Huff, Huff, Huff, Huff—
The camera is low to the ground, vibrating with the rhythm of heavy, desperate footsteps. Slowly moving upward revealing a person running, stopping before his face is shown. The frame is shaky—handheld and frantic. We see the blur of asphalt and the flash of a streetlamp.
The camera cuts to a front-facing shot of a figure. The face is obscured by shadow, but the heavy chest and the steam of breath in the cozy 3:00 AM summer night are sharp, visible even. He's pushing his limits.
The camera cuts again this time to a side-profile shot again tracking the individual. The runner is a blur of motion, but just behind him, at the very edge of the frame, a patch of darkness moves. It's faster. It's silent. It's closing in.
The camera swivels as the person dives into a thicket of bushes. We lose sight of him. The camera can only follow the violent rustling of leaves and the snapping of twigs from above. Only tracking something moving between the high stacks of bushes and tall grass, as it passes another behind it, trails with intent slightly oversizing the previous one.
Dogs start barking from around the neighbourhood, some lights start flickering on. The figure emerges on the other side of the tall greens of the garden and leaps on a tree climbing up. A dog in the garden that was sleeping jolts awake from all the noise and begins to bark—a frantic, territorial yelp that is suddenly cut short by a wet, guttural hiss.
Suddenly, the camera executes a wide, sweeping crane shot. The shot lies on a tree with leaves slightly covering it but the clear shot of a house with only its roof visible, followed by houses behind and the moon shining at the top.
.
.
A figure erupts from the foliage and branches, right before the camera, jumping and leaping toward the roof of the house.
The camera captures a still-frame: A mid-air shot, time suspended for a fraction of a second. The boy is very slightly silhouetted against the pale moon, suspended between the tree and a red-tiled roof. His arms are flared out, leaves and branches flying off, his expression not seen but his body language one of pure, raw survival.
Thump-crunch, crashhshhh—
He lands on the roof, tumbling forward, the tiles cracking and sliding under his weight. He scrambles to his feet stopping for a moment to take a breath and spins around, facing the camera.
It's Luka. His face is smeared with dirt, light bruises, his eyes wide and vibrating with adrenaline.
"○Did I… lose it?"
The camera focus pulls past Luka, toward the tree he just vacated. A second of focus.
.
.
SHREEEE—
The Darkin erupts from the leaves like a nightmare made of ink. It doesn't jump; it launches. Its split-jaw is wide, a vacuum of teeth aimed straight for Luka's throat.
"SHIT!"
Luka throws himself to the right. He feels the rush of wind as a blade-like finger whistles past his ear, slicing a clean line through his hoodie. He rolls across the roof, his boots kicking up dust.
"○Of course I didn't. How stupid am I?" he realizes.
He doesn't wait. Stumbling to his feet he sprints. He's hopping from roof to roof now, the camera struggling to keep him in the center of the lens. Behind him, the creature has buried its limbs into the roof of the first house. It growls—a sound like tectonic plates grinding together—and rips itself free, sending tiles flying into the street below like shrapnel.
Lights begin to flicker on in the windows of the houses. A woman's muffled voice screams. "What was that!?"
Luka doesn't look back. His heart is a drum in his chest, hitting a tempo that should be impossible. He realizes he's running out of roof. He needs a plan. Now.
"○Think, Luka. It's faster. It's stronger. So then what..? Is it… solid?"
As he runs, he grabs a heavy wooden outdoor chair from a balcony and hurls it behind him without looking.
The camera follows the chair's arc. The Darkin doesn't flinch. It simply swats the chair out of the air, the wood exploding into toothpicks. Luka tries again—a rolled-up rug, a ceramic planter. Each one is annihilated or simply tanked. No pain. No hesitation.
But that wasn't pointless. Luka noticed something, something subtle. Its reactions, they were fast, faster than a human. He realized that it mostly relies on its reactions; otherwise it can't think nor is it too physically dominant. Barely, by a margin. But Luka noticed it enough to form a quick plan. Plan B.
The whole time that electric feeling he's been getting was here, prompting an idea with his new unknown force he's shown. Thinking—
"○This tingling in my arms, does it have to do something with the bed and broken sink?" continuing to think between his heavy breaths. "○Up until now i've been just running.. yea.. it's a risk but-i have to try it."
Plan B. A head-on confrontation?
Just before that. As he's passing another building on the balcony he spots a small tree inside a big flowerpot.
"○...hmm."
He grabs it, throwing an object one last time.
The pot flies.
Still going.
It reaches closer to the Darkin, almost like it's about to hit.
The Darkin opens his mouth and crushes the pot, not even spitting it out.
.
"○Okay. Noted. Plan B it is."
The chase continues. Luka jumps from the houses down on the side of the street and bolts with acceleration. Quickly scanning with his eyes left and right. A few lefts and rights he spots it, at the end of a row of townhouses a sharp corner. Running he stops at the edge, clutching a heavy, discarded black blanket he snatched from a balcony. He waits.
The camera pans uncomfortably close to his face. A single drop of sweat hangs from his chin.
Camera now following the Darkin and his speed. Right at his shoulder, moving on each long step he takes. The camera shakes as the creature closes in on the corner.
Slowing its momentum. It turns the corner and sees..
.
Nothing..?
Or rather he sees darkness.
.
Cutting back to Luka.
This was it.
A window. Wide open.
Luka shifts his weight. He drops one knee to his left, his center of gravity plummeting as he winds up his left fist. He feels that electrical hum—the 'static' from the bathroom—surge from his spine to his knuckles.
The scene shifts to 30 seconds before this event happened. This time the camera from Luka's POV.
