Humanities weakness.
You don’t think—you act.
Instead of staying in the vent like a sitting duck, you kick the metal open and drop down into the room below.
The moment your feet hit the floor, the creature screeches and charges.
Its twitching body lurches forward with terrifying speed, its claws slicing through the air like jagged knives. You barely manage to dodge, diving to the side as it slams into the wall, metal and debris exploding around it.
No time to think. Run.
You sprint down the corridor, your boots slamming against the cold floor. You glance over your shoulder—the creature is right behind you, its elongated limbs carrying it unnaturally fast, its gaping mouth stretched open in a silent howl.
Then—a dead end.
A window.
You don’t hesitate.
With a final burst of speed, you hurl yourself forward, arms shielding your face as your body shatters through the glass.
You crash onto the icy ground, rolling painfully across the snow-covered concrete. Shards of glass dig into your skin, but you don’t stop moving.
Then—a heavy thud.
The creature lands behind you.
You whirl around just as it rears back, preparing to strike—
Gunfire erupts.
A barrage of bullets tears through the air, ripping into the monster’s body. Blood sprays across the snow as the force of the impact sends it staggering back, screeching.
Figures emerge from the shadows—armed men in tactical gear, their rifles flashing as they continue unloading into the creature.
The monster convulses violently before finally collapsing, its yellowed skin riddled with gaping holes. It twitches one last time—then goes still.
You breathe heavily, trying to process what just happened.
Then—a voice.
A man steps forward from the group. He’s tall, his face hidden behind a white, featureless mask. He wears a long black coat, his posture eerily composed despite the chaos around him.
“That was quite the display,” he muses, his voice smooth, calculated. “You’re lucky we arrived when we did.”
You say nothing, still catching your breath.
He tilts his head slightly. “I suppose you have questions. Allow me to enlighten you.”
His gloved hand gestures toward the ruined facility behind you.
“This town… was an experiment.”
Your stomach drops.
“We poisoned the food supply, introducing a carefully engineered virus into the population. It was meant to make them stronger. Faster. Smarter.”
He sighs, shaking his head.
“It failed miserably.”
You feel your fists clench.
“But that’s the nature of progress, isn’t it?” he continues. “Humanity as it is… is weak. Fragile. Pathetic. But this… this will change the world.”
His masked face turns back toward you.
“I can see the fire in your eyes,” he says. “You’re a survivor. A fighter.”
Then, he steps closer.
“I’ll give you a choice.”
The armed men around him raise their weapons slightly, watching you like a predator watching prey.
“Join me,” the man offers, “or die where you stand.”
The wind howls around you.
What do you choose?
Instead of staying in the vent like a sitting duck, you kick the metal open and drop down into the room below.
The moment your feet hit the floor, the creature screeches and charges.
Its twitching body lurches forward with terrifying speed, its claws slicing through the air like jagged knives. You barely manage to dodge, diving to the side as it slams into the wall, metal and debris exploding around it.
No time to think. Run.
You sprint down the corridor, your boots slamming against the cold floor. You glance over your shoulder—the creature is right behind you, its elongated limbs carrying it unnaturally fast, its gaping mouth stretched open in a silent howl.
Then—a dead end.
A window.
You don’t hesitate.
With a final burst of speed, you hurl yourself forward, arms shielding your face as your body shatters through the glass.
You crash onto the icy ground, rolling painfully across the snow-covered concrete. Shards of glass dig into your skin, but you don’t stop moving.
Then—a heavy thud.
The creature lands behind you.
You whirl around just as it rears back, preparing to strike—
Gunfire erupts.
A barrage of bullets tears through the air, ripping into the monster’s body. Blood sprays across the snow as the force of the impact sends it staggering back, screeching.
Figures emerge from the shadows—armed men in tactical gear, their rifles flashing as they continue unloading into the creature.
The monster convulses violently before finally collapsing, its yellowed skin riddled with gaping holes. It twitches one last time—then goes still.
You breathe heavily, trying to process what just happened.
Then—a voice.
A man steps forward from the group. He’s tall, his face hidden behind a white, featureless mask. He wears a long black coat, his posture eerily composed despite the chaos around him.
“That was quite the display,” he muses, his voice smooth, calculated. “You’re lucky we arrived when we did.”
You say nothing, still catching your breath.
He tilts his head slightly. “I suppose you have questions. Allow me to enlighten you.”
His gloved hand gestures toward the ruined facility behind you.
“This town… was an experiment.”
Your stomach drops.
“We poisoned the food supply, introducing a carefully engineered virus into the population. It was meant to make them stronger. Faster. Smarter.”
He sighs, shaking his head.
“It failed miserably.”
You feel your fists clench.
“But that’s the nature of progress, isn’t it?” he continues. “Humanity as it is… is weak. Fragile. Pathetic. But this… this will change the world.”
His masked face turns back toward you.
“I can see the fire in your eyes,” he says. “You’re a survivor. A fighter.”
Then, he steps closer.
“I’ll give you a choice.”
The armed men around him raise their weapons slightly, watching you like a predator watching prey.
“Join me,” the man offers, “or die where you stand.”
The wind howls around you.
What do you choose?