POV: Rick
The bunker's air was thick and stale, the flickering lights casting unsettling shadows that danced across the cracked walls. Rick led the group cautiously down the narrow corridor, his knife in hand and his senses on high alert.
"Stay close," he said quietly, glancing back at the others. "We don't know what's in here."
"Hopefully nothing," Sarah muttered, her crowbar resting on her shoulder. "But we're never that lucky, are we?"
Rick didn't respond. His focus was on the distant rumbling, which was growing louder with every step. It wasn't just sound—it was vibration, pulsing through the walls and the floor like the heartbeat of something massive.
---
POV: Jenna
Jenna trailed behind the group, her zombie gang moving in a loose formation around her. The rumbling set her teeth on edge, but she tried to keep her tone light. "So, this is cozy," she said, glancing at the cracked walls. "Very post-apocalyptic chic."
Carl shot her a look, his sword at the ready. "Focus, Jenna."
"I am focused," Jenna replied, gripping her crowbar tightly. "Focused on not dying. Again."
Her zombies growled softly, their glowing eyes darting to the shadows. Jenna patted one of them on the head, her grin fading slightly. "You guys see anything weird, you let me know, okay?"
---
POV: Rick
The corridor opened into a larger room, its ceiling high and reinforced with rusted steel beams. In the center of the room was a massive hole in the floor, its edges jagged and raw as though something had broken through from below.
Rick froze, his stomach twisting. "What the hell is this?"
Sarah stepped forward, her eyes wide as she peered into the hole. "It looks… recent."
Jenna leaned over her shoulder, her expression equal parts curiosity and dread. "So, what do we think? Giant mole? Alien worm? Or just the world's worst basement renovation?"
Rick ignored her, his attention fixed on the faint glow emanating from the hole. It was pulsing faintly, the same rhythm as the tremors. "It's connected to the stone," he said, his voice low.
---
POV: Jenna
Jenna tilted her head, staring at the glowing hole. "So… we're not going down there, right? Like, we all agree this is a terrible idea?"
"No one's going down there," Carl said firmly, stepping in front of her. "We're just assessing the situation."
"Good," Jenna muttered, leaning on her crowbar. "Because if anyone suggests spelunking, I'm out."
Her zombie gang growled louder, their glowing eyes fixed on the hole. Jenna frowned, glancing at them. "What's wrong, guys? You sensing something?"
The zombies snarled in unison, their bodies tensing. Jenna's heart skipped a beat. "Yeah, that's not ominous at all."
---
POV: Kane
Deep beneath the surface, the stone flared to life, its light filling the cavern with an otherworldly glow. The energy radiating from it seeped into the surrounding rock, spreading like veins through a living body.
A faint, distorted voice echoed in the cavern. It was Kane's, though it seemed to come from the stone itself. "The time has come."
---
POV: Rick
Rick stepped closer to the hole, his knife gripped tightly. The glow was brighter now, the vibrations stronger. He could feel the heat radiating from below, a pulsing energy that made his skin crawl.
"Whatever's down there," he said quietly, "it's waking up."
"Then maybe we should not be here when it does," Sarah said, her voice tense.
Rick nodded. "Agreed. Let's move."
---
POV: Jenna
Jenna let out a relieved breath, stepping back from the hole. "Finally, a good plan. I was starting to think we were going to do something stupid, like jump in."
Carl gave her a pointed look. "Stay close."
"Relax, Carl," Jenna said, grinning weakly. "I'm not about to dive into the glowing pit of doom. I'm not that reckless."
Her zombies growled again, louder this time. Jenna froze, her grin fading. "Uh… guys? I think we've got company."
---
POV: Rick
Rick spun around, his knife raised as the sound of footsteps echoed through the corridor. The air grew heavier, the faint glow from the hole casting eerie shadows on the walls.
"What is it?" Sarah asked, her voice trembling.
Rick's jaw tightened. "Something's coming."
---
POV: Jenna
Jenna tightened her grip on her crowbar, her eyes darting to the shadows. Her heart pounded in her chest as the footsteps grew louder, accompanied by a low, guttural growl.
"Okay, team," she said softly, glancing at her zombies. "This is your moment to shine. No pressure."
The first figure emerged from the shadows, its body twisted and glowing faintly. Jenna's stomach dropped. "Oh no. Not again."