Bang!
The door slammed open, smashing into the chem-hound's head and sending it sprawling onto its side as Claggor charged through.
Orion followed closely behind, the others sprinting past in a blur of motion.
The Chem Hound, its head deformed with green fluids leaking from its eyes and mouth, and spikes protruding from its body, scrambled, trying to get back to its feet.
Click-BANG!
A deafening gunshot echoed through the chamber, followed by a sickening thud as the hound's head hit the stone floor. Powder let out a terrified shriek, and Mylo's panicked voice rang out.
"Go go go!"
Horrifying, gurgling wails tore through the air. Bloodshot eyes blazed with rage as the Chem Ghoul limply dragged itself upright. Loose scraps of metal clattered across the floor, adding to the chaos of the moment.
Its movements were jagged and unnatural, like a contortionist manipulating its limbs in an eerie dance.
With terrifying speed, it lunged at Orion, grotesque and rotten teeth gnashing and snapping at empty air, driven by unrelenting hunger to rip out his throat.
'Holy shit! Those guys are lucky it focused on me!'
Orion side-stepped, slamming the butt of his pistol into the creature's temple, feeling its tumored flesh and bone crunch under the force. The blow stunned it briefly as it tumbled to the ground.
He stomped on its head, shouting and shattering it. Bloody fragments sprayed and mixed with the dirty water and chemicals. While brief and unnoticed by him, it illuminated a purple glint that flickered through his eyes.
Breathing heavily, Orion looked up and saw the other kids had fled completely.
'What the fuck? Not even a glance back to see if-'
A terrifying scream turned his attention to see another creature diving off the top of a trash mound at him, its teeth bared.
Deformed fingers clawed and dug into his arms as they both slammed into the ground. The creature landed on top, forcing a pained cry from Orion.
His gun flew out into the bloody pool beside him, sacrificed as he rammed his forearm into the creature's mouth to prevent it from ripping out his throat.
"AGH! YOU SON OF A—!"
For a moment, the ghoul's bloodshot eyes locked with his, bloodlust radiating from its cold stare. Then it continued its frenzied attacks. It let go of his forearm and started snapping its jagged teeth toward his throat while its fingernails clawed painfully into his arms.
Perhaps it was the adrenaline. Orion felt the bite and the claws but couldn't feel the pain. His blood dripped down onto his face and his arm felt numb. Snarling, Orion grabbed the creature's head and punctured its eyes with his thumbs.
"FUCK YOU!" he roared as the ghoul thrashed violently in his grip. Green goo and saliva sprayed his face as the monster screamed.
Specks of blood and sludge splashed across the floor as the creature tried clawing deeper, but it was now Orion that had control. Bitter rage surged through him as he began to channel.
Bright flashes of blue light erupted from Orion's palms into the Chem Ghoul's skull and the entire back of its head blew out. The gore sprayed his lower body and the trash piles while its body, limp, had to be shoved off with a pained groan. He scrambled back to his feet.
Panting, vision blurred with blood, he turned to the next sound. Wet feet pattering toward him.
Another one. Only one.
It was slower, more rigid. It groaned weakly, shielding its face. The earlier burst of light had made it shrink back in pain.
'Bright light. A weakness to many creatures that live in the dark.'
Gritting his teeth, Orion scanned the environment. His gaze locked onto a jagged, one-inch-thick metal rod jutting from a pile of trash.
He grabbed it and charged. The creature stumbled backward, lowering its arms just in time to see Orion driving the rod forward.
Its body convulsed, bile bubbling from its mouth, and a distorted wail escaping its lips as Orion drove it into its skull and ripped it out.
It collapsed but somehow still twitched with life. One arm weakly reached out trying to scratch at Orion's leg.
Crack.
The sickening crunch of metal and bone silenced it and everything else except for the droplets of blood falling.
---------------------------
"Are we leaving him behind?" Powder whimpered, crying between her words.
The gang, wide-eyed and full of fear, stared back at the open entrance. All they could see was a dark veil, hear the screams of horrifying creatures, and the shouts of Orion.
