Chapter Text
The sacrifices were left alive whilst they're strung up.
Those amongst the Igneus staff who pulled the short straw, not of high enough status or skill to have been decided worthy of being spared are now the disposable. Pulled from their desks and duties to be dragged out into the tundra, one after another, a twelve course meal.
Tied up and left to hang like aged meat. Some struggle and beg, most don't, knowing it's over with the departure of the day’s last helicopter whisking away Panacea’s executives somewhere far, far away from the unspeakable events to occur within this godforsaken facility.
They have until nightfall. Collision, it's been in the plans from the beginning but they never could have imagined they'd be receiving a front row seat.
Maybe it's karma, Panacea’s actions hadn’t been good but they thought doing it in the name of good was enough. It had to be done? They only ever did as they were told, ‘For Humanity’ Panacea said. For every man, woman and child unaware of the evils this world holds. It was all to save them! What are the lives of a few unwilling volunteers in comparison?
Easy to say when you're not on the chopping block.
Really, they won't make it to see Collision. Only able to squirm under the setting sun and the weight of promised execution it brings as all that's left to do is wait and stare death in the eyes before it swallows you whole.
For all their dread and anticipation they don't see it at first. Dark pelt melting in with the dusk’s stretching shadows. It knows it doesn't have to rush, that would be no fun. The meal it seeks is more delicious than food.
The beast stalks forward, it would be impossible not to spot at this point as it steps out into the light. Fur a void of nothingness standing out stark against the snow like a black hole, yawning, all consuming.
They've all seen it before, watched its exposed heart pulse and sputter through the open window of its splayed ribs. Feeling some sense of safety in its sedation and thick plexiglass wall separating them, there is none of that now.
It takes them one by one, reveling in their mounting fear and anticipation.
Each is worse than the last, skull crushed, dismembered. One it simply leaves to bleed out, growing bored and moving onto the next.
Until only one remains. Having watched their friends and coworkers slaughtered one after another their sanity has already long since slipped away, leaving little more than a babbling husk pleading for mercy that will not come.
The beast never spares its victims with a quick death. It takes the worker's leg between its teeth, immediately there is a snap, the limb hanging limp from where it sits pierced wholly through by the creature’s fangs. Bent in entirely the wrong angle but still attached.
This is swiftly rectified as the beast tugs. The worker screams, beyond agony, awareness all but nothing except unending fear.
It is vindication.
It tugs again, the flesh of their calf torn to strips of dangling meat.
This is retribution.
It tugs-
Tendons finally, finally snap and sever as the worker's leg is torn free. It's almost a relief, for the briefest moment they can pretend it's over.
Claws reach for their right leg.
Burning vicious violet eyes fill their vision before it all fades to black.
There’s a lot of pain, there’s tears, there’s regret. There’s regret. He could have done so much more with his life but all he did was work at a stupid pizza shop! And smoke weed all day and play fortnight- he never even found love- he never found love!
He wanted to have a family and kids and Wallace-
The monsters wouldn’t stop- nothing helped, the screaming, the flailing- all of it fruitless as the creatures tore into him clawing and biting- He was on the ground, head swimming as his throat clogged with his own blood, gagging and panicking-
All over his chest was just red, rivers of red over and over- The last time he’d seen so much blood so close-
Vaguely he heard the shouts of the people around him, Diego the closest- but he couldn’t tell what they were saying, not when he suddenly felt so very, very cold…
Then the clawing and biting slowed, his heart slowing with it.
There was an unsettling peace as the world was colder than ever before and Jeffrey was convinced he was dead, it was the only thing that made sense- his life ending in such a way, how fitting for the failure he was.
But there was a warmth, a low voice and- “Jeffrey? Oh please, stay with us!” Diego said- no, begged.
Weakly, his eyes opened, spots in his vision until finally he could focus on the brazilian man’s fear-stricken face. Then the agony of his body threatened to make him double over, but he hated seeing the man so upset and so with the last vestiges of his strength he forced a smile across his blood stained lips. “Man, if only we had a real doctor who’s good at being a doctor.”
