The day was sunny, looking like any other ordinary day at first glance. However, who would have thought my first survival mission would be a scavenge for toiletries?
Dammit, Valentine!
"You clearly don't realize the situation we're in!" I barked, my voice echoing as I stepped into a supermarket.
The place was eerily calm. The air was clean, the lighting was decent, and it hadn't been
completely swallowed by dust yet.
It was the perfect spot for an ambush… or maybe a trap.
The section I was currently in was filled only with kitchenware. As I searched for my target, I couldn't help but notice one specific area of the store. The only thing separating us was a door and a haunting darkness that seemed to swallow anything that tried to cross it.
I had no choice but to head into that void to find Valentine's beauty products. She needs to understand that the world isn't the same anymore. I don't get why she's so obsessed with bathing every day; after all, I'm the one risking my life for these trivial things.
I stepped through the door, heading straight into a darkness that felt bottomless.
I couldn't find the soap, nor any of the other items I was looking for. Despite how dark it was, the signs on the shelves glowed just enough to make out the sections:
Clothing section… Sports section… Liquor section… Toy section…
And then, there was a special section labeled COSMTICS in jagged, torn lettering.
I assumed it was the cosmetics aisle based on the wide variety of women's beauty products. However, the sheer atmosphere of the place began to push back against me.
As I took my first step inside, a rancid, metallic odor filled my nostrils. I frowned; it wasn't the typical stench of accumulated dust, but something much more pungent.
The floor creaked under my boots. I felt something sticky clinging to my soles, making a wet, raspy clicking sound every time I lifted a foot. I looked down cautiously.
A dark puddle spread across the floor—bone-dry in some spots, thick in others. As I leaned in, the faint light revealed its reddish-brown hue… blood.
Disgusting... Now I'm going to have to find new boots. I'll have to head back to the clothing section later.
But that wasn't the worst part: there was an irregular trail, as if a body had been dragged from that spot until it vanished into the dark aisles of the supermarket.
I realized instantly that I wasn't alone. I still needed that soap and the rest of the stuff, though.
I set out to follow the dried blood trail closely.
Whatever you are, you bastard… I'm going to finish you and head home a winner.
When I reached the end of the trail, I saw that it led directly to a new door. Written on the frame were the words:
Cleaning Supplies, Personal Hygiene, and Pet Care!
Bingo. Found what we were looking for.
However, when I stepped through that door to complete my mission, there was no sign of any creature… nor the body that had been dragged from the previous area.
I walked forward in a straight line. The place remained in a constant, heavy silence.
Just as I reached the end of the pet care aisle—clang. The silence shattered instantly.
I spun around immediately to see what was behind me: a metal can had slammed hard against the floor, creating a relentless echo that rumbled through the entire store.
It lasted several seconds before finally stopping. Then, the silence returned as if nothing had happened.
I turned back around and continued forward, step by step, my guard up.
I knew that if I let my hair down for even a second, something could strike.
And there, less than ten meters away, a lamp was flickering on and off in one-second intervals.
It was a bit blurry, as I was still two sections away.
I kept moving… Cleaning Supplies.
As I took my final step out of that section, another foul, unbearable stench completely overwhelmed my senses. I quickly looked down at my feet: a puddle of blood, completely liquid, somewhere between brown and blue.
And there, near the personal hygiene section, I saw it…
We're back with Chapter 9! Thanks so much for your patience.
New updates every Monday!