Well, decide to try something new in life. Don't know how long it will last, manly because I suffer from ADHD and it's hard for me to concentrate on stuff. just to give you an idea, I wrote three lines before stopping and doing something else. Also I'm not that good at writing. So, yay, why am I trying this?


Marco Pov

"We're here," Turning into the empty parking lot and stopping the car in front of the hotel. I Looked through the windshield at this gloomy place.

Most of the windows are still somewhat intact. So, my eyes roamed over them, trying to see anything. But there was nothing. No light, no movement, no life. It looked more abandoned than a ghost town… At least from here.

But I remember back when this place uses to thrive. It also uses to be more of a motel back in the day. Then they added a second floor and an indoor pool. Leaning back into my seat, I started remembering some of the good times I had here, and it even brought a little smile to my face.

Too bad the place got condemned when portions of the floors caved in. Boy does that feel like a whole different life back then. Well, it was actually… Mainly because it was a lot simpler and easier going then what I'm doing now.

"So, you really think it's in there?" But no response came. I turned to look at my passenger.

There she was head leaning on the passenger's window, headphones on, and out like a light. I really envy her right now, we haven't had a good nights rest in a while. I already feel like I'm running on empty, and it's only the first case tonight. Reaching over, I shook her shoulder a bit. She jumped almost enough to knock the headphones off.

"WHAT!? Wha-Oh, we're here." Janna said as she saw us parked in front of the hotel.

"Yay and I asked do you really think it's in there?" But now thinking about it, the question was stupid to ask. Of course, she doesn't know if it's in there. All we ever go on are rumors with little to no hard evidence.

"Don't Know," She yawned and stretched, before taking off the headphones placing them and her cell on the dash.

"Only one way to find out." She said before exiting the car and closing the door. Always so eager, even though she knows what might happen.

Sighing, I opened the door and got out. But before closing it, I took my hoodie off and tossed it into the car. Walking to the back of the car where Janna was waiting for me. I unlocked the trunk, but before I opened it, I took one last good look around. Nothing and no one around us and with that I opened the trunk to reveal all our gear.

An assortment of 'ingredients' for manly Janna to use. But also an assortment of knives, guns, and tactical gear too. Reaching in and grabbing my plate carrier that was hanging from a coat hanger from under the trunk hood. I put it on and tighten the straps until it barely moves. Then grabbing my leg holster, I connected it to my belt.

As I connected the straps around my leg, I looked over to see Janna checking her SIG-P226 handgun. "Sooo, what's the plan?"

"Simple. Go in, search, and if so, eliminate the monster." She said putting the pistol in its holster "Like always."

"You know what I mean." Grabbing my M&P40, I checked the magazine and tested the flashlight attachment before putting it in the holster. "It'll take most of the night to clear the building if we don't come up with a plan."

"Ok, we'll split up then." She reaches in, grabbed her knife and slide it into its sheath that's attached behind her plate carrier.

"And you also know what usually happens when we do that too." I was attaching my two-way radio to my vest when a question came to me. "Wait. Is this something we can kill, or do we need to do a ritual or something?"

"Well with everything we heard… I say… yes, we can kill it." She said grabbing the Vector and unfolding the stock.

Hopefully, she's right. I thought as I grabbed my forearm shell holder and putting it on my right hand. Then grabbing my Tac-14 with an arm brace and a flashlight attachment. I checked my gear one last time making sure it was all there, loaded and secure. Looking at her, she nodded telling me she was ready too.

But as I was closing the trunk, I stopped once the hotel came into view. Every time. Every time before I go onto a mission, or case, or whatever we feel like calling it at the time, the same question would pop up. A question I would only ask myself and no one else.

Why? Why risk getting hurt or killed? No one ever thanks us for risking our lives to keep them safe from what they don't believe or even know exists, and there are other hunters out there that do this and are most likely even better than us too. So, Why? Why do this?

