The year was 2135, a time when the world bore the scars of its own folly.
In the grim aftermath of ecological catastrophes and unyielding pandemics, Parts of Earth lay crippled, its once-vibrant landscapes now reduced to desolate wastelands devoid of life.
The air, thick with the stench of decay, hung heavy over the barren ruins of civilization, a chilling odor in his mind the way the testament to humanity's demise.
Among the ashes of the old world, twisted abominations lurked in the shadows, their origins shrouded in mystery but their intentions clear: to annihilate everything that dared to stir.
These rogue mutants and killer humanoids haunted every corner of the shattered world, leaving nothing but death and despair in their wake.
(Tv channel goes to static)
*The door slams shut *
A voice echos through the sitting room "Ken? You home yet?".
A voice responds "yes mom,in my room"
The figure put down the bag and went upstairs. She opened the door to expose a boy with gray eyes and silky blonde hair.
"Ken" she uttered...
"How was school"
Ken sighed "same as always"
His mother nodded in response "so I am guessing you had no fun"
Ken inhaled heavily "not at all"
His mother smiled and ruffled his hair "well I know what will cheer you up"
She took out stickers and sweets from her pocket "I brought home sweets and your favorite stickers"
But that failed to get even a reaction from Ken...
Ken asked with a serious face "mom! Why can't we go beyond the wall?"
Happiness seemed to have been drained from his mother's face.
"I witnessed a group of Eden's guardians returning from a patrol beyond the walls, their faces grim and expressions haunted.
"What's out there?" continued Ken.
Ken's mother sighed "it's a long story son."
She sat beside her son and began, her voice filled with joy " life wasn't always behind walls. Life wasn't always this limited. You could be anything you dreamt of!
It was a beautiful world filled with beautiful people. You should see the animals that walked the land....the paintings that inspired life.
Ahhhh....
You should've seen the ocean and its tidal waves. The sun and how your eyes got teary anytime you looked at it.
It was beautiful.
But then, just like that within mere minutes, that same beautiful world had turned into a death trap..I remember it like it was yesterday."
11 years ago.....
"It started like any other day" his mother said in a low voice.
I was at the cafe downtown. The kind with the big glass windows that showcased the bustling life of the city.
She smiled faintly the scene crystallizing in her mind.
"Suddenly" a shadow crossed her face as she struggled to keep her tears within.
Suddenly, the sound of breaking glass shattered the normalcy. Before any of us could understand, a man crashed through the window.
The entire shop went silent-everyone frozen, staring in horror.
Her grip on the window pillows tightened.
We tiptoed forward to help him.
(Her voice softened) but he was dead!
Before the fright could dissipate, he burst in and I remember that look on his face.
It was jack the security from the hotel across the street. You could see the fear and dread in his eyes.
He was frantic, breathless, screaming for us to run!
Her voice broke as she recounted the next part, her words slowing down as if dragging the horror back into the light.
"As he warned us, a long tentacle - like something out of a nightmare - pierced through the air and"
She swallowed the painful lump in her throat
"and struck him dead straight through his heart.
I remember the chaos, screams filling the air as everyone scattered. A primal urge to survive overtaking us.
And I stood there, paralyzed by fear - unable to move not even my lips as I stared into the day only to see a human like creature with long tentacles and half his limbs gone.
It was horrendous!
I leaned on the counter for support cause my legs were flappy and weak.
All I could do was stare!
One of the tentacles lashed out with deadly precision, slicing through the air where I stood just moments before.
I was thrown behind the counter with a force that knocked the wind out of me, the sound of shattering glass reverberating in my ears.
The cafe owner gripped my arm, his voice a harsh whisper filled with urgent fear "Move, now!"
We darted through the back door unto the open street, the chaotic sight froze me for a split second.
People were stampeding in panic, tripping over each other in their desperate attempt to escape.
The air was thick with the scent of fear and adrenaline, and my heart slammed against my ribs, echoing the terror that gripped me.
Ahead, the creatures moved with terrifying speed and precision.
Their grotesque forms were a nightmare come to life: limb's grotesquely elongated, others bulging with unnatural strength.
They snatched up screaming victims, tearing them apart with chilling efficiency.
I watched as a woman's desperate screams were cut off abruptly as one of the beast dragged her away, her terror a palpable force that fueled my own.
My heart thudded painfully in my chest, sweat beads forming on my forehead, mixing with the tears that blurred my vision.
The fear was suffocating, the danger evident, and every sense was heightened by the raw instinct to live through that nightmare.
The cafe owner gripped my arm and we plunged into a desperate run, zigzagging through the streets, dodging debris and abandoned vehicles.
Our only goal was to escape, destination unknown, driven by primal need to survive.
We took a sharp turn round a corner..only to see people stopping in their tracks.
Curious to see what was happening, we darted through the crowd to the front.
Our path had been blocked by a group of humans - or so they seemed at first glance.
They stood eerily motionless, forming a human barricade, their eyes empty of life yet fixed on us with an unnerving intensity.
My breath caught in my throat; these were not like the ravenous creatures behind us but the stillness of their stance was chilling, making it hard to decide
If they were refuge or another threat.
A man among us, desperate and wild with fear, tried to push through them.
His attempt was fatal.....
One of the still figures moved with terrifying swiftness
(The ones after us were fast but these still ones were faster).
Its hand snapping out to grasp the man's throat.
With a horrific display of strength, it crushed his skull effortlessly.
The sound - a sickening crunch echoed in the street, freezing everyone in sheer terror.
These were no protectors, they were killers. Human in form but monstrous in action.
As horror gripped us, we turned to flee, back the way we came, only to see the creatures behind us advancing with sheer determination.
Panic erupted anew as we realized our dire situation. Trapped between the cold, calculating brutality of this human like assassins and the chaotic violence of the beasts (Two merciless forces).
Escape seemed impossible.
The air was thick with fear, our choices dwindling rapidly. All around, the desperate cries of the trapped mingled with the sound of our predators closing in.