5 Manna One

RONI

Later that night when everyone decided to sleep, I remained standing on the outside of my tent with a hot chocolate on my right hand. It's eleven thirty in the evening yet my body won't sleep so I decided to stay awake for the meantime. All camp lights were turned off except for mine. Jack's tent which is a few meters away from me sounds so peaceful. He might've drifted off to sleep immediately. I fished the serum out of my pocket and examined it while looking at the moon shining above. Corpus Achilles was the first vaccine that Antigen developed with a ninety-nine percent of cure. Dr. Cormac our head chemist in the compound developed the serum together with me.

I brought some of the serum for further tests. I don't have any lab rats with me but I'm sure this mountain has. In order to release this vaccine in public, I need proofs and test subjects. One that have been a fictional being. A werewolf. But it's hard to prove that. I have tested a lot of wolf or dogs that may be enhanced gradually and nothing became a success. Except the one I've hidden. And the ones that escaped. The pack who had attacked me late that night.

My hands shake and my lips trembled at that memory. I know I shouldn't be scared or surprise because I made them. I'm the one who created it. It just feels so surreal and scary that those things, those creatures may attacked everyone. I remember the images Jelly showed me last week. Those were horrifying. I kept the serum back to my trench-coat pocket and let out a heavy sigh. My friends don't know what they're going to encounter here and the fact that I exactly know the danger of coming here makes me want to vomit. I'm betraying them and the rest of the team. I betrayed them by approving the expedition without telling them the truth. The truth that the management secretly told me. The horrifying truth against them. I took a deep breath before going back to my tent. My mind's been filled with numerous thoughts including how they were so happy about my success, how they smiled at me after I told them that Corpus Achilles was approved. My throat feels dry and my chest hurts a lot. For the success of my career, I'm leading my friends to the danger zone.

I turned the lamp off and grabbed the blanket before lying down. I stare at the ceiling, still unable to sleep. I put my earphones on and listened to music.

"HELLO."

I sit up straight on my bed when I heard a voice. It felt like he was whispering in my ear so I removed my earphones and stare at the tent. But no one's inside. My forehead creased as I reached for the lamp on the table beside my bed.

"HELLO."

As soon as I heard it again, my arm hair stood and a shiver run down on my spine. I jumped out of bed and looked around. No one's still here except for myself. I sighed and closed my eyes for a second. I might've been so paranoid lately that I am hallucinating. I massaged my temple. I grabbed my blanket which fell on the floor when I suddenly jumped.

I bend and touched the cotton cloth but when I pulled it, I saw a pair of feet pointed at my direction. I gently looked up, expecting someone but no one's there. I'm getting a little scared. My eyes may have tricked me but I felt something else. I felt someone watching me.

I reached for the blanket again but a hand filled with blood pulled it to the other side. I yelped before hurriedly turned the lamp on. But the it didn't lit up. I panicked a little. Then I grabbed my phone and turned the flashlight on. I gently knelt down on the floor and bend to see space below the folding bed. Even with flashlight on, nothing's there. I sighed again before blinking my eyes. I stretched my arm and grabbed the blanket. Then I felt someone breathing in front of me. I slowly moved my head away from the bed and looked up.

"HELLO."

I screamed before throwing my phone at the figure. I stumbled upon the blanket when I tried to run. My head pound to the ground, making me groan in pain but I didn't stop. I stood up and swiftly opened the zipper on the tent. I ran outside, not turning around to look at it again. My feet felt cold against the land but I didn't care, I just want to get somewhere.

"Jack?" I called when I saw his tent. My lips are still trembling but I fought the urge to cry. "Jack." I called again, a little louder this time but he didn't respond. I glanced at my tent and saw it move. Panic rose up to my body and I desperately called for Jack again. "Roni? What are you doing here?"

As soon as Jack opened his tent, I pushed him and went inside. I hurriedly zipped it and step back to his bed. His damp hair and half opened eyes told me that he was in deep sleep. "What are you------" I covered his mouth and shook my head at him. I turned to see the shadow from outside and anticipated for it to come but a minute later nothing came. Nothing happened. "What's happening, Roni?" Jack asked when he shoved my hand away from his face. His forehead creased and jaw hard like he's angry at me.

"Are you high?" He asked. I immediately step back and scowl at him. "I'm not on drugs." I answered immediately. "Then, why are you screaming in the middle of the night?" Jack crossed his arms and his eyebrows shot up, waiting for my explanation.

"I just had a bad dream." I lied. I clasped my hands together and curl my toes. He might be right. I must've been high due to the capsule I've taken after meal.

"Uhm. Can I stay here?" I asked. We could've stayed in the same room but the head of Antigen told me to be in a separate room so no one would know about what the serum is for. I submitted a false document but it didn't stop there. The management wants me to bring at least one of the test subjects back to the laboratory. If I send the right result, they might've never asked for an expedition but that would also result in massive human testing and I can't afford that. I need to find the classified creature and kill it's pack so the research will be a failure.

