Even with the base vehicle, Zephyr remained vigilant. The Etherscope's intel painted a grim picture of the apocalypse, one that went beyond just zombies. If it were just the undead, the remaining government forces would have contained the outbreak. It wouldn't be an apocalypse.
The strange roar set his teeth on edge. A deep sense of unease settled over him.
"Kill the burner!" he barked.
"What?" Serena was startled. She'd just started cooking. Turning off the heat now would ruin the meal.
But she sensed the urgency in his voice and quickly complied.
Zephyr flipped the main power switch.
The lights died, plunging the van into darkness. Out on the deserted road, the air was crisp and clean. With no light pollution, the night sky was a canvas of deep blue, sprinkled with stars. A sliver of moon hung low over the mountains, casting a pale, cool light.
Beautiful, but right now, it made his skin crawl.
Under the moonlight, he saw a massive silhouette staring at the van.
A huge…something. He couldn't make it out.
He held his breath, pulling Serena down beside him.
The van was well-sealed. Even with the cooking, the scent shouldn't have traveled far. The light must have attracted it.
Now, with the lights off, maybe it would lose interest and move on. The apocalypse had just begun. His van was still in its initial stage. An encounter with some monstrous creature now, if it flipped the van…that would be disastrous.
"Zephyr…" Serena whispered, her voice trembling.
The darkness, the roar, the ominous shadow…it was terrifying.
"Stay by the couch. Don't make a sound." Zephyr crouched low, inching toward the driver's seat. He was already considering driving away. Even without the lights, the shadow was getting closer. But he moved slowly, afraid to provoke it.
As it drew nearer, he could make out its form in the moonlight.
A giant boar.
How could a boar be that big?
Even from a distance, comparing it to the surrounding buildings, he estimated it was the size of a box truck!
It wasn't as tall as the van, but nearly as long. Covered in thick black bristles, like steel spikes, and crusted with dried blood, as if it had crawled out of a bloodbath.
Its tusks were enormous, curved like scimitars. One of them still impaled a length of intestine.
This was a monster.
It stared at the van, its eyes glowing with an eerie crimson light, like searchlights.
He wasn't imagining it. The eyes glowed, like a wolf's eyes in the dark, but red.
The Etherscope…it had mentioned mutations. Humans and animals, transforming into something…more. Stronger than their zombie counterparts.
He'd read the descriptions, but hadn't grasped the reality. Seeing this mutated boar…it was a shock.
A boar the size of a small truck might not sound impressive, but up close, with those tusks, those bristles, those glowing red eyes…the sheer size and menace of it was overwhelming.
Only the windshield separated him from the monster. And there were still faint bloodstains on the glass.
One pane of glass. One man. One beast. Staring each other down.
Then…
The boar roared, a terrifying sound. It lowered its head and charged, straight at the van, straight at him.
Its massive body pounded the ground, sending dirt and stones flying. A ten-ton boar, running at near-cheetah speed. He could feel the ground vibrate.
Damn it!
That much weight, at that speed…the impact would be devastating. The van would flip.
It was armored, but still essentially a van. It wouldn't stand a chance.
Once it flipped, he was done. No amount of armor would protect him from that monster.
"Damn it!" he swore, lunging for the driver's seat.
The boar was too close. There was no time to turn and run. Turning would expose the side of the van, guaranteeing a rollover.
There was only one option.
One desperate gamble.
He slammed the van into gear and floored the accelerator.
The engine roared. The van lurched forward.
"Seatbelt!" he yelled, his own seatbelt automatically engaging, pinning him to the seat.
Serena scrambled onto the couch, fumbling with her buckle. His warning had been for her.
The van hit sixty in seconds. He gritted his teeth, watching the boar close the distance.
Through the clear windshield, it felt like the monster was charging straight at his face. Those tusks aimed right at his head.
If the glass broke…he'd be impaled in the driver's seat.
His mind went blank. He gripped the steering wheel, stomped the gas pedal, and braced for impact.
His blood roared in his ears. The boar's massive head filled his vision. He could almost see his own reflection in its crimson eyes.
Impact!
The van bucked violently.
The force of the collision threw him forward. The seatbelt bit into his chest, threatening to cut him in two.
The airbag exploded in his face, momentarily blinding him.
Behind him, a crash of metal on metal. Pots and pans clattered to the floor.
The couch was bolted down, but the impact still sent Serena flying. She screamed.
Something slammed into her head. Her vision went black.
Zephyr's airbag deflated instantly, a feature of the modified vehicle, designed to prevent obstructed vision. He was dizzy, nauseated, the seatbelt a burning band across his abdomen. But he could see.
Two large, white, basin-sized marks scarred the windshield. Impact fractures.
Bulletproof glass turned white when hit, but retained its protective properties.
The front of the van was caved in.
The impact had been colossal.
Warning! Base vehicle damaged, damage level 3.5, front bulletproof glass durability reduced by sixty percent, power system damaged, instant acceleration and collision functions disabled, internal power supply cut off!
The message flashed in his mind.
Damaged?
The van had shrugged off hordes of zombies, but one hit from a mutant boar…