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- S c o r c h e d E a r t h -
Within the post-apocalyptic world, in a ruined metropolis that has been overtaken and returning to nature - where the grass that wasn’t lush or green spread like vines to torn concrete walls and cracked floors - and the water has made it just about that it made pools in malls and buildings.
Amidst the abandoned city, a desolate place, a mysterious lonesome man transverses the building, and the boots he wears are wet and submerged. The steps that he took were slow and cautious, yet the small waves recorded his movements and location, it would be troubling if someone - or something - were to become interested in him.
But he continued on, with a rifle in his hands and a sidearm that is holstered to the thigh, the firearms would be sufficient to thwart any hostile advances towards him. Like the faint silhouette that hid and clung to the pillars and the dark, it was watching him and if anything it was following him.
However, men and monsters weren’t the only dangers that the world had to offer, as he cautiously stepped back to a place where it would hopefully not be able to follow him, while he kept his eyes and trained his rifle at it.
As he retreated, behind him there was a part of an area that had a fog that he saw much earlier - it was a dense mist of sickly green - as he faded into the covers that it provided, hopefully, to conceal himself and escape it, yet until the last moment the faint silhouette continued to keep him in its sight until he decided to look away.
Despite disappearing into the clouds of poisonous gas, he still felt it looking at him, until it went and gone, and it was only then that he felt himself breathe once again. It was slightly ironic, to be only then able to breathe when surrounded by toxic gas that could kill a man or anything else with just a few breaths in, it was a bad joke.
But he escaped it, that was all that mattered, and also the limited time that he had until the filters ran out. It should be enough for the day, he could continue again tomorrow, alive. Therefore, he began to retrace the route he took back to the entrance, and the shallow water continued to wet his boots until he heard something and looked down to the water on his feet that showed signs of small waves.
He was being followed, but this time he couldn’t see due to all the fog, and so he raised his rifle - only needing a target that he could see now - as he continued to back away, slowly. The flashlight he had attached to the left chest - shines brightly - and clears the fog just a bit so that just seeing even a short distance would be crucial in case he was rushed by a hostile, providing him enough time to gun it down.
As he retreats, so slowly that perhaps he has evaded whatever it was, the eerie silence is interrupted by an ear-piercing scream of a woman, before the sound of gunfire and a loud deep roar shakes the place. Then a man’s voice shouted a short command, he told them to run as another shot was fired, and then followed were the screams as the man cried in pain - and as if almost faintly the sound of flesh being torn could be heard - while the sounds of frantic movement possibly made by the man’s companion to get away made the water under his feet gush and moved.
With his rifle still aimed at the darkness that swallowed him, and the sickly fog that had embraced him, he remained standing still as he placed his finger on the trigger.
Thoughts ran through his brain, the situation had just become dire and dangerous, and in all truth, he was worried if the man’s fate would be shared by him if he stuck around a little longer, but he hesitated.
If he had to assume, the man was possibly a father, and the screams that were shared state that the man brought his wife and children with him. But he supposed it was to be expected, especially when there have been recent reports that there were many refugees coming from the east, and the only way to get to the west was through the ruined metropolis.
It irked him that the man did not come better prepared, or better yet was cautious, but if the sounds of his painful scream were anything, it was that he was willing to sacrifice himself for his family to escape.
Therefore, with a reluctant heart, he chases after the family by following the sounds of their footsteps that disturbed the shallow water, and before he knew it the sounds of the footsteps stopped and started again as the footsteps drew closer - suggesting that they saw the flashlight and began to run towards him - then within a moment he sees three figures running towards him.
The first he saw was a woman, the mother who was pulling her youngest son by her hand, and a daughter who was not much older than her brother trailing not too far behind them. Surely, he was certain that they were relieved to find someone here - in a place that possibly none would venture into - and truth be told if he were in the same situation as them, he would be too.
With time being of the essence, and with a good look at them wearing gas masks with filters on, he only asked a single question. “How long before the filters are gone?”
Her mouth was still quivering, but she answered although her voice was cracked and terrified. “W-we have spares in our backpack… Please! You have to help us!”
In response, he offered a small nod before he placed a finger over where his lips would be, and then gestured for them to follow him. By now, he was sure that the noises they made - and him for chasing after them - must have certainly brought the interest of whatever thing it was after them.
Obviously, it seemed to be seriously hungry to be already done with its meal.
The entire snafu that he found himself in, and for volunteering to be involved in it, there was still an ongoing conflict of interest. For once, it wasn’t too late to ditch them and it would definitely improve his chance of survival and mobility to stay concealed, however, the thought of doing that would eat him alive.
Though again, whatever choice he would make, the fear that has gripped his heart and soul overshadows all else, since whatever that is that lurks here has no worries about being shot once or twice. But he would hope that unloading the whole clip would at least inflict some effects.
With a family following behind him, he sets back to get to the safety of the poisonous cloud of gas, since it would be much safer to be there than just in the dark, furthermore, the way out was through the very same mist that blocked the entrance.
In their short and careful journey back, he was at an all-time high - quick to look to the side, back, and front at the faintest sound - until he recognized the entrance. His heart fluttered, and he would have sighed in relief had it not been for the unexpected ambush by a creature that launched at him.
The rifle fired in burst shot - two to three bullets piercing the creature - before he shot another burst as it continued unflinching until it hit and splattered its brain matter, and then its body lay dead as it slid and instantly fell to the ground. However, it seemed that it was not alone as the shallow water beneath them indicated what was to come.
In a hurry, he shouted at them to go as he trained his rifle at the same horrible-looking creatures that rushed towards them. The place flashed with each bullet that was discharged from the rifle, and a couple fell, but there were many that he had to swap for the sidearm.
With a grim look on his face behind the gas mask, he retreated and ran - calculating that he had brought enough time - before he heard the loud roar yet again. It was something else entirely, something that has yet to be encountered. But that was not the time to think about that when another creature - the size of a truck’s wheel and sharp razor teeth - jumped at him and gnawed at his leg which incited a painful groan from him as it tore through the boots and pants like nothing, and ate at his flesh.
Between the giant rodent and creatures that resembled human figures that quickly came at him, he aimed at the ‘cannibals’ that had their mouths opened and shot several dead in the head - all the while the rodent feasted eagerly - until the rodent was knocked away with a pipe.
Surprised, he took a glimpse at the woman before he shoved her to get out as he followed closely after, and although he was limping the thought of being feasted by the cannibals with their peeling skins and pulled nails gave him the encouragement to run just a bit more faster than their pursuers.
With a final push, when he saw the exit he took a glance at the back at the hoard that would probably continue to chase after them. Although it was a rare case for these cannibals, based on how hungry they appeared it is likely, and so he grabbed a grenade from his utility belt and pulled the pin. Then with perfect timing, he threw it at the spot that held the exit open.
A loud explosion shook the ground and destroyed some obstacles that supported the exit which caused it to collapse.
It was over, they got out.
- S c o r c h e d E a r t h -
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