My concentration was broken when I heard an obvious fake cough. Looking over to see Janna, arms crossed over her gun and foot tapping. Always impatient. I thought as I closed the trunk and locked it.

"Just thinking of a plan. Let's go." I said walking around the car and to the main entrance.

As we walked to the entrance, the question popped up one last time, before going away. Right now, I need to focus. Besides, I always find the answer to it. We stopped in front of the door and the condemned sign on the door reminding us of yet another threat that could happen to us.

Yet Janna continued forward like it was nothing. She turned on her gun mounted light, tried the doorknob, looked at me and nodded. I got into position, turned on my flashlight, and nodded back.

She pushed the door open and I rushed in, gun up with Janna right behind me. Braking off to the left, while Janna went right. I quickly roamed the light over the room, to find nothing but some left behind furniture and since I didn't hear anything from her side, it must be clear too.

Taking the lead and we went further in. Going up to the front desk, there was something on top of it covered in dust. I brushed the dust off it and to our luck it was a map, and somewhat readable. Judging from the map the pool was in the middle of the building with the rooms surrounding it, but I sighed at seeing the number of rooms the thing could be hiding in. Which means we need to clear them all.

"Well, what's the plan?" She asked beside me. I looked at her with a confused look. "You said you were thinking of a plan."

"Oh.. Umm Yay. uh... We split up." Saying that with little to no confidence what's so ever.

"Really?" Raising an eyebrow and cocking her head a bit.

The best response I could come up with was a little smile and to shrug.

"Good plan." patting my shoulder, then going down the hallway to the right of the desk.

I went to the left hallway and shined my light down it, before slowly walking down it with my gun ready. The first room I came to, the door was closed. Reaching out, I tried the doorknob. But it was locked, which I was glad for. I'll be even gladder if most of the rooms were like this.

The next five doors where either lock or jammed and at that point it sort of felt like I was in a horror game. But finally, I came to a door which was cracked open. Aiming the gun up, I pushed the door open with my foot. Entering it with the gun still raised, only for the room to be completely empty. There wasn't even any furniture in it. I checked the bathroom, which was empty also and with that, I went back to the hallway to continue.

About halfway through the hall, I was to the point of just holding my gun at my waist, so the light was in front of me and when I was clearing a room, I wasn't aiming it just holding on to the handguard. And when I was on the last five rooms of this hallway, there were no signs of anything living or even been in here in a long time and I was really starting to doubt if anything was here now.

Reaching up, I press the button on the radio. "Janna come in. Over."

"What do you need?" I heard over the radio.

I sighed. I keep telling her to say over when she's done talking, but nope. So, to counter this I count to five before speaking. "So, find anything? Over."

"No, found nothing yet. What? bored already?" she said with a little chuckle. Even though I couldn't see her, I could tell from her voice, she was getting bored also.

Walking up to a door, I pushed it open with my shotgun barrel and just shined the light around the room. Before going up to the wall in the hallway and leaning on it. "N… Yay. It's just you know, the last couple of places we searched. There was nothing. What are the chances this one has the monster in it? I just feel like we're wasting our time. Over."

"I know and your right, maybe little to none that it's actually here. But it's either this or start searching the woods." And she was right there, but we'll have to do that for our other case anyway so maybe-

"Marco, I found something, over." Two things hit me as I heard that. One she's getting serious, especially when she starts doing what I tell her to do and two she found something which most likely means, we are not alone here.

"What did you find? Over." I stopped leaning on the wall, getting back into an alert stance. Especially when I heard what she found.

"A body. Torn up badly too, and there are… bloody handprints. It looks like the fingers are… elongated. Over." Just like the rumors we've heard, it's here… or at least it was.

"Does it look fresh? Over." The anticipation was killing me to know the answer.

"It's fresh, Over." A chill ran down my spine and fear coursed through me. Which was good, because that'll keep me alive in the long run. But we need to regroup right now.

"Stay where you are. I'm coming to you." I said taking off.

