Chapter 2

A few hours had flown by, and the sun began to set as Jack staggered through the crosswalk, incredibly exhausted. From one block to the next, he searched for clues, and even after finding a way down, Jack found nothing remotely familiar on the streets. With that and nothing to help with his lack of memory, Jack was back to square one. Well, square zero, to be precise. It was best to call it quits and try again later simply, was what he reckoned.

Jack stopped to catch his breath, walked to a nearby bus stop bench, lied down on it, and got ready to shut his eyes and get what little sleep possible when he felt an alarm going off in his head. Looking over his shoulder, Jack stammered as he heard noises that sounded oddly too human to be a figment of his imagination—noises coming from across the street and growing louder by the second.

"Admit it, Anne. We're lost."

"We're not lost, Sash. That city layout I found said that there was grocery store around here, and it should be around here somewhere."

"Well, if we want to get back to the group, then we better hurry and find it. Otherwise, it's going to get dark, and I don't want to see what kind of creature might stalk us and make us its dinner."

Jack sprung up and slinked behind the red hardware store, peering to the side while cautiously hiding. He reached for his sword and grabbed the handle, ready to draw it when the situation escalated. However, there was no need because, on the other side, he saw two girls around his age (he assumed)—two cute girls—strolling up the street, one towering over the other.

The one on the left was fair skin and had blonde hair tied in a ponytail and blue eyes, a beauty mark perfectly placed on her cheek. She was slender and athletic with an attractive taut belly and some muscles that didn't outshine her curvy figure, the same with the small scar under her eye. The young blonde wore wasn't much of an outfit, having a heart-branded white crop top with black straps, a pair of blue jeans, and black ankle boots. Jake could see that her cleavage and abdomen were present, and her silky skin was exposed to the elements, all of which made Jack's mouth nearly water.

The other was Asiatic with caramel-brown, having a bush of curly brunette hair matching her hazel eyes. Like the girl beside her, she had a similar build, though her breasts were a little bigger, in Jake's opinion, that is. Her outfit was a little more conservative than her friend's, wearing a bright yellow shirt underneath a pair of legless overalls, a choker around her neck and matching wristbands, and a couple of purple and white sneakers. Jack could see the hard points of her nipples against the texture of her top, showing that she had no bra on, which made Jack's mouth almost fall to the pavement.

Feeling like they were being watched, the girls shifted both gazes to the right and almost spotted Jack with suspicious glares. He was quick enough to duck, and once the heat was off, the pair continued walking and arguing, moving close to where Jack was crouching.

Okay, that was a close one. For a second there, I thought for sure my cover was blown. His tensed body eased up, but now came the hard part. Deep down, in his gut, the frantic young man knew he wasn't alone, and with that confirmed, the thought of introducing himself was too tempting. Nonetheless, he needed to be sure if he was dealing with a friend or foe. Then again, since those two were the first people he's ever seen, the amnesiac wasn't sure what to say. So, the next would have to be a meticulous one.

Unfortunately, Jack wasn't going to get that chance because, right when he looked back, both girls had disappeared, leaving him almost speechless. The young man stood up and stepped out into the open, his eyes shifting on all sides and then a bit of uneasiness creeping in.

"Where did those two go?" Jack murmured unnervingly.

"Right behind you, creep."

Jack jolted and briefly twirled, catching a glimpse of one of the blonde girls standing behind him, but the alerted young man could not make a complete 180 as the girl had caught him off guard. His opponent wrapped her arms around his neck, keeping him restrained while lightly choking him, a full Judo lock and, in his opinion, a very effective one. Panic setting in, Jack tried breaking free, but the more he struggled, the more air was getting caught off from circulation as the girl applied pressure without hesitation.

The blonde sneered. "Alright, spill it. Who are you and why have you been spying on us? If you're somehow involve in this, I swear to God, I'll make you regret ever being alive."

