‘Fire damn it,’ an explosion ringed through the ears of a soldier. He had just awakened after what felt like hours. ‘Get up Private, we have Germans attacking from the East. Move,’ the man who yelled at the private grabbed him up and toss him over to the trench.

  A gun was laying just before him in the trench, a brown Lee-Enfield, a weapon he didn’t hesitate to pick up. The rifle in his hands shook, as the private look up to see large rounds of artillery fire coming his way.

  ‘Get down,’ yelled a soldier next to him. They both got down as the artillery shells hit near the trench. The private peer his head up from his body and saw his squadmates, all wearing green with flat helmets on their heads. ‘Private Baker, hold on the line! We need to hold the line until air support can arrive!’

  ‘Yes sir,’ Baker yelled. He got on his feet and lay his rifle on the opening of the trench where he could see approaching soldiers. Wearing black, their faces only seen as their entire body was covered, Germans. His rifle found the most closest enemy soldier and his finger pulled the trigger. A bullet came out from the other end of the rifle as the German dropped on his back with blood seeping in from the chest.

  His left hand rechambered his rifle as he aimed it at the other German and fired quickly. Another one drop but this time falling forward. The sound of his rechambering was interrupted as gun fire came into his ears. He ducked down in time, looking to his right. The man who helped him up was none other then his Captain, having a rifle and a pistol on his hip. Ducking down as well.

  ‘Grenade out,’ the Captain yelled. Followed by him throwing his right arm out in front of him, he grunted as he held his throwing arm. Lowering to the ground to a crouch as he removed his hand and saw blood, he was bleeding. An explosion went off in the distance, his grenade.

  Baker took advantage of the grenade and peer out with his rifle trained at the open field. Only to only a few German soldiers that were running and shooting at the trench he was in. Then a rumbling sound came from the Germans, a smell of burnt ground filled his nostrils. Until his eyes widened, a tank that rolled into his view as it trained it’s cannon at him.

  ‘Down now,’ the captain yelled as he pulled Baker downwards. They both fell to the ground as the tank fired, the impact of its cannon made the earth shake as if there was an earthquake.

  Baker’s eyes closed until he reopened them while breathing heavily. He was seeing televisions as he was in a dark room where there was only a light coming from above him. He gazed down and noticed he was on a table, unable to move his arms and legs. The feeling of being a prisoner became apparent to him quickly as his heart rate increased.

  ‘Baker,’ a voice called out to him from the darkness. ‘Baker, calm down…Just tell us what happened.’

  ‘W-who are you people? Germans? I’m Jose Baker, private second class of the British infantry.’

  ‘What? No Baker, we’re the MI6. We brought you out of there after seeing destruction around you. You’re in the northern United Kingdom in Manchester. We found you and your Captain, Bennet Rivers. You’re safe now, so relax.’

  Jose remained silent, his only breathing sounding the room besides the televisions.

  ‘Damn it,’ a man came out of the darkness dressed in a button up shirt and pants with boots. He had wrinkles down from his eyes to his mouth, with a gray mustache just above his lips. ‘Jose calm down, you’re not in battle anymore.’ He grabbed Jose by the shoulders as if to calm him, ‘It’s ok…There’s nothing you could have done, just tell me what happened.’

  Jose breathed a little calmer, his eyes meeting the man in front of him. His lips opening as he starts recounting his experience but with a slight panic in his voice.

  ‘Tanks inbound,’ Baker opened his eyes to the warning yell of Captain Rivers. ‘Germans have invaded the trenches, we have to retreat. Get up Private, this is going to hell. Where is that bloody air-.’ A scream filled both of their ears as it interrupted his speech.

  The gun fire that was aimed at the trenches ceased before continuing, but not at the trenches. A sound of a roar that deafen the entire battlefield, and then the sounds of running that lasted only for a moment before continuing again. In the middle of those running was screams coming from outside the trenches, then silence by only the running.

