The sound of Pelmon"s screams and the dripping of Vashti"s blood to the floor haunted Samuel"s very being. The whole necropolis" moon was now getting closer and closer to each other like to orbs of lights meeting in the very middle of the whole s.p.a.ce. The door had now opened—but Samuel could see nothing but light beyond it.If he was being fully honest to himself, Samuel would want to go inside where it is safe (a.s.suming it was INDEED safe). His electric-blue eyes darted towards the opened doors. One step and he would be out of harm"s way Another step would take him home.
All he had to do was to enter the opened doors.
He was often regarded as a c.o.c.ky brat and a jerk back when he was still studying research. And it wasn"t that he was bullied. Every word that was used against him backlashed. Samuel Albrecht was one of the most successful researchers in the country. He was also—what one would surely call—a genius. He had a brain that literally stored data. He could even read a pa.s.sage of a book without fail! (Although it"s a bit far-fetched, considering Samuel doesn"t like fiction that much).
Samuel should be, as said by the people around him, a jerk. If he was in a book or a movie, he should be the character that would run when things go awry. And he was certain he would be like that too. But then, just why can"t he? Why can"t he abandon these people when he"s now given the golden ticket to escape?
"Guys, come on! The door"s opened! We gotta go!" Samuel exclaimed. Hosea was in his side, who had now shaken his head. Samuel felt apprehension like ever before. Pelmon was still attacking the giant necromorph—and now even Yael had joined in.
What were they trying to achieve?!
Samuel was a researcher. He was, with just the age of 17, very logical and objective-driven. He disliked the subjectivity of emotions which would often result in irrationality and impulse. Samuel knew he was sometimes swayed with these kind of things because he was still human. But Sam was aware of limiting himself. He knew when to be rational. He knew when it was time to stop being swayed by sentiments.
The group was still fighting, and even the Yael Samuel considered as a calm and level-headed man was swinging his ax into the monster continuously. He definitely was strong; his weapon began to take a toll on the necromorph. But Samuel wanted to ask WHY were they still fighting? They could just take Arletha and go. They could just get her and go!
Hosea heaved. "Sam . . . help me,"
Samuel immediately wrapped Hosea"s arm around him. Hosea"s darkening gaze was only focused on Arletha who was still limp on the grounds. Samuel thinned his lips. He wanted to scream to those two that they had to rescue Arletha first. They had to be rational. They shouldn"t be swayed by emotions!
But as much as he wanted to yell at them, he couldn"t.
Not with Vashti dangling in front with her puddle of blood spilled across the floor.
Samuel and Hosea stealthily walked athwart the entire vicinity. Every step they took, Hosea heaved as his vision gradually became blurrier. Soon he dropped the staff to the floor as he knelt down.
Samuel helped him back to his feet; Hosea"s hand was trembling, his fingertips shaky and numb. Samuel knew that he won"t be able to carry a staff. Samuel took a deep breath as he picked Vashti"s staff from the floor. The dead Vashti"s staff. Samuel shook his head. He shouldn"t be having these kind of thoughts.
"Hosea. Just a little bit. We"re almost to Arletha"s," whispered Samuel. They continued to tread, pa.s.sing along the ruins and bones. Hosea was getting heavier and heavier at every possible step the both of them took. And it was a matter of time before Samuel had to carry Hosea"s whole weight, now that he has begun to collapse continuously, his fall coherent and repeated as his knee grew weaker. Samuel had to glance back to the giant necromorph—and to the dead Vashti—who had, thankfully, ignored their existence.
Soon they reached Arletha, who was still on the floor; her head was all b.l.o.o.d.y, and she was still. TOO still that it made Samuel"s heartbeat rush in an unpleasant way. He didn"t want to think about it. He didn"t want to make any presumptions. Hosea crawled his way towards Arletha and then prompted a shuddery arm forward to feel the pulse on her neck. Samuel waited anxiously as he glanced back and forth to Arletha and Hosea.
Hosea slowly withdrew his hand, his eyes blank. Samuel"s eyes widened as he sees a tear streaming down Hosea"s eyes.
Tears.
And before Samuel could even utter a word, the staff he was holding had pulled itself away from him—and then, it flew mid-air, until it had reached Vashti, who now had her grasp into the staff"s wood.
Her eyes opened, revealing a sinister-red glow into her dilated pupils. She tightened the grip around her staff and then smiled with her bloodied mouth.
"Playtime is over."
And as she said these words, the giant necromorph reeled its giant arm towards the team, getting both Pelmon and Yael. Its third arm began attacking Ephraim whilst its two arms visibly clenched, throttling the bodies of Pelmon and Yael. Pelmon screamed vehemently as he struggled into the monster"s grip; whereas Yael gasped as he half-closed his eyes from the force the monster was exerting.
Hosea had completely lost it. He had scooted Arletha"s limp body close to him. Hosea"s tears streamed down his cheeks as it dribbled to Arletha"s face.
"Hosea, we have to go," Samuel exclaimed, his voice strained. "We gotta go now! We have to go,"
Samuel stopped as he sees Hosea looking blankly over him as his tears continuously poured over his chin. Samuel slowly backed away from Hosea.
His voice can no longer reach him.
"AAHH!!!"
"Samuel, look out!"
Samuel"s electric-blue eyes widened as a rushing claw advanced towards him at a terrifying speed. But it was averted barely with Ephraim throwing himself upon him. The two of them landed and rolled into the floor, hitting a stack of bones. Ephraim and Sam risen promptly. They weren"t in the necromorph"s reach now.
But Hosea is.
Samuel"s eyes widened as the necromorph grabbed Hosea by his robe. His eyes were still blank and empty. Hosea evidently lost all his will to resist, given that he had let himself be caught by the necromorph.
Hosea began to caress the monster"s large finger, its grasp now tightening around him. But Hosea doesn"t seem to care.
"Vashti . . . Arletha . . . we"ll all be together now."