It was nearing a crush, at his point.
Richard and the last humans were being pushed back, so tightly at points that a group would periodically touch backs with one another. Once a Subsumed was littered with bullets, it slowed that one/group of them, only for an enraged group to lash out on their behalf. The only thing that barely kept this group alive were that most of these were recently born.
And even then. Most of Richard’s number were already battered, bruised, and cut up in various ways. If any mess up occurred, a Subsumed could easily enter and cause the immediate end to this farce.
There was truly nothing left to do. Nothing to do, but at least for Richard, listen to what could be the last words of their group.
“Aaaaw fuck man, this is terrible—” a black, shaggy-haired youth remarked. “I think these are my last rounds, Gramps---I-I-I’ll try to hold out but there’s nothing I can do after this—”
“Why did I have to be a hero…?” a clerk sighed, using the but of a shotgun to cave in a Subsumed’s head. “I didn’t even mean to take that shift—didn’t even mean to see or witness my friend into a Children of the Corn rip-off—and yet I’m here…”
“Just stay behind me, Sal…” Bradley Grimes tried to assure his daughter, who apparently was the most gung-ho about this, only to fall into mirthful despair. “There’s nothin’ that coulda been done—but if buyin’ time means y’all stayin’ alive—”
He couldn’t finish that sentence, because this “Sal” completely and utterly broke. And not just break down into hysterics: Richard witnessed this girl raise her head toward the darkened heavens with widened eyes and her hands grabbing her raised cheeks. It caused the party to immediately freeze.
They had every right to.
Black tears rolled down her face. She laughed as sharpened fangs solidified. Her hair that was under the used baseball cap of hers grew wildly, making the stray curls under the cap resemble ears. And once she was done, she comically hung her head low, only to raise it back, sporting glowing yellow irises.
“Aaaack—god…” “Sal stretched lazily, casually walking forward in front of the pack. “Finally, I’ve been stewing in anxiety and hatred and repressed wants for like—millennial now… ‘millennial’--? ‘Millenina’? Iunno the difference, I was ‘a-woken’ three weeks ago—”
“S-sally--?” Artemis Grimes sounded so hurt. So afraid.
“Sal” lazily crooked her head towards her mother, smiling her fangs wide. “Aaah, don’t you worry a strain of sorta-greying hair on that head of yours, Arty—It’s all me, still! Just the part you tried to pray away~”
And almost in a casual manner, the “girl” reared back to punch an oncoming Subsumed: turning it into mess that splattered all over.
The reactions were varied. Many were shocked, others confused. Artemis herself had her mouth covered as Bradley looked shaken.
Only for “Sal” to bring a finger up to her bottom lip. “Iunno about that joke now—I meant it to be layered on purpose, but you might figure out what I was getting—”
Erratically, she swung and took off various Subsumed’s heads in a fell swoop.
“Shut the fuck up!” “Sal” grumbled out angrily. “You’re all fucking in my ear, ‘blah blah blah raw raw rawr’—I can’t fucking hear myself think—let alone do it…!”
The girl growled and smirked. Despite her body language indicating nothing but rage. “In fact… I got a bone to pick with the lotta ya’.”
She sprung in a flash. Punching, wailing on, bashing in with her knee, digging her elbow deep within, snapping the necks of the Subsumed that lingered, the ones that were riddled with bullets. The carnage was as brutal as it was flashy, as if this Sal girl wanted to do this for the longest time.
If anything, that’s clearly the case.
“The fuck is going on with Sal…?” the moody (and admittedly attractive—and Richard realized, similar age to him-) young man asked, to anyone. “I-is she--?”
“Not in the typical sense…” Richard felt bold to answer. “Seems like she had one incubating for a while… A slow transformation that the Subsumed insidiously becomes the repressed emotions of the host. She’s on the verge of turning right now, but at the very least, she’s making herself useful for now—”
“WE WON’T AND YOU CAN’T!” Artemis had to be held back by her husband. “We’ll take care of it—it’s our problem, not yours! We are not gonna spend hours trying to save everyone while my only kid dies--!”
