Apocalypse | BTS

Chapter 39

They swam and they swam, anxiety and adrenaline rushing through them as they locked their eyes on their destination. The river was almost three hundred metres wide, proving as a real workout for those who were not quite so strong at swimming. Jungkook and Yoongi ploughed through the water easily in front of everyone else, the youngest helping Yoongi to tow the small dinghy behind him so that they could cover ground as fast as possible.

Leanne, Hoseok, Jimin and Yuri weren't far behind, with Namjoon, Jin and Taehyung just behind them. As terrified and cold as they were, things seemed to be going smoothly, until Taehyung was the one to notice something behind him. He felt bubbles rise beneath his kicking feet, eyes widening as he turned to see large bubbles coming to the surface a few metres behind him, and there was only one explanation for that.

"Shit! Aquoid!" Taehyung yelled, pulling himself on top of the floating mattress just so that he could pull his gun out. A lace of curses left Jungkook's lips when he heard Taehyung shout and Kwan barking, and it seemed that in that second everyone's hearts had stopped. Everyone turned in absolute horror, only to see a large, purple tentacle protrude suddenly from the water, each sucker displaying jagged teeth-like additions that gleamed in the bright moonlight. It wasn't long before that tentacle was followed by a second shooting up from the icy depths, then a third, and a forth, until eight of these monstrous extremities towered over their helpless bodies like giants.

"Swim for you lives!" Hoseok screamed, Jungkook, Yoongi and Taehyung aiming their guns at the beast with desperate hopes that the water didn't affect their function. Aquoids were large, squid-like aliens with ginormous beaks that were entirely taken over by spiralling teeth that would rip any living thing to shreds. The moment it gets you in the grasp of one of its lethal tentacles, it can drag you underwater and drown you, eat you, or administer it's lethal poison with the spike located on its long, reaching tongue. You weren't likely to win a fight against one of these, and with the nine of them suspended hopelessly in the water, they'd be at a loss without a distraction if they didn't get out soon.

Aquoids were very sensitive to movement, so it could easily locate any of them in a heartbeat.
The moment Taehyung noticed a tentacle flying in his direction, he didn't waste a moment in allowing his finger to land against the trigger of his pistol, feeling immediate relief as a bullet left the chamber, lodging itself in the tentacle and causing the slimy arm to plummet into the water with a splash as the creature registered the sudden pain. Two more gunshots soon sounded, only one managing to strike another of the moving tentacles. This may have bought them a little more time, but not nearly enough for them to turn their backs to it and scramble to the opposite bank.

They were only two thirds of the way there, and the creature was getting agitated.
"Guys, don't stop swimming! I'll try and hold it off!" Jungkook shouted, Yoongi being the first to shoot off ahead. He had Kwan attached to him too, he could afford to drag behind.
"For fuck's sake Jungkook, we're not doing this again!" Taehyung shouted, standing on wobbly legs on the moving mattress as he continued to shoot at the aquoid. However, all the commotion had attracted more unwanted attention. Too preoccupied with the alien, it took them a lot longer than it generally would for them to register that South Camp had caught up with them.

Yuri screamed as a tentacle came ruthlessly crashing down towards her, ducking immediately under the water to try and lessen the impact. However, the water was not a barrier enough to stop the muscular tentacle from hitting her back like a truck, it just prevented the aquoid from gripping her small body. She winced and shut her eyes at the impact, all of her breath and strength being knocked out of her in an instant as the tentacle struck her along her spine. She was thrown into a state of painful disorientation, not knowing which way was up, and she writhed around underwater, panic overcoming her.

With pain still searing through her body, the thought of death plagued her mind, until suddenly she felt strong hands gripping her under her arms, dragging her immediately back up to the surface. She felt like she was going to faint, gasping due to the lack of oxygen as the commotion around her came muffled and blurred.
"Yuri?! Oh my God-"
She heard gunshots and the worried voice of whoever was holding her afloat, but she couldn't make sense of any of it.

Yes, they now not only had to worry about the aquoid, but the five angry men that stood on the river bank with weapons and explosives aimed at them.
"What now?!" Hoseok shouted as they all tried their best to travel the last distance of the river. But while they were in the water, they were in the most vulnerable position they could have been in. That's when the unimaginable happened.

The South Camp officials were getting tired and frustrated with the fact that they hadn't managed to land a shot at such a distance, and with the aquoid blocking the water between them and the squad, targeting them was proving harder than first thought.
"Shoot the grenade launcher for all I care, just kill them!" The camp leader ordered, his words being immediately tended to.

Bad idea.

Yes, one grenade was shot into the river, of course intending to hit the squad. But did they hit the squad? No. In fact, the grenade landed directly in the centre of the sea of tentacles, causing a huge explosion to hit the aquoid directly. A deafening screech could be heard piercing through the water, striking fear into all who heard it, and was soon followed by the alien's monstrous head shooting up to the surface, revealing three, basket-ball sized eyes that glared with the intent for murder. Yet the squad were caught by shock as the aquoid turned away from them, swimming with unimaginable speeds to the river bank to attack those who hurt it.

The South Camp trackers didn't stand a chance at the mercy of the creature, each man being plucked from the land like a flower from a garden, before being thrown into the water and devoured. The aquoid species must have been getting stronger, as the alien reached across the land with ease, almost as if being out of water didn't affect it at all, what was in turn, incredibly frightening. Screams and cries were heard un the distance; it was a truly gruesome sight, but this was their chance.
"It's distracted, let's move!" Jungkook shouted, watching as Leanne rushed over to Jimin to aid him in towing his injured girlfriend. They were close, so close, but of course it wouldn't be that easy. Something just had to happen when they were on the cusp of safety.

It would never be that easy.

Knowing that his fate was decided, one particular tracker lifted his weapon up, and in knowing that firing at the aquoid wouldn't save him now, he decided his final shot would be at the squad. He fired, the bullet seeming to circle through the air in slow motion, and he smiled grimly as he succeeded in shooting something, before being pulled into the water along with the rest of the men.

Each member of the squad began dragging themselves onto land, shivering at the coldness of the night air that struck their soaked clothes.
It was only then that the sound of a whimper and a splash from behind him caused Yoongi to spin around, and the moment his eyes landed on Kwan, time stopped. He was only a few strokes from reaching land, but he froze in panic as emotional pain and denial flowed through him almost instantly.
"K-Kwan?"
The water began to turn a deathly red around the dog's lifeless body, and Yoongi let out a cry, causing the others who were already climbing on to the land to freeze and turn to him.

Kwan was dead.