Chapter 169: CH 169: Stuck like a statue
The initial two beasts that appeared at the mall had begin a relentless assault on the mall’s reinforced glass, as they aimed to find their way in. Their massive bodies crashing against the glass with a ferocity that seemed to shake the very foundations of the building.
The glass creaked and groaned under the pressure, and it was clear that it wouldn’t hold for much longer. The people inside watched in terror as the glass began to crack, the sound of shattering a hair’s breadth away. If the glass gave way, the consequences would be catastrophic, and Chris knew he had to act.
But Chris couldn’t move, his body was frozen in mid-air as if turned to a stone statue. He strained his muscles, but his limbs refused to budge, leaving him helpless and immobile. Yet, the beasts closed in, their jaws snapping mere inches from where he was. Though, he couldn’t move, he realized that he could speak.
With no other option, he summoned all his strength to let out a desperate yell, hoping someone inside would hear him. The beasts seemed to be everywhere, their snarls and growls growing louder, and Chris knew his time was running out.
Yet, the weight of responsibility settled on Chris’s shoulders as he gazed at the old folks huddled inside the mall. They had been safe before his group’s arrival, and he couldn’t bear the thought of them meeting a grisly end because of him. With a surge of adrenaline, he let out a blood-curdling yell. "Everyone, run!! Get out!!!" The words tore from his throat, raw and desperate, as he hoped that the people inside would hear him.
But despite the ferocity of his cry, the people inside the mall didn’t react. They stood frozen, their eyes fixed on him with a mix of concern and fear, their faces pale and pinched. Chris’s words seemed to fall flat, lost in the vacuum of soundproof glass that separated them.
He had been certain that his yell would shatter the glass, figuratively if not literally, but now he realized his mistake. The soundproofing of the glass had muffled his voice, rendering it inaudible to those inside.
Chris’s face contorted in frustration as he understood the cruel irony – he was shouting at the top of his lungs, yet his words were as silent as a whisper. The beasts closed in, their snarls growing louder, and Chris’s desperation turned to despair.
Panic clawed at Chris’s chest as he struggled to comprehend the situation. He was trapped, unable to move or escape, while the beasts closed in for the kill. His gaze darted towards the people inside the mall, and he couldn’t understand why they weren’t taking action.
Didn’t they see the horde bearing down on them? The reinforced glass was on the verge of shattering, its cracks spreading like a web, and yet they stood frozen, their eyes fixed on him with a mix of fear and hope.
Why were they relying on the glass to save them? It was a fragile barrier, barely holding back the tide of snarling, snapping beasts. Chris’s frustration boiled over as he realized the futility of their situation. He was stuck, unable to move or warn them effectively, and they seemed oblivious to the danger.