Chapter 17 The Creator's Confession III

Victor stood frozen as Senator Matthews approached the evolved humans, his steps confident yet tinged with caution. The senator adjusted his tie, flashing a wry grin to the onlookers. "Alright, Dr. Hallow, let's see these miracle beings up close."

Victor's unease grew with every step Matthews took. The evolved humans remained motionless, their crimson eyes fixed on some indiscernible point in the distance. Despite their stillness, there was an air of tension in the room, like a predator lying in wait.

"Senator," Victor began hesitantly, "perhaps it's best if—"

Before he could finish, the nearest evolved human moved.

It was instantaneous—too fast for the human eye to follow. One moment, the senator stood inches away, extending a hand in jest. The next, the evolved human's pale fingers clamped around his throat like a steel vice. Matthews's eyes widened in shock as he clawed at the iron grip, his feet kicking helplessly in the air.

Gasps filled the room as the audience scrambled back in their seats, unsure of what was happening. "Let him go!" Victor shouted, his voice rising above the chaos. He rushed forward, the blood sample in his hand trembling as panic took hold.

The evolved human ignored him. Its crimson eyes glowed brighter, and without hesitation, it sank its teeth into the senator's neck. A sickening crunch echoed through the room as it tore flesh from bone. Blood sprayed across the pristine lab, painting the white walls and floors in a macabre red.

Matthews let out a guttural scream, his voice cutting off as the evolved human's teeth ripped deeper.

"No!" Victor cried, dropping the container in his hand. It shattered on the floor, the glowing blood pooling around the shards of glass. He grabbed at Matthews, trying to wrench him free, but the evolved human's strength was unyielding.

It lifted Matthews higher, holding him effortlessly with one arm as if he weighed nothing. The senator's body convulsed, his hands flailing weakly before going limp. With a horrifying crack, the evolved human tore at Matthews's face, biting off chunks of flesh. The senator's once-smiling visage was now an unrecognizable mess of blood and sinew.

Screams erupted from the crowd as panic engulfed the room. Chairs screeched against the floor as people scrambled to escape, but the tight arrangement of seats made movement nearly impossible. Bodies pushed and stumbled, and before anyone could react, the other two evolved humans sprang to life.

Like predators released from their cage, the two beings launched into the crowd. One leaped with inhuman speed, its hands grabbing a woman by the shoulders. Its jaws unhinged unnaturally, clamping down on her skull. The crunch of bone and the wet sound of tearing flesh sent waves of terror rippling through the crowd.

The other evolved human darted through the throng, grabbing people with ease and ripping into them with its teeth. Blood spattered across the room as screams turned into gurgles and cries for help.

Victor's assistant was one of the first to fall, her neck snapped with a casual flick of an evolved human's wrist. The audience, once confident and composed, was now reduced to terrified animals clawing at each other to escape. Those who fell were quickly set upon by the creatures, their screams muffled as teeth tore through flesh and bone.

"Dr. Hallow, we need to go!" a voice shouted above the chaos. One of the security guards, his uniform smeared with blood, ran toward Victor. The doctor stood in the middle of the carnage, frozen in horror. His gaze was locked on Matthews, whose lifeless body was now little more than a mangled husk in the hands of the evolved human.

"Dr. Hallow!" the guard shouted again, grabbing Victor by the arm. "We have to move!"

"No!" Victor yelled, shaking off the guard's grip. "I can fix this! I can restore order!"

"Are you insane?" the guard snapped, his voice desperate. "They're killing everyone! We have to leave now!"

Victor ignored him, stepping forward as if he could somehow control the creatures. "Stop!" he shouted, his voice cracking. "Stand down! This isn't how it's supposed to be!"

The evolved humans didn't even glance his way. Their crimson eyes burned with a primal hunger, their movements erratic yet terrifyingly precise. Victor reached for the nearest one, his hand trembling, but before he could do anything, the guard acted.

With a swift motion, the guard struck Victor on the back of the head with the butt of his rifle. The blow wasn't hard enough to knock him out, but it was enough to jolt him from his stupor. "Get up!" the guard barked, hauling Victor to his feet.

Victor stumbled, his vision swimming. "I can fix this…" he murmured weakly, his voice drowned out by the cacophony of screams and carnage.

The guard didn't wait for a reply. Slinging Victor's arm over his shoulder, he dragged the doctor toward the exit. The lab was in complete disarray—overturned chairs, pools of blood, and lifeless bodies littered the floor. Those still alive were tripping over each other in their frantic attempts to escape, only to be dragged back by the evolved humans.

As the guard reached the door, he turned to one of his colleagues. "Seal it!" he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

The other guard hesitated, looking at the chaos behind them. "There are still people in there!" he protested.

"If we don't seal it, those things will get out!" the first guard shouted, shoving Victor through the door. "Do it now!"

With a grim nod, the second guard slammed the heavy metal door shut, locking it with trembling hands. The screams inside grew louder, more desperate, as the evolved humans continued their slaughter. The sound of flesh being torn apart was sickening, a gruesome symphony of destruction.

Victor collapsed against the wall outside the room, his face pale and his chest heaving. He stared at the closed door, his mind reeling. The last thing he saw before it shut was the lifeless body of Senator Matthews being tossed aside like a rag doll.

Inside the lab, the evolved humans moved with terrifying precision, their crimson eyes scanning for new prey. For them, this was only the beginning.

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