Zayn adjusted his grip against the pack of boxes stacked one atop the other he held onto,one box slipping slightly as sweat gathered at the base of his fingers. The sun hadn’t set yet, but it felt like the day had ended for him a long time ago.“come get the rest tomorrow if it’s still here,” his landlord's voice echoed loudly behind him,as he made his way down a row of staircases and out of the building.He almost laughed.There was no tomorrow in his world anymore,not after all he had been through today,not after the way his boss had refused to meet his eyes while handing him the envelope that broke the last bit of resilience he had in him,years of showing up early,staying late, sacrificing weekends… erased with a handshake that barely lasted a second.He walked down the road without direction,the events of the day replaying in his head and the weight of the boxes uneven against his chest, his thoughts heavier still. Eventually,after walking for a while his head felt heavy and his

Zayn didn’t think,he couldn't the only thing he knew was that he couldn't stop running now He ran.His shoes slammed against cracked pavement, breath tearing through his lungs as the night swallowed him whole. Behind him, something scraped, something he couldn't fathom half human half animal and it wasn't just chasing him,it was getting closer to him by the second “Move move!” he hissed under his breath, cutting sharply into a narrow alley.The stench hit immediately, something rotten and decaying,his foot slipped on damp ground, but he caught himself on the wall, fingers scraping against rough brick. This didn't stop him either,he couldn’t stop,a sharp crack echoed behind him.Too close.Zayn glanced back taking in the dreadful creature behind him,the creature had twisted itself sideways to fit into the alley, its limbs bending like broken branches. Its glowing eyes never leaving his body. Its mouth stretched wider, as it appeared to lick its lips,it jaws widened even more, just

They didn’t stop running,they couldn't risk stoppingThe alley behind the store twisted into a maze of narrow paths, broken fences, and crumbling walls.zayn followed closely behind the girl, his breath ragged, legs already screaming in protest.“Slow down ” he gasped.“If you slow down, you die,” she shot back without looking at him.Fair point.Zayn pushed himself harder.Behind them, the sounds had changed.It wasn’t just one creature anymore,it sounded like more has joined the chase.Scraping,dragging, roaring and hot on their tail “They’re tracking us,” Zayn said.“Yes.”“How?”“They remember.”Zayn grimaced. “I hate that answer.”She turned sharply, ducking under a half-collapsed metal beam,zayn barely managed to follow, the rusted edge scraping across his jacket.They emerged into a wider space,and zayn skidded to a halt.“…That’s not good.”The alley opened into what looked like a courtyard,wide,empty,and exposed,and worst of all,blocked on the other side by a collapsed buildi

The fall felt longer than it should have,wind tore past zayn’s ears as the rooftop vanished above them, replaced by open darkness and the rushing blur of broken walls. His grip tightened around Lira’s arm instinctively, his other hand reaching for anything that could slow them down.“zayn!” Lira’s voice cut through the air, sharp with alarm.“I see it!”A narrow ledge,two floors below,barely standing on its own,barely wide enough to stand on.Not ideal.Not safe.But it was something.Zayn twisted midair, pulling Lira with him as gravity dragged them down faster.“Brace!”They hit hard.The impact exploded up his legs, forcing a strangled gasp from his throat as his knees buckled. Lira slammed beside him, her shoulder crashing into the wall with a dull thud.For a split second,everything went black.Zayn sucked in a ragged breath as sensation rushed back all at once.Pain shooting through his body “…Still alive,” he groaned.“Barely,” Lira muttered beside him.He pushed himself up sl

The door opened and the silence broke,cold air rushed in first, carrying that same heavy, metallic scent. Zayn stepped through beside Lira, every muscle tense, his mind already reaching for the edges of his upgraded skill.The hallway beyond had changed,the red emergency lights were gone,now it flickered in a dull, pale white,but unstable,and glitching“…It wasn’t like this before,” Zayn murmured.“No,” Lira said quietly. “It wasn’t.”The corridor stretched ahead longer than it should be.Too long.Zayn frowned. “…Did it get bigger?”Lira didn’t answer.Because she was already moving.Zayn followed, slower this time, eyes scanning every shadow, every flicker of light,his mind felt… sharpe,not clearer,but faster,like something beneath the surface was constantly calculating,and predicting what was to come.A faint flicker,he saw it.A movement that hadn’t happened yet,a distortion at the far end of the hallway.“…Stop,” Zayn said suddenly.Lira froze instantly.“What?”Zayn’s eyes narro