Slamming his elbow back, Jack struck the girl in the sides and pushed her, violently coughing as she felt the air knocked out. Whether it was a simple fight, flight response or muscle memory kicking in, Jack seized the opportunity, regardless. As the blonde was left stunned and recoiled, the young man managed to slip out of her grasp, moved a few steps apart, and twirled to face his blonde opponent, the two circling each other and staring face-to-face.

"Honestly, I'm just as much in the same boat as you and your friend," Jack answered honestly as the blonde held her guard up. The young man did the same, his posture steeled and having one arm extended out, the other forming a fist while cocking it beside his head. "If I knew what was going on, I would tell you in a heartbeat. I don't remember anything, and if we can take a moment, and calm down, then maybe we could…."

Jack was immediately cut off as the brunette jumped him, landing a kick in mid-air and aiming for his face. Luckily, he could block it in time but not before his new opponent sucker punched him in the jaw; disorientation surprised him as he didn't see it coming from the girl a few inches shorter than him.

Wiping his mouth and seething, a trickle of blood fell, and that was starting to get him mad, though not before taking a few deep breaths. No, Jack. Calm down. You're not here to fight but to talk. There's got to be a way to get through to them without hitting back and making things worse than it already is. How hard can that be?

Surprisingly so, much to Jack's dismay. The caramel-skinned brunette sprinted, and, this time, the startled young man was ready for her, a few jabs came right at him but were intercepted with quick speed, realizing the girl was determined to knock his block off. With each swing of her arm, the young man ducked and deflected, but only to receive a knee to the stomach, which he could obstruct with his palms. It was hard for Jack to concentrate, and his patience was growing thin. He had to admit, though, her Muay Thai was impeccable and made it challenging for him to catch up.

Wait, how do you even know that? Never mind that, I think I got her where I want her, and now let's see if I can talk some sense. Jack smirked, his hands managing to grab hold of the brunette, her wrists detained as she struggled to break loose. Alright, Jack, what can you say to her that shows you are not the enemy? Her skin is soft and smooth. Maybe go with that? No. That will still make her think you're the enemy and a complete perv. Think of something else, damn it!

Unfortunately, when Jack nervously opened his mouth, and before he uttered a single word, the blonde caught him off-guard with a roundhouse kick. Little did she realize her target had moved a few inches to the side, causing her to hit her friend in the face instead.

"Oh my God, Anne, I am so sorry! I didn't mean to do that. Are you okay?" The young blonde gasped, horrified, with her hands to her mouth, quickly helping the brunette—Anne—to her feet.

Anne nodded and waved her hand, the ringing in her ear fading. "Holy crap, Sasha, that was one hell of a kick!" She coughed and spat some blood before answering. "But, yeah, I'm okay. It's nothing I haven't taken before, you know. Though, I won't say the same for this guy once we're done with him."

With knuckles popped and eyes narrowed, Anne got back into her fighting stance, entirely on the offense, as Sasha smiled confidently and followed her lead, fury screaming into her soul. The two circled the young man as he waited with both fists raised, preparing which one would strike first. But, at that very moment, right when Anne and Sasha were gearing to charge all at once, the young man raised both hands in a non-threatening manner and immediately surrendered, the two girls taken aback.

"Listen to me, this has all been a huge misunderstanding," said Jack with a soft edge, looking at Anne. "As I told your blonde friend, there, I just woke up and I have no idea what's going on. You two are the first people I have seen, all day, and I just wanted to talk and get some answers, alright? I swear to God, I never had any intention to fight you. You have to believe me."

Sasha stared at Jack in disbelief, eyebrow arching. On the other hand, Anne was willing to listen, raising her guard just in case.

"Are you serious? After you attacked us, you expect us to buy into that bull. If you think we're going to fall for that trick, then think again," Sasha chided as Jack pointed sternly at her.

