Blind World Collab submission
Team 1
@remi-le-oduen - Writing, ideas
@plasmarift - Writing, ideas
@thenorf - Art, ideas
@hekillzalot - ideas
Submission type - illustrated story.
Title - Out of the Fog
Out of the Fog
Part 1
Claud almost bumped into Yorn’s back when his friend suddenly stopped.
“You see something?” Claud whispered.
“The trees.” Yorn did not bother lowering his voice at all, making the rest of the group turn to them. “I see them bloody trees, cause there’s nothing else here, but the bloody trees and bloody fog! It’s time we finish this stupid stroll and head back.”
Claud clenched his teeth. They were all on edge, but he never expected Yorn to snap first. He raised his voice as well.
“Head back where? To the slums? Waiting for the next raid to become either food or cannon fodder?”
The rest of them - seven people, everything that’s left of the Resistance - gathered around, becoming familiar people instead of misty silhouettes. The fog covered everything in this strange forest, much thicker and heavier than anything they saw in the city. But he had to believe it also hid a key to their salvation. And he had to convince everyone else.
“Chance for what?” Claud expected Yorn to be angry, but instead the bulky man leaned on the big tree, looking down. He sounded exhausted. “There’s nothing left, Claud. Either these bastards will force us to fight in their wars, or they will suck us dry, or we’ll catch the disease and rot.”
Claud grabbed Yorn’s shirt, shaking the big man.
“Are you gonna just let them do that? You heard what Alice said. There’s something in this fog that can kill vampires.”
“We all heard what Alice said.” Yorn didn’t even try to free himself. “She also said they still go there to hunt. What makes you think whatever is there - if there’s anything at all - will be of any use to us?”
“The fact that they are afraid of it.” Alice could not remain silent when someone doubted her. This got her kicked out of the Mechanic’s guild. Claud was grateful for that, as that was the reason she joined a desperate cause of Resistance. And, without her, they would all have died long ago. He let Yorn go as the woman put a hand on his shoulder. She stood in front of their discouraged comrade.
“I heard it with my own ears. They go here out of necessity, to avoid the disease. One of them warned a newly transformed vampire that prey here is healthy, but dangerous. And he sounded uneasy. Have you ever heard of a vampire being uneasy because of humans?”
“Yes, one versus hundred with a cannon.” Yorn spat on the ground, but pulled himself off the tree. “I only hope this prey of theirs will not try eating us too.”
Claud exhaled slowly and nodded towards Alice, fixing a dull brown scarf wrapped around his neck. Alice managed the group much better than he could ever hope to do, despite the fact that he was considered a leader.
“Don’t get mad at him.” Claud barely heard Alice’s voice. “He is just tired and scared. We all are.”
“And that will get them killed if they don’t pull themselves together.”
Alice shook her head in a clearly disapproving manner. “Let’s go”.
They went on for what could be a few minutes or an hour. The fog veil made space and time seem warped and nonexistent.
“This reminds me of an old tale.” Shanny, the only other woman in the group beside Alice, suddenly spoke. “The Forest of the Vanished. Do you remember it? About children who went to the foggy forest and disappeared.”
“The bloody fog is now everywhere, not only in the forest.” Yorn grumbled. “Only the cursed bloodsuckers aren’t afraid of it.”
“Maybe they are connected somehow” Alice caught Claud’s questioning glance and explained. “The vampires and the fog. We don’t even know how either of them appeared. There are no vampires in the old tales. The really old ones.”
“I don’t care. Old tales don’t help kill vampires. Stay focused.”
Studying how things work was Alice’s passion, but Claud could not let her mind drift away now. Alice pursed her lips, but nodded.
A sudden gasp came from ahead. Claud pulled out his sword. He also had a pistol, but this humidity surely made gunpowder useless. Crouching, he followed the voice - and stopped as he realized there were no more trees or fog around him.
