Entrapped

We ran after the doctor slowly catching up with each step.

The professor seemed to be running at random but the odds of that were by all accounts low. Just as the professor turned a corner...

"That leads to a dead end. We got this!" Seamus told me as he mustered some strength to run on ahead.

I was a bit skeptical but I followed after.

We turned the corner and we saw quite the show.

"Open up!" The professor said as he banged on a seemingly normal wall. He seemed to be injured as he turned around to prop himself up against the wall. Or he would have if he hadn't seen us…

"You-You shouldn't be alive?!?" The professor exclaimed with clear shock. I take it he didn't know why he was suddenly raided and it only hit him now.

"I am, and as payback, you should help me pay my debts" I casually told the grimacing professor.

He seemed quite pitiful. His hair was disheveled and soaked in a cold sweat. His lab coat was dirtied by the surroundings as well as crimson blood. His hand which was holding his abdomen area was however clearly soaked in reddish-black blood

Huh? I seemed to have spaced out for a second.

But the real issue was, that within that one second of carelessness the professor was charging at me!

Bang!

Seamus shot the man before he could take another step closer. I was still dazed and confused but I could then tell something was wrong.

"Ha- urgh!" The professor was about to engage in a maniacal fit of laughter before spitting out a black lump.

The black lump was beating… rhythmically…

The professor looked up with a wicked grin but that wasn't the real disturbing part. His skin turned deathly pale, beyond what could be considered. Dead almost…

Bang Bang

I heard two more shots. Seamus had also taken notice of the abnormality.

But for whatever reason, it didn't seem to work.

This…!

All of a sudden I felt an invisible wave of pressure hit me and, as a quick yet troubled glance beside me confirmed, Seamus.

The profess- no, the creature before me was a deathly grey. The doctor's clothing had become ripped beyond recognition and Its face was similarly long and harrowing. The smile from before had turned into a malevolent frown as if it was greatly aggrieved by our mere existence.

Not even the figure of the doctor remained as his body had grown slender and tall. Its head seemed to be filled with some unknown power as numerous tumors protruded from its surface. I felt this was likely the origin of the unknown pressure.

"Sea-Seamus…" I tried to tell Seamus to fire again. I did not believe that things would want to eat more lead.

The only problem was that Seamus' expression had long since turned dull. If it wasn't for his ghastly horrified expression I would suspect he was currently daydreaming.

SCREEEEEEEEECH

My ears were nearly ruptured by the high pitch noise. The creature pounced towards me following its battle cry.

I gritted my teeth as I tried to force myself to attack but the unknown pressure didn't allow me to do more than unsteadily move my arm.

The creature's arm punctured through my body. My eyes widened in surprise and disbelief. I looked up at the creature's face only to realize something was odd.

Why couldn't I feel any pain?

I blinked confusedly and the image in front of me suddenly changed. It was still the dark alley but there was nothing in sight. Nothing apart from Seamus who was collapsed on the ground.

Was it… a dream?

The nightmarish creature was nothing but a dream?

I neared Seamus to verify he was still alive. Apart from his troubled breathing, all was good.

With a wary and keen eye, I observed my surroundings. That was when suddenly, I almost screamed in fright.

The creature from my nightmares was hiding in what I could only assume was the darkest part of the alley observing from a fair distance.

Its deathly pale gray skin would have allowed it to hide seamlessly if it weren't for my night vision. It looked… Scared?

But no matter where I looked there was nothing to be scared of unless...

I looked up at the bright dome lights up in the sky and winced from the glaring brightness. Most of the places were rather well lit and to some extent, alleys were included.

The creature was afraid of the light!

As Seamus and I had only turned the corner and didn't properly enter the alley, we were still being illuminated. The frightened monster didn't dare approach.

"I guess we never fired any shots" The alley was still desolate and the people in the outside were still occasionally walking past. No attention had been brought towards us.

With this, I was certain of something.

"Let's see if you are still bulletproof" I grabbed Seamus' gun which was on the floor next to him and aimed it at the monster. Aware of the danger, the creature didn't idle.

"Argh!" I held my head with my free hand as I was assaulted with a splitting headache. Realizing that the creature probably planned to risk the light and escape, I aimed at it with my gun hand.

Bang!

My shot was like that of a rookie but the creature didn't really have anywhere to go. It also seemed to hesitate just before jumping into the light allowing me a clear shot.

I could hear the surrounding noise from outside the alley quiet down. Then I could hear doors being slammed and hurried footsteps.

Although Kaiser's mafia gang was the biggest, it wasn't the only. At times, different higher-ups and governmental parties would sponsor different groups. Little struggles among these groups weren't uncommon.

SCREEEEECH

My head felt as if it would burst after the piercing cry hit my ears. The headache had yet to subside making me want to bash my head against the wall.

Bang

With shaking hands, I shot the creature a second time.

The first shot had hit it on its leg but this one, it was almost too perfect.

Black blood sputtered out in a stream as the bullet inadvertently hit its head. The creature's expression was anguished but still alive. It crumpled to the ground bleeding its gooey black blood.

Bang

Bang

I shot it two more times to hopefully finish it off. Two more bulletholes appeared in its slender body and its blood started to paint the floor in its color as it pooled.

I aimed my gun again.

There was no movement. Thus, I opted to leave it at that. I lowered my gun and while keeping an eye out shook the sleeping Seamus.

His first reaction was to punch me.

"What the hell?!?" I screamed out feeling the sting on my cheek.

"Fuck where is that nightmare creature!?!" Seamus yelled out after realizing his target had disappeared.

I only glared at him as I rubbed my face with a gun in one hand.

"Wait… You were supposed to be dead…?" Seamus finally realized that things weren't as he expected.