Diego grinned ear to ear back, “You’re going to be okay, Jeffrey. I’ll make sure of it.” He pulled out a roll of bandages and set to work instantly.
Jeffrey couldn’t quite muster a smile looking down at his wounds, as he only then really began to process his current situation, let alone the entire shitshow that had occurred so far- “I’m in so much pain and freezing. I think I’m dying.” He croaked but Diego shook his head quickly.
“No, you’re not, pizzaboy.” Benito said, his lips were set in a thin strained line as he joined Diego by his side. “We’re going to get you another hamster, Wallace number two.”
Lucie said across from where she was helping Diego with the bandages, “Not yet, this isn’t-” She bit her lip, shaking her head as she set her jaw and refocused, “Over here.” She told Diego, the two working perfectly in sync like a flawless unit to patch him up.
“Stay with us, everything’s gonna be alright!” Diego pleaded again.
“Pizzaboy, you haven’t made your last delivery.” Benito said helplessly.
“M-maybe… maybe not?” Jeffrey mumbled weakly.
“We’ll save you Jeffrey.” Lucie patted his shoulder.
“After all we’ve been through? No way, mamahuevo!” Luis said, running over to him to sit beside Lucie, “I saved you, don’t you dare die on us now!”
“I don’t want to die!” Jeffrey whined, rolling over slightly as everyone worked.
Diego’s brows furrowed and he suddenly grabbed Jeffrey’s hands, “You’re not going away. Stay with us, you’re going to manage to survive. For Wallace, for Wallace!” He pulled Jeffrey up and out of the monster’s grasp and it was like all their effort paid off at last.
Jeffrey gasped as he sat up against a wall, blinking with clarity he hadn’t had for so long. Jeffrey felt like he couldn't help but fail, he'd let everyone down again. The bandage they shakily wrapped around his torso only felt like confirmation of his greatest fears. He's useless and everyone around him suffers because of it, pathetic, needing to be saved at every turn…Even now Lucie still tended to his wounds while the others were slumped in relief, finally able to rest and come down from the adrenaline of the previous chase now that Jeffrey wasn't seconds away from dying on them. He couldn’t believe this, that they… they…
“Why’d you guys do it?” He said shakily.
“You had more deliveries to make.” Benito said, crouching down to pat his shoulder.
Jeffrey vomited, right over Benito’s shoes and the man cringed but kept a smile as he stepped back, “Ugh, I hate this place.” Jeffery spat pathetically.
“Hey man! You’re alive!” Luis said, grinning from ear to ear, "You did it!”
“I did it? You saved us.” Jeffrey blinked, confused.
“Ya but you’re alive, man, you did it! We need uh, to go for a pizza or something.” Luis looked away with a little grin.
“You really are superman…” Jeffrey said, grinning stupidly to himself.
Then there was the sound of a door opening nearby and everyone turned in it’s direction behind them.
Benito shook his shoulder, “Oh shit, Jeffrey, the place where we cut off Micael’s arm-”
“Uh, you did that, I was there-”
“No, we both committed homicide-”
“Actually no-”
“Guys!” Lucie said harshly, and most of the group walked over to the office but Jeffrey stayed behind, laying back as his friends left to investigate. They could handle it… he needed… he needed a moment… and then the world went dim.
When he woke, he was briefed on everything that happened inside the office with Micael, namely the mangled state of the man’s arm, a simple tourniquet wrapped around a bloody stump that he couldn’t look at too long or risk vomiting again and no one wanted that.
Then he was thrown some clothes for the colder weather they were supposedly about to face on the other side of the bunker door. Apparently all the horror and near death-
It was just the beginning.
As they started to leave, after a small but passionate argument about each other’s new clothes, they spotted Emi in front of her frozen infected father. This of course caused another argument to break out. Lucie had the initiative to walk up to her first, telling Jeffrey to go fetch her some warmer clothes.
