On the road I got some time to think on my next move. But the horrifying truth that I had discovered had kept me awake for these past few days. Where to begin. Probably from right after I left the creature that had taken the guise of a one detective Daren, currently most definitely dead in that forest.
I saw a dozen policemen converging onto my location. All with red glowing eyes. I even saw the two men I bear maced in front of my cabin to get away from, their eyes glowing red under the shadow that was casting upon their faces. It was then too clear to even doubt it. The creatures have become more precise and accurate in their mimicking of their victims. They can talk and act like humans and even maintain their disguise over a long period of time. Is it just this particular pack of creatures or is it a natural phase of maturing for them that I haven’t seen? Honestly, I don’t know, and I don’t care. One thing I do know is that I must kill them. Kill them all to find that one Alpha that was responsible for what happened to my Sarah. The alpha with the bluish green silver eyes. My target zero.
I ran for hours through those woods, hiding and erasing my trail and scent as I went along. I could feel that they were still looking for me. Their stench filled the air and I could sense them scouring the woods. They would have realized that the dark woods were no longer a safe hiding place for them anymore. I made sure of that.
Even so, I had to get away from there, even further than before. To lure them to me on my turf and my conditions. And I had just the right place in mind. An old, abandoned mining ghost town not too far from the town I was currently operating from. I’ll be isolated but so will they. I’ll lure them there and wipe them out. Then we’ll see if that alpha would still be willing to hide behind his pack.
I headed back to town before the local ‘police’ started flashing around my facial sketch to alert the town folk. Don’t need to get any of them involved. I got around to Jacob’s gun shop for my last order. Jacob looked concerned. I mean if I saw myself in that state, blood stains and tattered clothes. Not to mention the overall state I was in after running through miles of forest prior to getting there.
“Are you ah…. Alright there Jack?”
Jacob tried to look and talk casual as he put in obvious effort to make a straight face. But still the worry and concern seeped out through his efforts. I also replied casually.
“Yeah, tough hunt. I need some supplies Jacob. I need a lot.”
“What happened? Did you meet a bear or something?”
“Yeah, something.”
Jacob’s look of concern thickened at that reply. He took my request and went behind the store without a word. It took him sometime. When he came back, he had a huge bag in his hands.
“I don’t know what you’re into Jack, but you be careful. I don’t have to tell you that some of these supplies are more than dangerous. You have enough fire power here to go to war.”
“Thanks Jacob.”
I paid Jacob with the cash I had. He insisted I take a few supplies on the house. I thought I was not making any progress with the town folk, but I guess I was wrong. About Jacob at least. I thanked him and was about to exit the shop when Jacob threw a few words at me.
“If anybody comes asking about you. I’ll tell them what I know. Maybe it’ll buy you some time.”
“Thank you. Farewell Jacob.”
Sly old man. I guess I let on a little too much. I can see his slight grin reflecting on the door glass as I exited the shop. If they came looking for me here they’ll be directed to my now abandoned base of operations in the woods. It’ll give me time to set things up over at the ghost town.
It took me half day's walk to get to the ghost town. Nice and secluded. I started to get to work, no time to rest. Jacob packed me some extra supplies that he forgot to mention. Sly old man. I figured setting up traps was the only obvious plan to achieve what I wanted. Punji stick traps seemed to be effective as they gallop on all fours. I have enough ammo to fight against a whole company. I’ve made enough Molotov Cocktails to burn them down. All I needed to do was wait.
2 nights went by and nothing showed up. I hadn’t slept a wink until then. I was on high alert. But on the 3rd night, the stress and tired body got the best of me and I dozed off. Stupid mistake. I woke up in the dark to noises outside. Bristling of trees and a weird sensation that crept up my spine. Something was amiss. It wasn’t right and there was an eerie silence enveloping the whole area. There was no moon out tonight and the whole ghost town was flooded with a thick paint of darkness. I didn’t like it. Not one bit. There was supposed to be a full moon that tonight… at least that was the prediction. But I didn’t anticipate the cloudy night sky that had covered the area, even blocking what little light the moon and stars could offer. Everything was perfect for them. This was there chance I guess, the perfect environment to make the move. I was holding up on the second floor of an abandoned house that was located further in from the main road that led into the Ghost town.
