Chapter Four - In An Alleyway

I was just running and I wouldn't stop. At least not here. I could feel my legs shaking and my breath accelerating, my palms sweaty.

One step at a time, I ran on the cobblestone floor. The puddles I stepped into splashed left and right. It must've rained yesterday.

"That's weird. I can't remember any rain. Yesterday was a sunny day."

I was even more confused, but the scratching and the scattering brought me back to my senses. I rushed ahead through a narrow alleyway, passing boxes, crates, and broken tiles. With each step, it became dirtier and filthier.

"Why did I even go inside here?" I cursed myself for not going elsewhere.

It was widely known that people who entered these alleyways were mostly up to no good. This wasn't where justice ruled; it was where assassins and evildoers lurked.

The steps behind me grew louder, and I noticed the way getting smaller and darker. This was not good. I was sure the end of the alleyway must be close—a few meters at best. There was a wall towering as high as I could see. I

t was probably the backside of some skyscraper.

"I'm done for."

I noticed my palms now dripping with sweat. My feet couldn't move, so I was just standing there, feeling how they were shaking. My skin was painted with goosebumps. There was that tapping, the scratching.

"Huh? Wait…"

Somehow it felt as if this was no human. Yes, I was sure in the next moment I noticed that the steps didn't sound like boots or any shoes at all. It sounded like…

"Rats!" Well, this didn't make anything better, if not worse. If we're talking about rats scurrying around in alleys, then we weren't talking about normal rats most likely.

Monster rats.

That's what they are called.

These creatures emerged shortly after rifts began to open and monsters killed humans. These bodies were left to decay in the streets, sometimes even thrown away into these alleyways. Rats would eat them. This caused them to mutate. Now you had gigantic purple rats that would, with one bite, kill you.

"How could this happen?"

Suddenly, the movement stopped. I thought maybe they were getting ready to jump at me and bite me. I was prepared. I raised my hands and shielded my face as best as I could. I stayed as quiet as a mouse, not to agitate them. Into the darkness, wondering if these were my last moments.

"Oh God, please spare me."

Then a small little creature emerged. It was too dark at first; I couldn't see what it was exactly. There were no colors, mostly black and white. I noticed it had fur and some cute round ears.

"What?"

It rattled, and the claws were clacking on the stone. Its eyes looked as red and as devilish as they could be.

"Oh no. This is definitely no rat." As it came closer, I could make out an outline.

It was small with a round back, cute little paws, and whiskers?!