NOT HUMAN

Chapter 32 - Old mansion

The group of seven was sprinting through the heavily covered woods and trying to escape a vicious pack of Oculos. It was noon. Cherry was dragging behind the group. She had caught her foot on an outgrown trunk and landed face-first into the rough surface of the reddish dirt. She winced at the stinging pain. She knew the impact cut her face up pretty well.

"Help guys!" She bellowed for her fellow teammates, but sadly not in time. She was trying to escape and got her foot unstuck finally, but found herself circled by Oculos.

"Don't please!" She pleaded as the towering alien grasped her arms and picked her up raising her to the gray sky. It looked like it was going to pour some rain again.

"No!" Andy whipped her head around. She was in mid-run when she heard her friend's plea for help, and she saw an Oculos with red eyes holding Cherry. She wasn't close enough when it happened.

The creature bit into her shoulder, seeping its long fangs into her flesh, and green acid burned her skin. The pain was excruciating... The whole team turned their attention to it and stopped running.

"Cherry!" They all beckoned.

Zane alert and ready carried his rifle steady in his hands and took a lucky shot. The salt bullet struck the Ocuolos's face, and the salt burst inside its flesh. There was an ugly blistering, and bubbling of gray skin. The Oculos growled fiercely, dropping Cherry from 7ft.

Trey pumped his legs to move faster, and he managed to catch her in his arms landing harshly in the dirt. Cherry crashed on him, and his back took the impact of their fall. "Ouch." He groaned, cringing at the uncomfortable ache in his back.

The pink-haired girl raked dirt out of her long tresses and wiped her eyes of free-falling tears. She tried not to look down but her eyes moved on their own and met his. 'God, damn it.' She cursed under her breath. Her cheeks tinted red instantly to her mortification.

Trey peered up at her waiting or expecting her to move already. "You're welcome to sit on me all day, but later please." He gave her a wink, and she responded by getting up quickly and averting her eyes.

"Thanks." She mumbled, her hands clinging to her injured shoulder. He nodded at her 'no problemo'

Then back to the present situation. They all were surrounded by the Oculos.

"Should we maybe come back for the spaceship another time?" Nixon asked, his eyes darting back and forth to their exit and the direction of the mansion that held the ship in it. The one the group came for.

"No, wussy. We got a mission at hand." Jax made a nasty snarl with his throat like an animal. For once Zane agreed with him.

"He's right," Zane stated, aiming for another Oculos hitting spot on causing him to squeal in pain at the salt bullet impact, and after the effect making ugly blisters.

"We are not leaving until the spaceship is ours," Blade spoke up in a very stern voice, a new determination soaking it. He would do anything to get Lily back, and he wasn't going to give up ever.

Not a chance. He won't lose her the second time.

"Oh, god, that looks bad," Angelica remarked at Cherry's bad shoulder. "Here, let me." she ushered the poor girl to take a seat against the tree trunk away from all the action so she could tend to the nasty bite mark.

She first tore the clothing off the shoulder taking the short-pink top sleeve to clean off her left shoulder, and revealing the entire damage that was dealt to it. It was inflamed, red, and swollen with deep teeth markings on it.

The redhead carefully took out the first aid kit, first, applying disinfecting ointment causing Cherry to moan in pain, and claw at her. "Calm down, bite on this." She handed the girl a part of the sleeve and she chewed down on it fiercely. Then after cleaning and wiping the wound she took the sleeve and wrapped it around the shoulder tightly knotting it to stop any more bleeding and protect it.

Trey took to stand by for the two girls guarding them against the Oculos. He killed two Oculos shooting them down with two bullets. Their gray skin smoldered and turned a black-burnt color as they slowly died.

Zane, Andy, Nixon, Blade, and Jax killed all the Oculos. In total nine of them. Finally, they finished the slaughter, feeling no guilt for the Oculos nearly killing their friend Cherry.

Blade slung his rifle back on his broad shoulders, and sighed in exhaustion. They just kept coming, more and more of them. He paid attention to the numbers increasing each day. The Oculos were trying to conquer Earth. He wouldn't allow for it. They had to stop them. And do something. Anything. But for now, he needed to save Lily.

"Let's get a move on guys." He marched on forwards treading down a clear path leading them to their destination finally.

There it was the old mansion, its black exterior, and shadowy, mysterious appearance. It sure did look abandoned, and it shattered his heart to look at it and realize it was the last place his dad took his very last breath. It was the place where they started their studies, research, and alien progress. His father gave him the title of lead scientist.

He allowed him to pursue his career selfishly, and he accepted it. Knowing he was disappointing his dad in the progress of his pleasure trip and glee of gaining knowledge and learning new things. Nothing to do with the family business being the CEO of the company.

There suddenly were trickles of water dropping down on him. It soaked his white shirt, and his light camo shorts, and filled up his running shoes with muddy water. The weather continues getting hotter, and hotter. And now they expected more rainfall.

He relished in it though catching a surprised look from his crew. He smiled imagining Lily dripping wet from the rain head to toe and giggling like a small kid dancing in the rain. Her smile was contagious.

But that daydream lasted only five seconds when it hit him hard; the cold reality of his situation. She was gone.

The pretty ambitious girl, with wavy blindingly bright blond hair, and silver eyes that'd pierce his heart. He truly missed her.

"We moving yet?" Zane grazed his hands on his shoulder earning a jump from him. He zoned out for a moment no less.

"Yes, we are." Blade nods shaking his head at pointless thoughts. The sky was smoky, and thundering, earning some flinching from poor Angelica. She was like a skittish cat. Anything made her jump and cry out.

Why was she like that? Zane wondered as his eyes curiously wandered to her small figure walking in front of him. He wanted to stay back so he could keep an eye on her. To keep her safe.

Andy skipped in puddles up ahead, humming a tune to a song. She had her short hair pulled back in a tiny ponytail. Her brownish hair was growing longer brushing her shoulders now. Nixon trailed back glaring at Jax's towering figure lurking in front of him. He started growing a strong hatred for the guy. It was very unlike him to do so. However, Jax was unbearably annoying, rude, and insensitive. He was the worst.

Cherry was the farthest back, the last one and she was moving slowly with the aid of Trey who had his arms under hers and was supporting some of her weight. Her shoulder was bandaged up and healing ever so slowly.

"Thank you." She croaked out weakly.

Trey gave her a toothy smile. "It's not a big deal."

They all advanced the doors to the old mansion wondering what awaited them in there.

Hello, readers!!

Hope you enjoyed this chap!

Have a nice day!! Until next time.