“This is so boring! Can’t I just break something? Maybe that will lure it out.”
The man’s words sent a shiver down my spine. I couldn’t believe it actually worked. A strange sensation coursed through my body and my right arm, in particular, felt funny. It was numb, as if I had slept on it for an entire night, accompanied by an odd, subtle twitching. I recalled this sensation from 2 days ago.
Olivia’s concerned eyes met mine. “Alex, is everything ok?”
I was tongue tied, caught in a mixture of gratitude and shock. I couldn’t comprehend how I was able to do that, but it had proven to be incredibly useful. However, given the odd sensations after coming back to life, I couldn’t help but worry about the possible side effects of this newfound power.
After a few seconds, as if a soothing wave had washed over me, my muscles relaxed, and I could feel strength returning to my limbs, each sensation a welcome relief from the earlier torment.
Despite that, alongside these physical changes, a rush of emotions still lingered, reminding me of the harrowing ordeal I had just gone through.
Overwhelmed with relief, I pulled both Olivia and the man into a tight hug.
Olivia blushed and stammered. “A-Alex, where did that come from?”
The man on the other hand, appeared to be very satisfied. “Dunno where it came from, but I don’t mind!”
I was just happy to see them again. Just a few seconds ago, Olivia was dead, and the man possessed by that monster. In a couple of minutes, things were going to escalate. We didn’t have much time, so I began thinking.
The situation was much worse than we had anticipated. I expected there to be one or two of them, nevertheless we had four to deal with. Not to mention, the painted eyed one wasn’t an enemy we could beat head on.
Should we make a run for it? Maybe if we called it off now, the man could get us away safely. A certain phrase then came to mind.
“This is indeed a most suitable vessel, with this I’ll finally escape this prison.”
Was that thing somehow trapped in this place? If so, it wouldn’t be able to chase us once we exited the mall.
I said urgently. “You guys, we need to get out of here. We’re all going to die if we stay here.”
They both looked at me confused. The man spoke up. “Alex, what came over you all of a sudden? You know what we came here to do.”
Time was running out, I desperately needed to convince them. Otherwise, things would inevitably repeat like they did before. I shivered at the thought as I gripped my right arm. No, I wasn’t going to let this happen again.
“Please trust me, we need to get out of here. I’ll explain later, so think of it as a strategic retreat.”
Olivia seemed to agree with the sudden change in plans. The man, however, appeared to be deep in thought.
There was a hint of sadness in his eyes as he spoke. “It’s not about trusting you Alex, it’s just that, more people are going to die if we don’t kill it today. I’m not going to let anyone die under my watch again. Otherwise, I don’t think I could live with myself.”
“Again?” I wondered aloud, my concern evident. Ignoring me, he gestured towards the entrance. “If you really insist, I’ll escort yo-“
Before he could finish his sentence, the stench of decay filled the air. The 7-meter monstrosity was once again prowling the second floor. I cursed myself for being too late. The man’s reaction hadn’t changed. Before I could intervene, he charged forward and swiftly dispatched the monster, sending it crashing down to the first floor yet again.
Me and Olivia could take our chances to escape, however if I left the man alone, he would get possessed just like before.
Realizing that escape wasn’t an option, I resolved to fight with all my strength. As the man triumphantly raised his axe, I grabbed two grenades from the bag and hurled them at the approaching beasts behind us. Fortunately, there were no people in the vicinity, but I didn’t want to risk any injuries from the explosion.
The pigs, surprised their ambush failed, charged at us with great force. I picked up Olivia and jumped off the third floor, a loud explosion echoed behind us.
Olivia clung to me tightly as she screamed. The ground rushed up to meet us at a breakneck pace, a fall that should have been fatal. However, as the world whirled around us, and my heart threatened to burst from my chest, our eyes met. The man, springing from the ground floor reached his arms out, catching us mid air.