I waited in silence, with as little movement as possible. Maybe 30minutes had gone by and I was getting uncomfortable of the stalemate situation. But then I heard it. A boom and a screech. Bright lights poured in from outside and I peered out through the window. Down along the main road that came towards the town center, was a great burst of fire, burning bright red. Inside it was a few creatures screaming and wailing in pain as I see others scamper into nearby shadows and buildings.
“Gotcha.”
They triggered my Molotov cocktail combined trap. I picked up my rifle and aimed out the window. There was a slight breeze that made the burning fire flicker. One deep breath into the chest. Slowly letting the air out. I stop as I catch a creature slowly making its way out a shadow. Holding my breath, I aim and fired. This time I had a suppressor to dim the noise. The first shot hits the creature in the head and kills it. I look around while breathing slowly and lightly. It’s not like them to hide like this and scope the area. They are more intelligent and careful than any of the other creatures I’ve fought before. I was sure now, that these are the creatures that were posing as law enforcement. No sign of their alpha. Just had to lure it out, I guess.
Just then I saw a few more creatures approaching the house I was in. Looks like they made me. It was earlier than I had expected, but no matter. I fired a few rounds at the creatures and managed to get a couple. But more creatures joined the charge. I started firing without time to aim and without precision. My hail of bullets managed to take a couple more down, but it seemed meaningless then. I put down the rifle and picked up the shotgun. I exited the room I was in and leaned against the wall next to the staircase that led down and straight up to the front door. I peered out the side and down the stairs. I can hear them approach the front of the house. I listened while leaning behind the wall. There was a sudden silence that engulfed the area. Everything seemed to stand still for those few seconds. A most heart wrenching and eerie feeling crept up my back as I felt sweat build up, causing the shirt I was wearing under my leather jacket to stick to my back. A shallow breeze sneaked in through the open window from the room I was firing through a short moment ago. It brushed across my sweat soaked back and gave me a slight shive as I adjusted my position to shake it off.
Then, with a loud noise I hear the downstairs window glasses being shattered. They’ve broken through the front windows. But just as soon as I hear then break through it is followed by a loud boom and screams of the creatures being burned to a crisp by the booby traps planted under those very windows.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Then as I sneaked a peak around the corner to peer downstairs, saw the creatures approach the front door as their silhouettes blurred through the dirty stained-glass windows on the wooden door. Lured more like. They opened the door by turning the doorknob and entered the house with clear signs of caution. Something new every time. It was clear that their prolonged mimicking of humans had left some behavioral traits, like some sort of habit.
I waited while listening to the creatures rummage around the first floor. Then I hear heavy steps coming up the stairs. It sounded like they were actually walking up the stairs on two legs. The fire from downstairs had emitted enough light to cast a shadow on the wall following the staircase up. I was counting on it. As the shadow of the creature reached the top of the stairs I dash forward and shot my shot gun down the staircase. The Pellets disbursed and tore through the creature in front of me and continued on, to tear through the creatures following it up behind. Hitting them on the chest is not as effective due to their hard rib cage casing the upper torso. The most effective hot spot is the head. Multiple creatures crumble down along the staircase as their heads are shredded by the shotgun pellets. One of the downsides of walking up right if you think about it.
More creatures appear at the bottom of the stairs, and I had already reloaded my double barrel shotgun. But they had already learned from assessing the situation and were waiting for me to come down to them. Again, human like thinking that probably comes from their prolonged guise as law enforcement. But, also like many humans, flawed at the same time. I hear scratching noises coming from outside the second-floor window. I’m surrounded. The only way out is down the stairs and out the front door. It’s funny but it feels like they’re luring me out towards the front door. Bastards.
I blast my shotgun down the stairs, hitting the one creature waiting at the bottom. It didn’t kill it. I hear it screaming in pain as I turn around and quickly make it towards the window of an adjacent room. I look out and see a couple of creatures clawing their way up. Reloading my shotgun. I kick out the old rusty windows and jump out and land on the first-floor roof top. I hear the roof creak in stress as the old worn-down building struggles to support my weight. I dash across to the creatures that had just made it halfway up the roof top and blast my shotgun in their faces.
