What To Do?
Fire! Keep on firing! Don't stop!
Ackland screamed through the radio as the men fired as many bullets as their weapons could, the screeches of their brood didn't stop the black creatures from attacking directly to the entrance of the labs. This was madness, Ackland thought, unable to comprehend how they got her in the first place. First, there was a problem with the Lector, the ship that was supposed to land but never did, and then the arrival of Keshar's group with the man himself found slaughtered. Now, many of the colonists, families, and his soldiers were disappearing and that's when the black creatures began to emerge.
That's when things got messy and here they were, trying to provide refuge to a family, begging to be spared from death. Many inside went against logical reasoning and opened the door, got them in but now they had to push back a wall of black aliens hissing to get inside.
"Fuck!" Charles fired a shot into the alien's belly when it got too close, "They just keep coming!"
Then get the doors shut! Now!
The few men retreated through the doors of the building and into the main lobby. Dav was the last to lag behind but just as he stepped over the threshold, one of the black creatures got the jump on him, slamming him into the ground.
"Ahh! Help me!" He reached in a desperate plea, the last act before the alien dug into his back, claws ripping flesh until Dav spat a gush of blood, and then stopped moving. Charles held the vomit threatening to come up his throat as the creature tugged a piece of intestines and slurped it up like spaghetti.
"Come on!"
The survivors ran through the huge, empty lobby if not accounting for the bodies that laid rotting from the first wave, trying to head to the inner part where the labs resided and had higher security and reinforcements for protection. The last two pressed the panels on each side right as they got a break and the doors creaked slowly until they closed. The aliens banged on the frame in multitudes, strong enough to leave huge dents and a signal to get the fuck out of there.
"Keep up!" Charles stayed close to his already frightened, brave men as they pushed with all their might to reach safety. But as he briefly looked up, his heart tensed at the sheer terror, "They're coming through the ceiling!"
A swarm out of a horror movie about bugs trickled through a crack of a window that was broken in, raining down upon them, hissing as they discovered their prey below. Charles screamed as loud as his lungs and scratchy throat allowed to warn the others to head for sanctuary alive, firing his gun whenever he got the chance until they reached the entrance and spotted Clarence waving at them, "Hurry!"
A few at a time, the men passed through but the creatures claimed a close comrade of his at the last second, grabbing his legs just as Charles passed through the gap as the door began to close.
"Pete!" He reached for him in desperation, tugging with a firm grip with the support of others, "Don't let go!"
"Please! Don't let me die!" The sheer terror was written clearly in his eyes . . . and Charles knew.
"You won't die! I promise! You'll be—"
The howling scream of Pete jerked himself long enough that the hold he had slipped, a brief second was all that it took before the entrance sealed shut and the bloodcurdling sound of death rang in his ears. The next moment was worse, still listening as the creatures howled and tore flesh apart, eating away at his best friend.
He pounded at the door, screaming until he exhausted himself and pressed his forehead to the door with eyes closed. This is Hell. Everyone is dying around us and for what?
"What happened?" Ackland came striding from the back room, stomping like an angry rhynth he remembered trying to corral, full of rage that he would be dead if looks could kill, "Why did you open the doors?!"
Charles met him with the same demeanor, "There was a family that needed our help. Did you expect us to leave them to die!?"
"That's exactly what my orders were."
Ackland was suddenly pulled up by the collar of his jacket as Charles pressed noses with him, "Why don't you put your life on the line as they did and see if you can say the same?!"
"Enough. Both of you," Both men pulled away as Dr. Revna strolled in. Seeing the destruction of the newly injured drained the blood from her face, replaced with the coldness of reality, "We can't afford to fight amongst ourselves. Ackland, can I talk with you for a moment?"
It was all the doctor could do to prevent a full-blown fight. With great reluctance, Ackland shoved himself away and Revna sighed in relief for this brief moment as they headed to the furthest corner of the labs, "Any news on Machiko and Neera?"
Ackland rolled his eyes, "As I told you, I've sent Hiroki and James to watch out for them. I'm sure they're fine."
"Really?" That word came out of her mouth before she could stop herself, but there was no point in it now, "They should have been told of this before it blew up in our faces."
"As I told you," Revna held her breath as he came closer, the intimidation emitting from him was enough to bid a warning, "It is none of your concern except what you need to be told and anyone else for that matter. Your job is to monitor the sick and wounded and keep the specimen alive."