For a moment, it was as if we were suspended in time. The deafening roar of the explosion was replaced by the rush of the wind in my ears as we hurtled downward. And then, with incredible finesse, the man executed a perfect landing, touching down on the mall’s shattered floorboards.
Dust and debris billowed around us as he gently released us from his grasp. His voice, tinged with awe, broke through the chaos. “That was like a scene out of an action movie Alex!” He exclaimed with a grin as we regained our footing.
Holding a thumbs up he continued. “Really though, that was some quick thinking on your part. It seems there were more than we though-”
“How intriguing.”
The monstrosity I hated the most now stood just a few feet away from us. The man was preparing to charge at it with full force, but I barely managed to hold him back. “Don’t!” He looked at me, bewildered. The painted eyed creature held its chin as it continued.
“You can discern the overwhelming difference between us? I commend your instincts young man. That being said, whatever should I do? I’ve come across two fitting vessels.”
I was taken aback. Two? Who the hell was the second person? Had something changed this time? A loud thump interrupted my thoughts. It was the other two beasts. At first glance, they were practically unharmed.
Despite that, a closer look at the flowery one revealed it was emanating smoke, with some light burns on its already compromised flesh. Did it take the hit for the muscular one?
Perhaps those vines were blast proof, as that would explain how it survived the explosion in my previous life.
“Hmm, I suppose I’ll let fate decide. Kill one of the two men and the woman.” Having said that, the red eyed one vanished.
All at once, the cacophonous echoes of anguished screams pierced the air, jolting me from my senses. What unfolded before me was a nightmarish tableau, a tableau painted with the colors of terror and despair.
As I cast my gaze upward, my eyes bore witness to a dreadful spectacle: Figures plummeting from the higher reaches of the mall, their agonized faces contorted in the throes of torment.
A haunting symphony of bone-cracking snaps reverberated through the air, while their once-human forms convulsed violently, as if subjected to the malevolent whims of an unseen, demonic puppeteer.
In the gruesome aftermath, they emerged from the abyss, reborn in an unnatural state. Their twisted bodies, now macabre bouquets of blood-red flora, erupted in a grotesque parody of life. Flesh and petals merged in a ghastly dance, a mockery of the living, forever imprisoned in an eldritch nightmare.
How the hell did this happen? It was then I recalled an earlier observation of the flowery one. When struck, it released some sort of green dust from its body. Was that what caused these people to transform into these disfigured abnormalities? I grit my teeth, that fucking monster was taking it too far.
I wasn’t the only one overwhelmed by anger. Olivia appeared both frightened and furious. The man tightened his grip on his axe, his breath quickening as he pointed to the flowery one. “You’re as good as dead.” I couldn’t have agreed more.
Nonetheless, the red-eyed one seemed to be observing for the time being, and I intended to seize every precious moment of that opportunity. First things first, we had to separate the two pigs.
Since lethal grenades wouldn’t do, I pulled out a stun grenade from the bag and tossed it at the inhuman mob. A flash of blinding light occurred afterwards, and the three of us turned around, avoiding the intense glare.
In response, the hulking creature slammed the floor with an earth-shattering impact. The force was so tremendous that it triggered a minor earthquake, causing the entire building to quiver and groan in protest.
Shattered glass clattered to the floor, and the building’s framework creaked as the structural integrity of the mall strained under the creature’s assault. The very foundations of the mall seemed to tremble under the weight of the creature’s power, amplifying the sense of impending doom.
I gripped the man’s shoulder. “You take out that behemoth, we’ll hold off the rest.”
If I had to guess, it surpassed the man in physical strength, however I still chose to believe in him.
The man fixed a serious gaze on me. “Alright, don’t die, you hear?” I nodded and he charged at the muscular one, seizing it by the throat. He then proceeded to leap to the third floor as I turned to Olivia. “Here. Take my pistol, we’re going to distract them until he returns. Let’s keep our distance.”