“Oh my…” Alice could not hold her reaction at the scenery in front of them. A gentle flat slope ran down, and at its foot stood what could only be ruins of a gargantuan city. Buildings taller and wider than any palace Claud had ever seen, and he could not even imagine how big they were before collapsing. In the distance, an immense tower could be seen, its top disappearing somewhere in the gray clouds.
“Is this what we were looking for? Ruins?”
Claud did not know what to say back to Yorn. After all, he had no idea what to expect of this endeavor.
“To build something like this…” Alice’s voice trembled. “Imagine what kind of technology they had.”
“Maybe they had weapons.” Claud clutched at this idea and started down the slope. The rest followed, but no one except Alice showed any enthusiasm.
The fog did not disappear, of course. It hung low over the ground, but at least unlike the forest, this place had grass and clumps of bushes. No birds or animals in sight though. Claud kept his sword unsheathed and the rest followed suit as the group entered the desolated city.
They stayed close to one another, feeling insignificant in the shadow of enormous buildings. On closer inspection, no one could even say what material was used in their construction. Most were covered with plants, roots and vines crawling all over the dented and cracked walls. Occasional wind made leaves and sprouts rustle, but this was the only sound in this place. It felt empty. Dead. Harmless. Step by step, the group regained their confidence.
“Shall we look inside?” Yorn asked, pointing to an empty doorframe of a huge round building of unknown purpose. Claud thought it could be an arena, but was not going to start pointless discussions. Instead, he shrugged.
“Might as well”.
They approached the entrance, Claud and Yorn in the lead. Before they entered, Alice’s voice stopped them.
“Look, those are not vines”. The woman was studying the plant-covered wall. “Those are some weird ropes.” She pointed at what seemed like a bunch of black slick vines braided together. “I wonder what those are.”
“Don’t…” It was too late. Alice touched one of the vines - or ropes - trying to unbraid it. Suddenly, she froze, staring mindlessly at the wall. Claud stepped ahead and pulled her back. The woman stumbled and almost fell, blinking in surprise.
“Alice, are you alright? What happened?”
“Yes… yes, I’m fine. It’s just… Those strange vines are… vibrating, and I think I heard something when I touched it.”
Claud sighed. “Please try to keep your curiosity in check. If this place can be dangerous for vampires, we should be extremely cautious.”
“I’m sorry.”
Claud threw another glance inside the building and frowned.
“Maybe we should head towards that high tower? If there’s anything important or valuable, I bet it must be there.”
No objections followed and the group went on again, their confidence replaced with alertness and uneasiness, their eyes darting over buildings covered in these strange ropes. Claud soon noticed that the ropes were hanging everywhere - between buildings and what seemed to be broken lampposts, occasional trees and what they believed to be monuments. On a wide square they came across, the ropes were even wrapped around a dry carcass of a fountain. They slowly drew closer to the tower, its fragile structure becoming more visible as well as a mass of thick lines of something stretching from it towards the buildings around.
“Are you sure we need to go there?” Yorn asked as the group stopped, exchanging worried glances. Claud observed the tower, tugging at a scarf on his neck. Suddenly, he raised his hand.
“Sh! You heard that?”
The group immediately formed a circle, back to back, looking around wearily. Around, but not up.
The empty windows, four human heights above them, erupted, letting out howling, growling bodies. The fall did not confuse the creatures at all as they jumped at the humans, their claws and fangs piercing clothes and flesh.
“Hold it!” Claud shouted, slashing the attacking creature across its dog-like muzzle. It was hard to tell if it was actually dog-like, because most of its body was covered in the same strange black vines, some of them even piercing the creature’s flesh. But Claud had neither time nor the desire to study its anatomy. Slicing the monster's neck, he turned around to check on the rest of the team - only to see there was no team left. Only Alice and Yorn still stood, their blades covered in blood. Four creatures lay dead on the ground, and no less than five more formed a semicircle in front of the remaining people, growling and barking. Black vines were hanging from their bodies, twitching as if they had a mind of their own. Claud noticed that not all the creatures were dog-like. Some definitely had a resemblance to a human body. He felt sick, but tightened his grip on a sword and stepped shoulder to shoulder with Yorn and Alice. They were taken by surprise, but they can still make it. These creatures are nothing like vampires. Not as fast, strong and deadly. And totally easier to kill. They can make it.
