Day 17: The Sound of Survival
The oppressive heat from the creature had started to dissipate, but the silence remained thick, hanging over them like a smothering blanket. Cass had just ordered them to move, her voice steady but laced with urgency. They needed to get out of the creature's territory before it came back.
Eli's heart was still pounding from the encounter, and his legs felt like they could barely carry him. The image of the mole-like creature, with its charcoal skin and massive, dull claws, still haunted him. It had been so close, its presence suffocating, and they had survived by sheer luck.
Cass limped slightly as she led them away from the shelter, her leg still injured from the sinkhole fall. Her eyes never stopped scanning their surroundings, sharp and alert. Eli knew she was watching for any sign that the creature had returned.
They moved in silence, trying to keep their footsteps as quiet as possible, but the tension was unbearable. Eli kept glancing at Luke, who was pale and shaking, still visibly rattled by the near-death encounter.
Suddenly, Eli felt the air shift again, the faint shimmer of heat waves in the distance. His pulse quickened. The creature was back.
Cass froze, her hand shooting up to signal them to stop. She turned slowly, her eyes wide, her face grim. "It's close," she whispered. "Stay completely still."
Eli swallowed hard, his breath shallow as he nodded. They stood there, the three of them like statues, their bodies tense, their hearts racing. The heavy footsteps of the creature were faint, but unmistakable, thudding closer with each passing second.
The heat was rising again, the suffocating warmth returning, causing sweat to drip down Eli's face. He could feel it creeping along his skin, making it hard to breathe. The air was so hot, it felt like the world itself was burning.
And then, just as the creature came into view again, its massive, eyeless head turning toward them, Luke moved.
It wasn't much—a small shift of his foot as he tried to adjust his balance—but the sound of a loose rock scraping against the pavement was like a gunshot in the silence.
Eli's heart dropped. He saw the creature stop mid-step, its head snapping toward the noise with terrifying precision. Its massive claws dragged heavily against the ground as it turned fully, the charred skin of its body glowing faintly with heat. Its nostrils flared, and though it had no eyes, it seemed to stare directly at them, listening.
Cass's hand flew to her knife, but she didn't move. She knew they couldn't fight this thing. Not head-on.
Luke's eyes were wide with terror. "I—" he started to whisper, but Cass cut him off with a look that screamed silence.
The creature's head cocked, its body shifting as it took a step closer. Eli could hear the low, guttural sound it made, like a deep, rumbling breath. It was getting closer, each step echoing louder, the heat intensifying with every movement.
Panic surged in Eli's chest. 'It's going to hear us. It's going to tear us apart.'
He glanced at Luke, who was frozen with fear, his body trembling. He wasn't going to make it. The creature was too close.
Eli's mind raced, searching for a solution, but there was only one. He could feel the weight of the decision before he even fully realized what he was about to do.
'There's only one way to save them,' Eli thought, his heart pounding.
Without giving himself time to reconsider, Eli took a deep breath and then bolted.
He shot out from behind the rubble, running in the opposite direction of Luke and Cass, his footsteps loud and deliberate against the cracked pavement. The creature's head snapped toward him instantly, its massive claws dragging as it followed the sound.
"Hey!" Eli shouted, his voice loud and panicked, hoping to draw the creature's attention fully to him. "Over here!"
The creature let out a low, guttural growl, and Eli could feel its presence behind him, the heat chasing after him like a wave. He ran as fast as he could, his legs burning, his lungs screaming for air, but he didn't stop.
"I'll find you, I promise!" Eli shouted back, hoping Cass and Luke could hear him. "Just stay alive!"
The creature was gaining on him, the sound of its massive claws scraping against the ground growing louder with every second. Eli's breath came in ragged gasps, his chest tight with fear and exertion. He couldn't stop running. If he slowed down for even a second, it would be on him.
The heat was unbearable now, pressing down on him like a living thing, making it hard to think, hard to breathe. His vision blurred as the sweat poured into his eyes, but he didn't slow down. He could hear the creature's breathing behind him, low and steady, the sound of its claws dragging against the ground as it moved with deadly purpose.
'Keep going,' Eli told himself, his legs screaming in protest. 'Keep it focused on you. Just a little longer.'
He darted around the corner of a broken building, his heart hammering in his chest as he tried to put as much distance between him and the others as possible. His mind raced with panic, but one thought kept pushing him forward: Get it away from Cass and Luke.
Behind him, the creature growled again, a deep, resonant sound that seemed to shake the air. Eli's blood ran cold as he realized how close it was. He could almost feel its claws brushing against him, the heat from its body radiating outward in waves.
But then, miraculously, the noise of the creature's pursuit began to fade. Eli's heart skipped a beat. It was losing interest. The sound of its footsteps became more distant, its heavy breathing growing quieter.
He had done it.
Eli slowed his pace, his lungs burning, his body trembling with exhaustion. He stumbled to a stop, pressing his back against the wall of a broken-down building, gasping for breath. His entire body was drenched in sweat, the heat still clinging to him, but the creature was gone—drawn away by his distraction.
For a moment, Eli just stood there, panting, his mind still reeling from the sheer terror of the chase. But the thought of Cass and Luke brought him back to the present. They were still out there, and he had to find them.
'I can't stay here,' Eli thought, his chest tightening. 'I have to get back to them. But I can't lead it back to them.'
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to move quietly now, his steps careful and deliberate. He couldn't make any more noise, not until he was sure the creature was far enough away. His muscles ached, and every part of his body screamed for rest, but he couldn't stop.
"I'll find you, I promise," Eli whispered to himself, his voice hoarse with exhaustion. "Just hold on."
With one last glance over his shoulder to make sure the creature was truly gone, Eli slipped deeper into the shadows, determined to reunite with the only people he had left.