I dash towards the ledge of the first-floor roof as I reload the shotgun one last time. I reach the edge of the roof and jump off to a stack of old mattresses I had gathered earlier. As I do so I see more creatures galloping towards me from another direction. I wait until they are in effective range of my shotgun as I waste no time to blast their heads right off their shoulders. These creatures seemed more aggressive now and felt more like all the other ones I had fought and killed before. They were less evolved or they’ve finally lost their cool and had revert back to their instinctive wild animalistic nature, now just rushing at me like a pack of wild dogs. Good for me. Though it had its moments, them mimicking human intelligence was a nuisance and quite frankly insulting.
I sling my shotgun across my back and pull out my primary weapons. My axe and blade. I see them start to mass just outside the, now burning, house I was just in. The flames blazed the air and scorched the ground near it, as I slowly sidewalk to a nearby church building. The creatures’ eyes flow my move. Those red glowing eyes now more intense than I’ve ever seen them before. It could be the darkness or reflections from the bright red flames. But, one thing was for certain. I could feel their anger, their rage through those intensely burning red eyes and growling through their drooping wide jaws that spewed drool down their chins. Just what I was looking for. To get rid of their reasoning and return them to the savage mindless animals they are.
I stood at the steps of the church building and looked towards the massed creatures now all glaring at me. The burning house creating a curtain of flames behind them. Casting a large shadow to highlight their brightly glowing red eyes. Eyes full of primal rage that seemed to intensify by the minute. There we were standing face to face. Maybe a hundred meters distance between us. My grip on my axe and blade tightened as I got ready for the charge. Then the second floor of the burning building came crashing down to the ground causing dust and rubble to pollute the air, creating a cloud of ash and dust. As if that was some kind of a signal the amassed creatures started to charge towards me all at once. Galloping on all fours, the horde of came at me like demons thirsting for flesh and blood. Their ghoulish appearance forged by the pale torn and cracking skin with wide open jaws that screeched a devilish scream as it hung loose and dangled as they hurled themselves towards me. Eyes intensely glowing red, crazed and widened in a frenzy.
I stood still as I stared towards the stampeding horde of creatures. Strangely there was a moment of clarity as a glimmer of tranquility grabbed hold of me like a trance. But unbeknownst to me my grip tightened over the handle of my axe and knife, ready to swing them in full action. I waited as I deluded to a sound of melody that struck my ears. A cheerful and soft humming. A melody that was frequently hummed by Sarah. My eyes deepened in dark calmness as the swarm of creatures now almost upon my position.
Then with sudden violent stumbles, the creatures at the lead of the charge suddenly fell to the ground screaming as their feet plunged deep into a field of punji stick traps. The creatures that followed behind galloped right over the ones maimed by the traps and landed into the second batch of punji stick traps as I lunged myself at the maimed beasts now crying out in agony.
Swinging my axe and blade I started to cut through the mass of creatures. Dismembering limbs and heads. Cutting into the heart with my blade. I just let myself go as if there was no turning back. I hacked away letting the primal instinct kick in and for that moment until I came to my senses again, I was like one of them. Screaming and tearing through pale flesh. Screaming in rage and lunging at every creature I saw in my way. Madness had gripped hold of my soul as I relished in the blood of the creatures I slew. Crackling in laughter I craved for more blood as adrenaline spiked my mind and the heat of the creatures’ blood boiled my hunger for more.
Until I heard that faint cry.
“P…please… stop…”
Everything stopped in its tracks. As I came to my senses it felt as if my consciousness was turned off and came back on again, like some kind of a damn reboot. I looked around and came face to face with a bloodied person. Naked and frightened he looked up at me and pleaded me to stop. His left arm and both legs were gone and he was bleeding out. If it wasn’t for the many dead pale skinned creatures already on the floor I would have fell for it. I knelt in. Drawing my bloodied face near to the creature’s as I felt the heat of its blood on my face.
“You want me to stop?”