"○I just gotta time it correctly and i'll have an opening."
Clutching the blanket and using his ears to catch the exact moment he needs.
He hears it and as he does.
Right as the Darkin is about to turn the corner.
Luka snapped the blanket open with a whip-like crack, throwing it in the air and perfectly timing when the creature's open, many-sectioned face will pop up.
He shifts. Winds up his punch. And throws it. Connecting to the same event from a different perspective.
Bringing us back to the present.
Luka's punch flying in a diagonal from bottom left to top right, right at the creature's side of his abdomen, all his might gathered in it.
The camera zooms at the point of contact.
Luka's punch is about to land.
Then—
For a moment the scene stops.
[ Luka's plan worked. He thought of a short and cheeky little plan, but it worked. Once he realized that the creature relies too much on his senses and reactions, he understood its threat and projected the plan to nullify its advantage.
While running he picked up a blanket. A black one camouflaging with the surroundings and Luka's shirt. Coincidence? Who knows, nonetheless it worked in his favor confusing the creature even better. Continuing the plan was searching for the terrain so the plan can work. After securing tools and conditions, the execution was nearly flawless. Throwing the blanket open right before the creature turns to confuse him completely.
The final and most important step.
Executed on the dot. Seizing the moment he winds up a deep uppercut with the advantage he made himself, blocking the creature's sight and rendering its senses useless. Clever enough, that brink of a second was all he needed to execute his plan, pull maximum power while ensuring the hit lands effortlessly.
Simple but effective. ]
The scene slowly coming back to normal flow of the event.
.
.
THUMBPPP—
.
THUMBPPP—
.
THUMBPPP—
The punch landed.
A clean hit to the creature's side.
The camera showing 3 angles of the connection.
VVVDOOMMM—
KRRRSHKKSKTT—
THUMPT-KRTTTKK—
Tap-traptt, krttppp-kr—
Krk-krsk, krskkk—
The Darkin's whole body moved, slamming into the cement pole to his left.
Demolishing half of it. Debris starts to fall scattering around and the metal poles holding the structure are now visible. The creature, half into the pole, stops moving.
Luka pants, looking down. His hand is throbbing. Realizing his plan worked he says—
"Haha, i didn't expect it to go so well!" a bright light fires up in Luka's eyes.
Now shifting his gaze back up expecting to see the thing broken.
Instead, the still blanket starts to slowly rise and move.
The little life on Luka's face instantly sucked out.
The Darkin stands up, shaking its head. It's not even limping. If anything now it looked even more pissed.
"○You've got to be kidding me."
Luka didn't even take a breath, yet the creature is on its feet back in the air. It's too fast. Before Luka can even react, a long, spindly limb catches Luka in the chest, the force sending him flying off.
The camera follows his fall in a sickening, dizzying spin.
Luka flies into another house's garden and hits the metal garage door of the house.
BANG—
The metal dents inward. Luka slumps to the concrete, his head snapping back against the steel.
The camera holds on him. He's still. A thin trail of blood begins to leak from his hairline, dripping onto his cheek. His breathing is shallow, ragged. He coughs. Blood comes out.
Still in a daze, almost conscious, he thinks—
"○Get... up. Get..."
Luka groans, his vision blurry. He looks up. The Darkin is landing in the driveway, its blade-fingers scraping the pavement, sparks flying in the dark. It's done playing. It lunges, its arm raised like a scythe to finish the job.
Snapping out of the daze, Luka's hand finds a broken chunk of a cement garden border to his side. He doesn't think. He thrusts the block upward, protecting himself from the claws closing in.
CLANG-STABB—
The creature's blade-finger pierces the cement block like it's made of butter, but the weight of the stone redirects the strike. The blade misses Luka's neck by an inch, burying itself deep into the garage door behind him.
They are locked together.
"GET–OFF–ME!" Luka screams.
They tumble into the garage, the door groaning as it's ripped from its hinges. Inside, it's a chaotic struggle in the dark. They smash into a lawnmower, a stack of winter tires, a workbench.
The creature stabs and claws at Luka, cutting him relentlessly.
While Luka keeps punching and kicking trying to get it off or at least to do some damage. Luka is losing. He can feel his strength flagging. The blood loss is making his head light. Every time he hits a wall, the house feels like it's vibrating.
Luka is clearly more powerful than any normal human being. He understood that much. But it just wasn't enough.
The best comparison that came in Luka's mind at that time was that of a 15-year-old boy fighting a grown adult man. The damage the boy is doing is visible but the difference in capabilities is still way too large.
His mind in a flurry—
"○I'm going to die here. In..a garage. Like a rat." he continues. "○And nobody will even know it for a while. Ah... man.. i haven't even had my kiss yet. What a bummer."
Just as hope fades from Luka's eyes.
He notices the ceiling.
The garage is old, the support beams already cracked, plus their onslaught of hits from the brawl.
Hope shines back.
Luka's eyes still here.
Another idea popped up.
Luka grabs the creature's stuck limb, and his other limb, using every ounce of his 'current' to pull—
"○One.. shot. ...Make it count."
He doesn't pull away—he rotates. He uses the Darkin's own forward momentum, continuously swinging the massive creature in circles building up even more momentum like a hammer thrower.
Letting go at the right moment.
He slams the monster into the main support pillar of the garage.
CRACK-CRASHHHH—
Head first the Darkin slams hard in the wall.
The wood splinters. The brick walls crack. The roof groans.
Luka doesn't stop. He throws himself against the crumbling wall, shoulder-charging it, standing close to the open garage. Screaming until his throat feels like it's tearing.