This led Jeffrey over to the office and he shivered in pleasure as the heat inside it hit him. He hadn’t realized how cold he’d gotten until that moment, but he was on a mission and thus not wanting to disappoint Lucie, went to the little chest of clothes to find something that would be good for Emi. He bit his lip, realizing nothing here would fit her, but there were small smaller sizes perhaps for smaller women that could be manageable.
Jeffrey returned to Emi letting her father’s hand go finally as Lucie tried to warm her up a bit. Emi’s eyes briefly widened in shock as Jeffrey wrapped a jacket around her though didn't move to complain, allowing him to zip it up then bundle her up in a thick scarf.. As expected it was too large on her, she was practically swamped in the thing. Her little hands only barely peeked past its sleeves, but it did its job.
Jeffrey had a confusing roll of his stomach as he looked at her, he wasn't sure why, but seeing her in her snow gear just- unsettled him. He scratched the back of his neck, avoided her gaze even as she mumbled a quiet, “Thank you.”
The group finished up their business in the office finding a few bandages in one last attempt to fix everyone’s wounds up a bit better before heading out, save for Diego who was still bracing himself as they left towards the stairs. They climbed it with little issue-
Then the real cold hit, cutting into their skin.
Jeffrey shoved his hands into his pockets, and shivered fiercely as everyone else did the same. Emi stuck close to Lucie as it was terribly difficult to see in the blizzard-like atmosphere, but Micael pointed out the vague shape of a research station and a radio tower in that direction. Several poles jutting out against the landscape like needles piercing through the seemingly endless blanket of snow.
“I’m going to die, man.” Luis complained as they walked.
“What why?!” Jeffrey asked, eyes widening.
“We’re gonna make it guys, okay?” Lucie said, trying to reassure him. Emi was still by her side, clinging to her hand as she looked up at Jeffrey. He pursed his lips together and looked away.
“I feel bad man…” Luis grumbled.
Benito raised a brow, “Why do you feel bad?”
“Cause I need to poop.” Cutting through the tension, a light chuckle spread throughout the group, one Jeffrey didn’t realize how much he needed till now. He found himself strangely thankful, of everyone he could've been trapped in this hell with, he was… glad it was them. He would've gone mad long ago grouped with anyone else, they matched his craziness. He wouldn't want to be alone out here.
There is an offer to smoke by Diego that he politely refused, only for Benito to insist it was a fantastic idea.
“What kind of Doctor are you?” Jeffrey couldn't help ask with no small amount of sass so they squabbled a bit more before somehow the conversation of going home was brought up.
Luis mentioned his abuelita, whilst Lucie explained she was noncontact with most of her family, her parents having not not known her location for many months at that point. The others each chimed in with their slightly unnervingly similarly isolated home lives until Benito looked over at Emi, “And what about the kid?”
“I’m going to bring my dad back.” Emi said, her voice soft.
There’s an immediate awkward silence before Benito chuckled nervously and looked away, “Right…”
Jeffrey bit his lip, he wasn't great with kids, or comforting people, or talking generally but it surely couldn't hurt to try, aiming for anything close to a reassuring tone as he spoke,o, “Look I know it’s tough to process, but I feel ya kiddo. I also lost someone really important to me today.” Sleepless nights waking to a little ball of energy, picking him up and cuddling him close as his nightmares danced across his eyelids-
Benito cringed at him but Emi’s eyes widened, “Who?”
“His name was Wallace.” The best little guy. He explained how he lost him and Emi’s understanding gaze twisted and she looked away so his words fell and he shut down, walking further behind the group as they all moved on to other topics of conversation.
He sighed, rubbing at his eyes tiredly, but he tried not to take it too personally. He'd expected this outcome, he was used to being ignored, being a joke- it was fine!
Diego's stilted gait caught his attention, just slightly slower than the others, not quite a limp. Thinking back they hadn't enough medical supplies to treat everyone in the group up to full health. Hell, from the few glimpses of his own wounds Jeffrey had caught he didn't expect any of those to be completely healed for a good while, but he still felt a small pang of guilt at having taken up so many of the groups sparse resources to pull him back from death’s doorstep. It was the least he could do to match the other man's pace to walk beside him.
