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Somewhere in Texas, "Well, well, well. I am going to be enjoying this," a little figure in the dark night says as he slaughters the vampire-zombie hybrids.This figure, though similar to Butter, displayed distinct differences. He was diminutive in stature but possessed a lithe, muscular build that suggested incredible agility and strength. His skin was the same pale, almost translucent tone as Butter's, creating a stark contrast to the pale, lifeless forms of the hybrids he dispatched. His eyes glowed with an eerie, otherworldly light, cutting through the darkness like twin beacons of malevolence.His face was sharp and angular, giving him a predatory appearance. Long, dark hair fell in wild, untamed strands around his face, framing his features with an almost animalistic intensity. Clawed hands and feet, akin to Butter's, were used with brutal efficiency, each movement precise and deadly.Despite his small size, there was an air of authority and menace about him, a sense that he was a force to be reckoned with. His expression was one of cruel enjoyment, a twisted smile playing on his lips as he moved through the carnage. The dark, bat-like wings sprouting from his back added to his fearsome appearance, making him look like a creature born of nightmares.At the same time, in an abandoned house, Amy and Jennifer huddled together in the cramped, dingy bathroom. The air was thick with the stench of decay and fear, and every creak of the old house seemed amplified in the oppressive silence."How long has it been, Jennifer…?" Amy's voice trembled as she spoke, her eyes wide with terror. She was pale and drenched in sweat, her whole face glistening with a sheen of water. She shivered uncontrollably, not just from fear but from the cold that seemed to seep through the very walls of the house.Jennifer, sitting against the wall with her knees pulled to her chest, looked just as terrified. She glanced at Amy, her eyes filled with hopelessness. "I don't know, Amy…We're just stuck here…" She paused, taking a shaky breath, trying to muster some semblance of strength. "I wish the Ringmasters would help us out, but I don't know if they can make it to us before we turn into one of them."Jennifer's gaze shifted to the bathroom door, which they had barricaded with whatever they could find. The flimsy barricade didn't offer much reassurance. She could hear the faint, unsettling sounds of the vampire-zombie hybrids outside—their guttural growls and the scrape of their claws against the floorboards.Amy hugged herself tightly, rocking slightly. "Do you think they'll find us in time?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.Jennifer shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "I don't know, Amy. I just don't know.""You know, Jennifer… When I was a kid… My mama used to make me sweet pudding," Amy said, her voice trembling but trying to find comfort in the memory. Her eyes, though filled with fear, softened slightly as she recalled the past. Amy's red hair was matted with sweat, sticking to her forehead, and her once-bright green eyes now looked haunted, reflecting the terror of their situation. Despite the dirt and grime, there was a certain resilience in her expression, a determination to survive."I want to go back to my mama's house… I want to have her pudding," Amy's voice grew softer, almost a whisper, as if she was trying to hold onto the warmth of that memory to keep the darkness at bay. Her slim frame was shaking, not just from the cold but from the overwhelming fear and exhaustion. Her clothes were tattered and stained, evidence of their desperate struggle to survive. The gun in her hand felt heavy, a stark contrast to the comforting memories she was trying to conjure.Jennifer, sitting beside her, was equally terrified. "I also want to go back and meet my family," she said, her voice heavy with longing and fear. Her chest rose and fell rapidly with each breath, the stress of their situation making it difficult to remain calm. One of her bosoms was nearly visible due to the way her clothes had torn and shifted, a testament to the chaos they had been through. Jennifer's dark hair framed her face, which was pale and streaked with tears, her eyes darting nervously around the room.Amy leaned her head back against the cold, damp wall, trying to focus on her mother's sweet pudding rather than the horrifying reality outside the bathroom door. "I can almost smell it," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "The way it used to fill the whole house with that warm, sugary scent…"Jennifer nodded, tears spilling over her cheeks. "I can't even remember the last time I felt safe," she said, her voice cracking. "All I want is to go home, to see my family again… to feel normal.""Amy, did you ever find yourself a boyfriend?" Jennifer asked, trying to change the subject to distract them from the imminent threat. Her voice was shaky, but she forced a small smile, hoping to lighten the mood, if only for a moment.Amy let out a soft, bittersweet laugh, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "How would I, silly? I was always mama's girl. To a point where even if I would marry or date someone, I would ask her permission… I never hid anything from her."Jennifer nodded, understanding the depth of Amy's attachment to her mother. "She must have been an amazing woman," she said softly.Amy's smile faded slightly, and her expression grew more somber. "You know what makes it worse, Jennifer…?