AFTER HUMANITY

Chapter 3: The Things That Walk

That night, Haven went dark.

It happened at 02:16.

Every light.

Every generator.

Every emergency lamp.

Gone.

The darkness was absolute.

Then someone screamed.

Elias woke instantly.

He reached for his rifle.

Another scream.

Closer.

People began shouting.

Doors slammed.

Children cried.

Someone yelled:

"LOCK THE EAST TUNNEL!"

A gunshot echoed.

Then another.

Elias ran into the corridor.

The emergency lights flickered.

For half a second, he saw something standing at the far end.

A human shape.

Tall.

Motionless.

The lights went out again.

When they returned...

it was gone.

Elias found one of the guards lying against the wall.

His eyes were open.

There was no blood.

No wound.

Nothing.

Just a strange expression on his face.

Almost peaceful.

Elias knelt beside him.

"Jonah?"

The guard's lips moved.

Elias leaned closer.

Jonah whispered:

"Don't..."

His eyes widened.

"...let them hear you."

Then he died.

Behind Elias came a soft sound.

A woman's voice.

"Elias."

He slowly turned.

The creature stood at the end of the corridor.

It looked human.

That was what made it horrifying.

It had two arms.

Two legs.

A face.

Eyes.

A mouth.

But everything was subtly wrong.

Its arms were too long.

Its head tilted too far.

Its skin looked almost translucent.

And its eyes reflected no light.

It smiled.

"You came back."

Elias raised his rifle.

The creature took one step forward.

Then another.

Elias fired.

The sound exploded through the tunnels.

The creature disappeared.

Not ran.

Not moved.

Disappeared.

Lena appeared behind him.

She looked at the empty corridor.

Then at Elias.

"You've seen one."

Elias lowered his weapon.

"What are they?"

Lena swallowed.

"The reason the world ended."