4:23 AM
Frøya strolled through the city streets, clutching an all-black suitcase in her grasp. The journey had been a lengthy one, and weariness clung to her.
Beneath the dimly lit bridge, the moon's feeble light struggled to penetrate the thick clouds, casting eerie shadows on the cobblestone ground. Sinister whispers and echoing footsteps filled the air as Frøya's sharp eyes landed on five familiar junkies. Two of them were the same individuals she had overheard a few days earlier, discussing the upcoming train.
"I knew they'd be here. This is the perfect chance to test my new weapon," she mused.
Stealthily, Frøya descended beneath the bridge, melding with the shadows to remain hidden. In a particularly dark corner, she securely attached a hook to the ceiling.
As an eerie silence enveloped the scene, one of the junkies perked up, alerted by a strange noise. "Hey, I think I heard something over there," he muttered.
Amidst chuckles from his companions, he continued, "Hey, look, everyone! He's already hearing things in his head from all those drugs, hahaha."
Annoyed, he decided to investigate, distancing himself from the group. Paranoia took hold as he ventured further. From her concealed vantage point above, Frøya watched him closely, waiting for him to reach her position underneath.
As the junkie came directly beneath her, Frøya detached the hook from the ceiling, plummeting onto the man and rendering him unconscious with a powerful blow to the head.
Amidst the laughter and casual chatter of the remaining junkies, one of them wondered aloud, "Anyway, where the hell is John?"
A sudden, ominous noise followed by a man surrounded by a yellow light left them bewildered. "John?" one of them queried, confusion evident on their faces.
Moments later, one of the junkies trailing behind was suddenly pulled upward by what appeared to be a tentacle-like appendage. The others turned to the source of the disturbance, their faces etched with astonishment and fear.
"Stop fucking around! You won't make it out of this alive," one of them stammered, his eyes darting nervously. Cold sweat trickled down his back, and every creak and whisper in the darkness amplified his dread, as if unseen malevolence lurked around every corner.
Suddenly, Frøya descended from above, revealing her presence. She remained composed, her eyes locked onto her adversaries. Her weapon, a sleek and foreboding device, whirred to life. She aimed a volley of sharp arrows at the first junkie, and before he could react, several pierced his flesh, causing intense agony.
Frøya's mutation manifested with extensions emerging from her limbs, nightmarish and ominous. Like demonic tendrils, they elongated, reaching out with malevolent intent. With a flick of her wrist, these extensions struck like vipers, ensnaring the second junkie in a web of flesh and despair. He dropped his weapon, struggling helplessly in her grasp.
Witnessing their comrades' plight, the remaining junkies were paralyzed with horror. Frøya's terrifying display of power only intensified their fear. The last junkie, cornered and desperate, reached into his tattered jacket, revealing a vial of shimmering blue liquid.
Fear, adrenaline, and a desperate desire to survive drove him to hastily inject the elixir into his arm. His eyes widened, veins bulging as the liquid surged through his body, transforming him into a reckless and formidable force. His already ragged muscles swelled, and his movements became a blur, fueled by unnatural energy.
However, Frøya remained unfazed by his newfound strength. She watched his transformation with a cold detachment. With a guttural growl, the supercharged junkie lunged forward, his strikes faster and more vicious than before.
'What the... He's way faster and stronger,' Frøya thought to herself as she adapted to his ferocity. Their frenetic battle unfolded, a dangerous dance of power and unpredictability where one misstep could spell the end for either of them.
As he attempted another attack, Frøya evaded with preternatural reflexes. Her extensions wrapped around his arm and leg, limiting his movements. With a swift, fluid motion, she crushed the man's limbs, eliciting a pained wince and contorted agony on his face.
Frøya then gathered all five junkies, two of them unconscious due to their injuries, with an eerie calmness in her eyes.
"P...PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T KILL ME, I'LL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT!" one of them screamed, his voice quivering with fear.
Frøya leaned in closer, her expression unwavering. "Don't worry, I won't kill you." she assured him, her fingers gradually applying pressure to the man's hand. "You just need to tell me when the train will pass through the nearby rails."
The man winced in pain. "W..What train?"
In response, she tightened her grip, causing him to cry out in agony.
"AGHH.. Ok, ok, two days. It'll come in two days. I don't know the exact time," he stammered in distress.
Frøya released his hand and nodded. "Thank you."
As she got up, her face started to blank out, reminiscent of the moments back at home with Guto. But she quickly snapped out of it, her focus returning. Looking down at the terrified junkies, she crushes the man's head, leaving her face covered with their blood.
***
6:27 AM
Guto was roused from his slumber by the sound of the door closing. Frøya entered the room, and Guto yawned sleepily.
"Oh, good morning, Frøya."
"Good morning, Guto. I've got our new clothes," she said as she playfully tossed a suitcase in his direction, accidentally hitting him in the face.
Guto rubbed his face and checked out the contents of the suitcase. "Wow, these are fancy! Where did you get them?" he asked, excitement in his voice.
"I stole them, obviously," she replied nonchalantly.
"Ah, yeah, of course," Guto agreed, though somewhat less enthusiastically.
"Well, I'm pretty tired, so I'm going to sleep. But feel free to try on the new clothes and start training with that weapon," she said before heading to her own room.
"Okay, sweet dreams," Guto wished her as she left the room.
***
December 25th
4:12 PM
In a secluded forest, a hunter was tracking a set of footprints. 'Footsteps, looks like they were made by pigs.' he thought to himself. The hunter followed the tracks quietly until he found the source.
"There they are," he mumbled to himself, carefully preparing an arrow to shoot. "Looks like they're feasting on something," he noticed before releasing an arrow that struck one of the pigs in the belly. The other pigs scattered, leaving behind the wounded one.
Approaching his prey, the hunter soon discovered the gruesome sight. "AAAGGHHH." he screamed, realizing that the pigs had been feasting on five corpses, each with little flasks of blue liquid hanging from their waist, all deformed and half-eaten.
***
December 26th
9:43 PM
Guto and Frøya sat atop a large rock, patiently waiting for the train to arrive. They both wore the stolen clothes, though Guto couldn't help but complain, "These clothes are really tight."
Frøya shrugged, "Sorry, they did not have your size."
Guto chuckled sarcastically, "Funny."
The distant sound of the approaching train interrupted their banter. "Finally, we've been waiting all day," Guto remarked, relieved.
Suddenly, an icy shiver ran down Guto's spine, and he had an overwhelming sense of danger. Cold sweat formed on his forehead, and his breathing became labored. He heard a muffled voice in the background. Frøya reacted quickly, grabbing Guto's face and snapping him out of his stupor.
"WE NEED TO JUMP NOW!" she shouted, her voice drowned out by the train's noise.
"Uh, yeah, OK!" Guto replied, finally coming to his senses.
Using the hunter's arm's hook, they grappled onto the top of the train.
Frøya thought to herself, 'Okay, now to find an opening.'