Lifting the trembling cat up, I gaze into its sad, wide eyes. "Hmmm... should I take you with me, little buddy?" I muse aloud. People irk me, but cats? They're a different story. However, the practicalities of survival nag at the back of my mind. Feeding another mouth, even a small one, is an extra burden.
"What to do, what to do," I ponder, my gaze fixed on the cat. "Should I take you with me? Or leave you here where you'll die?" The harsh reality of this world is not lost on me. This little furball stands no chance alone – it's either become monster chow or stick with me.
Then I remember the cat food I saw back in the store. "I could take him until I run out of cat food," I reason. But there's another crucial factor. "Are you the type to growl when monsters appear, or are you a smart little thing that knows how to stay quiet?" I ask, not really expecting an answer. Surprisingly, the cat responds with a simple, cute meow.
A smile tugs at the corner of my lips. "I'm no monster," I admit softly. "How could I leave this little guy to fend for himself?" The decision seems to make itself. I'll take the cat with me – at least for now.
-
I put the cat down, taking a moment to stretch fully. "Mmmm... that was a good stretch," I murmur, feeling a satisfying release in my muscles. Picking up my phone, I see the battery is fully charged. "Time to head out. I've got everything I need."
Turning to the cat, I call softly, "Come here, let's go, kitty." The little guy is still slightly trembling but obediently walks towards me. Carefully, I place him on my shoulder, giving his head a gentle pat. "Now don't jump off, or you'll end up dead," I warn him half-jokingly.
With my headphones back on, I cautiously peek outside, ensuring the coast is clear before stepping out. The music starts to play, a familiar and comforting sound in the midst of this desolate world.
As I walk, a thought crosses my mind. "Oh, now that I think about it, I'm about to enter one of the wealthy areas of the city." The thought brings a sneer to my face. "Tsk, those fucking rich people. I hope they all died." Their opulence and disregard for anyone but themselves always disgusted me. But now, in this new world order, none of that matters anymore. Their money can't save them from what's out there.
With the cat securely perched on my shoulder, I stride into the wealthier district, my senses alert. This part of the city might hold valuable resources, or it could be a death trap.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
In the dimly lit room of the abandoned building, Dolura wakes up with a wide yawn, stretching her arms. She rubs her eyes, her mind drifting to her next move, but her thoughts are abruptly cut off. Her eyes snap open, widening in shock. "W-where is Caelum?" she whispers in disbelief.
Panicked, she shakes Draken and Jenna awake. "You two, wake up. Caelum left," she announces, her voice laced with urgency.
Both Draken and Jenna groggily come to their senses. Jenna is the first to react, covering her face in dismay. "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!" she exclaims, jumping to her feet in a rush. "This is all my fault. He made me fall asleep." Her mind races, filled with regret. 'I couldn't say no, I had to pretend, but I still fell asleep. Dammit, this is bad.'
Jenna quickly grabs her machete, her expression serious. "Both of you, be alert! Shit!" she commands, her usual calm demeanor replaced by evident distress.
Draken, still confused, raises an eyebrow. "I don't think getting irritated will help us find him any sooner," he remarks, trying to bring some reason to the situation.
Jenna takes a deep breath, trying to compose herself. "We're kinda fucked right now," she admits, her tone grave.
Dolura, still struggling to understand the gravity of the situation, asks, "What do you mean?" 'Why is she acting like this? She's a hunter, usually so calm.'
Jenna sighs, her frustration evident. "Because we were with Caelum... the monsters seemed to have felt his presence. Remember the giant monster? The monsters automatically know to stay away from Caelum. Haven't you noticed? This entire time we've been with him, we've come across hundreds, if not thousands, of monsters that run away from him. But he's gone now... what do you think will happen now that he's not here?"
The revelation hits them like a ton of bricks. The safety they had taken for granted, the eerie calm in the midst of chaos, had been a byproduct of Caelum's intimidating presence. Without him, they were vulnerable, exposed to the dangers they hadn't even realized were lurking just beyond their sight.
As Dolura begins to speak, "Hey, I have something to tell—" her words are abruptly cut off by the deafening crash of a monster breaking through the wall opposite them. The creature is an abomination of nature, a massive, hulking mass of mottled, dark skin, oozing a sickening, viscous fluid. Its eyes, if they can be called that, are a sickly yellow, glowing eerily in the dim light of the room. Its body seems to twist and contort in ways that defy natural anatomy, with spines protruding at odd angles.
The monster's most distinct feature is its claws – long, bendy, and grotesquely segmented, resembling the limbs of some deep-sea creature, yet lined with razor-sharp edges. They whip through the air with a terrifying speed and precision, aimed directly at the group.
Jenna, reacting with lightning-fast reflexes, doesn't hesitate. She uses her forearm to redirect one of the slashing claws into the ground, where it embeds itself with a thunderous crack, splintering the floorboards. Without missing a beat, she swings her machete, severing the ensnared claw with a swift, clean cut.
The monster recoils in pain, a guttural, otherworldly howl escaping its maw. But Jenna is already in motion, darting around the beast with a hunter's grace. Her movements are a blur, a dance of death around the flailing creature.
As she circles, Jenna looks for an opening, her eyes scanning the monster's anatomy for a weak spot. She spots it – a less armored section at the back of its neck. Without hesitation, she leaps, her machete poised for a killing strike.
