It's Following

I vent for quite some time, throwing obscenities at the void in a hopeless rage. It isn't going to accomplish anything, but the screaming feels right.

The now-familiar perk screen was suddenly unfamiliar as it stood there unflinchingly at my insults. It had become a vivid red color and was challenging to read due to… static?

[Pleas- Se-ect Y-ur Perks F-r Resurr--tion]

[In--ea-ed Vo-ume] - S-ap F-ng-rs 10x in--ea-e

[D-cre-sed Vol-m-] - Sna- fi-gers 1-x red-ct-on

While attempting to decipher the text in front of me, the color of the screen slowly shifts to blue, and the static clears up—allowing me to continue unhindered.

Congratulations on unlocking new perks!

'New perks, great!'

[Tenacity] - You have survived until the end! Your reward for failing to complete your task in time is a more resilient body. You will receive slightly less damage from every threat.

[Swiftness] - You seem to always be in a rush. Allow this perk to hurry you along with a 10% increase to your overall speed and stamina.

"What the hell was with that static?" Before I select my perks, I want answers from the voice, but there is no response.

Time passes, yet nothing changes.

"Fine, I'll just assume you're messing with my head and call it a prank," It doesn't make sense to dwell on the topic. I have to figure out what I am going to do about the Ali situation.

I focus on decreased volume and expect to be transported immediately, when I realize I'm floating in the void like an idiot. 'That's right, the perks don't conflict.'

With decreased volume and swiftness, I should be able to make more of an impact on the new wasteland. Who needs tenacity if you can just avoid injury?

…

Knife? Check Bat? Of course. Backpack? Empty, but yes. Corpse in the corner? Definitely.

The beginning of my resurrection is becoming more tedious and annoying than difficult as I quickly enacted the same plan as before to defeat the door pounder. I knew now that I could last until the end of the cycle if I needed and this room may be the key to that.

I wouldn't be returning to Ali right now.

"This is stupid," I exhale as I climb down the fire escape yet again, "Why can't I just suck it up and meet Ali again."

The guaranteed safety of the apartment would be a blessing. Still, until I find a solution for her trauma that doesn't involve wasting all my time, I can't bear the thought of forcing her into the world.

While lost in thought, my foot trips over my shoelace, and I fall forward toward the final ladder. Panicking, I instinctively let go of the bat causing it to fall to the ground and roll near the passive creature, and reach for the rungs before I plunge to the ground below and suffer injury.

I hold my breath as I cling to the rung for dear life.

The bat stops rolling just shy of the monster, and everything seems fine—except for a stinging sensation in the palm of my hand.

Not wanting to lower myself to the ground if I'm injured, I climb up the decrepit structure to the first platform and inspect the injury. The stinging is deceiving as I see a small cut on my hand that oozes the familiar red color.

"Thank God, I thought I was going to have to go clean it up." I shake my head at myself and continue the journey. Approaching the ladder once more, I flex my hand a couple of times to loosen it up before I reach for the first rung.

The shallow wound is annoying, but it won't hinder my progress.

My hand wraps around the cold steel of the ladder and places pressure on the injury, causing the blood to pool around the rung. I see a single drop fall toward the dry ground below as I adjust my hands and get into a comfortable position.

'Now that I've figured you out, you're not my match!' The ladder that used to be a cause of concern was now a mere speed bump in my eyes.

Out of nowhere, a chill enters my body as I freeze in place. I refuse to move a muscle and can only stare at the rung in front of me as I hear a familiar growling from below.

'Don't look up, don't look up, don't look up,' I pray to myself, as, even with the decreased volume perk, I'm too terrified to breathe.

Seconds that feel like an eternity pass as my heart pounds harder and harder in my chest. Eventually, I hear shuffling and the creaking and popping of bones as if an old man is trying to sit comfortably in the alley.

'Thank you!'

Mustering all of my courage, I turn my head to inspect the scene. If it saw me, it would likely wait for me, but I wouldn't go down without knowing.

Spotting the lanky foe, I regret the choice immediately as I absorb the situation.

It is slumped against the wall as if it remains dormant, but the skull is far from normal—inflating before me. It ruptures as the flesh turns inside out and falls at the neck, landing on the torso of the body.

A black slug appears from within.

'What the hell is that?'

The creature lacks eyes, so I don't think it can see me, but my body shakes uncontrollably anyway. A sense of dread overcomes me as I watch the trail of rotten blood expand behind the new threat gliding toward me.

'It can't fly? Right?' My thoughts reel at the thought of this things ability to take care of me on the ladder. Did it undergo evolution?

What would be more terrifying than its previous form?

The tension is palpable as the monster moves closer at an alarming rate. Only my faint breath and the sloshing of the rotten blood and bile trail from the apparent host reach fill my mind.

It stops just below me as it vibrates in place.

'Oh God, does it explode?'

Just then, I feel another drop of blood roll off my hand and plummet toward the ground,

'Damn it'

The slug-like being immediately notices the change in its environment. Instead of being aggressive, it moves to the spot below the drop of blood and shakes again.

The trajectory of the droplet seems to change slightly as it lands on the beast and disappears.

'Is it the blood?'

Curious, I move my hand. If I'm going to die, I'm going to die with an answer! I squeeze my fist as many times as possible, producing an amount of the crimson liquid, and shake my hand erratically, sending it into the alley.

Before I lose sight of the blood, there is movement below.

It's following.