Morgan gripped the knob of the abandoned house's door and pulled it open slowly, peering out into the oppressive darkness before glancing back at Elara.
"I don't think that monster is still around," he whispered. "Let's go. And stay close. If we get separated out there, there's no way we'll find each other again. If that happens... consider the other person gone."
Elara nodded grimly, clutching the knife tighter in her hand. "Okay."
They stepped out and began walking cautiously alongside the barely visible road. After a few minutes of tense silence, Elara looked over at Morgan.
"Was that your house back there?"
Morgan glanced back into the darkness from where they came. "No, it wasn't mine. I just sought refuge there because I was exhausted from walking for five hours straight. If I'm estimating the distance right, we should have another five or six hours to go to reach that supermarket."
Elara nodded, her breath misting slightly. "Do you think we'll actually make it?"
Morgan drew his pistol, holding it ready in one hand, his dagger still clutched in the other. "I don't know. But there's no other option. If we don't try, we starve. If we do try, those things might get us. It's a shitty choice either way."
They walked relentlessly, pushing onwards without pause, the only sounds their footsteps and strained breathing against the profound silence.
Morgan checked his watch again, the dim light illuminating his face. "10:00 AM. We've been walking for nearly five hours since leaving the house. That means we must be close."
Elara glanced at him, her exhausted expression clear even in the gloom, her breathing ragged. "Should we stop walking now? Start looking around properly for the supermarket?"
Morgan nodded. "Yeah. If we walk past it in this darkness... we're done for."
They slowed their pace, carefully scanning the impenetrable darkness on either side of the road. Minutes stretched into an eternity. Then, Morgan spotted it – a faint, rectangular shape hanging limply ahead. A tattered banner. As he got closer, faded letters became visible:
DAILY LIFE SUPPLIES AND VEGETABLES
Relief washed over him. He turned, about to call out, "Ela—"
Suddenly, a violent shove sent him sprawling onto the asphalt.
"What are you doing, Elara?!" he yelled, scrambling up, disoriented.
He saw it instantly. The shadow monster stood exactly where he had been moments before. And Elara was now positioned between him and the creature, trembling, her knife held defensively, pointed towards the monstrosity.
"Sorry..." she choked out, not looking back at him. "I don't think... I don't think I'll make it." She turned then, tears streaking her face in the dimness. "Stay alive, Morgan!"
The monster let out that horrifying, guttural cackle.
"NO!" Morgan screamed, raising his pistol and firing just as the creature lunged, its shadowy claw aiming for Elara's neck.
The bullet struck the monster's shoulder, causing it to flinch but not stop. Its razor-sharp claw slashed down, tearing through the flesh of Elara's left arm from shoulder towards elbow.
Elara cried out in agony, the force of the blow sending her stumbling backwards. She struck her head hard against the metal pole holding the supermarket banner and collapsed, unconscious.Morgan drew his dagger, planting himself between the monster and Elara's prone form. The creature ignored its bullet wound, its body rippling as it laughed – the same chilling sound as the one back at the house.
I could run. The thought screamed in his mind. Leave her. Save myself. I even told her I would. He had promised himself he wouldn't hesitate. But now, faced with the reality, his feet felt rooted to the spot. He couldn't abandon her.
"What do I do? How do I kill it? Bullets barely slow it down!" He desperately reviewed his option, his mind racing.
The monster started advancing slowly, cackling like a fiend about to devour its prey. It gathered itself and lunged towards Morgan, claws outstretched.
Morgan ducked frantically. The claws whistled past, grazing his face. As the creature passed over him, he instinctively slashed upwards with his dagger, connecting with its arm-like limb.
The monster shrieked in agony for a split second... and then the laughter resumed, chillingly, as if nothing had happened. Morgan stared – the deep gash he'd surely inflicted was already gone, swallowed by the shifting darkness of its form.
"What the hell? Where did the cut go?" It was the first time he'd fought one this close. He frantically tried to figure out how to actually damage it. Its entire body was just... darkness. Like a piece of void given form. Wait...
He realized the only truly distinct features he could consistently see were its eyes. They weren't just white; they were blazing white, like captured lightning.
Morgan raised his pistol again. "10 bullets left. That's all I have."
