A door crashed open behind.

Liam flew into attention as somebody else hobbled into view, out from a half-collapsed home. He froze in place, his eyes widened against the sight of the figure moving towards him. Though humanoid and in the shape of a man, its movement was feral and instinctive, its clothes rotted beyond recognition, and skin grey and peeling. The hair was stringy and whitened, and sores covered its scalp. Its mouth clattered hungrily as it stumbled, and it raised a mangled arm his way. Even the veins were subhuman. They were black and bulging, like a corpse half-decomposed.

But it was the eyes more than anything that made Liam flinch. They were white. Blank. Empty. It was as if the life had been drained from its very sockets, leaving behind only a vacuous hole where a human had once been.

The creature hissed, and Liam’s world shattered anew. He had heard that noise before.

On the Xin Yue Jiang.

It all made sense now. A contagion that could reduce people into a state like this… Such a force levied against civilization would be one they could not hope to win. Humanity lost. Its strengths, its virtue, its muster. Could this really have been their end?

Liam stumbled back. First a few steps, and then a few more. His foot nicked something hard and he tumbled back into the ground. He could not run and he could not stand. He could only inch further away from this monster, the fear and uncertainty crippling him against doing anything else.

Another person walked into sight. Before the monster could respond, a hammer was slammed through its skull. It fell limp.

“Well, well,” someone else said from behind, his voice raspy. “Looks like we got ourselves a stray.”

A group of three survivors stood behind. Each was wrapped in heavy clothes in spite of the weather. Cargo pants were tucked into boots, with beige dusters hanging above. Their hands were gloved and gripping weapons, both guns and blades. Even their faces were covered in cloth and hoods, with tinted goggles above.

Only one stood out from the others. Where his companions were similar in aesthetics, he had leather padding as added protection around his arms, and each was laced with spikes. He held a battle axe, large enough to use as a walking stick, with a pistol strapped to his waist.

He took a step forward. “What’s the matter? Never seen a hollow before?” His voice was deep and gruff, as though he’d spent a lifetime smoking cigarettes.

Liam opened his mouth, but found no words.

“You sure this guy’s one of us, Spike?” the one who had killed the monster asked, her voice still hoarse, yet more feminine.

“Of course he is, Camilla. You all heard him.”

She shrugged. “Don’t know what I heard. Could be a dreg.”

“I could use the boost, either way,” another said with that same gruff hue. “It’d be quick.”

“Oh, shut up, Rocco. You just ate yesterday.”

Spike waved his gloved hand. “Enough, or I swear, I’ll purge you both.” He leaned into Liam. “You’re not starved, are you? You can talk?”

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

“Y-yes,” Liam said. “I’m not like th– that thing.”

He nodded. “There. What did I say? We got ourselves another one, fresh from the factory. Still got the stutters and everything.”

The last of their group walked over. With a gloved hand, he grabbed Liam’s cheeks and examined them, one side to the other.

“Don’t think this guy’s a rezzer,” he said.

“What the hell are you talking about, Damian?” Rocco asked.

“Look at his eyes. They look alive.”

Liam stared, confused. “Of course I’m alive.”

At once, all of them took a step back, their weapons raised.

Liam gasped. “What the hell are you doing? I said I’m alive!” But they did not move.

“If we’ve got ourselves a living human here,” Damian said. “Do you have any idea what this means?”

Spike turned his head an inch. “Big payday from Hades, that’s for damn sure.”

“More than that,” Rocco said, elated. “Any of you ever have human before?”

“Are you kidding me, Rocco? You’ll get us all hunted with talk like that.”

“No one would ever know.”

The group began bickering as Liam lay in place. They kept arguing whether to keep him for themselves, or trade him to someone else. What was happening? Why wouldn’t anyone give him a clear answer?

“Please,” Liam begged. “I don’t know who you are or what you want, but I promise you, I’m a living, breathing human, and I just need a little help, yeah?”

A hrmph spilled out from beneath Spike’s mask. “You really don’t know, do you? What, been stuck on an island or something the past decade?”

“Well, actually,” Liam said. “That’s exactly what happened.”

“Hah! Who woulda guessed? Looks like we got ourselves the star from Cast Away.”

Liam laughed. “Yes, yes. Exactly like the movie Cast Away. Thank God you found me.”

To that, Spike leaned in. “Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure of that if I was you.” He removed his goggles and lowered his mask.

Liam’s heart stopped in his chest. Spike’s face was as grey and rotted as the monster they had killed, and a long set of scars ran across his cheeks. But unlike the hollow, his irises were filled, and projected a red, demonic glare that was anything but human.

“What’s the matter?” Spike mocked. “Don’t look so excited to see me anymore.” He laughed, yellowed teeth bared against blackened gums. “Think you might be right, Rocco. I’ve never had living before. Maybe we should hack off one of those pretty little arms and have a taste.”

Again, Liam was speechless. What could he say? What could anyone say in such a circumstance!?

Suddenly, more trash crashed as another monster stumbled into the street. This one looked more recognizable, with a feminine frame below a sheepskin jacket and a pair of faded jeans. The face was hidden beneath a hood, but there was no denying the erratic movement and deep hiss that was characteristic of the hollow before.

Spike grunted. “Come on, Camilla. Let’s not have any more distractions.”

She started to wander over. “I swear, I have to do everything around here.”

Camilla drew close, hammer raised. But as she swung her weapon, her target danced to the side and threw its hood down. Black hair was tied into a bun, contrasted against a burgundy scarf that covered her face from nose to neck. The woman drew a pistol with an oversized suppressor and pressed it into Camilla’s face.

“Oh, sh–” Camilla started, but the shot went off before she could finish. She fell lifeless into the pavement.

The others screamed and took aim with their own weapons, but the woman was quicker, and brought down Damian and Rocco before they could respond, each with bullets to the head. Only Spike was able to return fire. The woman flinched when her shoulder took a hit, but she otherwise ignored the blow entirely. Spike whooped as his own pistol got shot out of his hand, then rushed for safety. The woman advanced and kept shooting. Blackened ichor burst free as different parts of Spike’s body were struck, but he shrugged off the hits as though they were nothing. With one final lunge, he vaulted over a fence and out of view.

The woman closed in, and again Liam found himself at a loss. Her skin was pale and smooth above the scarf, but her irises were shrouded in a strong, magenta gleam contrasted against black mascara.

“Thank you,” Liam said. He tried to hold a hand up to shake, but she waved him off.

“It’s true then, you’re alive?” she asked, her voice as deep and hoarse as everyone else he’d heard today.

“Yes,” Liam said. Why does everyone keep asking me that?

“Good. Let’s get out of here then.”

“Wait! Who are you?” Or better yet. What are you?

“My name is Leah, and I’d suggest you follow me.”