Noisy footsteps echo down the long, dim corridor. The dim light ahead comes from a single lamp above the white door at the end of the path. Caleb's beefy hands, who had previously held a rifle during the war at only eighteen, turn the knob, giving way to a gleaming glow.
It is a white room, without windows or decorations. In the center is a long table, on the sides of which are seated about ten veterans in their impeccable military uniforms. At the back, almost imperceptible, there is a door, from which slight moans come out from time to time. Take a seat at the far end, cross your fingers resting your elbows on the cold wood, and sigh as the meeting begins.
- As everyone knows - an elderly commander stands up - The war has had many repercussions on humanity, but our country has had the least problems. I know that there is a doubt among us about how it was possible to prevent the damage of this from affecting us, as well as the reason why our development is superior and continues to the present. The answer will be given to you today.
The tension arises between those present, nobody comments, except the young man with brown hair.
- Why reveal something that, according to what you have told us, could be considered the secret of the government I keep with more suspicion? - Caleb asks without abandoning his position.
- Very good question Lieutenant - the man arches the corner of his lips with pride of the one who, at the age of twenty, became a lieutenant in the Irish army. - To answer your question, first I have to finish explaining what this secret is about.
"A few years ago, while the Third Great World War was just beginning with isolated attacks in what was once Syria, Iran and Iraq, one of the Irish government laboratories discovered something that would be the first step towards what we are today. Scientists there found a safe and effective way to create organic matter, mixing human cells with other organisms found in research carried out on various planets. From this the first artificial being called K-016 Alpha was born. The specimen was raised under supervision, and when it turned fourteen, something unimaginable was revealed to us.
At first he drew his terrible and violent nightmares, drawings that recounted the horror of bullets and bombs. The most curious thing is that one by one, these nightmares were fulfilled, and the moment came when she was not only asleep, she had these visions at any time. Thanks to these premonitions, if you prefer to call it that, we were able to take preventive actions and devise strategies that kept us safe. "
- I still do not understand the reason for this assembly. What is there to discuss? - interrupts one of the military
- There is nothing to discuss, we are here because an order has been issued to transfer the subject to a shelter created in what was previously known as Northern Ireland - he immediately responds - The question is, dear comrades Who? will be the person in charge of this mission?
Silence reigns once again, no one is willing to risk their life transporting a being created in a laboratory. Exiting the base is out of the question.
- I will do it! - Caleb argues firmly getting up from his chair and removing his hair from his eyes.
- I'm counting on you then, Lieutenant - the astonished eyes are fixed on his brown skin and without looking back he leaves the room.
He walks into the shadows, his peaked cap under his arm, erect and with a slow breath. He pauses by a glass window to look out into the great void that stretches outside the military base, covered in thick fog.
- They must be there by this time - he whispers to himself
The world, or what's left of it, goes through the year 2106, plunged into devastation and chaos. The radiation from nuclear bombs and the sun, which currently affects the survivors of Earth directly, resulted in the deformation of the human race, now becoming fearsome monsters that devour every trace of flesh that crosses their path. your field of vision. Obviously this base is no longer safe, the weapons are no longer effective against these masses of organs that develop immunity very easily. Nature did not create zombies from horror movies, or mutant superheroes like in the comics, but had kneaded humanity, transforming it into an intelligent and dangerous entity, capable of withstanding the most powerful firearms.
Far to the north is a beautiful city that Caleb has only heard about in lectures, a haven where the country's important people, say members of the government and bourgeois families, gathered. In his imagination, the young military man illustrates a landscape of cold colors, with glass walls in houseboats, small ships that slide down a holographic lane with an avenue function, and an advanced technology that takes care of the simplest tasks like opening a door, holding a bag, or changing clothes. His eyes emanate an intense glow every time he is transported to that charming city, and it is no wonder, since none of his visions is wrong, and it is that, taking advantage of the power of clairvoyance that Ireland possesses, he has negotiated with other devastated nations in all fields of economics and society, in exchange for a reliable prediction.
A slight flash makes him return to the reality he is stepping on, a slight tinkle warns him that he is receiving a video call, and pressing the crystal embedded in his white handle, makes the virtual figure of his superior appear. .
- Lieutenant Jansen, are you ready to go? - asks the greenish silhouette distorted by static.
- Yes, it's not like I had much to do before - he confirms and with a military greeting he says goodbye.
He sighs, looks at the hands of his watch, which spin hastily greeting each other over and over again as they pass one another. The magnetism on the planet is uncontrolled, the compass needles do not mark a north, nor a south, nor an east, nor a west, there is no location.
