LIVES ON THE LINE

Just after Fernando heard those four words, the signal went dead, leaving only static. A chill swept through Fernando. He felt a sick certainty building in his gut. Quickly and quietly, he made his way over to Ashiro who was currently reading a book in the living room, sitting down beside him.

"Hey Ashiro," he murmured, brushing the silver hair from the boy's face. Ashiro's stirred, his cyan eyes towards Fernando with an expectant look on his face as he spoke up in high spirits.

"Am ready!"

Although his response took Fernando by surprise, it didn't take long before he understood what Ashiro meant by that inwhich he replied with a warm smile on his face.

"Oh not now Ashiro, I want you to do something for me. Right after that, I will give you your gift"

'Seem like I will go through a test first huh?' Ashiro thought as he felt motivated as he gave Fernando a confident nod. When Fernando saw this, he slightly got relieved as he said. "Now listen" his voice low and steady. "I need you to hide in the storage closet, alright? I'll be back soon. Promise."

Although Ashiro was confused by this request as he blinked, but eventually he nodded, trusting Fernando without hesitation. Not long after, they arrived at the storage closet as he climbed into it which is at the back of the cabin, and Fernando closed the door quietly, pressed his hand against it for a moment before turning away.

'Now let's see what's going on out there'

He moved swiftly to the radio room, where he activated the surveillance screens set up to monitor the perimeter around the cabin. His heart dropped at the sight.

The first screen showed the scattered remains of his men– his best scouts and trackers who has survived the apocalypse till now— strewn across the ground like ragdolls, their bodies twisted and broken in ways that defied reason. The forest floor was littered with limbs and bloody remnants, painted with horror in the pale light of the shadows behind the moon.

He swallowed hard, forcing himself to stay calm. Another screen flickered on, displaying the twisted shapes of the creatures approaching, loping through the trees with inhumane, jerking movements. Ten of them–Space Kaiju— hungry, grotesque beings with flesh that seemed to glisten, pulled taut over skeletal forms, their eyes cold and dead.

'This is bad, what should I do?'

Fernando gritted his teeth, his weight of his promise to Ashiro pressing down on him like a lead weight. They were closing in fast, their needle-like claws slicing through the branches and foliage as they advanced towards the cabin.

His training kicked in, and he scanned the room, calculating. He'd need to act fast to have any chance at getting Ashiro out alive. There were two routes they could take: an old service tunnel running under the cabin or a dangerous sprint through the dense trees. Either way, it would be a brutal escape.

He pulled a handgun from his belt and loaded it, knowing it wouldn't do much against a Kaiju but hoping it might buy him enough time to distract them. With one last look at the screens, he braced himself, steeling his resolve.

Fernando returned to the closet and opened the door just enough to see Ashiro's wide eyes staring back at him.

"Change of plans, Ashiro" he whispered. "We're going out the back. Stay close to me, no matter what."

Although he was bewildered by such an order, Ashiro still nodded, sensing the fear and determination in Fernando's voice. The two slipped out of the cabin, staying low as they edged toward the service tunnel at the cabin's edge. Every instinct in Fernando screamed to run, to get as far as possible from the monstrous shapes that closed in, but he forced himself to stay calm for Ashiro's sake.

The creatures were nearly upon them, and Fernando could hear their guttural, chittering sounds as they approached. He squeezed Ashiro's hand tightly, the sound of his heartbeat loud in his ears as they moved silently into the shadows, hoping to survive another night in a world turned nightmare.

"What is going on Uncle Fernando? Why are we leaving the house tonight?" Noticing that something is wrong with Fernando and the environment as a whole, Ashiro suddenly asked with a curious look on his face. His questions quickly brought Fernando back to his senses as he looked at Ashiro. After he did, he finally calmed down before he said in whisper. "There are monster fast approaching the house right now, you don't want to be monster food right?"

"Monsters? The same ones that killed my parents?" Ashiro quickly asked back with a startled and frightened look on his face. With a sad sigh, Fernando replied. "Sadly yes, but I am a hundred percent certain that your parents don't want you to end up as them so do all you can to stay alive alright!?"

