The bunker's atmosphere grew increasingly oppressive. The stale air, the smell of blood, and the moss-covered concrete walls made the place feel like a living tomb. After following the mysterious man who claimed to be a scientist.
Axel realized their food supplies were dwindling. They had finished the remnants of the canned food they found in the bunker, and now their only option was to venture out and find something edible in the forest.
"Are you sure you can go alone?" Nova asked, narrowing her eyes at Axel.
Axel nodded. "I'll be faster on my own. You guys stay here, lock the door. Don't let anyone in."
Nova seemed hesitant, but finally sighed. "Alright. Be careful."
Axel nodded and grabbed his iron rod before stepping out of the bunker. The forest was still dark, lit only by the faint moonlight filtering through the leaves. He walked cautiously, listening to every sound around him.
Each step felt heavy. Hunger began to distract him, but he couldn't afford to be careless.
After Axel's departure, Nova sat leaning against the wall, examining her pocket knife. Carter paced nervously, while Logan leaned against the table with his arms folded.
"I don't like this," Carter muttered. "We shouldn't have let Axel go alone."
"If we all went, the bunker wouldn't be safe," Logan replied.
Nova nodded, though in her heart she felt something was wrong. There was an eerie feeling surrounding her, as if she were being watched.
TAP… TAP… TAP…
Nova looked up. "Did you hear that?"
Carter stopped pacing. "Hear what?"
Nova narrowed her eyes. "There's something... outside."
Logan stood up warily. "Maybe Axel's back?"
Nova shook her head. "No. The footsteps are too light."
A moment of silence.
Then…
THUMP THUMP THUMP!
Loud thumping sounds echoed from the bunker door.
Nova's heart sank.
The three of them exchanged glances.
"I-it couldn't be Axel knocking like that, right?" Carter whispered.
Nova grabbed her knife and cautiously approached the door. "Who's out there?" she asked firmly.
No answer.
But the knocking stopped.
Then…
CRASH!
Something slammed against the door hard.
Nova recoiled. "We have to go! Now!"
But before they could move, something happened.
Thick smoke suddenly seeped in through the door cracks.
Carter coughed violently. "What is this?!"
Nova felt her head spinning. Her vision blurred. She tried to move, but her legs weakened.
Nova saw Logan collapse. Carter also fell.
Her consciousness began to fade. Her body swayed, and the last thing she saw before everything went dark was the shadow of someone entering the bunker.
Axel returned to the bunker, carrying some wild fruits he had found in the forest. He was slightly out of breath from running.
But as soon as he arrived, he sensed something was wrong.
His heart pounded. He hurried inside, only to find Carter and Logan lying on the floor.
Axel rushed towards them. "Carter! Logan! Wake up!"
Logan groaned and slowly opened his eyes.
Axel checked around. "Where's Nova?"
Carter, just regaining consciousness, gasped. "Nova... was taken."
Axel felt his blood run cold.
Axel immediately ran out of the bunker. He scanned the surroundings, looking for clues.
Then, he saw drag marks leading into the forest.
Without hesitation, Axel gripped his iron rod tightly and started running after the trail.
The forest at night was more terrifying than ever. Tall, towering trees loomed like watchful giants, dark shadows danced among the bushes, and strange sounds echoed in the distance. A cold wind brushed his face, carrying faint whispers from who-knows-where.
TAP! TAP! TAP!
Axel stopped for a moment, his ears catching something.
Footsteps.
Someone or something was following him.
Axel tightened his grip on the iron rod and continued his journey more cautiously. The drag marks on the ground were still clear, mixed with smaller footprints—probably belonging to the one who had dragged Nova.
Each step he took felt like he was getting closer to the heart of danger.
Suddenly, ahead of him, the drag marks stopped.
Axel frowned. He scanned his surroundings, looking for signs of Nova's presence.
Then, he saw something.
Behind the bushes, a shiny object caught the moonlight.
Axel approached and picked it up.
A pocket knife.
Nova's.
"Nova was here…" he murmured, his eyes narrowing.
But where was she now?
Just then, something caught his attention.
Near the roots of a large tree, the ground looked uneven, as if recently disturbed. There were scratch marks on the trunk, as if something had been lowered down.
Axel slowly moved his foot, trying to find a gap.
Then, his hand found something.
An iron handle.
Carefully, Axel pulled it.
CREEEEAKKK…
The ground beneath the tree roots suddenly shifted, revealing a dark, gaping hole like a monster's mouth.
An underground passage.
"What is this…" Axel whispered.
A cold wind blew out of the passage, carrying the scent of damp earth and something fainter, the familiar smell of iron and blood.
Axel's heart beat faster. If Nova was here, he had no other choice.
Axel took a deep breath and stepped into the underground passage.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, Nova regained consciousness with a heavy head and weak body. Her vision was blurry, but she could feel the coldness of the concrete floor beneath her.
Where was this?
Slowly, her senses returned. She tried to move, but her wrists felt heavy from being handcuffed.
Nova raised her head and looked around. She was in a narrow room with rough concrete walls. Dim light from a flickering overhead lamp cast eerie shadows around her.
In the corner of the room, there was a cluttered table full of papers, syringes, and some terrifying-looking metal objects.
She tried to pull her hands, but the handcuffs were too strong.
Just then, footsteps echoed from outside the room.
TAP… TAP… TAP…
Nova held her breath.
The door in front of her slowly opened.
A man entered.
"Ah, you're awake," he said in a hoarse voice.
Nova glared at him. "Who are you?"
The man smirked. "Me? I'm just someone who wants to know... how far humans can change before losing their humanity."
Nova felt a shiver run down her spine.
The man walked to the table and picked up a syringe filled with dark red liquid. He stared at the liquid with an expression of admiration.
"You know, this place used to be a research lab. They experimented on humans... trying to create something stronger than ordinary humans."
Nova tensed.
"And you," he continued, looking at Nova with gleaming eyes, "will be part of that experiment."
Nova gritted her teeth. "Damn it."
She began to tug at the handcuffs violently. But the man just chuckled.
"There's no use resisting, young lady. Everyone who's ever entered this room... never left the same."
Meanwhile, Axel continued down the underground passage, his breath held. The air in here grew increasingly stale, and his footsteps echoed along the concrete walls.
He knew Nova was here.
He could feel it.
There were doors along the walls, each with small barred windows. Some were open, revealing empty rooms filled with scratch marks on the walls.
And on one of the doors, there was a fresh bloodstain.
Axel approached it cautiously, trying to peek inside.
Then, suddenly—
CRASH!
Something slammed against the window from inside.
Axel recoiled.
Behind the bars, something moved.
The creature had a thin, gaunt body with pale skin and empty black eyes. It stared at Axel with a bloodthirsty expression, its hands pressing against the glass with long claws.
Axel held his breath.
The creature growled and slowly retreated into the darkness of the room.
Axel clenched his fists.
"I don't care what's in this place…" he muttered. "I'll find Nova and get out of here."
He stepped forward, faster, braver.
Axel felt his adrenaline surge.
He raised his iron rod and pushed the door hard.
CRASH!
Axel stood in the doorway, his breath heavy, his eyes filled with anger.
The man turned, looking surprised.
Axel wasted no time.
SWOOSH!
He swung his iron rod with all his might.
The man didn't have time to dodge.
THWACK!
The iron rod struck his stomach, sending him staggering back and dropping the syringe.
Nova stared at Axel with wide eyes.