"AAHHHHHGHHH!!!"
"FALL! DAMN YOU, FALLL!!"
The camera shakes violently as the structure gives way.
The Darkin, already recovered from the crash, starts dashing toward Luka.
"C'MONNN!! FALLLLL!!"
Tension high and the Darkin about to reach with its claw.
With one final, desperate shove, the garage starts collapsing in on itself. Tons of wood, bricks, shingles, and drywall come crashing down in a deafening roar of dust and debris.
Luka evades the claws, stumbling back and falling.
The camera is swallowed by a cloud of white dust.
Silence returns.
Luka is lying on the driveway, just outside the wreckage. He's covered in gray dust and red blood. He's trembling—from fear, from the sheer impossibility of what just happened. Panting and sweating from top to bottom.
"I… I did it." he let out a jagged, broken sigh of relief.
The camera pans over the rubble. It's a tomb. A single, dark limb is visible, pinned beneath a massive beam. The claw that reached out. Close.
It doesn't move.
Luka's right eye is puffed up, his left shoulder hanging at a painful angle. He tries to stand, but his knees buckle. With a bit of struggle he manages, still watching the debris.
"○It's over. ..I have to go. I have to find a doctor. I have to - "
Click, click—
Creeekk—
"What..the..WHAT THE!! KID, WHAT DID YOU DO!!
Luka is jolted looking up to his right. That's right the people; he forgot where he's standing.
"Ohhh hohoho, YOU are in big trouble buddy. HOW DID YOU EVEN MANAGE TO DO THIS!? Im calling the cops." as he's typing the numbers in.
Luka's dry mouth opens up after a slight delay—
"MISTER WAIT PLEASE!? Stop i beg, i can explain. Look, look see the hand?" the camera panning to the debris. "See this..this..thing was chasing me from down the block, please mister you need to believe me." Luka exclaimed.
The man wasn't going to entertain a lunatic that's at his house at almost 04:00 AM, that made this mess. But noticing the bloody mess the kid was in, the scars, the bruises, his right eye, he looked at the scattered debris looking for this so-called 'hand' of a creature.
.
"Ok, that's it i'm calling the cops and i'm coming downstairs to make sure you dont run."
"○Huh?"
"W..what, ARE YOU SERIOUS!? LOOK AT IT, it's like out of a movie." Luka's voice shrieked.
The man looking at the place one more time and saying—
"Don't you dare run, stay right where you are i'm coming down."
.
.
"○...he doesn't see it." a realization hits Luka but before he can even form a thought.
Twitch-twitch, reech—
The camera focuses on the pinned hand.
A single, blade-like finger scrapes against a piece of drywall.
Luka freezes. Cold sweats coming back.
Slowly, the rubble begins to shift. Wood groans as it's pushed aside. The Darkin emerges. It's a mess—blood leaks more clear from its side this time, and one of its split-jaws is hanging limp—but its eyes are glowing with a new, terrifying intensity.
It's not just hunting, nor irritated anymore. It's furious.
The man still at the window catches the debris moving—
"Hu..huhh, hey kid what is this some kind of joke." scanning for a second before saying, "Look just stay there i'm coming down."
Luka's gaze shifting to the only hope in the situation now says—
"W..WAIT! Mister wait please. Call fo -"
Clink—
The window closes.
Luka stares, his heart sinking into his stomach. He's battered, bleeding, and empty. He holds his shattered shoulder, staring at the only hope leaving.
Turning his head at the scattered garage.
Half way—
A limb appears. Right in front of his eyes.
ZzzDUMPPP—
Luka is sent flying out of the garden and crashing into a tree, slightly bending it.
The camera is still in the big crack he made when sent flying. A claw comes into view from the top, slowly stepping on the fence, clenching it, making a screeching sound.
The camera then cuts to Luka laying with his head down, blood everywhere. He slowly picks his head up as if heavier than ever.
The camera cuts closer and closer.
Now zooming in closely on Luka's face—one eye swollen shut, continuing the zoom, the other reflecting the monster in front of him. Slowly. Walking to him.
Luka had no feelings anymore.
He was tired. So tired.
He couldn't move a muscle.
But at least, now he can finally let go and peacefully go on as this blur of a night comes to an end. The pain slowly resides, and his thoughts calm themselves—
"○Yeaa.. this is it. But i.. i don't mind this. After what i went through now i can leave it all behind."
"○My life was short and i didn't even get my first kiss, but it was memorable enough. So, i'm happy with this." completely ready for his life to end.
The creature closing in.
Each footstep louder than the other.
And each breath of Luka like a ticking clock to his demise.
"M...m.. mister, you're going to be alright right?"
A voice.
"Why are you standing alone in the middle of the night mister." a confused tone.
Turning to his left he spots.. the girl.
What is she doing.
Instantly Luka's senses sharpen, the hairs on his body stand like needles, his mind rushing with dopamine and his body pumping adrenaline, like an abandoned car starting its engine. His eyes widen. His instincts shouting that it's not his time yet. How many times will he get shaken back into reality?
Simultaneously the creature sped up going for Luka.
Luckily it wasn't going for the girl.
Lunging with both its limbs pointed with precision and killing intent.
As it gets closer Luka doesn't dodge or move back. He has no strength left to spare. He lunges forward at the last possible second. As the claws whistled toward his throat, he dropped low and pushed forward—his knees screaming—and drove his chest into the creature's sternum. The impact felt like hitting a wall of solid rubber, sending both crashing into the tree.