The creatures attacked simultaneously, as if controlled by one will. One of them jumped at Claud as another struck from below. He almost evaded it, and cursed as sharp claws tore skin on his leg. But his sword split opened the attacker’s belly. Claud heard a fierce cry - from Alice, and painful - from Yorn. But he had no time to help them - the black veins that covered the dead creature’s body suddenly jerked and wrapped around his leg. He lost his balance for a second and that was enough for another monster to jump on him and pin him down. All the world condensed to the nauseating smell coming out of the monster’s maw that Claud tried to keep away from his neck. Suddenly, a series of sharp sounds rang between the ruined buildings. Something bright and hot brushed past Claud’s face and an unknown force knocked the creature off of him.
“Brilliant shot, my dear. As always.” The male voice was unfamiliar.
“And yours is not. As always.” Another one, soft and feminine replied as Claud grabbed his sword and made himself stand. “That one is still alive”.
At first, Claud thought them to be monsters too, ready to attack, but they stood still, not even looking at him. The man was tall and scrawny, his head covered with some sort of a helmet that had strange goggles like the ones Alice used during work, as well as weird devices on his ears. Beside him, a young woman sat on a peculiar chair with what seemed like wheels attached to it. She also had a helmet, and a whole bunch of black vines hanging over her and the chair. Both held what Claud believed to be muskets - but unlike any he ever saw. They were pointed down, and the pair showed no signs of hostility, but Claud still kept his grip on the sword. He threw a glance at his comrades. Alice was standing too, seemingly unharmed. Yorn was lying, his non-blinking eyes looking straight into the dull sun somewhere beyond the thick clouds. Claud felt anger and pain burning in his chest.
The man with the musket stepped ahead, and Claud pointed his sword at him.
“Halt! Who are you?”
The man stopped, spreading his hands. “People, just like you. Now, if you don’t mind, I must put an end to this poor creature’s misery.”
Only now Claud noticed that one of the monsters was still alive, bleeding, wimping and clawing at the ground. The fact that this creature resembled a human only made it more disgusting. Claud stepped back, and let the man come closer.
“Forgive me for having to end your existence, child of nature.” He pointed his strange musket at the creature and pulled the trigger. The musket emitted a bright flash and the creature jerked as its chest exploded, blood and bits of bones and flesh splashing around. Claud could feel how Alice’s eyes glowed with curiosity. She made firearms for the Resistance and always looked for a way to improve them. He felt a faint glimmer of hope in himself too. These weapons can be the key to their freedom. The key to his revenge.
The man with the musket turned to him and stretched out a hand. “Now, allow me to commence with the introductions. I go by the name Corey. The fair maiden that saved your life is Veri. And you, I believe, came from what was once our homeworld?”
Befuddled, Claud shook Corey’s hand, his eyes fixed on the strange musket.
The meaning of what the man said escaped from him - but not from Alice.
“What do you mean was once your homeworld?” She almost jumped at the scrawny man and he laughed heartily.
“May I at least have the honor of knowing your names?”
Alice blushed. “Sorry… I’m Alice. This is Claud.”
“Extremely pleased to meet you both, even under these… painful circumstances.”
Claud’s eyes darted to Yorn’s corpse and the realization hit him. There were only two of them left. Only two. He gripped the sword hilt as tight as he could. No time for mourning. No time for tears. No time for being weak.
“I’m fine.” Alice was looking at him worryingly, and his word didn’t seem to persuade her.
“We’d better go.” The girl, Veri, as Claud remembered, suddenly spoke. “Before another pack appears.”
