Shadow Seekers

Chapter 7

Daniel’s hand slowly moved back to where his gun was holstered and he pulled it out. For a brief moment annoyance at himself surged for wasting the bullets he had earlier. He had a feeling he was going to need every shot he could have and with every second that passed, with every step closer the shapes got to them his hope that they would have enough to make it out, grew smaller.

Not entirely sure what they were or what to do, Daniel took a step forward and yelled in their direction, “Stop! I will not hesitate to shoot you if you keep coming further without letting us know who you are.” Not at all surprised that this did not stop them and that in response there was only what sounded like a deep growl that came from their direction. Daniel watched as this made Serena shrink closer to the metal wall and he could see Colin physically swallow out of the corner of his eye. He noticed that Colin now had his handgun straight out in front of him, bracing the bottom of the gun in his left hand, his finger on the trigger and muscles flexing in his arms. If there was anyone Daniel was happy was there with him, it was Colin. His previous training as a law enforcement officer had helped him become a quick learner in the art of shadow seeking, and it meant that he never had any hesitations. It also meant he was trained in hand-to-hand combat, which normally would make Daniel feel bad for anyone that came up against the 6’5” wall that Colin was, but whatever was descending on them was not any human. He wasn’t even sure it was a shadow creature. It at least wasn’t one he knew about.

He wasn’t entirely sure how, but it seemed some of the weird mist around them had dissipated so that they had a clearer view of the creatures in front of them, and Daniel’s heart almost stopped. In some ways they looked like they could have been human once. Their skin color resembled his except for the deep purple stretch marks that were all over their bodies from where their skin stretched to move over growths that covered their body and to give way to their other changes. They seemed to have grown taller and broader than what a normal human size would be. Their nails were yellow, thick, chipped and covered in what looked like crusted blood. Their cheekbones seemed to protrude more from their face accentuating their blood shot eyes that were surrounded by deep black rings where their eyes had sunken into their faces.

The last thing Daniel heard before the shots of bullets whizzing towards the things in front of them, was Serena’s voice quivering as she said, “Daniel…Colin….”. Then it was one shot after the other, flying through the air and planting them somewhere in the grotesque flesh of whatever those things were. Shot after shot from both Daniel’s and Colin’s guns and while it seemed to have paused the things from moving closer to them, their bodies didn’t even flinch on the impact of the bullet imbedding itself into them, and the deep red blood that oozed from their wounds didn’t even turn their gazes from where Daniel, Colin and Serena stood.

Daniel heard the click of his gun signaling that he had emptied the clip, and not too long after that shots were stopped from Colin’s gun as well, meaning the same thing. “Shit.” He said, then to Colin, I have enough to fill my chamber one more time, but then I’m out. You?”

Colin responded, “I think I have enough to fill it twice, but I don’t think that is going to make much of a difference.” As Colin finished the creature in front seemed to almost comprehend their conversation and slow smile, if you could call it that, spread across its face. Its lip split and the same dark red blood trickled down it’s chin, but it was the things teeth that caught Daniel’s attention. They were also yellowed, and seemed to have elongated past it’s bottom teeth so that he couldn’t see the end of them, however he could see the distinct shape of the teeth coming to a point at the end. What the hell are these things?  Daniel thought. His hands fell to his sides, his right still holding onto his empty handgun. He briefly closed his eyes to take a deep breath and when he opened his eyes, the same piercing scream as before rang through the air coming from what seemed to be the female creature just before she pounced towards Daniel.

Just before she was on him, Daniel managed to move just enough out of the way that she landed bent and steadying herself with her hands instead of landing on him. Instinctively Daniel’s leg came up and side kicked the thing in the head, returning to the ground just before he felt the weight of another one of the things hitting into him and knocking him into the ground. Hard. His nose smacked the hard floor and blood erupted from it, but Daniel didn’t stop to think about it instead rolling to his right and onto his back where he had barely had enough time to bring his legs up into the chest of the second thing holding it back while it flailed its long arms at him, trying to dig its nails into him.

Daniel hurriedly tried to load more bullets into his gun as fast as he could but was only able to get four in before he felt the creature’s nails dig deep into his leg, it obviously deciding any skin was better than it wasting its effort trying for his face. Daniel heard himself scream out as the pain ripped through him, causing a smile to erupt on the things face which fueled Daniel’s anger enough to push past the pain, lift up his gun and shoot the thing dead straight in one of its eyes, its dark blood spitting everywhere including on Daniel as it reeled back screaming out in its own pain.

