Destination Zero (4)

Suddenly, Charlie's voice pierced through the chaotic symphony of death. "In here!" He directed them towards a room. But as Charlie bolted towards the safe haven, one of the creatures gave chase, its ghastly figure closing in on him with every passing second. Acting on instinct, Lando dashed after them, his heart pounding in his chest.

A piercing scream rang out as Charlie was tackled onto a bed by the pursuing creature, the force of the impact snapping the furniture into splinters. Lando leveled his weapon at the beast, ready to fire, but the creature was quicker. It clawed mercilessly at Charlie, its sharp talons leaving deep gashes across his body.

Charlie's pain-filled pleas for help grew more frantic and slurred with each passing second. "H..elp!" he gasped, desperation seeping into his trembling voice. Lando, consumed by his protective instincts, shot repeatedly at the creature until it laid lifeless, its monstrous form finally motionless.

Breathless and trembling, Lando rushed over to Charlie, pressing his hands onto his friend's neck to staunch the bleeding. He tried to sound encouraging, to bring a sliver of hope into Charlie's fading eyes. "Hey, dumbass, stay awake! We've still got to get out of here!" But his voice was laced with desperation, his eyes filled with unshed tears.

To his surprise, Charlie wrapped his arms around him, clutching onto Lando with the last of his strength, his eyes glossy with unshed tears. "Help me… h..elp," he whimpered, his voice growing weaker with each passing moment. Lando stiffened at the unexpected embrace, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he returned the gesture, wrapping his arms around Charlie. "I'm so sorry!" he choked out, his voice a mere whisper in the deadly silence of the room.

And then, as if someone had flipped a switch, Charlie stopped breathing, his arms falling limply to his sides. His once vibrant eyes stared blankly at nothing, the light within them extinguished forever. The room plunged into a deafening silence, broken only by the shallow gasps of the remaining survivors, each grappling with their loss and fear. They had entered as a team of formidable warriors, but now, they were a diminishing group of survivors, fighting not just against their monstrous enemies, but also against the crushing weight of their own despair.

•••

For an eternal moment, Lando found himself locked in a vacant stare at the lifeless body of Charlie. His mind strained to process the reality of death - a stark and grim reality that hadn't seemed possible for the lovable goofball that was Charlie. He was a character who often played the fool amongst the recruits, an endearing soul, loved despite, or perhaps because of, his idiocy.

Casp, his eyes misty with unshed tears, gazed mournfully at Charlie's body. His hand rose instinctively to wipe away the intrusive droplets that threatened to spill over. Suddenly, Daniel whirled around, his face a mask of urgency. The creatures were still in relentless pursuit. "We need to leave, now!" he yelled, his voice echoing ominously. He swiftly raised his weapon and fired, silencing one of the monsters with a decisive shot.

Lando, still wrestling with the void left by Charlie's departure, stoically nodded his agreement. He gently placed his two fingers over Charlie's cold, lifeless eyes, pulling the lids down in a final act of respect. He inhaled deeply, then exhaled, a silent prayer escaping his lips. Steeling himself, he rose to his feet, gun clutched in his grip, ready for battle. With a swift dash, he burst out of the momentary sanctuary, taking aim at the creatures and unleashing a flurry of bullets.

Suddenly, a creature lunged at him, its blood-curdling eyes locked on its prey. Reacting instinctively, Lando drew a 7-inch blade from his sheath and swiped at the monstrous beast. The creature recoiled momentarily, retaliating with a swift swing of its deadly claws.

Lando swiftly tilted his head back, narrowly avoiding the lethal swing. His alert eyes scanned the area behind him as his teammates held the line, showering bullets onto the creatures that dared to charge at them. The vivid blue hue of their alien blood painted a gruesome mural on the surrounding walls and floor.

It was then that he noticed some peculiarities. A few of the creatures were garbed in bandit uniforms, their bodies seeming fresher than the rest. Those bearing the wear of the desert sands appeared older, in a state of decay. This was more than mere creatures. It had to be some sort of virus, but how did one turn into such a horror? These questions invaded Lando's mind just as he heard Daniel's voice, an agonized grunt escaping his lips. Daniel clutched his head, staggering back from the group.

"Dan?!" Renan's voice was laced with fear as she tried to approach him. But Casp, his arm shooting out in caution, halted her. "Don't! Something's happening," he warned, his voice teetering on the edge of panic. They could only watch in helpless dread as Daniel struggled to maintain his balance, leaning heavily against the grimy wall.

