George's hands gripped the steering wheel with a vice-like grip, his knuckles turning white as he fought against the fear still permeating through him. Every muscle in his body tensed and strained as he forced the car to keep moving forward, his breath ragged and shallow.
The leather of the steering wheel groaned under the pressure, a testament to George's determination to survive. The keys jangled in the ignition and with a sharp turn, the engine roared to life, drowning out the sounds of destruction behind them. George's eyes flicked to the rearview mirror, a chilling scene unfolding as their world crumbled into unrecognizable chaos.
"Steph, hold on," he whispered fiercely, his voice trembling with fear and desperation. He released the brake and pushed down on the gas pedal with all his might, the car lurched forward, as it swerved around the abandoned cars in front of them.
But just when it seemed like they might escape, a shadow loomed over them, casting an ominous darkness over their desperate escape. The car jolted as a massive, clawed hand burst through the metal roof, sending shards flying in every direction.
"Stephanie!" he screamed, as the car shuddered and lurched as the massive creature's nails pierced through the back roof of the vehicle. Its wings stretched out in a show of dominance. The right side of the car lifted off the ground as the beast's weight shifted and its powerful wings flapped with vengeance. Each flap sent the car higher into the air, and the deafening roar of the monster grew louder with each beat of its wings.
The world outside the car became a dizzying blur of motion. With a violent jerk, George felt his stomach lurch into his throat as the vehicle tumbled side over side. The screech of tortured metal was screaming, the shattering of glass screeching as they clashed against each other. Inside the chaos, George's body thrashed against the constraints of his seat belt, his arms flailing for something—anything—to grasp onto.
"Steph!" he tried to shout her name, but the roar of destruction swallowed his voice.
Asphalt scorched through the remnants of the windows, each revolution a brutal assault on the car's integrity. The frame crumpled, bending in ways unnatural, contorting like a piece of abstract art wrought from violence. They were at the mercy of momentum, both human forms inside thrown about mercilessly. George caught glimpses of Stephanie, her figure a flash of terrified movement amidst the chaos.
After an eternity, the battered car skidded to a halt, its final spin throwing a shower of sparks into the air like a grim fireworks display. The silence that followed was oppressive, filled only by the ticking of cooling metal and George's labored breathing.
He could feel the warm trickle of blood streaming down from his forehead, painting a grim mask on his face. Ignoring the sharp stabs of pain radiating from multiple points on his body, he twisted his neck stiffly to look back. There, amidst the wreckage, lay Stephanie. She was a still life in contrast to the kinetic disaster, silent and unmoving against the torn fabric of the seat.
"Steph... please," George whispered, his voice breaking with the fear of what her stillness might mean. The urgency to reach her, to confirm she was alive, clashed violently with the raw agony that threatened to pull him into unconsciousness. But he couldn't succumb, not yet—not while Stephanie needed him.
The world outside the shattered cocoon of the car was a cacophony of dread. Each thundering step the creature took sent tremors through the mangled car frame. George could see it, through the distorted window that had miraculously remained intact, grey feet as large and as thick as his thigh, each nail a grotesque dagger curving from flesh that seemed carved from living stone.
The beast moved with purpose, its shadow engulfing what little light filtered into the wrecked vehicle. With an ease that contradicted its monstrous size, it grasped the driver's side door, the metal groaning in protest before giving way entirely. The door was wrenched-off with a screech and tossed aside as if it were no more than crumpled paper.
George recoiled, his back pressing against the remnants of the driver's seat, eyes wide with horror. Above him loomed the creature, a towering abomination of nature whose gaze bore down upon him with cold anticipation. Its face, if one could call it that, was adorned with a ghastly smile—a sick grin that split its visage from ear to ear, revealing rows of jagged teeth glistening with eager saliva.
Before he could muster any semblance of defense, the creature's remaining hand shot forward, the scaled fingers wrapping around George's neck with an iron grip. Panic surged through George's veins as he felt himself being dragged out of the wreckage. George's fingers skidded across the broken glass and twisted metal trying to find any opposition against the monster's pull.
Air rushed past him, a fleeting caress against his skin before he was brought face to face with the harbinger of his doom. Its breath washed over him, spoiled and hot, smelling of decay and the raw tang of blood. George stared into eyes devoid of mercy, his own reflecting the stark realization of what came next.
The creature's smile widened, a silent promise of the feast it was about to partake. George could do nothing but gaze into that abyss, the predator's mouth agape, ready to close around him in a final, devastating embrace.
George's anguished howl echoed through the alleyway, a gut-wrenching cry that pierced the stillness of the night. The creature's razor-sharp teeth sank into his jaw, tearing at his cheek with brutal force. He thrashed and flailed, trying to break free from its grasp, but its grip only tightened.
With adrenaline coursing through his veins, George fought back with all his might. The monster's scales were like armor, impenetrable to his feeble punches. But he continued to strike, fueled by desperation and fear.
As his strength waned and pain consumed him, George could feel himself losing the battle. His blows grew weaker, his vision blurred with agony. And then, suddenly, the creature released him and he fell to the ground with a thud.
As he lay on the ground, George's eyes followed the path of a lone cloud drifting across the blue sky. Every limb felt heavy and numb as if his life force had been drained from him. At that moment, realization dawned on him - he had been murdered, leaving his sister vulnerable and alone.