Prologue

Part One

The cries of a small child echoed through ruins that were once glory. Her whimpering was a mere decoration to the eerie scene that was composed of the dark sky and smog. The land screamed as flames burned its flesh. Scraps of metal lay scattered apart. Some pierced the earth, some crushed under the debris of crumbling buildings.

The little girl cowered in fear as unknown beasts roared, flinching at the slightest hint of them coming closer. But what terrified her most was the isolation in anxious waiting of her brother's return. The thought of him being devoured did not dare cross her mind. She will patiently wait for him, praying for his safe trip and success in finding other human life…

Part two

Hopping over obstacles that lay before him, he ran from giant beasts. Already has it been an agonizing hour of fleeing from blood thirsty demons. Just what the hell are these things? Diving into a tiny cave, the boy had escaped the claws of a monster, but for an unknown length of time. Already, the monster had begun digging into the tiny hole.

Thinking to himself, the boy had realized that he begun to regret his decision of leaving his sister alone. Having told her to wait for him, he left her hidden in the roots of a giant tree, telling her that he was going to search for others after hearing other voices. But now he was questioning if he was delusional. The search had been fruitless until…

SPLASH

Giant waters rose to the sky, only to quickly return to it's origin on the surface. The clawing had stopped for the boy, and the shadow had moved elsewhere. Relieved, and no longer regretting his decision, he knew now that there were survivors. But first, he had to go get his sister…

Part Three

Two children had put forth all their strength in pushing a boulder into the lake below. The loud splash caused an echo of roars throughout the city. Everything was going according to their plans, "Looks like they're gonna gather." Diving into the bushes, the two waited for their chance to bolt without being seen. It would only be soon until the monsters would gather to investigate. Their plan was to distract the beasts throughout the city and make a run for it, searching for survivors that had yet to be discovered by hungry animals. And so far, everything went according to plan. Varieties of them clumped to gather and the two dashed for the parking structure...

Everything had molded together. The earth had become a labyrinth, a giant puzzle. Running through the maze, their stamina began falling dramatically. Their tiny bodies were no match for the nightmare that had fallen upon the world. Time was depleting for them. Already the monsters were finished investigating. But they had to keep moving…

All over the place were dead ends. "Crap, what do we do?" One took the role of looking out, the other took the role of thinking, "Tch, I don't know." Eyes peering for some sort of opening, his heart pounded. What would happen if a demon had found them there? Either they would be devoured, or they would be crushed like road-kill. He had to find them a way out.

As he turned his head, a light flashed, "There!" A hole to freedom! The two ran towards the glorious exit, only to stop at the sight of another labyrinth, "Only trees… trees… trees! Where are the roads?" A crash sounded from inside the building. There was no more time for hesitation. The two boys allowed themselves to be swallowed by the woods, escaping into another hell…

Part Four

"EYAH!"

"STOP SCREAMING YOU IDIOT!" A girl smacked another behind the head as they ran. "You keep screaming over the tiniest things and that is EXACTLY why we had to run from our last hiding spot because that's EXACTLY why they found us!" The smaller girl burst into tears. Agitated, the taller one pushed her into a hole and hid in the building. Grabbing a steel pipe, she waited for the following creature to come.

As planned, the thing took bait. As its head went toward the hole containing the bawling child, the girl slammed the steel pipe down as hard as she could, causing the monster to pull back and run. Pulling the child out, the girl resumed their running.

"That was mean! How could you use me as bait? WAAAA"

"SHUT UP ALREADY OR I'LL LEAVE YOU BEHIND!"

"NO!"

Her suggestion did not help. Instead, the child wailed even more. She fell and was too weak to pick herself up. Sighing, the girl held out her hand, "Stop crying or we'll never get out of this." Grabbing her hand, the child rubbed away the tears and snot from her face.

Part Five

It was a flurry of panic. The world was spinning to fast, mind unconnected from body. They moved faster than what they could mentally keep up with. Unsteady, they bumped into trees, trying to find an exit from the woods. No matter how fast they moved, they could not escape the snarls of the giant wolf-like shadow that followed them.

The frail bodies were about to collapse from fatigue, but they don't have that option. They have to keep moving. They have to keep running. They have to keep living. They have too…

"Ah!" So lost in thought, the two had run off a ledge. They rolled, painfully, down a somewhat rocky hill. Seconds after, they slammed into cement. Trying to get up, the girl has sprained her ankle and cuts bore all over her leg. The boy managed to have no serious injuries, and it was because the girl has cushioned him by her own will.

I have to get up, I have to get up! I have to hurry! We have to run!

The girl, quickly as she could, rose to her feet. She ran with a limp, boy closely following her. Feeling like a burden, she made it an obligation to at least let her ally live, "Go on ahead without me!" The boy grabbed hold of her hand, "I'm not leaving you behind to that thing!"

Suddenly, the earth trembled. They turned their head as they kept moving. What they saw made them shudder. Walking towards them without signs of tiring, it was the wolf-like shadow. Mouth wide open, drool dripped onto the ground.

"GO!" pushing the boy ahead, the girl tripped over her long scarf. He shook his head and tried to help her up. But alas, his efforts we driven fruitless as the giant paw crashed down near them. Body turning, the other paw came down slowly, crushing the girl in timely manner…