Back in the bright room, he feels a drop in temperature, his alien-to escapes from his lips in the form of smoke, and his skin bristles slightly. With his back to him is the commander, next to the side door from which there are louder noises than before.
"I'm going to introduce you to the subject K-016 Alpha, Lieutenant," the gray-haired man says without turning around.
The door opens, revealing how a thin dark line increases its thickness, through which moans come even louder than before. A woman dressed all in white crosses the threshold, possibly a nurse. Behind this, a man approaches, lowering a litter, on which a restless body is wrapped in a sheet, seized with black ribbons at least two inches wide.
Both people hold the table underneath and, using a little force, position it vertically. When the neat cloth is removed from her head, long, straight silver hair falls, adorning the innocent and illuminated face of a girl of no more than sixteen years.
- You will leave instantly - the commander lets out her imposing voice.
Caleb was slow to react, analyzing every fraction of the melancholic expression in front of him. His eyes are covered with a mask, even so, his thin and pink lips show the pain that they hold.
- Yes sir - he responds after a few seconds.
The stretcher, laid back horizontally, is removed from the room, and the young man follows behind.
Outside the base the wind is impossible to face, it raises dust storms and hides the enemies that lurk eagerly for some human being that crosses them.
A battalion awaits them, all well armed. The artillery is divided into three armored trucks with a capacity of one hundred men, while the lieutenant and the experimental subject would go to the center of the caravan. Loaded with everything necessary for a trip of, if no complications, two weeks, they set out before dusk, trying to make the most of the sun's heat.
Six hours were needed for the cold of the night to hit them, being watched by the moon, so immense that it seems that it is over them, and it is that according to the studies that were carried out after the almost total destruction of the planet, it was revealed that said star had approached about two hundred thousand kilometers to Earth.
The girl with shiny hair stands erect, unable to see anything, but silent, shivering with cold, her hands handcuffed. Realizing this, Caleb sheds her dark green leather jacket, pulling it over her.
- Best? - He asks and she nods with the greatest possible indifference.
Suddenly a loud noise is heard in the distance, and after this a shooting breaks out. Caleb opens the car door, the fog is so thick that he can only see the flashes of the gunshots. He loads his gun and closes the truck door. He is about to support the other soldiers when a growl deafens him and his side is completely splattered with blood. He remains motionless, paralyzed, his heavy breathing betraying him to the brown monster that sniffs him with its smooth skin devoid of a face or any trait of humanity. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees a burly shape with blood vessels beating in time with her intricate heart, which, despite being in plain sight, is guarded by flesh and blood.
It snorts next to his ear, and shows its huge spear-like teeth, wet with yellowish saliva. The creature's icy breath burns the boy's cheek, and on the verge of being devoured, he is saved by the allied line of fire.
- Lieutenant, are you okay? - asks a soldier.
- Yes thanks. - He puts his hand to his chest - Come on! We have to survive until dawn.
Caleb's cloudy vision only sees rapid movements and the red splashes that stain the surroundings. He clenches his fist and gathering his courage, he enters the battlefield. Two beasts run towards him, he takes aim and shoots twice, the bullets of which go through the center of their heads, making them explode. The screams poison the environment, they are not completely lost, however, the beasts are more and more. Along with him, one of the officers is torn to pieces, and more than five creatures rush to devour his remains.
A horde is approaching, the darker the night, the less likely they are to make it out alive. Caleb Jansen gives the order to retreat, everyone returns to the armored trucks in the hope that these are strong enough to resist, and with this in mind, they continue the journey.
- They are coming - whispers the girl.
- What have you said? - the military man flinches
There was no response, she just leaned her head against the metal, and apparently fell asleep instantly.
Caleb's eyes snap open. A nightmare. The girl remains motionless watching him, she keeps the blindfold, but he has the feeling that she is watching him. The sun has already risen, he opens a bag and takes a piece of bread and water, sits next to the pale young woman and uncovers her eyes, bright red eyes as deep as the sea at sunset.
- You must be hungry - offers him food and removes the handcuffs - They ordered me not to release you, but this will be our secret.
At first suspicious she walks away, however, after seeing Caleb's sincere smile, she accepts the food.
- What's your name? I'm Caleb Jansen, Lieutenant of the First Military Division - introduces himself.
- I ... I have no name - his lips slowly open to let these words escape.
- In that case, would you mind if I called you Alpha? It would be very nice - he stares at her waiting for an answer, to which she shakes her head. - All right, Alpha.
- Lieutenant! - One of the officers looks out - She has to see this.
Caleb follows the man with few hairs to the last vehicle, where, surrounded by his companions, he realizes that only half of it remains, and all those who went here are nothing more than pieces of a bloody puzzle.
