Chapter 1
~Britney’s POV~
If I’d been told one month ago that I would find myself in a catastrophic situation, I would have laughed and taken it as a joke, saying it was only a day-dreaming scenario, but finding myself in this post-apocalyptic world reminding me that this was no dream or nightmare. It was the crude reality, one that kept me on my toes 24/7.
The world everyone knew had crumbled like a cracked, old skyscraper. There was only dust and ashes from what was once a happy world where hope and joy sparkled every day.
My amber eyes from out the window from the last floor of the abandoned building, surveying the area for any threats because, in this new world, I was at the bottom of the food chain. The soft breeze made my skin prickle with goosebumps. My wavy, honey-blonde hair swayed behind me. A sigh passed my pale pink lips as I held my AK-47 assault rifle in my fingerless gloved hands, ready for any beast.
The entire planet had been destroyed. Well, it still went on, but the humans like me, most of them, 90% if not more, are nothing more than mindless, dangerous beasts. There was a saying that no human should play God, and that’s exactly what happened. The urge to evolve had put humanity into a species close to extinction. Most humans turned into scary creatures, resembling some hybrid animals, more or less. The only reminder that they were once human was their torn clothes, accessories, and such, but their eyes, if they had those, were full of primal instincts.
Luckily, I was still human, but I struggled to survive each day without electricity, running water, law and order, or societal structure.
Before all this, I was working in the military as a simple private soldier. When this nightmare erupted, it was like a movie on Fast Forward. One moment, I was at the military base, going on with the basic routine, and the next moment, I was with my squadron, shooting down mutants, former humans. Their eyes haunt me every moment of the day and night. These eyes in varieties of colors with the pupils turning to slits, remind me that they are no longer humans. The scenes full of carnage, with rivers of blood running wild as pounds of bullet casings hitting the spoiled soil, were like a tattoo branded in my mind.
The smell of gunpowder and blood was imprinted on my skin and hair. Memories of my squadron being slaughtered kept me awake at night. Teammates with whom I had shared a meal and laughed ended up as food for these beasts. Their screams had made me cry as fear and adrenaline had consumed me. I hated myself for running away and hiding, but my survival instincts took over.
That’s how I was still alive. Being a coward and fleeting like a rabbit made me still cherish the oxygen filling my lungs. I had managed to exit the forest back then after that massacre and get to the closest town. It’s an industrial one, the type that traditional families live in with the men working in the factories and the women staying at home, taking care of the house and raising children. My biggest luck was that one of the factories was a weapon. I had guns and ammo at my disposal. This abandoned factory became my home for the last two weeks. I turned it into a home the best I could in order to survive.
Glancing behind me, in one corner was a mattress with a pile of pillows and blankets, creating a makeshift bed. In another part, I had cans of food and potable water that should keep me good for the next two weeks. The only issues were the medical supplies. This morning when I looked into the medicine backpack, I realized I didn’t have much left. I still had the first aid kit, always strapped to the back of my tactical vest, but it wasn’t enough in case of an emergency.
Anxiety filled me at the thought of leaving the factory and going out into town, knowing the dangers this new world offered, but what other choices did I have?
Sighing, I decided to risk it. Before going out, I made sure that my rifle had the ammo room full. I put my two pistols into the holsters strapped to my thighs, both loaded with bullets too. For extra measures, I put two grenades into the pocket of my vest, in case I would encounter one of these big mutants. I recall one mutant that had snapped one of my teammates in half like a twig. That mutant was over 7′0 tall and full of massive muscles. It was some bull and crocodile hybrid. Nasty creature. Luckily or not depending on perspective, before my teammate could die, he had unplugged a grenade, using his last energy to destroy that mutant. It had been a heroic gesture. Very sad but heroic nonetheless.
Lacing my combat boots tightly, I strapped my rifle over my shoulder and headed downstairs to the exit of the factory, peeking my head outside, glancing from left to right. There was no sign of mutants or any living creature for that matter. Not even a single bird. It was so silent, that I could hear the gentle breeze that carried pieces of trash and debris into the distance.
I took a deep breath and stepped outside, holding my rifle tight, finger hovering above the trigger ready to shoot any creature that could pop out of anywhere. They may be mutants, but like the animal DNA they carried, they had wild smarts. Hunting techniques. Very effective.
Going deeper into town, close to the center, my eyes drifted all around, seeing the abandoned shops with the huge windows all broken. Cars were left behind. I noticed an open dinner place. The food had been left behind, half-eaten on the tables. It was all rotten, mold covering what used to be a warm meal.
It was a depressing scenario.
I noticed a gas station, which seemed to be untouched. The windows weren’t broken, and as I got closer, my eyes saw the shelves that still held products. It was a sight to behold. In truth, I haven’t gone into town since I got here. The moment I arrived, I instantly locked myself in that factory, using whatever I could from it, not daring to step outside.
The sight of sweets, all sealed and unspoiled made the child inside me jump in joy. Packages of Oreos, bags of chips, and other goodies lined the shelves. Walking deeper into the gas station, my eyes sparkled when I saw the shower cubicles for the truck drivers.
“Please let it be water... Please...” I pleaded under my breath, my shaky hand grasping the faucet knob, turning it.