They were both hurting, maybe Diego would enjoy the solidarity and truthfully despite the situation he was starting to like the other man's company. He didn't call him a dumbass or anything rude unlike a certain other asshole with an almost certainly fake medical degree. It was nice to have someone in his corner.
Something vaguely familiar about this prickled the edge of his brain, but he dismissed it, focusing instead on smiling at Diego, “Hey… thank you.” He said and he surprised himself as he truly meant it.
“W-what? For what?” Diego blinked.
“I’m alive because of your quick thinking.” Jeffrey said, “So, seriously… thank you.”
“It’s no problem.” Diego smiled, and that somehow made Jeffrey feel a bit warmer.
“I’ll pay it back, promise.” Jeffrey said, reaching out to pat Diego’s shoulder only for the other man to cringe, “Shit, you’re not doing so hot right now huh?”
“It’s fine… neither are you.” Diego said, then he glanced at the others, “Guess we’re just built differently, tough to kill, though I would've liked to have gone without testing that.” He laughed a little nervously. Jeffrey snorted, looking to the rest of their group, Luis especially, calling himself any kind of tough seemed ridiculous but… he was still alive wasn’t he?
“We're like cockroaches, you and I.” Jeffrey grinned, gesturing between the two of them.
It was then at that moment he heard it- low, almost too quiet to hear, but noticeable to him. A rumbling growl, emanating out from somewhere behind them. It sounded far, very far, like a distant thunder’s crackling roar that overwhelmed Jeffrey's senses- and then it was gone. As if he’d imagined the whole thing.
His eyes widened. “You didn’t hear that?” Jeffrey whisper shouted in alarm, twisting to look over his shoulder. He saw snow, trees, the bunker, more snow. There was no sign of whatever creature would have made such a sound..
Diego shook his head, “What? No, what did you hear?” He whispered back, evidently confused, he really hadn't heard a thing.
“I’m not crazy.” He totally felt like he was going crazy, “But behind us, I swear I heard growling.”
Now Diego’s eyes widened as he turned, “Growling?!” Whispering sharper, voice squeaking as he did.
“What are you two pissbabies talking about?!” Benito snapped at them, annoyed.
“Jeffrey heard growling!” Diego said, looking over at Lucie, “Behind us!” He gestured behind him.
“Growling?” She looked over at him, bringing a hand to his forehead, “He lost a lot of blood… Do you feel well?”
Jeffrey backed up away from her, “I know what I heard.”
“Fuck.” Micael’s eyes widened, looking back at them, “We need to move.”
“You heard him, move!” Luis said, walking over to Diego and Jeffrey, pushing them forward as the group ran faster to the radio tower, their boots crunching in the snow ear splittingly loud in the silence without that- awful growling. It's lingering echo ringing through his head, nagging at Jeffrey in a way that had him feeling like his brains were being actively scrambled with a spatula.
The hairs down his arms prickled as fear enveloped him. There were no questions as he went first, scrambling up the stairs- only to trip and fall busting his face, his jaw slamming into one step followed by the blunt bang of his cheek across another, falling the both embarrassingly short and painfully long few steps back down with a loud groan.
“Ay! Watch yourself!” Luis cried, though still proceeded to pick him up with a little wink, “Need some help?”
Jeffrey chuckled nervously, twiddling his thumbs for a moment before cringing as pain ricocheted over his jaw and he whined, “Please?” absolutely not pathetically.
“Can’t believe we have three children with us.” Bentio muttered, climbing up the staircase with a little more care as the others followed.
“Three?” Diego asked after him, was a raised a finger in the air, “You don’t mean me-”
“If you have to ask…” Benito smirked down at the man for a second before climbing again, catching up with Micael, “So what the fuck was that about, huh?”
