Capítulo 24: Chapter 24
The sun barely filtered through the rusted cracks of the improvised shelter, an old warehouse in the city's suburbs. Mark Santos, a man in his thirties, struggled as he carried a box of cans to the corner where the few remaining supplies were stored. His face, covered with an uneven beard and dark circles under his eyes, reflected the exhaustion of weeks of fatigue. In that shelter, survival had become routine, but never easy.
The place was far from an ideal refuge. Cold seeped through every crack, and the heating, powered by generators, was intermittent. Mattresses scattered on the floor served as makeshift beds for the few inhabitants who were left. Fights for control and resources had reduced the shelter's population to less than half of what it had been just a few months ago.
Mark set the box down with a sigh, rubbing his hands numb from the cold. Then he walked to the makeshift table, an old wooden plank resting on cement blocks. He pulled out a can of beans and, with effort, opened it. The contents were far from appetizing, but it was all there was. Sitting down, he began eating without enthusiasm, just enough to fill his stomach.
He finished chewing a bite and, with his other hand, pulled his cracked phone from his pocket. Even though the world seemed to be collapsing around him, the internet connection still worked in some areas. "At least I don't have to pay for this anymore," he muttered to himself, turning on the screen. Social media apps were one of the few remnants of the old normalcy he had left. As he scrolled through his feed, most of the posts were stories from other survivors, warnings about creatures, and news of the chaos unfolding in the cities.
One post caught his attention: "Vigilante." Mark smiled, recognizing the profile. It was an account that had gone viral in recent weeks, a name that seemed to know more than anyone else dared admit. It had come out of nowhere, but quickly gained a reputation for predicting many of the recent disasters and mutations happening across the country. The latest update was a video. "What's he saying this time?" Mark wondered, a mix of curiosity and concern.
He clicked on the video, and the image of a man covered in a thick jacket and hood appeared on the screen. His face was hidden in shadows and a cloth mask, and his distorted voice added a mysterious tone, but there was something in the way he spoke that denoted authority. He knew what he was talking about. It was Alex, known online simply as "Vigilante."
Alex's camera was focused on something massive, covered with a tarp behind him. "What you're about to see is not an exaggeration or a hoax," Alex began, his tone serious and firm. "This is real. And it's something many of you could encounter in the coming days if you're not prepared." With a swift motion, Alex removed the tarp, revealing the monstrous figure of an enormous bear. The creature, standing over five meters tall, was visibly dead, but its grotesque appearance made it seem like it could wake up at any moment.
Mark stopped chewing. The creature was horrific: its flesh hung from its body in tatters, exposed in several places as if it had been torn off in bites. The bear's eyes, bloodshot and glowing faintly red, gave it a nightmarish look. Even though it was dead, it seemed as if it could rise again at any moment. The skin, rotting and covered in sores, gave off a repulsive sense of danger.
"This is what I captured wandering near my home a few days ago," Alex continued in the video. "A bear, yes, but not an ordinary one. This is… different. Bigger, stronger. And it's not just a matter of size. This animal is infected with a mutated variant of rabies."
Mark felt a chill run down his spine at those words. Rabies? he thought, shocked.
"What makes this virus particularly dangerous," Alex continued as the camera zoomed in on the bear's horrific wounds, "is that it seems to have mutated in such a way that it's now able to interact with the Omega particles in the environment. The virus is using the particles to amplify the size, strength, and regenerative ability of infected animals. What you see here is not just a mutation. This is a killing machine that doesn't feel pain. You might look at this bear and think it's dead, but the truth is, its body kept functioning even after taking blows that would have killed any other animal."
Mark swallowed hard, unable to tear his eyes away from the video. Alex kept talking, his words growing darker. "The most worrying part is that this virus isn't limited to animals. We already know rabies can infect humans, and I see no reason to believe this variant is any different. If you come across an animal exhibiting these symptoms—extreme aggression, rotting skin, reddish eyes—you need to stay as far away as possible. We still don't know if the infection in humans will be as devastating, but I'm not willing to take that risk."
The video showed more details of the bear's corpse. Alex had driven a stake into the animal's head to make sure it wouldn't get back up. His message was clear: the only way to stop these creatures was by destroying their brains entirely.
"I know all this sounds like something out of a zombie movie," Alex admitted in the video. "And maybe it is. But we're not talking about the undead here. These animals are alive, parasitized by a virus that's using them as tools of destruction. There's no known cure for rabies in this variant, so if you see something like this, run. Or kill them before they kill you."