“Y… yes … stop… please…”
The creature pleaded with sincerity. I couldn’t stop myself but to smirk. Blood pooled between us as I relished in the apparent fear that was gathering in the creature’s red eyes. I whispered to it. Soft and stern, as I looked deeper into its dying eyes.
“Then tell me. Tell me where your alpha is. The Silver eyed one. The one with the bluish and green silver eyes. Tell me where it is and I’ll give you a clean death.”
The creature disguised as a man closed its eyes. It was thinking. Now there was a sight I thought I’d never see. A creature that was weighing its options. Like a damn human. It was maybe a few seconds and he… I mean it… opened its eyes.
“H.. He… is at the station….”
“It! Will die by my hands.”
I insisted, putting extra weight on the word ‘it’. With that I raised my axe to put the creature finally out of its misery. Just then I saw it shut its eyes as if preparing for its own death like a damn human being. My moment of hesitation was short lived, and I hacked its head clean off its neck as it started to turn pale and rot. These ones, they’re dangerous. They’ll get to you mentally as you slowly start to think if they were actually human and that you were delusional. But there were too many evidence and too much to point out that they were what they were. Some damn creatures from the pits of hell.
I pulled all the dead creatures to one side and set the pile on fire. I reminded myself to dig out some of those silver bone fragments from some of them. These will come in handy later. I went into another house at the end of the main road that led into this ghost town and found my remaining supplies. Reloading my shotgun, I started mapping out my way to the police station. Time to end it all.
That night I ventured back to town. After seeing the mass of creatures that had come for me, something told me that it wouldn’t be easy getting to the police station. I needed more supplies.
I arrived at Jacob’s gun shop just as the sun started to come up. But, when I got there I could see that something was wrong. It was a small quiet town, but it was too quiet. I saw the door of the shop wide open, and glasses shattered. I hurriedly approached the shop. But I didn’t forget to stay vigilant about the surrounding. When I entered the shop, I could see that it was trashed. Clear signs of bullet holes on the walls and blood on the floor. Looking around I saw a blood trail leading to the storage room behind the counter. I approach the door, my axe in hand, and slowly turn the handle.
Locked.
With a deep breath I kicked open the door and charged in expecting a creature to be hiding behind it. Instead, I saw Jacob on the floor leaned against the wall with a shotgun in his hands. He was bleeding bad but still breathing. Judging by the amount of blood that had already pooled around him, he was beyond help. It was only a matter of time. It was a surprise that he was still breathing.
“Jacob…”
“J… Jack… is that you?”
Jacob reacted to my voice and started to come around. He struggled to look up towards me, calling me in desperation and concern.
“What happened Jacob?”
“T…the police… they came asking.. about you.”
Shit, I knew it. Why did they attack Jacob? How did they know that he was the one to go after? What did Jacob know about me that had them so determined to show their true colors?
“T… they weren’t human Jack! T… they were..”
“Stop talking Jacob. I’ve got to take care of the wound.”
“Ja…Jack… be careful … Jack… be…”
“Jacob?”
Damn… why did they attack Jacob and why did they not finish him? It wasn’t as if he barricaded himself behind steel doors. What prompted them to leave… I didn’t’ know. All I knew was that I should give Jacob a burial and stocked up. I got out and returned to my base of operation. I needed to recover and take care of my wounds. I realized that I had suffered some deep cuts and was bleeding bad myself. I stitched myself up as best I could and laid myself down for what little time I had left until sundown.
Night came and I dragged my agonizing body out of my makeshift shelter. Not long now. I draw out the last strength I can muster. I looked up at the quiet night sky brightly lit by a silver moon. I pulled out my knife as it somehow shimmered in the moonlight. A sharp flash of bluish glow swept across the entire blade once and then died out to return silver. Somehow it drew power from the moonlight and moonlight only. It became sharper and more deadly with it. I found out during one of my past hunts under a full silver moon. That should have been last night but better late than never. Its not quite a full moon but it will do. As I sheathed the blade, I looked towards the direction of my immediate journey ahead.
Looks like tonight’s going to be one hell of a night. I'm going to head over to that police station and get me some answers. Find that damn alpha and rip its head off...