It was too late for me to hide. By this point, the ruined buildings loomed over me, the darkness came, as the sun start to dim. Leaving a waking reminder of the desolation lands that had suddenly change the atmosphere of this city. As I stepped backward my footsteps tumbling crunching on the ground, I noticed a bunch of glowing eyes in the darkness all around me from inside the buildings. They seem to stare directly at me with an unsettling intensity, reflecting the faint light.

Then came the whispers. It was faint at first, almost indistinguishable from the howling wind that swept through the broken windows. "Hello? Anyone there? Help us, please!" The voice was soft, pleading, a cry for help that would have tugged at the heartstrings of any compassionate soul. But I knew better, Ethan harrowing face was my reminder. This was their trickery, their hunting technique designed to lure out unsuspecting victims.

I paused as I scanned around my surrounding, my breath hitching in my throat. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end as I strained to listen. The whispers grew louder, more insistent, echoing through the empty halls of the building. "Please, help us. We're trapped!" The voices overlapped, a discordant of desperation that seemed almost too real.

But I had seen their kind before. I had witnessed their deception, their merciless hunt. The eyes in the darkness blinked slowly, a predatory gleam that show they were far from being a human being. I knew they were watching me, waiting for me to take the bait, to step into their trap.

The whispers continued on, a fake call to bait me. "Don't leave us. Please, we are hungry." Each word was carefully crafted to show sympathy in a sadistic way, to draw out the weak hearted like my old self. I could almost hear the smirk behind those words, the anticipation of killing me.

Inside me, the voice hissed, "Don't falter, boy. These creatures are merciless, but they aren't stupid. They know when to sense that something wrong, hihihi; you're not normal they await confuse so that's why they ripped you apart yet."

"So, what in the hell are these vile creatures?" I asked, my voice tinged with both curiosity and dread.

The voice responded, dripping with dark amusement, "They used to be like you once, believe it or not. But thanks to greed and mutation, this is the nature way of karma, and this is your ancestors' sin and the result of their corruptions."

I became speechless. "They are human. Or used to be?" The realization sent a shiver down my spine, a grotesque twist to the already grim situation.

The voice chuckled softly, "Yes, they were human. Now they're evolved into something else after century of living and adapting in radiations contaminated land. This is what happens when you forsake humanity and let darkness consume you without control."

"Does that mean... am I going to turn into one of them?" I asked, my heart pounding.

The voice laughed, a chilling sound that sent a chill through my bones. "Hihihi, don't worry, boy. I've tried to do already, but your mutation is unique. Let me rephrase that—it's more like a failure. Now I'm stuck inside with you, with a kid. But that means you're safe from becoming like them. You and I are something different, something more of a abomination to them, yet stronger."

The weight of the revelation pressed down on me, the dark laughter of the voice echoing in my mind. I stood there, staring into the glowing eyes, no longer feeling the same fear. Instead, a cold determination settled over me. These creatures, once human, were now nothing more than a testament to the corruption and greed that had corrupted them. And I, with the voice inside me, was something entirely different.

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I moved cautiously, the ground crunching beneath my feet. Suddenly, the roar of an engine echoed through the skies, shattering the stillness. A blinding light pierced the darkness, sweeping over the ruined cityscape. My instincts kicked in, and the voice inside me hissed, "Hide, behind that abandoned car."

I darted toward the rusted vehicle, crouching low as the light passed overhead. The hum of machinery grew louder, followed by a series of ropes descending from the sky. Figures in unfamiliar clothes and gear I had never seen before began to rappel down the ropes. Each one held a flashlight in one hand and a sleek, metallic object in the other. Racing thoughts flooded my brain with questions as I noticed their distinctly different appearance from anything I had known.

"Bzzz. 'At 05749 North 'Hotel', Bravo team landed in New York successfully. Preparing to move out," one of them said, his voice clear and authoritative.

"Bzzz. Copy that, Team Bravo. Look out for Shriekers and Demonos. Don't let your guard down."

"Bzzz. 'Copy that Black Hawk. Advancing to 5768 North 'Whiskey'. Operation Shadowfall activation in progress," another voice replied.

"Bzzz. Copy that, Bravo Team. Good luck and Godspeed, and may the mission be successful."

I peeked out from my hiding spot, my heart pounding. Humans. They must be here to help the people in the bunker, I thought, a glimmer of hope flickering in my chest. I was about to step forward and greet them when the voice inside me hissed again, dripping with skepticism. "Don't be naive little boy; Do you really think they are here to help? Look at what they are holding. That's called a weapon. That's a terrifying technology from the modern world that can kill you in second from far away, really, really far away. And these are the people! They are one of the survivors who destroyed this world long ago."

It then hit me like a bucket of cold water. Grandpa had told me countless stories, almost like fairytales, about the rich and powerful, blinded by their greed. They had enslaved and killed people, using money as their weapon. Could they be the same people? The ones who had caused so much destruction?

I watched them carefully, my initial hope giving way to suspicion. These people moved with synchronization, their faces obscured by helmets and visors. They scanned the area, their movements sharp and practiced. There were at least 500 of them, a small army, each one had the same outfit.

My mind raced. If these were the same people Grandpa had warned me about, then they were not here to help. They were here to reclaim, to take control once more. The voice inside me whispered, "Stay hidden, boy. Trust no one."

I stayed crouched behind the car, my eyes following their every move. The cold metal of the car's frame pressed against my palm as hide silently. The voice had been right; I had to asset the situation more carefully.

***

The soldiers regrouped, their voices carrying over the distance. "Alpha team is waiting. Move out."

***

As they moved away, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. My world had suddenly changed in one day, and but so had I. There was no room for blind trust anymore. The stories Grandpa had told me as a little kid were not just tales either, they were real warnings past down from one generation to another. And now, I knew the people in the bunker was in big trouble. So, I had to warn them.

But then, the question kicks me? all the misery I had been through caused a conflict within me. Do I still help them after everything they did to me? Despite their wrongdoings. I mean I killed someone cold blooded, and it was exciting... why did that happen?

I stayed hidden until the last of them disappeared into the shadows, my mind reeling with the faces of faith, my mom and my dad, No I can't leave them what would Ethan say. Fuck no, I had to get there before them. But will they believe me after what I did? Argh!! Screw it, I have to try.

The voice inside me was surprisingly silent now, but its message was clear. In this new world, trust was a luxury I could no longer afford, and that's goes both ways.