LOST CHASING THE SUN

Yanked up

I woke up in pain. My body ached, my head throbbed, and the dim light of the bunker made everything feel even colder. A plate of food sat beside me, untouched. I wasn’t hungry.

A presence settled next to me. I turned my head just as the masked man sat down, his movements slow, deliberate. Then, without a word, he removed his mask.

My breath hitched. His lower face was burned, and the skin melted away, exposing his teeth in a permanent, grotesque grin.

"It’s crazy, right? I know," he said, watching me closely. "You look like you know too much about these creatures. What are they? Your friends?" His laugh was low, mocking.

"They could be," I shot back.

His smirk faded. "So, you don’t want to eat? A lot of people would kill for that meal. It’s only for me and my boys." He tilted his head. "Oh, and I’m sorry—I took out your man."

I scoffed. "He wasn’t my man. And I don’t care about your food. Just let me go."

"Let you go?" He chuckled. "No. We have another hunting trip to make. The company called. They want more eggs. Seems like your little brain bought us a fortune. We’re getting a lot after this."

He slid a picture in front of me. My stomach dropped. The creature they wanted to hunt is a different type of hunter tac, an evolved one. It usually looks human —bigger, scarier, smarter.

"They need us to collect eggs from these."

I clenched my jaw. "You don’t know what you’re dealing with."

"They’re brain freaks," I continued. "It took out commanders' whole squad in seconds. Your team won’t make it out alive." I said

He smirked. "That’s why we need you to help us locate the eggs."

"I’m not going anywhere."

"Oh, you don’t have a choice." He stood, heading for the door. "Now eat. We leave at five." He paused. "Oh, is there anything else my team might need?"

"God’s mercy."

He smiled and walked off.

"lady its time. We have to go," he said..

I told you I am not going!," I protested

here is the deal, I promise you a conversation w a conversation with your brother at the exchange post," he said

"I don't believe you, you promised Commander a deal with the mad scientist, you then shot him," I protested.

he paused, sighed

look, lady, do this for the people, then we need to survive. You need to survive," he said...

no! shoot me," I protested

lady!! get in the car, we are going to the field, and u will get to talk with your brother," he said...

I was desperate to talk to my brothers, and I had no choice. This masked man was my gateway to the exchange wall. if I could just get there and sneak my way in ...

so I agreed ...

okay! we go to the woods, that's where most of these creatures live," I instructed

good girl," the masked man said

After hours of searching, we found one egg still intact. The rest were burned, and their shells melted by some acidic substance.

"The mother did this," I muttered, staring at the destruction.

"What? Why?" someone asked.

I exhaled. "She was killing them. They must not have looked like the father."

"So they cheat too?" one of the men laughed.

Then it happened. The i***t soldier holding the egg lost his grip. It slipped, hit the ground, and cracked.

The masked man didn’t hesitate. His fist connected with the soldier’s face, knocking him to the ground.

"Find another," he barked.

We moved deeper into the woods, eventually finding a small wooden house. Smoke curled from a fire nearby . A pot of soup simmered over the fire.

someone lives here," one the soldiers said

yeah, and he is currently somewhere near," I said

Then, a figure stepped out from the shadows, carrying a loaf of bread.

He froze.

The mad scientist.

"You—"

Before I could finish, my fist met his face. He crashed to the floor.

"You son of a—" I kicked him. The others joined in, beating him down. He deserved every hit.

We only stopped when a low, guttural growl echoed .

Everyone froze.

"It’s here," the scientist gasped.

We turned and ran into the house, closing the door behind us. We turned toward the window.

A humanoid hunter tack stood outside, its white eyes glowing eerily. Its mouth stretched open, jagged wolf-like teeth protruding from its lips.

"It’s after something," the scientist whispered.

"It’s a male one," I murmured. "They use scent to hunt. They’re not usually as violent as the females."

"It’s smelling for egg scents," the scientist added.

A heavy silence settled over the room.

Then we all turned to the clumsy soldier.

Before he could even react, the tack smashed through the house, grabbed him, and yanked him into the night.

The soldiers tried to shoot, but it was of no avail. The hunter tac was too fast, to be stopped...

oh my God!," one of the soldiers said . He puked over the site of the creature...

get yourself together, you are a soldier for a reason, the masked man heartlessly said...

I told you this was a bad idea," I said ...

shut up," he yelled

so, what's going to happen to him," one of the shaken soldiers asked...

The scientist exhaled sharply. "It’s going to store him as an egg. Not in a good manner, though."

this was all your fault, I said as I lunged to the mad scientist with a fist, knocking him to the ground....