Chapter 5: Crossing Over
The fire escape was no longer an issue with my latest advancement, and the lanky creature at the bottom didn't even stir when I tossed my bat to the floor. It seems like the beginning of my journey has finally been ironed out!
There is the opportunity for more experimentation with the being in the alley, but I don't want to risk it. The ivory handled knife dispatched it quickly in the past and I wasn't sure the bat would be up to the task.
Hurriedly, I sprint to the end of the alley. The shooter was in the apartment building across from our skirmish, but who knows for how long.
I don't want to waste a cycle to find out that they enjoy a cigarette break looking out a different window, but I also don't to risk them moving from their position. If I'm unable to locate the sniper, I'll be an easy target for them to abuse.
'I don't think I can just cross the street…' thoughts enter my mind as I try to analyze the situation.
My eyes constantly scan the wreckage in the street. Pileups and turned over cars would make it extremely dangerous. If the obstacles themselves weren't a risk there was always the chance of an inhabitant reaching out from within.
"Well, I guess this is it."
I decide there is no other way.
Glancing to my left, there doesn't seem to be any movement, but there isn't much cover either. A single tractor-trailer provides a safe passage from the far side of the street, but who knows what lurks in the dark.
Snapping my fingers, my sound produced by my breathing and heart rate return to normal. The snap itself echoes slightly through the deserted street as I come to grips with my decision.
I toss a stone near the tractor trailer combo and snap my fingers again, embracing silence.
Moments pass, and not a sound is made in my world. My focus is entirely on the existence of a threat appearing in the darkness that lies ahead, drowning out even the wind that caresses me.
'Ahh! I Have to go!' The thoughts didn't stop as I realize I'm running short on time.
My legs stiffen as I sprint forward with all my might. The slight chill in the air causes my nose to drip, but I'm not distracted. I can't be distracted.
A hand emerges from an overturned car on my left as a mangled figure crawls follows from behind it. There's no way it can match my speed in that state, but I can't take the risk.
Without slowing down, I swing my bat toward its head, attempting to crush it in a single blow. This causes my weight to be thrown off.
"Damn it," I shout as my foot collides with its partner, causing me to fall to the ground, inches away from the foe. Any closer and I would have definitely been infected!
I roll to my side to build distance as the mangled creature that looks like it was once a woman slowly and eerily crawls toward me with an unchanging expression. Her speed seems to be constant, not giving me a chance to get on my feet.
"Die!" I shout, which is muffled to a low whisper, as I pull out my dagger and swing it at her temple.
It's desperation, I'll admit, but I can't be stopped now.
Not this time
If I don't find out who the shooter is, this entire cycle will be for nothing. The goodwill that I have earned from the voice might be lost!
My dagger plunges deep within her skull, releasing the putrid fluid that's sustaining these creatures.
I'm not sure I would call it blood, if it was blood… it was rotten.
A vile stench fills the air as the injury is inflicted, nearly causing me to gag.
I remove the dagger and plunge it back in as I bring my body into a sitting position to defend myself better. I can't be confident the beast is dead until it is completely still.
The lifeless eyes stare at me, still with an unchanging expression, and the hand that was reaching forward eventually falls to the ground limp.
'It's over…'
Removing my blade I stare at the damage caused to the warped knife and realize that it's over for my weapon as well.
All I have is my bat.
I retrieve the bat that I abandoned in my struggles and swing until her head bursts and the asphalt begins to form a paste with the rank fluids and brain matter that resided within.
"Now It's really over." I sigh, swinging the extra gore off the end of my bat before slinging it over my shoulder.
The front of the tractor isn't too far, and I'll be able to get a better picture of the surrounding street. That will tell me if this was all for naught.
Hugging my body close to the tractor's cold front tire, I glance forward as far as possible.
"This is it!"
I couldn't help but shout in my surprise. Events had turned in my favor as I spotted a location in which a single vehicle appeared to have been destroyed.
The trunk was still intact, and there was enough space behind it that I could easily slide over it and to the other side of this mess!
My shoulder bounces off the grill off the tractor, letting out a deep low pitched clang as I run toward my target. Showing no signs of stopping, I act like my favorite action movie star and slide my ass right across the trunk of the car while I raise my bat to greet whatever is waiting for me.
Planting my feet on the ground and readying my swing, my eyes scan the surroundings.
"Hah"
"I did it!"
There wasn't a sign of life, or whatever they were, on the barren street.
'I just need to head back up the road and find my way into the apartment complex…'
I couldn't help but smirk. The difficult part of the journey had been completed, and now that I know the dangers involved, I was confident in making it to this point every time.
Breaking into an apartment complex that houses a sniper may seem difficult to most, but as long as there's only one person, it shouldn't be the end of the world!
As I was celebrating I was also looking for potential cover. It was true that I could likely break into the building, but they obviously had secured at least their floor. No way would someone be crazy enough to fire something as loud as a rifle with these monsters around.
Not without a back up plan of some sort.
Eventually, the reality that I was standing in the open, in the middle of the street, next to the only safe crossing, hit me.
'I have to move.'
I immediately ran toward the building in front of me and hid inside one of the doorways. The sniper might not know I'm here yet, but I didn't want them to see me approaching.
Anything to give myself an advantage.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone