Ethan's boots pounded the cracked pavement as he closed in on the dorm, the sob still echoing in his ears—soft, broken, pulling him like a tether. The building loomed ahead, a three-story slab of brick and shattered windows, its east wing sagging where something heavy had rammed it. The air was thick with dust and the metallic tang of blood, the campus a graveyard of scattered backpacks, bikes, and bodies half-hidden in the shadows. [Predator Sense] buzzed, picking up threats—claws tapping in the distance, a low growl from the west—but nothing immediate. Not yet.
He skidded to a stop at the dorm's entrance, the glass doors smashed inward, shards crunching underfoot. The lobby was dark, lit only by the faint red glow of the fractured sky seeping through the windows. A bulletin board hung crooked, flyers for study groups and frat parties fluttering in the stale breeze. Ethan's chest tightened. Mia's room was third floor, east side—Room 312. He'd dropped her off here a dozen times, teasing her about the mess she'd leave for her roommate. Now, it was a warzone.
The sob came again, fainter, from above. Ethan gripped the hammer tighter, its handle slick with sweat and soot, and stepped inside. [Perception] sharpened the gloom: overturned furniture, a smear of blood on the stairs, the faint drip of water from a busted pipe. He moved fast, taking the steps two at a time, his [Agility] making the climb smoother despite the ache in his ribs. The system had changed him—stronger, faster—but it couldn't dull the dread gnawing at his gut. What if he was too late?
Second floor landing—empty, save for a toppled vending machine, its glass front cracked, snacks spilling like guts. The sob sounded again, clearer now, from the east stairwell. Ethan pushed on, hammer raised, every creak of the building setting his nerves on edge. [Predator Sense] flared—something reptilian, close, its heartbeat slow and deliberate. He froze at the third-floor door, peering through the small window.
A giant lizard crouched in the hallway—six feet long, scales glinting like wet stone, a tongue flicking from its jaws. It wasn't a raptor or an anaconda, but something uglier—a komodo, maybe, twisted into a monster from a B-movie. It gnawed on a body slumped against the wall, blood pooling beneath. Ethan's breath caught, but the victim's hair was blonde, not Mia's dark brown. Relief warred with guilt—he didn't want anyone dead, but it wasn't her.
The sob came from beyond the lizard, Room 312's door ajar at the hall's end. Ethan's jaw clenched. He couldn't sneak past—the hall was too narrow, the beast too alert. He'd have to kill it, fast and quiet, before it brought more. He scanned the landing: a fire extinguisher hung on the wall, dented but intact, its pin still in place. An idea clicked, fueled by that [Improvised Tactician] instinct.
He eased the extinguisher free, wincing at the faint clink of metal, and pulled the pin. The lizard's head twitched, tongue tasting the air, but it didn't turn. Ethan took a breath, aimed, and squeezed the handle. A blast of white foam shot out, hissing loud enough to echo, coating the lizard's face and eyes. It reared back, snarling, claws scrabbling blindly on the tile.
Ethan charged, hammer swinging in a tight arc. The blow cracked its skull, foam and blood splattering, and it staggered. He hit again, harder, [Strength] driving the hammer deep into its brainpan. The lizard convulsed, then slumped, its tail thrashing once before going still.
[Monster slain: Mutated Komodo]
[Attributes Gained: +1 Endurance]
[Skills Gained: None]
[Rewards Gained: None]
Stamina surged, dulling the ache in his ribs, but Ethan barely noticed. He stepped over the corpse, hammer dripping, and pushed into Room 312. The sob stopped, replaced by a sharp gasp. "Who's there?" a voice whispered—Mia's voice, small but alive.
"Mia, it's me," Ethan said, voice rough with relief. He shoved the door wider, revealing a cramped dorm room: bunk beds, a desk piled with books, a window boarded with a chair. Mia crouched in the corner, a kitchen knife trembling in her hands, her dark hair tangled, face streaked with dirt and tears. Her roommate's sneakers peeked from under a blanket on the floor—still, too still.
"Ethan?" Mia's eyes widened, the knife clattering to the ground. She lunged at him, arms wrapping around his waist, sobbing into his chest. "I thought—I heard the screams, and Jess—"
"Shh, it's okay," Ethan said, hugging her tight, the hammer dangling at his side. "I'm here now." But it wasn't okay. Jess was dead, the campus was a slaughterhouse, and monsters roamed free. He'd found her, but getting out was another fight.
[Objective completed: Reach Mia Carver]
[Attributes Gained: +1 Agility]
[Rewards Gained: None]
His legs felt lighter, reflexes honed, but the victory was hollow. Mia pulled back, wiping her face. "What's happening? The power went out, then these things—Jess tried to run, but—"
"I don't know," Ethan said, cutting her off gently. "It started last night—monsters everywhere, tech's dead. We've got to move, find somewhere safe."
Mia nodded, shaky but resolute, and grabbed a backpack from the desk, stuffing it with a water bottle and a hoodie. "There's a group in the gym," she said. "I heard them yelling before it got quiet. Maybe they're still there."
Ethan glanced at Jess's body, then the boarded window. The gym was west, half a mile through campus. [Predator Sense] pinged—more threats outside, circling closer. "Stick behind me," he said, lifting the hammer. "We're getting out of here."
Mia clutched his arm, and they stepped into the hall, the komodo's blood slick underfoot. The building groaned, a distant roar shaking the walls.