The creature smiles.
Not a normal smile.
A predator's smile.
Its massive jaw slowly stretches open behind Serafin.
CRRRRRRRRKKK…
The sound is disgusting.
Like stone grinding against bone.
My stomach twists.
The Tactical Officer screams behind me.
"GET AWAY FROM HIM!"
But my feet won't move.
Serafin's hand is still reaching toward mine.
His fingers shake violently.
The darkness around his arm pulses like it's alive.
The entity's voice echoes from everywhere at once.
"YOU BELIEVE… HE CAN STOP ME?"
The walls vibrate.
BOOOOOOOOOM…
Dust rains down from the ceiling.
I grit my teeth.
"Yes."
The creature chuckles.
GRRRRRAAAAHHHAHAHA…
The sound rattles the broken lights above us.
Serafin gasps.
"Caoimhe… run…"
I shake my head.
"Shut up."
He looks at me like I've lost my mind.
"I'm serious!"
I step closer.
Heat from the rupture burns my skin.
The air smells like metal and lightning.
"I'm not leaving you."
The Tactical Officer curses loudly.
"This is insane!"
The Doctor grabs his arm.
"Wait!"
"Wait for what?!"
The Doctor's eyes are locked on Serafin.
"His neural readings are fluctuating!"
The intruder raises an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
Medic 2 shouts, "The building is literally collapsing!"
CRASH!
A chunk of ceiling smashes onto the floor behind them.
Sparks shoot everywhere.
BZZZT!
The entity slowly leans its enormous head forward.
Its glowing eyes stare directly at me.
"YOU ARE INSIGNIFICANT."
I swallow.
"Maybe."
Serafin screams again.
"AAAAAAHHHH!"
Black energy explodes around him.
FWOOOOSH!
I almost fall from the shockwave.
The Tactical Officer shouts, "FALL BACK!"
The security guards scramble backward.
The Doctor yells over the chaos.
"Serafin! Listen to my voice!"
Serafin grips his head.
"MAKE IT STOP!"
The entity growls again.
"HE IS WEAK."
Its claw tightens around the edge of the rupture.
More of its body forces through.
The facility trembles violently.
RRRRRRRRMMMMMM…
The intruder watches with eerie calm.
"Fascinating."
I glare at them.
"How are you not panicking right now?!"
They shrug slightly.
"Because panic won't change the outcome."
The Tactical Officer snaps at them.
"Shut the hell up!"
Serafin suddenly drops to one knee.
THUD!
The darkness around him flickers violently.
His hand reaches closer to mine.
Just a few inches away.
The entity snarls.
"ENOUGH."
The shadows tighten around Serafin's arm like chains.
He screams again.
"Caoimhe!"
My heart feels like it's tearing apart.
"Hold on!"
The creature leans even closer.
Its enormous mouth opens wider.
Rows of jagged teeth shimmer in the unstable light.
"YOU ARE A DISTRACTION."
The Tactical Officer fires again.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The bullets slam into the entity's face.
TING! TING!
Nothing.
The Officer stares in disbelief.
"You've gotta be fucking kidding me…"
The Doctor shouts again.
"Serafin! Focus!"
Serafin's breathing becomes ragged.
"I… can't…"
The entity laughs again.
"HE BELONGS TO ME."
Suddenly—
Serafin's hand grabs mine.
GRAB!
A violent surge of energy explodes through my body.
WHOOOOOM!
My vision flashes white.
Pain shoots through my skull.
"AAHH!"
The Tactical Officer shouts, "What the hell just happened?!"
The Doctor stares at us in shock.
"The connection…!"
Serafin gasps.
"Caoimhe… don't let go…"
I squeeze his hand tighter.
"I'm not!"
The entity roars.
RRRRRAAAAAAAHHHH!
The rupture behind Serafin begins fluctuating wildly.
Reality bends.
The creature's massive body glitches in and out of existence.
The intruder suddenly looks far less calm.
"…That shouldn't be possible."
The Doctor's eyes widen.
"Her brainwaves are synchronizing with his!"
Medic 2 stares at the monitors.
"Is that good?!"
The Doctor shakes their head slowly.
"I have no idea!"
Serafin's voice becomes clearer.
"Caoimhe… listen…"
"What?!"
"If I lose control… you have to—"
The entity's voice slams over his.
"NO."
The shadows surge violently.
Serafin screams again.
The creature forces another arm through the rupture.
CRRRRRRKKK!
The facility shakes harder than before.
The Tactical Officer yells.
"WE ARE OUT OF TIME!"
The Doctor shouts back.
"Serafin! Fight it!"
Serafin grits his teeth.
"SHUT UP!"
The entity growls.
"YOU ARE NOTHING."
Serafin suddenly laughs weakly.
"…Yeah."
Blood drips from his mouth.
"But I'm stubborn."
The darkness around him begins shaking violently.
SSSSHHHHHH…
The entity roars in fury.
"IMPOSSIBLE!"
Serafin tightens his grip on my hand.
"Caoimhe… I need you."
My chest tightens.
"For what?"
His eyes glow brighter.
"Don't let go."
The rupture behind him begins collapsing inward.
The entity thrashes violently.
RRRRRRRAAAAAAHHHH!
The Doctor shouts in disbelief.
"He's forcing the portal shut!"
The intruder steps forward quickly.
"Wait."
The Tactical Officer points his rifle at them.
"Don't you move!"
But the intruder ignores him.
"This changes everything."
Serafin gasps again.
The strain on his body becomes obvious.
Veins darken under his skin.
Bones crack.
CRACK!
He screams.
"AAAHHH!"
I panic.
"Serafin!"
The entity roars louder than before.
Its massive claws dig into the edges of the rupture.
"YOU CANNOT CONTAIN ME!"
The portal begins tearing apart.
Reality bends violently around us.
WOOOOOOOM!
The Doctor yells.
"If it collapses while it's halfway through—"
The Tactical Officer shouts.
"What happens then?!"
The Doctor stares at the growing instability.
"…We might lose everything."
Serafin's grip weakens.
His body starts collapsing.
"Caoimhe…"
"Stay with me!"
His eyes flicker.
"Promise me something…"
"WHAT?!"
His voice becomes barely a whisper.
"If I disappear…"
My chest tightens.
"…don't come looking for me."
I shake my head violently.
"Shut the hell up!"
The entity suddenly stops struggling.
Everything goes quiet for one second.
Then it speaks again.
Softly.
"TOO LATE."
Something massive begins moving inside the collapsing rupture.
Something much bigger than the creature already halfway through.
The intruder's eyes widen.
"…Oh."
The Doctor whispers in horror.
"That's not possible…"
Serafin slowly turns his head toward the portal.
His voice trembles.
"…What the hell is that?"
To be continued...