LogFAQs > #906072930

But, no. It wasn't going to be like that. It just never was.

It wasn't that kind of story, after all.

"Shit!" A voice cried out from above, coming from one of the passages on the upper level. "Shit, shit, shit, shit!" The door burst open completely, nearly being knocked off the hinges, as the tall man in the trench coat emerged. One hand clung tightly to his hat, trying to keep it on his head even as he was running. "This is baaaaaaddddd!"

Without stopping to think, in a total panic, or maybe the situation was really that desperate, Enoch threw himself right over the railing and down from the second floor. Or, rather, it looked that way at first. But his motions were surprisingly controlled and measured -- his foot went forward first, hitting the railing. And with that he was able to push himself into a full jump.

Aaron was forced to dive out of the way as Enoch came flying down from the balcony and smashed into the wagon from above. Was that meant to cushion his fall somewhat? It was hard to say if it had worked. And, at that time, Aaron didn't have the luxury of stopping to check on Enoch. His eyes were drawn back to the scene above.

All those here on the ground floor waited there with baited breaths... waiting to see what would emerge.

Nobody moved. Nobody acted. Nobody spoke. Everyone was watching carefully and quietly.

Gunslinger Kidd, in a subtle motion, found the courage to draw his gun and pull back the hammer. That soft click was the only sound which broke the absolute silence coming, and it was followed only by a groan of pain coming from inside of the wagon.

What looked to be a small mess of bodies, nude and melted together in some sick ritual, broke through the gap. It was hard to tell where one ended and one began. And the arms were tightly wound into the body, creating larger structures. And so the large arm of this thing, which might have been one thing or a dozen things, was made of many smaller arms and legs and faces and other body parts.

But those fingers, they weren't fingers, but they were unmistakably curled in the shape of fingers, held a limp body aloft. Leone the Cat had been grabbed by the throat. His body was slammed roughly against the inside of the door frame as the enemy pulled him forward. Then, broadcasting its terrible existence, the fleshy amalgam lifted the body and shook it.

Was he... dead? No.

Leone choked, gasping for air as the enemy continued to clutch at his throat. His leg rose, weakly, unable to form a full kick and send it at the enemy. And Aaron realized there was no way that he could get up there in time -- putting aside the question of how he'd even begin to fight such a monster.

And there wouldn't be time to think about that problem.

The door below, the main double doors that led from the entry hall to the inner estate, suddenly collapsed downward with a loud banging sound. The smashing wood resounded with a shocking pulse that seemed to spur everyone on the lower floor into action at last. Those who had weapons began to draw them... as two more of the nightmare creatures emerged from the smoke and the dust and the darkness of the chamber beyond.

To think these inhuman nightmares, made of the pieces of humans, but not truly human, had been lingering just outside of their view for this entire time. Aaron had been relaxing so peacefully while these twisted monsters were on the other side of a door. He saw it all now;
---

~* Now I only see your dull imposter ~*
https://imgur.com/tdhOSKc