NOVEL NEXT Chapter 17: A Cart Through Chaos
Chapter 17: A Cart Through Chaos
The group sat amidst the gruesome remnants of their battle, surrounded by the wall of monster corpses they had constructed to survive the night. The air was thick with the stench of death and decay. Denver, his voice calm but determined, broke the tense silence.
Denver: "We need to go back to the city. Back to my parents' house."
Kartik, leaning against the wreckage of their destroyed car, sighed heavily.
Kartik: "Denver, the car's gone. If we go on foot, it'll take six or seven hours—maybe more—and that's assuming the monsters don't catch up with us."
Denver: "We don't have another choice. We can't stay here."
Priyanshu, who had been silently sharpening his blade, looked up with an idea.
Priyanshu: "What if we build a cart? We can use the car's remaining wheels and reinforce it with these monster bones. It won't be pretty, but it'll get us moving."
Denver nodded. "Let's do it. We don't have time to waste."
They immediately set to work. Denver and Priyanshu scavenged the car's frame, stripping it down to its base. Kartik inspected the wheels, testing their strength. Using the thick bones of the monsters, they built a makeshift structure, lashing everything together with scraps of fabric torn from the car's interior. Sam, too weak to help physically, rested nearby, offering advice when her strength allowed.
After hours of labor, their cart was complete. It was a grotesque creation of human ingenuity and monstrous remains. Kartik stepped back, wiping the sweat from his brow.
Kartik: "It'll hold. But we're missing one thing."
Denver: "A horse," he muttered, scanning the desolate horizon.
Priyanshu: "Unless we've got a magical way to summon one, we're out of luck."
Sam sat up slowly, her face pale but resolute.
Sam: "What if I control a monster to pull it?"
The group turned to her, stunned by her suggestion.
Kartik: "You're barely standing, Sam. Are you sure you can handle it?"
Sam: "l don't have a choice. I'll focus on one monster, but you'll have to protect me while I concentrate."
Denver clenched his fists, nodding. "We'll keep you safe. Just do what you have to do."
The Fight for Survival
With their plan in motion, they dismantled the wall of monster corpses. The moment the opening was exposed, a deafening roar tore through the air as the monsters surged forward, their eyes glowing with bloodlust. Denver, Priyanshu, and Kartik stepped into position, forming a protective circle around Sam.
Denver: "Hold your ground! Don't let them through!"
The first wave of monsters lunged at them, claws swiping and fangs gnashing.
Priyanshu moved like a hurricane, his blade slicing through the air in precise arcs. The head of a beast flew past Denver, landing with a sickening thud.
Denver ducked under a monstrous claw, his dagger plunging deep into the creature's side. Its roar of pain echoed as it fell, but another replaced it immediately. Denver yanked his blade free, blood spraying across his face.
Kartik, wielding a sharpened bone, fought with calculated brutality. He jabbed at a monster's throat, twisting the makeshift weapon until the creature collapsed. "Stay close! Don't let them surround us!"
Sam stood in the center of the chaos, her eyes closed in fierce concentration. She reached out with her mind, searching for one monster amidst the sea of violent thoughts. Their minds were a cacophony of hunger and rage, but Sam pushed through the noise, focusing on one.
A hulking beast broke through their defenses, barreling straight toward Sam.
Denver: "Not on my watch!"
He leapt forward, slamming his dagger into the creature's neck. It thrashed wildly, throwing Denver to the ground. Priyanshu finished it with a swift strike, his blade cutting through its skull.
Priyanshu: "Stay focused, Denver! We can't afford mistakes!"
Sam's breathing quickened as she finally locked onto a single mind. The monster resisted her control, its primal instincts fighting back, but Sam's will was stronger. She poured every ounce of her energy into bending it to her command.
Sam: "I've got one! Bring it closer!"
The chosen beast roared, breaking away from the pack and charging toward them. Denver and Priyanshu stepped aside as Kartik hurried to secure the cart to the creature's powerful frame.
The cart lurched forward, the monster pulling it with surprising speed. Denver and Priyanshu climbed onto the back, weapons at the ready as the horde gave chase.
The Cart Ride of Chaos
The cart swayed violently as the monster pulled it through the wasteland. Denver and Priyanshu stood at the rear, their weapons slicing through the oncoming swarm.
A beast lunged at them, its claws raking across Priyanshu's arm. He gritted his teeth, driving his sword into its chest and kicking it off the cart. Blood sprayed, painting the already grim cart in darker hues.
Denver: "They're not letting up! Sam, how's it holding?"
Sam, her face pale and drenched in sweat, barely managed to respond. "It's holding. Just keep them away!"
Kartik crouched near her, his eyes scanning the horde. "Denver, incoming on the
Denver turned just in time, his dagger flashing as he drove it into the skull of a leaping creature. Its weight nearly toppled him, but Priyanshu grabbed his arm, pulling him back up.
Priyanshu: "Don't die on me yet!"
The cart jolted as the monster pulling it stumbled, but Sam reinforced her mental hold, forcing it to keep running. The horde behind them grew thinner, but their relentless pursuit showed no signs of stopping.
Kartik hurled a makeshift spear crafted from monster bones, skewering two creatures at once. He grinned, despite the chaos. "That'll slow them down!"
The final stretch of the journey was a blur of blood and desperation. Denver's blade moved faster than ever, carving through anything that came too close. Priyanshu's sword was an extension of his will, cleaving through monsters with brutal efficiency.
Finally, the city's outline appeared on the horizon. The monster pulling the cart gave one last, powerful effort before collapsing, lifeless.
Reaching the City
The group stumbled off the cart, battered and exhausted but alive. Denver stared at the city skyline, his heart heavy with a mixture of relief and foreboding.
Denver: "We made it."
Kartik slumped against the side of the cart. "Barely."
Priyanshu stood guard, his sword still ready. "Let's find shelter. This isn't over yet."
Sam sank to the ground, her face pale but determined. For now, they had survived. But the dangers of this world were far from over.