(Quintiles 29, 59 / 7:16PM)

(Benn and Hope)

(Benn) The sidewalks are too jampacked.

(Hope) It's nice that we're using a motorcycle.

Along a motorcycle, the shark-human and blonde-haired woman rode along the evacuating streets that were clogged with people trying to get out of the city center. They clutched their suitcases as they ran along the pleasant streets, their belongings dropping baggage upon baggage of clothes and money as they ran along the streets.

Sweat and odor were ever present amongst the civilians, their faces smeared in black dust and blood as their legs trembled with the intensity of the world they lived in.

Hope put her right hand covering her mouth, her hand trembling as her mouth started to slightly quiver. Benn meanwhile, continued to look forward as his eyes barely grazed the sweaty civilians.

(Hope) This is horrible…

(Benn) The invasion of Ticia was worse.

(Benn’s thoughts) But something isn’t adding up. They invaded and collapsed Ticia like it was nothing with an army of thousands of zompires, and they did it in under a single day. Why are they sending special ops zompires in droves? Are they trying to play it smart? Are they being strategic? Just who is controlling the Zompires anyway? Do they have a will of their own? Do they—

(Hope) Benn watch out!

As the motorcycle continued to increase in velocity, Benn broke out of his thought trance as another crowd of evacuees walked in droves, covering the street that they must cross. Clutching the brake pedal on the bike, Benn noticed a larger bearing of smoke the further they were going, the smell clogging his nose as he gagged a bit.

Hope felt the sensation of his large throat as she held her arms around Benn, her hands clasping together as she held Benn from his waist.

(Hope) What’s wrong Benn?

(Benn) Nothing.

Focusing his attention on what was in front of him, Benn slowly moved his way through the ever-growing crowd of evacuees fleeing from safety, most of the people’s eyes sharpening towards them.

(Evacuee#1) That damn flake is taking all of our girls. Pretty soon, they’re going to take all of the regular girls and make them bear ugly babies. Ugh, imagine that huh?

(Evacuee#2) Damn right! That girl deserves someone better.

(Hope) They’re all staring at you, Benn.

(Benn) It gets tolerable.

Passing through the frustrated crowd, Benn managed to get the bike on the track, his face pushed down as he looked back towards the crowd of evacuees.

(Benn’s thoughts) Don’t they have something better to do? Aren’t they supposed to be running away or evacuating instead of judging me?

Benn gripped the handles of the bike, his knuckles turning white until he felt a sudden warm sensation coming from his stomach. He looked to see Hope’s hands.

(Benn) Why are you holding me tightly?

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(Hope) Even if society doesn’t see you in a good light, I and everyone else think you’re exceptional. You may be anti-social, uncaring, and mostly moody when Gwen is near you, but…

Hope put her head onto Benn’s right shoulder, her head turning to see Benn’s shark-human face.

(Hope) You should be proud of what you were born to, and who you are as a person.

Benn had his head turned, and upon hearing those affection of words, his throat quivered as he gulped down rapidly, his arms that held onto the bike started to loosen for his entire body seemed to relax as a feather in the springtime.

(Benn) I’ll keep that in mind.

Further driving the motorcycle on the black pavement underneath them, Benn made way as both of them saw in front of them the semi-smoking city in the late evening sky. Its dazzling light shined and radiated throughout the area, shining its rays upon the many businessmen and businesswomen running through the city sidewalks.

(Benn’s thoughts) Even if I’m not wanted here, I’ll hold my hand out to people who never handed theirs out to me.

Benn turned his gaze towards Hope, his eyes gentle as his frown was lighter upon his face. As she tilted her head to the left, Benn then turned his head towards the front of him again, continuing along the paved path.

(Benn’s thoughts) But my friends are a different case.

______________________________________________________________________________

(Quintiles 29, 59 / 7:32PM)

(Benn) We’re here.

Parking the motorbike next to a fancy bar, the two Dark Angels moved their bodies off the bike as their feet landed on the glass-covered pavement.

Their feet were tickled with the amount of glass shards and debris little rocks all around them, followed by the smoky air and the lack of citizens that made the area seem more abandoned. With no citizens running down, Benn rubbed his hand with his shark nose, his nostrils flaring up instinctively.

(Benn) We’re too deep in enemy territory. Keep an eye out for anyone pale.

Benn and Hope in tow made their way across the many glass shards, their feet dragging onto the cold pavement. Feeling the air around them start to heighten, Hope’s face started to drip with cold sweat as they arrived near the front entrance of the bar.

All windows were broken, followed by the many wood panels that hung from the ceiling as they peeked inside. Placing his head in front of the window, and upon noticing that many electrical cords were hanging from the ceiling, Benn kept his head up as the chords continued to emit sparks.

(Benn) Be careful. Make sure your head doesn’t touch them.

Lunging over the broken window, Hope held Benn’s arm for comfort, her hands sticky and sweaty as she looked around the dark cold room. Both of them noticed a foul smell coming from deep within the center of the bar, their noses flaring up as the unholy smell made its way into their lungs.

(Hope) Gag … What is that? It smells like—

Letting go of Hope’s hands, Benn instantly hunched his back as he moved his body away from Hope. Clenching his stomach tightly, his hands tightened as his legs buckled severely, causing him to…

Let out many putrid body fluids from his stomach.

Hope took a step back as Benn continued to puke out whatever alcohol and snacks he had in his stomach, the putrid smell ever present as she extended her arm out.

(Hope) B-Benn! Are you ok?!

Placing her arm on Benn’s back, Benn breathed irregularly as he looked down towards the ground at his digestive fluids. Wiping his mouth with his right sleeve, Benn looked towards Hope, his face drenched with water as his body continued to warm up.

(Benn) The smell … gasps … it’s the smell …

(Hope) What smell? Do you know what the smell is? Is it—

(Benn) Someone died here…

Hope instantly turned towards where the smell was radiating from, her eyes wide opened as she placed both her hands onto her mouth.

Benn, covering his nose with a piece of cloth, grudgingly walked closer to where the smell was, forcingly holding Hope’s hand as she let herself go with him. Seeing Hope surprisingly being cooperative, Benn’s grip on Hope loosened, but…

(Benn) Oh no…

(Hope) Ha—ha—ha—ha

Hope’s eyes flickered intensely as her breath got caught in her throat, taking many steps back. Wanting to scream, her legs were spread open and buckled as her body crouched forward, yet her vocals couldn’t push that shriek out.

Benn let go of the rag, the rag hitting the rich wooden floor…

Covered in blood.

(Benn) This is just not right…

In the middle of it all, a tall woman with black hair and a pale face ripped open the head of a teenage boy, her fangs getting deep inside the skull, creating a loud crunch.

Continuing to devour the boy’s head, the woman’s fangs and rotten teeth were in ecstasy as they ate away the skin, bones, muscles, and brain, her fingernails dug deep into the boy’s shoulders, for grip.

And around her, lay more bodies of teenage boys, their heads eaten clean off.

Looking up, her eyes gazed upon Benn and Hope, both standing as their eyes remained wide open. Dropping the teenage boy that she finished eating on the ground with a thump, she slowly stood up as her height towered the both of them.

Wiping a tsunami of blood with a flake of bones on the crevices of her lips, she only let out a devilish smile, the corners of her lips reaching her eyelids.

(Gemma) Looks like I’m having sushi for dessert~