Extermination Part II

TerrorFirmer

The original piece of Extermination can be found in my sig, "Fear will find you".

This is tied in with the first part. At this stage they aren't interlinked to a stage where the reading of both is necessary.

Any opinions welcome. Including criticism. Thanks.

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The room is cold. Too cold. I don't know quite what to do from here so keep my rifle pointed at Bex, whilst slowly walking backwards towards the girl.

"Drop it!" Bex screams again.

I ignore him. I slowly extend my rifle with one hand and feel around with the other one behind me, not daring to take even the slightest glance to my rear.

"Girl, take my hand." I say calmly, holding my hand steady. I feel a small, clammy palm grasp my own frantically.

"No survivors, Saanker!" Bex says strongly, lowering his voice now that the child is in my posession. He doesn't lower his assault rifle however and takes another step towards me.

There is now at most four metres between us. The illuminous light above continues to flicker in random patterns.

"Fuck you!" I say with venom, my mouth turning into a snarl. I can feel animal instinct rising up in me.

"You won't get out of here alive, Saanker." Bex replies, his body rigid in a tactical stance.

I don't reply. I don't where this is going to go. I have no plan.

The transmitter on the steel table bursts into static. Both of us instinctively glance at it; but its unattainable, out there in what is essentially no mans land in the small gulf between us. The static fades and then dies completely.

For a second the light flickers and then dies completely for what seems like an eternity. My heart begins to thump wildly in my chest, and just as I almost let loose with a pre-emptive burst from my weapon in panic, the light blinks once more to reveal Bex still standing where he was two seconds previously, rifle still held high.

He smiles. "Don't get too nervous now." he says calmly. "Rest of the squad are probably en route as we speak."

The only way out of this room is the main door, and Bex is in my way. Our way.

The transmitter bursts into life again and once more it's nothing but static. Bex doesn't show it but I can tell he is starting to panic. The fake smile he gives as as transparent as water. The interference increases in pitch then fades away once more.

It has almost disappeared completely when a hideous jumbled screeching sound tears through the room. It sounds like crumpling metal and it tears into my head instantly, sending a white flash of pain across my vision.

And it's coming from the transmitter.

Bex doesn't move, but I can see the sweat forming on his brow as he winces and almost at once, I know.

The rest of the squad aren't coming.

They're dead.

It takes me a few seconds to realise the girl isn't holding my hand anymore. The familar warm feeling is gone as the cool air rushes around my exposed palm. She's walking slowly towards the transmitter, the cuddly bear dangling by her side, trailing listlessly across the blood that snakes across the white floor.

I can hear her humming something, oblivious to the screeching sound, ignorant of the fact that both Bex and I are now almost on our knees in agony. It feels like my ears are about to bleed. I drop my assault rifle and clasp my hands over my ears, trying to stop the burning pain that rips through me.

I don't even have to look to know Bex is doing the same.

The sound suddenly stops. There is brief static from the transmitter and then all is silent. I clench my teeth and look up, slowly lowering my hands from my head and I scramble for my rifle.

Bex is half crouched, a thin line of blood seeping down from his right ear. And his rifle is pointed straight at me.

"Don't even think about it." he grins.

I feel my stomach sink. I don't want him to pull that trigger. I don't want to die, even if I do know it was a risk I had already previously accepted.

For a second it seems the light is briefly shining brighter then usual before it reverts to it's old pattern. Every interval of brightness sees Bex creeping closer to me, tactically, rifle pointed expertly. The light makes it look like he's moving faster then he actually is, every step is like two.

"Stop." the girl says.

Bex stops and looks at her, his attention instantly averted. I don't even try to get up.

The light blinks rapidly and then stays constant, bathing the room in a dull glow. Both of us stare in dread.

Her dress, white a few seconds previous, is now a decaying cream colour, streaked with crimson gore. She smiles, her pink tongue running over black, rotting teeth.

"Fear will find you." she says simply, her voice suddenly turning from that of a young child to a hoarse whisper.

Bex opens up with his assault rifle. The lights turn off completely, and the entire area is lit up in a dull orange muzzle flash as Bex sprays the area in front of him, the thumping dry rattle filling the room as riochets whine off the huge metallic storage freezers. There is an audible click as he reaches the end of his magazine, and once more we are plunged into darkness. I can almost hear the last ejected shell as it spins slowly around on itself on the dirty floor.

For a second there is nothing. I lie on the ground expectantly, my heart thumping like a freight train, the feeling of dread forming a sinking hard knot in my stomach.

The light flashes briefly, and I cannot help myself from screaming. The storage freezers are no longer the spotless metallic they were a few minute ago. They are now a deep rustic orange, flaking metal peeling off in sections like paper. The table is leaning to one side, dried blood clearly visible on its heavily corroded surface.

The girl is standing in front of Bex, and she is unharmed. She smiles, revealing once more her black teeth, from which, it almost seems crude oil is oozing. A sickening smell is starting to seep into my nostrils. There is something underneath her dirty blood streaked dress, a pulsating lump that almost looks like some abomination trying to escape her stomach.

""Fear will find you." She says, and takes a step forward. The lights turn off again. And then there is nothing.

"Fuck." Bex whimpers. I can hear him shuffling around as he fumbles with a new magazine. Out of nowhere, comes a splatter of warm thick liquid that washes over my entire face, filling my mouth and stinging my vision and sending me reeling in shock. There is a rough scraping sound of something crawling along the floor and I wheel backwards on my behind, frantically wiping the blood from my face. The sound of flesh being torn from bone that fills the room is sickening and I feel vomit creeping up my throat.

I'm afraid.

I don't say anything. I don't know if I could even if I wanted to. It seems like an eternity I am sitting there on the ground, trembling, the taste of vomit in my mouth, the feeling of warm urine soaking into my pants. Alone.

The light comes back on. The girl is right in front of me, smiling.

And her teeth are white. Her dress is white and her stomach is as flat as it ever was. The floor is white, the freezers are their usual clean self, and their hum is clearly audible.

"The rest of your squad aren't dead." the girl says, cocking her head to one side. "Do you know why?"

I turn my head slightly. Bex is dead. He is almost in two pieces, half propped up against the wall, his torso jutting at an akward angle from his legs, the huge gaping wound seeping a pool of blood upon which rests what looks like the large majority of his insides.

I don't know if I'm supposed to answer. She seems to expect me too. I try to open my mouth and all that comes out is a hoarse moan.

"No." I mange eventually, fear stricken, still unable to grasp the proper use of my speech.

For a second she changes, the milky white teeth filling up with black, her hair becoming thin and greasy, her face becoming lined with wrinkles, unnatural groves filled with black dirt. In front of my eyes, underneath the flickering light, the storage freezers go silent, and begin to discolour, the strong metal weakening and denting.

I blink. The light flickers. Any everything is normal.

Her smile widens. She leans closer and I automatically draw my head backwards.

"Because you haven't killed them yet." she whispers.

TerrorFirmer

No comments? I'm thinking of making a return to this.

Matt Holck

that with which I will put

I don't reply. I don't where this is going to go. I have no plan.

go on then