Colin watched as Daniel lowered his hands in what almost looked as defeat before one of the things lunged at him. Colin quickly started loading his handgun as he backed up into the metal wall, eliminating one direction one of those things could come from. He didn’t need to see to load his weapon and was able to keep an eye on what was happening as Daniel sidestepped the creature who came at him at get what looked like a decent kick in. Colin saw the other one lunge at Daniel and tried to yell out to warn Daniel, but it was on him before he could say anything.

That was when he moved his attention away from what was going on with Daniel to the female creature that was now running at him. He aimed and was able to shoot it twice in the legs, which didn’t stop it, before it was on him and had him pushed up against the wall, surprising him by lifting him off of his feet a few inches. Colin then took aim and shot at again at the thing, the bullet burying itself into the creature’s cheek which seemed to enrage it, as it dropped its hold on him to smack his gun out of his hand. Slicing his arm in the process.

Colin dodged underneath the things left arm, somersaulting on the ground to get away and landing in a crouch. He quickly turned on his heels just in time for the thing to jump on him, flinging him to the ground with it on top, one hand steadying itself while the other landed on his chest. It curled its nails into his body so that they started digging into the skin above his collarbone. Colin clenched his teeth as he curled in his legs up under the things body and pushed up hard on what would be its stomach, sending it flying over his head. Its fingernails ripped from his chest hurting him more than when the thing had been digging them into him.

Knowing he didn’t have time to sit and think about it, Colin pushed himself off of the floor and started running as fast as he towards where his gun had been thrown. He couldn’t see it fully due to the fog, but he had an idea of where it had ended up. He just hoped he could get there before the thing got to him.

When he got to the area he thought it should be, his eyes started scanning the ground when he thought he saw a glint of silver, but was pushed to the ground once again. This time the thing was on his back burrowing its nails into the fleshier part of his lower right back. Colin felt a scream rip from his throat and tried to push up with his arms to throw it off, but he was unsuccessful. His back bared to the thing leaving him completely vulnerable.

Serena froze as she watched first Daniel and the Colin being attacked. She saw how the bullets didn’t even seem to phase any of the creatures, and had let fear enter, debilitating her while her closet friends, who were practically family fought to save not only themselves, but her as well.

It was in that instance that Serena looked at the spot where the creatures had originally been. Still standing there was the biggest one of them, the leader of them she assumed. It wasn’t moving or attacking like the others. It seemed to just be watching what was unfolding. Why isn’t it moving? Why isn’t it coming after me or helping the others with Colin and Daniel? She then saw the creature look at her, another smile splitting across its face. It wasn’t a warning smile or one to cause fear. It was a humorous smile. One that said he knew she was there but didn’t think she was much of a threat and wasn’t worth the effort.

Serena felt her fear unfreeze as red-hot anger spread through her. She started taking a step towards the leader of the creatures when she was paused by the sound of Colin’s scream and she saw him laying on his stomach with the female creature on top of him, digging her yellowed fingernails into his back. She instantly turned and started running to help him. She knew bullets weren’t doing much, so she decided to try something different as she came up on the female creatures back, wrapping her arm around its neck and burying her marked blade deep into the left side of its throat.

Another scream of pain wrenched through the air, but this time it was the creature’s as it withdrew its claws from Colin’s back and tried to buck Serena off of her. Serena’s grasp on the hilt of the knife tightened instead of loosened as she wrapped her legs around the things midriff and used her free arm placed behind the things neck to drive the blade deeper. Once again it screamed, ringing in Serena’s ears which caused a small smile to go across her face.

It disappeared as quickly as it came as Serena felt herself being ripped off of the female creatures back, the knife in her hand getting stuck in the female creature while it was torn out of her hand. She felt two huge arms wrap around her and slowly tighten. Her arms stuck to her sides as she tried to move to find any room to escape from the hold on her. Gradually she was able to move less and less due to the tightening of the arms till she could feel the breath getting stuck in her throat and black starting to enter her vision from the lack of oxygen. Here it is. She allowed herself to think in that moment. I just hope Daniel and Colin are able to make it out alive.

Daniel watch as the creature reeled back, its hands going towards its now injured eye. It was then that he allowed himself a moment to scan the room for Serena and Colin, to make sure they were alright. That’s when he noticed the biggest of the creatures holding Serena tightly to its chest. Its arms so tight around her that she wasn’t moving, and her eyes were closed. Daniel once again pushed off of the floor, hoping he could get to Serena in time, but not really having a plan on how to get the thing to let go of her.

There was then a loud guttural noise that went through the air as Serena was dropped from the thing’s arms. At first Daniel wasn’t sure what had made it release her and then he saw the end of a long blade buried deep into its right arm. Daniel’s eyes quickly scanned the room for Colin, and while he didn’t spend enough time seeing exactly what he was doing, he saw that he was off towards the metal wall and no where near the leader of the creatures.