A cross-shaped vein throbbed on his temple. "First of all, you attacked me first, and my actions were purely in self-defense. Secondly, if I wanted to do you any harm, I would have used the sword hanging on my back. So, why didn't I? Riddle me that, eh, blondie?"

"What did you call me?!"

"I think he's telling the truth, Sasha," Anne interjected before another fight broke out. "Take it from a girl who took Muay Thai since she was six to know when someone is using defensive strikes, not offensive. And, given the fact that he is the only one armed, he could have done some real damage, but he hasn't used it, once. This might sound crazy, but I think we should hear him out."

"Really? Then why was he stalking us, huh? He's been spying on us from a distance, and you expect me to not think he had nefarious plans?" Sasha questioned matter-of-factly, hands at akimbo.

"For the last time, I wasn't spying on you, and I'm not a stalker," Jack took deep breaths to keep his temper minimum, fiddling with his flight jacket. He clapped his hands together, pointed them forward, and exasperatedly continued. "Like I said before, you two are the first people I've seen since I got here, and I was trying to find a way to approach you. To reiterate, I don't know what the bloody hell is going on and, seeing you, I thought I might get some answers, but I guess that didn't pan out well."

Anne walked over and placed a hand on her friend, sighing. "Look, Sash. Despite everything, he doesn't seem too much of a threat and just as confused as we are. Maybe we should just keep going and get back on why we're out here. Okay? Who knows? if we can help him, then he could help us in return?"

"Oh, yeah. Right. So, if we ask him where we can find food and supplies, then he'll automatically give us the location for free. Good one, Anne," Sasha let out a sardonic scoff, much to her friend's annoyance.

Anne eyed her friend and crossed her arms. "Hey, you never know. it doesn't hurt to simply ask if he's come across a grocery store, or better yet a convenient store, you know?"

"As a matter of fact, I do know where one is located," Jack remarked, overhearing.

"Wait. You do?"

Jack nodded, pointing his thumb over his shoulder. "Yeah, there's one a block away from where we're at. I spotted it when I was surveying the area. If you like, I could take it to you just to show there's no bad blood between us."

"That would be awesome!" Anne's brown eyes grew wide, almost sparkling, and she turned to Sasha with a smile. "Did you hear that? I knew there was one, and that confirmed it. ~ we're gonna be eating right tonight!" Anne cheered, a bit singsongy while slightly dancing at the end.

Sasha was not amused, her deadpanned stare showing it. "Anne, can I speak to you in private for a minute, please?" She grabbed her friend by the arm and dragged Anne a couple of feet. Once she made sure the two were out of range, she leaned in and whispered. "Yeah, there is no way I'm letting this guy act as our guide. We don't know if he's telling the truth, and even if he is, this guy could be leading us right into a trap. I suggest we decline his offer, get up and leave, and find the store ourselves to avoid a Hostel situation."

"I don't think that's the right reference, and also why not?" Anne questioned, scowling with her arms over her perky chest. "He obviously doesn't pose any threat to us. So, what's the harm in having him with us, huh?"

"Gee, I don't know. How about the fact that we're two barely legal teenage girls, hot ones to be exact, and he's a young man with a sword and who looks to be around our age. For all we know, this could be a ruse to get us all alone before getting us by surprise," Sasha stated the obvious, darkly, making even Anne cringe at such a disturbing outcome.

"…okay? Not wanting to unpack all of that, I'm pretty sure it won't come down to that, Sash. Besides, we've handled worse things back in Amphibia, so I like we can handle this with a two-against-one rematch," Anne reassured confidently, grinning while waving her hand nonchalant.

"You sure about that?"

"Positive."

That's when a slight expression that seemed like a mixture of desire and curiosity etched itself onto the brunette's face.

"Who knows. there might be a chance he might turn out to be a good guy. Plus, he's cute," Anne whispered, glancing over her shoulder and seeing the young man standing idly, cheeks reddening.