Olivia acknowledged with a nod, and together, we ascended the escalator to the second floor. From there, we had a clear view of the intense showdown between the man and the muscular one. It was a brutal brawl, with each punch delivering shockwaves akin to the thunderous blast of a cannonball. Unfazed, the mutated bystanders started charging up the escalator.
The flowery one instead stood there and simply observed us. I wondered if it had been affected by the blast after all, but we had a whole group to deal with.
I pulled out two more explosive grenades and tossed them at the escalators, causing them to partially collapse and hinder the mob’s movements.
Despite my efforts, a few of them managed to push through. I gazed at them intently, tears streaming down their frightened faces. These innocent people had no part in causing this chaos, yet they were ensnared in this ordeal.
While it felt justifiable to eliminate the monstrous entities, as they were far from human, the same couldn’t be said for these unfortunate souls. If I were to open fire on them, wouldn’t it be considered murder?
My resolve began to waver, my trembling hands clutching the shotgun before me. A sudden gunshot jolted me back to reality. Olivia, her face twisted with anguish, had begun firing. Yes, we needed to forge ahead, to reclaim our lives.
With a battle cry, I joined in the onslaught. Blood splattered across the floor, their agonized screams resonating through the shattered mall. I could never forgive them, not a single one of those pigs.
As the group dwindled, the flowery one decided to join, using his its fleshly vines to climb up. I fired at it, only for said vines to grab whatever corpse was nearby as a shield.
I grabbed Olivia’s hand and together, we bolted towards the farthest end of the floor. The writhing vines pursued us relentlessly, extending with remarkable reach, narrowly missing their mark. As we turned a corner, one of the vines slashed Olivia’s leg and we were forced to seek refuge in one of the shops, our hearts racing as we tried to catch our breath.
I borrowed a bandage from Olivia and wrapped it tight around her injured thigh. As I did, she winced, but I shot her a reassuring glance. With utmost care, I placed my hand gently over her mouth, my eyes locking onto hers.
My other hand rose, and I pressed a finger to my lips, silently urging her to maintain absolute silence. The flowery one poked its head inside, its horrifying eyes scanning around, searching for us.
I held my breath, fervently praying it wouldn’t detect us. The consequences of being discovered in this confined store, with our route to escape cut off, were dire, likely resulting in our demise. After a brief, heart pounding pause, it resumed its dash past the store, its footsteps echoing through the shattered mall.
I removed my hand and whispered. “You stay here, I’ll go distract it, so it doesn’t interrupt their fight.” As I began to rise, she reached out and grabbed my wrist, her eyes filled with determination. “I’m coming with you.”
I tenderly squeezed her hand. “You can’t exactly run in your condition, now can you? That thing is very fast, and it won’t hesitate to take advantage of any openings we give it.”
After a brief pause, she replied. “Promise me you won’t die, okay?”
I met her gaze, surprised by my own response. “My life isn’t worth anything. Not anymore.”
I immediately regretted my blunt honesty. Perhaps it was the weight of my ability to rewind time that had shaped my outlook on life. I wasn’t even sure if it had a limit. If it didn’t, no matter how many times I died, everything would go back anyway. This burden was mine to carry.
She widened her eyes, shocked by my answer. Nevertheless, I continued. “I know we’ve barely known each other for two days, but I consider you both very close to me. I promise I’ll do my best to keep you safe.”
A vivid memory surfaced in my mind—those delicate hands tending to my wound and her body shielding me from an explosion. She truly exemplified kindness, tirelessly striving to save a life I had deemed worthless.
Before she could reply, I sprinted out of the store, my eyes locking onto the flowery monstrosity as it scaled the third floor. Olivia’s emotions remained unspoken, but the intensity in her gaze spoke volumes. This time, I’m not going to let you die, I promise.
I fired my shotgun and shouted. ”HEY, OVER HERE!”
The beast immediately noticed me and charged in my direction once more. Our chase resumed, with the beast employing its sinewy vines in a desperate attempt to ensnare me.