Immediately they sprawl into another brawl. Punches, claws. But Luka gathering his strength and the electric feeling returning, he sweeps his right hand trying to hit the creature.
Grrk-AAHRHKKKKSSS—
And he does.
But why did it scream so hard?
Nothing worked even remotely close till now.
So why now?
Luka didn't realize, but directing his gaze to the part he struck, he saw a metal pole stuck in the Darkin's left side on its back.
From a flashback when Luka was hitting the walls of the garage and slamming against them relentlessly, the Darkin lunging, and him barely escaping, we see he caught the pole just then. He never realized it from the pain, shock and no time to stop for a second.
Subconsciously he's been holding it the whole time, not letting go for a second.
Something in his favor. After no fortune, Lady Luck decided to smile in his direction.
An advantage.
A tool to fight with.
Gripping it hard he pulls with his might, the electric feeling surging through his veins.
Snap.
SHREEEeeaEekkakKk—
A snap followed by another shriek from the Darkin.
In pain the Darkin tosses Luka aside and pulls back a bit.
Luka quickly stumbling to the girl's side. His mind only focused on her. Instantly asking—
"K..kid, i told you to go home why didn't y..you listen."
"We...well i don't know where i am so i started following the noises i heard to here." the girl answers.
Luka scoffs, collecting himself knowing there is no time to argue or ask questions. Survival is top priority—
"Listen, just stay behind me and you'll be alright ok?" he said firmly.
"..Mhmm" softly the girl said, tears forming in her eyes.
Turning around and facing the Darkin again, Luka took a stance preparing for its attack.
But he sensed it instantly.
The Darkin was no longer on the offense as much as it was.
The gap of physical restraint clearly closed just now. Plus noticing its breathing pattern Luka could deduce that its stamina was lower than his.
Instincts directed on the creature, Luka was now not budging, with a new motive this time his spirit not shaken.
But still wondering—
"○This again? Why am i so jumpy to protect. Was i always this heroic?"
Discarding his thoughts aside, he moves forward.
A quick acceleration then a slide, hitting the Darkin on its leg.
EeEeEkkkKK—
Quickly standing to face it. A right swing, the creature struck next, Luka dodged now trying to stab on the side. The Darkin catches the pole, but Luka doesn't stop. Completely letting go of the pole he starts throwing punches and kicks.
A right hook to the side. A straight to its chin, twist, switching stances a left hook to the other side followed by an upper cut with the same arm.
The Darkin tries to grab Luka, dropping the pole on the ground. Luka steps back footwork sharp, clean, short, witty.
Uss-uss, huffp..—
Jab, jab, straight followed by another jab to the abdomen then an immediate hook to the chin.
Uss, zzdumpp—
The Darkin stumbling and tumbling, Luka seizes the moment to grab the pole again and goes straight for its leg, piercing it brutally—
SheeEKKEKsSkkk—
Another shriek.
Luka didn't stop there, pulling it out he turns and rotates with the pole in hand holding it in reverse aiming for the side of its ribs.
CRCKKKK—
AAEHEEKKKSSAAAKSSKK—
Fully in pain, the Darkin now screaming.
Luka steps back and winds up a powerful kick rotating his torso preparing to strike—
"Hmph.."
Bang.
The Darkin tumbles and rolls around as it's sent flying.
Luka looks to its direction eyes keen not budging.
The Darkin getting up but barely. One limb on the ground the other on its knee.
Pulled back again into a flashback—
We see Luka punching a bag of sand. Visibly, he's smaller. Younger.
Each hit lands with effort, but also with discipline.
Thump—thump—thump—
His breathing is sharp, controlled, but still inexperienced. From another room, his father calls out—
"Dinner's ready!"
"Coming!" Luka replies.
He throws one last punch before stepping away.
Getting to the living room his father looks at him with a warm smile and asks—
"How did it go, did that combo i taught you work well?"
"Yea it was very interesting and smart." Luka says excitedly.
"Well, dig in. After a workout you need nutrients to grow strong, ya know."
Luka smiles and sits at the table, immediately digging into the food in front of him.
His father follows behind, sitting beside him, still warmly smilling. He puts his hand up toward Luka balled up in a fist.
"C'mon put it here."
Luka smiles back and makes a fist, putting his hand to make a fist bump.
The contact is soft, but firm. A silent promise between them in the sun-drenched living room.
"Feel that?" his father asks, his voice dropping into that serious, teaching tone. "It's not just skin hitting skin. It's the energy you've built up. The focus. If you keep your fist tight, the power has nowhere to go but forward."
His father's large hand covers Luka's small fist, squeezing tight.
The camera zooms in tight on the two fists pressed together. The golden afternoon light makes the dust motes dance around their knuckles. Than zooms out again panning toward Luka and his light smile.
Slowly, the light begins to drain away. The warmth of the room is replaced by a biting, metallic chill.
The smooth, clean skin of the young boy's hand begins to crack and darken. The white walls of the home dissolve into the jagged, dark silhouettes of the suburban street at 4:00 AM.
The camera remains locked on the hand.
The small, innocent fist is gone.
In its place is the hand of the present—shaking violently, the knuckles split open and weeping red, dirt packed under the fingernails. It's no longer a boy's hand; it's a weapon held together by nothing but sheer, stubborn will.
The fist flies, making contact with the Darkin, Lukas skin tearing, the Darkins getting pushed inward. From the impact it's pushed back staggering.
Through this small flashback we see why Luka was moving so swiftly. He used to box for a few years getting home schooled by his father.
Still—
This doesn't explain exactly what happened; why didn't he move like this before?
It was simple really.
This time, similarly like the first time he sensed danger, his body was moving on its own.
