We were tasked with training in survival and hunting tactics. A squad of five, fully equipped, we were sent into a biodome—this time, a jungle. The air inside was thick, humid, and oppressive. It wasn’t real, but it felt alive. The facility’s scientists had created this simulation for us, designed to test something they hadn’t fully disclosed—just a normal day, or so we thought.

I tightened my grip on my rifle, the weight of it grounding me. My pulse thudded in my ears as the oppressive quiet settled over us. We moved cautiously, stepping through the thick undergrowth, the distant echoes of insects humming around us. Every step seemed louder, each breath a labored gasp, as though the very jungle was closing in.

A voice crackled over the comms system, calm, but unnervingly detached. "You have thirty minutes to prepare. After that, your target will be released."

“Target?” someone scoffed. “A robot? Easy peasy.”

I didn’t share their confidence. The way the jungle seemed to pulse, to breathe around us, made me uncomfortable. My hands trembled, though I clenched them tighter around the rifle, willing the fear to subside.

We didn’t get much time to think before the countdown began. The forest around us shifted and came to life, artificial yet eerily convincing. The thick jungle swallowed the light, casting long, shifting shadows. The ground beneath us felt unstable, like the earth itself was waiting, holding its breath. We moved as a unit, weapons at the ready, scanning the surroundings with jittery, flickering glances.

The time came. The thirtieth minute passed. Two minutes after that, we came to a halt. The clearing we had arrived in wasn’t empty. We weren’t alone anymore.

At first, all I could see was movement—shifting shapes in the distance. It wasn’t a robot, not the lifeless machine we’d expected. No, it was something else entirely. Something wrong.

It was a Protogen—at least, what was left of one. No ears. Black fur that shimmered, as if it could melt into the shadows. My breath hitched in my throat, and I forced myself to take a step back. All five of us stood frozen, our eyes fixed on the creature. No one spoke, no one moved.

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The silence stretched unbearably long before a screeching noise erupted from our comms, sharp and mechanical, like the sound of frying electronics. It wasn’t static—it wasn’t malfunctioning. It was something worse.

Then the voice came—distorted, broken. Not robotic, but something twisted. “I will not kill you,” it said.

None of us could comprehend what we were hearing. The words didn’t make sense, and the younger soldier, already on edge, couldn’t take it. His grip tightened on his rifle, his finger trembling as he raised it. A shot rang out into the jungle, fired blindly in the creature’s direction.

In that moment, everything changed.

The Protogen did move at first. Even before we even registered that a shot was fired ,was the youngest of our troop was already on the ground unconscious and bleeding We all stood there, frozen, unsure if he was alive. Then it happened—the protogens visor shifted to a deep, menacing red, and with a sound like thunder, it pounced again.

The scream that tore from the young soldier’s mouth was cut short, guttural, as the creature tore into him. Blood sprayed, soaking the jungle air. The rest of us barely had time to react. We scattered, running, scrambling to find cover, but the beast was faster than any of us could comprehend.

It moved like a shadow, blending into the underbrush, its sleek, black fur shimmering in and out of existence. We couldn’t see it, but we could feel it—the press of fear tightening around us, choking us.

I ran, breath hitching in my chest, my legs aching from the sprint. I didn’t know where I was going, didn’t care. I just needed to get away. The sound of someone screaming behind me shattered the stillness. The noise cut off abruptly, leaving only the echoes of his last breath.

One by one, the others fell. The creature didn’t need to make a sound. It was as if the jungle itself had become its weapon—concealing its movements, making it impossible to know where the next strike would come from.

I was the last. Alone. My heart pounded in my ears, and I forced my legs to keep moving, though my body trembled with exhaustion and fear. The jungle seemed to stretch out forever, each shadow seeming deeper, each branch an unseen threat. My breaths came in short, frantic gasps, the air thick and humid, pressing against my lungs.

I couldn’t tell if it was real or if I was losing my mind. Every rustle, every snapping twig had me jerking my head around, expecting to see the beast, expecting it to come out of the shadows at any moment. I couldn’t see it, but I could feel its presence.

Then, I felt it—the pricks on my neck. Sharp, needle-like stings. I froze, barely able to move, my vision blurring. My mind screamed for me to run, to fight, but my body refused to respond. Darkness began closing in, the edges of my vision dimming until all I could see was black.

And then, nothing.