SSS+ MONSTER EVOLUTION

Chapter 6 : An Escape Plan

Hours passed. The sanguis didn't give any signs of slowing down. They tore through building after building in search of us.

"If we sit idle, they will find us eventually. We have to do something," Marshal spoke. He was right. It was only a matter of time before they found us.

Benson seemed lost in thought.

"We could use the same diversion plan as before," Marshal said.

"It won't work. There are too many of them, and they're scattered in all directions. You'd get killed before you could even create enough distance to throw the grenade," Benson replied.

"Well, do you have any better ideas?"

I was also thinking of a way to escape.

I stared out the window. The building where we conducted the experiment was just up ahead—not more than a kilometer away. If I wanted to find Doctor Elana, the lab was the best place to start.

I could feel my arm getting worse. Maybe it was the excitement. Maybe it was reacting to the other sanguis. But I knew if nothing was done, things would get really bad—not just for me, but for the others too.

I stared at the buildings. The sun was starting to set, and then it came to me—how I was able to escape the sanguis during the diversion.

"We could use the buildings," I said.

"The buildings?" Benson was confused as to what I meant.

"Yes. The sanguis don't seem to be climbing up the buildings from the outside; they're tearing their way in instead. We could travel toward the manhole by jumping from building to building."

Marshal interrupted. "How? It's not like we can fly."

I pointed at a hose behind us.

"It's long enough. The buildings are built close to each other. We can make some kind of grappling hook and use the hose to move from building to building."

"That's a great idea," Benson added. "We move now, before it gets too dark. We can't see in the dark, but they can."

We looked for some metal hooks and handcrafted a hook, knotting it at the end of the hose pipe.

The plan was set in motion. We walked up to the top of the building.

"You think you can make the throw?" Benson asked Marshal.

"It's close enough. I can try," Marshal responded.

Marshal tried a few times to throw it, but each time it missed, and we had to pull the hose back and retry.

"Damn it. The distance is further than I can throw," Marshal grumbled with frustration.

"Let me try," I said. I knew I could manage.

"You sure?" Benson asked. He doubted if I was capable.

I grabbed the hose with my right arm, extended it at full length, and threw it. Hard.

To everyone's surprise, I hit the target on the first try. In fact, something told me I could have even thrown it further had I tried.

"Damn, boy. That's some pretty impressive hidden strength you've got there," Marshal laughed.

Marshal went first, carrying the bag with guns in it. He tied a knot on the hose and around his waist for safety, then started pulling his way to the other building slowly but carefully.

The plan was simple. Two get to the other building. The one who remains unties the knot; the two over there tie the knot, and the hook is thrown back in this direction instead. That way we could still reuse the hose for the next building.

Marshal reached the other building.

"You go next," Benson said. As the leader, he probably believed he should go last.

"No, it's best you go next. We each have to throw the hose at each other to switch the directions of the knot and the hook. The other building is taller, so throwing it will be easy for you. I'm the one best suited to throw it at you from this direction."

Benson understood what I meant. He didn't argue. He was logical.

"Alright then."

He went on next, moving slowly and carefully to avoid alerting the sanguis down below.

"Good thing Isaac wasn't here; he's afraid of heights," Benson joked with a nervous chuckle.

He arrived as well. He threw the hose at me, and I switched the hook's direction to my end and threw the other end of the hose at them.

They also tied it at their end.

Benson gave the thumbs up for me to climb on now.

"Okay. I can do it." I stared down. I previously had a fear of heights, but right now, I felt nothing.

But before I could get on the pipe—

Bang!

A sanguis broke through the door and had followed us to the top of the building.

It saw me and gave a loud shriek. The other sanguis heard and started to rush as well.

"Hurry! Move quickly!" Benson screamed at me.

I didn't hesitate. I jumped onto the rope without knotting any safety rope around my waist. I moved as quickly as I could.

The sanguis jumped at me. It almost fell but landed on the rope as well, then began crawling at me using the rope like some spider.

"Shit! He's not going to make it. Cut the rope," Marshal said, with fear in his voice.

"No. We leave no one behind. He will make it."

I saw the sanguis behind me, blood and spit drooling from its mouth as it rushed at me. I used all the strength in my arms to move.

