"Dead?" someone whispered, their voice barely audible.
For a brief second, there was nothing. No growling. No scratching. Just a suffocating silence that pressed down on all of us.
Then...
*BANGG!!!*
A deafening crash tore through the corridor.
The door didn't just break. It was ripped off its hinges entirely, flying inward like a piece of paper caught in a storm.
The force of it knocked several people off their feet. I was thrown backward, my shoulder slamming against the wall before I hit the floor hard enough to make my vision spark.
Dust filled the air. Broken metal scraped across tiles and through that cloud of debris, something stepped inside.
At first glance, it resembled a dog. A large one. Maybe a German Shepherd once. But that resemblance ended almost immediately.
Its body was grotesquely enlarged, easily twice the size of any normal dog. Muscles bulged unnaturally beneath torn patches of fur, and in places where fur should have been, thick, darkened hide covered its body like crude armor. Its spine protruded sharply along its back, each vertebra visible as if trying to tear through its skin.
Its front legs were longer than its hind legs, giving it a hunched, predatory stance. The claws at the end of its paws were far too long, curving slightly inward, scraping loudly against the tile floor with every step.
Its head was the worst part.
Its jaw had split wider than it should physically be able to. The mouth stretched unnaturally, as if the skin had torn and healed again into something new. Inside were rows of jagged teeth layered over one another, uneven and shifting slightly as it breathed. Thick saliva dripped from its mouth, sizzling faintly when it hit the floor.
One eye socket was empty, dark and hollow.
The other eye glowed faintly yellow.
It wasn't rabid or mindless as one might expect it to be, it was there... observing us.
Someone screamed, breaking the frozen tension and that was all it needed.
The creature moved with terrifying speed. It didn't charge wildly or bark. It dashed forward in a blur, crossing the corridor in less than a second.
Daniel tried to react, his hand lifting as if to use telekinesis again, but the monster was already on him. One swipe of its claw tore through his torso.
The sound wasn't dramatic... it was wet and heavy. Daniel collapsed before he even understood what happened.
Panic exploded across the floor as people ran in every direction. Some tried to fight. Most tried to escape.
Mike swung one massive claw at the creature, but the dog twisted its body with unnatural flexibility. It ducked low and lunged upward, biting into the joint of Mike's shoulder. The crack of his shell breaking echoed loudly as he roared in agony.
Sarah shouted for everyone to move toward the side exit, but fear had already taken over. Formation and planning dissolved instantly.
I pushed myself up, heart pounding violently, trying to regain balance. My body felt lighter, stronger than before, but my mind was slower. Too much was happening at once.
Then I felt a violent shove from behind as I stumbled forward, losing my footing and falling hard to my knees.
My palms scraped against broken metal. Before I could stand, another body crashed into me, pushing me further down.
I looked up just in time to see Mr. Carter forcing his way past people.
His massive half-pig frame made him stronger than most, and he used that strength without hesitation. He shoved others aside, clearing a path for himself using a metal rod, leaving everyone else as a bait.
Our eyes met for a split second, there was no apology there.
He felt no guilt for what he did, only calculation.
He grabbed someone by the arm... Sarah, I think... and pulled her behind him. Then, without even looking down properly, he kicked someone in his way towards the fog.
Not out of anger.
Giving him a prey and buying himself time, all done out of necessity to survive.
I rolled across the floor, landing away to the monster than anyone else.
It was clear to everyone what he was doing, he wasn't trying to save everyone but just trying to survive.
The creature dropped Daniel's body and slowly turned its glowing eye toward me.
I tried to stand, but my legs trembled.
My thoughts felt disconnected from my body. I was a High Human, stronger and faster than I was before. I should be able to move but fear is heavier than strength.
The dog approached at a measured pace, its claws leaving deep scratches in the tile. Its breathing was steady, almost calm, as if this was routine.
I attempted to crawl backward, my back hitting the overturned desk. There was nowhere left to go as the monster lunged.
Its weight crushed me against the floor. The impact forced the air out of my lungs. I felt its claws dig into my shoulders, pinning me in place. Its breath was hot and foul against my face.
Then came the bite. At first, it was only pressure... An overwhelming force pressing into my side and then tearing.
Pain exploded through my body, white and blinding. I felt something inside me rupture. Warmth spread rapidly beneath me, soaking into my clothes.
I screamed, but the sound felt distant, like it belonged to someone else.
Around us, footsteps faded as doors slammed somewhere down the corridor. No one came back.
The creature bit again, deeper this time. I felt my body give in ways it never had before. My vision darkened at the edges.
My phone slid from my hand, the cracked screen lighting up briefly.
Battery: 17%.
No signal.
My last message to my parents still sat unopened from yesterday.
I tried to move my fingers.
They didn't respond.
The monster lifted its head slightly, its single glowing eye staring into mine as if studying me.
The blue screen flickered faintly in front of my eyes as I tried to focus on i but the pin was too much.
No one came to save me, they all focus on themselves... Nor do I myself have the power to save me.
It was all too late.
My body was no longer listening to me.
The pain dulled, not because it lessened, but because I could no longer process it... The last thing I felt was the weight of the creature pressing down on me and the distant echo of running footsteps disappearing further away.
Then everything went silent.
Just like that, I... Adrian Elijah, died.
Or should I say, that's how everything started... With my death.