No control, no manual thinking.
His senses guiding him and his instincts executing the job.
And Luka didn't fight back; this time he indulged, giving in to his primal pull from deep within.
Back to Luka and the Darkin.
The balance shifted dramatically. Before, Luka was barely keeping up.
Now they were on equal footing.
No—
More so Luka was pushing it back now.
Camera now panned on the Darkin. Breaths loud, rugged, skin half with blood–torn in places, chunks falling from its body and the pole still stuck in it.
The creature mostly operated on instinct but still had some form of intelligence.
It knew the tide of the battle was rolling on thin ice. The boy before him was a threat.
Dropping on all fours and looking down with its head, half lowering it, from its back something pops up.
Clicks. Then rises. Shortly after it stops.
A weird shape. The size of a palm.
Gzzing-gzzing, gzzing-gzzing—
Noises.
Luka's eyes narrow, squinting trying to make out its shape. Confusion flashing across his face as he tries to process what he's seeing.
"○What is it now. A sound?" his mind already racing.
The sound—
Gzz-gzzing, gzgzgzggzggzziizggziizgzgzgziigzizgzigzi—
Only intensifies.
The weird shape on its back pulses.
Vibrates.
Faster. Louder. More erratic.
Luka tenses but tries to focus again—
"○What could this be, some kind of big attack? A defense tactic? No, makes no sense."
Gzihgzigzigzizgigzi—
The noise doesn't stop like a bell constantly ringing, drilling the ear.
Luka tenses. His instincts tell him trouble.
His body tightens.
Something's coming.
.
Abrupt silence.
The noises finally stopped.
His eyes snapping the surroundings, looking around alert, Luka knows danger is close but where?
He keeps glancing at the Darkin then to the sides and back to the Darkin, behind it, around.
Expecting something—
A sneak attack or perhaps a head-on sudden strike.
But..
Nothing.
Nothing like that happens.
Still he doesn't relax.
Taking a step back positioning himself carefully and making sure the girl behind is safe. He thinks to himself—
"○Is.. that it?" the camera now close on him.
"○What was that noise for. A recovery ability? A scare tactic? Or.. was it a-"
Then to the left, his eye catches something.
A flicker.
A slight movement.
Just enough to get noticed.
His eyes snap to the left.
Turning his head directly where he caught a glimpse.
In the distance on top of the roof of a house, a figure emerges that was blending with the darkness of the night.
The camera now cutting closer to the house.
From there standing up slowly—
With each movement looking less and less like a human.
Emerges another Darkin, its mouth sprawls out, limbs and legs both on the tiles of the roof.
Scraping.
Making screeching noise while twitching—
AuGRHrrss—
It makes the growl Luka's been hearing all night.
The Darkin steps down from the house and starts to emerge from the shadows of the garden, creeping in closer.
Luka as he saw the monster, the same instant.
He realized the noise was no tactic nor a power up.
A signal.
A call out, a siren for backup.
With no time to think now he has to be high on his guard. A quick look back to the girl, then down on his body.
Not good.
His body, at the brink of failing.
The situation—
Worse.
The situation was becoming dire by the second.
His thoughts flashing back again to the situation before, how he wanted to let go.
But.
No time for that now, he has to protect the girl behind him.
"○What am i supposed to do here." thinking to himself. "○How do i make sure th.. this girl gets out of here safe."
Assuming a stance.
Luka readies himself.
Flicker, flicker-flicker—
His eyes snapping to his right.
Krssnnssss—
Scraping on the ground.
From the bushes on the garden from a house on the opposite another figure emerges.
Luka's chest completely drops. His heart skips a beat.
From the bushes and shadows, again.
Another one.
Another Darkin emerges.
Scraping with its claws directly coming their way, eyes never budging from Luka's direction.
Could this get any worse?
Has fortune given up on him so quickly?
Luka, despite scared and completely lost in this situation, has no time to whine—
"○What.. do i even do here."
"○I can't let the girl run, their speed is too much, even i couldn't escape."
The Darkins coming closer, all three in front of Luka. Bloodlust on their mind.
"○Ah man, i gotta atleast protect her before i die. I..gotta try."
He glances back at the girl to tell her to stay behind and hold tight.
"Listen. Kid, hold on ti-"
"Hu.. huhh..?"
The girl is gone.
Before he can panic—
To the side, the girl wakes up coughing. Looking around her eyes full of tears and a blood trail running down the side of her head. Locking eyes with Luka.
She was knocked out all this time.
Was it then?
When Luka started fighting the Darkin?
Perhaps. But no time for that.
Luka knew the real problem now. He and the girl were separated. No way for protection.
He instantly bolts for her.
Glancing to his right.
One of the Darkins reacts to his movement.
No time.
Luka's feet drag on the ground using every ounce of strength to get in front of the girl. He slides in time putting his hands up and positioning his body for impact. Before shouting—
"HANG ON TIGHT!!" to the little girl.
She clutches on his legs, tears still rolling from her eyes.
The Darkin closes in with its gaping mouth wide open.
The camera shifts between Luka then the Darkin, back and forth. Until—
It stops.
The footsteps. The growls.
The Darkin stops.
Luka little by little tries to look up moving his hands so he can see.
VvzzDUMPPP—
From behind to the right of the Darkin, Luka's left. A limb decimates Luka clean.
He rolls and continues to hit the ground until he gets stopped by a metal fence from the houses.
The first one who wakes up is the little girl.
A little shaken up, but nothing serious.
Luka managed to protect her.
Looking around then down at Luka.
