Chapter 1

~Sharon's POV~

I'm running from the brutal nightmare that's steadily catching up to me. I can hear the monster's growl getting louder, but I don't dare to look back. Doing so would mean certain death for me.

I snap back into reality as I trip over a small pebble. I curse under my breath, but I manage to regain my footing.

I nearly shriek as the monster's shadow looms over my running figure.

Instinctively, I drop down just as the monster jumps over where my head once was. It crashes into the muddy ground, an audible crack echoes in the eerie silence as a result. The monster yelps in pain, its mighty figure swirling in semi-circles like a puppy chasing its tail.

Abruptly, the monster stops, and lifts its head towards me.

I can't help but shiver as its eyeless face seems to glare at me with malice. It's obvious that it wants me dead now more than ever.

Despite my fear, I raise my AK-47 at its head level, and fire well-aimed shots at its face.

The creature shrieks as the bullets impact their target; its acidic blood pours out from various holes, and sizzles on the dissolving concrete ground.

I keep shooting but the creature seems to ignore the bullets like Superman. It gets up and stretches its hind legs like a bull before it charges.

My eyes widen in realization. Oh shit.

I look around me desperately in search for an escape route. I find it in the form of an alleyway that in any other situation I would have gladly avoided it. Now, however, was not the time to be picky.

I run towards the alleyway, just narrowly avoiding being grazed by the creature. Xenomorph was its given name by the military.

They were merciless and cunning creatures; their whole lives revolved around violence. Even their birth was a violent experience for the host as they typically didn't survive, though I've heard rumors of a military hospital offering specialized surgeries to remove the alien embryo. I'm not sure if that is true, but I rather not get infected just to find out.

The Xenomorph's roar sends a chill through me unlike anything else before. It also reminds me as to why I must escape it. I don't plan on either becoming its lunch nor a host for one of its siblings.

A sneer makes its way onto my face as I fire some shots. They hit their intended target, but the damn Praetorian isn't slowing down. In fact, it seems like the bullets are just making it run faster.

I curse inwardly at my awful luck; this would have been a whole lot easier if I wasn't on my own.

I wasn't always alone; I had a partner named Alannah, but that damn girl was always wondering off on her own despite my numerous warnings. We got separated when she just happened to stumble onto a small Xeno nest. I wanted to kill myself then and there due to our luck. Well, more like Alannah's luck; before I met her, I was never cursed to have such bad luck. I have no idea what happened to her, but I promised to find her.

That was easier said than done, however, as the ruins of the once grand city of Toronto, Canada was a debris field full of raging fires and corpses. A perfect wonderland for the Xenomorphs.

From the corner of my eye, a brightly painted door catches my attention. Hope warms me up. It's a safe house, perhaps one of the only safe places in the Xeno apocalypse.

With a purpose, I abruptly change my direction; as such, the Praetorian screeches as it slides into an old dumpster.

I momentarily laugh at the hilarious sight, but the roar from the creature shuts me up right away.

It quickly recovers from its stunned behavior, and it jumps onto the wall.

A sweat drop pours down my face. Shit! I think in panic.

I continue to run, and shoot at the same time.

Annoyed with my antics, the creature aims its long-barbed tail at me, and knocks my gun out of my grip. It falls to the side, but I don't dare to try to pick it up.

A hiss was my only warning as the tail narrowly misses decapitating me. I shriek, and force myself to run faster.

Just a few meters away is the safe house.

With a newly found purpose, I book it to the door with all my might. I practically jump in happiness when I reach it.

My relief, however, is short-lived as I realize that the door is locked. My heart hammers in my chest as I desperately try to force the door open. No, no no no no NO! This can't be happening! I all but scream in my head.

Another roar forces me to look at the incoming danger.

There's nowhere to run, and no time to hide. After everything I've been through to survive, I'm going to die just outside the perimeter of safety.

I cover my head to block the view of death. I can feel the Praetorian jump off the ground to reach me, its hissing slaps the air around me like a leather whip.

Abruptly, it goes quiet when a gunshot fires.

