**Warnings: light cursing, violence, cannibalism (?)**

A part of the lab remains unexplored, deemed dangerous and best left untouched. But with desperate stakes at play, only a selected group of the strongest were chosen to set out.

The word strong comes in many forms.

There’s Calvin, six feet tall and able to lift a person without breaking a sweat.

Amy, who’s always two steps ahead, with routes carefully mapped in her mind.

Etho, stays sharp, smart. Always alert to every step and every shift in the surroundings.

And then there’s Sean. Who had nothing to lose.

Amy, who had been leading the path until now, suddenly stopped in her tracks. “Everyone,” she barely whispered under her breath.

“What’s wrong?” Calvin asked, trying to sense what was happening.

“Oh,” Etho said, his voice cracking. “Oh shit.”

“Can anyone tell me what the hell is happening here—” Then Calvin’s irritation dropped the moment he spotted the body just around the corner.

It’s not the first time they’ve come across a dead person during missions.

_But this is…_

“Why are his legs and arms all the way over there?” Sean asked, pointing toward the table.

Even when everyone had frozen, Etho took another step forward. Getting closer to the body.

“Etho, you shouldn’t—” Amy said, trying to stop him.

“There are bite marks,” Etho cut in, his voice lower now. “All over his body. That’s not right.”

Amy glanced back at Calvin and Sean, gesturing for them to stay put. Then she stepped forward, joining Etho by the body.

It’s rather dark, even with a flashlight. Hard to tell. But there’s no doubt…

“And the blood…” Etho said, “it’s still bright red.”

Amy took note of it. “Then that means the killer is still around—”

Her words cut off.

Etho’s scream tore through the air—_raw_, **_blood-curdling._** What looked like a person—or something that once was—lunged from the shadows, sinking its teeth deep into his neck.

“Fuck!” Amy yanked out her pocket knife, rushing to help.

She stabbed it in the head, again and again, but the jaws stayed locked on Etho’s skin.

Seconds passed. Each one making it clearer.

There was _no saving him._

Amy staggered back, eyes darting to Calvin and Sean, who were already starting to run toward her.

“We have to get out of here,” she said, immediately.

“But—Etho—” Calvin tried.

“Now!”

As much as they wanted to protest, to fight back, they dropped it reluctantly. The three of them ran off, down the hallways. Back toward the massive metal doors still locked shut. Only Etho knew how to get through them.

“This is no use. We have to kill that guy,” Calvin said, gripping his gun tighter.

“You all saw me stab him in the head, didn’t you?” Amy said. “It didn’t even blink. That thing’s not _human_.”

“I saw a vent in the left hallway earlier, on our way down here,” Sean spoke up.

“Quick. Lead us,” Amy nodded.

They followed Sean, weapons drawn. It did not take them long to get there. A vent, a little high up and pretty narrow. only wide enough for one person at a time.

“Lift me up,” Amy instructed.

Calvin moved without hesitation, bracing her legs as she reached for the vent cover. Her hands worked quickly, fingers steady, unscrewing each bolt with a small multitool tucked in her jacket. She caught two of the screws in her palm. One clattered softly to the floor.

Sean and Calvin stood watch below, scanning every shadow, eyes flicking to every corner for movement.

“Almost done,” Amy muttered as the last screw dropped.

Then came footsteps.

Wet. Scraping. Not human.

The figure appeared around the corner, half-crawling, half-dragging itself. Its limbs moved wrong. The moment it came into view, Calvin and Sean opened fire, each shot sharp and fast.

But it didn’t fall.

“Fuck! Amy, you have to get up there now!” Calvin yelled.

She yanked the vent open, ready to climb. But just as she pulled herself up, the thing jumped.

It slammed into her, dragging her off Calvin and onto the cold floor. Her screams filled the hallway, followed by the sickening sounds of flesh being torn apart.

Calvin stepped in, trying to pull the figure off her. But it turned, fast, and lunged at him instead. Its teeth sank into his arm.

There was no point in shooting or stabbing. None of it worked. Still, Calvin did the only thing he knew—_fight._

Sean stood frozen, watching in horror. He didn’t know what to do, not yet. Then his eyes landed on Amy—_lifeless_—and the flashlight she had dropped.

He rushed over for it, grabbing the flashlight and shining it straight into the creature’s eyes. The light blinded it. The moment it staggered, Calvin shoved it hard against the wall with everything he had.

Grunting, breathless, Calvin turned to Sean.

“Quick. Get up on me,” he said, motioning to his shoulders.

Sean didn’t hesitate. With their combined effort, he reached the vent and crawled in. He stuck the flashlight between his teeth and reached his arm back down to help Calvin up.

But Calvin shouted. Something had bitten into his lower waist.

“Cal!” Sean yelled, already moving to jump back down.

“Don’t!” Calvin grunted, locking eyes with him. “Get out of here, Sean. You have to!”

“_I—I can’t just—_”

Another scream. A sickening crack.

“Just shut the fucking vent!” Calvin roared. “You have to be the one to warn everyone else!”

Those were his last words before the creature ripped out his vocal cords.

Breathless and shaking, Sean slammed the vent cover shut.

Now alone. With only the sound of his own breathing and thoughts.

His hands trembled. His mind raced.

Under an hour ago, they were all still alive.

Now all he had left was a story to tell of those who were left behind.