Thankfully, it seemed singularly fixated on my presence, disregarding all other shoppers. However, with the corpses it wielded as gruesome shields, getting a clear shot was proving to be a formidable challenge.
In its frenzy, it launched a relentless barrage of razor-sharp attacks, leaving painful gashes on multiple parts of my body. The pain was searing, though not as excruciating as when my arm was bitten off. With each passing moment, this never-ending pursuit took its toll, leaving me increasingly injured and fatigued.
Thinking quickly, I retrieved another flash grenade and hurled it behind me. As the blinding flash erupted, I seized the opportunity, sprinting toward the disoriented monstrosity, exploiting its temporary blindness.
Even so, the grotesque creature stretched all its writhing vines at once, desperately attempting to thwart my approach. I knew I had only one opportunity.
With agile movements, I narrowly evaded the grasping vines, and as I finally closed in on the repulsive monstrosity, I tackled it, the putrid stench nearly making me gag. Its eyes opened wide in alarm, and I thrust my shotgun into its gaping maw.
Just as I pulled the trigger, I felt a sudden tug at my waist. One of the vile vines had managed to catch me, abruptly yanking me backward. “DAMMIT!” I yelled, frustrated at being pulled away before I could finish the creature off. The creature was now bleeding profusely, with the side of its head exposed from my earlier attack.
Though I had inflicted severe wounds, they proved non-fatal. The vine began to squeeze me tighter, winding around the rest of my body. My arms and legs were immobilized, and as it pulled me closer, my heart pounded in dread, with the relentless grip of death drawing nearer. Was I condemned to endure this nightmare all over again?
Suddenly, I heard something approaching fast. It was the man, deftly severing the vines that had captured me. With a swift spin, he aimed to cleave the flowery one’s head clean off, taking advantage of the exposed side as his entry point.
In one decisive stroke, his axe sent the monstrosity’s head flying, and its lifeless body collapsed. Green dust began emanating from its corpse, and the man swung his weapon upwards, sending the remains high into the ceiling.
I panted, as I struggled to stand up. As our met, he flashed a sweet smile at me. “Nice job Alex.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
Before I could react, an unnaturally strong force sent me flying, crashing into a wall. Crack. The intense pain was immediate and overwhelming, my bones snapping like brittle twigs. My organs were screaming in agony. Metallic taste filled my mouth as I coughed up blood.
Struggling to stay conscious, each breath I took sent shockwaves of pure torment coursing through my shattered body. Those painted eyes were staring at me with deep desire.
“While a strong body is to be appreciated, a man’s resolve must also be rewarded.”
Without a second thought, the man swung at it. In spite of that, the creature blinked and reappeared in front of me.
“I’ve chosen you to be my vessel, you should feel honored.” It reached its hand towards me.
As it was about to touch me, suddenly, gunshots could be heard. My attention shifted due to the abrupt burst of gunfire echoing through the air, and I realized Olivia was firing at it. I noticed she was struggling to support herself against a wall. Had she limped all the way here just to help? She truly was amazing.
However, her bullets inexplicably halted just inches from the creature’s body, as if thwarted by an invisible barrier.
To our horror, the projectiles were then unexpectedly sent back toward Olivia at a similar speed. In a flash of inhuman reflexes, the man dashed in front of her, his body acting as a living shield, deflecting the deadly hail of bullets. The creature in the midst of this, placed its hand on my face.
“I have the body of a pig.”
Before I could question its choice of words, I was covered in darkness, disoriented by the sudden change in scenery. It felt as though I was tumbling through an endless void, the sensation of freefall and the rush of wind swirling around me. My surroundings remained a mystery, and questions flooded my mind. Where the hell was I? What was even going on anymore?
And then, as abruptly as the fall had begun, I landed on a cold, unforgiving surface. The pain from my injuries had vanished, replaced by an eerie numbness. As I rose to my feet and cautiously scanned my surroundings, my stomach churned with nausea.
