𝙻𝙸𝙵𝙴𝙻𝙴𝚂𝚂 𝙷𝙴𝙸𝚁//𝙿𝙹𝙼 𝙵𝙵

• The Dead Chromosome•

The forest felt like it was closing in as they rode deeper. Leon is now sitting behind Taehyung, with arms tightly secured around the man's waist. The night dawned like a blinding blanket, void of noise and comfort.

They had face scarves masking their breath to avoid catching anyone's attention but every now and then, there would be a screeching scream. They didn't want to find out if it was a human or something worse.

The towering trees became denser and soon enough, the last bit of glow from the moon was swallowed into dark trenches of unknown danger.

Taehyung tightened his grip on the reins only to feel a piercing pain tearing through his forearm. The bite invaded his veins like wildfire, spreading little by little but with the promise of eating his entire arm up soon. He had tightly secured it, painfully so, to cut off the blood circulation. He didn't know how much time he had but he would do whatever it takes to get Leon to safety.

"We'll take a rest here." Taehyung announced. They stopped by a small bunker made by the Venerian scouts, a cozy shelter for the night. They dismounted and entered the bunker with nothing but caution and exhausted bodies.

"Stay here, I need to scout the area." the Commander said as he slid a blade behind him and a hunting shotgun before locking the bunker. Leon only had the horse for comfort but it'll have to do.

Section 4 felt like an uncharted area for him but Taehyung had memorized it from the maps that the scouts drew. The markings left behind were a huge help but he wasn't here to explore the woods. He needed to find a quiet save to amputate his arm.

The cave he came across was nice and warm, just the spot to silent his agony. He tore a piece of cloth from his pants and bit harshly onto, muffling any noise he would make. He aligned the blade across his arm, just above where his veins were bulging in angry red and purple.

Just as he was about to slice through his skin, a scream sent shivers down his spine. It sounded like a kid crying. Taehyung dropped everything and rushed out of the cave, right into plain sight. In the moment of fear and adrenaline, he left his weapons in the cave.

"LEON!" He shouted. But as his voice echoed, his heart sank in realization and regret. He fell right into their sickening traps.

Right above him on the tree was a Mutant, dislocated jaw hanging with blood dripping down its chin. It must've had a fresh kill earlier, might even be a child. How fucking sickening.

"You fucking animal." Taehyung gritted before throwing the only dagger he had on him. The blade sliced the Mutant in the cheek as it leaped from the tree to attack the man.

Taehyung skillfully rolled away and dodged it. He scrambled onto his feet and headed straight for the bunker. This thing might be fast and strong but it definitely couldn't tear through the reinforced iron bunker.

Just when he was about to reach the gate, the Mutant pounced on him, knocking the breath out of him. Taehyung was sent tumbling across the ground before hitting a tree trunk. Blood spilled from the corners of his mouth and the sharp pain from his torso was an indication of a broken rib.

The Mutant didn't stop. It was cackling, excited to hunt and kill again. Taehyung was quick enough to throw a boulder at its running feet, making it stumble. It gave the man enough time to get up and dash for the bunker.

He could hear the Mutant hot on his heels, practically feeling its hot breath as it opened its jaw. He was reaching for the iron gate when it swung open, revealing an angry Leon with a...grenade?!

"DUCK!" Leon yelled. Taehyung dodged the flying grenade and landed in the bunker while the little boy threw the grenade right into the Mutant's mouth and shut the gate. There was a split second of silence before the grenade went off and the Mutant's head blew up and splattered all over the other side.