With a nod, Dylan began advancing towards the police station.
His bat remained firmly gripped between his hands.
The streets ahead looked deceptively normal.
Everything felt eerily silent, only the sounds of footsteps and the occasionally cool sea breeze were heard.
Sweat slowly rolled down the side of his face.
Dylan's grip tightened as he had already experienced this once before.
First step. Second step. Third step...
The quiet streets stretched endlessly ahead of him. His eyes swept across the darkness while his ears searched for the faintest sound.
The silence only grew heavier.
Soon he reached the spot where the goblins were previously noticed.
Dylan: (No goblins yet.)
With a quick breath he stepped forward, with a pace slower than before.
And another step. And another. And another...
The police station was is sight, a few meters away but with no trace of a single goblin.
Dylan: (Were those the only goblins?)
His ears strained to pick up even smallest traces of sound.
A distant breeze. The pounding of his heart. The faint clash of waves.
His eyes scoured the area for a few more minutes. Nothing, no change. No danger.
Dylan: (Are there no more goblins?)
He should be calm but something felt off.
The situation felt too good to be true.
Hesitantly, he raised his hand. A thumbs up.
Ethan: (Looks like it's safe.)
He took a deep breath.
Ethan: "ELIN! YOU CAN COME OUT NOW!"
A few seconds later a small head poked out from behind a wall.
A wild Elin was spotted.
Elin: (Is it over already?)
She scanned the nearby area finding no trace of any goblins nearby.
She hurriedly skimpered out.
Elin: "What happened to the goblins?"
Ethan: "There weren't any."
Elin: "Really?"
A sigh of relief slipped from her mouth.
Elin: (The rest of the goblins must be sleeping on the opposite side.)
Her shoulders visibly relaxed.
Meanwhile Ethan wasn't as easily convinced.
Ethan: (Could it be that this is an ambush?)
An uneasy feeling poked his mind.
Ethan: (No way, if an intelligent goblin wanted to kill us then there were many opportunities beforehand.)
And just as quickly disappeared.
Ethan: (I guess we really got lucky.)
Ethan equipped his bag and marched ahead, right behind Elin.
The two continued forward. The station grew larger with every step
Until the station's dark silhouette towered over them like a boss.
The front entrance remained tightly shut.
Dylan took the lead, something about this place felt off but he couldn't put his finger on it.
His hand slowly reached for the handle.
*Click*
Suprisingly, the was door was unlocked.
As soon as the door swung open a strong pungent smell burst out like an uninvited guest.
The three immediately recoiled back, instinctively covering their noses.
Elin: "Ugh!"
Ethan's face twisted
Even Dylan flinched.
But unfortunately the smell seeped inside burning their nostrils.
Slowly their nose began to adapt to the sudden assault. Their eyes adjusted themselves peering inside the station.
Then they saw it.
The horrifying source of the smell right in front of them.
Two corpses piled in the middle of the room.
One male and one female. Both missing part of their limbs, both wearing police uniforms. The dried crimson trail stretched across the room. A stern reminder of their current situation.
For a moment nobody moved. Nobody spoke. More like they couldn't, the atmosphere suffocated their speech. The smell wasn't the main priority anymore.
With the exception of Dylan, who was unusually calm. Rather than the corpses his eyes surveyed the area for the creature responsible but to no avail.
Elin was the first to leave. Her face lost all colour, a sudden discomfort raged inside her belly. Her vision twisted uncontrollably.
She rushed out with her hands tightly sealing her mouth shut.
Ethan's eyes were fixed on the corpses.
Despite knowing the likely possibility of death, looking at it felt completely different. He didn't see two random corpses but a potential future if they had taken a wrong turn.
A sudden surge of heat swelled inside of him. Breathing became difficult. It felt like he was in a chokehold.
Ethan: (What's happening??!)
His vision became blurry and heart started to beat faster and faster and faster and—
Elin: "I need some air!"
He rushed off into the distance pushing himself away, his breath shaky.
Ethan: (What's going on?)
With the support of a nearby pole he pulled himself up.
Cold metal pressed up against his palm but the heat inside him kept increasing.
Ethan: (I need to clam down!)
A familiar memory resurfaced.
A woman cradling a crying younger Ethan in her arms. Her soft voice and gently embrace comforted him.
Ethan: (Breath, breath. Breath...)
In. Out.
In. Out.
Ethan: (Breathhh...)
Slowly his heartbeat began to settle as did his vision.
Now calm he pulled himself upright, drinking a bottle of water from his bag.
He quickly gulped down the water, dissipating the heat from his body.
Elin: "Plah–"
Nearby, a Elin caught his attention.
Ethan: (The corpses must have rattled her pretty bad. Can't blame her, the scene was pretty graphic.)
Ethan: "Are you good?"
Elin immediately raised one finger.
Ethan: (?)
Elin: "Just wai– Plahh–"
Without a warning, she doubled over
A stream of vomit splattered across the pavement.
Ethan immediately recoiled three steps back.
Ethan: (Damn.)