Horrific Shorts: Zombie Edition

The growl reverberated through the mist, low and guttural, sending chills down the spines of the BTO team. The pale moonlight cut through the swirling fog like a dagger, casting eerie shadows across the overgrown gardens. Rook raised his hand to signal silence, his sharp gaze scanning the shifting haze for movement.

"Shadow," Rook called through the comms, keeping his voice low. "Do you have eyes on the source of that noise?"

Shadow’s reply crackled in, terse and clipped. "Negative, Commander. Whatever it is, it’s staying out of view—just beyond the perimeter. But it’s big." Read new adventures at NovelBin.Côm

"Figures." Rook exhaled, tightening his grip on his rifle. "Alright, team. We stick together. Ghost, secure our six. Viper, you’re on point. Bulwark, cover the center. Whatever’s out there, we’re not letting it corner us."

The team formed up, moving cautiously into the dense fog, their boots crunching softly against the damp gravel path. Viper led the way, his knives drawn, his eyes sharp and unblinking. Ghost brought up the rear, his weapon sweeping side to side in controlled arcs. Bulwark lumbered in the middle, his shotgun ready to blast anything that moved.

The deeper they went into the garden, the thicker the fog became, as though the mist itself were alive, pressing in around them. Shapes shifted at the edges of their vision—branches, stone statues, or something else entirely. A crow cawed from above, its sudden cry piercing the silence.

"Something’s wrong," Ghost muttered. "This fog—this place—it’s not natural."

"Hold steady," Rook said, though he felt it too. The air itself was heavy, laced with an unsettling energy. "Eyes sharp."

A sudden thud broke the tension, followed by a low scraping sound—like claws dragging over stone. The team froze.

"Contact," Viper whispered, his body tensed like a coiled spring.

From the mist, a figure emerged—a tall, monstrous silhouette with glowing red eyes. Its body was grotesque, a twisted amalgamation of bone and sinew, with jagged limbs that scraped along the ground. It let out a gurgling roar, shattering the silence as it lunged forward.

"Light it up!" Rook barked.

Bulwark’s shotgun thundered, the blast tearing into the creature’s chest, but it kept coming. Rook fired next, his bullets ripping into its twisted form. Viper dodged low, slicing at its legs with his knives, but the creature swung a massive arm, sending him sprawling into the mud.

"Viper’s down!" Ghost shouted, unloading a barrage of fire.

The creature faltered under the onslaught, its guttural howls echoing through the fog. Finally, Bulwark delivered the killing blow—a slug to the head that sent it crashing to the ground, twitching before going still.

Rook rushed to Viper, pulling him to his feet. "You good?"

"Yeah," Viper coughed, shaking off the hit. "That thing—what was it?"

Before Rook could answer, Shadow’s voice crackled through the comms, urgent. "Commander, we’ve got movement—dozens of signatures. They’re closing in on your position."

Rook turned, his blood running cold as shapes began to materialize in the fog.

"Hold the line!" he shouted, raising his rifle. "We’re not dying here."

The team braced for the onslaught as the fog came alive with nightmares.