shaken by what they had just witnessed.

John shook his head, trying to push aside the uneasy thoughts. He turned his gaze back to the group, scanning their faces.

"Anybody here slightly versed in biology or medicine?" he asked. His tone was firm but laced with urgency.

The others exchanged glances, some still shaken by what they had just witnessed.

John shook his head, trying to push aside the uneasy thoughts. He turned his gaze back to the group, scanning their faces.

"Anybody here slightly versed in biology or medicine?" he asked. His tone was firm but laced with urgency.

The others exchanged glances, some still shaken by what they had just witnessed.

John furrowed his brows, staring at the twitching body on the ground. "If the head is gone… shouldn't the body stop moving too?"

The group fell silent, the unsettling reality sinking in. Normally, a fatal blow to the head would mean instant death—yet this thing was still reacting, still clinging to some unnatural form of life.

Katherine crossed her arms. "That's how it should work. But clearly, this thing doesn't follow normal biology."

Richson knelt beside the body, carefully observing its movements. "Whatever's controlling it… it's not just the brain."

Arthur spoke up, his voice firm but wary. "The student who escaped… he stomped it near the chest. That's when it finally let go."

John's eyes narrowed as he processed the information. "So, if the head being destroyed didn't stop it, but the chest stomp did… maybe there's something else keeping it going."

Katherine frowned, glancing at the body. "You're suggesting we've been thinking about this all wrong? That whatever's controlling it isn't in the head?"

Miguel spoke up, his tone thoughtful yet tense. "If it's not the head, then I don't think it would be any of the other organs—except for the heart. It lost its head, but it's still moving, which means it doesn't need to breathe. And look…" He gestured toward the creature's wounds. "Blood is still coming out. If the heart wasn't working, that shouldn't be happening. The blood is still pumping."

John nodded slowly, rubbing his chin. "So if we want to put these things down for good… the heart might be the key."

Katherine crossed her arms, deep in thought. "That would explain why the stomp to the chest had an effect. If the heart is still active, it might be driving everything else."

One of the ROTC officers tightened his grip on his makeshift bayonet. "Then we test the theory." He looked at John. "What's the call?"

John took a deep breath before nodding. "A stab to the heart might do it."

The group exchanged uneasy glances, but no one argued. It was the only lead they had.

Richson stepped forward, gripping his wooden chair leg tightly. "Then let's test it now."

One of the ROTC officers adjusted his stance, holding his makeshift bayonet over the creature's chest. The others watched in tense silence, waiting to see if this theory would finally put an end to whatever this thing was.

John exhaled. "Do it."

The ROTC officer drove the makeshift bayonet down, piercing the creature's chest right where the heart should be.

At first, nothing happened. Then, the body jerked violently, its limbs flailing in a grotesque display. Its fingers twitched, grasping at the air, its legs kicking weakly against the floor.

The group took a cautious step back, weapons at the ready, but the struggle didn't last long. After a final shudder, the creature's movements slowed… then stopped completely.

Silence hung in the air as everyone stared at the lifeless body.

Miguel was the first to break it. "That… actually worked."

Richson exhaled, lowering his weapon. "Looks like the heart is the key."

Arthur swallowed hard, gripping the cross around his neck. "Then that means…" he hesitated before finishing, "…they really were human."