19 19. Fear

The rotting flesh hanging off the creature's face seemed to droop ever closer, as Callie realized...this creature was holding her little body against more of that decaying flesh.

Callie immediately gagged, wanting to puke as she realized just how squishy the creature holding her was. Her brain supplied the obvious context as to what, exactly, she felt squishing against her, making her spit up her earlier feeding without anymore ado. The creature paid no mind to her puke, however, and started carrying her out of her home at a terrible speed.

The cabin and then the woods flew by her like something seen through the window of a speeding car. Callie still tried to look around her anyway, even as the squishy feeling evoked by every movement made her gag even more.

But no matter how she looked, Callie couldn't figure out what exactly had happened since she'd been taken from her bassinet. Was her mother okay? Her brother? What had happened before she'd been swept away by this disgusting creature?

She'd been too distracted by the System. Callie had spent so much time looking at those screens, she'd forgotten how dangerous this new world around her was.

Was she going to die already in this world?

Callie cursed her own carelessness. Surely there was some way to pay attention to her surroundings and use the System, too?

A terrible, panicked feeling had taken residence in Callie's chest. She couldn't seem to stop thinking, her thoughts racing from one terrible scenario after another. Had she been kidnapped? Did someone in the nobility realize her system had been upgraded? Or was this zombie just here to eat her?

Was that it? Was it taking her to some kind of zombie horde, where they'd slowly tear her apart and eat her alive?

Even when Callie saw the imposing Hall of the Undead, she didn't stop worrying.

Did Gray realize something was off about her? Had he sent one of his undead minions to fetch her for some kind of dark sacrifice?

By this point, Callie was practically hyperventilating. For some reason, this seemed to only make the monster holding her run faster. The world became a blur around Callie, and it felt like all she did was blink before suddenly the monster was handing her back to the terrifying man from before.

Callie tried to tell herself that everything was going to be alright, but her breathing just became faster and faster. She could only stare helplessly up at the man, as her heart and breathing sped up more and more.

This was true terror.

Nothing she could do seemed to tame it. The fear was overwhelming. If she could control her limbs, she'd be running right now. Or fighting.

Anything except being stuck here, staring at the man.

There were a lot of voices around her. Many people seemed to be talking, though Callie couldn't understand a word. She didn't think she could understand them right now, even if she spoke the language. She was that terrified.

Whatever they were saying, a sweet tone caught her ears. She looked towards the voice and immediately began to cry. Her mother! She was alive!

Callie didn't know why this thought was so reassuring, but in that moment, all she wanted was to be held by her mother. She screamed her head off, hoping the adults would get the message.

Finally, the man seemed to understand. He handed Callie over to her mother, but before Callie could take comfort in her mother's embrace, a weird symbol appeared above her head. After that? Only darkness could be seen.

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Callie awoke to the soothing sound of humming. She blinked her eyes open to look into her mother's eyes, but for some reason, as her eyes opened, her body and mind seemed to be struck by lightning.

Callie felt such overwhelming fear, fear the like of which she'd never felt before in her entire existence. This was worse than when Clark pushed the gun through her classroom door. She'd been too shocked and desperate to feel genuine fear then. This...this was terror the likes of which Callie had no concept.

And there was no reason for it.

Callie stared up into her mother's worried eyes, her own eyes filled with startling, terrible fear. There was nothing there to be afraid of, and yet...Callie couldn't stop her heart from pounding, her stomach from clenching, the sweat from dripping down her back. It was unreasonable, unrelenting, and unending. And Callie had no idea why.

'System?'

The Stat panel instantly popped up. Callie had no patience for it right now, however, and ignored the list for once.

'What's happening to me, System?'

A pop-up message popped up before Callie's eyes. However, Callie couldn't concentrate well enough to read it. She bit her lip, as her body began to actually shake in fear now.

'I can't read that. I can't read that! Can you say it verbally where I am the only one who can hear it?'

...System Preferences Saved...

...Host is Under the Effects of Fear. Fear of the Undead Trait is in Full Effect, and Intelligence has been Halved as well. To Remove Effects, Host Must Leave Vicinity of Undead or Remove Trait...

Leave the vicinity of the undead? I'm a baby! What am I supposed to do, crawl away?

Callie had thought if she just knew what was happening to her, the fear would lessen. But instead, it almost felt worse. What was she supposed to do in the face of this trait? She had no body autonomy, no control over her environment. And everything she needed to be able to remove the trait was well out of reach at her current level and status.

What's worse, Callie could tell her mind wasn't working right. She felt...dumb. Slow. Unable to even begin to imagine a way out of this situation.

Maybe that's the real problem here...

'System, can you raise my Intelligence by 15 points?'

...Raise Intelligence by 15 Points Now? Y/N...

'Yes!'

A brief loading bubble popped up, before the stat screen returned to overtake Callie's eyesight. She still couldn't read it, but Callie's biggest surprise was the fact she felt no pain this time, just a strange numbness spreading throughout her brain. Even her face felt fuzzy suddenly.

The numb feeling only added to Callie's fear, though she knew it must be from her new skill upgrade. Still, the fear wouldn't leave her.

'System, raise my intelligence by another 5 points!'

...Raise Intelligence by 5 Points Now? Y/N? WARNING: Increased Stress on Host's Brain Detected. Raising Stats Now Could Harm Host...

Callie didn't even pay attention to the warning this time. 'Yes, whatever it costs, yes!'

Another brief loading bubble popped up, and the numbing feeling in Callie's brain spread down her neck and body, until everything felt a little numb and tingly. Callie felt a little woozy, but a sudden scream made her eyes focus on her mother's stricken face.

Her mother was staring at Callie in horror. Callie couldn't understand the reaction until she tasted blood. Her own blood.

Slowly, Callie realized. 'I'm bleeding..."

Another dizzying movement as the violet-eyed Gray picked her up once more. This time, Callie couldn't even cry before the weird symbol appeared in her view, and darkness swamped her vision.