The fact she was biting her bottom lip spoke loudly to her blonde friend about what was going on in her mind, pinching the bridge of her nose and muttering loudly.

"Oh, you can't be serious?"

"What? I'm just saying."

"Alright. I guess we're going to have to take our chances, then." Sasha said, chuckling softly. "So, do you want me to tell him we're on board, or should the honors go to you, miss Juliet?"

"Oh, come on, Sasha. That's not funny," said Anne as Sasha received an elbow jab to the stomach.

"But, seriously, Anne. are you okay? I hit you pretty hard and it's kind of showing," Sasha asked, going a tad off-topic.

Anne shrugged. "Sasha. I'm fine. sure, it did hurt for a while, but the pain's subsided. But tell me the truth, is it too noticeable."

She cupped her friend's face and examined the shiner she gave her, her right cheek swollen with a superficial scar. Seeing Sasha wince and the way she reluctantly nodded was not so reassuring for the young Thai girl, her demeanor shrinking while she was slightly self-conscious about facing their acquaintance.

As they were done with their conversation, the two walked over to the young man, with Sasha waving to get his attention. He was more or less keeping himself entertained, primarily by taking off the sheath and juggling from one hand to the next. The young man was so engrossed in the activity that he almost didn't notice the bemused blonde calling out to him, the brunette covering the side of her cute face, poorly hiding the bruised side.

"Alright, listen up. I don't trust you, and I don't trust you. However, seeing as we have no other options, I'm willing to consider a temporary truce," Sasha stated with her head held high.

"Well, that's fine by me. with you, blondie, the feeling is mutual, after all," Jack sneered, arms crossed over his breastplate.

"Great," said Sasha. She ground her teeth but regained her composition, and then held up her finger. "Buuuut, before we can get a move on, do you mind giving us your name? Obvi, because we both don't know you, there needs to be some level of trust. I know I said I don't trust you, but I believe knowing each other's name seems like a start."

Jack wasn't all too surprised. To him, it was a fair deal to go along with, and he was happy to oblige. The two approached his space, gestured to one another, and did not hesitate in giving their names—the blonde being Sasha Waybright and the brunette being Anne Boonchuy. After putting his sword away, it was his turn to do the same as he stretched out his hand, palm firmly flat.

"My name is Jack. It's a pleasure to meet you two," he introduced with a cordial expression, taking Sasha's hand and gently shaking it, then Anne afterward.

"So, just Jack? No last name? So, what, you're some kind of man of mystery?" Sasha inquired sarcastically, taking his hand awkwardly.

Anne thought that was kind of hot. "No, not really. That's just what the patch on my jacket says and since I have no form of identification, it's all I have to go with until I can get my memories back," Jack replied with a grim expression, pressing onward as he waved the two to follow. "Come on, let's leg it, you two."

"Memories?" Anne repeated, staring in confusion. Grabbing Sasha by the hand, she hauled her forward and caught up to the young man, having gotten a head start from the pair without slowing down, though not intentionally. "So, when you say that. Are you saying you don't remember who you are? Like amnesia, or something like that? Then what was with all those moves you pull and how could you fight if you don't remember anything?" Anne was even intrigued by him.

"That's the thing. What I just experience, it could all be chalked up as muscle memory, probably from training I can't ever recall having. All I know is that I woke up on a rooftop, decked out like some medieval fair attendee who stepped out of the Thunderdome, and that's all there is," Jack explained with a bemoaned edge, his hand combing through his salt-and-pepper hair.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," said Anne sympathetically.

"What a loud of bull," Sasha grumbled, looking away.

"It's alright," Jack said, shrugging, ignoring Sasha's retort. "I can't say the same about you two, though. You two have the skills and expertise to handle yourselves, especially in this post-apocalyptic-looking city we're in. Either you guys are road warriors-in-training, or this isn't your first rodeo."

"It more of the latter. Surprise at it may be, this isn't me and Sasha's first time dealing with being teleported to a new location," Anne laughed.