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper."What?" Jennifer asked, leaning in closer, her own heart aching for her friend."Well, I have barely known you guys for two weeks, but… it felt good knowing you guys… It felt just like the times when Mama and I used to have family dinners… It felt good, Jennifer." Amy's voice broke, and she started to shed the tears she had been holding back.Jennifer reached out and wrapped her arms around Amy, pulling her into a tight embrace. "It felt good for me too, Amy," she whispered, her own tears falling freely now. "You all became my family. In this crazy, messed-up world, we found a little piece of normalcy, even if it was just for a short time."Amy clung to Jennifer, sobbing quietly into her shoulder. "I miss my mom so much," she choked out. "I miss her so much, Jennifer. And now, I might never see her again."Amy pulled back slightly, looking into Jennifer's eyes. "I don't want to die here, Jennifer. I don't want to turn into one of those things. I want to see my mom again. I want to tell her I love her one more time.""Why did this have to happen to our town?" Amy asked, her voice quivering as she looked around the small, dark bathroom. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, and her whole body trembled with fear and exhaustion. "Even if our town, why our people, Jennifer?" she continued, tears streaming down her face. "Why us?"Jennifer's heart ached at the sight of Amy breaking down. She wished she had answers, wished she could make everything better, but all she could do was give Amy a sad, understanding smile. "I don't know, Amy," she whispered, her own voice thick with emotion. "I don't know why this is happening. But we're still here, and we have to keep fighting."Amy's sobs grew louder, her shoulders shaking with the force of her despair. "I miss them all so much," she cried. "My mom, my friends… everyone. They didn't deserve this. We didn't deserve this.""I am sorry, Amy…" Jennifer said, her voice barely a whisper as she leaned her head back against the wall behind her. The dim light from the lone bulb flickered overhead, casting eerie shadows on their weary faces. She stared up at the bulb, her eyes filled with regret and sorrow. "I am sorry for being such a bimbo…"Amy, her eyelids heavy and her body slumping with exhaustion, managed to look at Jennifer. "What are you on about, silly?" she asked weakly, her voice fading as she struggled to stay conscious. Her vision blurred, but she could still see the sadness etched on Jennifer's face."I used to have a boyfriend… Now he's my ex and one of those zombies out there," Jennifer said, her voice trembling as she looked at the door. The dark night outside seemed to mirror the shadow of her past that she was now forced to confront. She hugged her knees to her chest, her eyes distant as memories flooded back."I dated him for seven years. It was… an experience I'd like to forget," she continued, her voice tinged with regret and sorrow. "Seven whole years… I wasted them only because I was an idiot."Amy, struggling to stay conscious, managed to whisper, "Why say… that?" Her breath was becoming shallower, but she tried to focus on Jennifer's words."He… He dated me because of my boobs, you know," Jennifer said, her voice breaking as she glanced down at herself. "I caught him cheating on me once. I thought it was a mistake, a misunderstanding. But it wasn't. He was just using me, like all the others."Jennifer's tears began to fall, each one a testament to the pain she had kept buried for so long. "My luck is that every guy I liked only liked me because I had big boobs. Even him, the person I treated like my king for seven years. He was just the same."She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, trying to regain her composure. "When he broke up with me, he told me I was just another bitch, and my only redeeming factor was that I had big boobs. I ended up crying, but all he did was laugh and leave me all alone…"Jennifer sighed deeply, her shoulders shaking with the weight of her memories. "I gave him everything, Amy. My time, my love, my trust. And he just threw it all away. He made me feel worthless, like I was nothing more than a body to him.""Then when I was in the market and this outbreak happened, I saw him get grabbed by the zombies right in front of me…Those zombies most probably ate him alive…" Jennifer's voice wavered as she smiled through her pain. The memories were as vivid as the day they happened, each one a cruel reminder of her misplaced trust. "My stupid ass tried to help him, but… he kicked me inside the rubble you found me in." She chuckled bitterly at her own foolishness, her laughter tinged with the weight of betrayal. "That asshole deserved his death…"As she spoke, Jennifer's eyes drifted to Amy, who was barely holding on. Her breath was shallow, her face pale, and sweat drenched her features. The sight of her friend in such a vulnerable state made Jennifer's heart ache. "Amy?" Jennifer's voice quivered as she looked closer, her eyes widening in horror. There, on Amy's