Instead of going back the way I came, I decided to go around the corner and take the long way. As was I was running down the hall, a noise made me come to a dead stop. It sounded like it came from a couple of rooms ahead of me. Turning off my light, I ducked into the nearest open room. Peering back into the hallway it took a while for my eyes to adjust, but once they did, I saw it. The creature, it came out three rooms ahead of me.

It looked human, at least the silhouette did, but it was on its hands and knees like an animal. It turned its head towards me and I duck back into the room, but not before making out what could have been glow eyes. Don't know if it saw me or not, but now I got a chance to get it. I quickly thought of a plan, which was simple. Just step out, aim, and shoot. At this range, it shouldn't stand a chance.

I got my gun ready.

I took a breath.

And-

"Marc-" My hand quickly went to my radio and pressed the button, canceling anything trying to come through.

Fuck there was no way it didn't hear that, no delaying it now. I quickly got my gun ready again and stepped into the hallway. Flashlight on, aiming my gun down the hallway, only for nothing to be there. What?! Where did it go?! Inching forward a bit, thinking it went back into the room. Just then something fell in front of the light. I didn't look down, it doesn't matter what it was, it just meant that something above cased it fall.

Quickly aiming up, just in time to see the creature fly towards me. Just as I pulled the trigger, it knocked the gun to the left making the shot hit the wall. Falling onto my back with it right on top of me, the radio blared.

"MARCO!" Thankfully though I was able to reposition my hands fast and use the gun to push him off me. I quickly pumped a new round into the chamber, pointed it in its direction, and fired.

I shot the door frame of the room the monster ran into. Chambering another round, I kept my gun trained on the door as I got up. Going over to the room, I quickly entered only to find that the roof was caved in, creating a ramp up to the second floor.

"It's on the second floor!" I said thought the radio, before climbing up the debris.

Quickly going into the hallway, I looked left, nothing. But turning right, I saw it down the hall and go around the corner. Running as fast as I could down the hallway and almost slipping when I turn the corner. But now having a good line of sight of it, I aimed the shotgun and hoped the double-aught buckshot will reach.

I shot three times. The first looked like it mostly hit behind it, the second hit the wall to the right of it, the third looked like it may have grazed it and its reaction then was to dive into a room. Running to the room, I was going to guard it until Janna got there. But peering into it revealed that most of the floor was gone.

Going to the edge and looking down the hole, there it was, sitting there licking the wound on its arm. Rising the gun, I pull the trigger, only to receive a click in response. Fuck, miss counted. That got the pale, naked, human-like creature's attention and it looked at me. The face is almost featureless. No nose, no mouth, but a lot of teeth.

Reaching for my handgun only for it to scurry out of sight. Dang, it! I was about to try and put a round into my gun before jumping down when something hit me in the back and caused me to fall. Hitting the floor face first, I quickly rolled over to get the creature in my sights.

It was in the doorway, looking at me, contemplating whether to attack me or run. But before I was able to draw my pistol, or it could attack, something fell into the room. My attention went from him to Janna, who landed on her feet, turned and opened fire on the doorway, casing it ran off to the left.

"After it!" Janna yelled and ran off.

"Did you push-fuck!" Reaching over I grabbed my shotgun.

As I got up and went after them, I pulled back the handguard and opened the chamber. Yanking one of the shells off my wrist, I shoved it in and closed it. One shot is better than nothing. turning the only corner they could have gone around, I saw Janna pointing her gun at a door. It must be in there.

I put the rest of the shells into the gun as I walked up to her. When I got next to her, she nodded at me and I nodded back. Charging in with her right behind me, I discovered way she didn't go in alone. The room was the pool area. It was massive, with changing rooms to the right of the empty pool, and it even had a balcony above us, so people could come from the second floor. At first glance, he was nowhere to be seen.