Daniel didn’t waste anymore time thinking about it as he ran to Serena’s side and checked to make sure she was at least still breathing. He let out a small sigh when he realized that she was before getting back on his feet, standing over her, ready. It was then that he looked over to the leader and noticed that the creature that had been attacking him was now over there trying to fight off whoever or whatever had done harm to the leader. That’s when Daniel saw the flash of silver as the blade that had once been buried in the leader’s arm, slice through the air and effortlessly drive into the smaller creature’s chest so deep that the end stuck out the back. It didn’t stay there long as a booted foot kicked out at the creature to yank out the blade where it swung in the air and sliced into the right arm again of the leader, this time from the side.

The creature let out another noise of pain before it reached behind him with it’s right arm and pulled the individual wielding the sword and threw it away from itself. He saw long black hair tied back in a braid and knew exactly who it was.

Liza hit the metal wall and felt her breath rush out of her lungs with a whoosh as she slid down it. She was pretty sure she had broken a rib on impact, but it hardly registered as she pushed herself back up from the wall and at the Nibali that had thrown her. It was in the process of trying to pull out the marked blade she had found hanging in what could only be called the weapon’s room of the house. She ran towards the once human creature but was stopped by the creature she had stabbed in the chest. It buried its fingernails into her right arm and yanked her back hard enough that she lost her footing and toppled down on top of it. It’s dark blood covering her clothes as she landed on its slit chest. Nibalis where some of the worst shadow creatures in her opinion. Taking over their hosts bodies in order to eat the flesh of other humans. The more they ate, the bigger and stronger they got. These Nibalis had obviously taken their hosts quite some time ago and had enjoyed quite a few meals.

After hitting the Nibalis chest, Liza reached down and grabbed the small dagger she kept in the side of her boot with her left hand. She pulled it up and was attempting to stab it into the creatures uninjured eye when its other hand grabbed her arm to stop her. She started pressing her chest onto the end of the hilt to drive it downwards but felt an arm come around her neck and lift her up off of the Nibali beneath her. It too was about to come at her, but Daniel jumped onto it at which point Liza turned back her attention to the one dragging her backwards by her throat. She twisted the knife in her hand and sent it back into the face of the Nibali holding her. She wasn’t positive where she hit but could feel the blood roll into her hair and the grip on her neck loosen. This gave her the opportunity she needed. She bent her legs and pushed her body away from the Nibali holding her. She rolled on the ground till she came to a standing position facing the creature she had just stabbed. It was the leader. Its right arm hung next to its side, useless. The knife she had just used was buried in the cheek of the creature and in its attempt to pull it out it had caused the knife to cut further down and slice completely through the side of the cheek so that the bottom flap now hung open and you could see the teeth further back that was in the creature’s mouth.

Liza allowed this information to enter and leave her mind quickly. She didn’t have time to dwell on anything before she started running at the Nibali again who attempted to swing its useable right arm at her, but she was prepared and had already dropped herself to the ground as she slid under the Nibali’s legs on her side. After she was on the back end of the Nibali she saw what she needed. She brought herself to her feet rapidly and headed towards where the long sword lay but before she had gotten too far she was hit fiercely in the side by the swinging arm of the Nibali causing her to fly to the right of her destination. The sword lay out of her reach as the Nibali flung itself on top of her, crushing her legs under its body. Its right hand’s claws scraped deeply down her left side and her blood streamed out of her wounds. The Nibali gave her a grotesque smile, only able to lift one side of its lips as it pulled its hand back and licked one of its fingers, her blood dripping down its slit lips.

Liza gave the Nibali a small smile of her own before applying pressure to the back of her right boot causing the mechanism inside to release a small hidden blade from the tip of the same boot, burying itself into the gut of the Nibali. It screamed and rolled off of her, and Liza pushed herself up to a standing position. She grabbed her left side, that quickly soaked her hand in blood, and limped towards the sword. The blood loss from her wound had started wearing on her and she wasn’t as aware as she normally would be when she tripped over the arm of the female creature, dead on the ground a knife still protruding from her neck. She made a mental note to ask them how they managed to take care of her, as she started pulling her body towards the sword.

Another guttural roar had her turning her attention back to the leader of the Nibalis who was now running towards her causing her to move quicker. The Nibali lunged onto her but not before her hand grasped the hilt of the sword and she swung it down onto the head of the Nabali, lodging it into the top of its head and stopping its descent onto her. Its body fell to the ground and she used the sword to roll its body over and away from her. It was then that she allowed her body to fall to the ground. She slowly closed her eyes as she let nothingness take her.