It lunged at me with the force of a motorcycle. I was knocked over and its fangs reached for me resembling some sort of deranged saber-toothed tiger. I couldn't believe the horrible forms these used-to-be humans took but these particular creatures disturbed me above all. They were the upper body of a human with its spine formed into a long tail with a spike at the end meant to impale its victims. I screamed slightly as I wrestled with this thing trying to get it off me. It just lunged; pulsing harder and harder trying to sink its fangs into my neck. I could feel its tail flailing about and knew my armor was almost no match for this beast. Finally, I got one of my hands free and luckily that hand had an industrial saw in it. I simply turned it on and slid it over one of the arms. When the beast doubled back, I kicked it all the way off me and grasped its tail. I had tried it before, so I hoped it would work again. I pulled the tail behind me and placed my boot at the base of the skull where it attached to the spine. I pulled with all my might until I heard and felt a loud crunch before the skull broke free. It squealed slightly and as it squirmed on the floor I aimed the ripper at it and let loose one of the blades. It let out a few more gurgles before ceasing motion and turning back into a mass of flesh…an addition to the casualties of the SPRAWL. I turned and heard Nicole's voice. It was soft and loving and I was happy to have made peace with her. I made my way toward the voice and saw the light of her figure bright against the dark color of the marker.
"Isaac, make us whole," she said to me smoothly. I dropped my weapon and walked up to her. I had made peace with my demons and it was time to get the help I needed to destroy this monstrosity of a religious symbol of unitology once and for all. I put my arms around the hallucination and almost felt her arms rest behind me. in our embrace, she said, "I'm so happy Isaac; time to die."
"What?" I said pushing her away and looking at her in disbelief. Her body exploded into dark static and I could feel her boring into my very soul. I knew I had gone unconscious because I was in some sort of alternate realm. No doubt the part of my brain that contained all my knowledge of the marker.
"we have to do it Isaac, we have to become one. The marker needs us. We have to become whole" she said with new darkness in her voice. All I did was raise my weapon and fire.