Apocalypse: Building And Hoarding My Way Through.
Chapter 21: Axe squad.

Chapter 21: Axe squad.

As Scarlett spoke the name, a wave of ease settled over the group. The weight of their regrets and fears momentarily lifted, replaced by a shared sense of purpose.

"Hope," Mrs. Anderson repeated, her eyes welling with tears. "What a beautiful name for a beautiful soul."

Garvin nodded, a small smile lifting the corners of his lips. "A reminder that even in the deepest darkness, there’s always a chance for redemption."

Louise glanced at Matthew, who was still fighting for his life. "We have to hold on to hope, no matter what."

Mary wiped her tears, her expression hardening with determination. "We’ll survive this."

They sat together in silence, savoring the moment. Outside, the growls of monsters faded, and they found themselves in the eerie quiet of the abandoned mall. A sense of resolve washed over them.

Suddenly, Hope stirred, her tiny fingers flexing. Scarlett gently rocked her, humming a soft melody to soothe her.

The group watched, entranced by the peaceful scene, and for a fleeting moment, the horrors they’d faced receded.

Then Rose’s voice broke the silence.

"Matthew’s vital signs are stabilizing!" she said, relief flooding her face as she looked at him.

Everyone’s attention shifted to Matthew. They stood and gathered around, their faces a mixture of concern and hope.

Louise moved closer to examine him, observing every detail. Matthew had fallen into a deep slumber, and for a moment, Rose’s heart sank as fear crept in thinking he was dead.

"Is he... will he make it?" Garvin asked, his voice thick with worry.

Rose directed her gaze to Louise, her eyebrows raised up in curiousity. "He would be, right? The monitor beeped green, so he must be stabilizing, isn’t it?"

Scarlett glanced back at Hope, her heart heavy with emotion, silently praying they wouldn’t lose anyone.

Louise straightened up after his examination, turning to face the group. "He’s just resting. The drug we gave him put him in a deep sleep. We’ll need to keep an eye on him through the night."

A collective sigh of relief swept over the group, and Rose wiped away a tear. "Thank goodness. I’ll watch over him," she offered, her voice steadying.

The others nodded in agreement, feeling a rare sense of calm hence they left to take a seat on the floor again. No one was hungry or even bother to think about food except Hope, so Scarlett fed her with the formula she’d carefully stored. Afterward, she spread out a duvet she’d purchased and tucked away when they left the other room. She then laid Hope on her bed while she laid beside her. The others also spread their devet and laif down to take a rest, looking forward to what the new day might bring.

"Goodnight," Garvin murmured with a weary smile. He was going to guard everyone for few hours before going to sleep himself. The rest echoed his words, drifting off into a fitful sleep.

________

Morning arrived swiftly. The crimson sky had returned to a familiar blue, and golden sunlight seeped through cracks in the curtained windows, casting a warm glow on the group.

Scarlett slowly opened her eyes, only to be startled by Garvin sitting silently in a corner, watching over them.

"What are you doing over there?" Scarlett asked, frowning as she sat up. "You look eerie just sitting like that! I thought you were... something else."

He chuckled. "And you think a monster would just sit quietly for hours, watching you all sleep?"

Scarlett laughed, joining in his humor. "Good point," she replied, brushing off her initial shock. Then, checking on Hope and seeing she was still peacefully asleep, she turned serious. "Did you check on Matthew?"

Garvin shook his head. "No, I’ve just been sitting here."

Without waiting, Scarlett went over to Matthew’s side, where Rose had dozed off with her head resting on the edge of the bed. She reached for Matthew’s wrist, attempting to feel his pulse. Although she wasn’t a medical expert, checking a pulse was something she knew well enough.

Her eyes widened, and she dropped Matthew’s hand in horror.

"What’s wrong?" Garvin asked, his face creased with worry. "Are we in trouble?"

"H-his pulse. I can’t feel his pulse," Scarlett stammered. "I think... I think he’s gone."

Garvin’s eyes were filled with shock. But just as they began processing the news, Matthew’s eyes flew open. They were pitch black, devoid of any humanity. His body convulsed violently as he began to change, twisting and lengthening in unnatural ways. His bones cracked, muscles contorted, and his skin stretched, growing thinner and paler. His mouth widened, revealing razor-sharp teeth, and the hand he had lost regrew but longer, gnarled, with fingers ending in deadly claws.