Although Ashiro was dejected to hear that, but what Fernando said later helped lifted up his spirits as he mutter with an intense fighting spirit. "Hmm!"

'Good' Fernando thought with a satisfactory look on his face before his eyes face forward.

And so, the narrow, damp tunnel stretched before them, silent save for the occasional drip of water echoing in the darkness. Fernando moved carefully, his steps light and silent, with Ashiro close at his side. The child's hand clutched Fernando's tightly, his cyan eyes wide and watchful in the dim glow of Fernando's flashlight. They moved like shadows, weaving through the twists and turns, with only the faintest hope of escape guiding them forward.

'Finally'

After what felt like an eternity, they reached the end of the tunnel. Fernando pressed a hand against the rusted steel door and carefully pushed it open, wincing as it creaked. The night air flooded in, cool and sharp, filling their lungs with the scent of pine and damp earth. They emerged cautiously, finding themselves in a clearing bordered by towering trees, illuminated by the silvery glow of the moon. Fernando took a deep, steadying breath, scanning the area.

"We made it," he whispered, relief softening his features for the briefest moment. He gave Ashiro's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Stay close. We're almost clear."

But then, as his foot pressed into the ground, he felt it shift beneath him. A faint, unnatural rumble coursed through the earth, sending a chill up his spine.

Before he could react, the ground around them erupted in a violent spray of dirt and roots. Dark, twisted shapes shot up from the earth—creatures similar to the grotesque Kaiju they had fled, yet somehow different. Leaner, with sinewy, battle-scarred bodies, their limbs bore an unnatural grace and strength. These monsters had hardened, armored scales covering their torsos, glistening like onyx in the moonlight. Their jaws hung open, revealing rows of serrated teeth as they let out low, guttural growls that reverberated through the clearing.

Fernando tensed, instinctively moving in front of Ashiro, his hand reaching for his gun, though he knew it was all but useless against creatures like these as he thought.

'I can't believe these ones were amongst the pursuers. What shitty luck is this'

The Kaiju surrounding Fernando were a far cry from the mindless creatures he'd encountered before based on the information he has acquired on the Kaijus over the past 10 years of being on the run. These ones moved with a sinister purpose, their lean, sinewy forms betraying a brutal efficiency. Their bodies were plated with rough, jagged scales, thick as armor and scarred from countless battles, giving them a hardened, almost militaristic appearance. Dark, slitted eyes glinted in the moonlight, tracking his every movement with a frightening intelligence.

Each Kaiju held a menacing stance, crouched low to the ground with their sharp, hooked claws digging into the dirt. Their limbs, longer and more agile than typical Kaiju Fernando has seen most times, tensed in perfect coordination as they tightened the circle. Fernando felt the blood drain from his face as he took in the grim situation—these weren't mindless beasts. They were hunters, trained for the kill, and, judging by their organized movements, they were working as a pack.

"Stay behind me," he whispered, his voice a mix of fear and determination.

The Kaiju circled them, their movements unsettlingly agile, as if they were trained for the hunt. These were no ordinary creatures—they were hunters, bred and conditioned for battle, their cold, dead eyes fixated on the intruders in their territory.

One of the creatures, larger and scarred with claw marks, stepped forward, its milky eyes narrowing as it sized up Fernando. The other creatures tightened their circle, their bodies tensed to spring at any moment.

Fernando's mind raced, searching for an escape. They were surrounded, cut off from any hope of fleeing through the forest. His eyes darted to the nearby rocks, the fallen branches—a feeble arsenal against creatures so fierce and unyielding. But there was no other choice. If they were to survive, they'd have to fight.

"Listen, Ashiro," Fernando murmured, his voice calm despite the fear raging inside. "When I tell you to run, you don't look back. Find cover in the trees and keep moving."

Ashiro's small hand trembled in his, but he nodded, his expression one of silent resolve. He didn't need to be told twice.

Fernando's grip tightened around his weapon, his stance firm as he prepared to do the unthinkable: face down the monsters closing in, if only to buy Ashiro a fleeting chance at escape. The air was heavy with tension, and in the eerie quiet of the night, the only sound was the low, menacing growls of the Kaiju, hungry for the hunt.

And then, the silence shattered.