Chapter 20: Alpha the Menace

Kyle, Claire, Daniel, and Lauren and Jenna moved stealthily towards Porter's cabin, their breaths shallow and hearts pounding in their chests. Their mission was clear: locate Porter's snowmobile and escape this nightmare.

"We're here, guys," Kyle whispered, relief washing over him as they reached the cabin.

Claire nodded eagerly. "Let's find that fucking snowmobile and get the hell out of this shithole," she urged, her voice tinged with urgency.

Claire's gasp slipped out before Kyle's hand covered her mouth swiftly. "Shh," he cautioned, his eyes darting warily between the sleeping figures and his companions.

Claire's eyes widened in silent alarm, but she managed a nod, acknowledging Kyle's warning.

"Hush, hush," Kyle whispered again, his tone low but firm, guiding their next move.

Just as they approached the cabin, a sudden sight stopped them in their tracks. Three disfigured figures (Three finger, One eye, Saw tooth) lay sleeping near the entrance, their grotesque forms is fucking scary to them.

Grim determination etched on their faces, Kyle silently gestured for the group to proceed towards the cabin's rear. Claire followed, her steps careful and deliberate, heart pounding in her chest.

Daniel, spoke in hushed tones. "Watch your footsteps," his gaze sweeping over their path with meticulous care. "We can't afford to wake them."

Lauren nodded solemnly, her expression mirroring the tension that gripped them all. With cautious steps, they skirted around the cabin, their focus fixed on locating the snowmobiles and avoiding any unnecessary conflict.

Meanwhile, Jenna, seizing the opportunity presented by the disfigured figures' vulnerable state, stayed behind. Her resolve was steely, fueled by a thirst for vengeance and justice for her fallen boyfriend.

.....

[Adam side]

Adam and Alpha continued their intense battle in the auditorium, their swords clashing fiercely. The sound of each strike echoed through the empty halls, highlighting their fight and unwavering determination to defeat each other.

Alpha's laughter cut through the air, a chilling contrast to the intensity of their combat. "You're resilient, Adam," he mocked, his eyes glinting with a mixture of amusement and sadistic pleasure.

Adam's jaw tightened as he moved with precision, his voice a low growl of determination. "You're not going to win this," he declared firmly.

Their machetes clashed again and again, the sharp sound echoing through the empty auditorium. Adam fought back with all his strength, meeting Alpha's relentless attacks with fierce determination. Each strike from Alpha was met with a swift counterstrike from Adam, neither willing to back down in this intense duel of willpower and skill.

Adam continued his relentless assault, using a feint with his machete to lure Alpha into a false sense of security. In a sudden burst of speed, Adam thrust the blade towards Alpha's chest, piercing through the flesh with precision. A grunt of pain escaped Alpha as the blade found its mark.

Despite the wound inflicted upon him, Alpha's twisted grin remained plastered across his face. This unsettling expression betrayed not only his tolerance for pain but also his sick enjoyment of the violent confrontation.

Alpha swiftly retaliated, unleashing a powerful kick directly into Adam's chest. The impact was forceful enough to send Adam staggering backward, the wind knocked out of him. As a result, Adam was forced to release his grip on the machete that had been embedded in Alpha's chest, leaving it lodged there as Alpha's cruel grin widened.

Adam's heart raced as he watched Alpha's wound heal almost instantly. The machete, which he had thrust into Alpha's chest moments ago, fell heavily to the floor, clattering against the blood-soaked tiles. This sight emphasized the hopelessness of Adam's struggle against such a relentless opponent.

"Not bad," Alpha chuckled darkly, his voice carrying an air of twisted satisfaction as he observed his wound already beginning to close. The sight sent a chill down Adam's spine, a mixture of dread and defiance coursing through him.

"Monster!!" Adam's voice echoed with fury and frustration as he swiftly reached into his pocket, summoning a knife from his inventory. With his newfound weapon in hand, he lunged towards Alpha once more, his movements fueled by a mix of desperation and determination.

Alpha, caught off guard by Adam's unexpected move, swiftly swung his machete towards Adam's head with deadly intent. But Adam's reflexes kicked into overdrive. With a quick movement, he dodged Alpha's strike, but not without a grazing cut to his shoulder. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Adam seized the moment.

"I've got you now!" Adam's voice was filled with grim determination as he thrust his knife towards Alpha's eyes, aiming to incapacitate his opponent.

Alpha screamed in pain when Adam's knife hit his eyes. He instinctively covered his wounded eyes with his hands, crying out in agony, temporarily blinded by the intense pain

"Augh! My eyes!" he cried out, momentarily blinded by agony.

Adam saw his chance and picked up Alpha's machete, putting it away in his inventory. He also grabbed his own machete from the ground and attacked Alpha again with renewed strength.

But Alpha, despite his injury, was far from defeated. He quickly removed the knife from his eyes and dodged Adam's next attack. In retaliation, Alpha thrust the knife towards Adam's exposed neck, the blade sinking deep.

Alpha's sadistic amusement surfaced in his voice as he said, "Oops, my apologies. Got a bit angry after what you did to my eyes." Adam struggled to regain his composure, his hand pressing against his bleeding neck. While Alpha's eyes rapidly began to heal, the wounds seeming trivial compared to his monstrous regenerative abilities.

Adam gasped, clutching at his neck as blood began to trickle between his fingers. "Wait for me, you bastard!" he managed to rasp out before collapsing to the ground, life slipping away.

["Second death Cooldown: 36-second cooldown due to Cooldown Reducer (80%) percent."]

The auditorium fell into an eerie silence, broken only by Alpha's heavy breathing and the faint sound of Adam's final words. With a malevolent gleam in his eyes, Alpha leaned in close to Adam's dead body and spoke softly, "I'll be waiting right here for you, Adam."

