Just A Nightmare

Becoming One Of Them

November 30, 2056

in midair

2023 HOURS

Still Jack.

The sky's dark and a mist is covering the vicinity while our aircraft is in midair. Crows could be seen soaring the night sky. The moon is full and It kinda gives me a creepy feeling that something bad is gonna happen.

My eyes are sore from seeing darkness over and over again and I can't sleep. I'm too damn sleep that I yawn every minute, and it's hard to open my teary eyes. Just like always, they've fallen asleep and Mark is sleeping in the seat next to me.

We're about to reach the underground mine where we detected large amounts of Terrorclaws... and we also found traces of the Gargantuan.

We're just a few inches away... Oh, maybe a few kilometers.

2342 HOURS

on the way to an underground mine in New York, USA

The sky is filled with blackness while the stars serve as dim lights. The stars' reflection flickers in the foggy waters.

The darkness is blinding me.

We're just several minutes away from the undergound mine.

December 1, 2056

0003 HOURS

at the underground mine in New York, USA

I could hear their terrifying screams from this far. "Guys, we're here." Burns announced through the speaker. I grabbed my assault rifle and put a new magazine then I cleaned the dust with a towel. Everybody was packing their gear and getting ready to hunt the Gargantuan. Everyone's confident, including me, knowing that the Gargantuan is really in the mine.

Ten from the crew left the aircraft, including me, and we moved out to the dark paths to reach the underground mine. Groves, Miguel, John, and seven others were with me. We haven't reached the place but we have a tracking device that could help us get there.

"Beep... Beep..." The tracking device beeped silently, signaling that the destination is just several meters away.

After walking for ten minutes, the device beeped louder, signaling that we're just a few steps away. "Beep... Beep... Beep..."

Finally, we saw a cave-like opening in front of us, covered with a crushed metal barricade and barbed wire but there's a huge hole in the middle. I really think the Gargantuan is here.

We started hearing echoing shrieks and growls coming from the cave-like entrance while he heard drops of water falling from above the roof. I turned on the flashlight attachment on my assault rifle and we entered the mine.

The stair were leading us below, and it started to become colder and darker.

Shit. We started hearing the echoing shrieks again. But this time, a whole lot louder. Deafeningly loud. It was so bad that the ears of some of my teammates started bleeding. Their ears began to bleed and they screamed in pain. I covered my ears quickly in order to avoid such pain. Nevertheless, we walked deeper and deeper until we reached the heart of the cave. The shrieks gave me chills again.

"Wait for my signal before you fire at those devilish creatures." I commanded.

"On my signal. 3... 2... 1... Open fire."

"You heard the captain, fire at will!" yelled Groves.

We started firing at the Terrorclaws with our assault rifles, tearing up their rotten flesh with our bullets. They've fallen one by one. They shriek thunderously and tried to slay us with their deadly claws. To my surprise, one of them leaped in front of me that it almost killed me with its claws. Luckily, I dodged it and the killed it with a bullet to the head.

We succeeded in killing most of them, but they keep increasing. More Terrorclaws began emerging from the cracks of the cave walls and some began falling from the ceiling. We were in a pretty close fight. We were almost surrounded, but we struck them with the buttstocks of our guns and shot them in head as they fell to the ground.

I ran out of bullets while we were surrounded. While I was about to get a magazine from my pocket, a Terrorclaw jumped right in front of me and tried to slash me. I tried to dodge, but its claws hit me on my left arm.

When I was about to shoot it, another one appeared and bit me on the arm near the wrist. Oh fuck. My arm started bleeding. They didn't see what happened. Luckily. Wait a second. Did I just say "luckily?". No no no, this is not good. I covered my wound with the sleeves of my jacket and then continued to fight with the others, but I don't feel so good. It hurts, I feel like the wound is burning.

They killed all the Terrorclaws in the area but the Gargantuan was no where in sight. But then, the ground started shaking as we felt thunderous steps. A loud growl came from the Gargantuan... it's coming for us, but not this time. This is not a good time to fight it.

"Go on without me. Except you Miguel, you have to stay here. Everybody else, escape." I said.

"But sir." argued Groves.

"No. That is an order, Groves. Leave now and escape."

"Yes sir."

As the others left the cave, I told Miguel that we must leave also. "I have something important to tell you if we reach the surface but the others must not know."

After a few minutes dashing through the darkness of the cave and escaping from the Gargantuan, we reached the surface safe and sound. But not for me.

My head ached badly and I sat nearby a tree as I said to Miguel, "I have to tell you this because I know that you are the only that will understand me."

"What is it Jack?"

"I was bit." I said in a silent voice.

"What must we do?" He said.

"I want you to keep this a secret and don't tell the others unless I tell you to. If you can, help me find someone who can cure me. You can always call me, I have my phone with me always. Please protect my son, don't let them hurt him and use him against me. Whenever I need your help I will just send you the coordinates of my current location, I will be expecting you there."

"You can count on me. I promise." He replied.

"I don't want to become one of them..."

Before I could finish we were startled as somebody pointed their flashlight at us. It was the others. Colonel Arnold of Sector Beta was with them and they were armed, and with their guns pointed at us.

"What is happening here?" said Lieutenant Arnold.

"Jack, you have to leave now. Now." Miguel whispered.

I stood up from the ground and dashed to the nearby forest. They started firing their guns at me and bullets hit the surrounding trees. Fortunately I escaped.

I wonder what happened to Miguel. He was a true friend.

Blood dripped down my arms and then I slowly lost consciousness.

This is a really a nightmare. I'm just going to expect the worst.

TO BE CONTINUED...