More sanguis arrived on top of the building. They saw me and the sanguis on the rope—the sanguis in hot pursuit after me.

They also jumped onto the rope, rushing at me.

The rope dangled from the pressure. We were too many. I was only halfway there.

"It's going to break," Benson noticed.

"Shit!" Marshal screamed. He turned back and grabbed a machine gun, then started shooting behind me, the sanguis falling one by one.

"Hurry up, you fucker!" he screamed.

Benson also grabbed a gun, both shooting at the sanguis while I rushed toward them.

I was going to make it. I was so close. Until I wasn't.

Snap!

The rope snapped in half. I held tight to the rope as I fell to the ground with the other sanguis.

I ended up slamming into the wall. The impact should have knocked me out cold or even broken my skull. I think it did, actually—I just didn't feel much of the pain.

"Oh shit!" Marshal saw me dangling from the snapped rope down below.

The sanguis saw me and started to climb up the building.

"Can you manage to climb!?" Benson asked.

I looked down at the sanguis. They were still far below, but they were fast.

"Even if I could, the sanguis would get to me first. Get out of here while they're still distracted!"

Benson shook his head. "No. We don't leave anyone behind."

"I'll make it!" I screamed. "I'll jump into that window below. There's a balcony for me to land on. Just go."

Benson hesitated but agreed.

"I'll leave some guns and ammo on the roof just in case you make it!" Marshal said to me.

"Good luck," Benson said. He seemed disappointed to be leaving me behind, but they went.

I was still dangling on the rope. My head hurt, but I had to focus. The sanguis were coming in fast.

I started to swing my body, building up momentum, until I let go and jumped onto the balcony.

I almost missed it, but I managed to grab on.

"Whew. That was close."

I pulled myself up. The door was locked, but it was a glass door. I broke the glass and opened it from the inside.

"Up. I need to go up," I said to myself.

I started to run upward, heading for the stairs. Too bad there wasn't any electricity. The elevators would have been faster.

Bang!

I heard the sound of glass shatter. They had gotten in. I had to hurry.

I ran as fast as I could until I got to the roof. Reaching there, I saw the guns Marshal left.

Two pistols—a Glock and a Desert Eagle—and one UMP with loads of ammo.

He thought well. He left me guns that weren't too heavy to carry. He didn't want me burdened with weight.

I grabbed the UMP and tied it on my back with a rope I picked from the top. The two pistols I put in each pocket.

I looked at the other end of the building. The next building was a bit shorter and very close.

The others must have jumped there. It's doable.

I created distance, easy to jump.

Bang! The sanguis reached the top.

"Shit! Don't you guys give up!?"

I ran as fast as I could and jumped with all my might while they chased after me.

I believe it was the sanguis inside of me, because I jumped further than I expected, landing at the center of the other building.

The sanguis jumped after me. I ran to the other end of the building. There was a ladder dangling, leading down.

Benson and Marshal must have used this to escape. I climbed down as fast as I could.

The sanguis started crawling down as well, using their sharp leg claws to walk down the building.

I reached the bottom. There were sanguis down below; they saw me and started rushing at me.

I pulled out the UMP and shot at them. They fell. But there were more coming.

"Damn it."

The way to the manhole was blocked. I had to run the other direction.

The sanguis started to turn the other side and ran somewhere else. I wondered what was happening.

Until I heard gunshots fire. It was Marshal and Benson. Seeing as to how random and unnecessarily loud the shots were, they were deliberately trying to get their attention.

The sounds came from near the manhole. They were buying me time to escape.

Thanks to that diversion, I was able to lose the sanguis and found a place to hide in some locked store near a gas station.

By now the others should have made it back to the shelter.

I felt tired. But worst of all, I felt like my blood was starting to wake up again. I felt a certain hunger in me.

I grabbed some snacks in the store and ate, but the hunger wouldn't go away.

I fell to the floor.

"Why do you resist it? Do you fear your own self? You have to eat. You need to eat. You have to get stronger."

I woke up immediately. The voice that spoke—it was the same voice that spoke "left" when me and the others were running from the sanguis.

Was I hearing things?

I stared out the window. It was dark.

"How the hell am I going to get out of this situation?"