  Baker peered out from the trenches and saw the tank that was firing at them before, now turning around slowly on itself. Then he saw it, the thing in interest. But only a glance he could manage to see from it, as it had tentacles coming from out of its body. Its entire body was naked with only the open flesh on its back was easily seen along with the tentacles.

  It grabbed the tank’s head and pulled it out with ease, throwing the part where the cannon was directly at the trench. Nearing crashing into Baker, he fell to the ground grabbing his rifle tightly. Captain Rivers ducked down behind the trenches, as they both froze in place. Then the sounds of a scream and gun went off in mere seconds before ceasing entirely, coming from the tank.

  Rivers turned his head at Baker and put his index finger on his lips, not even making a sound from his tongue as he did it.

  ‘Was zur H?lle!? Es ist der Teufel,’ a German yelled not far from the trenches. Baker could hear running from the trenches, from the German. Before hearing the tank as something was leaving it and quickly moved away from it. Then the running completely ceased.

  He covered his mouth with his right hand as he was shaking. Rivers didn’t move a inch, only staring directly at him with his eyes wide. A groan came from where the German died before the sounds of flesh began in their ears. It was as if something was squeezing and eating it like a dinner of a hungry animal.

  What was left of their squad slowly made their way to them, walking slowly like a turtle navigating a large river. Baker glanced at them and only three of them remained besides him and the Captain. Before they could get any closer, the sound of flesh being eaten was interrupted by a roaring fan in the sky. They turned and saw jets flying their way with no signs of guns on them. “Bombers,” Baker thought.

  The creature screamed as it launched high into the sky with its tentacles that was behind it. Baker and his entire squad’s eyes widen at the sight of it. And then it accurately landed on a bomber plane before its tentacles spread it’s lower half and the upper half. And then, the sight of the plane going down without its lower half. The creature propelled itself back into the sky using its tentacles by pushing itself off the former lower part of the plane. And then it’s tentacles latched itself on the other bomber plane and penetrated it’s arm into the pilot’s window. It roared as it redrew its arm covered in red blood, before launching itself off to the third and last plane. On top of the last plane, it digs its hand into the outer layer and peels off the top of the plane like ripping paper. Then entered the plane, a scream was heard just a second later before ceasing. The plane then crashed into the ground along with the other destroyed planes.

  Baker was shocked, but his entire squad felt the same as well. Not one of them dares to move a muscle. The back part of his pants felt wet, and he didn’t deny himself of a feeling he was experiencing, fear.

  His squadmates all did their own way of trying to calm themselves. The first was holding his necklace of a cross close to his heart. His lips moved but only a small sound came from them. The other stood frozen, not moving or even looking as if he was still breathing. Baker saw his stomach moving, so if he was breathing, it was small breaths. And the final member of his squad held his rifle tightly, he kept looking behind him and to the sides of him.

  Captain Rivers tried to grab him by the shoulder but the touch had given him the opposite effect of calming. He screamed, it was loud enough to cause a sound coming from the front of the trench. Baker and the others immediately got away from him, now running away on the side in the trench. He turned back and saw the creature coming into the trench and landed on his squadmate.

  Thrusting its head into his body as the sounds of a scream and a teeth meeting flesh all happened at once. The screams ended soon after, Baker could make it out now as if lifted its head and looked at him. Its head was disfigured, like there was a slit in the middle of its head revealing the inside of its brain and flesh. Its eyes were dark blue, the mouth was missing, showing only its teeth and tongue. The tongue stretched out in a curve, the sight of it made it seem like it was a snake alone.

  ‘Baker come on,’ Rivers yelled out. The private snapped out of his shock and continued running with the rest of his squad. The sound of chewing flesh ended and was replaced with running. He turned and saw the creature was gaining on him, its tentacles touching the walls of the trenches to give itself momentum.

  ‘I-It’s catching up,’ Baker yelled.

  ‘Sergeant Hopkins, lay down some cover fire. We need to slow it down until we can get to the bunker!’

