Chương 208: B4. 10.4 - Monster Horror Flick

A girl who turned out to be an Adumbrae? And she was the Dune Stalker from thirty years ago? Isn't that a super fucking cool hook for a movie? The last ten or maybe fifteen minutes were absolutely wonderful! It all started when I entered the abandoned store behind the gas station. Awesome setting for a monster horror flick. Like, I was surprised there was no monster in this area, and so I had to fill in the role.

I was thrilled with my new face that I had goosebumps all over while waiting for the frat monkeys to enter. I'll research later what causes goosebumps. My enthusiasm for the drama and gore that would ensue deflated a bit when the bastards basically trash-talked me, saying I was a twig and couldn't get a guy. True, I was thin and short. But elementary school was the last time someone called me a twig or some similar insult. I put on some muscle in high school when I became a cheerleader.

And, excuse me, I could get a guy if I wanted to. That was my favorite hobby back then—destroying relationships of girls who crossed me. Sometimes it panned out, sometimes it particularly failed. I had left behind my past of being a petty bitch. Now, I was a mature woman with carefully considered hobbies. Stirring up drama was still a priority, but I had moved on from dumb high school stuff. It was time to wear my Adumbrae face. Terrorizing Overdrive and his gang as Red Hood was fun. It couldn't compare to this.

The first-year student who dared touch me—his name was probably Lee, because they kept shouting it—had the surprise of his life when I ripped his hand off. That said, I was also surprised by how easily I tore it; I almost yelped and ruined the shot. My superstrength was increasing. I intended to just break his hand, taking things slow to build up their terror. But his hand came off. I had to improvise and roll with it. We could do only one take, for obvious reasons.

Then I grabbed the impertinent freshie's hair and raised him. Because of my height, or lack of it, his feet dragged on the floor even if I extended my arm upward to its fullest. Fucking annoying. A further irritation was Lee's futile persistence in escaping, kicking me and punching me, even using the bloody stump of his arm. He also begged that I let him go, which was understandable. But he didn't have to yell. I was just right next to him. The frat boys soon realized that I was an Adumbrae.

Amusing how fast the creeps changed from supposedly being in control of the situation, bullying a lone girl, to turning into absolute crybabies. I tore off Lee's arm because that was something a scary monster would do. The audience craved gore. And what a satisfying feeling it was—bone, flesh, and skin gave way to my superstrength. I'd compare it to a sausage with a satisfying snap. It also reminded me of my childhood, when I plucked a grasshopper's legs, wondering if they felt pain. Probably?

I could say for sure that Lee felt pain. To my delight, Skull Tattoo Bro fired a gun… He missed because the bad guys had to miss when shooting the protagonist. He then went for the cliché taunt-the-monster-to-fall-into-a-trap thing. I played along, getting rid of my human meat shield. But I threw Lee at Skull Tattoo Bro—it sounded like I scored a hit—for an ironic effect. I should've expected another frat boy would have a gun. He managed to hit my head. Caught off guard, I fell on my butt.

I saw static and heard white noise as the impact radiated throughout my skull. For a moment, I was pissed because of the pain. Anger switched to giddiness as I decided not to waste the moment, upping the terror factor by demonstrating that mere guns couldn't kill me. Add in the unkillable monster trope in this movie. I dramatically stood up and mocked the frat boys. I wished there was more lighting so that I could've fully seen their reactions.

I got too enthusiastic with my role and stepped on the last phone with its light on, plunging the store into darkness. Pretty cool move. But it wasn't like movie darkness where they'd have soft lighting so the audience could still see what was going on. I could've summoned the golden thingy from the crystals on my palm or ripped my shirt open to expose my artificial Core, but I decided to keep the dark scene for the creepy atmosphere. Monsters should be able to see in the dark.

Prey should cower in the shadows, hoping the monster wouldn't find them. I'd just pretend I could see shit and wing this. Regretting now that I didn't take up Deen's offer for her gift of night vision goggles. Knowing they could do nothing to me, the frat boys scrambled to flee. I saw their shadowy forms moving about. Good thing that Deen managed to lock the front door. It was time for the hunt. I almost tripped over Goatee Guy, his stupid beard somehow noticeable in this dimness.

He hugged the post of a shelf with all his might, mimicking a baby monkey latched onto the back of its mother. I could hear him sniveling with tears and snot. Kept crying for his mother. Such a let-down. A horror movie wasn't fun if the characters just rolled over and waited for their turn to be killed by the monster. My first thought was to perform my signature head-turning maneuver. Essentially a variant of neck-snapping. But there was something else I wanted to try.

Could I pull it off without Blanchette's claws?

"Mommy!" Goatee Guy yelled as I stabbed my fingers into his chest.

"Mommy, it hurts!" Blood sprayed me. Goatee Guy convulsed in pain, gurgling his saliva and probably blood. I drove my hand deeper into his body. For a couple of seconds, Goatee Guy surprisingly still managed to feebly struggle. He tried to pull his body away, but I had hooked my fingers into his organs. Squishy and soft. I closed my hand into a fist, shredding his lungs and heart—actually, I wasn't sure what stuff I squeezed. Then I pulled out my hand. Another fountain of blood.

Such a smelly mess, but very fun and empowering. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Women's empowerment, am I right? But I wasn't done. I grabbed Goatee Guy's forehead and squeezed it in. My thumbs broke his skull. A sensation of mushiness followed. I kept pressing, squeezing from the sides too. Pieces of bone broke through his skin. Blood and probably gray matter spilled all over my hands. This would've been very disgusting if there were lights on.