Unpleasant memories, the kind I had fervently hoped to bury forever, surged through my mind. It was the foster home I grew up in, a place that had once been a crucible of suffering for me. It felt unreal, like I had physically traveled back to that place.
I sank to my knees, struggling to control my erratic breaths. It felt like the walls of the place were closing in on me, like I couldn’t breathe. My heart pounded violently, and I dug my nails into my forearms so hard they bled.
A voice echoed down the hallway. “You poor thing.” I looked up to see the monstrous figure slowly approaching.
My anger boiled over, and I shouted. “WHY THE HELL DID YOU BRING ME HERE?!”
“I’m afraid you were the one that chose this place. You still cling to this house, despite the torment it held. I pity you.”
I forced myself to regain composure, though my legs still trembled from the shock. “What do you want?!”
“Your body. I was originally planning on taking over the man who wielded the axe. Even so, I could faintly sense something unusual as you entered this building. When all of a sudden it spiked. A peculiar shift in temporal distortion with you at its epicenter. As if time itself was collapsing around you. I couldn’t help but be intrigued by this unexpected discovery.”
Shift in temporal distortion? Was it referring to my ability to rewind time after I died? Dammit, that ended up drawing unnecessary attention. A deep fear sank into me as the realization hit: If it were to possess me, I couldn’t go back, I couldn’t redo things anymore.
Panic gripped my chest, and my heart raced, pounding like a drum. I struggled to make a run for it, to escape the impending threat, but an invisible force held me in place, rendering me immobile.
“I’ve entertained your questions long enough. Finally, the time has come for me to break free. Don’t worry about your friends, they will be joining you shortly afte-”
A deafening silence fell over my surroundings. My breathing was the sole audible sound. Though my limbs were no longer restrained, I hesitated for a few heart-pounding seconds, my gaze fixed on the creature. It stood frozen, mid-motion, as if the very flow of reality had ceased. As I turned around to escape, darkness covered my field of vision.
I looked up to see a shadowy figure, its silhouette distinctly human-like, framed by long, flowing locks that hung like inky curtains, unmoved by the suspended passage of time. Its features remained obscured, a face hidden in shadow, yet its presence exuded an eerie, otherworldly aura, as though it existed outside the boundaries of reality.
Before I could question this unknown being, the shadow pointed towards the suspended monster.
My senses jolted to life with an earsplitting scream. Suddenly, I found myself back at the mall, droplets of blood falling on my face.
The painted eyed one writhed in torment, crimson streams pouring ceaselessly from numerous lacerations that marred its form, as if it had suffered an unending onslaught of savage, unforgiving attacks. Had the man finally managed to land a hit?
I glanced at my right, only to find him standing in front of Olivia.
“What did yo-“ Before the creature could finish, the man seized the opportunity, his axe cleaving through the air in a powerful, decisive swing that severed its head. The lifeless corpse twitched briefly before succumbing to stillness, the man delivering a few additional blows for good measure.
Thank god it was finally over, though my relief was short lived. The man rushed to help Olivia walk, and they both crouched beside me. Olivia began to bandage my wounds with trembling hands. “Alex! It’s going to be alright, I’m right here!”
The man’s gaze darted between the two of us. “We have to take him to a hospital, I’ll carry him there!”
“Are they even going to notice us as in the hospital? We’ve already been there dammit, and at this rate he’s going to…” Olivia stopped herself before completing the sentence.
As I lay there, my mind raced with the haunting prospect of once again embracing the cold, unforgiving clutches of death. An unsettling notion crept into my thoughts once more: Would I have to endure that ordeal again after all?
The world around me seemed to waver, mirroring the chaotic turmoil within my own thoughts. The possibility of returning only to endure the excruciating agony of death all over again was an unspeakable terror that sent shivers down my spine. The very fabric of reality appeared to fade as my vision blurred, and I found myself drowning in a sea of despair.
Turning my gaze to Olivia, I managed to whisper, my voice trembling. “At least, I kept my promise, right?”