"W-We have to help him!" Vi's voice trembled, scared. A rare sight for the gang to see her falter so openly.
"You're kidding, right?!" Mylo shouted angrily. "We barely know the guy! Let's get out of here!"
"No, we aren't!" Claggor snapped, taking a dangerous step toward a startled Mylo. "He helped me twice. I'm not leaving him this time!"
Mylo's mouth opened, then closed. He looked away.
"Then let's get back in there!" Vi said shakily, clenching her fists. "Powder, stay here with Mylo."
"I'm not gonna be left out here with Jinx! Fuck it, let's save him together. We're all going to die..."
Vi let out relieved chuckles through emotional breaths, wiping away tears that had started to form. Powder stood at her side, small eyes full of shining determination as she clutched Vi's arm.
Mylo glanced between them and grumbled under his breath. "You're all nuts…"
But then the shouts and screams abruptly stopped just as they began stepping toward the entrance.
As if in answer, an angry roar echoed from the dark entryway, freezing them all in place.
"Let's kick its ass..." Vi muttered, her confidence evaporating while her eyes widened with cautious hope as she stared past the gang into the smog-filled streets.
A shadowy figure emerged, its towering presence halting them in their tracks.
A low, familiar, gruff voice cut through the silence like a beast's snarl.
"We'll talk when we get back."
"Vander, I can explain!" Vi's voice faltered, trembling, then silent. She realized her words were falling on deaf ears.
Vander's eyes were sharp, his jaw clenched, broad shoulders taut with restrained fury. Without a glance he strode straight past them toward the entryway.
The gang exchanged uneasy glances. Claggor and Mylo shifted nervously, knowing they were in trouble. Powder clung tighter to Vi who swallowed hard, heart sinking.
Even in the face of her fear, Vi stepped after him.
Regardless of what Vander might say, she broke into step behind him after several paces. Her eyes held clear resolution, despite the risk of further angering him.
The others hesitated for a beat before following. They wanted to help Orion, wanted to see Vander destroy the creature, but fear still lingered. Even Mylo, gritting his teeth, didn't stay behind.
Vander came to an abrupt halt just beyond the doorway, his massive form expanding as he sucked in a breath, eyes widening in visible shock.
Vi, right behind him, tensed immediately. She had never seen Vander falter like this. Her gaze darted ahead and she froze. Her expression twisted into a blend of shock and horror. The rest of the gang, trailing behind, mirrored the same stunned reaction.
For Vi and Powder, it was like reliving the bridge scene all over again.
A shadowy figure loomed over a writhing corpse, jagged metal rod raised high before slamming it down with tremendous force. The sickening crunch of bone followed by a wet impact reverberated through the chamber.
Blood of various hues sprayed around him, pooling in warped colors in the chemical puddles beneath his feet. The stench of blood, rust, and death mingled grotesquely with the scene, etching itself into their minds.
Mangled bodies littered the floor.
The shadowy figure panted heavily, slowly straightening as it turned to face them.
Clothes tattered and torn, blood dripping from deep lacerations across his arms and body, Orion's gaze lifted slowly. His lower half was soaked in blood, and his face was a grim canvas of red and green filth.
Shock flickered in his expression as he saw Vander and the gang frozen in the doorway. He exhaled in relief, a wry smile spreading across his face as realization dawned.
"Ah... so that's how they escaped."
Vi couldn't move. Her fists clenched at her sides not from anger this time, but from a helplessness she didn't understand. She was supposed to be strong. The one who led the charge, the one who didn't freeze. But seeing Orion like this, drenched in blood and alive through nothing but sheer grit, made something twist in her chest.
It reminded her too much of Vander. Of someone standing in front of danger, alone, just to keep others safe.
She hated it.
Hated that it wasn't her in that room.
Hated that she'd hesitated.
And more than anything… hated how much she cared.
"You guys..."
Vi flinched, her mind returning to the moment as Orion's voice echoed.
"Is everyone safe?"