A thrown, ruined corpse interrupted their trolley problem, as one of the Subsumed splattered before their feet. Richard trailed his eyes to the others that still surrounded them…
And they were merely watching. Which only happens when the tribe thinks one of their numbers have claimed or already invaded someone’s body.
“Oh dear…” Martha looked up at Richard, who came to the same conclusion. But nevertheless sad, as a parent.
“Sal” walked back in a stride, cocking her head to the right with a blackened finger pressed against the bottom lip.
“Gee, Iunno Ma… If they want trouble, I can take care of it on my own…~”
Artemis pleaded to her daughter, tears covering her face as Bradley used his free arm to stop the others from taking aim.
And luckily for them, there was a disturbing rumbling that ensued.
Everyone trained their heads above, witnessing a crowd of Fly Subsumed burst from the ceiling, right into the scene. As everyone began to scream, Martha waved her hands.
“No no no!” Martha cheered in delight, clapped her hands to her side as she lays her head against them. “Our help has finally arrived!”
The swarm took on the Subsumed horde. Some carried them into the air, others immediately fed on their prey, others pelted them with their wing cells.
The flies—they weren’t strong. They perished in 2 solid hits, if generous. But there were so many of them, that simply kept coming.
“Goddamn girls—showing me up agai--!” “Sal immediately clutched at her head. “Fuck! Stop it—just let me out already, you repressed hick! They’re just gonna keep trying you like shit again—there’s no poooi—aAAAAAAAAH!”
Sal collapsed, hitting the floor hard with her hand clutched at her sides. Now with the space afforded, the Grimes immediately ran to scoop up their little girl, holding her close. Despite, or rather not caring, about the black blood staining her.
The scene fell silent, despite the rumbling around them. The townpeople looked on with guilt and sadness, as this humble family has been apart of their lives. Richard looked over to see his mother openly weeping, causing him to wrap an arm around for a hug. It was rather dour, as it was sudden.
But at the very least, there was a light within this darkness.
The “wall” caved in, massive tree roots made a makeshift hole that lead everyone to the night. The roots neatly grabbed at the edges to form a proper barrier to the opening, allowing safe passage.
“We gotta go, people!” the shaggy-haired youth pointed forward. “Maybe we can fix everything later, but for now we go!”
***
The reaper just kept hunting.
Cassie leapt forward with a sharp, impaling strike. Yet the reaper kept hunting.
Cassie scrambled away with her stolen body, tripping over her steps even. Yet the reaper kept hunting.
Cassie resorted to ripping the stage itself, to throw at the advancing embodiment of death. All of the shots even made their mark, pelting the reaper to slow it in it’s tracks.
And yet the reaper continued to hunt. Nothing stopping her path.
Until she stopped herself.
The crazed Subsumed looked on with her stolen eyes in confusion, an arm raised. Wondering what’s gotten into her, until the reaper simply pointed above them.
Above them were scenes outside. Natalie’s swarm finally overwhelming the Subsumed hoarde, Gale not only providing safe passage, but dismantling the stage that Cassie’s ilk staked their entire lives on. But more importantly, they witnessed the scene where the humans were fleeing.
Huddled together.
Looking after each other.
Caring about their neighbor, looking over the wounds they’ve been dealt with. Running into the night, down the town’s plaza, to merge with the other victims.
Cassie saw firsthand how her plans failed. How she, ultimately failed.
It took a single, wide slice—that ultimately severed Cassie’s soul.
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***
Everyone witnessed the clocktower’s roof explode into pieces. The entire structure weakened, yet still standing despite it all.
Gale’s head looked upward. Despite being unable to emote, a soft, low coo escaped her maw.
She commanded a legion of vines to reach at her head, tearing off her new body to pieces. To free herself of her monster’s skin, before she stays in for too long. It was an violent affair, as the monster roared yet it clearly attacking itself, giving way to a young woman that stood in the mess. Panting heavily.
