Theo wasn't aware that so many people were watching him from the shadows. Even if he had known, he wouldn't have cared—there were more pressing matters literally running straight toward him!
"Fucking hell! I don't even know if this is a nightmare or reality," he muttered under his breath. Theo had never doubted his eyes before, but seeing and understanding were two very different things.
Ariella, his AI companion, wasn't operating at full capacity, leaving him far more vulnerable—especially when he had just stepped out into what felt like hell itself.
Clad in a full-body suit and a mask, Theo couldn't smell anything, but every step he took brought a sickening crunch underfoot. The mushy texture beneath his boots churned his stomach, and the feeling only intensified when his helmet's headlights illuminated the scene.
He felt as though he had entered one of the horror films he had seen as a child. Theo had turned to horror movies as a dark diversion from his wretched life since he was a young boy. He took solace in fictitious characters' suffering because it reminded him that others, even if they were fictional, had it worse, but most people avoided gore and dread.
Being hounded and abused for just existing had broken him; living in a small orphanage with cruel staff was terrible enough. His perverted sense of power, seeing himself as a god and witnessing others suffer through the same horrors he had, was the only thing that kept him going.
The fact that he now found himself in a scene from a horror movie struck him as a cruel irony.
Body pieces littered the street, a hideous mosaic of blood and ripped limbs. It brought to mind the notoriously graphic film Hellraiser. Had a gathering of people been hit by his ship? With the carnage, it made sense.
Ariella whispered, "Be careful," in his ear. "I'm detecting movement—something, or someone, is coming toward you at tremendous speed."
Theo was startled out of his reverie by the warning.
"What the—? Is it the police? A crash landing would definitely attract attention, but for some reason…" He trailed off, gripping his plasma rifle. Setting it to the lowest power, he prepared to scare off any would-be threats.
However, something didn't feel right. Uncomfortably, the streets were deserted. There should have been people, or at least lights in the windows of buildings close, even at this hour. Rather, the quiet was stifling. His nerves were jangled by the buildings' lifelessness, even though the outlines were familiar.
Ariella's silence added to the uneasiness.
"What's wrong?" Theo muttered.
Ariella finally responded, "I'm picking up multiple sound signatures," in an uncharacteristically anxious tone. "Whatever is coming your way…it's not alone."
Theo gripped his weapon more tightly. "Why do I feel like they're…animals?" The ridiculous concept would not go away.
Ariella remained silent. Dismembered body parts twitching as if still alive was something Theo had already witnessed, despite his reluctance to acknowledge it. He had also heard odd clicking noises, but he had brushed them off. He must have been deceived by his own thoughts. He had clung to the hope of some form of normalcy after the black hole he had passed through had transported him to an unfamiliar version of Earth.
However, that hope was evaporating.
"Can you identify the source of those sounds?" Stabilizing his voice, Theo asked.
"Negative," said Ariella. "These frequencies don't match anything in the database, although partial matches indicatePeople? Hold on, there seems to be movement throughout the ship. Look down so I can see better."
Theo complied, turning on the augmented reality screen on his helmet. Despite having a temperamental nature, Ariella was the best AI in data analysis. Even though she occasionally drove him insane, he trusted her judgment.
"This can't be…" Ariella stumbled over her words. "Again, scanning. using a large amount of processing power. The outcome was the same.
Theo stopped. Analysis was never a problem for Ariella. She had maintained her composure even while interpreting the black hole's readings. She sounded...disturbed now.
"What are they?" Theo made a demand.
"They're—" Ariella interrupted herself. "I... No. It's not feasible."
Theo only needed her hesitancy as confirmation. Whatever was out there was inexplicable, and it was getting closer by the minute.
The sound of footsteps thudding quickly reverberated in the distance, getting louder every second. Theo engaged the localized night sensor and switched on his suit's battle mode without waiting for Ariella's analysis. Although the power consumption would be substantial, it was an essential compromise. He became superhumanly aware as his augmented senses came into play.
Whispering, "Be careful," Ariella said.
Before he heard the first beast, Theo saw it. It was a hazy jumble of activity and limbs that ran toward him at breakneck speed. Theo fired without thinking.
Three shots of plasma, one to the head and two to the chest.
For the first time, Theo got a good look as the figure fell in a heap. It wasn't a person. Not anymore, anyway. Its hideous, gaping mouth and distorted body were terrifying. It lay dead, yet its throat made a deep, guttural clicking sound.
Theo made himself stay composed. He would be slain by panic.
He looked around, detecting more movement with his sensors. From the shadows came dozens of beings, each as terrifying as the first.
Ariella's voice came back, grim but firm. "These things, Theo... Despite having several mutations, they are physiologically human. Their actions imply coordination akin to those of a hive. You must immediately withdraw.
There was no need to repeat it to Theo. He blasted a burst of plasma bullets to gain distance and ran for the closest alley. He was able to jump over obstacles and avoid approaching assailants because to his increased agility, but the animals persisted.
"Where am I supposed to go?" With labored breathing, Theo yelled.
Ariella answered, "There's an abandoned subway station 300 meters ahead," instead. "I'll guide you, but you'll need to hold them off until you reach it."
Theo shifted his weapon to a higher setting while clenching his teeth. The animals now sprawled under every shot, but they continued to approach unfazed.
Theo felt genuinely outmatched for the first time in his life. The horror films that had previously provided him with solace looked insignificant in comparison to the nightmare that was playing out all around him.
However, there was no time for dread. Now it was just a matter of survival.