"About that . . ." Dr. Revna swallowed as Ackland gave a quick glare, "The patients that were part of Keshar's group . . . I don't think they are sick."
"What do you mean?"
"All of them presented the same symptoms that you would see in those with the flu like having a fever and nausea. But now, they are coughing and complaining of chest pains."
"So?" Ackland waved his hand, "It's also consistent with the flu or something else that's harmless. Great then and they'll get better."
"I've been treating them with the best antibiotics since they are progressing far worse than before. They need to be transferred out of here to a bet—."
"And isn't it clear that we can't do shit about it?!" He roared, oblivious that it grabbed the attention of everyone nearby, "We can't even fend for ourselves and until we hear news from the company, we're staying put and that's the end of it!"
The heavy silence thickened like a dark cloud and all Revna could do was hang her head low in submission, never having witnessed this breakdown from her boss in all her years working for the company. Now . . . it seemed like everything was falling apart, not just everyone but Prosperity Wells as a whole. If only she could weep . . .
Out of nowhere, there was a banging sound and muffled voices coming from the farthest back corner of the labs, almost like desperate pleas. By the time Ackland and Revna made it, several soldiers were prying the emergency entrance that led to the tunnels.
"What are you doing!?" Ackland pushed a few out of the way, "Those bugs are still there!"
"Sir! I think it's Machiko! She made it through the tunnels!"
Machiko!? Revna gasped. It couldn't be her. It can't be her!
Ackland's commands were ignored, none wanted to follow that if it meant leaving Machiko for dead. If there was one thing for certain, the men feared her more than Ackland and for very good reasons, even as the bugs' screech came closer behind.
Only one problem . . . The panel to open it was locked with an administrator code.
"Please, sir!" One of the men, Kirk, pleaded, "We can't lose anymore!"
"Not a chance," Ackland pulled the men back, "Let them in and the bugs will kill us for sure."
"But—"
"No buts. We have to maintain those who are here. If you disobey my orders then I'll—"
Everyone stopped as the panel pinged green and slowly opened. To their surprise, Dr. Revna entered the code, reached between the cracks of the door, and pulled out another hand, "Help me get them in!"
The soldiers went to her aid, few putting their hands to grab onto whoever was coming through. When one spotted the swarm of black creatures racing through the tunnels at them, they shot with as much firepower as they possibly could unload. The bugs screeched their dying breaths but they came full force without stalling.
Finally, at the last moment, the claws of death were about to get them, Revna and the others managed to pull the person inside and shut the door just in time. Everyone jumped back as the door shook violently, sighing as the frame stayed strong.
"Is everyone alright?" Revna asked, satisfied with a few nods. But as she looked down at the survivor, she was stunned, not just because there was more than one but the face she met as they looked up in absolute horror.
"Neera?!"
She jerked her head by the voice, still on edge that it took a few seconds longer to realize it was the doctor kneeling at her side, "Revna?"
She tensed as her hand reached for her, holding onto the pistol. The soldiers reacted and got their weapons too, the tension thick that all it would take was a lighted match.
"It's okay," Revna gently grabbed the gun and gave it to another person, "You're hurt . . ."
She blinked a few times and that's when the pain came back in pulses, her eyes followed the doctor's, and noticed the streaks of blood flowing from the top of her shoulder, a small chunk of flesh was ripped away by claw marks. The recent memory started to hit her hard, bringing the fear along.
Everything happened fast. She remembered the black creature lunging at her and then its mouth opened wide for the kill, barely saved by Hiroki's and Machiko's intervention but not entirely unscathed. The alien bit into her shoulder and the burning sensation was the worst she'd ever felt, blood and something metal melting ran into her nose. The rest was hard to recollect the details, vision going in and out but she felt her body running, holding the gun with all her might, screams urging her to keep going until they made it here, unaware of her injuries.
She shook it off, "I'm fine. Don't worry about me," she slowly got to her feet, ripping a part of her shirt to press on the wound.
"Can we get some help over here!?" Machiko's voice rang out.
Neera pressed her lips and turned back at the swarm of people gathering around Machiko who was holding a wounded Hiroki. Dr. Revna gave one last glance to her before rushing over with the others, noticing the gaping hole in his abdomen, "What happened?"
"Those fucking bugs got him while we're trying to escape," Machiko groaned, "He needs medical attention."
