The stench of decay assaulted Ralphie’s senses. The hospital corridors were a maze of rotting decay and ruin, every step bringing new horrors into view. Abandoned gurneys littered the halls, some still bearing the remnants of their last occupants. The walls, once clean and white, now bore marks of blood and other fluids that Ralphie didn’t want to think about.

“Stay alert,” Raven said as she scanned the room and checked each darkened corner.

“Evolutionists use this place for their experiments.”

As if on cue, a grotesque figure emerged from a nearby room. Ralphie’s eyes widened in horror as the creature’s bizarre form shambled toward him. It resembled a walking Jack-in-the-box, its body a twisted fusion of metal and flesh. But it was the head - or rather, heads - that made Ralphie’s stomach churn.

Two heads adorned the creature’s shoulders, and Ralphie froze as the face of a garish clown attached to a snarling wolf’s face. As it stumbled towards them, the heads snapped at each other, locked in an eternal struggle. It wielded wicked-looking knives in its hands, the blades glinting in the dim light.

“What the hell?” Nigel gasped, raising his weapon.

Raven was already in motion, the report of her weapon deafening as she fired at the monstrosity. The bullets tore into its body, but it kept coming, seemingly unfazed by the damage.

Ralphie fumbled with his rifle, his hands shaking as he tried to aim. He squeezed the trigger, the recoil sending the weapon into his shoulder. His shot went wide, chipping the wall behind the creature.

“Aim for the heads!” Raven shouted, ducking as one of the knives whistled past her ear.

Nigel’s shot rang out, catching the clown’s face square in the nose. It let out a high-pitched wail, momentarily stunning the creature. Raven unleashed a barrage of bullets. The thing collapsed.

As the echo of gunfire faded, an eerie silence settled over the corridor. Ralphie’s heart pounded in his chest, his breath coming in short gasps.

“What... what was that thing?”

Raven knelt beside the fallen creature, her face grim. “One of their failed experiments, I’d guess. The Evolutionists are always trying to create the perfect hybrid. This one... well, it didn’t quite work out.”

Before Ralphie could respond, a wet, slapping sound caught his attention. He turned, his blood running cold at the sight before him. Half-mangled corpses were dragging themselves along the floor, their dead eyes fixed on the group. Behind them, severed limbs twitched and jerked, propelling themselves forward with grotesque determination.

“Oh god,” Ralphie choked out, stumbling backward.

“Don’t get near them, one touch, and you’re dead—or worse!” Raven said.

Ralphie raised his rifle, forcing himself to focus. He picked his targets carefully, aiming for the heads of the crawling corpses. Each shot that connected filled him with a mix of relief and revulsion.

Nigel was a whirlwind of action beside him, alternating between shooting and using his weapon as a club when the creatures got too close. “We need to move!” he shouted over the chaos. “We can’t waste all our ammo here!”

Raven nodded.

“This way! The supply area is just ahead!”

They pushed forward, fighting through waves of the undead abominations. Ralphie lost count of how many he shot, each pull of the trigger becoming more automatic, more detached. He avoided contemplating their past lives before the Evolutionists’ experimentation.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

After what felt like hours, they finally reached a heavy metal door. A sign above it read “CENTRAL STORAGE - AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY.”

“This is it,” Nigel said, examining the electronic lock beside the door. “Give me a minute to crack this.”

Raven and Ralphie took up defensive positions, watching the corridor for any sign of pursuit. The sounds of battle still echoed from the floors below, a grim reminder that their respite was only temporary.

Nigel worked, his fingers flying over the keypad as he muttered. A loud beep emanated from the lock, followed by a mechanical voice:

“Warning: Security protocol activated. Self-destruct sequence started. Five minutes to detonation.”

“Nigel!” Raven snapped, whirling to face him. “What did you do?”

Nigel’s face was pale, his eyes wide with shock. “I... I don’t know! I must have triggered some kind of failsafe!”

“Well, un-trigger it!” Ralphie pleaded, panic rising in his chest.

“I can’t!” Nigel said, his fingers still working the keypad. I think I can open the door. We’ll have to be quick!”

The mechanical voice continued its countdown, each second ticking away, feeling like a hammer blow to Ralphie’s nerves. A hissing, which could only be the smooth operation of hydraulics, emanated, and the heavy door swung open.

“Go!” Raven ordered, pushing them inside. “Grab everything you can carry. Less than four minutes before this place goes up in flames!”

The storage room was a treasure trove of medical supplies. Shelves lined the walls with everything from bandages to advanced surgical equipment. Ralphie’s eyes darted around, trying to focus on what they needed most.

“Antibiotics,” Nigel called out, stuffing vials into his pack. “And painkillers. Grab all you can find!”

Ralphie moved on autopilot, snatching bottles and packages from dilapidated shelves. His mind raced, trying to remember everything Blanka might need. Bandages, disinfectant, syringes - he grabbed it all, registering what he was putting in his bag.

Raven stood guard by the door, her weapon at the ready. “Two minutes!”

Nigel connected a portable drive to the computer terminal. “Almost got it,” he muttered, his eyes fixed on the screen.

The mechanical voice droned on, its emotionless tone a stark contrast to the frantic energy in the room. “One minute to detonation. Please evacuate immediately.”

“Nigel, we have to go!” Ralphie shouted, his pack bulging with supplies.

His brother nodded, yanking the drive free. “Got it! Let’s move!”

They burst out of the storage room, Raven taking point as they raced back the way they came. The corridors were empty now, the undead horrors having seemingly retreated in the face of the impending explosion.

Ralphie’s lungs burned as he ran, the weight of his pack threatening to throw him off balance with every step. The countdown echoed, bringing them closer to destruction.

“Thirty seconds to detonation.”

Raven increased her pace, shouting for them to keep up.

“Twenty seconds.”

They burst out of the hospital, feet pounding on the cracked pavement as they sprinted away from the doomed building.

“Ten seconds.”

Ralphie’s world narrowed to the sound of his own ragged breathing and the pounding of his heart. He pushed himself harder, ignoring the burning in his muscles.

“Five... four... three...”

“Get down!” Raven yelled, diving behind an overturned car.

Ralphie threw himself to the ground, Nigel landing beside him. He squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the impact.

The explosion rocked the street, the shockwave washing over them like a physical force. Debris rained down, pinging off the car and the surrounding pavement. When the rumbling subsided, Ralphie raised his head. The hospital was gone, replaced by a smoking crater. Flames licked at the surrounding buildings, casting an eerie glow over the devastated street.

“Everyone okay?” Raven asked, her voice hoarse.

Nigel groaned as he sat up, wincing as he felt his ribs. “I think so. Ralphie?”

Ralphie nodded, too winded to speak. He looked down at his pack, relieved to see it was still intact. They had done it. They had the supplies they needed for Blanka.

“We... we made it,” he said.

Debris pelted Raven; she rose, brushing herself off. “That explosion will draw every hybrid and Evolutionist in the area. We need to move.”

Nigel nodded, struggling to his feet. He offered a hand to Ralphie, pulling him up. “She’s right. We need to get back to Blanka.”

Ralphie could barely keep up as he followed Raven and Nigel through the ruined streets. A strange mix of emotions overcame him. Fear and exhaustion warred with a sense of accomplishment and hope. They had faced unimaginable horrors and survived. They had the means to help Blanka now. But, an uneasy feeling settled into Ralphie’s stomach.

Will they be able to get to Blanka in time?

They ducked into an abandoned building to catch their breath and plan their next move; Ralphie made a silent promise to himself. He would see this through, no matter what horrors lay ahead for Blanka, Nigel, and all those who couldn’t fight for themselves.