"Well, I guess I should be following you, then," Jack mused, nudging Anne playfully in the arm, the girl blushing in response. "When you first arrived, your instincts were to forage and stock up on supplies. I mean, I barely got my bearings altogether and my first instincts was to find out who I am. No luck whatsoever. Not only that, but the one thing I can recall are Mad Max references, and it's starting to piss me off." His teeth gritted while uttering a huff, scowling moderately.

"Hey, don't worry about it, Jack. Let's just take our mind off of our troubles and focus on the task at hand. maybe that will be a good distraction," Anne remarked, then rubbed his shoulder and winked. "Just keep your head high because if we look hard enough, there might be something that could help jog that little noggin of yours."

"You mean it?" he asked.

"You bet I am!" Anne cheered, fist-pumping. "Now, let's go ransack a grocery store!" That declaration made Jack and Sasha cringe, and Anne immediately shared the same sentiment. "Yeah, that didn't sound as cool as I wanted it to."


Jack had mapped out merely a portion of the city and could find his way to his destination, though he had to pause briefly to retrace his steps a few times. Despite all of the rubble and debris, the city was vast, with towering skyscrapers and office blocks still standing arranged along heavily cracked roads and rusted cars parked and abandoned. To sum it all up, it was a maze, and getting lost wasn't a possibility. With the sun setting and night looming over them, Jack and the girls trekked faster than ever before, sometimes felt like everything was rearranging around them. The shadows around them almost appeared to be getting close as the trio stayed on guard, waiting for them to be taken off course. Nonetheless, the trio pressed onward thanks to the signage giving them some direction, brushing off their worries as simply the eyes playing tricks on them.

Sasha quickly interjected some rationalism as the three walked along the broken sidewalk. "Adrenal fatigue. That's what we're experiencing right now. We're all just hallucinating stuff brought on by our tired minds, making us see things that aren't really there." She shook her head. "There is absolutely nothing to worry about, guys."

"How do you know that?" Jack asked.

"You may not believe it, but underneath this blonde mane is a lot of knowledge," Sasha remarked smugly.

"…Okay?" Jack said, remembering the insulting nickname he gave her and then throwing it back in his face.

"Also, I have been studying up on psychology and neurology in my free time, which I might take up as a subject once I get into college," she said before realizing how much she was personally opening up. "This doesn't change anything. I'm simply talking to past the time, and not because I trust you. Remember our deal? No funny business while we head to our destination, and there will be no trouble."

She shot him a glare, pointed her fingers at her eyes, then at him, and then at her eyes again. Despite how menacing the young blonde appeared, Jack was not at the very least intimidated, finding her antics more amusing than anything else. He rolled his eyes but stopped dead in his tracks, a twinkle showing his face as he gestured his arm to draw his newfound company's attention ahead.

"Well, you don't have to worry about that, my saucy associate, because we have arrived, which means you can put your worries to rest," Jack announced as Sasha and Anne gawked with mouths agape.

Standing in a vacant parking lot, the three looked at the nearly substantial Omega Mart. From just the sheer size, calling it, a grocery store was humbling. On the contrary, it was a massive supermarket. The exact length stretched about a mile wide with concrete walls that formed a rectangular exterior. Compared to the rest of the city, the store was untouched by nature as the trio was stunned by its immaculate visage, though none of them were in the least bit puzzled about why the logo, in all its bluish print, appeared tumbledown.

"Huh, well, what do you know? I guess you were telling the truth," Sasha looked astonished, arching a brow.

Jack flashed a cheeky grin. "See? What did I tell you? I promised and I even delivered."

"Alright! Fine! You did and I admit it. Quit rubbing it in my face, will ya?" Sasha pleaded, unsure if her ego could take it anymore. Within a second, she giggled and motioned forward. "Let's get moving. Quick. We're burning daylight before we get to snatch the first haul, and I do not want to camp out inside a supermarket."