Gale wiped her sweating brow, throwing her hair back. Shaken by the still lingering effects.
She looked to her right, as the freshly emerged Natalie stumbled out of the makeshift doorway, Gale rushing over to help her up with no question.
“Gotta tell ya’…” Natalie laughed out, looking off to the side. “Didn’t think we’d get… THIS intimate, being friends…”
“…Ah yeah…” Gale quickly summoned her shadow cloak, rubbing the back of her neck with her trademark closed eyes and a wide smile. “Kinda talked me out of hugging you immediately there—”
The duo heard a shriek—a series of them. They looked at each other in worry, knowing that they’re leaving their friend behind.
But they had to be the heroes, here.
They faded into the shade that covered the night, before rematerializing before the crowd that was screaming out in terror.
A group of Subsumed somehow managed to make it out. Starting to surround the victims, strutting before everyone with such assured looks, despite the mix of stolen human faces and inhuman head shapes.
“Where’s your goons--?” Natalie looked toward Richard.
“Telling and barring the other humans away from this site—” Richard answered bluntly. Angered that they’ve been bested so easily.
“And we’re too tired to turn again…!” Gale wailed out in agony. On the verge of tears.
“And we’re still fucked up and no bullets…” Topher groaned. “I guess someone has to go up and—”
The thought couldn’t be finished, as a blur surprised both sides.
It was a rampage of fangs and claws. While every combatant used their fists or sliced the monsters, this new challenger went headfirst so that they can gobble the poor things up. The carnage that occurred before the humans was insanity, truly animalistic. Ripping apart the dark flesh with little effort or care at all. Not because of concern for their enemy, but how it looked to the people they just saved.
The entire affair left them covered in black umbra.
The stranger looked lupine, hunched over as their glowing blue eyes glanced at the crowd as they huffed in exhaustion, but did a double take once they realized that they had an audience. Their bushy tail twitched in thought, as their ears furrowed as they silently looked on.
And after a few pregnant moments, the lupine stranger simply waved at the humans that silently looked on. Something so human despite the savagery displayed before, before darting away into the night, on all fours.
“…Thank yooooou~!” Gale waved them off, since no one was going to talk after that.
Richard turned to her mother sighing, along with Mayor Huntington. “I remember just dealing with the one…” they said in union.
***
Calypso found herself gasping on the ground. In a strange mix of breathing in the thick flumes of smoke, yet the cool night’s air blowing away against her.
She felt up her face, shocked that it’s a human’s again. Was the resulting blast enough to literally blow her Rebirth form away for her…?
She struggled to lift herself up, feeling so weak, drained to her core. She knew the moment she revered, the skeletal monster girl was going to pay for the abuse she reaped for herself. With a shuddering breath, Calypso looked around her.
Melissa, still transformed, on her back… But crying, shivering. Crimson tears coating her face as she stared into the skies.
Clearly her.
Calypso continued to look about. And saw the still blood puddle that was opposite from Melissa. Illuminated from the flames that surrounded them.
“…C’mon…” Calypso was surprised that her croaky voice still carried her malice and savviness. “We grew up on 80’s slasher films. You’re not dead. I’m barely holding on. Let’s get this over with…”
The blood quivered at the remark. Calypso couldn’t tell if it was of mirth or rage. But knowing this bitch, it was clearly both.
The being slowly formed itself out of it’s own mess. But unlike the near-perfect Cassie mimicry, it was clearly this freak of sludge. Goopy arms, and a barely formed head that was humanoid, yet had two wads that doubled as “ears”.
There was going to be a crack about that being “what’s underneath”, but turned out Cassie was too fast for that.
Calypso found her throat being melted once more, with the side of her face being gone for good measure. The monster used her other hand to sever Cal’s gemstone arm away from her body. Leaving the poor girl unable to scream.
