SSS+ MONSTER EVOLUTION

Chapter 5 : The Monsters Den

"The tunnels are just a few meters away."

Isaac said, leading us to their location. We were four in total. We entered the tunnels and began following Isaac into the city.

The tunnels were dark, and the water in there reached almost to our knees. We had to use torchlights to see where we were going.

The smell in there was bad, but it never bothered me much. Maybe it was the sanguis inside me?

"Argh. It fucking smells in here!"

The voice belonged to Marshal. A former policeman. He was the biggest among us, with a red bandana on his head and a weird mustache.

"Quiet down. The sanguis may not be able to see us under here, but that doesn't mean they won't hear us," Benson said.

"We're here." Isaac said, staring above at a manhole sealed with a heavy metal lid.

"You sure?" Benson asked Isaac, strapping his torch back into his belt.

"Yes. Once we go up, the gun shop is just about 50 meters away."

Benson turned around to face us. "Okay, listen up. We climb up into the city, and without making any noise, we run as fast as we can to the gun shop. We clear?"

Isaac climbed first, slowly opening the manhole and inspecting if there were any sanguis nearby.

"Clear," Isaac said, climbing his way out.

The rest of us followed behind. The city was in ruin. It had a strong stench of blood and dead bodies laid everywhere.

"Okay, let's go."

We began running, following Isaac to the gun shop. We made sure to be as quiet as possible. Before, keeping up with them would have been difficult for me, but for some reason I didn't find myself lacking at all.

In fact, I felt like if I wanted, I could run even faster.

"Stop!" Benson commanded, immediately halting us.

We saw a bunch of sanguis up ahead. They stood just next to the gun shop's door. Motionless. They weren't sleeping, they just stood there.

"Damn it. How are we going to get past them?" Benson looked around, trying to look for an alternative.

Marshal pulled out a hand grenade from his bag. "I think I have a plan," he said with a smile on his face.

"No. Absolutely not. We use that and all the goddamn monsters near us will all rush here."

I looked at the sanguis up ahead. It didn't seem like a bad idea. "I think Marshal's plan is okay."

Benson looked at me, wondering what I was thinking.

"Look. If we throw the grenade somewhere a couple of meters away from here, the sanguis will all rush to that place, giving us perfect time to get into the gun shop, get the guns, and run back into the tunnels."

Benson stood silent for a bit. "You're not wrong. But we can't do it nearby. At least maybe 50 or more meters away from here."

"No way we can throw that far away," Marshal said.

I looked at the situation. Something told me among the four of us, I had the best chance of survival. Since regaining consciousness I've felt like my body has changed. Felt stronger, felt faster.

"I'll do it. I'm fast on my feet. I'll run a couple meters away and throw the grenade. As soon as the explosion hits, I'll retreat back to the tunnels."

Benson looked at me. It was my first day as one of them and I was already volunteering to put my life in danger. "You sure?" Benson asked me.

"Yes. I believe I can do it," I replied to him, with a confident look on my face.

Marshal handed me the grenade, and I started to run to another location while they waited for my signal.

I was quiet and vigilant, avoiding any unnecessary encounters. After a couple seconds, I created about 100 meters distance between us.

Short enough for the sanguis to hear the explosion, but far enough for the others to have enough time to get the guns.

I remembered the training from back when I served in the army. I pulled out the pin and threw the grenade just under a vehicle next to me.

Boom!

The bomb exploded, and the car caught fire. I felt the ground tremble. They were coming.

I ran back as fast as I could. But I saw a bunch of sanguis coming from the direction I used to come here.

I turned back and turned another direction, but there were sanguis rushing there as well.

Lost with which way to run, I decided to climb up instead. My agility seemed better than before. Leaping from bar to bar, up a building like it was easy work.

I didn't stop until I reached the top.

I stared down, and I saw the sanguis looking. They wondered what caused the explosion. They had some form of intelligence.

I started to run back to where the gun shop was.

I arrived in time. Isaac opened the door for me.

"You did great, kid," Benson said, slapping my shoulders.

"Honestly, I thought you were definitely going to die," Marshal said, with a burst of laughter.

We started to pack up the guns. Rifles, shotguns, pistols, grenades—there were many in there.

"Concentrate on packing as much ammo as we need. We don't need too many guns, it's the ammo that's important."

Marshal said. He was a former cop. Of course we'd listen to him; this was his strong suit.

"Okay, Isaac and Marshal, you start taking the bags to the tunnel hole and throw them down. Me and Wilton will keep packing up," Benson said. We had brought with us as many garbage bags to pack them in as we could.

Minutes passed.

"Okay, I think that's enough. Let's head back now."

We carried the last bag and started heading back, but things quickly took a turn from here.

A sanguis saw us. I was heading to where the other sanguis had gone, but it didn't have most of its limbs so it walked slowly.

"Oh shit!" Marshal said, and rightfully so.

The sanguis gave a loud creak that echoed through the streets.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit. Run!" Marshal screamed, with fear in his voice.

We started to run for the tunnels. It was just me, Benson, and Marshal. Isaac remained to load the bags.

The sanguis came rushing in from all directions.

The front was blocked, and so was the back.

Isaac peeped out the manhole only to see a horde of monsters rushing at us.

"Close the manhole! Close the manhole, we can't risk them getting in, it will lead them back to the shelters!"

Isaac immediately closed the manhole. Luckily, the sanguis were too busy focused on us to notice him.

We were surrounded.

"Left."

"Huh?" A sudden voice from nowhere just said the word left to me. I wondered where it came from. It's like I was the only one who heard it.

I looked left and saw a passage in between two buildings, too thin for all the monsters to rush in.

"Left! To the left, to the left!" I screamed.

We all turned left and started running.

The monsters ran after us, but couldn't all fit into the tiny space.

The smaller ones continued to chase after us.

"Ah, fuck this!" Marshal screamed in frustration.

Marshal stopped running and started reaching into the bags.

"What are you doing!?" Benson screamed at him.

A sanguis closed the distance, about to pounce on him. I immediately rushed, came between the two, and stabbed the sanguis with my spear.

Benson pulled out a handgun. It was his personal gun. A G18. He came with it to the mission.

He started to shoot at the monsters, but the gun wouldn't do much damage.

"Got it!" Marshal screamed out. He pulled out a submachine gun and started to shoot at the monsters.

They all fell. The ones that made it through the space, at least.

"Ha ha haaa! Eat that, fuck ass!"

"That was reckless, Marshal!" Benson screamed at him. "But you did save us."

I stared up front. The monsters were slowly cracking the space between the buildings.

"They're forcing their way in, we have to run," I said out loud.

We continued to run into some buildings until we reached a location we thought was secure. For now, at least.

We all fell to the ground. Benson and Marshal breathed heavily. They were exhausted. I felt nothing. Maybe due to the sanguis in me, I believe.

"Good eyes, boy. You really saved our asses there," Marshal said at me, laughing nervously.

"Thanks," I said.

Benson got back to his feet. We were up two stories of a company building. The sanguis still ravaged below in search of us.

"We have to get out of here."