Corey nodded enthusiastically. “Of course. Our new friends here don’t seem ready for another fight. Let us bring you to our humble home. I am sure Master Wistry will be very interested in hearing your story.”
…
“Humble home. He called it a humble home.” Alice obviously could not control her curiosity and only a presence of unfamiliar people with weapons prevented her from trying to inspect every single inch of the place she and Claud were brought to. The method used to bring them here was something absolutely otherworldly too. Veri and Corey led them to one of the buildings that had a strange platform inside. When they all gathered there, Veri pushed some buttons on the armrest of her weird self-moving wheeled chair, and a bright light enveloped them. A moment later, they were somewhere else - “humble home”, as Corey once again called it. This transportation technology almost made Alice faint from excitement. This place definitely had something in common with the strange buildings - strange material of the walls, the same black vines - wires, as Corey called them. Despite his explanations that they were not dangerous, Claud tried to stay away from the thick braids running along the walls of the narrow corridors they were escorted through. Occasionally, they passed by other people who looked at them with curiosity, but no one said anything. Finally, they reached something Corey called his cabin, where he offered them food and rest. Hot water running down from pipes without any effort was really impressive. Alice took much longer to wash herself, probably trying to take something apart to see how it works. After they finished the food that was surprisingly dull for a place so surreal, Corey and Veri finally began answering their questions.
“We still don’t completely understand what the Fog actually is. But it is clear that its presence is not limited to one world. Instead, it can manifest in many worlds and act as a means of traveling between them. But only when the Fog allows it according to its own purposes.” Veri’s speech was monotonous and emotionless. Claud found it hard to follow, but Alice caught every word.
“Its purpose? How can a fog have purpose?”
“The Fog.” Corey said it in a way that made a clear difference. “Is more than a natural occurrence. It is a being, sentient and cunning, but at the same time, very primitive. Like bacteria, it’s purpose is simple - eat and grow. Unfortunately for us, we realized too late what kind of food it prefers.”
“No need for dramatic pauses, Corey.” Veri shook her head. “The Fog spreads its influence in the worlds and then devours them.”
Claud snorted. “What does it have to do with us? Or with you? Or with vampires or those… monsters?”
“The Wired ones.” Corey sighed. “Poor creatures. They were once normal animals or humans. Let Veri finish her story and you will understand everything. Just bear with her lecturing manner. She is really trying to be like her teacher.”
Veri shot a very angry glance at her fellow, but made no comments. Instead, she went on.
“In ancient times, the Fog let some people from your world into this one, at that time, desolate and unpopulated.”
“The Forest of the Vanished from the old tales!” Alice snapped her fingers.
“Exactly. The Fog showed those people a lot of knowledge they never even dreamed of. I believe it stole them from the worlds it already devoured. Anyway, people started building their new life here. They advanced fast, and many of them were really grateful to the Fog to the point of worshiping it. Most of the technology you see here was granted by the Fog through visions it sent to its cult. No one doubted those visions even for a second. The promises of a world where everyone and everything will be connected, where no place for wars and even misunderstandings will be left. We built our homes and cities and connected everything with wires, just as the Fog wanted. And then it struck. Wires started… whispering. Talking. Driving people and animals mad, making them wrap themselves in wires and insert wires into their bodies, forcing them to attack others. Chaos spread everywhere. Luckily, we had this space station almost finished. Those who survived escaped here.”
“What is a space station?” Alice asked.
Claud did not allow Veri to answer. “Who cares? This is not important. What is important is you have those weapons. This is what we need to fight the damn vampires!”
“I think we’ve seen those… vampires you talk about on our expeditions to the surface.” Corey pondered. “They look like humans, but their physical capabilities are much greater. Never seen anyone move so fast. But yes, even they can’t outrun and withstand a good plasma bolt. But this is useless for you now.” For some reason, he sounded sympathetic.