The malicious creature crashes to the ground, and lays still.

A deafening silence then takes over; hell, I can hear my heart pounding so hard against my ribcage that I worry it would come out like a baby Xeno.

I mentally slap myself for the uncalled for comparison, and look for the one who killed the Praetorian. As if on cue, footsteps make their way over to my direction.

From the dust comes a tall figure, male by the looks of it. He approaches me casually, as if killing Xenos were just a normal routine in life.

He stops in front of me, and grunts as he inspects me. "Is this your gun?" He asks as he tosses me my precious Ak-47.

I hug the piece of metal close to me as if it were a child.

A low chuckle causes me to glance at the man again. An amused smile appears on his worn face. "What's your name girl?" He asks.

I swallow self-consciously. "My name is Sharon." I reply shyly.

One of his thick eyebrows raises. "Sharon, huh? That's not exactly a common name around here. I'm Pete" He replies.

I scowl at his remark. "Yeah, and it's so common to see a European acting like a red neck."

The man laughs. "Heh, touché." He answers cheerfully.

His attitude makes me question his sanity; how in the hell can he be so cheerful in an apocalypse?

I'm pulled from my thoughts by Pete leaning down and offering a hand. I take it, and he pulls me up effortlessly.

He seems to have noticed as well. "Damn girl, why are you so skinny?" He comments innocently.

If he hadn't saved my life, I would have kicked his ass for commenting on my weight.

Instead, I ignore his comment, and gesture towards the still-locked door. "The door's locked; I couldn't get in."

Pete walks around me, and pulls out a thick key and unlocks the door.

I stare at him wide-eyed. In return, he gives me a questioningly look.

I almost died because this Yankee wannabe locked the damn safe house? I can't believe it.

I don't hold back my inner thoughts. "You locked the safe house? Why the hell did you do that?" I ask, just barely keeping my nerves together.

Pete cocks his head back. "Well, I didn't want anybody to steal my stuff." He grins as if my near-death experience was not at all alarming.

A vein throbs on my forehead, but I roughly push past the idiot.

There are two sofas inside that have seen better days, but I'm so exhausted that I couldn't care less about their state. I lie down on the smaller one, and let out a prolonged sigh.

I close my eyes, and allow the wanted state of rest to gradually take over. Just as I'm almost sleeping, my brain decides to take that opportunity to fill me with the mental imagine Pete staring at me with lust-filled intentions.

The thought had me scrambling to a sitting position. Pete wasn't a pedophile, right?

The accused slightly jumps at my abrupt movement, and holds his hands up. "Whoa, slow down girl. You had a bad dream or something?" He asked.

I glance at his slightly concerned face.

He doesn't seem to be a rapist, but it was better to be safe than sorry. "Yeah; I was just thinking about my friend." I half-lie.

That automatically catches the man's attention. "Your friend? What happened to him?"

I stare at the dusty ground blankly. "We stumbled upon a small Xeno nest and got separated. I've been trying to find her ever since."

Pete whistles. "Damn, no wonder that Praetorian was so intent on catching you."

A solemn silence then takes hold of the atmosphere. Pete remains quiet, though I'm not sure if I wanted him to say anything at all.

Finally, he speaks. "If your friend is any good of a fighter as you are, then I'm sure she's alright. Hell, she's probably just as worried about you as you are of her."

I glance up at him sadly, though on the inside I'm grateful for his comforting words. "Yeah," I reply, "I suppose she is."

With that, I grumble to myself, and attempt to go back to sleep, though this time I hold my gun closely.

Pete coughs almost awkwardly. "Well, umm, I'm going to take a shower now. If you're hungry, there's some boxed goods in the other room. When you feel ready to talk some more, we'll discuss our next plan of strategy then." With that, he left the room.

Alas, the much-wanted state of isolation is granted.

Unfortunately, it forces me to focus on my thoughts rather than be in peace. My mind is swirling in various thoughts, but only one is what has me worried the most. Alannah, please be alright, I say to myself before I finally can succumb to the darkness.