Day 63: The Waiting Game
Vince revved his motorcycle's engine, the roaring sound filling the night air as he and his crew circled the warehouse like vultures. His frustration was growing with each minute that passed. The plan had been simple: show up, demand their tribute, and if they didn't comply, take what they had by force. But Luke and Cass's group had refused to give in. They'd acted as if they actually had a choice.
"Idiots," Vince muttered, his grip tightening on the handlebars. He had expected resistance, but not outright defiance. They were outnumbered and cornered, but somehow they thought they could survive this.
The motorcycles roared louder as the Black Fangs kept circling, their engines creating a wall of sound that echoed through the ruins. The vibrations from the bikes shook the ground, reverberating off the steel walls of the warehouse. Vince knew exactly what he was doing—making as much noise as possible to draw the creatures that lurked in the wasteland.
They'd come. It was just a matter of time.
"They should've taken the deal," Vince growled to himself, glaring at the warehouse doors. "Now they're gonna see what real punishment looks like."
One of his men, Tyler, pulled up next to him, clearly irritated. "How long are we gonna keep this up? It's been a while, and I don't see any creatures."
Vince shot him a cold look. "We'll keep going until enough of those things show up. Once this place is crawling, we'll leave. Let them handle it."
Tyler gave a short nod and revved his engine, continuing the noisy circle around the building. Vince didn't care how long it took. He'd stay until the creatures arrived. He wanted to see the terror in Luke and Cass's eyes when they realized what was coming.
They were fools for thinking they could just ignore the Black Fangs' demands. Fools for thinking they could hide in this warehouse, safe from the horrors outside. Vince wasn't going to let them off easy. If they wanted to defy him, they were going to pay with their lives.
The night dragged on, the rumble of motorcycles filling the air, but the creatures remained unseen. Vince's irritation grew. He knew the wasteland was full of them—mutated monstrosities that roamed the ruins, drawn to noise and movement. But they were taking their time tonight, and Vince's patience was wearing thin.
Suddenly, Tyler slowed down as he neared the wall of the warehouse. "I'm leaving a little surprise," he called out over the roar of the bikes. He parked his motorcycle next to the wall and let it idle, the engine still rumbling. "Let's see if they like this when it goes off."
Vince didn't respond, his eyes scanning the dark streets around them. Tyler's bike would be a distraction, but it wasn't enough. They needed the creatures.
And then he felt it. A low rumble beneath his feet, like something massive moving through the wreckage. The ground shook slightly, and Vince's lips curled into a grin.
"There they are."
He glanced around at his crew, motioning for them to keep circling. "Don't stop. Keep making noise. We'll leave when enough of them show up."
The rumbling grew louder, and Vince could see the dark shape of something enormous moving through the shadows. It was slow, lumbering, but the sheer size of it made the ground tremble with every step.
The first creature came into view—a massive bipedal giant, standing easily thirty feet tall. Its skin was cracked and leathery, stretched tight over bulging muscles. It dragged an enormous beam behind it, something it had scavenged from the ruins to use as a weapon. Its face was twisted into a grotesque expression, its wide mouth gaping open, revealing rows of broken teeth.
It was the same type of giant that had killed Blake days ago. Vince had seen the devastation it could cause, and he knew it wouldn't stop until it had crushed anything in its path.
"That's a good one," Vince muttered, watching as the giant lumbered closer to the warehouse. It was slow, but its size made it deadly. One swing of that beam, and the warehouse wouldn't stand a chance.
But it wasn't alone.
Another creature appeared from the ruins, this one smaller but no less dangerous. It was bipedal, standing at about ten feet tall, but its body was thin and sinewy, with long, spindly arms that dragged along the ground. In one hand, it gripped a rusted metal pole, wielding it like a spear. Its head was misshapen, its eyes glowing faintly in the dark as it moved with a predator's grace.
And then, from the shadows, smaller creatures emerged—twisted, hunched things that moved on all fours, their glowing red eyes locking onto the warehouse. They were fast, agile, and deadly in numbers. They would swarm anything that moved.
Vince's grin widened. "Perfect."
He turned to his men, shouting over the roar of the engines. "Keep circling! We leave once they're inside."
The plan was working. The noise had drawn the creatures in, and now they were closing in on the warehouse. Vince could feel the anticipation building—soon, the creatures would be inside, tearing apart whatever was left of Luke's pathetic little group.
As the creatures neared the warehouse, Vince revved his engine, ready to pull out. But before he could give the order to leave, a loud explosion ripped through the night.
Vince whipped his head around just in time to see flames engulfing the motorcycle Tyler had left by the wall. The blast sent a shockwave through the air, knocking debris loose from the nearby ruins.
"They blew it up!" one of his men shouted.
The explosion had caught the creatures' attention. The giant bellowed, a deep, guttural roar that shook the ground as it turned toward the flames. The smaller bipedal creature let out a sharp, eerie screech and charged toward the fire, its pole raised high like a weapon.
"Damn it!" Vince snarled, realizing the situation was quickly spiraling out of control. The creatures were riled up now, their attention drawn to the chaos.
"Move! We're getting out of here!" Vince ordered, revving his engine again.
The Black Fangs didn't need to be told twice. The motorcycles roared to life as the gang began pulling away from the warehouse, the creatures hot on their heels.
Vince shot one last look over his shoulder as he sped off into the night. The warehouse was surrounded by the monstrous beasts, their eyes locked on the flames and the people inside.
He couldn't help but smile.
The creatures would do the work for him. And by morning, there'd be nothing left of Luke and his group but ruins and blood.
The Black Fangs disappeared into the darkness, leaving the warehouse to the mercy of the wasteland's horrors.