Shell-Shocked Wonders: The Secret Behind Turtle Monster

Their screams echoed, resonating with terror as they witnessed the approach of the turtle-headed man toward the cabin's entrance. A gruesome bludgeon in hand, he mercilessly struck the wooden door, revealing the terrified faces of his victims. Cornered and isolated, the seven-foot-tall killer showed no vulnerability. Though logic dictated their numerical advantage, finding a weak spot proved futile. A forceful impact on the turtle mask might have changed their dire situation.

"Kill," uttered the killer with a hoarse sound, expressing its deadly intent. Undeterred by their numbers, it swung its weapon through the air. The six students deftly dodged, exploiting the killer's slower movements due to its massive size.

They quickly scattered, rushing toward the exit. "Help!" cried Maeje, crawling toward her friends. In an unfortunate twist, she slipped and impaled her foot on a broken wooden piece, a horrifying sight for her friends prepared to flee the psychopath. Without hesitation, Alex, fueled by bravery, rushed to aid his injured friend. Maeje extended her arms, and with a swift pull, Alex rescued her. Maeje's blood stained the floor, but the pain was a small price to pay for escaping a potential gruesome fate.

The friends rallied around Alex, assisting him in carrying the wounded Maeje. "Run! Fast!" urged Angel, urging them towards the broken exit. The killer slowly pursued, prompting Ivan to anticipate its next move. The monster raised its weapon and hurled it towards the group, a lethal trajectory aimed at immediate death.

Thinking on his feet, Ivan grabbed a large broken door and a wooden table, shielding the group from the impending attack. The impact shattered the makeshift shield, but Ivan's sacrifice spared them from certain death.

Despite the pain, Ivan stood up, watching the killer approach. "Run!" he shouted, and the group moved to safety, leaving the monster behind.

"That's the one who captured Christian!" Darline exclaimed, tending to the wounded Maeje.

"I didn't notice a swamp here before. It must be the killer's doing," Gloyd observed.

"Let's run for now. We're powerless against that monster. We need to find a way out," Angel suggested.

As they fled, Ivan realized the weight of the killer's weapon was beyond ordinary. Survival took precedence over questioning, and they focused on creating distance from the slow-moving threat.

Temporarily safe, the group caught their breath. Ivan, still recovering, observed the killer slowly approaching. With a burst of energy, he joined his friends in a sprint to safety.

"That's the one who captured Christian!" Darline exclaimed while assisting the wounded Maeje.

"I didn't notice a swamp here before. It must be the killer's doing," Gloyd observed.

"Let's run for now. We couldn't win with that monster. Noel was useless against it. How can we even fight that one? We're powerless humans!" Angel exclaimed.

They glanced behind, noticing the turtle monster retrieving its bludgeon from the ground.

"He made the swamp," Alex stated confidently. The others looked at him. "The turtle can manipulate the ground; he must have barricaded the back route with a swamp to prevent us from escaping."

"That means…" Darline said with complete disbelief.

Alex nodded, "Yes, we're trapped."

Everyone surveyed their surroundings, realizing the swamp had encircled the cabin and its perimeters, leaving the six students confined.

"Find a safe spot for Maeje to lie on. We must face the turtle no matter what," Alex said.

Gloyd and Ivan placed the wounded Maeje behind a tree near the swamp barricade.

Maeje bit her lips, enduring extreme pain from the impalement. "I'm sorry I couldn't be of use."

"Just stay there," Ivan said calmly. "We're going to get out of this." He patted Maeje's back and returned to the group.

Alex continued to bite his lip, a thinking gesture infamous in their classroom. "Let's move to the side, away from Maeje." He commanded, and the others followed. They hid among trees and grasses common in marshes, observing the turtle monster pursuing them.

Holding each other's weapons, they attacked simultaneously, maintaining a safe distance from the monster. "He's enormous!" Gloyd shouted, attempting to pierce the seemingly impenetrable body. "But slow!" Ivan shouted from a distance. "Don't let it hit you, or you'll be torn to pieces!" Alex warned.

"Kill," the turtle monster muttered, its hoarse voice penetrating the students engaged in the fight. The monster swung its bludgeon, and the students skillfully dodged. The whooshing sound of the swinging weapon convinced them of the immediate danger.

Their stamina dwindled as they evaded the relentless attacks. The turtle monster's ragged clothes appeared as tough as steel, defying logic. "Even Noel's claws weren't effective. I thought you had a plan!" Gloyd shouted at Alex, who continued attacking and dodging.

Alex moved away, "I do, but without Kent, I can't do it."

"So much for a planner! Do you have something else?!" Gloyd exclaimed. Without a plan, victory seemed unattainable. Gloyd attempted to attack the monster from behind but slipped on the wet grass. "Oh N--." He muttered, facing an imminent direct hit from above.

Everyone watched their helpless classmate fall to the ground, anticipating a tragic outcome. Darline threw her spear towards the turtle's head, attempting to distract it. However, the spear missed, and the monster prepared for a lethal strike. Everyone shouted, "No!!!!!!!"

Suddenly, the turtle monster halted in the middle of the attack, leaving the others confused but relieved that Gloyd might escape.

Gloyd, aware of his situation, rolled away from the monster. "How?!" Darline shouted, looking at the spear she threw, which had pierced the cabin's wall.

"The wall!" She shouted.

Alex swiftly ran towards the cabin, slicing its walls with his spear. The wooden barriers broke apart as the group followed suit, kicking, punching, and smashing the walls. They watched the turtle monster writhe in pain. "That's right!" Gloyd exclaimed. "What?" Darline asked. Gloyd paused, "the poem's line, my house isn't worth to carry. This must be it! this house is the reason why the turtle's skin was impenetrable! This is his shell!" he shouted, cheering.

Everyone smiled. Now they had a chance to defeat the monster. A turtle without a shell seemed illogical in their past world, but these monsters evolved differently. If Darline hadn't thrown the spear, they wouldn't have decoded the last line of the poem.

"I guess missing was part of the plan," Darline joked.

Alex thought they could never escape this situation earlier, but now, they had a chance to defeat the monster that had left Noel helpless. And by defeating it, they could see Christian again.