A Terrifying Transformation (13)

The neighbor turned in the direction of the noise, clutching his shotgun, and I, taking the bat out of the side pocket of my backpack, stood facing the open part of the hall.

Because of the burning debris behind and on the sides, only the destroyed part of the ventilation shaft and the stairs leading to the lower floor could be seen.

The seconds dragged on endlessly, it was getting hotter, the clothes stuck to the body, making it impossible to act more freely.

The first creatures appeared, and they ran a few meters, almost reaching half the distance, until Mr. Mark fired at the nearest target and knocked it down.

The howl emitted by the wounded creature tore apart the already oppressive atmosphere. However, after a minute, the creature rose to its feet, dragging a limb cut off to the bone. The creature's arm shrank with every step, making its dark gray body look even more emaciated.

While my neighbor was reloading his gun, I swung at the nearest monster.

As if in slow motion, I saw those crazy eyes, veiled in a scarlet veil, devouring me with their hungry luster. Now I could see the ragged hole where his nose had been and the needle-like bones covering the inside of his nostrils. After all, the face of this creature was only five centimeters from mine.

The creature stood in front of me, its huge mouth wide open, exposing razor-sharp fangs that seemed capable of swallowing an adult whole. I couldn't help but wonder how these creatures could divide a corpse among themselves with such massive jaws.

I expertly swung the bat, hitting one of the creatures on the head and bending the metal, but the creature just shook its head and growled in my face. Just as I was about to be devoured, half of his head disappeared, and warm liquid splattered my clothes.

The shot from my neighbor's gun made my ears ring loudly, and all other sounds became muffled.

However, the sight of the frightening creatures approaching us like a pack of hungry hyenas brought me back to reality. The creatures blocked our way. They seemed to enjoy the heat of the burning wreckage, purring like contented hunters. They watched us finish off their fallen comrades. Despite the disgust I felt from the blood of the slain creature filling my mouth and nose, I refrained from vomiting and prepared to meet their impending attack.

My arm was numb from the impact, and I relaxed my muscles in anticipation of their next move. However, the creatures stood and watched us, as if waiting for something.

One of the largest, almost twice the height of a man, rested his paws on the floor and released bones with sharp ends from his back and around his stomach. He opened his mouth and growled, and I couldn't help but wonder what that meant. Were they going to attack us with everything they had? Or was something even more terrifying going to happen?

The sight was absolutely terrifying, especially considering the length and lethality of their new weapons. It occurred to me that they might have grown exoskeletons to protect themselves from bullets.

The demonstration of the power of these creatures made me feel like a simple insect in their presence. I couldn't help but wonder if they were getting stronger and evolving faster than us. Perhaps they have known all along that they are the dominant species, and we are just insignificant creatures doomed to serve as their prey.

As I stepped back, my eyes met those of my neighbor, who was standing there with a gun on his shoulder, ready to fight. I couldn't help thinking that our weapons were useless against these monsters, that we were fighting a losing battle.

My thoughts were racing as I reached into my backpack and pulled out a cleaver. It was a simple knife, but it was better than nothing. Holding it in my hand, I felt a sense of grim determination. If I was going to die, I was going to die fighting.

But as the creatures approached, I couldn't shake the sense of doom creeping up on me. What chance did we have against these monsters that seemed to have otherworldly power and intelligence?

As if on command, the neighbor, without waiting for the actions of the creatures, shot at the one who first released the needle bones, and with the second bullet took off a slightly smaller creature.

I heard the sounds of reloading and watched the outcome of the surprise attack.

The first fell backwards, the second was able to walk a few steps before he fell, bleeding from an open through wound on his right shoulder.

The neighbor shouted:

- Try to leave deep cuts on them, maybe we can buy time before dawn.

I met another creature with my bat, almost crashing into the needle growths. The creature was taller than the others, and its spikes seemed longer and sharper. Fear gripped me as it lunged forward, but I managed to dodge its attack by turning my leg at the last second. With a quick, fluid movement, I swung the cleaver at an angle, and the tip entered the creature's forearm, where there were free parts of the body without spikes.

As I watched, a dark gray spot began to spread around the wound, melting away the creature's flesh. The puddle grew larger and larger, and a sickening smell filled my nostrils. I tore off the cleaver, and pieces of hard leather and dust fell off the weapon with a plop.

For the fourth time, I forced myself to use my left hand and helped finish off the nearest creatures while my neighbor covered me at critical moments. But with each passing moment, my hand grew numb, and I could feel my grip on the cleaver loosening.

The creatures were getting smaller and weaker, but they kept coming. I was exhausted, my side was tingling, and adrenaline was raging in my blood. The cleaver was blunted by so much use, and it didn't cut through the grayish skin as quickly as before, forcing me to strain my remaining strength. The floor was littered with puddles, and it turned into a full-fledged lake as more and more creatures fell.

I couldn't believe how quickly I had become used to killing these creatures. Every time I struck a blow, I felt a pang of guilt and a sense of horror at what I had become. But I had no choice. It was either kill or be killed.

The fire was dying out in drops of purple rain, leaving black coals, and darkness began to envelop us. I looked up and saw that there were still more creatures coming towards us, their eyes glowing in the dark.

"I don't have that many bullets left," my neighbor shouted, his voice barely audible over the sound of our breathing. But despite his words, I felt a sense of confidence growing within me. I knew that as long as he had even one bullet left, we still had a chance.