Chapter 4: Sudden Attack

In a frantic rush, Barry snatched up a weapon, mirroring Chris's actions. Ethan, armed with a shotgun, trailed behind them as they tore through the dimly lit corridors. The echoing chaos of something sinister still wreaked havoc near the front entrance.

There, Chris and Claire took cover behind a wall, on one side of the entrance hall. On the opposite side stood the sheriff and his deputy, accompanied by unfamiliar faces – probably the sheriff's kin.

"Go!" Chris barked at the sheriff. "It won't come after you! There's a nearby garage with supplies; you can take shelter there!"

The sheriff merely nodded, concern etched across his face. "Be careful!"

He swiftly ushered his family and the deputy toward the back exit, while the rest of the group exchanged tense glances. Barry and Claire stared at Chris, waiting for his next command.

"Barry, get Jill out of this building," Chris ordered. "Claire, follow the sheriff."

Claire insisted, "I can help fight."

Chris shook his head, his voice tinged with gravitas. "I know you can, but this is no ordinary threat. Just go."

Claire cast a wary glance at the rampaging monster, now trying to breach the walls. "Fine." She brandished her revolver before slipping away in the direction the sheriff had gone, just as the monster finally burst through. Its roar echoed through the hall, but Claire showed no fear, sprinting to evade its attention.

Observing Claire's escape, Chris turned to Barry, who nodded before following suit to get Jill away from the impending danger. The monster redirected its menacing gaze towards the two, effortlessly demolishing the structural support beams.

The creature appeared grotesque, encased in a gruesome blend of red and black biomass, towering at a menacing ten feet tall. It struggled to fit within the confines of the hall before the beams succumbed, allowing it to stand. Ethan noticed one of its arms resembled a deadly blade, glinting ominously beneath the flickering, damaged lighting.

"It's just you and me now, agent!" Chris hollered. "Listen, I've got an RPG stashed in the armory. I'll get the damn thing, and you need to keep it busy until I return to blow it to bits."

Ethan nodded, though doubtful that he could do it, apprehension etched on his face. "Just be quick. I'm no captain America to handle that thing."

"Alright," Chris muttered before darting away, leaving Ethan to confront the monster alone.

Ethan retreated deeper into a narrower corridor, a temporary refuge from the colossal blade arm. Suddenly, the beast unleashed another deafening roar, tendrils sprouting from its body, homing in on Ethan with deadly intent.

Ethan cursed his ill luck, rolling to evade the striking tendrils. It became evident that he was the monster's primary target, and despair gripped him as the tendrils displayed an uncanny ability to curve and follow him. Desperation pushed him to discharge his shotgun at one of the tendrils, tearing it into shreds.

The wounded tendrils writhed violently, fragments scattering on the floor, yet they persisted, retaining their ominous vitality.

Ethan gritted his teeth, kicking away the pieces. He then dashed further down the corridor, using a wall for cover. For a moment, he stood still, attempting to devise a plan, but the monster pressed forward, demolishing walls and causing cracks to splinter while the ceiling crumbled – a dire outcome.

As the monster tore down more walls, exposing additional space, Ethan gained some room to maneuver. However, the creature also had more room to maneuver.

He sprang into action, darting toward the open space, aiming to lure the monster away from the corridors and Chris, back into the entrance hall. The tendrils shot forth again, undulating through the air in their quest to ensnare Ethan. Yet, Ethan's agility and motor skills served him well; he leaped, crouched, evaded, and fired at the tendrils – feats made possible by the muscle memory ingrained in him by the body's previous owner.

Finally, Ethan reached the entrance door, a trail of writhing tendrils in his wake. He watched as the monster pivoted and, with his shotgun at the ready, he pulled the trigger, sending a spray of pellets into the monster's biomass.

The creature bellowed in agony. With newfound space to maneuver, it unleashed a devastating swing, its bladed arm slicing through the air, leaving behind a trail of crimson mist from the blood-soaked biomass.

Ethan dodged once more, narrowly escaping the deadly arc of the blade. It cleaved through the walls, slicing them cleanly in two.

"Jesus Christ..." Ethan muttered, questioning his decision to stand in the entrance hall.

The tendrils sprang forth again, this time with blades at their tips. Ethan could dodge and shoot, but he needed Chris to return before he was overwhelmed.

Yet, it seemed Chris wouldn't make it in time.

Ethan missed one tendril. It impaled him through the stomach, blood spouting from the wound. In moments, dark veins spread across his skin, and his eyes turned a sinister shade.

"Fuck." Ethan cursed, resigned to his fate. Dying again didn't bother him much, especially when he'd been granted a few extra hours by whoever had sent him here. The moment he laid eyes on those monsters and zombies, he had a nagging suspicion it would end like this, with only firearms at their disposal.

Ethan clicked his tongue for the last time, regretting not turning the car around when he first realized something was amiss.

Suddenly, as the black veins continued their crawl, he heard a shout – it was Chris. Ethan's body hung suspended in the air, encircled by the tendrils, as something coursed through him. True to his word, Chris had an RPG perched on his shoulder.

"Fire!" Ethan croaked, blood streaming from his mouth.

"Shit. I'm sorry!" Chris, overcome by the sight before him, rapidly aimed at the monster and squeezed the trigger.

The rocket raced through the air, striking the monster head-on. The stench of burning flesh permeated the area, and the ensuing explosion reverberated through the surroundings. The building teetered on the brink of collapse.

Realizing the RPG was now useless, Chris discarded it, retreating from the scene with a heavy heart, drowning in remorse.