Salvage Station 23

Chapter 1, Part 9

~~~

The night settled over Salvage Station 23 like a heavy blanket, the silence broken only by the occasional creak of metal cooling in the night air. The group had decided to split into three teams for night watch, each covering a different section of their makeshift fortress.

~~~
Max and Aiden
~~~

Max twirled his makeshift spear, trying to dispel the eerie quiet that had fallen over their section of the compound. "You know," he mused, glancing at Aiden, "I'm starting to think we should set up a turnstile at the gate. Charge the Jacks admission."

Aiden snorted, his eyes never leaving the perimeter. "Yeah, right. 'Step right up, folks! See the amazing human survivors! Only one arm and a leg for entry!'"

Their laughter, however strained, helped to break the tension. But as it faded, an unsettling feeling crept over them both.

Max shifted uncomfortably. "Hey, Aiden? You ever get the feeling like... like we're being watched?"

Aiden's grip tightened on his crowbar. "All the time, man. It's probably just paranoia, but-"

A soft thud from somewhere nearby cut him off. They exchanged glances, suddenly alert.

"Probably just a rat," Max whispered, but his grip tightened on his weapon.

They moved silently towards the sound, every sense on high alert. As they rounded a corner, a shadow flitted across their vision, there and gone in an instant.

"Did you see that?" Aiden hissed.

Max nodded, his heart racing. "Let's check it out."

As they crept forward, the feeling of being watched intensified. Every shadow seemed to move, every sound a potential threat. They were so focused on their surroundings that they almost missed the faint scratching sound coming from above.

Slowly, they looked up.

There, perched on a stack of old train cars, was a Jack. Its glowing eyes fixed on them, that horrifying grin stretching impossibly wide.

~~~
Liam, David, and Mia
~~~

On the other side of the compound, Liam limped alongside David and Mia, his recent injuries slowing him down but not dampening his determination.

"You know," Liam said, breaking the silence, "I never thought I'd say this, but I actually miss school. At least there, the worst thing watching us was Principal Hardwick."

David chuckled softly. "Trust me, kid. Hardwick's got nothing on the Jacks. Though I bet they'd both flunk you for being out after curfew."

Mia rolled her eyes, but a small smile played at her lips. "Dad, your jokes are worse than the apocalypse."

Their banter helped ease the tension, but as they continued their patrol, an unsettling feeling began to creep over them. The shadows seemed deeper, the silence more oppressive.

"Does anyone else feel like..." Liam hesitated, not wanting to sound paranoid.

"Like we're being watched?" Mia finished for him, her voice barely above a whisper.

David nodded grimly. "Stay close. Keep your eyes and ears open."

They moved through the train yard, the feeling of unseen eyes following their every move. Liam's injured leg throbbed, each step a reminder of their vulnerability.

A sudden clatter of metal on metal made them all jump. David quickly shone his flashlight in the direction of the sound, but the beam revealed nothing but empty space.

"Maybe it was just the wind," Liam suggested hopefully.

But as they turned to continue their patrol, a soft, chilling laugh echoed through the night. It was a sound they knew all too well.

Slowly, they turned back. There, in the shadows just beyond David's flashlight beam, stood a Jack. Its eerie grin seemed to mock their shock and fear.

~~~
Olivia, Eli, and Zoe

~~~

Across the compound, Olivia led Eli and Zoe through their section of the night watch. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the occasional creak of metal or whisper of wind.

"Hey," Eli said, his voice unnaturally loud in the quiet, "anyone else think it's too quiet? Like, horror movie quiet?"

Zoe pushed her glasses up nervously. "Thanks, Eli. Because that's exactly what I needed to hear right now."

Olivia shushed them both, her eyes scanning their surroundings. Something felt off, but she couldn't put her finger on what.

They continued their patrol, the feeling of unease growing with each step. Shadows seemed to move at the corners of their vision, disappearing when they turned to look.

"Guys," Zoe whispered, her voice shaking slightly, "is it just me, or does it feel like-"

"We're being watched," Olivia finished, her grip tightening on her bat. "Yeah, I feel it too."

Eli swallowed hard. "Great. So we're either all going paranoid, or we're in serious trouble."

A soft scraping sound from nearby made them all freeze. Olivia signaled for silence, then slowly moved towards the source of the noise. As they rounded a corner, they saw nothing but empty space.

"Okay," Eli said, his attempt at humor falling flat, "either we're losing it, or the Jacks have learned some new tricks."

Just then, a soft thud echoed through the night, followed by the sound of metal scraping against metal. The trio froze, their eyes darting around in the darkness.

"Please tell me that was just the wind," Zoe whispered, her voice trembling.

Eli shook his head slowly. "Since when does the wind sound like footsteps?"

Olivia raised her hand for silence, straining her ears. The sound came again, closer this time. Deliberate. Purposeful.

"It's toying with us," she murmured, her knuckles white around the handle of her bat.

They turned towards the sound, their flashlights cutting through the darkness. For a moment, there was nothing but shadows. Then, a pair of glowing eyes blinked into existence, followed by that horrifying, all-too-familiar grin.

A Jack. Inside their walls.

As the creature took a step forward, its inhuman movements making it seem to glide rather than walk, Olivia's walkie-talkie crackled to life. Max's voice, tight with tension, came through:

"Olivia? We've got a situation. There's a Jack-"

The transmission cut off abruptly, replaced by Aiden's shout and the unmistakable sound of combat.

Before Olivia could respond, another voice broke through - David's, equally strained:

"We're under attack! Jack in sector three!"

The realization hit them like a physical blow. They weren't dealing with just one intruder. Somehow, the Jacks had breached their defenses in multiple locations.

As their own Jack took another step forward, its grin widening impossibly, Olivia knew they were in for the fight of their lives.

To be continued...

~~~