Pure horror enveloped every inch my skin like I was just thrown into a freezing cold lake.
I only had one thought
That thing was coming.
What resembled a human hand with three fingers engulfed in pitch black tar pulled itself from the swirling darkness. Then followed the grotesque form emerging from below with a muscular disproportional upper body and countless eyes on what some could call its head. As it took its first breath, its mouth opened to reveal elongated fangs scattered and dripping black.
A cacophony of screams erupted through the streets and my office like a choir of angels looking into the mouth of hell.
Shards of glass were embedded in my knees and palms but the pain was completely numbed to the sight of it.
To my utter despair, more hands started to reach from that circling void—too many. Much much too many.
As if to save me from my petrified state, my mind gave me the only warning I needed.
Run.
My heart was hammering against my ribs as my eyes desperately scanned the ghastly faces of my coworkers either sobbing, fainted or frantically calling 911.
I wanted to take off as fast as my feet could possibly take me but where could I run in this high rise office? Where could I possibly hope to escape?
As my brain raced to the beat of my adrenaline, a horrifying booming growl exploded from the ground. My eyes flitted back to the nightmare to see the those monsters start moving.
Fuck.
Those things moved their animal-like hind legs to disperse into the city—racing through streets like rabid wolves. I watched in horror as they tore through human flesh with ease, targeting every living thing in their path. I barely let a single breath escape my lungs as my eyes stayed trained to the unfathomable hellscape.
Some of the creatures that continued to ascend from the black vortex had wings like those depicted in paintings of demons. Their sudden emergence sent a shot of lightening through my body. I began to shake with the knowledge of what's to come.
A large winged creature turned its many eyes to the terrified masses looking down from their buildings. A revolting shiver rattled through my skin as some of its eyes pointed to us.
Before I could think to react, its long angular wings swept through the air to lift its massive disgusting body above the ground. The sound of air being pushed below that creature sent blaring warnings in every section of my brain.
I faintly register the screech of Marie and my other coworkers echoing, "It's coming for us!"
My feet shuffled along the ground as I quickly brought myself to stand on shaky legs.
That thing flew with startling speed as it hurdled into through the glass of the office directly above us. A booming sound with the shattering of glass resounded through the building.
A wide-eyed Mr. Porter yelled at us to run and gestured to the door in front of the staircase. I didn't need to be told twice. I swiftly departed for the exit with the rest of my colleagues down into the spiraling endless stairs.
The dread found time to pool in my stomach as we raced down each step—we're doomed above and below. We were just looking for a floor to buy time. The thought didn't stand a fighting chance against the constantly increasing desire to live.
Dave's shoulder shoved mine as he moved past me in the staircase. I grunted and sent a seething stare his way before speeding up my pace. Before long I saw a very familiar face stupidly climbing up the stairs.
Sam.
This is hell.
"Ella, thank god!" Sam shouted in a relieved delight.
His feet made a beyond irritating pitter patter as he ran up to wrap his sweaty arms around my neck. I grit my teeth to stop from uttering every curse I knew.
I felt Marie's disgusted stare and the obvious bewilderment from Mr. Porter, Dave, and just about everyone. I fought back a shiver down my spine.
"Oh my god! Sam, thank you for coming to find me! I'm so glad you're alive," I said with a practiced concern and grateful smile.
He returned my smile with his usual toothy grin as he wrapped his arms around my shoulders. I replied in kind, placing my hands on his upper back.
I gingerly removed myself from his embrace to look up into his eyes, "S-Sam I'm so relieved and I wish we could speak more but we really need to go."
Of course he dumbly nodded and agreed to tag along.
"Don't worry! I'll protect you Ella," he said, atucking a strand of hair behind my ear.
Gross.
And so we continued down, passing through more hoards of panicked office workers.
As we descended to a floor we felt was far away enough, we rushed into the office to earn many startled screams. Our group scrambled into the room, heaving from exhaustion. This floor couldn't even utter a word to our arrival—as shocked and in a state of horror as the rest of us.
As the screaming and loud horrendous growls erupted outside, we trudged deeper into the room; some hid under desks while others took to the bathrooms. I opted to huddle under one of the desks in an unused corner as I numbly focused on simply taking my next breath. Mr. Porter took to a desk a couple across from me away from most of the people.
Of course Sam followed me like a lost dog to take the desk directly next to mine, briefly smiling as if to assure me he wouldn't be going anywhere. His presence somehow made this day noticeably worse.
I told him to stay closer to the door to see if he could hear them coming. He reluctantly followed my instructions once I let loose a tear or two about how scared I was about not knowing when they were going to attack.
We stayed in the room for what seemed like an eternity as bloodshed roared on the ground and from above. No other winged creatures took to our building as they traveled further out of range from their egg-shaped home. There were only about three or four of these types of them that I spotted amidst the chaos.
As the crashing and growling grew closer and closer, I began to count the seconds before those monsters climbed up the stairs to rip us into pieces.
As I debated whether or not to climb to a high floor, a loud horn-like sound boomed from afar. This strange noise seemed to distract the beasts; I saw the winged one within our building suddenly take off into the distance through what once was a window. The sight was utterly bizarre but applying logic to the situation seemed profoundly pointless.
