Rot || ONC2024

──●Eight●──

    The room was dark and quiet. They stood by the door, prepared to fight. Prepared for the outcome.

    "Camillie."

    The orange haired girl darted her attention towards the source of her name. "What," she snarled.

    The girl who had called shrunk back into her corner. Her voice was soft, innocent. 

    "I don't wanna do this."

    As the animalistic growls of the beasts came closer, Camille spat at the girl's feet before focusing her attention back on the door.

    "At my call, we move."

    Mumbles could be heard across the small group. Weird, metallic sticks were then pointed towards the door, along with even weirder metallic balls. Not even the sound of breathing could be heard as the growls of the outside came closer and closer.

    Just then, a horrifying screech of the monsters clawing the door alerted them.

    "Now!"

    The door swung open, and just like that, all hell broke loose. The ferocious bangs of the sticks sounded as tiny metal pellets were shot, as well as the distant booms of the metal balls that were thrown. War cries and the taste of blood hung in the air, everyone hungering for more.

──●●──

    My body jerked awake and my heart began to race. My eyes darted to every corner, my brain trying to figure out where the hell I was.

    When I recognized the familiar feel of my sheets, my heart slowed. The familiar, cracked wooden dresser that sat under a grimy, cobweb filled window. The walls with dark, black mold lingering. I sighed a breath of relief upon the sights. That was just another strange vision.

    "What are they trying to tell me," I muttered, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. The bright gleam of the sun shone through the curtains, causing me to groan. How was I ever supposed to get a good day's sleep if these stupid past life visions kept bothering me?

    I looked to my nightstand. On it sat the empty bottle of tonic.

    "Stupid thing," I muttered, tossing it on the floor. All the tonic did was taste of vomit and expired diary. It did nothing that the medic said it would. Maybe it was a good thing she disappeared. 

    As I let out a frustrated sigh, I caught a glimpse of my old, torn camo pack that sat in the corner of my room. Just then, an idea popped into my mind.

    "Since no one here wants to give me answers, I could talk to humans. They have files and shit, I've seen them. Maybe they can figure out who I keep having visions about."

    I laughed at my own idea. "What am I thinking, that's stupid. I'll get killed, and could turn up empty handed. Plus, who's saying they wouldn't try to kill me."

    At this point, I sat at the edge of my bed, hands on my lap. I began to fidget with the hem of my shirt.

    "I could try to disguise myself, I'm sure I could find something. Just will have to cloak up, it should keep the Hunters off my tail and, y'know, keep me from getting burned less than I already am gonna be. Hopefully the hunger can stay at bay for a while."

    A thought came to my mind, where would I even go?

    I thought to myself before articulating. "Al said something about a base beyond the forest. Just a little bit away. Maybe someone there will be able to give me something to work off of, or put me out of my misery. At this point, both will be greatly appreciated."

    I chuckled. Was I seriously considering this? Was I that desperate for answers that I had to mingle with humans, the very beasts that sent us into this war to begin with? 

    "Would they know more about us," I questioned out loud. Alastor had never been open with us about our heritage, where our kind came from. We where born from the darkness, the evil of humanity. According to him, that's all we needed. Anything else was just unnecessary information.

    Pushing myself up and reaching for my pack, I grab some clothing and shoved them in. While on the quest for answers, I could eat a stray deer, or moose, or some sort of animal.

    Draping my darkened cloak over my shoulders, I chuckled to myself In disbelief. I was actually doing this. Legitimately doing it. Hopefully, these humans possessed the knowledge and answers that I craved. Hopefully, I'd have some good news to share with Yarrow once I returned.

    Hopefully I would be alive to tell the tale.