Apocalypse: Building And Hoarding My Way Through.
Chapter 52: Come Back To Your Senses!

Chapter 52: Come Back To Your Senses!

Ethan’s eyes widened in horror as he stared at the monster’s severed hand gripping his own. It was cold, slimy, and unrelenting.

"Ahh!" he yelled, his voice echoing through the forest. Instinctively, he summoned his fire element, forging it into a blazing blade. With a swift, precise motion, he sliced through the monster hand, sending it thudding lifelessly to the ground.

Ethan exhaled sharply, his heart pounding. "What the hell..."

"We have to get Scarlett," Garvin said urgently, pushing himself up despite the sharp sting in his injured arm. "Her powers are weak right now, she’s vulnerable!"

"Damn it! I hope she’s safe," Maya added, her worried expression etched deeply into her face.

Louise leaned against a tree, rubbing his temples as he sighed heavily. "The monsters followed us. She should be safe, probably hiding somewhere. At least, I hope so."

Ethan straightened up, his expression hardening. "Larry, take the others to the safe haven. Garvin and I will go back and find Scarlett. You can come back for us once everyone is safe."

Larry opened his mouth to argue, but before he could get a word out, Ethan turned and sprinted toward the path they’d just escaped. Garvin followed close behind, clutching his injured arm as his other hand pressed against his ribs to steady himself.

"You’re insane!" Larry shouted after them, but the duo didn’t look back.

They ran through the shattered ruins of the city, the air thick with the acrid stench of decaying flesh. Garvin winced with each step, his wound throbbing painfully, but he forced himself to keep pace with Ethan.

As they arrived back at the location where the monsters had swarmed earlier, their eyes swept the area. The ground was littered with mangled corpses, remains of the monsters they’d left behind. Toxic ichor pooled on the ground, its fumes stinging their nostrils.

"Where the hell is she?" Garvin muttered under his breath, his gaze darting frantically across the carnage. "Could she have gone looking for us?"

"If she did, we’d have run into her on the way here," Ethan replied, his voice tense as he held his hand over his nose to block the pungent smell.

"Scarlett!" Garvin shouted, his voice cracking as he began pacing around, his worry evident.

"She couldn’t have turned into one of those things... could she?" Ethan asked, his voice low but laced with dread as he glanced at the monster corpses.

Garvin hesitated, his throat tightening. "She was bitten once. It almost turned her, but she fought it. She controlled the killing instincts somehow. She was fine after that."

Ethan froze. "You mean she’s half-monster? All this time?" His voice was incredulous. "I’ve been bitten before. I was able to purge the venom and regenerate. Are you saying she couldn’t do the same?"

Garvin shook his head. "I guess your powers make you different. Scarlett’s now half-human and half monster. She never managed to remove the venom completely. She... she just learned to suppress it. I really don’t understand to be honest."

"Damn!" Ethan uttered as he swallowed hard.

"Where is she now?" Garvin murmured under his breath, his expression filled with worry.

Ethan exhaled deeply, his mind racing. "Let’s check the area to the north."

They called her name repeatedly as they searched, their voices echoing through the eerie silence. After several minutes, they reached a small stream.

At the water’s edge, a lone figure knelt, her back turned to them. Her frame was thin, trembling, and soaked in blood.

"Scarlett?" Garvin called softly, taking a tentative step forward. His voice was tender, filled with hope.

The figure stirred, turning to face them.

Ethan and Garvin froze.

Scarlett’s crimson-red eyes glowed with an unnatural light. Her once fair complexion was now pale and sickly, like ash. Her teeth had become razor-sharp, and she held a squirming fish in her clawed hands, tearing into it with unrelenting hunger. Blood dripped from her chin as she devoured it raw.

Long, jagged nails extended from her fingers, caked with blood. Her flesh was torn in several places, exposing bone and muscle. Her stomach was a gaping wound, her intestines partially spilling out.

"What the..." Ethan trailed off, his throat dry as Scarlett’s bloodied gaze locked onto them.

"Scarlett," Garvin whispered, his voice trembling.

A soft chime sounded, and a holographic screen materialized before Scarlett, displaying her stats.

Name: Scarlett Jerkins

Race: Human, Half-Monster (Level 5/500)

Agility: 50

Strength: 100

Killer Instinct: 60/100

Skills Unlocked:

Invisibility (5/500)

Speed and Agility (5/500)

Scarlett didn’t react to the screen. Her crimson eyes fixated on Ethan and Garvin, her gaze hungry and predatory. To her, they looked like nothing more than sacks of blood and flesh to be devoured.

"She’s... turned," Ethan muttered, his voice shaky. "She’s really turned!"

Garvin took a hesitant step closer. "No, she hasn’t! She just needs to come back to her senses. Scarlett, it’s me...Garvin! You’re okay, just... just focus!"

Ethan grabbed Garvin’s arm, pulling him back. "Are you blind? Look at her! Her flesh is gone! Her intestines are hanging out! If she could regenerate, she would have done it already."

"She saved me before," Garvin argued, his voice growing desperate. "That means there’s still a part of her that’s human. We can help her, Ethan. Do something! Use your powers, just calm her down!"

Ethan hesitated, his hands glowing faintly with elemental fire. "I... I don’t know if I can. If I hurt her, it might push her over the edge."

Garvin’s voice broke. "Then don’t hurt her. Do something...anything!"

Before Ethan could respond, Scarlett let out a low, guttural snarl. In a blur of motion, she lunged forward, slamming Garvin to the ground. Her claws pierced his neck, drawing blood, as her teeth snapped inches from his face.

"Garvin!" Ethan shouted, rushing forward, only for Scarlett to strike him with her other hand, her nails tearing through his arm.

Both men screamed as Scarlett’s strength pressed down on them. Her bloody breath was hot against Garvin’s face as her teeth snapped closer and closer.

"Scarlett, stop!" Ethan pleaded, summoning his fire again. He hesitated, trying to control the flames to avoid harming her.

Scarlett growled, her crimson eyes blazing with unquenchable thirst. She no longer recognized them, she only saw prey.

"Please," Garvin gasped, his strength failing as her nails dug deeper. "Come back to your senses..."

Scarlett’s teeth soon sank into Garvin’s injured shoulder, tearing through flesh. His scream echoed through the forest as blood gushed from the wound.

Ethan clenched his fists. "I don’t want to hurt you, Scarlett... but you’re giving me no choice!"