(Alex's POV)
Mark's body lay still on the cold metal floor as the monster that he just ate, body turned into one red ball of energy and flew into his body. The colonists stood in a ragged circle around him, their faces drawn tight with fear and hunger. Maya pressed her ear against his chest, her pendant swinging like a pendulum.
*"His heartbeat's strong...but he's not waking up,"* she whispered.
Then—**the growl.**
Not from the shadows. From their own stomachs.
A deep, collective snarl of hunger echoed through the ruined kitchen. Alex clutched his gut as pain lanced through him—sharp, desperate, *wrong*. It wasn't just hunger. It felt like his body was turning on itself, digesting muscle just to stay alive.
The teenage boy—*Liam*—doubled over. *"Fuck—it feels like my stomach's eating itself—"*
***BOOM.***
The barricade exploded inward.
Three hounds filled the doorway, their grotesque silhouettes warping the light. They were all wrong—too tall, too many joints, their muzzles split open like bloody flowers to reveal rows of needle teeth. Saliva dripped from their jaws, sizzling where it hit the floor.
*"OPEN FIRE!"* Priya roared.
Gunshots tore through the air. Pulse rounds punched into the lead hound's chest—black blood sprayed, but it didn't stop. It *lurched*, moving faster than anything that size should, and a clawed hand speared through *Hendricks'* torso. The mechanic barely had time to gasp before the hound *yanked* its arm back—clutching a dripping lump of flesh.
The second hound pounced on *Dr. Chen*, jaws closing over her shoulder with a wet *crunch*. Her arm hit the floor before she did.
Alex fumbled for his knife, his hands slick with sweat. *We're dead. We're—*
Then—**the hounds staggered.**
The lead hound let out a choked whine, its legs buckling. The second clawed at its own throat, black bile bubbling from its maw. The third collapsed, twitching violently as its flesh *melted* like wax.
Silence.
The colonists stood frozen, guns smoking. The hounds didn't move. Their bodies deflated, skin splitting open to reveal—
**Meat.**
Glistening, dark red, *perfectly cooked* meat.
The smell hit Alex like a physical blow—rich, smoky, *alive*. His mouth flooded with saliva. His stomach *screamed*.
*"No way,"* Liam gagged, backing away. *"We can't—"*
But *Rivas*, the hydroponics tech, was already on his knees. His hands shook as he tore off a strip of steaming flesh.
*"We'll die if we don't,"* he muttered—and took the first bite.
His eyes rolled back. *"Oh God...it's good."*
*Keller*, the ship's medic, followed. He didn't hesitate—just sank his teeth into a hound's flank, juices running down his chin.
Alex's vision blurred. His body moved without thought. He was kneeling, his hands sinking into warm flesh, ripping free a chunk. The first bite sent fire through his veins—**hot, salty, perfect.**
Across the room, Maya clutched her pendant, tears cutting through the grime on her face. *"What have we done?"*
But no one answered.
The only sounds were wet chewing.