  ‘Yes sir,’ Hopkins said. He stopped and turned with his rifle up over his chest, aiming just behind Baker at the creature. The trigger just under his finger was pulled, then a bullet flew with the speed of a hawk at the creature, hitting it square in the head. Then a rechamber followed with another shot, his necklace moving as a result of the recoil of his rifle. As Baker ran past him, he saw a look he never saw from Hopkins. His eyes were wide, sweat dripping from his head, and the finger that was on the trigger froze. The private turned his head once again and saw that the creature was still coming. The shots Hopkins fired at it, was seen as the bullet wounds but quickly sealed up on its own. ‘Bullets aren’t effective,’ Hopkins turned and ran with the others.

  ‘Almost there!’

  Baker heard a scream behind him, he turned to see Hopkins was tangled up with tentacles. ‘Sergeant,’ he yelled. He stopped and emptied his entire magazine into the creature’s tentacles. Only for the creature’s wounds to regenerate. ‘Shit, Captain! We have to help him.’ As soon as he said that, he saw Hopkins grasp the necklace tightly as he stopped fighting. The creature grabbed his neck from the front with both hands, and pulled with seemingly little to no effort. The body remained still with the necklace still in its hands. The head went into the mouth of the creature, as the teeth met the flesh once more and a cracking sound came with it. Before it chewed and swallowed the pieces of the head into its throat.

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  The creature roared at the looker, blood coming out from the mouth as if it spitted at him. Baker noticed a small object coming down from behind him and onto the creature. It exploded just a few moments upon touching the ground, waking him from his shock. ‘Come on Private, now,’ the Captain yelled.

  He turned and ran backwards, seeing Rivers standing outside of a door that was opened. He charged past inside the door and landed inside of a room. With Rivers closing the door behind them as he seals it and barricades it with a nearby table.

  ‘Bloody hell,’ Rivers started. ‘Anyone hurted?’

  ‘I’m good…sir,’ Lieutenant Douglas said. He was equipped with a rifle but had an entire belt of grenades and a bazooka on his back.

  ‘ H-Hopkins is KIA sir…’

  ‘I know,’ Rivers said after a slight silence. ‘We already are down two men, and the only ones left…Whatever that thing is, it’s not with the Germans.’

  ‘What now Captain? We already lost our air support and the trench is compromised by a…A monster you would see in the theaters.’ Douglas helped Baker up to his feet before going to a wall and sitting down on it with his back facing it.

  ‘We’re going to wait here and hope reinforcements get here.’

  ‘Brilliant plan,’ Baker senses sarcasm in Douglas’s voice. ‘It’s only a matter of time before that thing comes in here and eats our heads or whatever flesh we have. And you’re suggesting we wait? Nobody is coming, the least we have is some bloody twat on a drug trip outside the bunker demanding our bodies to it.’

  ‘Now’s not the time Douglas,’ Rivers glanced at the door. ‘Remaining calm is the best we can do right now. Our boys will come for us, I’m sure of that. This is one of the last fighting positions we have, the Germans already have us losing the war. London is lost, but at least we can fight another day.’

  ‘Don’t give us that shit, we already lost the war when the Germans landed in England. The Americans wanted to play neutral as we’re getting gunned down by some guy in a mustache screaming hail whatever his name is. So let me suggest a better plan, we go out there, quiet like…Leaving my grenades here, and some distraction we can use. Attract the bastard here, and blow him to hell.’

  ‘Have you seen that thing,’ Baker joined in. ‘Bullets didn’t work on it like it was an armored tank…I don’t know if mere grenades will do anything to it. It was how Hopkins…’

  ‘Yeah, but we are three people and it’s only one of that thing. If the Captain here didn’t send Hopkins to his death, he would still be alive right now would he?’

  ‘But I wouldn’t,’ Baker muttered. He fell backwards to a wall just a little closer to Douglas.

  There was silence between the three, not even a sound from the outside of the bunker.

  ‘I know it’s difficult right now, but we need to stay calm and think,’ Rivers broke the silence. ‘You’re right Douglas, we are three people. But we are fighting something that can take out soldiers and armor with ease. Even aircraft, but we only have one option for right now. We wait for help, and hope for the best. Hopkins and Simmons won’t be forgotten. I’ll be sure they get a burial and a word back to their families.’

