Marked By The Devil

The bear-headed beast let out a ground-shaking roar and charged straight for them. Behind Leo, everyone screamed like panicked soldiers flung into a losing war. The room echoed with pure chaos.

Leo didn't flinch. His eyes were locked on the monster, finger hovering over the trigger, trying to time a perfect headshot.

Then—

Bullets rained from the sky.

Like iron hail, they tore through the air. One ripped straight through the beast's skull, blowing off half its jaw. Blood sprayed in chunks. The beast lost its balance and crashed against the wall mid-sprint, slamming into it with a sickening thud.

The sky above them roared. War jets—at least ten—circled the area like hunting hawks. Their cannons opened fire in every direction, tearing up anything that moved. It was like a scene from a war movie.

A loudspeaker crackled through the noise, mounted on a military helicopter flying low overhead.

"ALL SURVIVORS WITHIN THIS AREA, STAY HIDDEN! DO NOT COME OUT! WE HAVE ORDERS TO ELIMINATE ANY MOVING TARGET WITHIN THIS ZONE UNTIL THE THREAT IS CONTAINED! RESCUE UNITS WILL ARRIVE ONCE NEUTRALIZATION IS CONFIRMED."

Everyone inside the bar sighed, thinking it was finally over.

Then—

RAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!

Bullets rained again, this time from above their roof. The ceiling shattered, sending wood and glass crashing to the floor. They ducked, scrambling for cover.

Kael, the bartender, wasn't lucky.

One bullet blew his head clean off. It splattered like a popped melon. His blood painted Sarah's face and chest in thick, warm streams.

She froze.

Then the scream came—raw, unfiltered terror.

Leo grabbed her, pulling her to the corner where the bar's thick counter offered partial shelter.

Only three of them were left now.

Gunshots still lit up the sky outside. Each burst sent shudders down the manager's spine. He was curled up, hands over his ears, mumbling prayers under his breath.

"How the fuck are you two so calm right now?" he shouted, his voice cracking. "Are you not hearing the same shit I'm hearing?!"

Sarah turned sharply, eyes blazing at him.

"Do I LOOK calm to you, Kael?! Huh?!" she screamed. "His fuckin' blood is all over me like I'm wearing a damn horror film costume and you're asking if I'm calm?! Don't be stupid!"

Leo placed a hand on her back, his voice low. "Babe... lower your voice."

She didn't listen. She was too far gone.

"You assured us to stay here and wait for help, you said it was safer!" she yelled at the manager. "Look at what's happening! Kael's DEAD! You're hiding behind the bar like a scared rat—"

Then Leo saw it.

His eyes widened.

The bear-headed monster was moving again.

Its skull—blown open just minutes ago—was stitching itself back together. Flesh, bone, nerves, jawline. Like watching a horror movie in reverse.

It stood up.

Towering. Dripping. Growling.

Leo's hands shook as he raised the shotgun.

"JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!" he snapped.

Sarah spun around—just in time to see the beast glare at them. Its massive bear teeth bared like knives, saliva dripping down its chin like it was drooling over its next kill.

Leo fired.

Boom.

The beast's head exploded again.

But they all knew now... it wouldn't stay down.

The head was already growing back.

And Leo was out of tricks.

This thing wasn't just a mutant.

It was death with fur and a temper.

And it was coming for them.

Leo fired again—two shots, two clean hits. The beast's legs shattered under the force, snapping like brittle twigs. It dropped hard, snarling, then began crawling toward them as its limbs started to regenerate.

Before Leo could reload, an armored Jeep skidded into view outside the bar in a sharp, tire-screeching spin. The spinning wheels flung a severed mutant head through the broken bar entrance, bouncing wetly across the floor.

The driver—a woman—flung her door open and shouted, "If you wanna stay alive, get in!"

No second chances. They bolted. Sarah and the manager jumped into the back, Leo diving into the passenger seat just as she slammed the door and floored the gas.

It was her. The same girl who'd saved him earlier. The blonde in the white crop top and pink cap.

"You've saved my ass twice now," Leo said, breathless.

She gave a tight smile, eyes locked on the road. "Try not to make it three," she teased."

Behind them, the bear-headed beast roared and charged after the Jeep, pounding across the pavement like a freight train of pure rage.

Then—boom. A fighter jet crashed right in front of them, flames and metal erupting into the street.

"Shit!" Leo yelled.

The girl spun the wheel hard, the Jeep skidding sideways to avoid the wreckage with inches to spare. The vehicle rocked but kept moving.

"How the hell did they take down a jet?" Leo asked, turning in his seat.

Before she could answer, a mutated sharkman launched itself into the air, jaws wide, aiming for a jet overhead. The creature almost latched onto the metal beast—but another jet intercepted it mid-air with a blast that lit up the sky.

Leo gawked. "They can jump that high?"

He turned back to the girl, meaning to ask more—but his eyes landed straight on her chest.

Big mistake.

Her crop top clung tight to her bouncing frame, the white tube beneath barely containing her full, jiggling breasts. They moved with every jolt of the Jeep, hypnotic, alive.

Leo's brain short-circuited.

And then—bam!

She slammed the brakes.

