Chapter 35: CH 035: A copy of animals

Chapter 35: CH 035: A copy of animalsThe group of fifteen sprinted towards the truck, their footsteps pounding the uneven earth as the Boulderback beasts lumbered behind them. The creatures’ slow, deliberate movements made it easy for the group to gain some ground. Those who had gotten caught in the beasts’ path had been helped out and rescued to safety by their comrades. The group managed to break free for the moment, their eyes fixed on the distant truck as they made way towards it. All through his fight so far, Dave realized that he couldn’t use his abilities at all. It was just as the system stated, that his powers would cease working during the times he was punished. And as for his stats, they would also return to normal, just like the normal human he was. But after seeing Gunther disappear in front of them, and Dave having no powers to defend himself, he had thought of the best option and had decided to lead the group into retreating, which is what he had done. And now, everyone seems to be heeding to his suggestion. The beasts, unperturbed by the desperate human flight, began to follow in their usual sluggish pace. Even so, the sense of dread lingered. The sudden, gruesome fate of Gunther still haunted everyone’s mind. "I can’t believe it," one of the senior members muttered, his voice laced with disbelief as he escaped alongside the others. "How could something so slow, so lumbering, move fast enough to swallow Gunther whole? It doesn’t make sense." The question echoed in the minds of the rest of the group. They had all seen the beasts in action, their massive bodies lurching at a crawl. But now, it was impossible to ignore the one unsettling fact, their heads moved with a speed that defied their slow movements. "I think I might have an explanation," a voice broke through the murmur of confusion. The woman who spoke was one of the senior executives whose name was Judy. She was assigned to go along with Gunther to fill the gas tanks. "These beasts," she continued, "they’re modeled after animals on Earth. And this one we just encountered now are no doubt from tortoises." A few of the group exchanged confused glances, unsure of what she meant. "They look like tortoises, right?" she said, her voice tinged with certainty. "But there’s one thing they lack, that tortoises have; their shells. I’ve never seen a tortoise in real life, but I remember seeing a documentary about them once." "Tortoises, despite being slow overall, can actually extend their necks with incredible speed when they need to, especially when attacking or swallowing their prey. It is a quick, sudden movement... just like how Gunther was taken." She explained. A ripple of realization passed through the group. Shock spread across their faces as they processed what Judy was saying. No one had considered that the beasts’ bizarre behavior could be connected to something so ordinary as a tortoise’s movements. The lady herself didn’t know about a tortoise’s ability to extend their necks so fast, until she saw the documentary, and even then, she didn’t believe it was real. But as she witnessed what the boulderback beasts could do, she then realized that these beasts indeed have a connection to the animals on earth. Whatever caused the apocalypse must have modelled the beasts on earth. But what Judy didn’t know was that, the beasts were indeed animals, but they were animals transported from another planet to earth. "So... So that’s how they attacked." one of the men said, his voice grim as he took in the news. "They might be slow but they’re capable of moving their heads faster to attack their prey? Gunther... He wasn’t aware. If he was aware, he wouldn’t have ended up that way." The group fell silent, the weight of their loss pressing heavily on them as they continued their dash toward safety. The trucks grew closer, but the memory of what had happened would stay with them. Since the boulderbacks had been able to attack by getting close to their enemy, then it means fighting them at a close range was a bad idea. And there are no guns for them to use, even if there was, it can’t take out the whole number of the beasts. The group trudged forward in a heavy silence, their bodies worn and their spirits even more drained. The rhythmic sound of their feet scraping against the dirt was the only noise that accompanied their march towards the truck. The fatigue in their limbs was overwhelming, so much that running was no longer an option. The steady pace of their walk reflected the weariness that had taken over them. Even though the boulderback beasts were still trailing behind at their usual sluggish pace, the group had long accepted that they wouldn’t be overtaken anytime soon. They had no choice but to put one foot in front of the other and move towards the truck, hoping for some semblance of safety. Just as they neared the truck, a voice broke the stillness. The man who had initially opposed Dave’s idea of heading back to the truck, had decided to speak up. His skepticism and words were still fresh in the group’s memories as he spoke. "We’re almost at the truck," he said, his tone sharp, "so what’s next? What’s the plan now?" Dave exhaled a weary sigh, his mind running in circles as he weighed the options. He glanced behind him, scanning the distance to ensure the boulderbacks weren’t getting any closer, and then turned his gaze ahead, past the truck to the horizon beyond. The road seemed to stretch endlessly, a barren path with no sign of life, especially beasts. "We have no choice," Dave muttered, his voice carrying the weight of frustration and defeat. "Our attempt at clearing the beasts off the road hasn’t worked. It’s pointless to keep trying. We have to go back." The words hung in the air like a thick fog, and the man who questioned him had froze for a moment. "What... what did you just say?"