“What do you mean?”
“Have you ever wondered why those who disappeared in the Fog never came back? The Fog does not allow it. It only lets people go one way.”
“What… But the vampires go back and forth freely!”
“So they do. We suspect they too appeared as a result of the Fog tempting someone with something.”
“Power and eternal life.” Alice replied. “As long as you drink human blood.”
Veri shivered. Then she jerked when Claud hit the table with his fist.
“No! This can't be the end of it! I came here to find a weapon against vampires! To destroy them! And now that I found just what I need, you tell me I can't go back to help people!”
Alice put her hand on his clenched fist. “Claud, please don't get mad at them, they are trying to help us. At least we are safe now. Think of it.”
“Safe? Safe… I don't care about that!” His fingers grabbed his scarf. “I did not come here to run away, hide somewhere like a rat and persuade myself that I am safe!”
“Please, friends.” Corey raised his hands. “There is no need to be so heated. You have both been through a lot today, you are tired. Have a rest. I am sure master Wistry will think of what to do with this… predicament.”
“Corey.” Veri suddenly called in a troubled voice. She was looking at a strange tablet that slid out of her chair’s armrest. Unknown symbols that resembled letters appeared on it. Veri pointed at them and Corey frowned after reading.
“I will talk to him.” Veri said. “This must be a misunderstanding.”
Corey nodded and she left, her wheelchair moving effortlessly.
“What happened?” Alice could not remain silent, while Claud just closed his eyes, dozing off. Nothing of this mattered to him.
“Pay no attention. Just some minor complications. Why don't you tell me about your world while we are awaiting Veri's return?”
Alice threw a glance at Claud, but he remained silent. She sighed.
“It's… not a happy world. Just like yours, but much less… advanced. Vampires ruled it for centuries. It was easy for them to gain control with all the benefits of their physiology. They turned those loyal to them into vampires too. Now vampire clans fight among themselves using humans as cannon fodder. Most of them don’t care about human lives at all. But it turned even worse as of late. The fog started spreading over cities, and it brought a weird disease with it. People looked fine, but were.. withering. It affected vampires too if they drank the affected person's blood.”
“Sounds just like what happened here when the Wired creatures appeared. The Fog is preparing to devour our worlds completely.”
Alice shivered. “Is there no way to stop it?”
“None that we know of. This is why we are planning to escape it.”
“Escape? How?”
“Ironically, using the Fog’s visions. Remember how we got here? This is called teleportation. Do you know what gravity is?”
Alice nodded.
“This technology distorts gravity in a certain way and makes it possible to travel huge distances in a single moment. We believe this is in a way similar to how the Fog connects different worlds. Now, we are in the process of making a stronger version of it that will let us create a huge gravitational anomaly and take this station with everyone on it so far away that the Fog will never reach us. According to Master Wistry, it is close to completion.”
“Who is this Master Wistry?”
“You can call him our leader, I guess. He is Veri’s teacher too. He was the one who came up with the plan of creating a black hole and escaping this place.”
“He is a coward.” Claud suddenly spoke. “Running away without even trying to fight. That’s what weaklings do.”
Corey looked at him with a sad expression. “Some battles just cannot be won.”
“That’s what weaklings say.”
Alice was going to say something when the door opened, letting Veri back in.
“We have a problem.”
…
“I still do not understand why master Wistry demanded your exile. This must be a misunderstanding. We will look after you here while I persuade him to take you with us.” Veri’s fingers grabbed her chair’s armrests and Corey patted her shoulders. “No need to be so pent up, dear. We’ve already decided that if everything else fails, we will smuggle them back onboard.”
Veri leaned back in the chair and sighed. “Yes. I am not going to abandon anyone.”