Olivia met my eyes, tears welling up, and her voice broke as she shouted. “All I need to do is stop the bleeding, we’ll manage from there!”
The man nodded solemnly, and I rasped, the pain evident in my voice. “I may not be a doctor, but I don’t think I’m surviving this.”
The man, his voice filled with regret, interrupted. “You’ll be fine man, just don’t move. This is all my fault, I promised I’d protect you and now…”
I managed a weak smile and interjected. “Don’t blame yourself. I too made a promise, to keep the two of you safe. So at least one of us kept their word, right? Thank you for being a part of my life.”
As they began to respond, my consciousness started to wane. Even if they wouldn’t remember, I still had to tell them. “I’ll try even harder next time, to make sure you don’t have to suffer as much.”
All of a sudden, an inexplicable warmth coursed through my body. The pain receded, and my bones seemed to shift back into place. My breathing steadied and I opened my eyes to a miraculous sight.
Olivia’s eyes were shifting colors, like a mesmerizing kaleidoscope, a beautiful and surreal sight to behold. Her hands, resting on my chest, seemed to be the origin of that warmth. I was speechless, and the man looked at me, his eyes open wide. “Alex?”
Before I could reply, Olivia and the man both pounced on me, enveloping me in a tight group hug.
Feeling somewhat embarrassed, I gingerly shifted my body to check if everything was okay. “What is going on?”
The man wrapped his hand around my shoulder, a caring expression on his face. “I don’t know man, you stopped breathing for a couple of seconds and then Olivia’s eyes went all weird. I thought we lost you dude.”
I was utterly bewildered. Just moments ago, I had been on the verge of death, and now all pain had faded. I stammered, trying to find the right words amidst my lingering shock. “You guys…” But nothing else would come out. Instead, we stood for a moment in silence.
The man took a deep breath and spoke. “I have to go check something out, will you two be alright?”
Olivia didn’t reply, her face buried in my chest. So, I answered instead. “I think so, yeah.”
“Call me if something happens.” With that, the man bounded off through the destroyed mall, disappearing from sight. Meanwhile, Olivia continued hugging me tightly. I finally gathered the courage to ask, my voice filled with curiosity and concern. “Umm, Olivia what was that just now?”
Still, she didn’t reply, and her grip on me seemed to tighten. “Olivia you’re kind of squeezing me a bit too much.”
She finally looked up at me. “I thought you were dead. Never say that your life doesn’t have any worth again, do you understand?!”
I blankly replied. “You’re very sweet bu-“
“Promise me Alex! I’m not taking no for an answer!”
I stared deep into her eyes. “Alright I get it, so please don’t cry.”
Olivia somewhat relaxed and let go, as she sat next to me, her head resting on my shoulder. “I don’t know what happened. I was treating your wounds when all of a sudden, my arms started feeling odd. Afterwards your injuries started closing on their own.”
“I see.” As I was reflecting on the events that had just transpired, my eyes started to wander around the building. The place was a mess, with a lot of people lying dead on the floor. A strong thought persisted in my mind, so I asked Olivia.
“Can I ask you a hypothetical question? If you could change the outcome of this situation and save everyone in this building would you do it?”
She pondered on it for a few seconds. “It would depend on the way, I guess. Right now, all I care about is you and him. I guess I’m not that sweet after all.”
I picked up Olivia’s pistol lying beside us. All I had to do was pull the trigger and I could potentially save everyone. These people would return to their families. All I had to do was die. Olivia’s words were ravaging my mind, so I reluctantly put the gun down.
After the man returned, we left the building and returned to the hotel where we had previously stayed. I asked him to share a room with Olivia, so I could have some time alone.
I was exhausted but sleep wouldn’t come. Unable to rest, I “borrowed” a neighbor’s laptop and started working on this post. I haven’t eaten since. Their screams still linger faintly in my ears, and I can’t shake the feeling of the painted-eyed one watching me in the darkness. It’s probably my mind messing with me, despite that, I cope.