Lucie nodded behind them, “Yes, Micael, we need answers. If there was growling-”
“There was!” Jeffrey said insistently from Luis’s arms. It was a touch awkward considering he didn’t really know where he stood with the other man, but being in someone’s arms… protected… Yeah, Jeffrey could get used to this.
“Right if pizzaboy has an ounce of sanity left in that thick skull of his.” Benito rolled his eyes, “You need to explain or we’re going to-”
“Shut up!” Micael snapped as he opened the door to the top of the radio tower. “Look, it’s simple, if you all want to leave here, alive, we need to-” He walked over to the radio and fiddled with it, cursing to himself as it quickly became apparent to everyone that the power was out. “Shit!”
“Let me guess,” Lucie crossed her arms, “We need to go turn the power back on.”
“While he sits here, all pretty.” Benito snarked, looking over at her. “Just like last time.”
While a full scale argument broke out over the situation, Luis put him down at some point in between Micael’s third lackluster excuse and Benito’s umpteenth useless threat. He saw no reason to stay and listen, it reminded him too much of his parents so he walked out of the tower. He needed some air.
Jeffrey leaned against the railing, hands squeezed together tightly as he took a steadying breath. He’d never wished more than right now that he had Wallace, stroking his little fluffy head so the world would feel right again.
But he lost Wallace, lost him due to his own idiocy so- so- he would have to- to sober up and- and-
In the distance, Jeffrey heard a howl on the wind that caused him to hug himself as he searched the snowy landscape- eyes searching for- “W-what was that?” He whispered, noticing more so than ever the puffy clouds of his breath in the frigid weather.
“Probably just some wolf, calm your tits, pizzaboy.” Benito snapped, graciously taking the time to address him in the middle of his argument, returning it immediately after, though Jeffrey was really just surprised the other man had heard him at all.
Jeffrey nodded even though no one was looking at him, his gaze returning to the snow below just as he swore he caught sight of something moving, something alive . “Ya, ya… probably just a wolf…”
After things finally settled down, the decision was made to leave Emi with Micael while the rest of them risked their lives, again . Jeffrey was reluctant to leave the tower, still feeling unnerved from the earlier growls, now howls . The presence of a wolf or whatever other feral animal it might have been was still cause for concern, wasn’t it? He just didn't want to be mauled, that's not crazy . But there wasn’t really any other options unless he wanted to sit and relive his childhood listening to Benito and Micael squabble, and the rest of the group seemed pretty set on turning the power back on if it finally got them the fuck out of here- Thus, he was back in the snow, traveling to the Igneus Station.
Inside it had been largely abandoned- well, not abandoned, perhaps devoid of life. People had lived here, and seemingly died here too, the evidence smeared across every surface in sight. Death’s presence hung heavy over the building, like a miasma, thick in the air. Blood, fresh and old, dripped from every crevice while other splatters were frozen solid, as though the violent scene had been preserved and paused in time. The churn of Jeffrey's stomach was inevitable as he felt the wet weight of rot surrounding him on all sides, wondering if someone else would come in here and see his insides painting the walls after him.
There was a noise in the back of the electrical room and everyone held their breaths-
He didn’t want to die- not here, not now- He’d already been close once today-
Luis, fearless as ever, stepped forward, fists raised as they all simultaneously clocked that the sound had been the shaking of a locker tucked into the corner- they weren't alone in here, there was a man-
“Hands up!” The stranger had roared, Jeffrey and the others all followed his order without hesitation, the shotgun in their faces made it pretty tough to disagree.
“Who the fuck are you all?” He was suddenly more quiet, eyes narrowed but noticeably panicked,Jeffrey let the others do the talking, he didn't want to fuck with strange men and their shotguns. It took a bit but eventually the gun was lowered and the supposed janitor was able to explain a bit about the room they had found themselves in, handing Jeffrey a manual for the electrical box.
Jeffrey didn't get long to look over the unpleasant sight of symbols of wires and fuses as their tentative peace was cut short.
THUMP
Something heavy landed above their heads and Pete’s eyes widened, his knuckles whitening over the shotgun.
