A faint light came from the dying flashlight Denver pilfered from Mr Wells. He could barely see anything in that midnight darkness in the city. It also meant the mimics wouldn't see the moving beam that could only come from a human. It was for the best. Denver had gone out here multiple times not to know.
The desolate city was only desolate from the lack of visible activity. No humans were ever seen walking around unless they belonged to the same group. The city lights whirred from the dust seeping into the electricals, and the shops barely had their glass walls cleaned. If Denver could afford to announce his presence, he would even draw faces on those grimy surfaces.
"Signs of activity…" Denver whispered. He arrived at the first spot of recent death. It could only sting his heart to see Mr Dayton lying there half-eaten.
The mimics were carnivorous and voracious, but it didn't mean they never killed for the fun of it. Multiple reports reached them through the radio stations. These monsters would hunt once for food and continue just for kicks. Right now, Denver was face to face with a carcass that was left to rot or for the scavenger mimics to eat.
His hand tightened into a ball. He ached to cover Mr Dayton to show respect. However, it was a sign of human consciousness. The marauders might get interested in his trail.
Denver only offered a soft prayer where he stood. He couldn't do anything. His survival guide also told others to do nothing. The next best step was to find Mr Ross and bring him back alive. Mr Dayton died so others could live. That included the third person in their group.
Mr Ross's trail was easy to follow. The man toppled over everything he could throw at the mimic chasing him. Denver slowly made his way through the dark streets, following the trail of destruction. When they got into a narrow alley, Denver could only guess the outcome.
Darkness embraced him from head to toe. The cold breeze blew across his face on this narrow path. He could smell a stench coming from the other end, and it reeked of blood. Denver's footsteps didn't echo as he stepped carefully. If the mimic was feeding, he shouldn't spook it for a quick kill. He would just deal with Mr Ross's body after.
"…don't get any closer… it's a trap…"
Denver froze when he heard a soft voice from the front. He reached for the thin hammer and continued walking. His flashlight was long turned off.
"It's a trap…"
Mr Ross's voice was soft. However, it was the only sound in the pitch-black alley. Chills crawled up Denver's spine just from listening to it. Mr Ross continued warning anyone as if it was a chant.
Denver's heart pounded loudly against his ears when he saw the man's state. Mr Ross's body was wrapped in what seemed to be a web made of flesh. He swung lightly under the broken lamppost. Slime covered his face's lower half while a thick woven web obscured the rest of his head. Denver only recognized Mr Ross because of his clothes and complexion.
Denver quietly walked to get to the man. He held the swinging body to a stop. "Mr Ross, it's me. I'm getting you… down…"
His voice trailed as he realized something amiss. Mr Ross… seemed to be unconscious.
"Who's… talking then?"
Denver's entire body shivered from the thought. He froze before the sleeping man, feeling every possible movement behind him. The mimic must have known that someone would rescue this man.
Thump!
Denver felt something softly descended behind him. From what he could see in the dark, he realized three long claws entered his vision from the sides. Something leaned its weight on his back, and its stinky breath smelled from Denver's right eye.
"…it's a trap…" the mimic repeated the words in Mr Ross's voice. "Don't get any closer…"
Swoosh!
Denver quickly ducked and spun to kick the mimic behind him. The monster tumbled back and hit the ground. Denver took out the hammer and the flashlight, hoping the faint light could distract the monster's eyes for a second. He might not know how to kill a mimic effectively, but it should retreat if he smashed its skull, right? Everyone would retreat when hurt.
The mimic rose to its feet as if its leg muscles were strong enough to pull it up. Denver attacked by then, flashing the light against its gaze. The monster turned away to escape the light.
This was his chance! Denver went for the kill!
Mimics looked like tall humans, and only their behavior dictated their nature. Denver should feel hesitant in killing something that almost looked like a human. However, his instincts would even push him to kill a marauder if his mom's life was on the line.
Denver Turning was a fearless man. That was his narrative. That was what he thought.
"You're good…" The mimic laughed as it caught the hammer's head with one hand and Denver's neck with the other. "Pure rage… I like it…"
"What?" Denver gasped. It was the first time he met a mimic up close. None of his sources mentioned the mimics' ability to speak with intelligence. This mimic sounded like a real person, discounting the horrifying voice it had.
The monster easily lifted him by the neck, disarming him. He grasped the hand holding his neck, only to feel how the skin morphed into a fleshy surface. It was as if someone peeled their skin. The mimic shed its human disguise in front of him, and Denver could only stare in horror.
The mimic wore its version of a smile. It didn't have facial skin and lips, so it could only bare all of its teeth. "I like humans like you… I like you…"
Denver started moving his legs to kick the mimic, but his strength was minuscule compared to what it could take. What stood before him was a real monster. The flesh was red and slimy while the eyes were white. Its face was also slathered with charred skin. The smile on its face added to Denver's fear.
The mimic opened its mouth, letting a long tongue force itself out of it. Denver suddenly clenched his teeth tighter, despite the lightheadedness. He had a feeling where that long appendage wanted to go. True to his nightmare, the tongue slithered around his face. He could only close his eyes and hoped that his death would be quick.
However, pain rattled his entire body. The tongue didn't find its way inside his mouth, but its slime somewhat stuck to his skin. It felt like acid melting through his flesh and bones. He couldn't help but scream in pain at the slow assault.
"There's only one goal from now on…" The mimic's voice echoed in his mind. "Survive for as long as you can, little thing. My kind doesn't like something special like you."