Horrific Shorts: Zombie Edition

The silence in the maintenance station was deafening, broken only by the soft hum of a flickering overhead light. The team took a moment to regroup, their breaths heavy from the fight below. Bulwark leaned against the wall, wiping grime off his weapon, while Ghost stared intently at her scanner.

"Status report," Rook demanded, reloading his shotgun.

Ghost shook her head. "Still no clear readings. Whatever interference is down here, it's strong enough to block most of our equipment. We're flying blind."

"We've been blind since we entered this hellhole," Viper muttered, rubbing her temple. "Those... things weren't random. They were protecting something."

Shadow crouched near the hatch, her sniper rifle resting across her knees. "They're more organized than they look. Did you see how they tried to flank us? That wasn't instinct—it was strategy."

Rook nodded grimly. "We've stumbled into something bigger than we anticipated. Ghost, any idea where this station leads?"

Ghost pointed to a faded map on the wall. The layout was crude but showed a network of tunnels leading deeper underground. One path was marked with a red 'X.'

"Here," she said, tapping the map. "The red mark. It could be a warning—or a clue."

"Then that's where we're headed," Rook said firmly.

The team moved cautiously, their weapons at the ready. The corridor ahead was narrow and lined with rusted pipes that dripped water into puddles on the floor. Every sound seemed amplified in the confined space, making it impossible to tell if they were alone.

As they advanced, the air grew colder, carrying a faint metallic tang. Shadow paused, her sharp eyes scanning the dimly lit corridor.

"Something's wrong," she whispered.

Before anyone could respond, the lights flickered violently, plunging the corridor into darkness. A low, guttural growl echoed ahead, followed by the unmistakable sound of claws scraping against metal.

"Contact!" Rook shouted, raising his weapon.

A figure lunged from the shadows, faster than anything they'd encountered before. Its grotesque form was barely visible in the strobe-like flashes of the flickering light. Rook fired, the shotgun blast reverberating through the corridor, but the creature was already moving, its agility unnatural.

Bulwark swung his weapon like a club, smashing the creature into the wall. It let out a shriek, retreating into the darkness.

"They're adapting," Viper hissed, her eyes wide.

The team pressed on, their pace quickening. They reached a large metal door marked with the same red 'X' as the map. It was slightly ajar, revealing a faint, pulsating glow from within.

Rook signaled for silence, and the team positioned themselves around the door. With a deep breath, he pushed it open.

Inside was a massive chamber, the walls lined with strange, glowing symbols that seemed to pulse with energy. In the center stood a massive, intricate machine—its purpose unknown, but its presence menacing.

"This is it," Ghost said, her voice barely above a whisper. "This is what they're protecting."

The growls returned, louder and more feral. The team turned to see dozens of glowing eyes emerging from the shadows.

"Defensive positions!" Rook barked. "We hold this ground!"@@novelbin@@

The team prepared for the fight of their lives as the creatures charged, their monstrous forms illuminated by the eerie glow of the chamber. Read the latest on My Virtual Library Empire