They stood amidst the ruins of the city again. The sun was climbing up the ever-cloudy sky, chasing shadows back inside the desolate buildings. Claud and Alice spent the night in Corey’s and Veri’s rooms, unable to leave. Whoever that master Wistry was, he refused to see them and even told Veri to lead “intruders” back to the surface. Veri was confused and even angry, which was surprising considering she spoke of Wistry with utmost respect bordering adoration. She was trying to come up with excuses for his decision, even though no one asked for it.
“I have no desire to run away with you.” Claud said sharply. “Just give me a bunch of those muskets of yours and teach me how to use them. I will find my way back home and do what I must.”
Alice looked at him intently, but said nothing. All the worries, or maybe a faint light of this world sun, made her face pale.
“There’s no one around.” Corey returned after checking out the surroundings. “Let’s go.”
They headed to the place where they met. Alice and Claud wanted to give their fallen comrades at least a semblance of a proper burial, and Veri and Corey needed something there too. As they went, Corey gave Alice and Claud weapons he called plasma rifles and briefly explained how to shoot them. However, nothing threatened them on their way to the place where Yorn and the others died.
When they reached it, the bodies were already damaged by animals, but were still recognizable. The feeling of loss overwhelmed them, making Alice burst into tears. Claud, with Corey’s help, pulled the bodies together and brought some stones and fragments of buildings to form a clunky tomb. Tired, they sat on the ground, breathing heavily. Corey took off his weird helmet, wiping his forehead. At that moment, Claud noticed that Veri was doing something strange. Her wheelchair was positioned near a dead body of a wired creature that was once human, and a braid of wires connected it with the wheelchair. Her eyes were closed, but Claud could see that they were moving rapidly under her eyelids, and her fingers kept twitching.
“What is she doing?” Corey ignored the question, and Claud had to tap his shoulder. “What is it?” Asked the tall man after putting his helmet back on. Claud repeated his question.
“Well… how should I put it… We have a technology that allows us to connect human minds. I can't explain better because I am not an expert in it myself.”
Claud nodded even though he barely understood. Corey continued. Alice, who sat nearby, consumed by her own thoughts, started paying attention too.
“Actually, this is what the Fog tempted us with. That's why almost no one is using it anymore.”
He sighed.
“But Veri is special. What her body lacks, she compensates with her mind. She keeps trying mind-merging despite all the dangers it brings.”
Claud realized it was not something useful to him. He stood up and went a little further away to practice with the plasma rifle. Alice, however, was interested.
“Why is it dangerous?”
“The Fog. Veri believes she can free the Wired ones from its influence. That's why she tries to merge with their minds, even dead ones. But as soon as she does it, she becomes vulnerable to the Fog.”
Alice stared intently at Veri's trembling face. From the corner of her eyes, she could see Claud shooting at the wall, sharp sound piercing the air. “Has she ever… succeeded? In reverting the Fog influence?”
Corey shook his head. “Not once.”
Alice looked down, clearly disheartened. Suddenly, Veri jerked. Her mouth opened and she started shaking her head. Corey sprang to his feet and ran to the girl. But she already tore the wires off the chair and opened her eyes that were filled with tears.
“Veri! You alright? What happened?”
“Corey… Wistry… He… I can't believe it. It must be the Fog! It is trying to deceive me.”
“What happened?” Claud noticed that something was off and came closer. Alice shrugged. “I've no idea, she suddenly woke up and started crying.”
With Corey’s help ,Veri calmed down enough to explain what scared her.
“This Wired One was once a member of the Fog Cult. And… he knew of the black hole generator.”
“Impossible! Wistry presented it only recently.”
“Corey…” Veri's eyes were wide and still teary, she definitely forced herself to speak. “I saw Wistry in this Wired One's memory. He was… he was a Cult member too.”
Corey was silent for a moment.
“Are you sure?”
Veri shook her head. “No. I don't want to be sure. I don't want to believe in this. Wistry taught me everything I know. Without him, I would have been a useless burden to everyone. I don't want to doubt him.”
Claud leaned on the wall, paying more attention to their surroundings than the discussion.