Mark closed the video and stared at the blank phone screen. He had heard rumors of mutations, had seen strange creatures roaming near the shelter… but this was something entirely different. If the rabies virus was really mutating and affecting animals in this way, no one was safe. His heart raced as he looked around at the improvised shelter where hundreds of people still lived, unaware of what was really happening outside.
He turned off his phone and looked up at the gray sky through one of the broken windows. How much longer could they stay safe in there?
Alex woke up with a slight jolt, the ground vibrating beneath his feet. It wasn't the first time he had felt a tremor in the past few weeks, but the frequency had been increasing. He ran a hand over his face, trying to clear his mind, and let out a long sigh.
"Another tremor?" he asked aloud as he stood up.
"Yes," replied Ariel in her unchanging tone. "The seismic activity is part of the recent tectonic shifts. Although we don't anticipate a catastrophic event immediately, the tremors will become more frequent over time."
Alex walked to the window and watched as the snow blanketed the white landscape of the farm. The days were monotonous in that sense, but today would be different. Today, they were leaving for the city.
"Are we ready?" he asked as he adjusted his jacket.
"The convoy is prepared," Ariel responded. "The vehicles have been modified to withstand the extreme cold, and the trailers are equipped to transport Vela, Roka, and Suri without issue. The journey will be long, but the provisions and fuel are sufficient for several days."
Alex nodded. His three dinosaurs, Vela, Roka, and Suri, were ready. He had watched them prepare from the window, moving with energy and strength. Each of them, standing at an impressive three meters tall, looked like a guardian that wouldn't let anything stand in its way. Their feathers gleamed under the faint morning light, and Alex couldn't help but feel proud of how far they had come together.
Before leaving, he decided to say goodbye to his other companions. Rex, the Belgian Malinois, stood at the front of the group, vigilant and serious as always. Next to him were Bear, Max, Duke, and Yuki, patiently waiting for their farewell.
"I'm going to need you to take care of the farm while I'm gone," Alex said, crouching down to pet Rex's head. "I trust you."
Rex let out a soft bark, as if he understood the importance of his mission. Bear, the large Saint Bernard, approached with his usual calm, followed by Max, Duke, and Yuki, who watched him attentively. Each of the dogs was vital to the farm's security, and Alex knew he was leaving everything in good hands.
"We'll see each other soon," he told them as he stood up, giving them one last look.
"Time is of the essence, Alex," Ariel interrupted. "Weather conditions will worsen if we don't leave now."
"Yeah, I'm coming," Alex replied, walking toward the vehicles.
The convoy consisted of five vehicles modified to withstand the extreme weather. The first was a tractor adapted to plow through the dense snow, equipped with tracks for better traction and a front blade to clear the path. It was followed by three armored trucks loaded with provisions, fuel, and tools necessary for the city incursion. At the end of the convoy, three large trailers carried Vela, Roka, and Suri, secured for the long journey.
Alex climbed into the tractor seat and started the engine, which roared to life under his feet. The tracks began moving slowly, breaking the silence of the frozen landscape. Behind him, the other vehicles began following the pace set by the tractor, advancing steadily through the snow.
Ariel broke the silence.
"The journey to the city will take approximately twelve hours, barring any complications. The roads are snow-covered, but with the clearing equipment we installed, we shouldn't encounter major issues."
"What are the chances of encountering something unexpected along the way?" Alex asked as he kept his eyes on the white horizon.
"There's a 65% chance of encountering some form of life. There are reports of wolf activity nearby, but we haven't detected anything unusual so far."
Alex nodded. Despite Ariel's calm tone, he knew danger was always lurking. Ever since the weather had changed, nature itself seemed to have turned against him. Nothing could be taken for granted.
"Keep the drones monitoring the perimeter," Alex said. "I don't want any surprises during the trip."
The convoy continued its march. Despite the inhospitable landscape, Alex knew that every kilometer they covered brought them closer to their goal: the city. There, they hoped to find the resources they desperately needed to continue expanding and fortifying the farm—materials, tools, and anything that could help them survive in a world that was falling apart.
The cold wind whipped against the tractor's windows, but inside, Alex felt strangely calm. He knew he had Vela, Roka, and Suri to protect him, and he trusted the technology and modifications Ariel had implemented in the vehicles.
As they pushed through the endless snow, Alex glanced at the trailers carrying his dinosaurs. They had been outfitted to withstand the extreme cold, and the beasts inside seemed calm, almost as if they knew they would soon face new challenges.
"Everything is still in order for now," Ariel reported. "There are no signs of unusual activity in the vicinity."
"Good," Alex said. "Stay alert. This trip is only the beginning of what awaits us out there."
The convoy continued its journey toward the city, a trip that would mark the start of a new phase in their fight for survival.