Low but no less booming, the unknown creature’s choked snuffles and snarls reverberated through the cramped room, the hairs across Jeffrey's arms stood on end as the beast above them stomped and slithered around in erratic movements over their head. Jeffrey felt his heart pick up and accelerate, unable to stop the startled squeak that escaped him when there was a bang above them. He would've been embarrassed if he weren't so terrified, resolving to shove his hands over his mouth in hopes to muffle his rapid breathing.
“Shut the fuck up.” Pete whispered harshly, shoving Jeffrey’s head as he walked quietly towards the center of the group, “Look, you need the power back right? There’s the box.” He gestured to an electrical box that Jeffrey was all too familiar with the sight of. “I’ll watch the door.” Pete held his shotgun tight as he stood by the door.
“I don’t know how to handle wires- what is this?” Benito whispered, face incredulous.
Lucie frowned, “Look, if we want to survive, we need to do this, so suck it up.”
Jeffrey’s eyes widened and he stepped forward, keeping his voice hushed and steady as his trembling lips would allow, “I can do this.”
“We’re going to put our lives in the hands of fucking pizzaboy?” Came Benito’s predictable skepticism and the disbelief on everyone’s faces nearly made him back down but-
You’ll never amount to anything.
“Listen, I know I’ve let us down a lot but- I’ve got experience with electrical wires.” Jeffrey put his foot down, “My father owns an electrical company-”
“And you’re a pizzaboy?” Diego raised a brow as he whispered.
Jeffrey deflated, “Well, he said I wasn’t good enough to be in the company-” Memories of short circuits and sparking wires flooded his mind for a moment before he shoved them away, cringing a bit.
Even Luis smirked a bit at his statement, “I don’t know why, you seem very intelligent.”
Jeffrey raised his hands, “You know what, I’m not only going to prove you all wrong, I’m going to prove my dad wrong.” He gave to Diego the manual Pete gave them, “Please, just, tell me what it says and I’ll connect them.” He crouched over the panel, cringing at the creaking noise it gave and the creature shambled louder over their heads.
After giving the manual a hurried once over, Diego started to whisper to him the instructions, “The red cable into the symbol that resembles a two…” Jeffrey followed them dutifully, but he couldn’t help but notice the slight hum under his fingers as the electricity swirled inside. It was oddly comforting and he wondered if it was nostalgia from his father’s teachings or something else- something a bit more… foreign of a feeling.
Jeffrey grabbed the purple wire, following Diego’s-
Something in the air shifts and all too quickly the consistent flow of stable energy pulses -
BZZT!
Jeffrey gasped, falling backward as the electricity shocked through his body and centered in his head. The world spun around him as he laid on the floor clutching his chest, blinking rapidly to rid himself of the black spots that sprouted across his vision.
A low rumble from directly above his head- Jeffrey shut his eyes, biting his lip as everyone panicked as quietly as one could around him but that all melted away to the thrum of his own heart, keeping a hand on his chest even as Lucie walked over to him, whispering, “Are you okay, Jeffrey? Are you okay?”
When he finally managed to sit up, he checked to make sure he didn’t destroy the electrical box like he had so many other things- it was why he’d kept his phone despite the danger earlier. It was specially made since he was prone to frying most tech for some reason, but thankfully it seemed like he hadn’t destroyed it.
Lucie took over, it only made sense. He was injured, and he could've fried the whole system, he shouldn't be left to fumble with the wires again. His ego didn't matter with all their lives on the line, especially with whatever was lurking on the other side of the ceiling with just the roof separating them and it .
The wires connected and their group was directed towards an innocuous looking red button now lit with an ominous glow, Jeffrey would've made a joke about big red buttons and their not so safe reputation if he hadn't just been shocked stupid. But there's no time for that as with a few uncertain looks shared between the group Luis takes the leap and pushes the button.
With a mechanical roar the machine chugs to life though Jeffrey can hardly hear it over the terrified thump of his own heart. Too loud, way too-
The creature slammed down on the ceiling above, a howl vibrated loudly around them, bouncing off the cold metal walls and resonating deep in their skulls.
