Chapter 7: Hide and Seek

  A deafening crash echoed through the hallway as the barricade exploded into pieces. The sheer force of the monster’s impact sent metal bars bending and wooden planks splintering, the destruction scattering debris across the floor like shrapnel. Even in death, the bodies pressed against the blockade had failed to serve their purpose, rendered useless against the unstoppable force of the creature.

  Mira, acting on instinct, had thrown herself under a nearby wooden desk. It was enclosed on all sides except for the front, a fragile shield against the chaos unraveling around her. As the monster tore through the barricade, fragments of metal and shards of glass flew in every direction. The sheer force of the impact shook the very foundation of the hallway, making the desk tremble around Mira’s small frame. She clenched her teeth, willing herself to stay still, to breathe as quietly as possible.

  The darkness masked the monster’s grotesque form, something Mira was silently grateful for—she didn’t want to see it up close. Not again.

  Desperate for an escape, her mind raced back to when she, Kai, and Kwon first entered the facility.

  (Flashback)

  They had arrived with a single goal. To find their father. The facility was massive, far too large to search in a day, so they decided to stay for a few nights. Supplies were plentiful, an unusual circumstance for an abandoned place. If their father wasn’t here, surely others would be? Yet, no one was. No one alive, at least.

  As they explored, they discovered locked doors they couldn’t access, eerie corridors, and rooms containing corpses—sights they chose to avoid. They kept to well-lit, open areas, never wandering too deep.

  Then, on one fateful night, Kai shook Mira awake.

  “Big sister, wake up. I think there’s someone outside.”

  Mira rubbed her eyes groggily and turned to see Kai and Kwon peering out the window. They were on the second floor, looking down into the darkness. She stepped beside them, her gaze locking onto the figure below.

  A person?

  She squinted, trying to discern the shape. At first, it seemed human, but the dim light made it difficult to tell. The flickering of a nearby light briefly illuminated the figure, revealing its horrific truth.

  It had no face, only a mouth.

  Its head twisted unnaturally as if sensing their gaze.

  Both Mira and Kai screamed.

  (Present Time)

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Mira gasped as she snapped back to reality. Her heart pounded in her chest, but she forced herself to focus. She had to escape. She needed to find a way back to Kai.

  Edward’s voice crackled in the earpiece. “Mira? Hello? Mira, are you there?”

  But no response came.

  Frustration mounted as only static filled the transmission. When the barricade had collapsed, Mira’s earpiece had been jostled free, lost in the debris.

  Only a sound of static hissed in his mind, an ominous void. The silence gnawed at him, twisting into something he couldn’t name.

  “Dammit, dammit! Come on, Mira, answer me!”

  A bark echoed through the room, drawing his attention. Kwon stood beside the terminal, his ears perked, his body tense. Beside him, Kai stirred in his half-asleep state.

  Edward mentally exhaled sharply. Even the dog knew something was wrong.

  “Dammit…” he muttered under his breath.

  Back in the hallway, Mira remained hidden while the monster crushed what remained of the barricade. It searched methodically in its destruction, its hooves clicking against the floor and thick gelatinous liquid dripping as it moved.

  Clack.

  Clack.

  Each step sounded like an execution drum.

  Mira swallowed hard. She wanted to ask for help — but she had no earpiece. Panic threatened to rise, but she squashed it down. She couldn’t afford to make a mistake.

  Then, a bark rang out in the distance.

  Mira’s eyes widened. Kwon.

  The monster’s head snapped toward the noise. Without hesitation, it began moving away, following the sound.

  Mira nearly called out, her instinct to protect Kwon screaming at her. But she stopped herself, clenching her fists. She couldn’t risk it. Instead, she turned and sprinted toward her true goal. She also knew that the probability of Kwon's survival would depend on how fast she can get the cure back to Kai.

  But deep inside her heart, she questions could Kwon hold the monster back.

  She had to reach the medical center.

  The facility’s medical wing was larger than she expected, lined with tall shelves and rows of cabinets. Medicine was scattered everywhere, but Mira barely noticed the corpses littering the floor. She had no time to care.

  “Oh no… how do I find it?” she whispered, scanning the endless supply of bottles and boxes.

  Then she had an idea.

  She looked up toward the nearest security camera. “Hey, Mr. Edward, can you hear me?”

  On the other side, Edward nearly collapsed with relief when he spotted her on the feed. But then he noticed—she wasn’t wearing the earpiece. He couldn’t hear her.

  Mira searched frantically, rifling through the supplies. Edward quickly switched camera angles, analyzing the room. When she turned to face the camera, he could tell—she was asking for help.

  He had no way to speak to her, but he could guide her.

  Using the cameras, he shifted the view to point at a specific cabinet.

  Mira hesitated, then turned to follow the direction. She reached the cabinet and—

  Her heart dropped.

  It was empty. A small sign remained where the medicine should have been:

  OUT OF STOCK

  Edward watched as Mira’s expression crumbled. A storm of emotions crossed her face—grief, frustration, despair. Then, suddenly, she slapped herself across the cheek.

  Edward blinked. He didn’t understand, but he gave a slow nod, moving the camera up and down.

  Mira took a deep breath, forcing herself to think. “I know what the cure looks like now… there might still be some left.”

  She scoured the room, flipping through cabinets, and checking under tables. Then, as she passed by one of the corpses, something caught her eye.

  A hand—bony fingers still curled tightly around a box.

  Her breath hitched as she knelt beside the dead body. It was dressed in a doctor’s coat, a dried ID tag still clipped to the pocket.

  With a deep breath, she pried the medical box free.

  Tears threatened to spill, but she held them back. She had no time for emotions.

  With the cure in hand, she turned and sprinted back to Kai.