A screeching roar sent the already panicked civilians into an even more panicked run.
People were running frantically around the streets, some trying to hide under structures and others vaulting over what they could towards the edge of town. People were screaming, some crying out to whatever deity for mercy, others calling out for others to keep up with them. Footsteps pounded against the ground in a constant hum.
Above the chaos was the source. A huge three headed monster, tentacles lashing around and beams of purple light coming from each eye. Everything and everyone the beams touched was sucked towards it until they disappeared into the black mass. It roared again, spitting what looked to be wither skulls from its mouths.
The thing had appeared suddenly, no one even noticing it until it covered the sun and screeched. No one knew where it came from, or what it was, or what it wanted. All they knew is if they wanted to live, they had to run. So run they did.
Among the frenzy below, a blonde woman weaved through the crowds, holding a trembling child tightly to her chest. The woman's green eyes flickered around frantically for some sort of hideaway, something that could protect her and her child from the monstrosity.
The issue was, unfortunately, that the light and the tentacles of the monsters could destroy and suck in just about anything. So any little alcove she spotted wouldn't be good enough.
She was on the outskirts of the town, as far away from the monster as she could get. There was nothing else to help her; the walls were still standing and someone had closed the gates. The woman looked around frantically, silently praying that there was something she could use.
Finding anything in an older part of town was next to impossible; all of the signs were falling and faded. The woman let a whine escape in the back of her throat, and she immediately cut it off when the child in her arms shifted.
"I'm scared," she mumbled softly, voice trembling. The woman rubbed her back gently.
"I know." She tightened her grip on the child. "I'm gonna keep you safe and sound, okay? Mommy's not gonna let anything happen to you."
The child shifted again. "Wh-where are we going?"
The woman's throat tightened at that, and for once, she didn't know how to answer. She had no idea where to go.
"We…" She hesitated. "We're going to get away from that monster. We're gonna go somewhere safe, don't worry."
The child hummed quietly. The woman sighed slightly, continuing her search.
She spotted a building not far from her; a builder's shop. That should have tools inside; materials if nothing else. Relief spread through her chest and she hurried inside.
She quickly located a crafting table and a couple of chests, as well as the front counter. Thinking quickly as to not waste time, she hurried to the desk, gently shifting the child in her arms and seating the child on the counter. She carefully removed her arms, brows furrowing and relieved smile drooping ever so slightly when she spotted the thick bandage around the child's shin again. "Stay right there, okay?" The child sniffled and nodded, blonde curls boucing and blue eyes watery. She rubbed at her eyes with her thick wool sweater sleeve, face half burying itself in the blue-and-purple scarf around her neck.
The woman turned and immediately forced one chest open. Inside was exactly what she needed; sticks and a handful of iron. She snatched the items up, turning to the crafting table and doing her best to craft two tools. The first one she made was a pickaxe; it was somewhat shoddy, but it would suffice for now. The second thing she made was a sword. She knew she wasn't much good in a fight, but she needed something to protect her and her child.
She could use the pickaxe to mine down the wall and escape. But she should find any other supplies she can get before she leaves.
The woman pockets her new tools and moved to the other chest. The other chest had an assortment of other building materials, but nothing that could actually help her. With a sigh, she shut it again and moved back to the counter.
"Okay, sweetie, we gotta make another quick stop, and then we can leave, alright?" She offered as reassuring a smile as she could manage. The child nodded, sniffling again. The woman lifted her up into her arms again, turning around and leaving the shop.
She knew exactly where to get other supplies. A store on the next street sold food, and was surely abandoned in the panic. She turned to check the position of the monster.
Her heart lurched and her grip on the child tightened. The monster was nearly to them. There wasn't much time.
The woman started running, bolting down the street and trying not to jostle the child too much as she went. As she ran, though, a plan started to form in her head, and as she reached the corner, she ran right towards it towards a tiny alcove next to the wall. She shifted her child in her arms, then quickly set her down in the alcove. The child blinked at her, confusion and fear welling in her gaze.
"M-mom-?"
"Shh," the woman whispered, pulling the pickaxe from her inventory and pressing it into the child's hands. "I'm going to go and get some stuff real quick. Wait for me here, okay? I'll be back soon. Use that to protect yourself. Or to dig through the wall if I'm not back soon." The child blinked at the tool, then slowly nodded to her mother. The woman smiled, then stood and started for the next street over.
She was lucky the store she needed to find was right on the corner of the street. She swung around and shoved her way into the store.
She was right about one thing; the place was completely abandoned. What she was wrong about, though, is it being forgotten. The shelves and crates were almost completely empty.
A whine started in the back of her throat as she started digging through the shelves and crates for something- anything- she could take with them. She kept coming up empty, again and again as she searched. All she needed was a loaf of bread, a piece of beef- hell, even an apple would help. But no matter where she looked, she couldn't find a single thing.
Finally, she stepped away from the shelves, arms drooping to her sides. She stared around the store for a moment. And for that few seconds, she let herself become desperate.
They had nothing to eat. They had two shoddily-made tools. She couldn't fight almost anything. Her daughter was injured already. That monster was getting closer by the second.
They were going to die.
The woman pressed her hands to her face firmly, forcing a deep breath as she aggressively wiped tears from her eyes. No. She was going to make sure they survived. They were going to make it. They could find food out there. She could find a way to make do until they did.
With the new reassurance forced onto herself, the woman turned and hurried out of the store and back towards the corner. The monster was still where it had been when she had gone into the store, which was both relieving and gut-wrenching. She picked up the pace.
When she reached the corner, her daughter was still on the ground, eyes lighting up the second she saw her. The woman smiled at her, gently taking the pickaxe from her.
"Okay, sweetheart. I just need to make us a little exit, and we can get out of here. You stay there, okay?" The child nodded, excitement dying back into fear again. The woman moved to a spot near the alcove, shifting her grip on the tool before lifting it, then swinging it as hard as she could into the wall.
She knew it wouldn't be instantaneous, but the fact that it didn't break still caused fear to spike in her chest. She swung again at the wall, this time managing to crack the surface. Once more, and she had broken a block.
One down, several to go.
She continued to work at the wall, trying to ignore the screeches coming from that monster. Most of what kept her going was her daughter; she couldn't bring herself to stop even when her arms were burning in protest. They needed to get out of there, and fast.
It took her way longer than she ever wanted it to, but after several minutes of working at the wall, she managed to make an opening wide enough for her and her child to escape. She shoved the pickaxe back into her inventory, taking a breath to try and recover, before turning and hurrying back to the alcove.
"Okay, we're good. You ready?" She smiled at the child, who nodded. The woman scooped her up quickly, then turned and hurried back towards the freshly made hole.
With a single glance back at the monster, they moved through the hole to the other side.
The woman had to squint against the breeze that hit her face, but relief was already welling as she started towards the woods near the town. The child in her arms wiggled around to look forwards, relief evident in her eyes as well.
Catch us if you can, you stupid monster, the woman thought determinedly, Stella and Lluna are going to thrive.
AN: hi! here's a thing i kiiinda thought of on a whim. might continue, might not, we'll see. if i do, updates will be irregular.
until next time!