"Got it. Bring him to the beds."
A small group led by Revna carried Hiroki to an empty bed where the other sick were to treat him, leaving Neera and the rest to deal with the questions that swirled among them, a confusion that was swinging over their heads.
"How did you get here?" Ackland stomped over, frustration was clear in his face, heading right for Neera. Oh no.
"Funny you should ask that," Machiko stepped on his way, blocking him from Neera's view. Before he could open his mouth in protest, it was met with Machiko's fist. She flinched at the sound of teeth cracking as he fell on his ass.
"You think you can get away with this?" Machiko puffed like a bull on the warpath, "Sneaking behind our backs? No warning of this Hellhole coming? Keeping yourself cozy while the rest of Prosperity Wells is fighting and being slaughtered!?"
Ackland got to his feet and fought back, wiping the small line of blood from his nose, "I did what I had to protect everyone who's still alive."
"And excluding your superior is surely the right thing to do." Machiko's and Ackland's faces were pressed nose to nose in a stare-off.
"You got a lot of nerve talking to me like that."
"I do. What are you going to do about it?"
"Bitch."
The argument kept going on for forever, two powder kegs waiting until one exploded and Neera wasn't going to wait for it. I had enough excitement for one day. Quietly and urged by the stinging of her shoulder, she left to head for the main area where the wounded and the sick laid. It was hard to keep from glancing at the carnage the monsters left for them to clean up, men with arms ripped off, coughing so much that she thought they were going to vomit. She closed her eyes for the rest of the day, breathing through her mouth to ignore the smell until she got to a makeshift bench and sat down.
What's going on? She lowered her head, hair hiding her face from sight. Something's going on.
"Neera?" She rose to see Dr. Revna carrying an aid kit, "Let me treat your shoulder."
She said nothing as the doctor got to work, removing her shirt and wiping the blood with aseptic wipes, the wound stung painfully that she grit her teeth just to not gasp until the pain slowly dulled and bandages wrapped around her shoulder.
"Thank you," Neera spoke as Revna finished.
"Anytime," She noticed Revna sitting next to her, looking down with such sadness that it struck her heavy heart.
"How's Hiroki?"
She signed, "He sustained grave injuries but he's not in danger. Hopefully, help will come soon so that I can treat him better but . . ."
"But what?"
Revna whimpered, "I don't know. All this death . . . I fear this is only the beginning. I only wished Keshar was here for support."
She understood what the doctor meant. Who knows of anything? Seeing the despair on her face was horrible, the feeling of dread and sorrow for those who died and suffering as they spoke, especially for her husband, knowing death was at their doorstep. She scooted closer to Revna and wrapped her good arm around, rubbing her in comfort, "We'll make it. I'm sure that if we put our heads together, then—"
Her whole body froze, all her muscles tightened and her veins ran cold like frozen pipes in the winter. She could hear whispers in her ears, the sense of something was coming. She didn't know why but she stood up from the seat, stared at the door and then a word escaped her lips.
"Bad Blood."
"What did you just say, Neera?" A concerned Revna came to her side, "I think you need to rest more. Come on."
Just as Neera was being tugged to follow, the front entrance of the labs suddenly shook violently. The whole room fell silent, hearing the aliens screech and hiss behind the wall. Are they attacking again?! Everyone grabbed for any weapon they could find, aiming for the door with shaky hands out of fear and nervousness. Everyone shouted on top of each other, asking why or what the creatures wanted to come in, the most logical assumption but she felt this was worse . . . much worse.
But then, everything went silent as the bombardments on the doors ceased.
The cold sensation intensified in her body. Something's not right. This is bad. Neera stepped closer to the door but kept a safe distance. She listened carefully for any sound she could pick up. At first, she heard nothing, and just when she was about to give up, she froze as a clicking sound echoed behind the door, much different than the hisses and screeches of the black creatures.
What is —?
She was hit by a tremendous force before she could comprehend the events nor predict the horror that burst through. All Neera could do was fall to the ground as the door exploded into a thousand pieces along with a flurry of blue lights that blasted everything in their paths.
Hi everyone!
So much desperation and bloodshed in this chapter but far worse is coming to everyone. The Xenomorphs have made their appearance but they are not the only ones. Who will survive this nightmare . . . if any at all?
Find out when the next chapter is posted. Hopefully within the moth or earlier. Thank you very much for your patience and Good Hunting! :)