The silence returned, thick and suffocating. The creature's ragged breathing was the only sound cutting through the air. Each gurgling gasp grew weaker than the last.
Maggie crouched beside Dylan, her eyes narrowed. She studied the bones embedded in the creature's body, then cast an uneasy glance at the dark forest encircling them.
"If that thing's still nearby, we need to move…"
Dylan didn't answer immediately. He kept watching. The creature's agony resembled a slow torture. The projectiles sank inch by inch, rooting into its flesh as if something pushed them from within.
"See that?" he whispered.
Maggie frowned.
"Yeah… It's…"
She froze. Something shifted. Subtle. Beneath the creature's skin.
"Wait…"
Dylan edged back, heart hammering. The creature's black veins pulsed, writhing just beneath the surface. The bone blades were no longer still. They vibrated.
"Hell…" Maggie breathed.
The first crack was nearly silent. A faint pop, followed by another. Then a third.
The bones inside the creature's body exploded, one by one.
"Back up."
Dylan grabbed Maggie's arm and yanked her backward. They ducked behind the riddled car carcass, breath shallow.
The creature's body shuddered violently, convulsing in the mud. The impaling bones were no longer weapons. They grew. Lengthening as if feeding on its blood.
"What the hell…?" Maggie muttered.
Dylan shook his head, speechless. The projectiles burrowed faster into the creature's flesh, as if accelerated after prolonged contact with its blood and tissue.
The scene belonged in a horror film. The relentless cracking of bone mingled with the creature's fading whimpers. Each fracture sprayed shards of bone and gore into the mud, the metallic stench of blood saturating the air.
Dylan hesitated, rooted in place. His shallow breaths betrayed his panic, but his feet refused to move. Beside him, Maggie watched with eerie calm.
But beneath it, both were terrified.
"It'll stop… right?" Dylan whispered, not expecting an answer.
Maggie didn't reply. Her gaze stayed fixed on the twitching corpse, eyes tracking the unnatural movements rippling beneath its skin. The bones kept growing, twisted and malformed, piercing muscle with agonizing slowness.
Then, abruptly, the creature stilled. No breath. No sound.
Icy silence fell.
"Is it… over?" Maggie whispered.
Dylan frowned, wary. Nothing felt over. Even the air seemed to hold its breath.
He squinted. Something was wrong. Nothing in this world made sense.
Then fear gripped them, and they hurried toward the van—or what remained of it. The vehicle was riddled with holes, offering no shelter.
Inside, a few military supplies had survived the chaos. Dylan carefully gathered three items into a pack: emergency rations, basic tools, and minimal hygiene supplies. With these, he could last three days… if he survived that long.
He already wore military gear—a bulletproof vest, three magazines for his HK416F assault rifle, plus two spare mags and the one loaded. A thigh holster held his pistol. He slung the rifle over his shoulder, vowing to use it only as a last resort. Gunfire risked attracting attention… or worse, one of these bulletproof creatures.
His machete gripped firmly in one hand, his other brushed the hilt of his dagger, ready to draw.
With this arsenal, Dylan finally felt prepared. He glanced at Maggie. She was armed too.
His gaze drifted to the bony creature's corpse on the ground. He closed his eyes briefly, then turned to the forest.
They had no choice. Turning back was impossible. Only the vast, menacing forest lay ahead. They'd have to carve a path through its shadows, hoping to find proof they weren't alone.
Dylan exhaled slowly, cracked his neck, and stepped forward. His eyes scanned every rustle in the grass, every shifting shadow between trees.
This world wasn't his anymore. Here, it wasn't about war or fighting a defined enemy. It was about survival.
"Commander Maggie… let's go."
Maggie nodded and fell into step. Her movements were precise, measured, conserving energy.
The forest loomed as a dark, oppressive mass. Gnarled branches formed a dense canopy, barely filtering light. A frigid wind whistled through the trunks, carrying indistinct whispers.
Dylan advanced cautiously, machete in hand. Every step deliberate, every sound analyzed. Maggie walked slightly behind, weapon raised, covering their rear.
After minutes of silent progress, a crack echoed to their left.
Both soldiers froze. Dylan raised a fist, signaling a halt.
A second noise, closer. Something moved in the shadows.
Dylan swallowed. "Do we go around or engage?"
Maggie didn't answer immediately. She scanned the gloom, fingers tightening on her weapon.
A rasping breath hissed between the trees.
Dylan turned his head.
Something hurtled toward them.