Chapter 39 – Floor 4: Part 7

The force of the explosion shoved Mathew backwards, slamming him down against the pavement nearly two dozen feet from where he had been.

Cardboard and antiques rained down on the parking lot as the brown pickup truck began to shake violently. Where Albert was standing, it appeared the truck was acting like a wet dog, shaking to get water off its body.

The crowd was stunned, frozen, staring at the impossible actions of the vehicle. A loud howl came from the car, and the front chrome grill split apart to reveal rows of razor-sharp teeth. Its headlights blinked and formed into eyes.

Albert’s mouth moved soundlessly. The terror and surprise had robbed him of words. The truck was alive! The entire vehicle was the monster they had been looking for. This wasn’t a tiny lamp that could be fought off. This was a full-sized pickup truck!

With another terrifying scream, the truck accelerated toward the crowd. In a flash, it was nearly on some of the attendees, its mouth wide open to devour its first victim. Fumbling with his revolver, Albert had almost removed it from its holster when a hand closed down around his, keeping it in place.

Ben Olson was watching the rampaging truck monster with a bemused expression, like a parent watching a toddler.

“Ahh, you’ve gone and done it now. You should have just let it go. Eight lives is a small price to pay to keep it satiated. It’s a pity, but we can’t have any witnesses now, can we?” Ben mused, his face splitting into an inhuman grin that was too large for the size of his face. His teeth were sharpened into points, and his eyes shifted in appearance until they were catlike.

“Wha-” Albert tried to speak, but Ben’s hand pierced the Sheriff’s chest before he could finish a word. With a wet suction sound, Ben pulled his gore-covered hand from the gaping wound. Albert collapsed, breathing his last as his vision darkened.

“Tut tut tut. You’re all going to have to die.” Ben Olson stated, looking around at the fleeing crowd with disdain.

“Oh well, no rest for the wicked.” Ben sighed, licking the blood from his fingers as he considered who would be his next target. In a blur, he dashed toward the nearest human.

Page Break

Mathew rolled over on the ground, the wind having been knocked out of him from the force of his impact into the pavement. Even with his enhanced strength, it took him a moment to recover. Finding his footing once more, he was greeted with the sight of complete chaos.

The monster, resembling an amalgamation of creature and truck, was skidding around the park lot, devouring anyone unfortunate enough to get in its way. The ground had streaks of blood and viscera obscuring large parts of the pavement but no bodies.

Those who were fortunate enough to get away from the creature were being cut down by Ben Olson, whose own features had twisted into a caricature of a human being. Covered in gore, whatever it was that had taken his appearance was laughing as it slaughtered the defenceless humans.

Looking around quickly for the Sheriff, Mathew saw his unmoving figure a few dozen feet away. His was one of the only bodies that appeared whole, although the growing pool of blood told Mathew that Albert wouldn’t be able to help him this time.

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On his feet at last, Mathew was about to rush toward Ben Olson when a body came flying toward him from the exit to the market. Ben had tossed one of his victims at Mathew, and only a quick dodge at the last moment kept it from hitting him.

“Now now, Mr. Larson. Aren’t you forgetting something?” Ben taunted, pointing with a finger coated crimson at the truck monster behind Mathew. He could hear it roaring, matching the terrified screams of its victims.

While Mathew was indecisive over what direction to go in first, Ben Olson killed the last remaining person trying to leave. With a happy little wave, he began to back away.

“I’ll be seeing you, Mr. Larson.” In an instant, he was gone, and Mathew cursed as he spun around to help those people who were still alive.

Snapping his fingers, he created a fire under the creature only to have it spin its wheels and drive past it. Mathew saw its eyes lock onto him, and it sped toward him, its mouth open wide. Leaping out of the way, Mathew created another fire, this time in the vehicle's cab.

The creature roared in pain, thrashing once more as its whole body trembled. For a moment, the illusion that it was a pickup truck vanished. In its place was a blob of flesh, all teeth and eyes, before it snapped back into its previous form.

Using the time it was incapacitated, Mathew opened his inventory and retrieved the Goblin Knife that he had kept from the third floor. It still had some of his blood on the edge. He had put it into his inventory shortly after the Goblin who wounded him was dead.

Angry at the assault, the creature ignored everything as it sped toward Mathew again. This time, Mathew timed his jump perfectly. As the truck monster opened its mouth and snapped its jaws to engulf him, Mathew leapt out of the way, striking with his knife at the monster’s right eye.

Stabbing it into its flesh, the creature roared with pain. Not letting up, Mathew snapped his fingers and conjured another fire inside the cab.

“Just have to time this right.” Mathew muttered, waiting as the tremors that morphed the monster ceased, and its remaining eye found him again.

Backing up, Mathew judged the distance to the office building behind him. A concrete wall, he hoped that it was thick enough to stop the monster cold.

Spinning its wheels to gain momentum, the monster hurtled toward Mathew, who had backed up until he was nearly pressed into the concrete. At the last moment, he rolled out of the way as the truck slammed into the concrete. The wall held for a moment before collapsing, crushing the creature and pinning it into place.

“Die, you bastard!” Mathew shouted, pouring his mana into a fire that engulfed the debris and the creature beneath. For nearly a minute, the white-hot flames burned, and the monster screamed and howled as it charred.

It wasn’t until it stopped crying out and Mathew ran out of mana that he stopped.

Collapsing onto the ground, Mathew couldn’t even muster the energy to stand as a loud ‘Ding!’ rang out. Burning words appeared in the air above his silver wristband.

Floor 4 Complete!

You have successfully solved the mystery of Arlen’s missing citizens. The entire town is grateful for your assistance.

Completion Bonus: You have been promoted to Level 10! Your next Discipline may be selected for free!

Please Proceed to Floor 5 immediately.

The statement vanished, and his status appeared.

Name: Mathew Larson

Discipline: N/A (Please select a new Discipline)

Coward (Level 5)

Charlatan (Level 5)

Level: 10

Aether Required For Next Level: N/A (Free discipline selection Available.)

Aether: 65000

Attributes

Body: 2.7

Mind: 3.0

Spirit: 0.3

Blessings

Create and Control Flames III (Max Tier)

The Coward’s Brand (Max Tier)

Energy coursed through Mathew’s body, replenishing his stamina and his mana. He felt stronger, his mind clearer, and he drew in a deep breath of air. He felt invigorated until he thought about the loss he just experienced.

Weary in spirit, not body, Mathew climbed to his feet and looked toward the body of the Sheriff. There was no one left alive in sight. Those few that survived had fled, leaving nothing but a few corpses behind that hadn’t been devoured.

Mathew was about to walk over to Albert when the elevator appeared. Unlike other times when he had an option to stay on a floor longer, the elevator appeared around him. He was already standing in it, the doors sliding closed before he could respond.

“Wait!” Mathew said, trying to get out, but they refused to respond. Even with his enhanced strength, he couldn’t keep them from closing.

“I’m sorry.” Mathew whispered as his sight of Floor 4 was cut off.