The creatures paused in their assault, their perverse gazes drawn to the spectacle of Daniel's suffering. Some seemed to smile, a gruesome sight that sent a surge of revulsion through Lando. The sight, however, provided a momentary distraction. Without wasting a second, Lando pivoted on his heel, flipping his blade to face the left. He charged at the nearest creature, his arm swinging powerfully to the left, the knife finding its mark in the creature's head. The creature collapsed, its body going limp as Lando withdrew the knife, alien blue blood dripping from its blade.

Approaching Renan and Casp, Lando turned his attention back to Daniel, who let out an ear-piercing scream. "Ahhh! It hurts!" He cried, his voice echoing in the confined space. Blue blood seeped from his eyes and mouth in a horrifying display of torment. He pleaded for help, clawing at his face as grotesque nails replaced his old ones. He screamed again, the guttural sound of pain causing shivers to run down their spines.

Daniel's transformation continued in horrifying detail. His head started to bubble and morph, taking the same shape as the creatures. His hair fell out in clumps, his clothes tearing apart under the strain of his changing form. His eyes took on an eerie yellow glow, and then all movement ceased. After a heart-stopping moment, he raised his head, a terrifying smile revealing razor-sharp teeth.

Renan, her face a mask of grief and determination, leveled her gun at Daniel and pulled the trigger. His body crumpled to the ground, a fresh wave of blue blood pooling around him. The creatures let out an earsplitting screech in response and resumed their pursuit. Lando, his eyes wide with realization, bellowed a warning. "Don't let them scratch you! Run!" He sprinted ahead, with Casp and Renan following close behind, their footsteps echoing around the narrow walls.

Renan's eyes widened with alarm as the walls around them began to buckle and dent under the relentless pounding of the creatures. The beasts tore through the metal effortlessly, several of them pouring into their path. Casp reacted instinctively, yanking a metal pipe from above and swinging it wildly. A creature lunged at him, only to be impaled by the pipe, coughing up a torrent of blue blood. He dispatched the creature with a swift stomp to its head.

"Take care of the ones behind us!" Casp shouted. Lando spun around, his gun aimed at the encroaching creatures. He fired relentlessly until his gun clicked - it was jammed. He swore under his breath as two creatures, a sinister smile on their faces, made a dash towards him.

In a flash, Renan swung her gun towards them and fired, bringing down the creatures. Meanwhile, a swarm of others began to claw at the ground, breaking through the metal floor with horrifying ease. Their escape had turned into a desperate battle for survival.

With a rising sense of dread, Lando spotted the creatures focusing their grotesque efforts on the floor, their claws ferociously scratching against the metal surface. "Guys! They're digging!" he hollered, alerting his comrades. He watched in alarm as the creatures, having successfully breached the metal, proceeded to burrow into the soft sand beneath.

Instinctively, Lando raised his gun, aiming for the creatures that attempted to join their burrowing counterparts. He squeezed the trigger, each successful shot echoing ominously in the narrow space. Beside him, Renan mimicked his actions, her own gunfire resonating in a desperate symphony of survival.

In the meantime, Casp scrutinized the creatures' digging efforts with a perplexed look. "What the hell are they doing?!" he bellowed, confusion evident in his tone. His question hung in the air, an unanswered echo amidst the unfolding chaos.

Suddenly, the air was filled with the unsettling sound of metal groaning under strain. Lando's heart pounded in his chest as he recognized the imminent danger. "Damn it!" he yelled, his voice barely audible over the disconcerting noise. The entire building began to tremble, the vibrations unsettling beneath their feet.

Renan turned to Lando, her eyes wide with panic. "What are they up to?!" she demanded, her voice threaded with fear.

"I don't know!" he responded, his voice catching in his throat. It was then that he noticed the portion of the floor beneath Casp sinking ominously. "Casp!" Lando shouted in alarm, but before he could move, the floor beneath Casp gave way. Casp's scream filled the air, a horrified cry that swiftly dwindled into a chilling echo.

Lando, his heart pounding with adrenaline, quickly turned to Renan. He sprinted towards her, his voice choked with urgency. "Renan-" he managed to blurt out, but before he could finish, the floor beneath them crumbled away.

Suddenly, they were plunged into an abyss, the dim light above them receding rapidly. They were engulfed by an unforgiving pitch-black darkness, their cries echoing off unseen walls as they plummeted into the unknown.