Larry froze, his heart pounding in his chest. This voice... saved me? His thoughts were jumbled, a storm of confusion and fear. "Who... what are you?"
"I am a sentient being," the voice explained calmly. "And I need a host. I need you, Larry. But it seems you may have been... the wrong choice, I can't benefit much from you."
Larry's mind reeled, the words crashing into him like a wave. He had become a host for something. Something powerful. But was it a savior... or something much darker?
Before he could respond, the voice spoke again, colder than before. "I'll wait for you to die, Larry. Then I'll find another host."
"I'm not dying!" Larry shouted, his fists clenching at his sides. "I won't die!"
The voice fell silent for a moment, but its presence loomed like a dark cloud in the corners of Larry's mind, making the stillness even more unbearable. Just as he thought he might have gotten through to whatever this presence was, it answered in a cold, dismissive tone.
"You don't have to worry too much about that, Larry, because your death is upon you."
The voice's words sent a shiver down Larry's spine, a primal fear gnawing at him. He couldn't shake the certainty in the voice's tone—it was as if it already knew the outcome, as if it had seen his fate.
Then he heard it: the unmistakable growl of a creature nearby. It was low, deep, and menacing, vibrating through the very ground he stood on. Larry's heart pounded in his chest, his body stiffening in response. He could smell the musty scent of the beast—something feral, hungry. His heightened senses screamed at him, warning him of danger.
"There's a beast in this cave," he whispered, his voice shaking. But the voice in his head corrected him, calm and almost amused.
"No, Larry. There are beasts in this cave."
The growls multiplied, echoing through the cavernous pit. The sound bounced off the stone walls, creating an eerie chorus of snarls and heavy breathing. Larry's mouth went dry as the realization set in. He wasn't facing a single opponent—he was surrounded.
His body screamed at him to run, but there was nowhere to go. The walls of the pit loomed high above him, sheer and unclimbable. He was trapped. His pulse raced as his survival instincts kicked in, but his mind was clouded by fatigue, confusion, and the weight of the strange entity within him.
The voice didn't offer comfort. If anything, it seemed content to let him suffer, to let him flounder in fear. It had made its stance clear—it needed him, but it had no interest in keeping him alive if he couldn't fend for himself.
Larry took a step back, his foot scraping against the cold, uneven ground. His breath came in ragged gasps as he tried to focus. He couldn't see the beasts, but he could hear their claws scraping against the stone, their snarls growing closer, more aggressive.
He reached out with his senses, feeling the air around him, trying to track their movements. They were circling him, waiting for the right moment to strike. He could feel the vibrations in the ground as they shifted, their bodies coiling with tension, preparing to pounce.
"What do you want from me?" Larry whispered, his voice barely audible over the cacophony of growls. "Why did you bring me back if you're just going to let me die?"
The voice chuckled softly, its tone almost mocking. "I never said I'd let you die, Larry. But you must prove you're worthy of surviving. Otherwise, you're of no use to me."
Larry swallowed hard, his heart pounding in his chest. Worthy? The word echoed in his mind, feeding his fear and anger. His fists clenched tighter, his nails digging into his palms. He had been abandoned, left for dead. And now, even the thing that had saved him seemed ready to toss him aside if he didn't meet its expectations.
The beasts were getting closer. He could feel their hot breath on his skin, hear their low, rumbling growls vibrating in the air. His muscles tensed, his body coiling like a spring ready to snap.
"I'll prove it," Larry growled under his breath. "I'll survive."
Just as the words left his mouth, one of the beasts lunged at him from the shadows, its powerful body crashing into him like a freight train. The impact sent him sprawling to the ground, the wind knocked from his lungs. He gasped for breath as the creature's claws raked across his chest, the sharp points digging into his skin.
Larry twisted, using the momentum to throw the beast off, but he could feel the sting of its claws digging deeper. He barely had time to react before another beast lunged at him from the opposite side, its jaws snapping at his arm. He managed to pull away just in time, but not without feeling the sharp sting of its teeth grazing his flesh.
His mind was racing, his senses in overdrive. The darkness around him was alive with movement, with the sounds of beasts prowling, stalking him from all directions. His breath came in short, ragged gasps as he tried to push himself to his feet, but the beasts were relentless. Each time he managed to get up, another attacked, dragging him back down.
His body was aching, bruised, and bloodied, but the voice inside him remained silent, offering no guidance, no help. Larry gritted his teeth, his frustration boiling over. He had survived so much—he wasn't going to die here, not like this.