“Hide!” Pete ordered, staying by the door. “Go fucking hide, right now!”
Jeffrey didn’t see where the others else ran, it was every man for himself as he scrambled towards the nearest locker. Diego shoved himself into the tight space shortly after and the two held their breath as they closed the locker and could do nothing but wait.
Lights extinguished, total darkness washed over the room. A deceptive quiet filled the station. It's out there, Jeffrey felt its presence. Not for the first time that night he wished he were back home in Mexico, even back with his parents. Delivering shitty pizza in his shitty car, living his shitty life, but at least that life wasn't in threat back when his biggest worries were losing his fortnite game or the stupid nightmares.
If he made it out of this alive the nightmares were the least of his worries, this was a real monster and there's no waking up. The ground trembled, the creature must have leapt from the roof- only a door separated them and it, the same deep inverted breathing followed now by a stench of rotten flesh. Jeffrey fought the urge to gag , biting into his palm to muffle it.
There's a terrible creaking as that door that kept the beast away, their final fragile line of defense, slowly opened. Jeffrey didn't dare look.
Putrid breath, the silent scrape of claws, something terribly wrong but inevitable, it enters.
The shotgun goes off, the split second of explosive light filters in through the locker just enough for Jeffrey to see Diego's expression of startled horror, he's certain his own face must match as they both jolt. “Now I got you, motherfucker!” A second shot, another, another. Each accompanied by the slick squelch of shotgun shells spraying into flesh, blood and bone. That rancid rotting scent grows sweet with the taste of fresh iron and gunpowder.
More shots fire but the beast doesn't fall, not as Pete's ammo runs dry, not as his shouts become screams. Dragged away, begging for help, disappearing into the distance.
There was a tense several minutes of perfect stillness, all of them too scared to move an inch in case the thing came back for seconds, but as the cold dead air slowly settled, eventually they all left their hiding spots and stared into one another’s hollow eyes.
Even though shortly after, Benito found and carried the shotgun, none of them felt safer.
Jeffrey had no intentions of ever meeting that thing, but something in his gut told him this wasn't the end, only the beginning of their torment.
The next while was a blur for Jeffrey, his one moment of focus being to get the group to the dormitory where they met another unfortunate soul stuck with them. Carol, a class D worker, and thankfully someone who could explain to them what they needed to do to get the fuck out of this place.
The group was split just as the beast returned, climbing over them, breathing heavy and deep- growling as though intentionally declaring itself, wanting them to know it was coming , wanting them afraid- It made him shiver, made him wince at the tiniest of noises. If Jeffrey had been paranoid before- it was doubled now.
Somehow and someway, the trio of Jeffrey, Luis and Diego managed to get out back into the snow and the growling that pricked his ears in all the wrong ways was left behind. The three men sighed, shoulders slacking as Jeffrey led them through the snow towards the warehouse of Glacius station.
However, their journey was halted at the sight before them.
Jeffrey's seen corpses before, in movies, on TV, funerals, even recently in all the horrors he’d experienced so far, and yet this one, this slab of meat sporting a familiar yellow jacket- He almost didn’t believe the carnage before him could be a corpse, if he hadn't seen Pete mere minutes ago, talked to him- He probably wouldn't be able to imagine this thing could've ever even been human, closer to a sack of skin with it's contents spilled out into the snow.
Red stretched out far in all directions, too far, following a blood trail with his eyes Jeffrey swears he could see a finger half buried a few feet away.
This wasn't murder, Pete was tortured. Clawed to shreds, pulled apart. Torn in two.
Bile churns in his stomach and Jeffrey prays he isn't sick a third time tonight but throughout all the terrors he'd witnessed this might be the most deserving.
Luis put a hand on his shoulder, “There’s nothing we can do for him. We should move.”
Diego nodded, “We need to get to the button before that thing finds the others.”