The girl's breath trembled as she slowly turned her head. Her gaze now shifting toward the Darkins.
At first, she didn't understand what she was looking at.
Just shapes.
Dark. Unclear.
Her vision still blurred from panic and tears.
But then, her eyes adjusted.
And what she saw was nothing short of terrifying.
Three figures.
Standing in the distance.
Watching.
She started trembling. Something deep inside her had recognized danger before her mind could even process it.
They weren't moving at first.
Just… standing there.
Wrong.
Everything about them felt wrong.
Their silhouettes bent in unnatural ways, limbs slightly too long, slightly too thin—like something trying and failing to imitate a human form. The streetlight behind them flickered faintly, casting shifting shadows that made their bodies look like they were constantly… twitching.
Her lips parted.
No sound came out.
Then—
one of them moved.
A slow step forward.
A dragging motion, like its limbs didn't fully belong to it.
Then another.
And another. The others followed.
Not rushing. Not hesitating.
Just walking.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
Like hunters who already knew their prey had nowhere to go.
The sound came next.
A faint scraping against the pavement.
Krrrk… krrrk…—
Their limbs bent as they walked, joints shifting in ways that shouldn't be possible. One of them tilted its head too far to the side, then slowly corrected it with a series of soft, cracking noises.
Her chest tightened violently. Air wouldn't come in.
Her vision shook.
They kept coming.
Closer.
Step by step. Unbothered. Unafraid.
Certain.
Her hands began to tremble uncontrollably.
"No…" the word barely escaped her lips, broken and fragile.
Tears welled up instantly, spilling over before she could stop them.
"No… no, no…" her voice cracked.
Her knees weakened. But her body refused to move. Refused to run.
It was like the ground had swallowed her whole.
Her heart slammed against her chest.
Ta-dump, ta-dump, ta-dump—
Too fast. Too loud.
She could hear it in her ears. Feel it in her throat.
The creatures drew closer, their shapes becoming clearer in the dim light. One of them dragged its fingers along a nearby fence—
Krrrriiiiiss—
The metal screeched under its touch.
Another let out a low, distorted sound—
Ghhrr… ksssss…
Not a growl. Not a voice. Something in between.
Something horrifying.
She broke.
A sob tore through her as her legs gave out beneath her. She collapsed beside Luka, her hands immediately grabbing onto him—
"M-mister—!" her voice came out desperate, shaking.
"Mister please, wake up! Please—please wake up!" she shook him frantically, her grip uneven, weak from fear.
Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably, her vision blurring again as panic and fear took over completely.
"They're coming—please—please, get up!" her voice rose, breaking into full sobs now.
Her hands trembled as she kept shaking him, over and over again, as if forcing him awake was the only thing keeping her from completely falling apart.
Behind her—
the sound of footsteps continued.
Slow. Patient.
Closing in.
Then—
Luka stirred.
Not suddenly. Not sharply.
The girl's screams reached him as if from far away—muffled, distant, like sound traveling through water—
"Mister—! Please—please wake up!"
His eyes twitched slightly, but his body refused to respond. Every muscle felt heavy. Drained. Like something had squeezed all the strength out of him and left nothing behind.
The camera shifts into his point of view.
Blurred shapes. Flickering light. Movement he couldn't quite make out.
His breathing was slow, uneven.
Then—
his vision started to focus.
Laying there, he turned his head slightly to the left. His eyelids darkening half the screen.
And saw them.
Three figures. Getting closer.
Slow. With intention.
His eyes widened just a fraction.
Not fear—recognition.
"○…If I don't move… it's over." the thought came quietly. Clearly. No panic. Just truth.
The girl's hands shook him again, pulling his attention back.
"Mister! I beg of you!! Please, get up!" sobbing uncontrollably.
His gaze shifted toward her—tears streaming down her face, eyes wide with terror.
For a moment—his body didn't move.
Then—
his fingers twitched.
A small movement.
His arm followed, slowly pressing against the ground as he forced himself to respond.
"○Move."
Nothing.
"○Move!"
His teeth clenched.
His muscles screamed in protest, but something deeper pushed through the exhaustion.
He planted his hand harder. Forced his body up.
His upper body lifted slightly off the ground, shaking, unstable, but moving.
The girl's grip loosened for a second in shock.
"M…mister..?"
He didn't answer. He couldn't.
His breathing grew heavier as he dragged one knee under him. Then, the other.
Each motion slow. Painfully slow. Like lifting his own body against an invisible weight.
But he kept going.
"○Get up!"
His head dipped forward as he pushed down harder, gathering what little strength he had left.
His leg straightened.
Rising—
bit by bit.
He had no energy. Fighting all night. Getting thrown around and claws cut his skin. Exhaustion caught up quick. But his will couldn't let go.
With sheer will alone—
he stood.
Not fully. Not yet.
His legs held him up, barely, but the rest of his body still lagged behind—torso slumped forward, head hanging low, like gravity itself was trying to drag him back down.
For a moment—
he looked broken.
The girl stood behind him, frozen, her breath uneven, her hands still trembling. She didn't understand how he was even up.
Neither did he.
Silence stretched between them and the approaching Darkins. They themselves stopping feeling the temperature in the air shift.
Then—
his hand moved.
The camera close on Luka at a 3/4 angle just above him from his left.
Excruciating pain. Slow. Rigid. But his hand, it didn't stop.
His fingers twitched first, stiff and unresponsive, before curling inward one by one.
Thumb.
Index.
Middle.
Ring.
Pinky.
Until—
his hand closed into a fist.
Tight.
It started to shake.
Not from weakness—
but from strain.