Janna then motioned her head to the changing rooms and I nodded in agreement. We made our way to the changing rooms. Her in front with me right behind her, watching our back as we move. As we moved, something on one of the pillars caught my eye. Shining my light on it revealed weird holes going up it. it took me a couple of seconds to finally realize what they were and what it meant.

"Ceiling!" Too late, it jumped onto us.

I think it was trying to knock both of us down, but instead, it went over me and knocked Janna down. Spinning around, I swing my gun, hitting it with the arm brace and knocking him off her. Before I was able to get the gun back into position to shoot, he got to the changing rooms.

"Okay?" kneeling beside her, keeping my eyes and gun trained on the door.

"Yay." Reaching down and grabbing her arm, I helped her up.

Once she grabbed her gun, we made our way to the door. The doorway led to a small hallway and two changing rooms. Boys on the right, girls on the left. Looking at the boys' room for a second, before looking at the girls. keeping my gun trained on that door while Janna did the same to the other. I didn't see any blood leading into either of them, but he must be in one of them.

"Let's check the right one." Making the choice on which one to take.

"No. We both take one." I looked at her for a second before, back to the door. "If we take one and the creature is not in there. It'll probably sneak by and then we'll most likely never find it again."

Fuck, I hate this. But she's right. So, a fifty-fifty chance, which one? "Fine. I'll take the girls room."

As I walked to the door, I heard Janna chuckle. "Always knew you had a perverted side."

I would have uttered something in return if I wasn't too focused right now. Before entering I poked my head in and checked above the door. With that clear, I entered the room. The room had lockers against the wall and two rows of fully enclosed showers. Checking the rest of the ceiling before going to the first stall, I pushed the door rest of the way open. Nothing. Then I turned around and did the same to the other one on the opposite side. Still nothing.

But after opening the third one and turning around to open that one, shoots echoed into the room. Janna! The door burst open, knocking the gun out of my hand and knocking me over into the stall behind me. It jumped onto me and opened its mouth wide, showing off its sharp teeth. Reaching up and grabbing his shoulder, but its head kept lowering. Finally reaching up with my other hand, I grabbed his throat to stop him.

That stopped it from biting me. But didn't stop his claws, which were now ripping at my chest. I must do something fast! I tried rolling to right, because the shower wall on left was to close, only for him to stick his arm out and stop it from happening. His one hand stopped clawing at my vest and grabbed onto my shoulder strap. It started pulling itself down and it was succeeding at it, inching closer and closer. It was now close enough that I could feel it's breath on my face.

How is it this strong?! It wasn't this hard to get him off me the first time. Then it hit me, Janna! He heard Janna through the radio and most likely thought she was there too. I didn't push him off, he jumped off! Which also reminded me she was nearby.

With the rest of my strength, I pushed, even giving off a yell as I did. Witch worked, a little, as I was able to push him back a bit. Now I just have to hold him off and hope Jenna heard me. The creature must have taken the yell as a challenge because it gave an inhuman yell back in a louder tone. If she didn't hear me, she must have heard that.

My question was answered when a third yell echoed in the room. Seeing Janna behind it, she drove her knife into the creature's back. It shrieked, letting go of me it turned and smacked Janna down the aisle. This gave me a chance to grab my pistol and quickly pull the trigger three times hitting him in the stomach.

This stunned it, I don't know if it was now contemplating whether to run or attack me again. But it gave me an opportunity and I didn't waste it. I pushed him enough to be able to get my leg between us and kick him off. It stumbled back and was on his feet like a human, which gave me a good target to shoot at. Aiming, I pulled the trigger as fast as I could. Most of the bullets hit him, and as I shot, I could barely make out other gunshots too.

It finally stumbled down the aisle to the right and fell. It took me a bit to regather myself from the near death, once my head was back in place. I looked at my pistol to see the slide locked back, quickly putting in a new magazine and releasing the slide, I was ready to check on the monster. Standing up, I stepped into the aisle and aimed at the monster, which was still laying there.

