Brotherhood of the Last Shelter

The world will end in seven days

The screeching grew louder as something dragged itself up the stairs.

I pulled Luggard behind me while Donald raised his wrench. When the creature emerged from the darkness, both of my brothers went still.

It looked like a hound built from twisted steel cables and rusted iron plates. Blades protruded from its legs, and two bloodred lights glowed inside its skull.

"What kind of dog is that?" Donald asked.

"Whatever it is, don't hit its head. Your wrench won't hurt it."

He glanced at me. "How do you know that?"

I had no time to answer. The creature opened its jaws, revealing rows of jagged metal teeth. A grinding growl filled the tunnel, and a blue screen appeared before my eyes.

Quest Alert: Defeat the anomaly hunter to prove your worth.

I clenched my teeth. The system wanted me to fight a monster without proper weapons. It had to be another attempt to get me killed.

The hound suddenly lunged.

"Move!"

I shoved Donald aside and dragged Luggard out of its path. The creature crashed into the concrete wall, sending chunks of stone across the floor. It barely seemed affected by the impact.

"James, how do we kill it?" Luggard shouted.

"We don't. We trap it!"

My eyes landed on the rusty subway gate above the entrance. Its thick iron bars were held in place by badly corroded hinges. If we could bring it down at the right moment, its weight might pin the creature to the ground.

"Donald, break the right hinge!"

He rushed toward the wall and struck it with his wrench.

The hound turned toward him, lowered its body, and prepared to leap.

I snatched a rock from the ground and hurled it at the creature's head. The stone bounced off harmlessly, but the impact caught its attention.

"Come on, you ugly piece of scrap!" I shouted, backing toward the gate.

Its red eyes fixed on me.

I had seen those eyes before. In my previous life, monsters like this had hunted people through ruined streets. I remembered the screams, the blood, and the terrible feeling of watching my brothers die. I wasn't going to let that happen again.

The creature charged.

"James, get down!" Donald yelled.

I threw myself aside just as his wrench struck the hinge one final time. The metal snapped, and the heavy gate came crashing down.

It landed squarely on the hound.

The creature shrieked and thrashed beneath the iron bars, its bladed claws throwing sparks against the concrete. I scrambled away, coughing as dust filled the air.

Donald hurried over, breathing heavily.

"Is it dead?"

One of its claws scraped against the floor.

"No, but it's trapped. Let's get out of here."

He grabbed my arm before I could move.

"Not until you explain what is happening."

A blue screen appeared in my vision.

Base entrance secured. Proceed underground to claim your shelter.

I stared at the message. The system had given me a dangerous quest, yet it was congratulating me for surviving without following its instructions.

I didn't know what it wanted, but I wasn't going to trust it.

"We'll talk when we're safe," I told Donald. "Pick up your bag."

He released my arm reluctantly, and we hurried down the stairs.

The abandoned subway tunnel was cold and damp. Our phone flashlights revealed cracked tiles, rusted pipes, and railway tracks disappearing into darkness. Luggard stayed close behind me, glancing over his shoulder whenever a strange sound echoed through the passage.

We eventually found a steel door marked Maintenance Room. Inside, broken shelves and an old control panel were covered in dust. The room was barely large enough for the three of us.

Luggard stared at the filthy floor.

"This is our shelter?"

"For now."

"James, even a rat would complain about living here."

I ignored him and checked the door. It was sturdy enough to keep ordinary people out, but I doubted it would withstand a monster's attack.

Another message appeared.

Base location claimed. Storage capacity unlocked. Ten slots available.

An inventory menu opened before my eyes, displaying ten empty spaces. The system had given me a place to store supplies, but I still didn't understand how it worked or what restrictions came with it.

Donald dropped his bag.

"Enough. Tell us the truth."

I looked at my brothers. They were frightened, confused, and waiting for me to make sense of something that should have been impossible.

"The world will end in seven days."

Luggard stared at me. "What are you talking about?"

"Those creatures will spread across the cities. Buildings will collapse, people will die, and the world we know will disappear."

"How could you possibly know that?" Donald demanded.

"Because I've already lived through it."

I told them about the monsters, the destruction, and the moment a metal claw tore through my chest. I explained how I had watched both of them die before waking up in my bed seven days before the apocalypse.

Neither brother spoke for several seconds.

Donald finally shook his head. "You expect us to believe you died and came back?"

"I expect you to remember what we just saw outside."

His expression changed, but he remained silent.

I explained the system and the shelter, including the dangerous quest it had offered me. I couldn't prove that it was connected to the monsters, but its behaviour made one thing clear. Whatever help it offered came with risks.

"Then why use the shelter?" Luggard asked.

"Because we need somewhere to survive. We can use what the system gives us without obeying everything it says."

I opened my bag and checked our supplies.

"We need food, clean water, medicine, fuel, and stronger security. We also need weapons before those creatures become impossible to stop."

Donald looked at our bags. "How are we supposed to afford all that?"

"We can't."

He frowned. "Then what do you suggest?"

I zipped my bag and met his eyes.

"We take what we need before the apocalypse begins."

Donald looked troubled, but before he could respond, a loud metallic bang echoed from the staircase.

We turned toward the door.

Another impact shook dust from the ceiling, followed by the sound of heavy claws scraping against the stairs.

My stomach tightened.

The creature beneath the gate hadn't come alone.

And something else was coming straight for us.