shoulder, was a small bite mark, barely visible but unmistakable.Jennifer's world seemed to crumble around her as the realization hit her. The bite mark meant that Amy was infected, and there was no cure. "Oh, Amy…" Jennifer whispered, her voice breaking. She forced a smile, though her heart was shattering. "I guess I should just accept my fate…"Just as the weight of despair settled on them, the door started to knock hard. The sound was relentless, a harbinger of the end. Jennifer's eyes darted to the door, then back to Amy. The fear and resignation in her gaze were palpable. "I guess this is it," she said softly, her voice steady despite the terror coursing through her veins.Jennifer closed her eyes, her thoughts a whirlwind of memories and regrets. She saw the face of her ex-boyfriend, the man who had betrayed her so thoroughly. She saw the faces of her friends, the ones she had tried to protect. And she saw Amy, the friend she had come to care for deeply in such a short time.The sound of the splash reverberated through the cramped bathroom, accompanied by a chilling silence broken only by Jennifer's ragged breaths. She stared in shock at the crimson pool spreading across the floor, a stark testament to the brutality of their ordeal. The knife lay discarded nearby, glinting malevolently in the dim light."You know, you should open your door… Is that you, Jenny?" A familiar voice cut through the eerie stillness, momentarily pulling Jennifer's attention away from the grisly sight before her.Jennifer looked up, her eyes meeting Arata's with a mix of relief and disbelief. "Ryuki Arata from middle school?" Her voice quivered, the weight of their situation pressing down on her."It's been a while." Arata's tone was somber as he tossed the bloodied knife aside, his movements deliberate yet pained. Amy lay nearby, her suffering mercifully ended by Arata's decisive action."What are you doing here? Weren't you in New York?" Jennifer's voice wavered with a blend of curiosity and desperation, seeking any semblance of understanding in the chaos around them."I was. I came here after getting a signal for help," Arata explained, his gaze scanning their surroundings for any sign of danger.Jennifer's legs trembled as she attempted to stand, the cramped confinement of the bathroom taking its toll. "THERE ARE A LOT OF ZOMBIES OUT THERE, ah!" she exclaimed, pain shooting through her muscles.Arata moved swiftly, his strong arms reaching out to lift Jennifer gently off the ground. "Ara-" Jennifer began, her breath catching in her throat."Chill, I got you, alright?" Arata's reassuring smile offered a brief moment of solace amidst the chaos and uncertainty.Jennifer nodded weakly, her body leaning into Arata's as he carried her out of the bathroom and into the dimly lit hallway. The air outside was thick with the stench of death and decay, a stark contrast to the safety they sought.As Arata navigated through the debris-strewn house, Jennifer's mind raced with conflicting emotions. Relief washed over her knowing she was no longer alone, yet grief for Amy and the others they had lost weighed heavily on her heart.As Arata guided Jennifer out of the decimated house, the grim reality of their surroundings weighed heavily upon them. The once bustling neighborhood now lay in ruin, littered with the lifeless bodies of the vampire-zombie hybrids that had terrorized them."What happened here?" Jennifer's voice trembled with a mix of disbelief and sorrow as she surveyed the scene. Her eyes fell upon the motionless forms of Trey and Ryan, their faces frozen in expressions of agony even in death.Arata's gaze was steady as he moved past the fallen bodies, each step a testament to the harsh choices he had been forced to make. "I put them out of misery. This will be for the best," he explained quietly, his voice carrying the weight of their shared ordeal.Jennifer nodded silently, her thoughts racing with memories of those she had lost. "Aru…" Jennifer's voice cracked with emotion as she used the affectionate nickname she had given Arata long ago. "…I should've also died there.""No, I can't let it happen. I saved you because you're the only survivor. If there were more, I would help them as well," Arata reassured her, his words a lifeline amidst the devastation around them."But… all the people I care about, they're dead. My mom, my dad, my sister, my friends, and even the people who saved me…" Jennifer's voice trailed off, her heart heavy with grief for the lives lost and the shattered remnants of her former world.Arata's brow furrowed in concern. "I thought you had a boyfriend. Did he survive?" he asked cautiously, sensing the pain that Jennifer carried."Let's not talk about him," Jennifer replied tersely, her expression hardening as she recalled the betrayal and heartbreak she had endured."Oh… I see," Arata nodded understandingly, choosing not to press further on a painful subject. In silence, they continued their solemn march past the remnants of their adversaries, the eerie stillness broken only by the occasional distant moan of another straggling hybrid.Arata leaned against the car, Jennifer seated beside him, her eyes hollow with the weight of recent events. The phone call with Alex was brief but tense, the urgency palpable in every word exchanged."Sir Alex, one