Leo who was seatbelt-less and distracted, shot forward and smacked his forehead on the dashboard with a loud thud.

"Fuck!" he gasped, clutching his head.

Two massive sharkmen blocked the road ahead. Behind them, the bear-headed beast landed hard on top of the Jeep, claws scraping against the armor, teeth bared.

Sarah and the manager screamed in the back, ducking for cover. But the girl behind the wheel? Calm as ever.

"Hold onto something," she said coolly.

She threw the Jeep into reverse. Tires screamed as they shot backward, the bear beast pounding at the roof, trying to rip through the reinforced metal.

Then, in a synchronized motion, the two sharkmen leapt into the air—graceful and terrifying.

They descended like missiles.

At the last second, she yanked the wheel and spun the Jeep in a sharp 360 turn. The vehicle twirled out of their path—and the airborne monsters collided mid-air with the bear-headed mutant still perched on top.

They didn't just hit him—they mauled him.

The two sharks latched onto the bear mutant, tearing into him with gory fury. Claws were ripped apart as jaws snapped, blood sprayed everywhere like soap fumes in a bathtub. The three beasts fought mid-air, a savage whirlwind of muscle, teeth, and rage.

While they were distracted tearing each other apart, the girl floored the gas, tearing down an alternate route.

Jets still streaked overhead, dropping fire and death onto anything that moved. Mutants fell like flies, bodies breaking under military precision.

And the Jeep kept going—one small flame in the middle of a burning city.

After a few minutes of silence and speeding through ruined streets, they finally reached the other side of the city. Leo's apartment wasn't far now—just a few blocks away. But the road ahead was blocked. The military had set up a barricade, thick with sandbags and heavy steel panels. No one was getting in or out without permission.

A voice boomed through a loudspeaker.

"Step down from the vehicle! Hands where we can see them!"

Without hesitation, Leo opened the door, gun raised above his head in surrender. Sarah and the manager followed, hands up. The girl—the same one who'd saved them twice—stepped out too, calm and unbothered, raising her weapon in the air.

The soldiers ran out, rifles raised.

But the moment their eyes landed on her, their whole attitude changed. One of them straightened up and saluted sharply.

"Morning, sir!"

She nodded back, giving a faint smirk. No words—just silent power. They immediately moved aside, clearing the barricade and waving them through.

At the checkpoint, a soldier scanned each of them for signs of infection. The scanner beeped green every time. All clear. Leo stood there, still sneaking glances at the girl like he was under some kind of spell. Her presence had him completely hypnotized.

Sarah noticed.

And she didn't like it one bit.

Without warning, she kicked him—hard—right in the butt.

"Ouch! What was that for?" Leo barked, rubbing his behind.

Sarah glared at him like she could punch a hole through his skull.

The soldiers returned Leo's shotgun and gave them final instructions.

"Go home and stay indoors. We'll handle the rest."

Just as the group turned to leave, the girl began walking away too. But Leo wasn't done. He rushed forward, trying to blocking her path.

She turned, raising a brow at him.

He tried to speak… but nothing came out. His eyes darted to the side. His lips stammered like a shy schoolboy. Sarah saw it coming. She stormed toward him, ready to drag him away by the collar.

But before she could, the girl gently lifted Leo's chin and gave him a soft, confident smile.

"Hey, pretty boy," she said. "You don't have to be shy with me. Name's Hannah. Don't worry… we'll see each other again."

And just like that, she turned and walked off like a goddess in combat boots.

Leo stood frozen.

Sarah stormed up behind him and kicked his shin hard.

"Are you seriously flirting with another woman while I'm still alive?" she snapped.

Leo winced, hopping slightly from the pain.

"I wasn't flirting—I was trying to thank her for saving us!"

"She's a soldier, Leo. That's her job," Sarah fired back. "Let's get the—"

Her voice suddenly stopped.

She froze.

Her eyes locked on something—or someone—just a few steps away from them.

Leo turned to look he didn't recognize any familiar face, but Sarah hand gripped his arm tight. Her whole body was trembling.

She didn't speak. She didn't have to.

A man in a soldier's uniform stood near the barricade. His face was still, his body relaxed… but his eyes?

Cold. Familiar. Intimidating.

He lifted one finger to his lips.

A warning.

Sarah's heart thudded louder than the gunfire from earlier. She grabbed Leo and yanked him away without a word. Her fingers were shaking as they walked fast—almost running.

"Who was that?" Leo asked, looking over his shoulder. "What did you see?"

Sarah didn't answer right away. Her eyes were wide, her breathing uneven. She was pacing like a trapped animal.

Leo grabbed her shoulders, turning her to face him.

"Sarah! Talk to me! Who the hell was that?"

She looked him dead in the eye.

"That devil," she whispered.

"What devil?"

"The flying one. From the night at the amusement park. The one who killed those people. He's here, Leo. He's wearing a soldier's uniform and… he saw me. He recognized me. He told me to keep quiet—with his eyes."

Leo's face went pale.

"Oh, fuck."

His gut twisted.

"So he saw your face that night."

She nodded.

"We need to go. Now."

They didn't waste another second.

They ran back into the city—their hearts pounding, as their shadows chasing behind.

It was clear that the flying guy was onto them