And yet, the monster couldn’t keep the form up, slowly melting herself as it silently roared out. Giving Calypso the time to fall and roll away from the mess. Knowing she can’t go too far because of the flames around her, as she pitifully coughed meekly. Reaching the precipice of being so overwhelmed by pain, she couldn’t feel her affected areas anymore.
Using her good eye, she tried to find her severed arm. But her eyes are filled with tears, her very vision was turning white.
The poor girl couldn’t help but laugh. Of all the times she wished for death... This wasn’t the time she wanted to go through with it, right now.
She lost control, even feeling in her small fingers that she had. All there was, all she felt was this… Floating, warm sensation. Her senses enveloped in this guiding, inviting light.
“Heeeey. You can’t steal my style, Cally~”
Calypso immediately looked up, to see an intact Alice that’s waving at her with closed eyes. And that smirk…
“I’m the one with the… What would that be even called? Can’t even be called Two-Face, I didn’t have one—”
Calypso patted her own face, realizing that it’s full once more.
“Am I… Am I dead…?” Calypso asked, almost innocently.
“Nearly,” Alice used her index and thumb to create a small pinch of space. “That’s something that I found out on the otherside… Whenever you talk with me, it’s basically you on the verge…”
“And the fact that we’re face-to-face means that I’m not long for this world…” Calypso finished.
Alice smiled, so warmly. “So fucking smart… Skipped me doing an entire monologue or trying to convince you…”
The ivory-haired, pale skinned girl grabbed at her friend’s hands, with another close-eyed smile. “Now I only have the one thing to convince you of~”
What Calypso thought was a tender moment turned into a horror sting.
She saw her glove activate. And the slither that was Alice glowing brightly within the gemstone.
“Alice—” Calypso looked up at her beloved with shocked, horrified eyes. “—Alice, no—”
“Hey, my mess—I have to sit in it—and I’m the one to clean it all up~” Alice chipper tone conflicted with her trembling hands.
“Alice, I am not going to let you fade into nothingness!” Calypso protested, with so much pain and sadness in her voice.
“It’s what people told me to do when I was breathing,” Alice tried to maintain her causal tone, and clearly was failing. “I-it was never ‘go to hell’, I was there already... They said I'll never be anything, 'nothing in this world' and here we are...!”
“…P-please…” Calypso’s face fell into a mess of agony, trembling and tears. “Just let me be selfish for once…”
Calypso just wept in silence, unable to look at Alice due to how tight her eyelids were shit. It wasn’t until moments later, until she felt her chin gently held up, causing her to see Alice’s determined expression despite the tears clouding the sight.
“I know, I know…” Alice sighed, wiping Calypso’s tears from her face. “It sucks, but… You got this far. You went to go prove something and knowing you, I’m sure you banked on some sacrifice play being needed to illustrate the point or whatever. But you’re stuck in it now—you made new friends, you made up with your folks… You’ve gotten so much better, girl. Stop wasting your life over someone that was gonna drag you down.”
“Y-you degrading yourself only makes me wa-wanna… Oh god…” Calypso’s face and eyes were flush pink. Composure completely broken.
Alice laughed. “It wouldn’t matter, anyways~ Like I said before… Regardless if you can see me or not, Cally… I’m going to be with you. Every step of the way. So lemme help. I wanna save the world too!”
The girl laughed more, her own tears rolling down her cheeks, “Imagine it: Alice Graves, coming in clutch! Me! Of all people—be-being the fucking nail or dice roll in the survival of the planet! It’s the best joke in the world—and you can’t take that away from me!”
Calypso still looked miserable. Trembling, sniffling, her eyes looking horrid… But she sighed, just silently putting her gloved hand on top of her beloved’s hand.
Alice smirked, taking her hand off Calypso’s chin, and gently placed her hand on the gemstone.
“…Nothing stopping us this time…” Alice tried to swallow her heaving breathes before sputtering into faux, non-pained laughter.
