CITY DOOM

Chapter 4

It's been two days since that disastrous event, but the case has gotten worse. Multiple creature sightings have been reported all over the middle and inner rings. Some of the creatures fit the description of the animals in my dreams. Although this time they could kill me, they could be killed and dispatched by force too. The question that bothers me is: Why is it that they did nothing about it? And where did they come from? The sun's light was projected inside the room while I was staring at the wall, trying to connect all my thoughts to give clarity to my vision. I am exhausted due to the restless nights that I had. My thoughts were voluntarily visiting my head, as if they needed to be addressed right away. There I was, sitting in the corner of the room, feeling lifeless and undriven to do something significant, wallowed by the cynical thoughts that I had. Now I could feel the condition of the room getting worse as the sun fully emerged from its slumber. I needed to get out of these underpants and do something productive as I reconfigured my life's intentions. I looked at my well-built body in the mirror while my memory redirected me back to when we were chased by that creature, and I did nothing. I felt ashamed just thinking about it. I thought I was brave enough to face that kind of situation, but the real thing was just too scary to drag me down. Just as I took my towel beside the bed to get ready to do my duty, the doorknob shook as if someone were trying to enter the room, but who could it be? Dric and Rik were busy attending to the needs of the refugees and the numerous issues that needed to be fixed. I looked at the doorknob, which was still grumbling as if someone were forcefully twisting and pulling it from the outside. My mind was puzzled, and I started to get mixed emotions. It suddenly stopped, and the room was filled with silence again. Wanting to know what's outside, my inquisitiveness kicks in. I searched for things that could protect me in case of any attacks, but nothing could be used inside the room, so I decided to use my bare hands. I tacked my arms to my core and closed my hands near my face, ready to knock someone out. I approached the door gently so that my surprise attack would not be exposed. I stopped in front of the door and listened for any sign of life on the opposite side. As I reached for the doorknob, someone sprinted and quickly opened the door. I was startled, so I rapidly released my punch without seeing who the victim was. By the time the door hit my face, I felt something collide with my fist. The door's impact was so strong that it knocked me down and caused severe pain in my forehead; thankfully, it didn't lead to any serious injuries. As the pain subsided, I could hear someone sobbing in agony beyond the door. Even though I hadn't fully recovered, I reached for the knob to check who was on the other side of the door. I was astounded by the scene that I witnessed. Rik was lying on the floor, holding his bleeding nose, while cursing me. I'd never seen Rik bleed out that much. I helped Rik stand up and steered him towards the bed while apologizing for what I did. I offered him some cloth to blot his bleeding nose.

"I'm so sorry, Rik!" I exclaimed. "I thought someone was trying to force its way in." Rik's nose finally stopped bleeding. "How did you open the door?"

"It was open the whole time, Skye," Rik grumbled. "What's wrong with you?"

"I think my mind was playing tricks with me," I replied. "Why are you in such a hurry, Rik?" My mind was still pondering what had happened.

Rik's expression began to brighten. "Have you heard the news?"

I frowned. "What news?"

He stood and took a sheet of paper from his pocket. "We have a mission, Skye." He sounded so happy. He handed the paper to me and went through everything.

"The higher-ups ordered all seventeen and above to hunt the creatures down, and whoever caught one will be trained and perhaps sent outside of the doom to gather data," Rik exclaimed. "Now we can fulfill your childhood dream, Skye."