Fortress 14

CHAPTER 1

I remained floating in that endless void. Engulfed in the childish reality of swimming in a soupy haze. No emotion. Just darkness.

A soft click aroused the sense I had long forgotten, yet it wasn't enough to dampen the buzz reverberating within my skull. Another soft click followed by a short whir before the silence engulfed my being.

The darkness, a thick void of nothingness, made its way up my throat, choking my subconscious. My head ached. I couldn't think properly. It was all dark.

There was a soft hiss followed consecutively by a blinding light, next to a massive rush which was immediately accompanied by a massive wave of cold.

The feeling rocked my subconscious. It was strange. Almost like a dream. Was it a dream?

A tingling sensation engulfed my body as my muscles were reawakened. It immediately evolved into a jolt as I regained control of my body. First, my fingers flinched as they came alive. Suddenly, my legs went through a chorus of rustling that soon emanated from every direction. I felt pain.

My body endured some scrapes before I planted my feet on the sandy ground; hard. I crumpled hard on the floor.

My eyelids rose. I was staring at a wide ever stretching expanse of trees. Slowly, steadily, I planted my legs on the ground and pushed downwards while at the same time pushing upwards with my hands.

I had successfully managed to stand except with the troublesome reality of my legs constantly wobbling. I took a deep breath and moved only to stumble into a tree. I grunted in frustration, soothed myself, and stumbled down a narrow path that seemed to have been made by a disarray of footsteps. The military pants I wore quickly became a dirty brown and my black tank top followed its example.

The path dropped and winded in various directions, taking me deeper into the forest. I placed my head up only to be confronted by the authoritative rays of the sun which stood in the middle of a blue sky.

The continuous chirps and growls of animals seemed to surround me.

I continued. My throat parched. The heat was somewhat unbearable yet it kept me steady. The walk continued for minutes, leaving my mind with the burned impression of following only the path. This was broken when I noticed the distinct peak of a bell tower in my line of vision. I quickened my pace and arrived at the wide-open gates of a relatively rural town.

A chicken squawked by, swaying its white rear as it ran across.

I made my way in. The thought of not knowing who and what I was and what I was doing here made a tight knot around my thoughts, but I suppressed it with a very important reason for me needing food. My first few steps echoed around a flat straight dusty road that was flanked by old buildings; wooden and bearing not less than four louvered windows each and finished with a wooden door. It seemed their inhabitants had all possessed a general liking for red, blue, green, and a front garden; all these were worn out with age.

A streak of black cut through my vision.

"Hello?", I called out, walking to the closest house. I stepped onto the porch and placed my hand on the knob. It fell out easily.

"The town seems deserted, but that black streak was surely not imaginary", I thought.

I pushed the door open slightly, then all the way through. My hand clenched my stomach, reflexively. The stench of decay was thick.

The room, "Living room", my memory supplied, was a horrific picture that had been visited by the god of gore. Blood was smeared across a storm grey sofa that lay upside down atop a rusty colored rug; caused by the amount of blood it'd absorbed. Blotches of dried blood hid the beauty of the family pictures that adorned the room. On the floor, the family laid in a mass of missing limbs and heads.

Their faces all bore the distinct trace of terror; what they had seen before their deaths must have been horrifying. The beauty and decor of the room were now all drowned by the mind-searing image of the disemboweled family.

I crept steadily to the end of the room, where another door stood frail. A loud slurping came from behind the door.

I pushed the door lightly, shuddering when it made a loud creak.

I was greeted by a fountain of blood that originated from a decapitated cow. Its eyes were sunken and cloudy as they stared at me. A black humanoid-shaped creature drank greedily from the cow's open neck.

My legs were quivering so badly I dropped to my knees.

What the f**k is going on here? Where the hell am I?

I shakily stood up. My bladder felt heavy. Slowly, I turned towards the door. Other animals littered the floor, some decayed or decaying. The creature ripped deeper into the flesh of the dead cow.

I pushed the door open and stepped into the living room. My hands were gripping my nose tightly. I tried making my way across the room with my eyes forward. I couldn't bear to look at the corpses.

Big mistake.

As I moved towards the door my right foot came to rest upon a rubber duck. I cursed when I heard the high-pitched squeak. I froze. I waited quietly. I didn't dare breathe. A few seconds passed. "It probably didn't notice", I thought. I exhaled then inhaled, slowly. I made it move and that's when I heard it. A high-pitched mournful wail that sent a shiver down my spine and into my legs. They were shaking so badly it almost seemed comical. Almost.