"One problem, guys," Anne was at the front and had proceeded to open the double doors, but right when she pulled the handles, it wouldn't budge before turning back. "This place is locked, and I mean it's locked like a bank vault. There's no way we have the time to lockpick this, and I don't think my library card will do the trick. In other words, we're going to have to find another way in," she said with a blank expression, disappointed.

Sasha knew this would happen. From her experience, no objective was ever going to be that easy. Regardless, she had come this far and refused to turn back now, so she got cracking to find another entrance. Jack remained at the front with Anne as the young blonde searched the sides and the back. His face scowled while analyzing the doors and windows one more time, the brunette approaching him and standing closely.

"You look like you've got a plan going on," Anne interrupted his train of thought, hands behind her back while gingerly rocking. "If you want, you could talk to me and I can give you my thoughts, what do you say?"

Aside from Anne's weak attempt at flirting, it wasn't a bad idea, but Jack decided not to go along with it and declined the offer. No, for this type of operation, there needed to be a sort of je ne sais quoi behind it; a meticulous, cunning….

Smash!

…Or just pick up a cinderblock and toss it through a glass window, shattering the glass widely on impact. Not the best decision Jack, but it worked, despite feeling a twinge of guilt.

"Well, either way, I guess we have our way in," Jack said, making his way to the opening.

Anne seethed and pursed her lips. "Yeah, but I don't think this is going to go well with Sasha."

As if on cue, Sasha jumped out from around the corner, jogging back and acting on high alert, looking frazzled.

"What the hell was that? What did you do?" she hissed and pointed an accusing finger at Jack.

"Oh, don't be so uptight. I took the initiative, and I made us a faster way inside," Jack stated before hopping over and helping Anne up. "You're welcome."

"Dude, how is this a faster way inside? Did it ever occur to you that the alarm could have gone off?" Sasha chastised, completely miffed.

"But it didn't, did it? And from where I'm standing, I can see why." Above the young man's head, he saw an empty rectangular space as he pointed at the exposed wires sticking out. "The alarm system is completely missing and, except for the one I've committed, there seems to be no sign of a burglary. Whoever was running this place before all hell broke loose, they are likely the culprit behind it. It seems like a weird thing to do, don't you think?" Jack pondered, rubbing his chin.

Sasha stuck her neck out and gazed at the nonexistent alarm, her glower more perplexed. "Huh? Yeah, that is pretty weird."

"Okay, well, what's done is done. There's no use obsessing about something we can't fix. We might as well get this shopping spree over with before nightfall," Anne interjected as Sasha and Jack felt her arms wrapping around their waists, acting her best as a peacekeeper.

"Yeah, you're right," Jack nodded, his voice softened.

Anne dropped her hands down so that Jack and Sasha could press onward, following the two from behind, ignoring the broken glass crunching under the bottom of their shoes. The three strutted past the check-out counters, turned right and pivoted, and examined each aisle before continuing.

Jack had one thing on his mind to add, speaking his thoughts out loud. "Looking back on it, even if the alarm went off, and with all the noise we've made, who's going to hear it? Technically, we have the entire supermarket to ourselves and no one's around to ruin that kind of fun?" the girls agreed before sharing a laugh.

Unbeknownst to the trio, an unearthly hiss emanated from within the breakroom as silhouettes began moving about behind dirty windows, emulsified and challenging to tell what had awakened. The handle turned, and the thick steel gingerly slid open, releasing a nightmare that lay dormant, hungry for blood, as the hunt was getting ready to commence.


A few minutes went by in a flash. Anne grabbed the last item she needed and tossed it into her cart. Once she was done, the young brunette strolled to the

"Alright. I got everything I need loaded up and ready to go, though I have never heard of these brands before in my life," Anne demurred as she read the labels of the products, one by one.

