Apocalypse Awakening

Chapter 7: 'He' Arrives

“Because it's safer…” Sean's expression was surprisingly calm as he noticed Layla's scrutinizing gaze. He explained, “You brought me here and found this... this rat creature, indicating deep knowledge about it. And you warned me before it emerged from its human disguise, which means you anticipated all these changes. You didn't show any sign of nervousness on your face, which means you didn't consider it a threat…”

“The most important thing is…” Sean continued as he knelt down to pull the dagger from the rat creature’s head, wiped it on a nearby cloth, and handed it back to Layla, “I noticed early on that you had already taken out the dagger, ready to act at any moment.”

After taking a deep breath, he added, “That thing was terrifying, and it was my first time seeing something like it. I wasn't sure if it had any other abnormal abilities, so even with a gun, I didn't feel safe.”

“So, hiding behind you seemed like the safest option…”

Layla listened to his explanation and found it surprisingly reasonable. She had initially intended to observe whether Sean would have the courage to shoot upon seeing the rat creature’s true form. However, after hearing his analysis, she even felt that hiding behind her was the most logical choice.

“Did you really notice all those details in such a short time?” she asked, taking back the dagger with a hint of skepticism.

“Well…” Sean hesitated before replying, “I react a bit faster than others, and I’ve always been good at games.”

He made his response sound casual. Ever since experiencing unexplained panic and headaches four years ago, Sean had struggled with concentration and disordered thinking. During those episodes, time seemed to slow down excruciatingly, making each second unbearable.

In those states, he couldn’t speak or think normally. Even seeing a car heading towards him, he wouldn't know how to dodge, overwhelmed by an immense, invisible panic. The doctors found nothing wrong, and even his parents doubted him, thinking he was feigning illness.

So, he endured in his bedroom, trying to combat the feeling through gaming or reading, gradually adapting to the state of panic and focusing during these episodes. After four years, he had made some progress, able to think effectively even during panic attacks, though the sensation of time slowing down remained.

This caused his reactions to seem a bit faster than normal. In gaming, this was evident. Though he wasn’t physically quicker, his response and thinking time always seemed to be a bit more than others. This was also why he preferred to train his focus through gaming. And now, he realized that this ability applied to real life too. Despite physical limitations, he could make the right choices in chaotic situations.

He didn’t elaborate, thinking it wasn’t a big deal. Anyone could achieve this with some training, perhaps even better than he did. Should he tell Layla about his mental struggles? Without a diagnosis, he didn’t feel confident claiming to be ill.

Sensing that Sean was hesitant to delve deeper into the topic, Layla decided not to probe further, pondering internally. From the class reunion to now, her old classmate’s behavior had always seemed a bit different from others.

“How can such bizarre creatures exist in this city?” Sean pondered aloud, squatting down to examine the now dead rat creature, seemingly wanting to get as close as possible. His face showed disgust and visual shock, yet he observed intently.

Layla watched, almost worried he might touch it. After a moment, she sighed softly, “I think you'd better get used to it quickly. This city is not only home to rat people but also other distorted and twisted creatures. They thrive in the dark corners of the city, often exhibiting traits of distortion, terror, and rapid reproduction. If not discovered in time, they can cause significant harm to the city.”

“Our mission is to eliminate these creatures to ensure the city operates in normal order and logic, free from panic and collapse.”

“Mission?” Sean, while scrutinizing the surreal rat creature before him, felt a surge of strangeness within upon hearing the word 'mission'.

“Yes, mission,” Layla replied seriously. “Only by accepting this mission will you be granted 'his' permission to continue living in this city.”

Sean instinctively glanced around, his anxiety mounting. “Who is 'he'? Where is he?”

Layla softly said, “Don’t worry, you will meet 'him' very soon.”

Startled, Sean rapidly scanned his surroundings, only to see trembling gazes in the subway station. The last train had departed, leaving few people behind. Despite the commotion from their gunfire, these marginalized individuals – the homeless and drunkards – only shuddered in fear. They shrank away, hoping to avoid getting involved.

“These things don’t need cleaning up?” Sean asked incredulously, looking at the shriveled husk of the homeless man and the rat creature with its blood-red eyes.

Layla chuckled unexpectedly at his question, “He will take care of it... Look, 'he' is coming.”

Confused, Sean sensed something amiss and turned around. Behind him, all was empty except for the grotesque scene of blood and c*****e.

Suddenly, the fluorescent lights flickered, and the space around them seemed subtly altered. Sean, thinking his eyes were playing tricks on him, rubbed them vigorously. He was shocked to see the wall and floor in front of him undulating. The tiles, once firm, now appeared soft and red, revealing their true nature.

Bulky, indescribable masses of flesh emerged from the walls and ground, engulfing the area in front of him. The remains of the homeless man and the rat creature, including the blood and tissue scattered by the bullets, were all absorbed into this mass. The flesh moved rhythmically, occasionally revealing distorted faces beneath its surface. After a while, the flesh receded, leaving the floor spotless, with no trace of the creatures or bullet marks.

Stunned, Sean stood frozen, processing the nightmare-like scene.

"Our city is alive," Layla said with a faint, distant smile tinged with resignation. “It has its own will and even a body. Its body is the city itself.”

“You need his permission to continue living here. And now, he has started to take notice of you…”

At this moment, Sean's expression froze completely, as if a powerful force had dragged him into the deepest nightmare. His gaze extended outward, noticing the dim walls of the subway station melting away, including the rusted tracks and vibrant graffiti.

His head spun slightly, his vision seeming to pierce through the station, unveiling the neon-lit city with its bustling traffic. He saw the buildings transforming into grotesque, fleshy monsters, and gigantic tentacles intertwining to form the city's roads and elevated tracks.

He observed the numb bodies, like zombies, standing silently on the streets, resembling robots awaiting commands. The entire city appeared as a writhing, living entity; everything he witnessed was merely its organs and vessels, pulsating and functioning to sustain this indescribable, colossal being.

He even felt the entity’s gaze penetrating the deepest parts of his psyche...

Sean's mind remained blank for a long time under this indescribable shock. This was what Layla intended for him to see, this was the "him" she wanted him to meet.

Just a while ago, he had doubted whether the monsters around him were real. Just moments before, he had sought evidence from the rat creature, questioning if it was a hallucination or a sophisticated fake. But now, he realized his naivety.

Even the city he resided in was a monstrous entity, swollen and grotesque... His earlier doubts now seemed absurd.