I looked behind me to see Janna sitting up and aiming her gun at it, looking back I asked. "You okay?"

"Yay, we're fine." She responded then asked a question in return. "You think it's dead?"

Examining the monster, it has a knife in its back, shoot a good number of times, and has not moved yet. The wounds were still there and bleeding pretty good. But just to make sure, I aimed and put three more rounds into the side of his head.

"Now he is." Putting my gun away. I turn to see Janna on her feet and had put her gun away too. Walking up to him, I put my foot on him and as I grabbed the handle to yank the knife out.

"You know stepping on a rake is never a good idea." This comment made me stop from yanking the knife out and slowly turn my head towards her.

I showed no amusement to the joke. Yet she had a nice big grin on her face from it. This always fascinated me, how she could always go from a life threating situation to her normal self the very next second. I wish I could do that. Yanking the knife out, I gave it a couple of hard swaps to get as much of the blood off.

Walking over to her, I handed her the knife "Should we burn the body?"

"You going to burn it right here then?" Putting her knife away and giving me a little smirk.

Reaching down and grabbing my shotgun, I examined the floor. It looks like it's linoleum or tiled. But the question is, what's underneath? I sighed and handed her the gun. "No."

Walking over to the creature, I grabbed its arms and started dragging. Now burning an empty, condemned, building down doesn't bother me. But burning it down then it being investigated and them finding bullet casings, bodies, and showing that the fire was started from an arsonist, dose.

We'll be the ones hunted then and Janna knows this. Which is why I do my best to make sure it doesn't happen. To the point where I latterly move the bodies to a clearing, build a little burn pit, and make sure it doesn't spread. She keeps teasing that it's my 'safe kid' coming through and here I thought I got rid of that name a long time ago, but nope.

I dragged him to the edge of the pool and simply kicked him in. Jumping in, I drug him a little more to the center of the pool, before going back to the edge where Janna was standing. She tossed me a container and a matchbook.

Going back to the creature, I unscrewed the container's cap. The smell of gasoline hit my nose, as I poured it all over the corpse. I grabbed one match then lit it and lit the rest of them with it, before dropping it onto the corpse. The smell of burning flesh quickly overtook the gas smell. I don't think I'll ever get used to that smell. Going back to the edge Janna reached down. Grabbing her hand, she helped me up.

We watch as it burns in silence before Janna broke it. "So…"

"So?" now what does she want?

"Aren't you going to say something?" I looked at her for a bit before realizing what she wants.

I sighed "Thanks…"

"Yay, you o-"

"For not shooting me again." Grabbing my shotgun from her hand and making my way back to the car.

"It was one time!" she yelled as she followed me.

"It was one time, but it was three bullets!" which is why she used her knife when the thing was on top of me this time.

...

Putting my plate carrier back on the hanger, I finally saw the full damage to it. He clawed through most of the fabric, magazine holders, and pouches to the point the plate looked like it was going to fall out. Not just that there were claw marks in the plate itself.

Seeing this really put in perspective of how bad it could have been. but it actually went really well, with Janna and I only received minor cuts and bruises. Which makes the question, what got us through things like this? Was it luck, skill, or a combination of both. Because sooner or later they are both going to run out. I Closed the trunk and locked it before going to the driver's door. When I opened the door, Janna was sitting in the driver's seat.

"My turn to drive." She said holding out her hand.

"You know where a motel is?" about to hand the keys over.

"We're not going to a motel." yanking the keys away before she could grab them. "Marco, there are three nearby cases we problem could get done before the nights over."

Look at her for a bit, before she held out her hand again. Dropping the keys into her hand, I closed the door and went to the passenger's side. Once seated I grabbed her phone and started looking for a song.

"I thought you don't like that music?" she asked starting the car.

"It's not all bad." As I clicked play on 'sound of silence' and put the headphones on. I leaned back into my seat, closed my eyes and waiting for the next thing to hunt.


Well, I got an idea for another part. But until then what do you think so far?