said.
“Look again,” Toni said. “It just don’t feel right.”
Cliff and Dan both raised their scopes. Though Dan could see a few heat signatures remaining near the crest of the ridge, there was nothing else. Still, Toni was right. Something felt “off” to Dan as well. In his past encounters with the mutated beasts, he had never known them to shy away from light.
Suddenly, a deep rumble rolled in from behind the ridge. Dan glanced at Cliff, and they both raised their scopes again. To Dan’s horror, a large heat signature slowly rose above the black and blue of the surrounding terrain.
“Big one,” Dan said. “Must be the pack leader.”
“Oh fuck,” Cliff said.
“Let’s get it before it knows what’s happening,” Dan said.
They both fired, sending silenced rounds toward the large creature. Each round struck, and the blob stopped, raising its head and releasing a gurgling roar.
“Uh oh,” Drew said. “Nice job guys. You pissed it off.”
“Here it comes,” Gena said, moving around to their flank.
The creature began barreling toward them, its claws crunching over the icy snow. Everyone spread out, taking cover. Dan readied his rifle, flipping it at an angle to use the canted iron sights. The creature came into view just behind the windmill. It was horrifying canine form, three times larger than the largest coyote Dan had ever seen. His heart skipped a beat as its red eyes focused on him as it ran. Around him, the sounds of gunfire echoed.
He fired several rounds at the beast before leaping to the side. The creature snapped its massive jaws, barely missing him, and slid on its feet to spin around facing him again. It let out a blood-curdling roar, snaking its long, whipping tongue out.
Toni was there in an instant, her revolvers blasting round after round into the creature’s flank. It howled in pain and turned toward her, leaping in her direction with its claws and teeth bared.
A shotgun blast to Dan’s left caught the creature’s attention, and it spun around, its neck gushing black and green fluid. Dan backed away, raising his Blackout again. But then, the yipping sounds of the coyotes came from behind him. The pack had returned with renewed confidence, and now descended upon them to join its leader.
Drew turned, firing on full auto. Cliff moved up beside him to lay down more fire. Dan turned his attention back to the leader, which was now swiping at Toni as she backed away reloading. Gena fired a few rounds at it, distracting it so Toni could get back safely.
Eric blasted it again with his shotgun, tearing open a wound in its right flank. Dan double-tapped it in the same wound, and the creature turned back toward them. Toni cocked her hammers again, firing at the opposite flank. Its maw opened wide, revealing the glistening fangs and snaking tongue that shot right at Dan.
He rolled away, and the creature pounced. It landed just at Dan’s feet, lunging forward to snatch him up. But then, a deafening pop came from Drew’s direction and a grenade exploded into the creature’s ribs.
Dan rolled over, gritting his teeth to stave off the pain in his ears. Everything became a muffled blur, and his head swam. Through his clouded vision, he could see Toni and Eric rushing around the creature, blasting with their guns. A coyote creature leaped over him, leaving a blurred tracer trail, but was thrown back by a shotgun blast.
He felt hands gripping his shoulders and pulling him to his feet. As the ringing in his ears cleared, he saw Drew’s face in front of him.
“Sorry man,” Drew shouted, pushing him back. “Got him though.”
Dan shook his head, trying to get his bearings again. Everyone had formed a semi-circle in front of him. Through his haze, he raised his rifle, taking aim at the nearest coyote, and blasting its head apart. The sound began to return, and he could now hear the crisp, clear howls of the giant beast.
Jake was there now, wielding his machete like a summer camp
“Look again,” Toni said. “It just don’t feel right.”
Cliff and Dan both raised their scopes. Though Dan could see a few heat signatures remaining near the crest of the ridge, there was nothing else. Still, Toni was right. Something felt “off” to Dan as well. In his past encounters with the mutated beasts, he had never known them to shy away from light.
Suddenly, a deep rumble rolled in from behind the ridge. Dan glanced at Cliff, and they both raised their scopes again. To Dan’s horror, a large heat signature slowly rose above the black and blue of the surrounding terrain.
“Big one,” Dan said. “Must be the pack leader.”
“Oh fuck,” Cliff said.
“Let’s get it before it knows what’s happening,” Dan said.
They both fired, sending silenced rounds toward the large creature. Each round struck, and the blob stopped, raising its head and releasing a gurgling roar.
“Uh oh,” Drew said. “Nice job guys. You pissed it off.”
“Here it comes,” Gena said, moving around to their flank.
The creature began barreling toward them, its claws crunching over the icy snow. Everyone spread out, taking cover. Dan readied his rifle, flipping it at an angle to use the canted iron sights. The creature came into view just behind the windmill. It was horrifying canine form, three times larger than the largest coyote Dan had ever seen. His heart skipped a beat as its red eyes focused on him as it ran. Around him, the sounds of gunfire echoed.
He fired several rounds at the beast before leaping to the side. The creature snapped its massive jaws, barely missing him, and slid on its feet to spin around facing him again. It let out a blood-curdling roar, snaking its long, whipping tongue out.
Toni was there in an instant, her revolvers blasting round after round into the creature’s flank. It howled in pain and turned toward her, leaping in her direction with its claws and teeth bared.
A shotgun blast to Dan’s left caught the creature’s attention, and it spun around, its neck gushing black and green fluid. Dan backed away, raising his Blackout again. But then, the yipping sounds of the coyotes came from behind him. The pack had returned with renewed confidence, and now descended upon them to join its leader.
Drew turned, firing on full auto. Cliff moved up beside him to lay down more fire. Dan turned his attention back to the leader, which was now swiping at Toni as she backed away reloading. Gena fired a few rounds at it, distracting it so Toni could get back safely.
Eric blasted it again with his shotgun, tearing open a wound in its right flank. Dan double-tapped it in the same wound, and the creature turned back toward them. Toni cocked her hammers again, firing at the opposite flank. Its maw opened wide, revealing the glistening fangs and snaking tongue that shot right at Dan.
He rolled away, and the creature pounced. It landed just at Dan’s feet, lunging forward to snatch him up. But then, a deafening pop came from Drew’s direction and a grenade exploded into the creature’s ribs.
Dan rolled over, gritting his teeth to stave off the pain in his ears. Everything became a muffled blur, and his head swam. Through his clouded vision, he could see Toni and Eric rushing around the creature, blasting with their guns. A coyote creature leaped over him, leaving a blurred tracer trail, but was thrown back by a shotgun blast.
He felt hands gripping his shoulders and pulling him to his feet. As the ringing in his ears cleared, he saw Drew’s face in front of him.
“Sorry man,” Drew shouted, pushing him back. “Got him though.”
Dan shook his head, trying to get his bearings again. Everyone had formed a semi-circle in front of him. Through his haze, he raised his rifle, taking aim at the nearest coyote, and blasting its head apart. The sound began to return, and he could now hear the crisp, clear howls of the giant beast.
Jake was there now, wielding his machete like a summer camp