It's 2025, and the world is the same as usual, peaceful and unsuspecting. There are families out and about having fun and laughing. Spring had just begun, and the wind carried a comfortable warmth to the scenery. There was not a cloud in the sky, and birds were singing. Kids playing around in nearby parks as their parents held each other close. The streets are buzzing with activity. It was just a nice, calm, sunny day...Not! During that day, an unexpected eclipse happened. The bright sunny day was replaced with darkness; the moon, or most think it was, completely covered the sun. The sky was tinted with dark red. Many thought it was just an undocumented eclipse happening. Pictures and videos were spread like some rumor about the popular girl in school after she was caught with her overage boyfriend.
That was short-lived, as panic began to fester. The world started to shake and split open. People fell into the cracks, buildings collapsed, and cars wrecked. The air gained a chill and a stench that would make garbage smell like roses. Screams of terror and panic were now the only things in the chaos. As the cracks formed and opened, out came the monsters. Everything from tall tales, legends, myths, and anything drunken tales began to become reality. No one was spared; women and children, young and old, didn't make a difference. All were slaughtered, devoured, captured, or turned into monsters themselves. The streets became filled with blood and limbs, and the scent of blood and rot was the only thing present.
Years passed, and large, prominent, prosperous cities were reduced to rumble. Monsters were ruling the planet, hunting humans, and bringing our numbers down. About fifty percent of the human race was wiped out. During the trying and grueling times, we discovered that the monsters shared a lot of similarities with the ones from the stories. Those who were brave enough decided to take the fights to the monsters. It was somewhat successful; silver worked on a lot, but it didn't outright slay them but weakened and suppressed some abilities. Humanity took what it could get, and the weaknesses of the stories were helping with our plans. That wasn't all; when monsters died, they would rarely drop a whisp or a glowing smokey orb. Humanity called it essence. Absorbing it gave humans a random ability from the monster and boosted their strength. This boon made humanity hopeful for survival, but that was at a cost. You see, if your body isn't strong enough, your body isn't strong enough, and it explodes if you take more than one. Like, literally, you swell up and pop like an overfilled water balloon. That put the fear in greedy power-hungry idiots. There was also the appearance of a new energy beginning to form in the new generation born during the early stages of the apocalyptic era. Be it voodoo, magic, chi, and runes, it started to form worldwide with survivors. Those born with the gift were more likely to be able to absorb more than one essence. A small amount was born with this, and it was rare, but it was there. So, we had to get creative. The monsters' corpses were used as resources and to make armor and weapons. Mixing the remains of monsters into the molten metal strengthens and improves its durability and combat power. We used them in alchemy to make potions and elixirs. Humanity steadily began to take back the world.
The tiny shelters we built began to become cities surrounded by walls. The city was built into layers. The top layers belong to the leaders and captains of hunting parties, the middle belongs to the members of the hunting parties and well-off people who process monster parts, and then there's the bottom. Civilians who are content with butchering the corpses of monsters and having to get elbow-deep within monster guts. Have you ever had to stick your hand in a Skin Walker's intestines to get the gall bladder? No? Well, I fucking did! I'm still smelling it to this day. Oh, if you couldn't tell, I'm at the bottom level of this shit show.
"Caisen! Get your ass over here and help!" And there goes my break. "Coming, boss!" I got my improv chair and a crate and met with my boss. This was my boss Gerod. He was old and bald, fat, greasy, bald, a slave driver, and did I mention bald." What's up, boss?" I already got the idea as I saw a giant corpse with a hole in it with its intestines dragged along the floor. "We got a fresh cyclops that need their blood organs out asap! You and the others get to it!" Shit.
I grabbed my mask off my belt, which still didn't help the smell. After the very few minutes it took me to prepare, I spelunked into the Cyclops. "I hate this fucking job..."
The inside of a monster is terrible, like really bad. Think of the most disgusting thing you could smell and multiply it by ten and it still wouldn't compare. The squishy feeling of muscles and organs under foot, hands, and knees doesn't help either. "Liver over here!" One of our group members called out as he started to cut into it with his knife. So yeah, this is my life, hauling out monster guts and remains to make a living in this ruined world. I had to crawl in and out of that corpse 10 times to get all the useful organs of the cyclops. "Ok! Everyone go home! The days are over!" Gerod called out from his perches that he used to oversee everyone in the warehouse. My group and a few others left smelling horrible and covered in the blood of the many corpses. "Hold on, Caisen, step into my office." Gerod calls out from his perch. With heavy steps, I walk up the stairs to his office. "What do you need boss?" I asked impatiently, wanting to shower and rinse the remains off my body. "Yes, I wan- hold step back, please." Gerod says while holding his nose and showing me back with his other hand. This bastard, if he weren't my boss, I'd sling some of the congealed blood in his face. "Caisen, I'm sorry, but I must let you go." Gerod says unapologetic while reaching for his sandwich on his desk. I am a man of my word though.