Happiness filled me when I saw water coming from above, from the shower head. Unspoiled and clean, all good for showering. Not wasting another moment, I started to pull off my military gear, along with my clothes. A shiver ran down my spine as my bare feet touched the cold tiled floor, but warmth instantly consumed me when I stepped under the shower steam. It wasn’t extremely warm, but enough for me not to freeze. I couldn’t be pretentious, not when my life was at stake every minute.
There was a bottle of liquid soap and one shampoo on the metallic shelf of the cubicle. Not the most expensive brand, but it was more than enough to wash away all the sweat, grease, and dirt from these past weeks. I haven’t had such a decent shower since the apocalypse started, and cleaning myself with wet rags and baby wipes wasn’t enough.
My eyes closed, and I felt like I was in heaven as the scent of white musk enveloped me.
~3rd POV~
The young, blonde woman was so unaware of her surroundings as she basked in the luxury of a lukewarm shower. So consumed by the tranquil sensation she didn’t register the massive frame in the doorway of the gas station bathroom.
The creature was like a behemoth even hunched over, sitting on all fours like an animal. His winter grey eyes, bloodshot with slit pupils zeroed in on the female human as she cleaned herself. Only the sound go the water running could be heard. Despite his colossal size, he was as silent as a feline. A big plus of having tiger DNA running through his system. Inhuman stealth.
The male mutant tilted his head to the side, and his jaws opened, letting not one but five long tongue-like snakes slither from between razor-sharp teeth, tasting the air. The moment his tongue flickered in the air, the mutant’s eyes rolled back into his skull, and he suppressed the urge to growl or hiss. He could taste her scent. Sweet and floral, even though she wasn’t wearing any type of perfume. No, his olfactive senses had heightened so much, that no human could smell like him.
Behind him, his massive scorpion-like tail swished from left to right, like an excited dog ready to pounce and play. His eyes raked over her figure. She had her back turned to him, and he liked how fragile she looked.
Such a tiny little thing. Oddly familiar.
His ash-grey eyes moved down the curve of her spine, passing the dimples of her lower back and the perky globes of her rear, only to stop at the gap between her legs. From where he stood, he saw it perfectly. The most private parts of a female body. That little treasure any male would love to get lost in. She had quite the flashy treasure. Prominent inner lips, in a stark pink color, dangling from between her outer labia and soft blonde curls trying to hide the prize.
His Adam Apple moved up and down as he swallowed, almost tasting her cunt on all his tongues. All of them. The urge to pounce upon her in the shower nipped at the nape of his neck, making his king cobra hood expand, but he stopped himself.
No. It was too soon.
Narrowing his eyes, he stepped back silently, vanishing from the doorway and exiting the gas station, as if he wasn’t even there.
~Britney’s POV~
I felt like I was reborn after that shower. I swore I felt like I got a few pounds of dirt off me. After I took the shower and dressed, I filled my backpack with some goodies from the gas station before heading to the closest clinic to get all the medical supplies I needed in case of emergency. So far, I haven’t encountered any mutants.
I was relaxed, and that was a mistake on my part. Heading back toward the weapon factory, a low growl made me stop dead in my tracks. My eyes widened, and my heart almost stopped at the ominous sound that couldn’t belong to an average animal. The baby hair on the nape of my neck stood up as the growling noises continued to persist, and these sounds were coming from behind me.
Curiosity grew as did the fear, and the urge to look behind me to see what was producing such foul noises grew. I glanced slowly over my shoulder. I wish I didn’t because the sight of the mutant made my insides twist and bile rise in my throat.
The mutant behind me in the distance was huge and reminded me of one of these hairless cat breeds. Only it didn’t have eyes, and its grey body had all these disgusting-looking ulcerations and eruptions. Strings of saliva hung from its mouth, and the perfectly straight teeth gave this mutant an even more disturbing vibe.
The instinct to run flared through every fiber of my muscles, and I could only wonder if this creature could see. I took a step forward, and it hissed at me. Its mouth curled into a snarl as it gazed in my direction. I suppressed a squeak, biting hard on my tongue. My grip on the rifle tightened, and I could only wonder if I would be able to kill this mutant.
How fast was it? How much durability did it have?
I surely didn’t want to find out and took my chance at running. Putting all the adrenaline and energy into my legs, I ran as fast as I could, which was a little difficult considering I had a backpack full of food and medical supplies, plus a heavy rifle in my hands. Cold sweat beaded on my skin, and I started to wonder if these would be my last minutes if not seconds, alive.
The mutant let out a loud screeching noise, the sound reminding me of a rabid hyena. Its loud paws hitting the concrete ground echoed through the abandoned town, and with each millisecond, I could feel it approaching me. I didn’t want to look behind me. I didn’t want that hideous beast to be the last thing I saw before giving my last breath.
A scream tore from my throat when its claws caught me by the backpack and threw me on the hard concrete. I cried as my body hit the hard ground, pain shooting through my shoulder. Luckily, the claw didn’t slash through my flesh.
This little drop of luck didn’t last long because when I opened my eyes, right before me, the beast snarled. Its putrid breath made me want to puke. This monster smelled like mold and rotten fish. It made my eyes and nose sting. Right then and there, I saw death before my eyes. Its claws were ready to slash me to pieces. I just waited for the pain to rip through my body, like a knife through melted butter.
There goes my life...
