Unlimited Revamp for the Pawn

We split up to go to the mall and the grocery store separately to gather necessities for our sudden evacuation. I wanted everyone to stay together, but time was of the essence, so we agreed to meet at the bus stop in five hours.

My mom, dad, and our eldest sibling headed to the grocery store since my mom knows best when it comes to preparing for an indefinite getaway. Meanwhile, my younger brother, my younger sister, her boyfriend Zild John, and I went to the mall.

We're fine with Zild, though we feel a little sorry for him because our sister can be quite bossy. Still, he happily goes along with her demands, I guess he's truly smitten.

While we were looking for wires, cables, and plugs (the tower and the castle itself generate energy that can be converted into electricity), my sister asked if Zild could come with us during the evacuation.

I thought for a moment and replied, "Does he want to?"

"Aren't we all in danger?" she countered. If I had a girlfriend, I'd probably bring her along too, but I wasn't sure if it was the right decision.

Suddenly, I felt a hard slap on my shoulder, and my vision went dark as someone covered my eyes. The person, with small, cold hands, giggled and said, "Guess who?"

I had the immediate urge to pull the hands away, it was definitely a girl. "Tyson?" I teased, using an overly masculine name to mess with her.

She removed her hands, and I turned to face the intruder. "Ash," we said in unison, then laughed. She's a former coworker from Sandwich Queen, the fast-food chain where I used to work.

Her eyes widened as she glanced at the items in our cart. "Why are you buying so much? Are you moving to a new house?" she asked.

I casually replied that it was for renovations, and my sister, Fae, backed me up. Meanwhile, my younger brother, Neil, and Zild were double-checking with the staff to ensure the appliances were in good working condition.

"You didn't keep in touch. I was wondering what happened," Ash pouted, twirling her long, wavy hair. I shrugged innocently and explained that I'd lost my phone and couldn't reach her.

Just then, my brother Neil and Zild returned, handing me the remaining cash, still a thick stack. Ash's eyes widened like saucers. I casually tucked the money back into my bag.

Ash grabbed my hand, her grip firm. "You know, there's a cafe nearby. Why don't we catch up and rest for a bit?" she urged, almost pulling me along. Fae shot her a stink eye, and Zild gently reminded her to be kind.

"Maybe next time. It was nice seeing you," I said, prying her hand off mine. I hurried away with my siblings in tow. They gave me a quizzical look.

Neil caught up to me, grinning. "She's pretty, though. Don't you like her?" he asked. Neil's always been into girls and is relentless in pursuing them, so he couldn't understand why I avoided her like a plague.

We hailed a taxi, and I finally explained, "I dated her for a bit, but during our relationship, she asked if she could sleep over at her ex-boyfriend's house." They all groaned in unison, finally understanding my reluctance.

Zild already had his bag of necessities slung over his shoulder, making it clear he was coming with us. I couldn't help but wonder if our parents would be okay with it.

Before I could dwell on it further, my phone rang. It was mom. I answered, hoping they were already at the meeting point. "Hello?"

"Li-li-am," Mom's voice cracked, trembling on the edge of tears. "People are… people are just dropping dead." She gasped for breath, likely from running. In the background, I could hear Barry, our eldest brother, shouting for everyone to move. Screams and shrieks pierced the air.

My stomach dropped. I immediately told the taxi driver to stop and leaped out of the vehicle. Turning to Fae and Neil, I instructed them to take the next bus and not wait for us. They nodded, their faces pale but determined. Without another word, I sprinted toward the store, leaving them behind in a blur. I'd explain my unnatural speed later.

The scene ahead was chaos. A small building was being swallowed by what looked like a sinkhole, the ground crumbling as if the earth itself had turned against us. People ran in every direction, cars and motorbikes jammed together, horns blaring in a futile attempt to clear the way. Police officers and traffic enforcers shouted for calm, but their pale faces betrayed their own fear.

Some bystanders stood filming the stampede, seemingly oblivious to the danger. As much as I wanted to help, my parents and brother were waiting for me. I couldn't afford to stop.

I finally caught sight of the store, but before I could reach it, a rabid rodent lunged at me. I dodged midair and kicked it away, sending it slamming into a tree. Its body splattered against the trunk lik blood and innards splashing onto my shoe.

The poison from the crevices was creeping to the surface, affecting small animals first. The creatures from the caves hadn't shown themselves yet, but I knew they were coming. They were probably climbing out of the depths right now.

I shuddered, remembering all those creatures from the depths. The world is unprepared for such disaster. Good thing they won't all arrive in a swift manner. But it also indicated that these monsters are intelligent as well. They would check and monitor before exploring the over world.

I checked my phone's tracker and followed the pin marking Mom's location. My heart sank when I realized they were in the worst possible place, the underground tunnel. Why of all places would they have to go there? That place is closer to the sewers and that's where they are breeding underground. I shouldn't have left them alone.