Stomp!
Stomp!
Stomp!
The footsteps of a possessed creature reverberated through the empty convenience store. Dressed in casual attire, the possessed aimlessly shuffled among the shelves, emitting a low, guttural growl.
Approaching a solid concrete wall, it paused its movements, its growl synchronizing with its staccato movements. It then repeatedly bumped its head against the wall, almost as though it wished to get into the other side of the wall.
Bump!
Not far from the possessed, a young teenager, about fifteen years old, huddled behind a shelf, shivering in fear. Clad in casual wear, he took shallow, rapid breaths, trying to steady himself. He was unlucky enough to be trapped in the store with the malevolent entities, and despite how long he waited, they never seemed to want to exit the store.
Summoning his courage, he slowly rose, peeking through a gap in the shelves at the possessed. He then crouched back down, his breath quickening as he observed the creature's mindless movements.
Glancing anxiously at the door not far from him, he considered his options. He could've either stayed back, and wait for help, which could possibly be in the next two days at best, or he could make a run for it. Ofcourse, there was the chance he wouldn't even make it till when help arrived, considering that the possessed might sniff him out, and similarly, he could lose his life as well if he made a run for it. His life was in his hands, and the decision was his to make.
He patted his chest a few times to calm his racing heart, then turned his focus to the door. Rising carefully, he crept toward the exit, his sneakers, fortuitously silent, aiding his escape.
Reaching the door, he took one last look at the possessed, which remained oblivious to his presence. With a sly smile, he gently opened the door, avoiding the entrance bell, and slipped out of the building.
Phew
He exhaled in relief, narrowly escaping death.
Thud
Thud
Thud
Thud
The sound of multiple footsteps struck his ears with alarming intensity, causing his heartbeat to skyrocket. As he turned around, dread engulfed him. Nine possessed creatures were on the streets, not far from the convenience store.
One possessed, noticing a figure to its left, turned its gaze and immediately spotted the young lad. It growled loudly, and the other possessed followed suit, charging at him.
"Shit!" he thought frantically.
Without hesitation, he sprinted away, as if his life depended on it—because it did.
Dashing into an alley, he shouted for his life, maintaining a desperate pace as his pursuers matched his speed.
"Fuck, fuck... I'm gonna die! I'm gonna die!!" he thought, tears streaming down his face.
Despite his desperate sprint, fatigue began to take its toll. His speed dwindled as exhaustion set in. Sobbing harder, he felt his life slipping away.
As he reached a T-shaped intersection in the alley, his stamina reached its limit. The possessed were closing in, their growls growing louder as they prepared to pounce on their weakened prey.
"This is it... this is where I—"
Just as despair seemed absolute, an unexpected flash of movement occurred. A sledgehammer swung through the air with astonishing speed.
"Duck!" he thought instinctively.
He slid down just in time, narrowly avoiding the swing that smashed into the possessed behind him, obliterating its face into a grotesque mess of meat.
"Ah, now that's what I call a home run." a voice proclaimed with a hint of pride.
From the second alley, Damian emerged, a self-satisfied grin plastered on his face as he rested his freshly bloodied sledgehammer on his shoulder. The remaining possessed halted, growling in unison as they prepared for a fight. Outnumbered eight to one, they held the advantage.
The headless possessed on the ground began to regenerate its head, remaining motionless. Damian, noticing the creature's movements, took a step back, ready for whatever came next.
"Oh, almost forgot to finish this one off." Damian remarked, driving the chisel-pointed side of his sledgehammer into the heart of a possessed, killing it instantly.
"Now, let's wrap this up." he added, a note of finality in his voice.
"Sir! We need to leave. These creatures are too dangerous. You'll die."
"Me? Die? I'm insulted. I'm fucking unstoppable. Just watch me."
As if on cue, the possessed charged at him. With effortless grace, Damian dodged their wild slashes, advancing with brutal efficiency. He pulverized the heads of three of the creatures, then thrust the chisel end of his sledgehammer into the heart of a fourth.
"C'mon! Come at me!" he taunted, his grin widening.
The possessed, undeterred, prepared to attack again. Damian stood firm, his sledgehammer poised above his neck, ready for the next strike. The young boy, frozen in place on the ground, watched in awe as the scene unfolded. In a single, blinding moment, the air was filled with a fierce gust of wind. When the boy's vision cleared, he gasped at the grisly tableau before him.
All the possessed lay dead on the ground, each marked by holes in their left upper torsos from Damian's sledgehammer. Some had their heads crushed, while others were severely battered.
In one swift, lethal motion, Damian had vanquished them all.
With his sledgehammer bloodied but still in hand, Damian approached the young boy. He squatted in front of him, a smirk on his face.
"See? I told you I was unstoppable."
"...right." the boy replied, still in shock.
"It's dangerous here. I'd escort you, but I have other matters to attend to." Damian said, standing up on his feet.
"You'll be safe a few blocks from here. Think you can manage on your own?"
The boy hesitated but eventually nodded, signifying a positive remark.
"Good. Now, run along before I have to save you again."
"Um... thank you." the boy stammered before rising and fleeing from sight. Damian sighed in relief, dusting off the bloodstains from his exorcist jacket.
He turned back to the lifeless corpses of the possessed.
"I really thought taking you all on at once would be a challenge... Meh, I better get going to the battlefield." he muttered, striding purposefully toward the billowing smoke on the horizon, where the third neighborhood, Rogerville district, was under attack.