  Baker noticed the outside was quiet, it was unnerving. He slowly stood up and walked to the door, drawing eyes from Rivers. His ear was on the door, hoping to hear something that would reveal where the creature was. Nothing, not even a sound of the wind came to his ear. He backed away from the door, fear still in his heart. He turned to the Captain and Douglas, ‘Nothing sir…Not even the wind.’

  ‘Hm…Just wait Private, we don’t have a choice. And stay away from the door, I don’t want that thing in here with us.’

  Baker nodded and walked away from the door.

  The bunker was small and felt cramped, it was originally used as a place to hold for the significance of planning attacks and defense just at the left side of England. However, the table that would be used for planning was now blocking the door. Around the bunker lay weapons of rifles, bazookas, and grenades. It was at this point that Baker knew the war with Germany was never supposed to get this far. And the only light inside the bunk was a light just above them in the form of a light bulb that managed to fill the entire room.

  Out of caution, Baker grabbed and wrapped a bazooka around his back.

  ‘What are you doing,’ Douglas asked.

  ‘Preparing…’

  The bunker shook and caused him and the weapons to fall onto the ground. Dust fell down from the ceiling and into the ground, a slight concern coming from Baker.

  ‘It’s attacking the bunker,’ Rivers questioned.

  ‘Either that or this place is finally coming down.’ Douglas got up to his feet and held his rifle tight as he approached the door.

  ‘What are you-,’

  ‘I’m going out there to find it. Maybe at least one of us can report this to command.’

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous Lieutenant, we’re all going to survive. I don’t want to lose more soldiers now or ever again. So please, don’t go out there. If not for me, then for your family and your country.’

  ‘Never had a family,’ Douglas muttered. ‘And to hell with my country, I joined the army just so I can be off the streets. Stayed all the way to now, a regressing bastard in my thirties. Sure I was a troublemaker, but I never wanted to get my mates killed. So Captain, grow out some balls and get out of here. I’ll distract the bastard as much as I can.’

  ‘Why now? Why of all times you want to do this? This isn’t the time to be a bloody hero! We’re going to make it, I promise-.’

  ‘We all know that is a lie Captain,’ Douglas interrupted. ‘And Private,’ he took his dog tags off his neck and threw them to Baker, catching it in mid air. ‘Make sure everyone knows this day,’ he unlocked the door and stepped out. Turning left was his first move, but his rifle didn’t come up to his eye.

  ‘Come on Private…’ Rivers followed Douglas out along with Baker.

  ‘Above!’ Douglas aimed his rifle but the three of them fell to the ground from something landing just outside the trench. Baker looked to see the creature roaring at them, its tentacles straight behind it before reaching for them. Douglas grabbed his rifle and pulled the trigger on the tentacle but it did nothing to deter it. He threw down his rifle as his leg was grabbed up from the tentacle. ‘Go,’ Douglas yelled. He grabbed his bazooka, both Rivers and Baker made a run away from the creature and Douglas. The dog tags of Douglas not remaining still, flowing with Baker as if it was running alongside him. Douglas aimed his bazooka at the creature, his finger lightly pulling the trigger. ‘Bye you bastard,’ he pulled the and fired an explosive at the creature. Baker could see human limbs falling from the explosion, leaving only a leg and torso on the ground.

  As the smoke dissipated, the creature was looking in their direction. The body of it simply regenerated like it was a mere scratch. The tentacle that was holding a leg of Douglas had dropped it, the creature’s legs found its way back into the trench. Before taking off in a sprint, catching up with them with the help of its tentacles.

  ‘Captain, it’s after us!’

  ‘Keep going, lose all your grenades!’

  Upon hearing his order, Baker put his rifle between his under arm and started grabbing each grenade from his belt as he could. Taking off the pin and dropping the grenades straight behind him. At first he hesitated until he saw the creature was closer than before, the moment the first grenade left his hand, the hesitation changed to desperation.