From something pushing past its limits.
That was the first thing that rose.
Rising close to the camera.
Then the rest followed.
His shoulders tightened, muscles trembling as they pulled upward. His spine straightened little by little, resisting the weight pressing down on him. His head lifted just slightly—still tilted, still heavy, angled downward and to the right, like it cost him everything just to keep it there.
His breathing deepened.
Uneven.
Dust clung to his clothes. Leaves stuck to his back and shoulders. Dirt smeared across his arms, mixing with streaks of blood that hadn't fully dried. Bruises darkened his skin in uneven patches, some fresh, some already swelling.
His left arm hung limp at his side.
Useless. Completely damaged.
Blood trailing faintly down his fingers.
But his right—
his right was clenched into that fist.
Raised slightly in front of him.
The ground beneath his feet was cracked and scattered with debris, small pieces of rubble shifting as he adjusted his stance. One leg slightly forward, the other braced behind, knees bent just enough to hold balance—but not fully stable.
He was barely holding the pose.
But standing.
Behind him, the girl remained.
Small. Fragile.
And he didn't move from that spot.
Didn't step aside. Didn't look back. He didn't need to.
Everything about his posture said it.
He was the wall now.
The Darkins still paused looking at him.
But something had changed.
They all felt it.
Something that refused to fall.
His head remained slightly lowered, tilted to the right, shadow covering his eyes—but beneath that shadow, something burned.
Something that didn't break.
His fist tightened further, the tension running through his entire body like a current. The electric feeling slowly firing up.
Every muscle screaming. Every nerve protesting. Pain shot to his brain.
And yet—
he stood firm.
Not because he could, but because something inside him simply refused to stop.
And no matter how broken his body became—
that part of him would not fall.
His indomitable spirit still glowing, unable to be extinguished.
His mouth slowly opening—
"C..." blood gushing out.
"Come."
.
Srllllkk—
KRrAAsHHhRggrrr—
The sound of the pole getting taken out of the Darkin and screaming cuts off the moment. Straight after it runs, accelerating in Luka's direction. Like the same one he's been struggling with, having hatred toward him.
Luka says nothing. He stands there.
The girl shrieks. And braces.
Half way—
Fiuuuu-szzZZDUMMPPPTTT—
A huge crash erupts onto the Darkin from above. Dust and crumbles fill the air. Both the Darkins and Luka unable to see.
As the dust settles, Luka under his tired eyelids, his head still unable to fully straighten, he notices first.
A man.
Only the head and his shoulders. Short hair, broad build.
The dust slowly descending now revealing more.
The man's back now visible, his legs slowly coming into view.
Next the legs. One leg standing on a massive hammer he was holding, the other on the Darkin. And beneath him the creature completely crushed. The ground, cracked, stopping right before Luka.
Luka's mind all over with questions—
"○A man? A hammer? What just happened? Who is this?"
The dust now completely gone.
The mysterious man moves. Lowering his foot from the hammer and picking it up.
Uttering a single word—
"Run."
Luka has so many questions. But he doesn't think. He acts.
As the mystery man starts to walk toward the other 2 Darkins Luka grabs the girl—
"Le..let's..go."
The girl saddened by his state looks with admiration. Pushing forward with him.
Luka unable to run in the slightest, begins to stagger holding his limping arm, head still low. The girl follows.
The girl suddenly stops.
But Luka doesn't notice. His senses dulled.
She couldn't see what it was. But with dust and debris on it, the movement was now visible to the girls naked eye. Headed straight to them. Something was coming. Sensing danger.
She opens her mouth—
"WAIT! MISTER WATCH OU-" trying to warn him. But it was too late.
The camera now getting closer to Luka from his side, shaking like riding on a horse.
As Luka turns to the camera, a scream—
ARGGGKKSSS—
Followed by the camera chasing into him.
Breaking a fence and hitting a house.
The girl calling out again—
"NO MISTER!!" through tears.
As they hit the house and make a slight dent on the brick wall.
The Darkin ended up on top of Luka.
Not good.
Shing, shing—
As Luka looks up, the Darkin starts to crawl at him scraping him, throwing its limbs as hard as it can and trying to take a bite, but misses. Luka defends with his hands and evading whenever he can.
He frantically struggles, his body barely with any energy. But the electric surge was here. A last-ditch effort.
He punched back and brawled with it. Holding it tight and trying to overpower it and get an advantage. But was unsuccessful.
The Darkin was far less exhausted and was on top of him. One of its limbs managed to grab Luka's arm, claws digging deep, and pin it to the ground.
Luka screamed—
"ARGHHH." his voice tired, raspy. Blood gushing.
Then the Darkin opened its mouth to try and eat him.
Luka with no other option. Under the Darkin one of his legs cut loose. He adjusted it and put the bottom of his foot on the Darkin's stomach trying to push it back.
Not enough.
Then with his limping arm as his only option to survive, forced to pick it up.
Pain. Agony. Throbbing. Luka pushed through. He had to.
His arm shaking. But there was nothing else he could do.
Darkin still mouth wide open, its breath heavy, the smell horrid, the air around smelling like old copper, its sharp teeth sprawled from all sides. Saliva dripping on Luka. It keeps pushing.
Luka pushes back holding it with will and the hope to live—
"GET–OFF–..MEEEE!!!" mouth full of blood.
Both sides don't budge.
But, the Darkin was visibly pushing back. And fast.
Slowly but surely its teeth were creeping closer.
Luka on his last breath screams for one final push—
"AAAAHHRGHHH."