The monster recovered its balance and charged straight at him. Morgan fired. The first shot went wide. The creature closed the distance with terrifying speed. When it was almost close enough to strike, Morgan fired again, aiming deliberately. The bullet slammed directly into its right eye.
The monster screamed – a sound so piercing and high-pitched it felt like physical pressure. "Ahhhhh!" Morgan clapped his hands over his ears, staggering back from the sheer volume, like standing next to a thousand speakers blasting feedback.
Seizing the moment, he ran to Elara, hoisted her surprisingly light body into his arms, and sprinted towards the supermarket's entrance gate just a few yards away.
Behind him, the monster, still shrieking, began staggering towards them, one eye socket now a void within a void.
Morgan saw it coming. "What the hell? Why don't you just die?!"
He fumbled with the supermarket door handle, wrenched it open, stumbled inside with Elara, and slammed it shut."That thing won't be able to get inside. " so it means it's closed from everywhere without any broken windows or door .
"Okay... okay... catch my breath." He leaned his head back against a row of empty shelves. "He glanced around the dimly lit store interior. "Need to find bandages. Antiseptic."
Pushing himself wearily to his feet, Morgan began to search the aisles for a first-aid kit or medical supplies. After a few minutes, he found the pharmacy section, miraculously somewhat intact. He gathered antiseptic wipes, gauze pads, and bandages.
Returning to Elara, he carefully removed his makeshift jacket-bandage and began tending to her wound as gently as he could.
"Don't die," he muttered under his breath, cleaning the gash. "You said you wanted to find your father. So don't you dare die now."
He patched her up as best he could, then found a dusty blanket on a shelf and covered her with it. Exhaustion crashed over him like a physical wave. He lay down on the cold linoleum floor beside her and, despite the lingering adrenaline and fear, succumbed to sleep.
________________________________________
5:00 PM
Morgan's eyes snapped open. He scanned Elara, quickly checking her temperature. She seemed stable, for now.
Driven by a primal need, Morgan forced himself up and scrounged for food. He ate quickly, senses on high alert.
Elara's eyes fluttered open. "Morgan." Morgan flinched. "Elara, are you okay?" He snatched the bottle, pressing it into her hand. "Drink."Elara grabbed the bottle and gulped water. "Now I'm alive. Did you kill that monster?" Morgan jerked his head. "No. It didn't even die after letting out a hellish shriek. We're only safe again because of the sealed supermarket window and door."
Elara looked toward Morgan, gratitude etched on her face. "Thank you. You could have run away yourself, but you stayed. Thank you for that." Morgan thrust the soup bowl at her. "I know I could run away. I even told you I would, but I don't know why I couldn't make myself leave. But next time, I will."Elara managed a weak laugh at Morgan's stark comment. "Yes, you will."
Elara took the bowl and started eating the soup, the quiet sound a stark contrast to the recent terror.Morgan retrieved the bandages and antiseptic. "Lift your hand." Elara did as he said, lifting her left hand.
Morgan replaced her bandages. "It's going to leave a scar."Elara met Morgan's gaze. "It's a small price compared to dying."Morgan threw away her soiled bandages. "Yeah."Morgan looked at her, a grim realization dawning. "We have enough food now. Enough to survive a year or two."
Elara nodded, the weight of the statement heavy . Morgan sat beside her. "Are you going to search for your father now?" Elara looked at Morgan and nodded, determination hardening her gaze. "I don't know if he is alive or not, but I can't just stay here and accept him as dead."
Morgan grimly understood. "Okay. But for now, rest and let your arm recover."Elara nodded.
Morgan's gaze shot to the glass door of the supermarket. He froze, recoiling instantly. "A dark Monster." Elara also scrambled backwards, snatching up a knife. Morgan drew his gun, the cold metal familiar in his grip.
The monster was watching them through the door. Then, as suddenly as it appeared, it was gone.
Morgan let out a ragged breath. "What in the hell was that?"
Elara also slumped back to the floor, gasping for air. "Why can't they just smash through when it's completely sealed? They have enough strength, but why aren't they doing it?"
Elara looks toward Morgan, her eyes wide. "Is it because they won't, or is it just that they can't?"
"Let's get some rest for now," Morgan said, the silence feeling precarious....