  At the end of the trench where they were close, there was a way that led to the back. The path ahead was a dead end, with the left having an open space just beneath the soil. Baker realized that Rivers was leading them both there; he never went inside there, only when he was on the other side from the trench and when he was mounted on the trenches. Rivers turned left and headed straight in, with Baker trying to follow. He turned a sharp left and tripped over himself on to the floor. His rifle falling just on the side of him, the bazooka still on his back.

  He raised his head as the sounds of running and a bit of squishing just behind him. His eyes wide, he grabbed the bazooka on his back and turned his entire body on his back. Facing the back, the creature was extremely close. He wanted to pull the trigger, but his mind immediately rationalized that he would die not from the creature, but by the explosion if he was to fire the bazooka. But as the creature was about to touch him, his finger was already pulling the trigger.

  Then a bang rang from his ears, a bit of blood on the creature’s face from a bullet wound. He turned to see Rivers was aiming his rifle at the creature, smoke coming from the barrel of the gun. The creature’s wound sealed as quickly as it was created. It’s eyes now on Rivers, and without a second of hesitation, it lunged itself at him. Its tentacles cover the trench walls around it, before landing on Rivers. A scream came from him as he tried to use his rifle, only for his rifle to be taken and thrown to the side.

  Baker got up and threw the bazooka to the ground, not wanting to endanger the Captain. He took out a knife he had from his hip just below the belt. And jumped on the creature and struck his knife into the creature’s back where the flesh was exposed. A scream was his reward for his strike, and a grab of the tentacle that wrapped around his torso and fling him backwards into a trench wall. His head was the first of his body to made impact, before the body followed. He slumped down to the ground, his knife far away from him on the ground. Just behind the creature. He heard another scream from Rivers, followed by a roar. His eyes tried to stay open but his body refused, as the adrenaline had ceased completely. The last thing he saw was the creature roaring in the air just above Rivers.

  ‘And that’s all I saw,’ Baker said. The man who was in front of him was leaning on one of the stands for one of the televisions. The look in his eyes told everything that looked too fake to be true.

  ‘Baker…This doesn’t make sense at all. We found you both just hours when we realized the Germans weren't coming from the left side from London. Sure, we found bodies that suggested your story has some claim but..’

  ‘I know what I saw! Everyone died there, and I almost did…What of Captain Rivers? You said he was safe, but how when I saw it was on top of him?’

  ‘Rivers is currently in a hospital bed in this exact facility. We found no hint of wounds that were fatal or any of that nature. And before you ask,’ the man leaned forward to Baker and got into a whisper. ‘This is something that would be classified from this point on…Not a single soul should know about it. So please Baker, don’t tell anyone else.’

  ‘Agent Hill,’ a voice rang from behind the man. He turned with Baker’s eyes following, seeing a matured man with a gray short beard and balding hair. In a black suit that was holding his slight chubby body. ‘Have you found out what the Private saw?’

  ‘Yes…Director Miche sir. He saw the…’ Agent Hill glanced at Baker and back at the man, ‘Subject sir,’ he said after a long silence.

  ‘Well…Baker was it? I’m sorry to say this but we can’t have anyone else knowing about this outside of MI6. Is the syringe ready?’

  ‘Yes sir…’

  ‘Do it.’

  Baker’s eyes widened, no words out of his tongue. As his eyes landed on Agent Hill’s hand, a syringe held a parasite-like organism lifeform inside. Its color was red as if it was made out of flesh, it had a worm-like body with no eyes or even a mouth.

  The syringe was raised up to his eye as the director had held his head still with his hands. And then, the syringe was released into the eye of Baker as he started to scream from the pain of the syringe and the creature at the same time. The only thing Baker could see from that point on, was everything from the color of red.

  ‘They say that if your back is against the wall and you have no way out, you fight back. But sometimes, you must become a monster that is ready to do what it is needed to survive. And that is the philosophy to live by when all things come to a head.’

  -Director Miche of MI6