The monster, sensing danger, tries to contort its body to protect itself, but it's too slow. Jenna's blade arcs through the air, glinting sharply before it bites into the creature's flesh. The monster's howl is cut short as the machete slices through its neck, severing sinew and bone.
With a final, wet gurgle, the creature collapses to the ground, its body twitching before it lies still, a grotesque testament to the chaos of this world.
Jenna lands lightly on her feet, breathing heavily from the exertion. She wipes her blade clean on the monster's carcass, her eyes scanning the surroundings for any more threats. Draken and Dolura stand back, their expressions a mix of awe and fear at the display of lethal efficiency they just witnessed.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Walking down the street with a casual stride, I hum along to the tune playing through my headphones. The music creates a bubble of calm around me, isolating me from the desolate world. The cat perched on my shoulder adds a sense of companionship that's oddly comforting. I glance down at the little guy, who seems to have settled in, his initial tremors subsided.
The streets are eerily quiet, not a single monster in sight. It's almost peaceful in a way, a stark contrast to the chaos that's supposed to be reigning. "Hmm, too quiet," I mutter to myself, but I'm not complaining. It's a nice change of pace, being able to walk without constantly looking over my shoulder.
I approach the wealthy district, the remnants of luxury and excess evident even in its ruined state. "Wonder if there's anything worth salvaging," I think aloud, my eyes scanning the opulent, crumbling buildings. It's a reminder of a world that no longer exists, a world where wealth and status meant something.
As I continue my walk, the cat lets out a soft meow, almost as if it's enjoying the journey as much as I am. "You're a quiet one, aren't you?" I say to it, scratching behind its ears. It's a simple, wholesome moment in the midst of an apocalypse, a small slice of normalcy that I find myself cherishing.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Jenna swings her machete with deadly precision, her face set in a grimace of determination. Each strike is a fight for survival, the blade cutting through the air with a whoosh.
Draken, wielding a heavy piece of debris as an improvised weapon, smashes it down onto one of the creature's many limbs. The sound of cracking bone echoes through the room, mixed with the creature's enraged howls.
Dolura, less experienced in combat but no less brave, finds a long metal rod and thrusts it towards the creature's eyes, trying to blind it. Her movements are frantic, driven by the sheer will to survive.
They're panting, sweating, and screaming, their voices hoarse with exertion. The creature, despite its injuries, is relentless, lashing out with what seems like endless fury.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I'm browsing through the racks with a relaxed air. The cat, still perched comfortably on my shoulder, seems to be taking an interest in the selection. "What do you think, buddy? The leather jacket or the parka?" I ask, holding up both options for the cat's inspection. The cat meows softly, its gaze lingering on the leather jacket.
"You've got style," I chuckle, setting the parka back on the rack. I fold the jacket carefully, making room in my backpack. It's a small luxury, choosing clothing in a world where survival is the top priority, but it feels nice to have these moments of normalcy.
I glance around the store, noting the eerie silence that's become a constant companion. The cat meows again, and I give it a gentle scratch behind the ears. "Alright, let's keep moving," I say, stepping out of the store.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Jenna's machete moves in a blur, slicing through the air and flesh alike, but for every creature she downs, two more seem to take its place.
Draken, breathing heavily, swings his makeshift weapon with waning strength. His arms ache, and sweat pours down his face, but he doesn't let up, determined to protect himself and his companions.
Dolura, trying to keep up, thrusts her metal rod with all her might, but the exhaustion is evident in her movements. Her arms tremble with the effort, and she narrowly dodges a clawed swipe that would have meant certain death.
They're all panting, their bodies pushed to their limits. The sound of their labored breathing mixes with the snarls and howls of the monsters. It's a relentless onslaught, a dance with death where one wrong step could be their last.
As one particularly large creature lunges at Jenna, she sidesteps at the last second, driving her machete deep into its side. The creature lets out a pained roar, collapsing to the ground, but the brief victory is overshadowed by the endless wave of enemies.
Draken stumbles, barely catching himself before a monster can pounce. He swings his weapon in a wide arc, managing to keep the beasts at bay, but his strength is fading fast.
Dolura lets out a cry as a creature's claw grazes her arm, drawing blood. She retaliates with a fierce jab, piercing the monster's eye. It shrieks in agony, thrashing wildly before falling still.
Dolura's strength finally gives way. She collapses onto the ground, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Her eyes, wide and trembling with exhaustion and fear, gaze upwards as if seeking salvation. "I'm so tired... please come back, Caelum," she whispers to the sky, her voice barely audible over the din of the battle.
Beside her, Draken leans heavily against a ruined wall, his body battered and bruised. His weapon slips from his grasp as he slides down to sit on the debris-strewn ground. "I'm sorry, bro! I don't know what we did, but save us from this hell," he gasps, his plea echoing Dolura's desperation.
A few feet away, Jenna stands atop a mound of monster corpses, her machete dripping with the creatures' ichor. Unlike her companions, she remains unscathed. Yet, the strain of the relentless fight is evident in her heaving chest and the grim set of her jaw.
Surveying the aftermath, Jenna takes a deep, steadying breath. "Let's hide in a nearby building," she declares, her voice carrying the weight of command.