While everyone was distracted by the congregation of monsters reacting to the horn, I happen to catch Mr. Porter's shaky hand frantically pull out his phone and dial a number.
"...H-hello?....It's me! You have to get me the hell out of here right this second!" He shout whispered in a voice dripping in desperation.
My hand gripped the fabric of skirt tightly as a possibility of escape suddenly appeared like a miracle. Mr. Porter had friends in high places that could send some sort of aircraft or whatever they could to help him. I dared to cling that shred of hope as he sneakily glanced around to see who heard him.
He then promptly got up to his feet before mumbling something like, "I left something extremely important." A few heads turned to his odd behavior but most didn't dare to question or follow him.
"Where are you going boss?" Marie called out from another corner of the room with Dave huddled at her side.
Dave watched Mr. Porter walk to the staircase with a complicated look before whispering something in Marie's ear. Her eyes immediately widened and they both quickly got up and followed behind him. I didn't waste a second and rose to walk right along side them through the door.
A few of our colleagues tried yelling at us asking where we were going but never got up to stop us.
Before I could step through the door, I heard a familiar voice.
"Where are you going?" Sam asked, suddenly at my side.
"I-I think they need my help! I'm going to try and stop Dave and Mr. Porter from fighting. I'm not sure but I think Marie had an in-intimate affair with Mr. Porter and we really cannot have conflict right now," I said, voice trembling as I stared at the floor.
"I'll help!" Said Sam immediately, but I shook my head.
"They both trust me so it has to be me, please stay here and keep the others safe," I said with a pleading expression.
Sam looked down and hesitantly nodded, "...Okay."
I thanked him and quickly left to join the others.
As the door closed shut, Mr. Porter swung his head to glare at me menacingly.
"...I won't entertain this any longer," He said sternly, eyes bloodshot.
"Please. Please bring us too," Dave begged, hands around Marie's shoulders.
I swiftly closed the gap between me and Mr. Porter, making his eyes meet mine.
"Mr. Porter, you're a very decisive man. I know the risks weighed heavy on your shoulders to leave us and save your own life. When something like this happens you must adapt. I'm sure you'll explain it all in detail to us later...if you make it," said as I grabbed his hand in a last ditch effort.
Mr. Porter's face should the briefest hints of wavering before abruptly breaking his gaze from mine. I felt my stomach drop.
After a brief silence, Marie asked "...How many can you take?"
"...one," he said solemnly, not daring to meet out eyes.
My heart stopped as he shook his hand from mine and we all looked at him in silence. More screaming and utter chaos was heard from outside the walls as the seconds ticked.
At long last he said, "Dave...come with me."
All of us paled as Dave stared wide-eyed at our boss.
"In times like this men...men need to make the hard choices. We need to make sure we're in the right position when it all falls apart."
The sentence held the most damning words I've ever heard. It felt like a death sentence. I turned to see Dave's hands slowly slip from Marie's shoulder as she turned to grab his shirt in tears.
"Y-you can't! You can't leave me here to die," she screamed, her pain cutting deeply through the air.
She frantically grabbed onto Dave's arm with all the might she contained in her delicate frame. Dave was silent for a moment, eyes boring holes in the floor.
"...Are you sure?" He mumbled to Mr. Porter underneath his breath.
"Yes," replied Mr. Porter cooly.
Dave visibly clenched his teeth before shoving Marie off of him onto the ground. Marie hit the floor with a yelp, before quickly gawking up at Dave with an expression of utter betrayal.
"W-hy why would you...you said you loved me," she said almost to herself, eyes glued to his face.
"I'm sorry, I can't let you follow me," was all Dave mumbled in return before stepping towards the stairs.
Marie shook her head profusely with tears streaming freely down her cheeks. She glared at Dave and said, "I'm coming."
She walked forward with conviction before getting pushed back roughly by Dave.
"If y-you come, I can't promise what I'll do," he said, scrunching his face together as if his own words hurt him more.
Marie's eyes widened to saucers as she took in the man who once said he loved her.
Dave didn't even look at her as he joined Mr. Porter and they continued up the staircase—quickly making their way to the roof. I simply stared up at them as Marie slammed her hands into the floor and started to sob uncontrollably.
Waves of despair surged through me like the first signs of a storm. My nails dug into my palms as his words echoed through my head over and over and over and over and over.
I felt the warm sensation of blood trickle down my palms as my eyes bored into the empty space.
The corners of my lips tugged upwards mirthlessly as useless memories bubbled to the forefront of my mind. I saw myself getting up in the morning—brushing my hair, washing my face, putting on lipstick, spraying perfume, picking out my clothes. Each successive image made my heart seem to tighten in vicious ugly knots.
I was barely holding it together until one simple memory tipped me over the cliff. One stupid little useless memory.
I made Dave coffee this morning.
I made that man FUCKING coffee this morning.
Rage set fire to my insides like a convicted witch's final hour. I began walking with one objective becoming crystal clear.
I was going to live.
"W-here are you going?" Marie managed between sobs as I took to the staircase.
"To have a little chat with Mr. Porter and his 'best friend' about hard choices," I said sardonically, starting to make my way to confront them.
As I ascended the staircase, Marie's sobs began to fade into the chaos beyond the walls.
I faintly heard the creak of the office door open.