From Quantum-O's cereal to the cans of nut-free salted peanuts, each item racked the young Thai girl's brain, and the more she looked, the weirder it got, and that wasn't until she got to the fruits. While holding up a lemon, Anne could have sworn she saw an eye as it winked innocently, making her yelp before throwing it over her shoulder in a knee-jerk response.

Anne shook her head erratically and muttered to herself tensely. "Okay, that did not happen. I did not see a lemon sprout an eye and wink at me. Sasha might be on to something. All this moving and fatigue was getting to my head."

Speaking of her friend, she watched as Sasha and Jack rolled up their respective carts, filled to the brim with no more room to spare. She immediately waved in their direction and pushed toward them, and she didn't stop until she was close enough.

"Hey, guys! Did you find anything good? I sure did. Yep! I certainly got some pretty normal stuff and not something odd like fruits with human body parts, if that's what you're thinking," Anne nervously rambled on with sweat trickling from her forehead. At the same time, her eyes vibrated and darted side-to-side, earning perturbed looks from her companions.

"O-okay. Well, I got a couple of toiletries and a few first aid kits, along with a few you-know-what's from the women's health aisle. Lord knows when we might need it just in case," Sasha said before her tone grew soft, bashful.

Jack was much more analytical than his blonde companion, listing the contents within his trolly with a monotonous expression. "Two boxes of 20 tins of soup each, three boxes of instant cup noodles and cup curry separate, seventeen packets of crisps. Well, it looks like i've gathered enough provisions to feed an entire regiment for days on end, depending on how many people are I your encampment."

Anne and Sasha were baffled, even more so than usual. The words that came out of Jack's mouth, and the tone he used, the two eyed the young man as if he was speaking an alien language, something Jack was quick to catch on.

"What?"

Anne shook her head, and her smile returned. "Nothing. I was just a little taken aback, that's all." She clapped her hands cheekily. "Alrighty then. We got everything we need, and it doesn't look like we'll be shopping here soon. It looks like it's time for us to get going, don't you think?"

"I hundred percent agree. The more we stay here, the more this place is starting to give me the creeps," Sasha admitted, shivering.

Jack waved nonchalantly. "Oh, come on. It's not that bad. Aside from the ominous atmosphere and the complete absence of human life, with abundant food and amenities, it's the perfect place that has everything we need. I mean, it's not like we're going to encounter anything dangerous, right?"

Right when Jack said that last line, all hell broke loose instantly. The shadows all around started moving and began closing in on the trio. Yellow eyes daggered right in their direct line of sight as silhouettes formed, slowly limping into the faint glimmer of light with an eerie visage, followed by the sound of inhuman growls and moans. With every opening blocked and nowhere to run, the three had no choice but to stand their ground, Anne and Sasha backing up against the carts while reaching over to find whatever they could use as a weapon.

Jack reached for his sword but cursed under his breath as penance for opening his big mouth as the creatures closed in on him and his newfound companions. Only one sentence, one phrase, escaped from his lips, summing up the ordeal beforehand.

"Oh. Shit."


A/N: Hey, everyone. This is Kman134, and here is a new chapter of Paradoxical Enigma (I changed the name to make it sound cooler). So, yeah, I had a hard time finishing this chapter because of many things in my life, along with writer's block and self-doubt, but I managed to get it done. Also, if you're wondering why Jack's first encounter would be with Anne and Sasha, it's primarily because of the fight scene and potential shipping (I defy you all to tell me why that's wrong). The Mad Max references, the Confinement reference, and the Omega Mart cameo are just something I threw in to make it enjoyable. As for the creatures at the end, that's more of a potential threat and an extension of the true mastermind behind all of these characters' predicaments. As I said, this fic is experimental, and I just wanted to see how these characters would survive in such a hellish scenario. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it, and please leave your reviews to voice your opinion, but if you're pissed that the chapter ended in a cliffhanger. Well, too bad, you get what you get, and you don't get upset.