Air hit Ethan's face hard.
It wasn't wind or a breeze.
It hurt.
Sharp. Violent. Like the world was trying to wake him up by force.
His body jerked with every step someone's steps.
Fast.
Too fast.
His stomach twisted as the ground blurred beneath him.
"Per...!"
The sound ripped out of his throat before he fully understood it.
Ethan's eyes opened.
Everything was wrong.
The sky was too grey. The air smelt like smoke and something metallic thick suffocating.
He—
He was upside down.
No.
Someone was carrying him over their shoulder.
Running.
What? His voice cracked, dry and weak. Kasper?!
The person carrying him didn't slow down.
Didn't even hesitate.
You're awake.
Calm.
Too calm.
That single tone sent a chill deeper than the wind ever could.
What's going on?! Ethan forced himself up, gripping Kaspers' shoulder as dizziness hit him. Where are we? Why are you running?!
A scream echoed through the street.
Not a normal scream.
Not human.
It was pain.
Raw.
Wet.
Ethan turned toward it instinctively
His world was shattered.
A man sprinted across the road.
Tried to.
He stumbled.
Fell.
Something dropped onto him.
At first Ethan thought it was someone helping him.
Then it moved.
Too fast.
Too violently.
Its head snapped downward
Bit.
The sound
A tear of flesh.
Blood sprayed across the pavement.
The man's scream cut into a choking gargle.
Ethan froze.
"No," his voice dropped to a whisper. "No no, that's not."
Kasper stop! He shouted suddenly, adrenaline crashing into him. We have to help him!
Kasper didn't slow.
Didn't turn.
We can't.
What do you mean we can't? Ethan struggled violently now, trying to push himself off. He's alive!
Not for long.
Kasper's voice was calm.
No emotion.
No hesitation.
Just a fact.
Ethan's chest tightened.
Put me down!
This time
Kasper stopped.
Abruptly.
Ethan was dropped onto his feet, legs nearly giving out beneath him.
What the hell is wrong with you? Ethan snapped, anger cutting through his fear. We don't just leave people.
He stopped.
Kasper wasn't looking at him.
He was looking past him.
Eyes
Wrong.
Pale.
Empty.
Around them
Veins.
Bulging from his temples, sharp and defined, pulsing faintly under his skin.
What is that? Ethan whispered.
Kasper didn't answer.
His head tilted slightly.
Tracking.
'Three,' he said quietly.
Ethan blinked. What?
Behind you.
Ethan turned.
His breath vanished.
Three of them.
Not walking.
Running.
Fast.
Too fast.
Their movements were wrong.
Limbs jerking at angles but still controlled.
Still purposeful.
One of them slammed into a car.
The impact should have slowed it.
Broken something.
It didn't.
It got back up instantly.
Like pain didn't exist.
Like the body was just a tool.
Okay, Ethan took a step back heart pounding violently. "Okay yeah we run."
Kasper grabbed his arm. Pulled.
Hard.
They ran.
The city was a mess.
Cars crashed into each other.
Windows shattered.
Smoke was rising into the sky like the world was burning.
Everywhere.
Noise.
Screams.
Crashes.
Something distant is exploding.
Ethans lungs burned as he forced himself forward.
What are those things? he shouted.
I dont know.
You dont know Ethan nearly tripped. "Then how are you this calm?"
"Im not calm."
"You sound calm!"
"Im focused."
Ethan clenched his teeth.
That wasnt normal.
None of this was.
How long have we been running? he asked breath ragged.
Seven minutes.
You counted?
Yes.
Why?
So I know when youll collapse.
Ethan glared at him.
Then.
A crash echoed from an alley.
Kaspers head snapped toward it instantly.
A girl stumbled out.
She looked about their age.
Short black hair. Glasses slipping down her nose.
Terrified.
She tripped.
Fell.
Behind her.
One of those things lunged forward.
Closer.
Close.
Shit! Ethan stepped forward instinctively.
Kasper moved first.
Faster than Ethan had ever seen him move.
He crossed the distance in seconds.
The creatures arm swung wildly.
Kasper twisted aside before it even connected.
Like he knew.
His hand struck forward.
Precise.
Sharp.
Not a punch.
A targeted hit.
The creature staggered.
Not dead.
Disrupted.
Kasper grabbed the girls arm. Pulled her up.
Move.
She froze.
Eyes wide.
Locked on his face.
On his eyes.
On the veins.
"Kasper!"
The creature lunged again.
This time.
Kasper turned fully.
His pale eyes sharpened.
The veins around his temples pulsed harder.
For a split second.
Everything slowed.
Ethan saw it.
Kasper wasnt reacting.
He was predicting.
He moved before the attack even came.
Stepped aside.
Struck again clean and controlled.
The creature dropped.
Still moving.
Too slow now.
"Run."
This time.
She ran.
All three of them did.
Ethan glanced at her.
She was shaking.
Barely keeping up.
She didnt stop.
"Hey hey its okay" Ethan said between breaths. "Just keep moving—dont look."
She nodded quickly.
Didnt speak.
Her eyes kept darting toward Kasper.
Fear.
Not just of the monsters.
Of him.
Ethan felt it too.
Those eyes.
That presence.
Kasper didnt look normal anymore.
He looked like something entirely.
They turned another corner.
Then another.
Finally
Kasper slowed.
Here.
They slipped into a collapsed building.
Dark.
Quiet.
Too quiet.
Ethan leant against the wall chest heaving.
"What the hell is happening? " he whispered.
No answer.
The girl slid to the ground hugging her knees tightly.
Still shaking.
Kasper stood near the entrance.
Watching.
Always watching.
Slowly.
His eyes returned to normal.
The veins faded.
Like nothing had happened.
Ethan stared at him.
"You want to explain that?"
"I can see things."
"What kind of things?"
"Movement. Range. Blind spots."
"Thats not normal."
"I know."
Silence.
Heavy.
Ethan dragged a hand through his hair.
"Okay so were definitely not where we were."
"No."
"Those things arent human."
"No."
"Youve got whatever that is."
No response.
Ethan let out a laugh.
Great. Awesome. Perfect.
The girl flinched slightly.
Ethan softened immediately.
"Hey youre okay" he said gently. "Youre safe for now."
She hesitated.
"Maria" she said quietly.
Ethan blinked. "Right. Ethan Thats Kasper."
Kasper didnt turn.
He was listening.
Maria glanced at him again.
Then quickly looked away.
"Thank you" she whispered.
No response.
A faint sound echoed outside.
Heavy.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Kaspers head lifted slightly.
"…Were not safe" he said.
Ethan exhaled shakily. "Yeah I figured."
Kasper stepped closer to the entrance.
Looked out.
For a moment
He didnt speak.
Then
"Somethings wrong."
Ethan frowned. "Wrong then everything else?"
"I cant read it."
That made Ethan freeze.
"What do you mean you cant?"
A sharp sudden pressure slammed into his head.
Ethan staggered.
"What?"
For a split second.
Something flashed in his vision.
A screen.
Faint.
Glitching.
Unreadable symbols.
Then gone.
Did you? Ethan grabbed his head. "Did you see that thing?
Kasper turned a bit.
See what?
Ethan stopped moving.
Nothing.
It was quiet again.
The silence felt heavy.
Kasper took a step back.
"Move."
They left the building.
They were being careful.
They were being quiet.
Now
Every step felt harder.
Because something was outside.
Something even Kasper did not get.
As they stepped into the ruined street
Ethan had a feeling.
This was not an accident.
This was not a mess.
This was the start.
Whatever came next
Was worse.
Much worse.
They were not ready for it.