Chapter Four

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Have you ever considered it being a trap? A lure? A primitive recall of once collected memories?

Have you ever considered it being a trap? A lure? A primitive recall of once collected memories?

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The pen in his hand was shaking, constantly tapping against the paper. Quiet remained almost unbroken except this echoing sound.
"So, how about we start at the beginning?" vulture suggested as the silence started filling the room. Kenny and I blankly stared at each other, not sure of what to tell our visitor.

I was the first one to find my voice again.
"So, I suppose Kenny told you then," I said to confirm my worries. Something inside me to told me that it would be bad if the whole metro would find about about this new creature roaming around. A mass panic would be the least thing that would happen.
The stalker nodded and shot my mentor a glance.

"He did indeed. I know you were out there to prove you're ready to fight. And I can imagine that you are just as strong as Kenny described you. But that thing overpowered both of you in seconds. And then it tried to do something to you. I hope you can understand that something like that can't exist on my watch."

It was like lightning had struck me, every muscle in my body tensed as he said that.
"You- You want to kill it?"
"Yes."
My mind was instantly dominated by the controversial question whether the strange humanoid had wanted to harm or help me. This voice that had echoed in my head had sounded far from vicious. But since the bombs, everything had changed so massively, that it was hard to differentiate between friend or foe. I had heard stories about a dog-like creature that roamed the south west parts of the metro. It was said to be able to imitate the voice of a little child calling out for her mother to lure in any survivor who was kind enough to help. Could this thing be similar?

"Clem?" Kenny asked and gently touched my shoulder and ripping me out of my thoughts. I flinched as his hand lowered itself on the soft cloth of my denim jacket, surprised by the sudden change of pressure.

"I- I-" the words left my mouth in a forced manner, I didn't know what to say. "I don't know if it is bad..."
The eyes of the stalker followed me beneath the black tainted visor of his helmet, cautiously studying my expression and behavior. A cold shiver ran down my spine when I saw the cold, unpredictable beast inside of him, waiting to be released on the battlefield.
"What do you mean with that?"


"It talked to me, like a human. I heard it say "Hello" and it tried to defend me...I think..." I explained my mind to him. This voice still echoed in my head, even now I could hear it whisper from somewhere far away. It was like an echo, quiet but ever repeating.
Vulture remained quiet and kept observing me. It almost felt like an X-Ray, as if he could see right through me. I knew he could hear the doubt in my voice and see the insecurity riddling my eyes.

He broke the silence once more when he leaned closer to me and the chair creaked loudly beneath his shifting mass.
"Have you ever considered it being a trap? A lure? A primitive recall of once collected memories?" he asked me. "There is some creature out there that have psychic influence over us, I can tell you. I have killed some of them already."
He put the pen onto the notebook and laid it onto the small coffee table before pulling out a small colored picture. He first passed it on to Kenny who took a short glance at it. His eyes widened as he started to realize what picture had been frozen on paper for eternity.

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