‘Caleb stared into the darkness, breathing hard into his breathing-mask. His boots left large muddy footprints in the dirt with a small squish. The equipment around his belt jangled as he hurriedly followed the path his device was showing him. His spine prickled with agitation as he drew further out into the open. He quickly glanced at his crackling GPS which silently confirmed that he was near the place. As he shuffled through the clearing, regularly checking his energy-failing device, a dark, shadowy figure slowly moved toward him. It had golden yellow eyes and had the strong, elegant body of a tiger. Oily black fur with grey spots coated the creature’s back and small head. It crouched low; haunches bunched together ready to spring as it carefully, silently pawed its way over to the nervous, uneasy kid that was Caleb. A soft growl caught Caleb’s attention moments before the creature would strike. Yelping in fear, he reached around his belt and blindly tossed three grenade-like orbs at the creature, sprinting away as fast as his legs could carry him. His rapid breathing slowed as the yowling and screeches of the monster faded into the distance. He risked a glance behind him to see the greasy furred monster struggling with a strange metal-like wires around its front paws causing it to trip forward onto its jaw. Its fur was stained with a steaming seaweed-green goo splattered across the creature’s torso and forehead. It growled, staring right at him. Running away ever faster away from the monster, Caleb almost ran right into the gate. The resounding beeping of his GPS, now in his pocket, buzzed deafeningly. It was a rustic contraption, but it did the job it was made for. Slipping off the chain from around his neck, he slipped the key into the keyhole. It creaked open with a slight push and Caleb cautiously stepped onto the site. The ground was coated with a layer of inky black soot and he paused slightly before shaking his head and continuing to walk onward. Caleb wandered in through a back entrance, a cold waft of a hitting him as he opened the door. It swayed then slammed behind him rattling the whole abandoned building. The deserted laboratory seemed dead, not unlike the scientists that used to work there all those years ago. Everything had a cold, forgotten feel to it, it almost felt unreal. Advancing further into the building, Caleb discovered the room where the scientists must have created their own demise, where they created the beasts that would terrorize the earth. He viewed the many tables where they would inject animal after animal with serum after serum. Turning to one of the tables, he grabbed another grenade, pressed a button on it and waited. Only a few moments later the metal wires that were on the creature flew in through the iron wall smashing until it landed softly on the table. Taking off a piece of fur with pink, bloodied skin, he imagined the huge monster yowling in pain with a pink bleeding muzzle, added the serum mixed with his own sage green goo, and watched it foam and shrivel up. Caleb stared jaw dropped. “And who are you?” an aggressive sounding female voice spoke, He felt his heart skip a beat as he turned around to have a knife to his throat.’ Word count: 561
