Blackguard

Kawanwing River

Chris stormed ahead of us as Nivans and myself tried to keep up the pace. My feet splashed through the greasy-looking puddles, dirt and grime of the alleyway. My throat burned as I tried swallowing; it stung even more as I rubbed at it. Undoubtedly, bruises were forming already.

I cursed under my breath as I glared at the back of Chris' head. Guess I couldn't outright blame him...it did look mighty suspicious of me always being there when the attacks popped up. Still...he could have been a little more gentle.

The screams of the night echoed in the air. Gunshots sounded both close and far as we turned the corner. The taste of motor oil and death stuck inside my mouth as we passed under a flickering street light that barely gave off any light at all. My chest tightened, and it grew strenuous to breathe. I tripped over my feet but caught myself before I could fall.

Nivans slowed down, his eyebrows drawing together, and his face tightening as he leaned closer. "You good?"

"Don't worry 'bout me." Straightening up, I cleared my throat, "Where was this hit on Ada located?"

He pursed his lips. After a long moment, he continued after his Captain. "They spotted her heading to the Kawanwing River. It's not far from here, but we have to hurry."

"Can the chatter," Chris growled and paused in the middle of the street. "What the—"

We paused close behind him, my ears perked as a haunting sound roared. It grew deeper and more mechanical. My head snapped around, searching for the source, but I couldn't find it. Then, all three of us shot around, flicking our eyes above as a horn from a train blasted, and a body crashed to the dirt.

I reeled back as the body crawled to its feet and jerked around. It wasn't human, but it probably was before Neo-Umbrella got to it. Mutilated pink flesh twisted over the thing's body and hung off in sections. It twitched and spasmed as it roared our way. Its crazed eyes honed in on us and whipped around the chainsaw in its hand.

"Another one of Umbrella's freaks?" Piers whipped up his gun.

"Don't talk just kill it," Chris growled out and fired first.

I stood to the side as the men dodged around the BOW, firing off round after round into it, but it still didn't fall.

"Our bullets aren't doing anything! It just keeps healing itself." Piers said and whipped to the side to dodge a swing from the chainsaw.

Chris pulled back and kicked the BOW in the stomach, knocking it off balance as he got in closer and landed a punch to the things head with a crack. The side of its face exploded into a mess of spores and blood as the thing healed itself.

That's when I took notice of the chainsaw in its hand—or what I assumed was a chainsaw. The chainsaw was the thing's hand. Carved from bone and flesh, it roared to life as the BOW refocused itself and let out a deafening screech and turned its sights onto me.

"Shit!" I screamed and bolted around the creature.

My eyesight faded in and out as I limped across the street. My limbs didn't want to respond to how I wanted them to. They lagged as if I was hauling cement inside me and grew tired quickly.

"Catherine, look out!"

Piers' warning came just in time; I ducked as the chainsaw whished overhead and sliced through the scaffolding above me. The mess crashed down with a roar and knocked me on my back with a cry as the gravel dug into me.

"Piers!" Chris called out over his gunshots.

I noticed Chris had made it across before the crash and was now leading the BOW away from me. I tilted my head around, but couldn't find Piers anywhere in sight.