Then as Alpha watched, a strange phenomenon began to unfold. Adam's body started to fade away, dissolving into thin air until nothing remained but a lingering memory of his presence. Alpha's smirk widened, a sense of satisfaction creeping over him.

"It seems like he's starting to revive," Alpha mused aloud to himself, his tone tinged with both amusement and malice. He knew Adam's resilience all too well—each death only seemed to strengthen his resolve.

.....

Meanwhile

[Adam's POV]

[After 36 seconds]

A whisper echoed in my mind, the system's voice delivering its verdict. "Host, you are revived again."

I found myself back in the hallway of the sanatorium. This is where I saved my revival checkpoint. I only have two of these Revival Location Slot, so sometimes I've overwritten the location. It's like a game with save files, except I'm limited to just two.

I don't have time to dwell on this. I need to get back to the auditorium. I quickly summoned my machete into my hand, ready to confront Alpha again.

As I made my way there, my thoughts raced. Suddenly, I spotted Porter Harmss ahead. What had happened to them? This wasn't part of the plan. My heart raced with worry and uncertainty.

.....

Porter Harmss, Kenia Perrin, and Sara Washington walked cautiously through the dimly lit hallway of the sanatorium, their footsteps echoing softly against the cold, tiled floor. Porter, visibly tense from the recent events, glanced at Sara with a mix of guilt and concern.

"I'm sorry," Porter began, his voice low but sincere.

Sara raised an eyebrow, her expression guarded. "For what?"

Porter hesitated for a moment before speaking earnestly, "For your loss. I know Bridget meant a lot to you."

Sara scoffed, her defensive posture softening slightly. "Oh, please. Just go back to being your usual self. You were always a jerk to me, anyway."

Porter sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Okay, fine. I've been a jerk because... because sometimes it bothers me when you flirt with Kenia. It makes me feel... insecure."

Sara rolled her eyes, though a hint of amusement flickered in her gaze. "Flirting? Come on, Harmss. It's just friendly banter. You know we go way back, since high school."

Porter nodded. "I know, I know. And you always get the chicks even when you don't have..."

"Dick," Sara finished with a smirk.

Porter hesitated, unsure how to respond to Sara's teasing. He shifted uncomfortably, then managed to said it . "Okay, 'Dick'. Happy?"

Sara huffed. "Hmph!" 

Kenia, walking a step behind them, interjected softly, "Guys, let's not dwell on this now."

Porter nodded, appreciating Kenia's attempt to diffuse the tension. He turned back to Sara, his tone more earnest. "I really meant it Sara... I'm genuinely sorry for being a jerk and everything. You know, back in high school... I guess I've always felt a bit threatened because you've always had this... charisma, especially with women."

Sara sighed, her expression softening. "Yeah, well, I can see why it might bother you. But hey, I'm sorry too, for pushing your buttons."

Porter's face brightened with relief. "Friends," he echoed, extending his hand.

Sara hesitated for a moment, then smirked and shook his hand firmly. "Okay, friend. But only if you promise not to be a jerk again."

Porter grinned, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders. "Deal. The dynamic duo is back."

Sara chuckled, the tension easing between them. Kenia smiled warmly at both of them, glad to see their reconciliation. "Alright, let's keep moving. We need to go towards the Auditorium and help your friend.

The trio continued down the hallway, their bond reaffirmed amidst the perilous circumstances they found themselves in.

Then as they rushed towards the auditorium, Porter, Kenia, and Sara felt a surge of tension and urgency. Porter nervously touched the knife in his pocket, a reminder of past dangers that now seemed vital in their current predicament.

"Porter, you've got a knife?" Kenia's voice broke through the adrenaline-fueled rush.

Porter nodded grimly, keeping his eyes forward. "Yeah, been carrying it since... well, since everything went to hell."

Sara, scanning their surroundings, suddenly hissed, "Guys, look! Shit, the two disfigured ones are right behind us!"

Porter whipped his head around just in time to see 6 Fingers and Black Eyes closing in. 6 Fingers gripped a bow, readying an arrow, while Black Eyes swung an axe with menacing intent.

"Run!" Kenia shouted, and they bolted down the narrow corridor, desperation pushing them forward.

The corridor was filled with tension and imminent danger as the sound of a drawn bowstring echoed ominously from behind. Porter's heart sank as he quickly understood they were directly in the line of fire. With mere moments to react, he prepared himself for the impact of the arrow speeding toward them.

Just as the deadly projectile seemed moments away from striking, Sara acted swiftly and selflessly. Without hesitation, she positioned herself between Porter and the arrow, shielding him from the impending danger. Her actions were driven by instinct and a deep-seated resolve to protect her long time friend at all costs.

"Sara!" Porter cried out in horror as Sara fell to the ground, a pained groan escaping her lips.

Enraged and filled with fury, Porter swiftly turned towards 6 Fingers. With adrenaline surging through his veins, he throw his knife with precision. The blade sliced through the air, guided by a mix of anger and desperation. It found its mark with chilling accuracy, as it struck 6 Fingers squarely in the eye. The disfigured minion let out a guttural scream of agony, dropping his bow and stumbling backward in shock, clutching his face in torment.

Meanwhile, Black Eyes, got angered as he sees his companion's injury, continued to advance with his axe, intent on confronting Porter, Kenia, and Sara.

But just as Black Eyes closed in, a commanding voice cut through the tension.

"What the hell happened here?!" 

Black Eyes froze, turning towards the voice, It was Adam Wilson, the man who had faced their leader, Alpha, in battle.

Adam stood before them, a formidable presence exuding determination and strength.

Porter's head snapped up, relief flooding through him. It was Adam Wilson, his friend who had risked everything to save him. His presence was a beacon of hope in their darkest hour.

To be continued