The back door busted open in a shower of splinters. I got a good look at it.

Those blank eyes, devoid of any emotions, stared back at me. Its pale face housed a pointed nose and a lipless mouth painted with a deep blackish red. Its canines gleamed a frightening red beneath the late afternoon sun. Its outfit was a tattered combination beyond recognition bearing a few huge splotches of blood.

It snarled then lunged at me, its long nails seeking my throat. I quickly side-stepped to avoid its approach but not before its nails took a piece of flesh from my left cheek. I stumbled on the corpse of the offspring of the household, landing hard on the damp foul-smelling rug. I immediately got on my feet just as the monster recovered from its crash on the sofa. I made a wild dash for the front door, ramming into it with my shoulder.

I stumbled slightly but quickly regained my balance before dashing up the street. A few breaths later I heard the loud crash of the monster breaking out of the house which was followed by the sound of its footsteps as it drew closer.

I was weak and tired. Outrunning this foul-smelling abomination was near impossible. I turned at almost every corner in a desperate attempt to lose it but it followed me without fail. My heart thumped fiercely. "Am I going to die? ", I thought.

My sense of direction was scattered. I only clung to my fear and need to survive. I was losing energy quickly. I dashed into a two-story log cabin and made a run for the top floor. The house was surprisingly clean and seemed not to be disheveled in the slightest. The corridor was narrow with an estimate of four compartments punctured into its length on both sides. I entered the first room. A bed laid at the southeast corner of the room, a few inches away from a double panel window. I quickly shut the door and held my breath. A loud crash rang through the air as the monster plunged into the house. I could hear its frantic footsteps as it moved around wildly. It seemed that it couldn't detect my scent else it would have found me already. "Its earshot must be extraordinary".

My mind was in turmoil. Should I just keep quiet and wait for it to go away or should I make a break for it through the window? I noticed a pile of haystacks that would soften my landing but I was scared of that beast noticing.

My breath was ragged. I heard it burst into the room opposite mine. It gave a low grunt and unhurriedly stalked towards my direction. I held my breath.

The door splintered as it charged into the room. Its hollow eyes stared into mine as it snarled. It was chilling. Horrifying. Its claws couldn't have been less than two inches. Its calves were bent backward abnormally and its taut muscles were pronounced. It was simply cadaverous.

Yet, I did not run. I was calm. My breathing quieted down. It lunged at me savagely.

Muscle memory or pure intuition, I just knew what to do. It swiped at my head with its right claw. I dipped and rose with an uppercut that snapped its head rearwards.

I took quick short wisps of breath; I could feel my muscles warming. The beast reeled backward before righting itself. It let out a wild wail and lunged again. A few inches away, it launched itself into the air_ its claws outstretched _ and made a dive for me. I sidestepped and planted a jab at its side; it fell awkwardly on the rigid floorboards. It righted itself and made a desperate dash towards me. I rapidly transformed my stance and delivered a roundhouse kick to its jaw. A satisfying snap rang through the air. The creature crumpled on the floor.

"Is it over?", I thought.

A chorus of high-pitched wails abruptly filled the air. I promptly made my way to the window and peered out. A sea of similar terrors trudged towards my direction. I gulped. I bolted down the stairs, skipping threes and twos in a leap. Adrenaline pumped through my body.

I flew out the front of the door and ran adjacent to the approaching horde; I poured every ounce of my energy into boosting my speed.

The road winded and branched into several crossroads and intersections. My lungs burned as the blood curdling faded into the distance. I blazed past worn-down suburban homes and some fields before I skidded to a halt at the outskirts of the town.

I gaped at the huge expanse of green that sprang forth around the town. A mix of deciduous and evergreen trees blanketed the shrubs, flowers, and grasses that littered the forest floor. The forest was alive with the different noises of its occupants.

My gaze swept through my surroundings before I spotted a grove of apple trees barely hidden within the trees. My stomach rumbled.

I sauntered over and plucked an apple, happy I was tall enough to reach the lowest branch that stood about 108 meters tall. I bit into the apple, savoring its sweet taste. Laying beneath the shade of the tree for a quick nap didn't sound bad. Still, I quickly dismissed the idea. I was in a situation where I couldn't afford to lose focus.

I needed to sort out my priorities.

"Food. Shelter. A weapon." I made a mental list.

I only had on military pants and a black tank top. I was pondering on what would come next when a chorus of wails split through the air. I whirled around to behold a parade of aberrations headed towards my direction. Unlike the previous one, these were faster.

I took in a deep breath and broke into a run, heading deeper into the woods.