Chapter 18: A Young Woman
My eye's narrow as I clench my blade until my knuckles turn white. I promised Jackie it was over, yet sent her into such a situation.
'I'll kill this son of a bitch.'
The passage shivered with every step of the creature that chased me, but the real monster was just around the corner. No matter what happens, I won't let this continue.
I fly out of the alley in a full sprint looking for the source of the noise. My heart is calm, and my hands are steady as I spot the freak.
"How are you alive?!" Garret spots me as I'm a few strides away and scrambles for his rifle on the ground next to him.
It's too late.
The thought of the innocent Jackie being pushed into this situation drives me into a rage. Hearing her faint, desperate voice fight back activates some protective instinct within me as all other things lose meaning.
"Alex!" The crying woman screams in despair while her assailant mounts her.
I cross the gap between us with my knife raised. I only see Garret's face as my blood boils. Nothing will distract me.
A bang pierces the veil placed on my senses as I swing my arm toward the man. I can't tell if his shot was effective or not as I focus everything on my strike. Time slows as the corded combat knife meets the temple of my opponent, and a single trickle of blood falls.
I drive it deeper.
The trickle becomes a stream as the blade of my weapon disappears bit by bit.
Deeper.
I continue my momentum, lifting the old man off Jackie while my blade's hilt reaches the limp coward's head.
I withdraw the cold steel from its new sheath and stab Garret's face, oblivious to my surroundings. Every strike changes the creep a little more, and soon it stops resembling anything human.
Continuing to stab the disfigured lump of flesh, I don't relent until I feel a hand on my shoulder, "Alex! He's dead!"
The sudden interruption causes me to stay my hand as I remember where I am. The surrounding scenery begins to enter my vision as my anger subsides.
"It's not over," I brush Jackie's hand aside as I pocket my knife and take Garret's rifle in hand.
I look at the apartments that were supposed to provide us with a bit of cover, only to see flames flickering in the lobby. The smoke billowing out of the door confirms that the building was no longer of any use.
'That bastard!' I recall smelling smoke earlier. He must have planned this from the start.
"You need to get back. It's almost here." I direct the young woman behind me as I inspect the rifle.
At least the magazine is full.
As soon as Jackie steps behind me, the creature exits the alley, steadily driving toward me. With my new weapon in hand, I have nothing to fear as I launch a barrage of bullets toward my foe.
Dark crimson plumes sprout from its head, confirming my accuracy.
Each shot gives me hope that we will survive. Even if I have to destroy the entire mass of flesh that made up the beast's face… I will live. My confidence soars as chunks of meat fall from the walking behemoth.
'What the Hell?' My confidence begins to waver as nothing seems to slow my foe down.
It starts to get close, so I circle the creeping horror. It still isn't agile, so I can create additional time to fire as it faces me.
Misjudging my pace, I end up behind the creature and its focus shifts to my companion.
As I continue pelting the monster with lead, I inspect its body closer. There had to be a way to defeat this thing. Strangely the back of the creature didn't appear like a perfect skin suit. Instead, it looks like the back stitched itself together as flaps of skin overlapped and melded together.
My thoughts immediately return to the lanky demon that housed the slug.
If the creatures evolved and developed whatever controlled that thing, it is possible that this is where it was hiding! It must be using the body as a means to acquire more blood…
On a hunch, I raise the rifle toward the center of the skin flaps and pull the trigger.
'I need to at least draw its attention back to me.' As this thought passes, a faint click reaches my ears.
"Damn it!" I spent too much ammunition testing the foe and ran out.
I drop the rifle and retrieve my knife.
"One desperate effort is all I have left," I mumble as I run toward the distracted foe. At this distance, even if it detected me, it wouldn't be able to turn in time.
Once again, I put my faith into my blade as I dig it into the back of my enemy.
My hunch seems to be accurate as the monster is finally slowed. A single twist of my dagger is all it takes to drive it down to its knees. As the body collapses forward, it falls from my blade and lands at Jackie's feet, covering the street with its thick, putrid fluids.
I drop to one knee panting. I had experienced fights before this, but nothing so extreme. If it wasn't for the encounter with the slug earlier, I don't know how I would have overcome this foe.
Quickly, I snap my fingers to hide my powers. Hopefully, Jackie didn't notice anything peculiar during the confrontation.
"Alex! Alex, are you okay?" Jackie's voice is no longer desperate as the caring woman reaches out to help me up.
My eyes wander to the sweet voice as I fully take in her disheveled appearance since arriving.
Her stockings have holes, and her dark skirt is torn on one side as if it were being pulled off. Her bright white blouse is covered in dirt and ripped open at the buttons, exposing her stomach and large breasts, supported by an intricate black lace bra. The dirty blouse flailed in the wind, refusing to cover the beauty.
I can't help but be mesmerized by her enchanting figure.
Without answering her, I pull my t-shirt over my head and offer it to her as the warm air envelopes my toned torso.
"T-thanks," Her face turns as red as her fluttering hair while her eyes scan my naked torso.
"Don't worry about it. You've lost everything today. We'll head back to my place, and I'll get a new shirt." I look over my haggard condition and notice the dried blood and dirt coating my arms, "Either way, I could use a shower before the power fails."
The fire in the apartment building had grown from a flickering flame to a roaring blaze, confirming that we needed to evacuate. It may draw attention, and we can't afford another confrontation now.
I begin to salvage what I can from the situation. If I could find more ammo on Garret's corpse, it would be possible that the rifle wouldn't just be a club. Moving forward with only one weapon in hand would be dangerous.
"You're place!?" The red on her cheeks grows even more vibrant as she freezes in place.
At the end of the day, she was still a young woman.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone