The Shelter

Part 5 - The Portal

She scanned the remaining group one last time for Shelter people, and it seemed like everyone was running to the portal, away from the X's. She grabbed Dalton's hand, getting ready to sprint for their life, abandoning the crazies, not that they wanted to get saved, when-

"Hail."

The blonde, practically white hair, the icy blue eyes, the dimples on his cheeks. It'd been half a year since Karma had last seen him, but she still remembered that face. She still remembered the first Ghost town, the library, the fear. Still remembered Pandora's sobs, her screams at night, pleading for her brother to please come back! Don't leave me!

He approached her, not worried about the X creeping up behind him, it's jaw wide open.

"Come here, Karma!" he sped up, limping slightly. "Don't worry. I'll show you the way!"

She screamed, fighting to get away when he grabbed her shirt but a few seconds later, Karma was free and he was on the ground.

"Dalton, no!" Karma shouted, tugging his shoulder but Dalton didn't listen. He straddled Hail's body and punched his face over and over again, adding more blood to the scene.

"Don't you dare touch her!"

This was not the time to play the hero.

"There's an X!" Karma screamed, high pitched and afraid.

The harrowing creature took slow, offbeat steps forward, its silver, hard, metal body grinding and groaning in protest the whole way. Its atrocious form was hunched forward in a hideous manner and suddenly, frightfully, it let out an ear-piercing angry screech into the night. It's wild red eye locked with Karma's and she whimpered in fear, pulling on Dalton's shoulder even harder, having half a mind to abandon him, but she couldn't, not after what he'd done for her. The most sickening part of the creature was the hole on its stomach, opening and closing with sharp, wicked teeth, ready to molest. It resembled more a hairless killer spider than a human with its round metallic body spreading off into, what seemed, eight thin metal legs grasping the earth as if it were the only thing grounding it; the same legs that would puncture the heart of a human being.

"Dalton!"

Karma finally got him out of Hail's grasp and they scrambled backwards. She stared straight into Hail's eyes as he cackled happily, even when a claw went through his stomach, even when his body got shoved right in the middle of the metallic teeth, cutting him off. Karma couldn't stop the relief flooding into her that it was Hail that had gotten eaten by the X and not Dalton.

Karma started running to the empty portal, the rest having had the time to go through. It could close any time, but Dalton wasn't following. He was standing in the middle of the road, paralysed. His eyes were wide with terror and his mouth open in shock.

Karma hesitated and went back for him.

"Dalton! Now!"

He shook his head, and let himself get dragged by Karma. They were only a couple of meters away now. They were going to make it. They were going to-

A monster let out an awful cry of anger behind them. She heard Dalton's yell pierce her eardrums. She whipped around, her hand still grasping his and saw that an X had caught up to them and had plunged three of its claws into Dalton's leg. They pierced straight through his calves and started ripping the muscles as the X pulled in one direction, but Karma wouldn't let go of Dalton. She couldn't.

He couldn't die now. The portal was right there. They were going to rent an apartment together. His sister was waiting for his promise. They were both going to make it across. He couldn't die. They were so close. So, so close. 

His scream of immense pain punctured the silence of the night. Tears were streaming down his cheeks, dripping off his chin, but he still offered her one last smile, teeth grinding hard against each other from the effort and excruciating pain.

He knew it was over for him. That this was the end of his journey. Karma only pulled him harder in refusal, letting out a scream of anger. This couldn't be it. Why would he just give up?

He looked her right in the eyes and nodded, his eyes holding a bittersweet look, her favourite shade of blue watercolour.

"Survive."

And he let go.

Karma stumbled backwards, disgusted with herself at not keeping a grip on him, for not running faster, for not saving him while she still could. She was half tempted to follow his fate, but then she remembered the rest of her family, remembered Dalton's arms holding her safe after rescuing her from her suicide mission. She couldn't dishonour them. This couldn't be it. But it was.

And so with tears blurring her vision, she sprinted to the portal. She let Dalton go, let herself fall, and the last thing she heard was the terrifying, haunting screech of the X and her training partner's last cry of defeat.