"Rose, wake up!" Scarlett shouted, stumbling backward. Her cry jolted everyone awake. They sprang to their feet, wide-eyed, just as Rose backed away in terror from the monster that had taken Matthew’s place.

"What... what is that?" Rose’s voice trembled, her gaze darting to Scarlett for answers. "How did it get in here?"

The realization struck her as she looked to the bed. "Is... is that Matthew?" she whispered, her voice breaking. "Oh, no... we’re dead."

"Forget the questions and get your weapons ready!" Louise shouted, his body tense as he cocked his gun. "That thing isn’t Matthew anymore. It’s a monster!"

Rose’s face crumpled as tears flooded her eyes, but she couldn’t tear her gaze away from the creature that had once been her friend. Matthew was gone, his humanity erased.

A low, guttural growl rumbled from the monster’s throat, sending a chill through the group. It lashed out, its new, unnaturally long arm slicing through the air with deadly precision.

"Oh, hell!" Louise yelled, opening fire as the creature lunged at them, its mouth opening to reveal a writhing, whip-like tongue nearly a foot long.

The gunfire blazed, and Scarlett summoned her fire element, flames crackling in her hands as she hurled them toward the monster. It howled, jerking back, its elongated body twisting as it dodged her attacks. The air filled with the stench of burning flesh, but the creature didn’t falter.

The growls of other monsters echoed from outside the door, slamming hard against the door to pull it down. If there is only a wooden door that is present, then the group wouldn’t be saved but there was also a metallic door.

"Stop shooting!" Scarlett commanded, her voice carrying authority. The others hesitated, watching as she stepped forward, fire dancing around her. She focused her power, engulfing Matthew in a powerful burst of flames, forcing him toward the window. He thrashed, roaring in pain, but Scarlett’s flames didn’t relent.

With a final, desperate lunge, the creature stumbled backward, missing its footing as it fell through the shattered window. Its body crashed to the ground below with a sickening crack.

"Matthew!" Rose screamed, rushing to the window, but Louise and Garvin grabbed her just in time.

"Come to your senses, Rose!" Garvin said, his voice strained as he held her back. "That... that thing isn’t Matthew anymore. It would have killed us all."

"No! He didn’t deserve this," Rose sobbed, fighting against their grip. "We tried so hard to save him..."

The others stood in stunned silence, heavy sighs mingling with the tension in the air. They glanced toward the door, ever watchful of the monstrous sounds reverberating outside.

"Yes we did tried to save him but the pain was too much for him." Louise replied.

"It’s okay, Rose," Scarlett murmured, stepping closer and wrapping her arms around her. "We all tried... but just as Louise has said, the pain was too much for Matthew. He didn’t deserve this, he didn’t deserve to die or turn into a monster. I’m so sorry..."

Rose broke down in tears even more as she listened to Scarlett words. Her heart aches so much.

A sudden wail of sirens outside the mall broke through the heavy quiet. The monsters’ growls grew frantic, their footsteps receding away from the group door as they made their way to where the loud sounds was coming from.

Scarlett and the rest moved cautiously to the window, peeking out. A convoy of armored vehicles had rolled up to the mall. Armed people in tactical gear spilled out, carrying enormous guns that sent streams of fire over the monsters, incinerating them on impact. Other creatures were caught and bound with massive capture tools, wrestled into heavily fortified trailers.

"Who... who are they?" Scarlett whispered, her face filled with a mixture of hope and disbelief. Her hope soon got shattered the moment she noticed the group shooting even humans that were running for safety.

"They’re the Axe Squad," Garvin said grimly, watching the squad’s brutal efficiency. "I’d heard rumors they were readying for the apocalypse.They weren’t planning to save humanity, they were preparing to rule."

Scarlett’s fists clenched as a realization settled in her mind.

’Are they... are they part of the chosen?’ she wondered with anger still contorted on her face.

Ding!

{You’re right, host.The Axe Squad’s leader is a chosen, one with powers like yours. But he’s not interested in saving humanity, only in sowing more chaos and claiming the world as his own.}

"Damn him," Scarlett muttered under her breath, fire flickering at her fingertips.

Just then the group’s eyes widen open in shock as Matthew who had just turned into a monster was been captured by the axe squad too despite him been heavily injured due to the heavy fall.

No!!!!!!