survivor found," Arata's voice was steady but tinged with concern as he reported Jennifer's condition. "She's mentally not stable, sir… It's been rough for her."Alex's voice crackled through the receiver, a mix of relief and apprehension. "Understood, Arata. Stay with her. We're mobilizing to your location. Hold tight.""Yes, sir… I will try to find a quicker way out of-" Arata's sentence was abruptly cut short by a piercing screech that tore through the air nearby, causing him to flinch."What was that, Arata?!" Alex's voice erupted with alarm on the other end of the line."I don't know, sir, but I assure you, it's nothing good," Arata replied grimly, his senses on high alert.Before Alex could respond, Elio's voice chimed in over the line, his tone urgent and decisive. "That screeching sound, Arata. That's the ring holder. Defeat him or retrieve the ring. We can't let him wreak havoc unchecked.""I will defeat him," Arata declared, his voice firm despite Elio's evident concern."Arata… you're not strong enough," Elio cautioned, his words laden with worry. "This isn't like anything you've faced before.""I know," Arata acknowledged, a hint of determination in his voice. "But I'll be fine, Elio. Trust me.""Sir Alex, explain the situation to him," Elio urged, seeking Alex's intervention."Arata, we're en route. Can you hold him off?" Alex's voice cut through, authoritative yet laced with concern for his team's safety."Yes, sir…" Arata responded, his gaze flickering to Jennifer beside him, silently reassuring her with a nod.As Arata absorbed Elio's explanation, a sense of urgency and concern gnawed at him. The revelation about the ring and its effects unsettled him deeply. He glanced around, Jennifer's absence suddenly conspicuous."By the way, Elio, is the ring not with the big boss of the vampire-bat?" Arata asked, his voice tinged with curiosity mixed with a hint of worry."No, Arata," Elio responded solemnly over the com ring. "The ring became incompatible with the host and was discarded. But its powers have corrupted those who have tried to wield it."Arata nodded slowly, digesting the information. "Is that how Undergrounders are born?" he asked, referring to the formidable adversaries they had encountered."No," Elio clarified. "Undergrounders have a different origin. They are born from the darker aspects of human desires and fears, not from the rings. However, this ring's power has taken a unique form. We need to neutralize it before it can cause more harm."Arata furrowed his brow, absorbing the gravity of the situation. "You mentioned you have the location of the ring. Where is it?" he inquired, already mentally preparing for the next steps."21st Laker's street," Elio replied promptly. "That's where the mall is located, the last known whereabouts of the ring before it went missing."Arata's attention snapped back to the present as he turned around, intending to confer further with Jennifer, only to find her missing. His heart sank. "Shit," he muttered under his breath, scanning the immediate area with growing concern.Arata's footsteps echoed against the silence of the deserted streets as he hurriedly scanned his surroundings. The urgency of finding Jennifer pulsed through him like a heartbeat. Each passing second seemed to stretch into eternity, amplifying his worry for her safety."What's the matter, Arata?" Elio's voice crackled through the com ring, filled with concern."A survivor ran away," Arata replied breathlessly, his voice edged with frustration and determination."Oh no..." Elio's tone mirrored Arata's concern. "Be careful, Arata. We can't afford to lose her now.""I will call you, Elio," Arata promised, his focus solely on locating Jennifer amidst the looming threat. "I need to find her."With that, he disconnected the call and continued his frantic search. His mind raced, considering every possible direction Jennifer could have gone. His heart pounded with a mix of fear for her safety and frustration at the unexpected setback. They were so close to a crucial breakthrough in their mission, and now Jennifer's disappearance threatened to derail their plans.As Arata rounded a corner, his eyes caught a fleeting movement down a dimly lit alleyway. He sped up, his senses sharpened as he approached cautiously. "Jennifer!" he called out, hoping against hope that she would hear him and respond.The alleyway stretched ahead, shadowy and ominous, casting doubts on his search. Arata's mind raced with scenarios, each more dire than the last. He couldn't shake the image of Jennifer alone and vulnerable, possibly facing dangers he couldn't even fathom."Jenny!" Arata called out again, his voice echoing slightly in the empty space. He strained to hear any response, his ears attuned to the slightest sound that might give away her location. EPILOGUEJennifer's breath hitched as she stood before the looming mall entrance, the screeching sound piercing the air like a desperate cry for help. Her heart pounded in her chest, a mix of fear and determination fueling her steps forward. Each agonizing screech seemed to echo with a haunting familiarity, reminding her of her brother Sam."This sound... Even though it's so shrill..." Jennifer muttered under her breath, her voice barely audible over the cacophony. "It sounds like my brother... Sam, I'm coming!"