As Ayid's eyes creaked open, the world around him was a hazy blur. He was moving, but his legs weren't carrying him. He was slumped over someone's shoulder, his sister's soft sobs echoing in his ear. He tried to lift his head, but it felt like a weight was pressing down on him.

"What...what just happened?" Ayid whispered to himself, his mind foggy. "Please, let this be a dream...a silly, stupid dream..." But deep down, he knew it wasn't. The memories of those gruesome moments on the bridge were still seared into his mind.

As he looked up, his blurry vision took in the sky above. That's when he saw them - creatures, oddly similar to the one that had slaughtered his grandparents, falling from the sky like raindrops. His stomach churned at the thought, and he felt a wave of nausea wash over him.

The person carrying him - Mr. Cavan, he realized, from the familiar fabric of his clothes - was running as fast as he could, but his pace was slow and labored. Ayid could sense his struggle to carry both him and his sister.

In the distance, Ayid saw the creature giving chase, its speed supernatural. Mr. Cavan was navigating through narrow openings, trying to lose it, but the creature was relentless, destroying everything in its path. It was gaining on them.

"What's the point?" Ayid thought, his mind numb. "We're never going to make it. We're never going to make it out here alive." He felt like giving up, like letting the darkness consume him. Mr. Cavan might keep running, but he didn't have the strength to keep hoping...

Ayid's eyes drooped, surrendering to the darkness, but Mr. Cavan's urgent voice pierced through the haze. "Ayid, I know you can hear me! Don't give up now, it's too early! I understand your pain, but don't let defeat consume you!"

Ayid's gaze fluttered open dazedly, his thoughts cloudy. "Huh...?" he mumbled, straining to hear the voice. "Ayid, snap out of it!" Mr. Cavan's voice was firm but laced with concern. Ayid's thoughts slowly cleared, and he realized it was Mr. Cavan speaking.

"What...what did you say?" he stammered, his voice barely audible. "It's heavy..." Ayid muttered, an unbearable heaviness in his chest. Mr. Cavan's expression softened with pity. "What's heavy, Ayid?"

Ayid's voice was slightly louder now. "My chest...it feels so heavy. Why does it feel like this?" Mr. Cavan's eyes widened, his face etched with empathy.

Ayid's tears flowed uncontrollably as his sister's gentle voice pierced through his despair. "Ayid...?" she whispered, her voice trembling with fear.

He tried to respond, but his throat constricted, choking back his words. His sister's voice cracked as she continued, "I'm scared, Ayid. Are we really going to die? I don't want to die... I don't want to leave you behind..."

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Just then, the creature behind them slammed its massive fist onto the ground, creating a massive tremor that sent Mr. Cavan tumbling to the ground.

As Mr. Cavan struggled to get up, his bruised arm throbbed in pain. But he knew he had to protect the kids at all costs. The creature loomed closer, its heavy footsteps echoing ominously. Its three mouths yawned open, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth.

"What in the hell are you?" Mr. Cavan spat, his piercing gaze locked on the monster. But it ignored him, its eyes fixed on its prey.

The creature's massive legs stomped the ground, leaving deep cracks in its wake. Then, without warning, it charged at them with blinding speed. Mr. Cavan sidestepped it at the last second, and the creature crashed into the wall behind them. The building collapsed, a testament to its inhuman strength.

Mr. Cavan knew he wouldn't be so lucky next time.

He swiftly pulled out a gun from inside his jacket

and aimed it at the huge hole the creature had crashed into, waiting for a clear shot. His gaze flicked momentarily to the ground, where Ayid and his sister laid motionless.

As Mr. Cavan gazed at the creature, his attention was suddenly diverted to the horde of similar creatures rushing towards them from behind. They had fallen from the sky and were now charging at top speed. With no time to hesitate, Mr. Cavan turned to the kids, still motionless on the ground. He knew he couldn't wait for the creature that crashed the wall to emerge.

Scanning their surroundings, Mr. Cavan spotted an alleyway beside them. Without hesitation, he quickly lifted the kids, despite their heavy limbs. Imelda, Ayid's sister, was numb with fear, while Ayid's pain made him unresponsive. Mr. Cavan yanked them to their feet, determined to save them.

As they stumbled into the alley, the creature that crashed the wall emerged, sending massive chunks of earth flying. The alleyway provided a temporary shield from the creature's gaze. Mr. Cavan pushed the kids forward, urging them to keep moving. They ran, their footsteps echoing off the walls.

In the distance, Mr. Cavan spotted the safe zone, where people were gathered. Hope surged through him - they were close.

As they neared the safe zone, Mr. Cavan's eyes widened in horror. He pushed Ayid and his sister away, turning to face the creature that had burst through the wall. The creature's powerful hands scooped him up, slamming him to the ground with a force that cracked the earth beneath him. Mr. Cavan lay there, bleeding and broken, as the creature loomed over him, its heavy breathing a twisted mockery of excitement.

Ayid watched in disbelief as Mr. Cavan, the man who had saved them so far, was about to meet his gruesome end. Mr. Cavan turned to the creature, gun in hand, but the creature crushed his arm, leaving it a mangled, unrecognizable mass. Mr. Cavan's gut-wrenching scream echoed through the city as he gritted his teeth and taunted, "Is that all you've got? I can barely feel a thing!"

The creature responded by crushing both his legs, leaving him a broken, helpless mess. Ayid was frozen in shock, unable to comprehend why Mr. Cavan was sacrificing himself for him. Mr. Cavan turned to Ayid, his eyes filled with a fierce determination. "The last thing I want is for you to lose hope. If you're hopeless, I'll be your hope. But don't you dare give up your life, do you hear me?"

Ayid could only manage a whisper, "Why... why are you going this far?" as he watched Mr. Cavan's body get crushed further.

"I'll be blunt with you, Ayid," Mr. Cavan said, his voice strained but resolute. "You may have lost part of your family, but you haven't lost everything. You have your sister, and it's your job as her big brother to keep her safe. Live on... for your grandparents' sake. Please."

*****Mr. Cavan's eyes blurred as he stood over the small grave, the tiny casket a cruel reminder of his failure. The boy's parents, their faces etched with grief, clutched each other, their tears falling like rain. Mr. Cavan's mind replayed the fateful night: the sirens, the chase, the crash, and the little boy's life slipping away. He had been too late, too slow, too human. The weight of his responsibility as a protector crushed him. He vowed then and there, amidst the sorrow and regret, to never let another child's life slip through his fingers. He promised to be the shield, the guardian, the hero that he couldn't be for that little boy*******

Mr. Cavan's gaze drifted upward, his eyes locking onto the sky. In the fleeting seconds before his life was extinguished, a soft smile spread across his face. The same determination that had driven him to make that promise so many years ago now gave him peace.

With those final words, the creature stepped on Mr. Cavan's head, squishing his skull like a bug, blood splashing everywhere.