The creature's mouth opened wider—splitting unnaturally, stretching closer than ever, saliva still dripping. Rows of jagged teeth glistened in the dim light. It's about to bite Luka's head off.
Too close.
This was it.
.
Krckk-VVODUMMMM—
KKSKRRKKK—
Krsk-crskk, crackkk—
A sound. An impact.
The Darkin's head snapped sideways. Violently.
Its entire body followed a split second later as something crushed into it with overwhelming force.
The wall behind it shattered on impact, a deep fracture running from top to bottom, spreading across the surface like a spiderweb. Pieces of concrete broke loose, dust bursting into the air.
Blood splashed outward. Warm. Thick. It hit Luka's face. His clothes. Dripping down slowly.
The Darkin's body hung there for a second… stuck. Lifeless.
Something was lodged into it.
Luka blinked. Slowly.
His hand moved up, wiping the blood from his eyes. Smearing it across his face as his vision cleared—
And that's when he saw it.
A massive hammer. Jagged. Embedded deep into what remained of the creature's head.
The metal was rough, uneven, almost brutal in design—like it wasn't made to strike, but to destroy.
A figure stood beside it.
From the side, a hand reached out. Calm. Unrushed.
Gripping the handle—and pulling.
The sound was sickening. It was wet but heavy at the same time.
The hammer tore free. The body dropped fully to the ground with a dull thud.
Clink—
The head of the hammer briefly tapped the pavement as it was lowered. Then—lifted again.
The man rested it over his shoulder with one arm, balancing its weight like it was nothing.
Luka stared. Trying to focus on the man.
Pain and agony throbbed through his body. Blood mixed with dust and debris clung to his skin. His vision still struggled to stabilize.
But slowly, the figure became clear.
He could make out the man's features. Tall. At least 190 cm. Broad shoulders. A strong build that wasn't just for show—every movement carried weight, control. The hammer rested effortlessly against him.
His hair, short. A clean buzzcut.
Then Luka focused on his face and paused...
"○He's… he's..young..?"
Around his age, maybe a bit older. But not by much.
Before Luka could say anything, the man moved.
He walked toward him without hesitation, stopping right in front of him. Without a word, he reached down, grabbing Luka's arm and pulling it over his shoulder.
Supporting him and holding him up—
"Easy." the man said calmly.
Luka winced slightly as he was lifted, his body protesting every movement.
They started walking. Step by step. Out of the broken garden.
"Who.. are you?" Luka asked almost whispering.
But the man didn't answer. He was looking straight ahead. Thinking.
Going through the crack that was made toward the road.
The girl waiting at the side of the road closely, still shaken, still trying to process what had just happened.
Luka glanced at the man, still trying to piece things together—
"H..hey, tell me..who… are you…?" he asked, voice weak but persistent. "What was that thing…? And how did you—"
The man didn't answer immediately. His expression remained neutral. He was thinking. Calculating.
They reached the sidewalk on the road outside the fence of the house.
He slowly lowered Luka down, letting him sit.
"Stay put." he said simply, his tone firm but not harsh. "That goes for both of you. Help's on the way."
Luka frowned slightly, still trying to understand.
"Wait—"
But the man had already turned away.
He brought two fingers up to his ear, tilting his head slightly as if listening to something unseen.
Then he spoke.
"Yeah. I'm here."
A pause.
"Got sidetracked, but it's handled."
Another pause.
He glanced briefly toward Luka and the girl.
"Nothing serious. It's been handled smoothly."
"..." the man listening on the other end.
"…Yeah. 2 victims, one male the other a little girl. Both are alive."
Silence again.
"Yes. The main mission was a success as well, no casualties."
"..."
"Understood."
He lowered his hand. And turned back toward them. Coming closer to Luka, stopping before him.
"You saw them right." said the man with a firm tone.
"I know you did. You were ready to fight for the girl i saw it." the man added. "That only means you can see them."
Luka confused for a second.
But a flashback. His mind reminded him of the man from the window that shouted. The way he ignored Luka's story and the hand poking from the rubble.
"Ye.." stopped mid sentence by a cough.
"..yea, bu..but what are they." his conscience getting held by a light feather.
The mystery man didn't answer him. His expression even more serious now. But not mad, or scary; more so committed.
He stood up, turning his back to Luka, walking away.
Putting his 2 fingers to his ear again—
"Code black. I repeat code black." the man says but Luka didn't catch it.
Luka understood that the man won't reply to him but he didn't stop—
"Listen.. atle.." coughing up blood and in and out of conscience. "Atleast... tell me your name."
The man paused still with his back turned.
Finally acknowledging Luka. His head only barely turning.
He felt no need to reveal his identity.
To him, Luka was just a kid—injured, confused, and far too deep in something he didn't yet understand. There was no reason to explain. No obligation.
He turned, putting his hammer on his back, locking it up. And started walking back in Luka's direction.
He wasn't sure what would come next. Whether this moment would fade into nothing, or spiral into something interesting.
Perhaps it was boredom.
Perhaps it was a mistake.
Or maybe—
it was something else entirely.
A quiet instinct for what's to come in the near future, he couldn't quite put into words. The kind that didn't come often… but when it did, it was rarely wrong.
He stopped right in front of Luka. Dropped one knee and then the other, crouching. Putting one hand on his supporting leg and his left hand on his lower knee.
His gaze lingered on Luka for a brief moment longer.
.
Luka still blacking in and out. Looked at the man before him stopping for a second as well.
.
Whatever the reason—
he decided to answer him.
.
.
Luka's eyes slowly closing, the voice fading.
.
"Call me..."
.
.
.
.
"Darjan."
Luka's eyes black out.