A monstrous shriek rippled through the air, making the leaves quiver in fear. Mors lifted his head, his body feeling raw and heavy. Looking around, he gasped—not just the people that fell through with him but bloody corpses scattered among them.
He grasped his chest, bile rising in his throat. Tears blurred his vision as he stared at the burnt corpse that used to be Machi.
'Damnit, I didn't even get to say goodbye...'
The man who had been flaming during the fall staggered to his feet, brushing off his hands. His voice cut through the silence. "Is everyone alright?"
"No, my back hurts like hell." A woman groaned as she rolled onto her back.
Mors's breath came in ragged gasps. Blood trickled down his forehead as he shuffled to his feet, only to fall back against a tree. "Where the hell are we?"
The sky had countless cracks in it with people falling through them continuously. Mors's mouth dropped as he could see Earth turning a brighter shade of red. He stumbled back, collapsing onto the ground.
The others struggled to their feet, eyes wide with horror, watching as cracks in the sky slowly vanished, revealing the entirety of the sun.
The bushes crackled like burning wood. The group huddled together in a circle, eyes darting nervously. An old man, still on the ground, crawled toward the bush, ignoring the silent warning from the others to stay away.
He reached out, parting the branches, but nothing happened. With a sigh, he rolled onto his back, his bones creaking.
Mors groaned, gripping his chest. He glanced at the older man, noting the lack of gray in his hair. Nerves gnawed at him, but he spoke anyway. "Hey, old man, how are you still alive? You were on fire when you fell."
Brandon rubbed his eyes, brushing ash from his skin. "Honestly? Not sure. But I think it's these abilities the voice mentioned. Name's Brandon, by the way."
Before Mors could respond, a woman in the back raised her hand. "I'm Rain. I've had this ringing in my ears since we got here, and it keeps getting louder."
The group murmured restlessly. They were a mix of races and genders, all visibly confused and frightened. Some of the younger members clung to their elders, sobbing.
A little girl, skin as pale as a ghost, approached, tears streaming down her face. "My name's Rea," she sniffled. "Have any of you seen my mommy?"
Seeing the little girl, who reminded Mors of himself, his heart ached.
Thumping echoed through the air, the ground vibrating with every heavy step. Mors's heart sank with each boom. He shuffled backward, eyes wide with terror.
Rain's breath hitched, her body trembling. "I know what that ringing is… It's here."
Two massive paws gripped the towering trees, effortlessly brushing them aside. The trees collapsed like they were paper, crushing everything underneath. Thumping continued as the enormous creature emerged, its face hidden behind a thick armored shell.
Its jaws gaped open, releasing the stench of rotting flesh. A gust of air slammed into them, forcing the group back. Panic surged as tears blurred their vision.
Mors gagged, the taste of decay flooding his senses. 'What the hell?'
The creature halted its advance, its eyes fixed on the old man lying on the bush. Without a sound, it reached down and pinched the man's shirt, lifting him up to its face.
The group stumbled back, tears streaming as the old man's desperate gaze pleaded for them to run.
With a terrible creak, the creature's jaws opened wide. Then with a sickening crunch, it bit the old man's legs off.
"Help me!" The old man screamed, writhing, trying to tear free of the shirt caught in the beast's claws.
Brandon screamed, flames engulfing him as he hurled a blast at the beast. "Run! Now!"
Brandon ran his fire dispersing.
The group scrambled to keep up, pushing toward the front. They ran faster as the thundering boom of the creature's pursuit echoed behind them.
Mors ran, his track-and-field training kicking in, pain barely slowing him.
He pushed through the dense foliage, sweat pouring down his face, heart racing. 'Fuck, I don't want to die... I don't want to be eaten...'
One of the men at the back, panting heavily, glanced over his shoulder. His face drained of color as he saw the creature charging, its maw covered in the remains of the old man.
He glanced at Rea, struggling to keep up, and smirked. "Not my fault, kid."
Then he shoved her to the ground, sending her sprawling across the dirt, her face slamming into the earth.
Desperately she scrambled to her feet, wiping the blood from her eyes.
She scrambled to her feet, blood streaking her face, but just as she took her first step, the creature's massive paw shot out. It grabbed her and hurled her back toward the group. The impact sent several people tumbling.
One woman screamed as she saw the crushed, broken body of Rea, her tiny form shattered under the beast's paw. She tried to stand, but the massive paw slammed her back down, and she cried as she stared at the retreating group.
Rain's face was as pale as paper as she gasped for air. "The ringing... it's getting quieter! We need someplace to hide!"
Mors scanned their surroundings, spotting a cave nestled in the mountainside. He turned to glare at the heavyset man who had tripped Rea. "There's a cave up ahead!"
Wheezing, the group stumbled toward it, collapsing on the cold stone floor. They wept, retreating to separate corners of the cave. Water rose from the floor, climbing towards the ceiling, defying gravity, puddling up into a shiny blue splash.
Mors stood, his fists clenched in fury. "Why didn't you let her go instead? Your fat ass should've been the one to die, not that little kid!"
The man stood, frowning, and dropped his suit jacket and wallet. "Don't call me a fat ass, runt." He lunged at Mors, pocketknife drawn. "I'm gonna kill you!"
Brandon rose, flames igniting along his arms, lighting up the dark cave. "Shut up! I'm too exhausted for this!"
The man scowled but halted mid-lunge. "What the hell do you care about a runt like her?"
Mors clenched his fist, eyes narrowing. "You're the type to sell out your own."
The man smirked, shrugging. "You people are beneath me. Worthless dirt." He turned to Brandon. "What's it to you, bitch?"
The group groaned, and they all shuffled away from the man, leaving him in his corner. He flung a wad of cash toward them.
Brandon groaned, rubbing his temples. "We need each other to survive. Calm down."
He straightened, putting his suit back on. "You peasants couldn't even begin to understand what happened."
Mors lay back on the cold floor, dissatisfied. He's going to kill me… I'll deal with him later.
Rain's face drained of color again. "Guys… the ringing… it's coming back."