Calypso’s eyes widened… Before smiling in absolute joy. Nodding with sudden zeal. “Y-yeah… Finally.”
The girls took the moment to lower their eyelids. Slowly approaching each other as they leaned forward… Uncaring about the surge of energy and power that exploded from their gathered hands, uncaring if this was metaphorical or metaphysical.
They joined their lips. For their official, and one last, kiss. Basking in their shared warmth as the light swallowed the two lovers in their moment of bliss.
Calypso woke up. Tears in her eyes once more, able to surge back up to her knees, as she struggled to keep herself upright. Panting and panting, looking around with a manic, wild look on her face.
Letting close a primal, pained, panicked, ferocious wail that wasn’t monster. Purely and utterly human.
With a balled fist, she summoned her cloak made of shadows. She struggled to her feet, as she turned her head to stare down the remerging beast that was before her.
She was so enveloped in rage that she only just noticed something that has since pierced her… Looking toward the source, a Melissa on her side, using her veins to pump blood into Calypso.
“Do it…” the ruined girl pleaded with the skeletal monster girl. “Do it for us…”
Calypso looked at her with pain. Knowing how low that girl’s blood count must be, she could very well die doing this. But not a second more, Calypso knocked with grim determination.
Calypso walked backward into the smog of the flames, disappearing and reappearing behind the bloody monster. Grabbing her severed arm… And not seeing the red slither along her gemstone, as her only hand trembled with the realization.
She dropped it, tapped at the stone, forcing her arm to transform into a scythe for her to wield. Leaning forward like a wild animal with her narrow eye.
The monster turned towards Calypso, and made a quick lunge.
With another primal scream, voicing her sorrow, her rage, her longing—her fear. But never been more aware of her drive as a human being—something she always thought she was born without.
Calypso jumped forward, slashing the blood monster in two once again. Knowing that this last sever meat that it’s soul is nothing BUT pieces.
Calypso fell, but managed to have the strength to land painfully on her knees, still upright. She refused to not witness this fate worse than death.
The creature tried in vain to keep its ruined shape. Torn on being human-shaped or bat shape, a performance that was bound to blood. But ultimately, it slowly melted into two puddles that bled into each other.
The perfect opening that they were looking for.
A coffin surged from the ground, as if it were sealife that burst from the ocean… Complete with the water splash.
Mrs. Moses holding the end of the box, in her full Mermaid Consumed form.
She carried the coffin as a series of runes appeared on the surface, flashing in varying sequences. The blood rose into the air and promptly was pulled into the coffin, every single drop taken.
With all of her strength, Mrs. Moses let go, leapt into the air, angled herself above the floating coffin, and shoved the structure into the floor—which once again behaved like if it were the ocean’s surface. Foam, bubbles, and a riptide ensuing due to the displacement, until it all stopped.
Like that, Cassie Morgan was no more. Sealed to a coffin and lost to the bottom of the sea, in a way that only one person could access the depths. Literally torn to pieces, even if someone tried to revive her.
She was gone. And so was Calypso’s first love.
Calypso was too distant to witness Moses using her water to stop the fires. She was also too wrapped up in her head to notice that she instinctively fused her arm back into place, that she slowly healed most of her burns and regained her whole face.
But Mrs. Moses wasn’t.
With an immediate, untransformed and cloaked hug, Calypso leaned into the lull.
“Melissa, go and help—”
“It’s taken care of, dear.”
“B-but what about Gale and Natalie—”
“Who do you think came and help…? You’ve done amazing work, Calypso. It’s okay. It’s okay. You don’t have to hold this in. You’re allowed to feel terrible right now.”
Calypso closed her eyes, and instantly started to chuckle a tad. One would think she’d be out of tears, but more went down her cheeks.
The strangest thing of all was the fact she was wearing an open smile. Her brow etched in relief, as she continued to sob so openly.
The Terrortide, this battle, so many lives and the wall Calypso Grimes suffered from: all of it. It’s over.