Endless Summer

Cut and Run

In the abandoned emergency shelter, the massive, fanged beast stalks toward you. You and your friends slowly back away in terror.

"Nice kitty..." Jake holds out his hands defensively.

Aleister shakes his head. "This cannot be happening. It makes no logical sense!"

"Yeah?" Says Diego. "You wanna tell it that?"

The timid little fox you found climbs up your back, shivering in fear. The menacing beast focuses on you, its eyes alight, almost as if it remembers you. Baring its teeth, it looms closer to you and Quinn.

"Quinn! Get behind me!" You step between her and the beast just as it slashes with its claws, gashing your side.

"Y/N!" Quinn cries out.

You stagger back into Quinn's arms. "I'm okay, it's not deep."

The beast circles around, toying with you. Lila almost hyperventilates. "This thing is blocking the exit! We have to get around it!"

Jake scoffs. "Yeah, good luck with that. No way we're getting past it."

"There's another door over there, look!" Diego gestures toward a massive blast door on the far side of the shelter, leading to a dimly lit hallway.

"I say we make a run for it while we can." Aleister says. "Seal ourselves inside."

"You really think we can outrun this thing?" Jake asks sarcastically.

Aleister narrows his eyes. "I really think we don't have a choice!"

The beast draws ever closer, five hundred pounds of pure muscle. You back up slowly and bump into the wall, nearly knocking over a fire extinguisher. You're cornered.

"Guys, it's now or never!" Quinn says with wide eyes.

After a moments pause, you lunge for the fire extinguisher and blast it at the beast. The freezing cold gas blasts it in the face, blinding it.

"Go! Now!"

You sprint toward the blast doors, and everyone follows. The fox leaps from your shoulder and scampers ahead. Behind you, the beast frantically paws at its face, shaking its head to recover. Finally, it manages to clear its vision and glares across the chamber at you.

"Hurry!" You shout. "We're almost there!"

You dart into the hallway beyond the blast doors and start to shut them when you notice Lila standing frozen still, staring at the beast.

"Lila! Come on!" You call to her.

Lila races toward you as the beast gives chase. She slips through just before you seal the doors. The beast slams into the thick steel, to no effect.

Lila places a hand to her chest as she tries to catch her breath. "Thanks, Y/N. If you hadn't blinded it, that thing would ve got me."

Jake rolls his eyes. "Yeah. Way to not get us all shish-kebab'd on those teeth." Jake reaches to hug you, hesitates, and instead ruffles your hair awkwardly. "Good, uh... good goin'."

"Uhm, thanks?" You wince, suddenly remembering your wound now that the adrenaline has faded. You slide down the wall and sit down. The little fox nudges you.

"Y/N, you're hurt..." Quinn tears off a piece of her shirt and uses it to bandage you. "Thank you, Y/N, for protecting me back there."

"Of course, I-"

She silences you by taking your hand. She looks into your eyes. "But please don't risk yourself for me again. I'm... I'm not worth it."

"Quinn..."