Rose nodded in agreement, swallowing hard, while Matthew kept crossing himself repeatedly. Their gazes were fixed on the mall looming ahead, its shattered entrance gaping open. Though it appeared partially intact, it offered a slim hope of refuge. Their hearts pounded with terror as the growling sounds of monsters were loud.
"Can that... fire thing you did earlier work again, or was I just hallucinating?" Matthew asked, his gaze flicking toward Scarlett with a glimmer of hope. "It's look so real though?" He pondered.
"Why are you so worried about that?" Rose chimed in, rolling her eyes in disdain.
"If that fire thing works, we might have a chance against those monsters. We've got no weapons, but that fire skill you pulled off earlier could save us if it comes to that," Matthew replied, his eyebrows raised as he looked at Scarlett with an edge of desperation.
"Even if it does, she'll need it to save herself and the baby," Rose retorted, her voice sharp with anger. "You'd best worry about your own life, young man. Save yourself if you're in danger and don't go depending on a woman to do it."
Matthew swallowed hard. Fear evident on his face. He only needed someone to tell him everything would be fine. He soon turned his gaze towards the street all while he continued to cross himself.
Rose also turned her gaze to the street, where the monsters continued to roam. Their growls were softer now, and the sounds of humans wailing had dwindled. But body parts...bloodied and partially eaten still littered the ground, remnants of those who had transformed into monsters before they died and was transformed.
Scarlett felt her fire element burning within her, ready to surge at a moment's notice. She clutched the baby close to her chest, feeling the child's heartbeat against her own. Her eyes stayed fixed on the monsters wandering the street, waiting for the right moment to make their move.
"Okay, here's the plan," Rose declared, her tone all business. "We'll move as quietly as possible and head for the mall. Once we're inside, there should be a safe place. The monsters can't get into buildings… right?" She looked to Scarlett and Matthew for reassurance, but their grim expressions offered none. Her heart was filled with doubt but she concealed it well.
"Whatever," Rose muttered with a frustrated sigh. "Ready?" she asked, prompting Scarlett and Matthew to stand. They moved cautiously toward the edge of the alley. "One... two... three... go!"
The trio burst onto the street, their footsteps barely audible as they crept toward the mall. Even their breaths were controlled, shallow and quiet. Just as they reached the entrance, a piercing shriek echoed above them, stopping them dead in their tracks. They looked up to see a monstrous bird, its massive wings sharp like blades and its gaping mouth filled with razor-sharp teeth.
The bird's screech alerted the other creatures nearby, and soon, dozens of pairs of blood-red eyes turned toward them, snarling with hunger.
With a jolt, the trio's legs unfroze, and they raced into the mall. Panic drove them forward, barely noticing their surroundings as they sprinted up the stairs.
"This way!" Rose shouted, taking the lead while Scarlett and Matthew followed close behind. As they climbed, the growls and screeches from below grew fainter, drowned by the creaking of the old staircase beneath their feet.
"If only there was a door we could lock," Matthew murmured under his breath, fear etched into every line of his face. He kept glancing back, checking to see if anything had followed them.
"Even if there was a door, those motherfuckers would still come for us. They've seen us now; they'll hunt us until we're dead," Rose snapped, casting him a sidelong look.
They kept climbing, the seemingly endless stairs testing their stamina, and every shop they passed was broken into, offering no safe haven. The tension grew as the growls of the creatures echoed up the stairwell, reminding them of the danger that followed.
"I don't think there's any safe place here," Rose panted, stopping to catch her breath. Frustration and fear twisted her expression. "Are we just... screwed?"
The group stopped, scanning their surroundings with expressions of defeat. They could hear the creatures coming closer.
"We should hide," Scarlett whispered, her breathing labored. "Our footsteps are attracting them. If we can hide, maybe they'll lose us." She cradled the baby, who was awake but mercifully silent.
Both Rose and Matthew nodded, too exhausted to argue. They quickly found cover behind the remnants of a wall, their fear palpable in the silence.
"Shh... it's okay, baby," Scarlett whispered, soothing the child with a gentle hand as they all held their breaths.
The creatures' footsteps and growls grew louder, their claws scraping against the floor as they searched. The trio stood frozen, praying that the monsters would pass.
After what felt like forever, the sounds began to fade. The trio exhaled in relief.
"They're gone," Rose murmured, her voice barely audible. "But where do we go now? It's like the whole mall is overrun with them."
"We could...." Scarlett started, but stopped as a thick, black liquid dripped onto the baby's cheek. She looked up, eyes widening in horror as she saw shiny black ooze spreading across the ceiling.
"What... what is that?" Scarlett whispered, wiping the liquid from the baby's face with a trembling hand.
The black liquid began coming together, slipping down the wall until it formed into a monstrous shape, with razor-sharp teeth, tall and an oily, black, slimy body. It loomed over Scarlett and the baby, its eyes gleaming with hunger.
"We're really doomed," Matthew stammered, crossing himself once more as he watched, helpless.
Without warning, the creature lunged, slamming Scarlett to the ground and pinning her neck beneath one clawed hand. Blood oozed from her neck, and the baby started wailing in terror. The creature's other claw extended, its sharp nails piercing Scarlett's leg, and her scream of pain tore through the silence.
Rose's eyes landed on a piece of debris with a sharp edge. "You son of a bitch!" she snarled, snatching it up. She charged at the monster, driving the sharp edge into its back.
The creature roared in fury, whipping around to face her. In one swift motion, it flung her across the room, sending her crashing into the far wall. Rose's body hit with a sickening thud, and she slumped to the ground, dazed.
"Holy Mary, please save us," Matthew whispered, grabbing a broken stick from the floor. He lunged at the creature, but it threw him away effortlessly. He landed hard against the wall, gasping as pain shot through his spine.
More monsters began crowding into the hall, their red eyes glinting as they advanced on Rose and Matthew, their fangs bared, ready to devour them. The creature over Scarlett leaned closer, its teeth grazing her neck as she fought to keep it at bay with what little strength she had left.
In desperation, Scarlett summoned her fire element, directing the flames toward the monster's chest. The creature hissed in pain as the flames licked at its slimy skin, but instead of retreating, it bit down on her neck, tearing away a piece of flesh. Blood poured from the wound, and Scarlett's vision started to blur.