- But what…? - puts his hands to his mouth when Alpha pushes him.
Beneath the second truck, he calmly observes one of the creatures that, stressed by the number of people gathered, and allowing himself to be carried away by his carnivorous instinct, jumps towards where Caleb should have been standing. Without giving him time to get on two legs, they crowd him with shots, but this does not work since he has adapted to the shooting in the fight last night. Jansen takes a knife from her hip and sticks it about ten times in her chest until her heart is exposed, which she amputates.
Panic invades the nervous system like a drug, they have reached the point where those nameless things that await them in groups at night, become immune to the weapons they carry. Nobody is willing to give his life, to die in the most horrible way possible: to be eaten. The caravan is not safe, they have nowhere to flee in the middle of nowhere, and the chances of heavy casualties every night are very high. It's a two week trip!
- The noise guides you - says Alpha weakly, pointing to the trucks - The noise ... we can't make noise.
- Do you want us to go to the shelter on foot? We would take longer and they would undoubtedly tear us apart - they begin to question Alpha's words
- Anyway, you're going to die. What difference does it make sooner or later? - Alpha crudely snaps at a gray-haired one.
- What are you saying girl ?! - The most incredulous subject, with streaked hair, throws himself at the girl and slaps her, falling to the ground with a smile.
- Don't you dare hit him again - Caleb punches him - If the commander finds out about this you will not only lose your rank, but your life. Everyone get back on the trucks and let's get on with it!
The journey is calm, like traveling through a desert where dust storms abound. Alpha stands in a corner, looking at everything, listening to everything, and saying nothing. The night augurs terror, the temperature drops suddenly, and the moon watches them from very close. The growls begin early, as if they are waiting for nothing more than to ravage the blackness to attack, devour, slaughter.
Alpha goes outside this time, although Caleb asked her not to, to stay safe inside. The play of lights of the rifles and machine guns allow him to see clearly how they dismember the weak, and how they betray each other, seeking salvation.
- Pathetic the human race - he whispers when he feels behind three shots and the thunderous noise of one of the beasts falling.
- Being a clairvoyant does not make you immortal - says a boy of perhaps seventeen who holds a machine gun. - You could help if you wanted.
Alpha turns her head to either side, scanning the area like a surveillance camera, stays lost in front and takes the boy's hand to run away.
- What do you do? - he asks him being dragged
- You said help.
Already a few meters from the trucks he stops, stares at the place and as if he were predestined, the entire line of vehicles explodes along with several creatures that were inside. The light emanating from the flames drive away the monsters and the soldiers take refuge around it.
- Alpha, are you okay ?! - Caleb is coming
- Did you have ... a vision? - asks the seventeen-year-old boy - You knew he was going to explode
- They should worry about other things, like for example everything they lost - Alpha dodges the question by hiding behind Caleb and holding tightly his white pullover, now red with blood and dirty with the ground.
- We'll have to hold on until dawn - Caleb takes the log from the inside of one of the seats and spreads the fire in the gloom, pushing back the creatures that are concentrated around them.
The night turned out to be longer than ever, without food or water, on the ground, illuminated by the fire that at least frightened the frigid environment and the beasts. One of the misshapen creatures, with protruding latent veins, ventures into the clarity for a second, digging its teeth into the leg of a soldier who is lying far from the others. Shots and knives were not enough to kill him, the only viable way was to cut off his leg.
The nerves fail again among the troops, or what remains of it, if they manage to adapt to the light there would be no escape, but what they are sure of is that a blaze is not enough to drive away those monsters that nature sent to punish to society for their crimes. Punishment from God? Most likely.
The truth is that these mutations have an incredible intellectual development to be nothing more than a genetic malformation that somehow reproduces massively. Making use of this intelligence, perhaps remnants of humanity in the depths of their being, begin to dig into the earth. The strategy that the militias assumed would be to attack from below took them by surprise when darkness reigned again. They extinguished the fire.
Dawn arrives a few hours later, the survivors, lying among the corpses, still hold their weapons to their chests, prey to a terrible trauma of which only they are aware.
- This is ridiculous - Alpha jumps to his feet - We are all going to die before reaching the city in the north of Ireland.
- Shut up! - One of the wounded stands up, missing a leg and an arm - You have not suffered any injury! You say it is ridiculous to fight? What do you say about me and everyone who passed away ?!
- All this is your fault, you are not even human - others get up with knives and pistols in hand - You are one thing, only that.
Caleb stands up, but is pinned down by others behind him and beaten until he falls to his knees. The gray-haired man whom Alpha had previously predicted death to, removes his belt and whips her on the legs, arms and abdomen, causing her to collapse on the ground.
