Benson didn't sleep that night. He sat in the corner of the room, his back pressed against the cold wall as he watched his mother breathe in shallow, uneven gasps.
She needed real medical help. What he'd done so far was just a bandage on a bullet wound. He knew it wouldn't be enough.
The system knew it too.
[Mission: Secure Food and Water.]
[Objective: Scavenge for Supplies in Nearby Locations.]
[Reward: 100 XP, Tier 1 Stamina Booster.]
The words burned in his vision like a brand. Benson rubbed his eyes, but they didn't disappear.
"Food and water…" he muttered. "Fine. But if this leads me into more of those things, I swear—"
[Consume.]
"Shut. Up."
The air outside the apartment was thick with the stench of rot and blood. Benson stepped cautiously into the hallway, gripping a makeshift weapon—a kitchen knife this time—so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
The building was still eerily quiet, but the faint sounds of chaos drifted in through the shattered windows. Screams, distant explosions, the guttural howls of whatever creatures the Red Moon had unleashed.
Benson kept moving. He couldn't afford to stop.
The convenience store down the block had always been a safe haven for late-night snacks and cheap beer. Now, it looked like something out of a horror movie.
The glass doors were shattered, and the once-bright lights inside flickered sporadically, casting eerie shadows across the aisles.
"Great," Benson muttered. "This looks safe."
He stepped inside, careful not to make too much noise. The air was thick with the smell of spoiled food and something metallic—blood, maybe.
[Danger Detected.]
The system's warning sent a chill down his spine. He froze, straining his ears for any sign of movement.
And then he heard it—a low, wet snarling sound coming from one of the aisles.
The creature was crouched over a pile of torn packaging and spilled food, its back to Benson. It looked vaguely human, but its limbs were too long, its fingers ending in sharp, claw-like tips. Its skin was pale and stretched tight over its bones, and its head twitched unnaturally as it devoured whatever it had found.
Benson's heart pounded in his chest. He gripped the knife tighter, trying to steady his breathing.
[Mission Update: Eliminate the Threat.]
"Of course," Benson whispered bitterly.
He took a step forward, then another, moving as quietly as he could. But the floor was littered with broken glass and debris, and his foot caught on a shard.
The sound was deafening in the silence.
The creature's head snapped around, its glowing yellow eyes locking onto him.
"Oh, crap."
It moved faster than he expected, launching itself toward him with an inhuman screech. Benson barely had time to react, throwing himself to the side as the creature's claws raked through the air where he'd just been standing.
He scrambled to his feet, the knife shaking in his hand. The creature came at him again, and he swung wildly.
The blade connected, slicing into its arm, but it barely seemed to notice.
"Why aren't you dead?!" Benson shouted, backing away.
The creature lunged again, and this time, it caught him.
The force of the impact sent Benson crashing into a shelf, cans and boxes raining down around him. The creature's claws tore into his shoulder, and he screamed in pain.
The hunger surged, stronger than ever.
[Consume.]
Benson gritted his teeth. "Not now!"
But the pull was undeniable. He could feel it, a dark, gnawing void inside him, begging to be fed.
The creature reared back for another strike, and Benson acted on instinct.
He reached out, his hand trembling, and the void inside him opened.
The creature froze, its body convulsing as it was pulled toward him.
The process was brutal.
Benson felt every ounce of the creature's energy flooding into him, its strength, its rage, its hunger. His vision blurred, his body trembling as the power coursed through him.
When it was over, he collapsed to the floor, gasping for air.
[Experience Points Gained: 300.]
[Skill Unlocked: Enhanced Reflexes.]
The pain in his shoulder was gone. He flexed his fingers, testing the newfound strength in his limbs.
But the emptiness inside him was worse than ever.
He didn't waste time. He grabbed whatever supplies he could find—bottled water, canned food, anything that looked remotely useful—and stuffed them into a backpack.
The system stayed quiet, but he could feel it watching. Always watching.
As he stepped out of the store, the cold night air hit him like a slap. The Red Moon loomed overhead, bathing the world in its eerie crimson light.
Benson tightened his grip on the backpack and started back toward the apartment.
He didn't know how much longer he could keep this up.
But he didn't have a choice.
When he reached the building, the first thing he noticed was the silence.
It wasn't the eerie quiet he'd grown used to—it was something else.
He climbed the stairs two at a time, his chest tight with anxiety.
"Mom?" he called out as he reached the apartment.
No response.
He pushed the door open, and his heart stopped.
The room was empty.