Jeffrey gulped, his fingers tightening around the map, but he nodded and the trio set off again.
Behind them, a howl- and Jeffrey sped up.
Thankfully their journey wasn’t far and in no time they stood in front of the elevator. It was an uneventful ride down to the somehow ever colder warehouse, Luis splitting off from the other two as they found medkits to heal themselves.
“I’m not a doctor.” Jeffrey said to Diego, “But I mean, couldn’t do worse than Doc right?” He chuckled, taking out a roll of bandage to mend himself with.
Diego snorted, “I trust you and Lucie far more than I trust him, that’s for sure.”
Jeffrey chuckled at that then looked down at his injuries, pressing down on a wound-
The dog wailed and whimpered in pain. Jeffrey put its massive head over his lap, looking over at the various wounds covering so much of its pelt. He pressed down on it, ripping off his jacket in a fruitless effort to save his-
Jeffrey blinked, stumbling backward as he gasped and hit his shoulder on one of the metal shelves. It shook, bits of dust fluttering off it and over their heads as he clutched his forehead. A sudden migraine or- something-
He must have studied how to treat animals once- a long time ago, but his memories were still… still so scrambled… He didn't know why now of all times his amnesia would abruptly decide to right itself. He didn't want to think about it, his head hurt…
“You alright, Jefrrey?” Diego’s concerned eyes made him straighten up.
He breathed out shakily, “Ya, ya, I’m fine just… I think… I know how to help us better now.” Jeffrey finished up his arm, making the most professional looking bandage yet. He couldn’t help but smile a bit, even more so when Diego gapped in amazement.
“Oh, you’re definitely better than Benito now.” He grinned at Jeffrey.
It took a little fiddling, but then Diego was sporting his own nice new bandages over his injuries. All of them looked much better, though the only way to really heal them would be time.
The only thing left would be to-
“Oh, here.” Diego shoved something into his hands and he looked down curiously to see a- perfume bottle? “I don’t know what to do with it.”
“I don’t either-” His brows scrunched up. Oh, hey! Maybe he could overpower some of that awful rotten flesh stink, or die smelling pretty. Maybe the fucked up wolf monster thingy wouldn't eat him if he reeks of petunias, normal wolves do have a real strong sense of smell… “Thanks.” He said, smiling up at Diego, trying to hide how the gears in his head were turning which wasn’t hard for him.
Maybe it could come in useful- Sure he was being a little selfish keeping it to himself, but Jeffrey wanted to survive.
Diego shrugged, “Sure man, now let’s go catch up to Luis.”
Catching up to Luis meant finishing the reason they were there in the first place. A quick press and the power reactivated, and with it the HVAC system. In other words, the reason they survived this station the first time. It was a mad dash out of the warehouse with Diego slipping on the ice and nearly busting his head open. Luis pulled him back on his feet and the trio made it to the elevator just in time for Jeffrey to slam his finger against the up button over and over and over again-
But the virus wasn't far behind, mindlessly clawing after them , climbing the elevator shaft-
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Luis shot down at the virus, tongue jutting out of his mouth until the monster retreated just as the elevator docked at the top. The trio scrambled out of the place gasping and panting as the adrenaline from the chase wore down.
Diego patted Jeffrey’s shoulder, slurring his words as he said, “Well, that wasn’t so bad.”
They all laughed, exhaustion and weariness settled into their bones, it felt nice to finally laugh a bit. Luis wiped his eyes, “Yes, I think we choose the right place to go to.”
“This was easy.” Jeffrey agreed, “So what now, back to the others?” to the danger?
Before anyone could answer, there was a sudden change in lighting and Jeffrey thought for a moment a cloud must've blocked the moonlight, but as Diego and Luis’ faces morphed into that of horror looking up over the elevator they had just exited, Jeffrey knew.
That deep rumbling growl-
Jeffrey sucked in his breath slowly as though it would wait for him, looking into the face of the shadow in all its gruesome and gory detail.
The monster, the beast, their nightmare-
Cold and soulless violet eyes.