- So which of our appetites do we satisfy first with you? - He holds her by the chin while he runs the knife across her face leaving a slight cut.
Jansen, about to explode, breaks free using all her military training. He shoots at the legs and shoulders, kicks and punches until he escapes with the girl.
- You're good?
- Yes thanks.
- I feel sorry for them, they are in despair, they no longer have hope - Caleb apologizes.
- Do you have them? - Alpha looks at him with a seriousness that I had never seen before
The horizon is a desolate plain, there is no trace of a splendid enchanting city, and her walking speed is diminished by the blows. They lie down to rest in the middle of nowhere, Alpha falls asleep, but Caleb can't close his eye due to hunger and worry.
- No! - wake up screaming Alpha. The sun is going down
- Easy, it was a nightmare - the calm combing her long white hair - We must move forward, the twilight cannot catch us here.
The sky slowly dims, Caleb remembers his handle and presses the glass, emitting a rather dim light.
- It's the best I have - Caleb smiles optimistically
They notice the presence of the creatures a few kilometers away, and with only Caleb's knife and pistols, the only way out is to run avoiding the clashes. The ammunition runs out, everything exploded next to the trucks. Jansen's white weapon is not enough, and huge teeth pierce one of his legs and his side. The blood comes out like a mighty river, he takes off his pullover and wears it as a bandage, a provisional measure until dawn.
Alpha is lost in the gloom, she only hears the breathing of the creatures, the grunts and from time to time she sees the yellowish saliva fall to the ground. Surrounding it are the beasts as they rush to gobble it up. They take several deadly bites into the air, which she manages to dodge by struggling. With a push, she takes one off of her, but standing up is impossible since another steps on her hair. Taking advantage of it, they sink their teeth into her skin several times, and they do not leave her unless it is because Caleb kills them with his little strength, taking new bites that worsen their condition.
Limping badly they manage to advance under the black sky. Fortunately, they have no more mishaps on their way, which makes Caleb think that they might be too busy assassinating what was once his troop.
The new day is up, they do not perceive it because of the pain and fatigue that their bodies endure, to the point that they are defeated.
- Not yet, Alpha - Caleb leans on her weak arms - I still have to take you to the city.
- We won't get there Caleb, it's impossible - Alpha refuses to get up, unable to move her right arm.
- If we can, I'll get it. Come on, don't be lazy - he stands up and holds her choking the pain that this causes him.
- For.
- No, I won't let you die here. When we are there if you want to kill yourself, not here - grit your teeth and raise it.
They stumble and fall countless times, they have no strength due to hunger, thirst and wounds. Soon Caleb, almost completely bled to death, begins to fade.
- Let's rest, you are very bad - offers Alpha
- No, we have to get there - he lets go of her, hastening his step a little
- Understand that even if we run we will not get there! It's useless - yells at him pressing down on the shoulder injury
- I don't care, I'll do my best - turns around - In the end, what else can I do? I can not return.
Alpha's red eyes widen at such determination. It is true, it is what they can do, continue, die with the satisfaction of having tried.
The afternoon falls, Caleb can no longer move, perhaps from hunger, thirst or loss of blood, the truth is that it will not be long before Alpha is alone.
- Is it here already? - asks straining her throat with blurred vision
- Yes, you arrived - her voice trembles as she watches Caleb leave
- Good, I feel very happy, I always wanted to come to the city - he smiles as he can attacked by the cough - You are safe Alpha.
- Caleb, please don't speak, you're very bad - a lump forms in the girl's throat and the words won't come out.
- You're thirsty? Tell someone to give you water Someone! Water! - comes back with a cough and her throat starts to burn
- Don't strain, the water is coming - he smiles as he can, disguising his suffering - Caleb now sleeps, tomorrow we will explore the city.
Caleb caresses Alpha's cheek and closes his eyes, his hand falls and the lieutenant's life ends.
The setting sun covers Alpha in mourning for the loss of the first person who was kind to her. With quick steps, the creatures that come with the night scurry away, which the young woman welcomes with open arms, the jaws of one being the last thing she sees ...
A light makes him uncomfortable, he tries to open his eyes, but cannot, he has them bandaged. She is in motion, from one moment to another she stops, assumes a vertical position without being able to move, she is tied up.
"I'm going to introduce you to subject K-016 Alpha, Lieutenant." She listens very closely and her senses are alerted.
Lieutenant? Caleb? What covers her head is removed, she still has the bandage that does not allow her to see, but it is not necessary.
- You will leave instantly - listen again to the deep voice.
Tears roll down her cheeks, and she outlines a smile that leaves those present in the room confused.
- Hi Caleb. Have you ever seen a death? I just saw ours.