I've been staring at him for a long time that I didn't noticed how he transfer a comforter to the ground. He grabbed one pillow and knelt down. I sat at the edge of the folding bed and stare at him, who's lying on the ground. He didn't closed his eyes and remained watching the ceiling. I cleared my throat as I lie on the bed. This wasn't our first time sleeping in one room but my heart pounded so fast.

I stare at the ceiling, wondering if he'll drift off anytime soon. I lie awake and my breathing hitches, images flashed and I immediately closed my eyes. It wasn't a person but he did talked. The werewolf talked. How is that possible I wasn't able to see it clearly 'cause I was too scared and I ran off. But one thing's for sure, it's one of my test subjects. The red collar and a tag with 'ANG-0078-CA' written on it. That's one of the creatures that escaped the facility. There are five of them that went missing but all our surveillance cameras on the building were jammed. They only evidence that we have for their location is the tracking device that we've implanted on their shoulders.

I sighed once more and covered my face with my left arm. If I wasn't scared, I would've captured it. The tranquilizer was loaded in my bag but when it talked, all knowledge was gone. It caught me off-guard. Was it the serum? My forehead creased and all thoughts vanished when a firm hand held my right arm. I looked at Jack and saw him staring at me. His gaze was intense and cheeks not moving.

"Can you tell me the truth?" He suddenly spoke. "What truth?" I immediately asked back. I swallowed the lump on my throat, nervous once again. "What's this all about?" He asked again. His eyes were still staring at me and patiently waiting for my response.

"What are you talking about?" I lowered my voice and glanced around. Jack sighed and pulled me to him causing me to fall from the folding bed. I fell on top of him and cheeks warm when my face fell on his chest. "You can tell me, Roni. Anything. Everything. Trust me."

I closed my eyes and leaned my head back to his chest, listening to how fast his heartbeat is just like mine. His arm is on my waist, stopping me from going back to the bed. His free arm was on my head, caressing my hair and soothing me. This feels so comfortable.

"Roni?" He asked. His breathing hitches as my fingers draw circles on his arm. "Hmmm?" I answered without looking back. He then brought my right hand to his mouth and kissed my finger tips gently. I looked up and saw him smile a little.

"We'll be eternally bounded sooner but I want you to be honest with me right now. Please? For me?" He begged. Jack doesn't have to beg. I was planning to tell him first but not right now. Certainly one of these days but not now. He raised my right hand and stare at the diamond ring on my finger. Admiring how beautifully magnificent the jewel is.

"I---To be honest..." Jack suddenly covered my mouth, not being able to finish my sentence. He grabbed my waist and helped me sit on the ground. "What's happening?" I asked, confused. "Shhhhhh." Jack made a gesture as he covered my mouth again with his hand. I don't know what's going on but when I heard a loud howl, my body froze immediately. Jack looked around with a creased forehead.

"AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"

I closed my eyes, frightened. Afraid of the monster. When I open them later, Jack's expression changed into shock. He looks like horrified too. I removed his hand from my mouth and slowly turned around to look at where he's staring at.

"AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"

A shadow showed right in front of the tent. The monster's shadow while sniffing around and moving with big and loud steps. It suddenly turned to me. My body starts to shake as the shadow approaches. The figure looks bigger and bigger. Nearer. Jack pulled me closer to him without making any noise. My mouth ran dry and bile rises through my throat. My hands shake uncontrollably, making me dizzy. Jack squeezes my left hand but I don't feel less scared.

The sky made a shocking sound, followed by a bright spark. Thunder and Lightning. Then huge drops of water fell from the sky, raining hard. The shadow moved, glancing at his left. I almost scream when another creature came. Thankfully, Jack's fast. He covered my mouth again. Both of the creatures immediately ran away when thunder strikes again. The rain poured more harder, making it difficult to hear anything from the outside.

When Jack removed his hand, I inhaled heavily. I've been holding my breath since then. I touched my chest and tried to steady my breathing. "What was that?" He asked quietly. I looked at the tent again to make sure nothing else will came. "Are those werewolves?" He added. I swallowed the lump on my throat and slowly nodded at him. He closed his eyes for a brief moment and share at the tent too. He ran his fingers on his hair while taking a deep breath.

"Are those the ones who attacked you last time?" My forehead creased when I heard him say that. How did he know? I mean, I haven't exactly told him what happened.

"I saw the claw marks on your shoulder when I lifted your sleeve that night." He answered my unspoken question. Jack stood up and rummage to his belongings on the table. Though my knees are still weak, I tried to stand up.

"What is Manna One?" He asked without looking at me. My heartbeat doubled when he asked. How did he....

"Explain it to me Veronica. What is Manna One and what are those labelled as 'Antigen Classified Subjects'?" Then he slammed a brown envelope in front of me. I was startled with his rage and anger towards me. "Answer me, Veronica! What is AG-CA project?" No way. How did he know?! I stare at the brown envelope and saw the folder I've been keeping safely.

Antigen Corpus Achilles Project: Alternative Universe (Creation) - MANNA ONE