The low distant rumble echoed throughout the walls causing the ground and wall to shake violently. There seemed to be no apparent explanation to the origin. There was no warning, it had been so unpredictable, yet this was supposed to be a consistent phenomenon. Diego stood propped up his back against the wall. His Communication radio had died out minutes after the small quake. Leaving him with no one to help him navigate Ashley Steeler.

The National Administration for the Unknown or NAU said he was the only unit that met certain criteria for this objective. With seven years serving the U.S. Special Operations forces he felt he was more than experienced for a search and rescue.


Briefing was short, and he had not obtain the information that he was satisfied with knowing, while at one of their head quarters in, Phoenix Arizona. He was unsure of his location at the moment. He knew that he was somewhere in a privately owned island ,but that was all.

The few locals on the island had seemed to be subconscious and responded little. He had heard rumors from a few sailors about the island he was going to. Tales about humans that killed in a blood lust, about beast that could take multiple shots, and of mutilated corpses. Horrid? Yes. Believable? He wasn't sure. It did seem odd, the way the townspeople had looked so lifeless. They also spoke of something they referred to as "Plague." He had seen a picture a sailor took of a dead specimen, but it could have just as easily been made through PhotoShop.

The Plague was supposedly an altered parasitic genome, that scientist from from World War two had secretly embedded into forced human test subjects. With cell division in process an entire new organ would be formed that had complete control over the host by killing neuron cells and attaching itself to the brain stem. It would then send out its own neuron signals to the body's cerebrum.

Still the story didn't seem believable. These creatures were probably people that had gone insane. Nonetheless Deigo always armed himself with his " default" firearm. A model thirty-five Browning pistol with a twelve millimeter caliber, able to hold thirteen rounds of ammunition.

Soon the rumble became a mere vibration. Sore from the tensing his legs Diego relaxed. Got to get back in shape he thought. He had his hand near the holster of the projectile weapon, and took long silent strides to an unknown direction, occasionally looking around corners.

It hadn't been a long walk when he noticed a cylinder like object on the ground, just a few feet away. Upon closer inspection he found it to be a glass vial of clear liquid. It had some wording on the side, like one of those prescription bottles you got at a Pharmacy. He picked it up.

" Green Eloda Leaf Herbs." He whispered to himself. " What for?"

Diego jerked his head. He swore he had heard something exhale? Then, there it was again. The same deep breathing. There must be someone else in the dark tunnels following him, a gruff deep breathing unlike anything he'd ever heard. It sounded diabolical as well. Almost as if whatever or whoever it was wasn't alive. Now he wondered if he should have heeded the warnings of the sailors

He could hear bare feet on the floor. A slow walking coming from the very same direction he had just entered.

He saw legs, horrid, and inmistakeley inhuman with large holes interweaving the pallid gray skin, like some infectious disease. He could see it more clearly now. It was only five or so meters away and he could already smell the rotten flesh, just like expired eggs and more unpleasant smells. Its torso looked completely chewed up and shredded. Huge eyes bulged out. Then Diego noticed the white eye retinas that seemed as cold and merciless as death. A mouth so wide that you could probably fit hundreds of teeth inside and rusty claws that protruded from the creatures cut up hands.

It took a few steps forward, slow and unsteady. Diego cocked his gun.

" Stay where you are." Diego replied, as calmly as he could muster. No response, the humanoid creature continued its walk towards him. He gritted his teeth as he fired four searing shots at the creatures abdomen.

* * * * * * *


The creature stopped in its tracks, and stared at the holes the creature with a black rectangle had made him. His body felt no pain , but he stopped anyway. In an instant the creatures brain sent hormones that activated its ability to regenerate at incredible speeds. The creature could not feel the small spindles of fiber in his body start the regenerative process. Using part of the extra hanging skin tissue to cover the holes, the small spindles seemed to work independently until the holes were finally closed. Like intricate needle work, as if he hadn't been shot. The creature did not know how this process worked. All it knew was, that in front of him with his thermal vision was a large mass of red that meant food. And he was going to get it. It continued its descent.
* * * * * * * * *

Diego was startled, mouth agape, to see the creature moving again.

" What in the world!" It was more a question than a statement. "A regenerative body?" he muttered grimly. He fired the remaining nine shots. This time the creature hunched over. He had hit the creature with five shots to the head,with the remaining four ricocheting in the black tunnels. The creature looked much more deformed with only small bits of its head hanging here and there. Its body began to bloat up ,and more of the regenerative threadlike spindles attempted to reassemble the now headless body. In a failed attempt, the body hit the floor with a sickening thump.

Maroon liquid oozed all over the stone ground, Diego didn't need to be told what it was. He sank down to the floor of a nearby wall, the adrenaline rush wavering. Gasping, small trickles of sweat running down his forehead and onto his black uniform. Actually taking note at how fast his pulse rate was beating. It reeks of rotten flesh he thought. He laughed. It was rotten flesh! Now he knew he was getting hysterical, he took deep breaths and finally put himself together.

He hadn't realized it yet but behind him he could here an audible scurrying noise. Finally all was quiet. No sounds, or scurrying. He hefted himself from the wall ready for anything that came his way. There were more scurrying sounds now. Then in front of him stood an odd looking sewer rat, the size of a football just standing there its paws out in front, and balancing on its hind legs. He kicked it out of his way then began walking in the now lightless sewers. He walked into what he thought was a small pool of water. The water had strange aqua like movements. Suddenly realizing that this wasn't water he shuffled through his pockets for the black flashlight he always carried. He flicked it on.

The horror that awaited him was a pool yes, but crawling with rats and occasional glimpses of half devoured human corpses. He tried to turn and run but he did not know where he was or which way to go, on the corner of his eyes he saw the corpses beginning to rise. He frantically aimed at the nearest corpse and pulled the trigger.

"Click, click, click." the gun was out of ammo. Diego reached for the ammunition box near his waist. They were very close to him now. He opened the chamber trembling and managed to deposit three bullets. He closed the chamber and fired at the closest one to him, it stopped short recovered, and continued. There were to many to count, he fired another round, and suddenly felt warm blood trickling down his neck. He was hurled towards the floor. Immediately they were upon him, raw flesh scraping against his skin and teeth ripping out flesh from all over his body. The last smells he had were those of the dead and-

" That’s enough." My friend said. " There is no way that could be a possible scenario. Me and my friend were outdoors in a summer camp just burning some time while the others slept.

" Why not?" I asked innocently, while opening my eyes wide. "Anything is possible in imagination land."

"Whatever." he said in an annoyed way ( I think he was a nit disturbed by my story.), and turned around to face the direction of his tent.

"Fine." I replied and turned opposite of his direction, I watched our campfire's flames licking the empty, silent air slowly going out , causing ominous shadows. Somewhere far off in the distance there were a group of scientist working on the genetic material of a few hybrid animals to formulate what they believed, were the worlds next generation of humans." It is still possible." I murmured to myself curled up and feel asleep.