Chimera

Jack pulled Miguel's shirt up to his shoulders. The sight made Albert's stomach churn. Miguel's back was bruised...

Right between his shoulders, a thin, black shard was embedded in his skin. Jack clenched his teeth and gripped the shard with claw-like fingers.

"Hold him down," he said to Albert.

Albert instinctively pressed down on Miguel's shoulders. Jack yanked the shard out in one swift motion.

Szzzzt—

A jet of pitch-black liquid sprayed from the wound. The fluid sizzled, burning through the surface where it landed.

Albert recoiled.

"What... what is that?!"

Jack narrowed his eyes, watching the substance carefully.

"I've seen this before..."

He placed a hand on Albert's shoulder. Albert flinched, but Jack's voice was firm and resolute.

"We need to get out of here. I know what's after you."

Albert looked at Miguel, panic in his eyes.

"What about him? We're taking him with us, right?"

Jack's face twisted with momentary sorrow. He held up the dark, jagged shard.

"It's too late for him. The moment this pierced him... he was as good as dead."

Just then, Miguel's body twitched. His shoulders shook, fingers moved. Albert cried out with hope:

"He's still alive! Look at him! he moved! You saw that, right?!"

Jack took a step back, face tightening with grim seriousness.

"Oh... If I were you, I wouldn't get my hopes up."

Foam began to gush from Miguel's mouth—thick and pale. It overflowed from the corners of his lips and dripped down his chin. Then came a guttural, distorted sound. His body trembled uncontrollably, almost as if he were convulsing. Albert recoiled in horror. A few seconds later, the sounds stopped, and the trembling ceased. The thick white foam touched the wooden floor and hissed, releasing a faint steam.

Albert lunged toward Miguel, but Jack grabbed his arm and yanked him back.

"Don't go near him! Do you want to die?!"

Albert's voice shook, his eyes welling with tears.

"But... but—"

Jack cut him off, furious. His voice was sharp, firm, and thunderous.

"No buts! He's dead! Your friend's gone! Don't throw your own life away too!"

Albert stood frozen in place, like he'd turned to stone. His muscles locked, eyes staring into nothingness. Jack, losing patience, grabbed him by the collar and began dragging him toward the door.

Three steps.

Then silence.

Jack glanced toward the door... then quickly took a few steps back. His back bumped into Albert's rigid body.

"We're too late... it's already here."

This time, Jack's voice was low, but filled with threat. His eyes were locked on the darkness. Something was approaching.

A heavy thump landed on the roof of the cabin. Immediately after, slow, deliberate footsteps echoed above; the creaking of the wooden planks signaled the approach of a creeping nightmare.

Jack's eyes turned upward. His gaze moved across the ceiling in rhythm with the steps. Then his pupils fixed on a single spot.

Crack.

The ceiling gave way.

A fist punched through — massive, green, and covered in scales. Its claws were long and dagger-like. The hand scraped backward, leaving deep gouges in the wood.

Then came a tail — long, slender, and snakelike — slipping through the opening. At its tip was a black, bony growth.

The tail dropped it.

A black object, like a bullet, shot toward Jack with deadly speed.

Jack's reflexes kicked in. With lightning speed, he twisted his body to the side.

Craaaack!

The black object missed Jack and stabbed into the wooden floor. From where it struck, a thin stream of smoke began to rise—it was slowly burning through the wood.

Jack took a deep breath, sweat dripping from his forehead.

He turned to Albert who was still frozen in place, and slapped him hard across the face.

The echo of the slap rang through the cabin walls, yet Albert remained like stone. Fear held him so tight he couldn't move, couldn't breathe.

Jack's eyes darkened. His eyelids trembled and then his eyes turned completely black. His teeth elongated, the lines of his face twisted. His skin tightened, reshaping his features into something inhuman. From his palms, claws burst out, glinting like polished steel.

He threw his head back toward the ceiling and unleashed the beast within.

A primal, animalistic roar shook the cabin to its bones. The sound was raw, thunderous, and ancient—it pulsed through the air like a quake through a ribcage.

Albert turned to Jack, terror in his eyes but then something happened.

His fear... vanished.

It was as if the chains inside him shattered. His breathing steadied. His shoulders loosened. His body began to move again.

Above, the cursed tail that had slipped in through the hole suddenly recoiled. Jack's roar had startled—or even frightened—the creature.

Jack locked eyes with Albert. His voice, now sharper and commanding, rang out:

"Transform!" he shouted.

Albert obeyed without question.

In an instant, his eyes turned golden. His facial muscles clenched, his teeth lengthened. His hands twisted into claws. His bones crackled as they reshaped themselves. The transformation had begun.

Just then, a loud noise erupted from above.

CRAAASH!

The ceiling gave way with a deafening crash. Thick beams shattered and flew in all directions, clouds of dust rising with them. And then… the creature appeared.

It stood tall on two legs, its presence radiating danger. Its feet, arms, and long tail were covered in dark green scales—like something born of reptiles. But its torso and head were entirely different. Thick, coarse fur covered its body, and its face resembled that of a wolf. Its eyes gleamed. Its breath came out in heavy steam. It was driven by pure, instinctive savagery.

Jack glanced at the heavy table beside him. He gripped it tightly with his claws, muscles tensing. Gritting his teeth, he shouted, "You damned chimera!" and hurled the table at the creature with all his strength.

The table smashed into the chimera's chest with a loud crash, shattering into wooden pieces. The chimera staggered, forced a few steps backward, but didn't fall.

It slowly turned its head toward Jack. Its eyes now blazed like fire. With a guttural, monstrous voice, it spoke, spitting out each word like venom:

"Jack Rose... Jack Rose... must die..."

Then came a deep, ominous roar that shook the cabin to its core. Albert trembled beneath the echoing sound. He clutched his ears and dropped to his knees.

"Agh! Agh!"

Involuntary cries escaped his mouth as he writhed in pain.

Jack moved immediately. He bent down and grabbed Albert's arm, sliding his claws gently—but firmly—around it.

Locking eyes with him, he said,

"Go!"

With a single motion, he lifted Albert and flung him through the shattered doorway.

"RUN!" he shouted. His voice carried both fury and a fierce instinct to protect.