The fishy, metallic smell of blood was there. I also recognized the mild meaty odor of a brain, just a faint raw chicken smell that I wouldn't have detected if I didn't know what it was. Got lots of experience with the scent of brains as Blanchette. The taste, as well. Of course, I wasn't going to eat any brains or entrails as Erind. Disgusting much? I was actually feeling a bit nauseous. But this mess was necessary.

If Deen decided to check the frat boys' bodies later, I wanted her to see 'proof' that I had eaten some brains. She'd also be horrified by the carnage. It would also cement the image that I wasn't in control of my Adumbrae side, and I'd have plenty of excuses to do 'bad stuff' in the future. I wasn't concerned that Deen would betray me because of fear. I knew my best friend. She was participating in a massacre now. If anything, she'd be more invested in curing me. Possible that she'd become even more controlling.

I left Goatee Guy's body and moved on to my next victim. Stumbling in the darkness, I found Lee, the Stumpy Freshie—I had removed his hand and other arm—somehow still conscious despite the blood loss. He had propped himself up against a post somehow. He intermittently groaned in pain while nodding his head as if sleepy. He'd die soon. I'd return to him later after killing the other rats scurrying around the dark store. Two down. Four more to go.

They had abandoned their attempts to open the door, crawling to the sides of the store. Now, which way should I—"Argh! It hurts!" I almost jumped out of my skin. I accidentally stepped on someone! Who was this asshole ruining my moment? The scene would've been ruined if I slipped and fell! I stepped on him with intent this time, feeling flesh get flattened and bones break under my tiny foot. Some splotches of blood. I didn't even know which part of his body I was crushing. Stuff wiggled and moved in the darkness.

It was like using a mortar and pestle to crush nuts. At the start, some of the nuts would escape the pestle, jumping around in the mortar. But after more pounding, all of them would be crushed. Curious that this guy, who might be Coconut Head based on his voice, didn't try to fight back or escape. I literally trampled him to death under my foot. And while I was busy ruining my shoe, I heard someone climb out of the window. The boards weren't as secure as we thought.

Deen should be ready to stop anyone from escaping using their truck. I bet that the pathetic freshie who tried to get Deen's number had escaped that way, too. Good. We needed a living person for Cecilia's spinal fluid extraction gig. But there should be at least one last person in here. I continued my hunt, walking slowly. Dragging it out was good directing. I was also careful not to slip on the floor slick with blood. Bony bits were also stuck in the rubber soles of my shoes.

The wardrobe budget for this production should be increased. I rounded a shelf and walked through the next aisle. Blue light. Some tall guy illuminated his face with the glow of his phone's screen. One of the freshies. He must be Tahir. Unlike his frat bros, he didn't find an exit. Was he going to try talking things out with an Adumbrae? I appreciated his desperation to try this crazy gamble.

"I-I'm sorry for what the others did to you, Miss Adumbrae," Tahir said, clutching something that glinted by his side. A Swiss knife?

"We didn't mean to offend you. I didn't. I-I swear! I tried to stop—""You went along with your friends," I said.

"If you didn't approve of their actions, you should've left."

"They brought me here! I-I couldn't do anything!" He started to inch backward. Was he going to make a run for it? I shrugged.

"So… what do you suggest I do with you? If I let you leave—""I'm not going to say anything!"

"Uh, yeah. I'm going to kill you so that you won't say anything," I said. I enjoyed making people squirm. The world was fortunate that I didn't become a CEO or something.

"That's how it works. You're going to blab." Tahir's face became more desperate. His voice hiked up a pitch.

"I swear that I won't—!" Gunshots cracked outside. Was Deen getting shot at? Tahir took the opportunity to make a run for it, heading to the other side of the store. He correctly surmised that some of his frat brothers found a way out. I really didn't want to run because it'd ruin the cool monster vibe. Plus, I was conscious of my short legs. Dammit, dammit! I sprinted to head off Tahir, intentionally stomping with each step so I wouldn't slip. When I reached the wall, Tahir was about to climb out of a window.

He stopped and pointed his phone at me. He should know that if he tried to jump through the opening, I'd catch his legs and tear them off. His panicked face contorted into resolve.

"Ahhhh!" Tahir charged at me, knife raised. I didn't move. He went for my eyes. Actually, smart. I tilted my head. The blade glided over my cheek. It didn't even scratch my skin. Raising the bent blade, Tahir glanced at it, fear returning to his eyes. He knew he had to continue attacking. I caught his wrist before the second swing. Bones under my fingers. So fragile. So human. He mumbled something—probably a prayer. I didn't care to listen. A jab to his stomach brought him down.

I grabbed his head and turned it around, breaking his neck. That was my signature move. And I gave him a quick death because he wasn't the worst of the bunch. He did try to help us back at the diner. That wasn't enough, and he did attack me. No more sounds, be it inside the store or outside. Deen must've caught whoever that was; he'd be our gift to Cecilia. I'd hunt the last frat boy as Blanchette if there was no other choice. I had some more work to do here. Stepping on Tahir's body, I yanked his head.

Didn't take much strength to turn him headless. I went to the back of the store and hid the head in a crate. Just making it seem I ate this. Maybe I should mess up the other corpses some more. I had the light from Tahir's phone.

"Actually, I should find the other phones," I said, proud of my prudence. We had to figure out what to do with this crime scene later. A couple of minutes passed when I heard what could be a car. Lights pierced through the cracks of the wooden walls. Did Deen turn on her car, or did someone else come? It was the latter, confirmed by the muffled shouting I heard. This shouldn't be the police. Passing vehicles also had no business coming over.

This could only be the frat brothers of these monkeys who were looking for them. A light bulb lit in my head. I'll use these new bastards to find any hiding survivors!