“Wait.” Alice intruded. “If I remember what you told me, this machine of yours was based on what the Fog showed you, right? And it allows you to… tele… travel in a way like the Fog does.”
Corey nodded.
“So… If we allow the possibility that this machine was made by those who worship the Fog, then… What is its real purpose? Will it really allow you to run from the Fog? Or will it open a way for it to other worlds?”
Veri was stunned for a moment. Then she started shaking her head, her hands grabbing the armrests, stiff and white. Corey jumped between her and Alice, took her head in his arms and looked in her eyes.
“Veri, listen to me. Don't think of anything. Just listen to my voice. Concentrate on your breath. Breathe in. Breathe out.”
Alice, scared of this sudden reaction, stepped back. Claud looked troubled, but still kept his relaxed pose, eyes studying the windows around them.
This time, it took much longer for Veri to calm down. Once she was able to talk again, she began frantically explaining why Alice was wrong.
“Alice, what are we still doing here?” Claud suddenly asked. Alice looked at him, surprised. “What do you mean?”
“We got what we needed.” Claud demonstrated the rifle. “Time to go back.”
“They said we can't go back.”
“They don’t know everything. There must be a way.”
Alice stared at him defiantly, a vein pulsating on her temple. Her eyes seemed somehow larger on her pale face.
“They saved us! Don't you want to at least repay that?”
“How? They are doing fine on their own as I see it.”
“Listen to me. I might have an idea.” She turned to Veri and Corey. “What will happen if we use this machine of yours inside the Fog?”
Veri tilted her head. “I never thought about it. Well… two wormholes in space-time… acting simultaneously… The anomaly… I am not sure.”
“But is there a chance it will destroy the Fog?”
Veri's eyes widened. “Destroy… the Fog? But… Well, the distortion… No, I can't predict what will happen. We should offer this idea to master Wistry! He can make the necessary calculations. And he will explain what I saw here.”
“And what if he really serves the Fog?”
“I told you he doesn't!”
“Please, ladies. Calm down.” Corey rushed to prevent another escalation. “My suggestion is - Alice and Claud will hide in one of the buildings, just as we planned before. While me and Veri will carefully investigate everything. Then we will bring you back on the station and act accordingly. Is that fine with you?”
Alice nodded, but Claud refused.
“I still don't see a reason for us to do it.”
“Why don't you see it? If this thing destroys the Fog, what if it heals everyone too? Monsters in this world and vampires in ours.”
Claud remained silent for a while, his left hand tugging on his scarf.
“Fine. Let's go.” He turned to Veri and Corey. “Lead the way.”
They started towards the building that they planned to use as shelter.
“Sorry for being rude.” Claud said, not looking at Alice. “I just can't help, but regret every minute that I am not moving towards our goal. I believe in what you said. You were always good at understanding how things work. So, no hard feelings?” He turned to his friend and realized she was not there. Claud looked back and saw her standing near one of the buildings, leaning against it with one hand. The other was clenched tight at her chest.
“Alice! What's wrong?” He ran towards her. She was breathing heavily, her face, pale and dull, was covered with beads of sweat.
“I'm sorry, Claud. I thought I could…hold out longer..”
She almost fell to her knees, but Claud caught her. Corey and Veri returned to them, asking what happened. But Claud did not answer. He could not tear his eyes from Alice's face. Because when he laid her on the ground, her mouth, gasping for air, revealed a pair of long, sharp fangs.
“Traitor.” He muttered. “So this is how you knew about the fog and this world. Did you plan all this? Getting us killed here so you can show your new masters how good you are?”
“No… Claud… please.”
He jumped to his feet. His fingers on the rifle were trembling, and Corey stood, ready to grab Claud's hands if he tried to point the weapon at Alice. Eventually, Claud spat on the ground and turned away.
“I have no reason to stay here now.”
Part 2 - https://plasmarift.newgrounds.com/news/post/1486075