The convoy kept moving slowly, forging ahead through the vast ocean of snow that seemed endless. The tractor's blade tossed large piles of snow to the sides, leaving behind a cleared path for the vehicles following. The snow fell silently, but the constant crunch of the tracks and the tractor's engine were the only sounds breaking the stillness of the landscape.
Inside the vehicle, Alex kept his gaze fixed on the white horizon, though his thoughts wandered. Time had passed too quickly since he had settled into the solitude of the farm. It was strange to think that soon he would be surrounded by people again, after so long without direct human contact. The idea filled him with a mix of anxiety and curiosity.
"Are you sure there's no more recent information about the city?" Alex asked, breaking the silence, his fingers drumming on the steering wheel.
"My last analysis of the city is from weeks ago, before the power went out in much of the region. At that time, I detected the presence of several survivor groups. However, I haven't been able to gather more information since then. Snowstorms have disrupted power transmission and blocked my scanners."
Alex nodded in understanding. "So, there might be people... or not," he muttered to himself, with a mix of uncertainty and hope.
The wind blew hard, swirling snow around the convoy. The landscape was the same in all directions: endless white dunes, interrupted only by the occasional silhouette of a frozen tree or an ice-covered rock formation. As they moved closer to the city, Alex couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia mixed with melancholy. He thought of his family, his life before all of this. His mother, his father... and how things had changed so drastically in such a short time.
As the snow continued to accumulate, Alex thought about what they might find in the city. He knew that, although Ariel couldn't confirm which groups were still active, there was a high probability that the city still had life. Isolated groups, perhaps facing their own challenges, just as he had done on the farm.
The convoy pressed on, the crunching of the snow under the tracks continuing to resonate. Alex turned for a moment to look at the vehicles following behind. In one of the trailers, Vela, Roka, and Suri were calm, watching the frozen landscape around them. The three dinosaurs, his most faithful companions, were now part of this new and strange world, a living representation of the fusion between the ancient and the futuristic.
As the convoy neared the outskirts of the city, the first structures began to appear. The buildings, mostly two or three stories high, were barely visible under the thick layer of snow covering them. Alex slowed the tractor and observed the landscape more carefully. There were no obvious signs of life. The streets, once bustling with people, were now tunnels of ice, buried under meters of snow.
Ariel spoke, interrupting his thoughts. "The city is completely frozen. It's possible the groups I detected earlier have been trapped without power or communication. I can't confirm their current situation, but the environment is hostile. The storms have wiped out any chance of gathering more information for the time being."
Alex nodded silently, though he couldn't shake the knot in his stomach. Not knowing what awaited them in the city made him uneasy. The whole place felt dead, yet his intuition told him not everything was lost.
As they continued to advance, the deep tracks left by the convoy marked their path. The intermittent snow failed to cover the ground they cleared, but the task was exhausting. Clearing the streets, though necessary, proved to be a tedious process. At one point, already tired, Alex let out a sigh.
"Is it really necessary to clear so much road?" he asked, his voice laden with exhaustion.
"Yes, it's part of the plan," Ariel calmly responded. "This effort will make the return easier, and in case of an emergency, we'll need clear routes to move quickly. Additionally, transporting materials back to the farm will be much more efficient if the roads are clean."
Alex couldn't help but smile slightly. He knew Ariel was right, but the monotony of the work weighed on him. As much as he wanted to avoid danger, the journey to the city and what they might find there unsettled him. He knew he had to be prepared for the worst.
After what felt like hours of slow and steady progress, they finally reached the heart of the city. The buildings, though not very tall, were imposing enough to make the place feel almost claustrophobic. The snow had covered much of the facades, and some buildings were completely buried, leaving only their roofs visible under layers of ice.
The place, once a bustling city, now looked like a concrete and steel cemetery, trapped in eternal frost. There were no signs of life—no lights, no sounds. It was as if time itself had decided to stop there.
Alex halted the convoy and looked around. The silence was overwhelming, broken only by the soft whistle of the wind. There was something unsettling about the fact that a city, a place that had once been home to hundreds or thousands of people, was now so empty, so dead.
"We have arrived," Ariel said, her voice emotionless. "The place seems completely deserted."
Alex remained silent for a moment, letting Ariel's words sink in. A part of him had hoped to find something more. But what lay before his eyes was a city that had been abandoned by life. A ghost town, buried under meters of snow.
REFLEXIONES DE LOS CREADORES 
DreamTech
DreamTech Greetings, the power in my house has just come back on, it's late, and I will upload this chapter, tomorrow I plan to upload more and the next day too.
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