I'm No Newbie (3)
How did it know?
Hearing? Smell? Or…
A massive arm whistled just over my head, slamming brutally into the wall.
The vibration surged up from the floor through my body—a shock that could've turned me into ground meat if I'd been a split second slower.
If I don't get the hell out of here fast, I'm dead.
I summoned every ounce of strength, blasting repulsion force to hurl my body away.
I skidded across the floor like I'd slipped on ice.
The distance between us yawned open rapidly.
But I couldn't assume the thing was slow. No intel on whether it could actually run.
So... now was the time to learn that the hard way, firsthand.
Because if I didn't, I'd end up joining the skeletons scattered around here as family.
I didn't know if there was an afterlife, but I sure as hell didn't want soldiers coming to greet me there.
"Fuck... no way I can outrun this on foot."
Even in the dark, I could tell it moved faster than a normal person sprinting, and it was right on my heels—slow the tiniest bit, and my skull would split open.
But if I could just escape the bunker, I'd figure something out.
The second basement level was huge, and the thing didn't seem like it could climb up the elevator shaft.
So... max speed. No holding back.
Like when I busted out of the Research Institute, I shoved my body with everything I had.
A bit more.
Just a little more.
Just a...
My shoulders ached fiercely.
Was this my body's limit?
Gripping the flashlight, I hit the button.
Sudden light flooded the space. Its eyes were degenerated, so as long as I didn't shine it directly, I'd have the vision advantage.
The instant I confirmed I'd cleared the bunker, I forced my body upright and broke into a run.
My footsteps and its heavy thuds echoed deafeningly through the parking lot.
Instinct dropped me to my knees.
A chilling whoosh grazed my head.
The second it passed overhead, I loaded repulsion into my feet and leaped upward as high as I could.
A pro basketball jump.
Hands hit the ceiling; I unleashed attraction force and stuck there like a spider, holding my breath.
"Don't... go..."
A goosebump-inducing voice rasped right below me. Grimacing at the stench, I held perfectly still, not even letting my breath touch it.
How long did I hang there?
After what felt like eternity, I finally dropped to the floor.
The gear's weight made it brutal to hold.
Pushing with repulsion was manageable, but sticking with attraction? Still clumsy as hell.
Repulsion was just brute force; attraction needed finesse, or it'd rip the skin right off me.
Moving carefully to the elevator without a sound, I crept forward.
The nose-burning stink during the crawl was pure torture.
So foul I'd lost the ability to even register it properly.
First thing after this: fresh air. One of the few perks of this less-polluted world—cleaner skies.
Sure, even before possession, forests and mountains were great, but...
I slipped into the elevator shaft and peered up.
Roughly fifty meters high.
Climbing with full gear? Dizzying just thinking about it.
Already burned a ton of stamina fleeing; not sure I could do it in one go.
...Still gotta try.
Covering my nose with my sleeve, I took a deep breath, planted my right foot on the wall, then left, and started vertical walking.
One step, two, three.
Not fast, but steady pace.
This should work.
Right as relief washed over me—
"Let's... be one..."
The eerie voice echoed from directly below, bouncing off the tight space.
Chills raced up my spine.
No fucking way...
I flicked on the flashlight and looked down.
"...Fuck."
Persistent bastard.
Confirming the monster scaling the elevator wall, I bolted upward along it.
Body screaming in pain, but stop now and I'm done.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck...!"
I'm not some horror game protagonist—why the hell am I in a chase like this?!
Sure, I snuck into its turf, but this is bullshit!
Swallowing my silent scream, I raced toward the faint light above.
Gear weighing down my shoulders, back, hips—everything hurt like hell, but secondary issue.
Sweat poured off me like rain.
Still, my efforts paid off; the first-floor elevator entrance loomed closer.
Once up there...
Up there?
If it keeps chasing, being up won't mean shit!
Need to shake it somehow!
I sprinted into the first-floor entrance, mind racing.
That monster.
Kill it or trap it below—need a way.
But how?
Nothing in my gear guarantees real damage.
It's bear-sized; no fist-sized tool's gonna dent it.
So... something that could actually hurt it.
Like... an elevator.
Drop that on it, even that thing won't survive.
No elevator on B2, the lowest; maybe one stuck above.
Decision made—I hit first floor, ditched the gear, and climbed back up the shaft.
This one's intact; lighter body made it easier. Lucky.
Second floor.
Third.
Fourth.
Found it.
I spotted the half-wedged elevator and squeezed through the tilted gap.
Dark interior visible through the open door.
A corpse slumped inside the cramped space.
Sorry, no time to pray for your soul—the noisemaker below's too scary.
I pried open the hatch and climbed atop.
First thing: the cables holding it up.
Cut those, and down it goes? Some rusted to hell, two barely hanging on.
But can I even sever them?
I jumped a few times to test—shakes, but no drop.
Not enough.
"Noise... coming..."
Fuck.
Already here.
Balancing on the shaking elevator, it seemed to be gripping the bottom.
Ruins my plan.
...Wait, no.
It's hanging on—that adds load.
I grabbed a cable with my hands and stomped the ceiling hard with my feet.
To bait it up here.
It took the bait.
"Lonely... let's... be one!"
The elevator rocked wildly. Its bulk alone probably maxed the weight limit, thrashing to climb.
I clung to the cable, enduring the sway atop, still pounding the ceiling.
How long did I hammer?
Suddenly, the whole thing tilted.
Now!
I kicked off the ceiling and stuck to the wall.
Instantly, a sharp crash roared below.
"Suc—fuck no."
Against expectations, the elevator descended slowly. That thing's holding it back?
At this rate, it'll snag me on the way down.
...Gotta gamble again.
Deep breath—I leaped toward the now half-floor-down elevator.
Reckless drop.
Repulsion on upper body, attraction on feet.
Accelerating midair, I plummeted.
Faster, faster!
My body smashed into the elevator roof. The impact from above startled it—it screeched.
And the sound started fading away.
"...Whew, fuck."
Stuck to the wall with attraction, I let out a sigh of relief.
That big a crash? No way it's fine.
"...Gonna crash hard when I get back."
No way I'm doing this shit again.
I descended toward where I'd left my gear.