Beyond the Walls

Mutants

“Mutants?! Are you saying they will be facing mutants?!” Alexa exclaimed and made Gabrielle stop looking at her outdated map.

“It’s just a hunched but, if the games are still on going and they left the undead here, then it means, they are facing off something else. Since it’s a betting game that involves undead then it means, they will not be facing each other or like that… it leaves one thing… Mutants.”

The first stage of undead is Level 0 or the origin, it was only after the walls and Renaissance force was properly established that Level 0 ‘Origin’ has been named, these are the undead that are newly turned. They still possess human strength if not more (because of the adrenaline). The second stage of undead is Level 1 undead, is the general term for the undead before Level 0 was named. Now, Level 1 are the undeads that started deteriorating, their tissues are mostly dried up and consist of little blood on their own. They are weaker than most humans. They can be easily killed also since they are fragile and brittle. The third level has many branches but overall they are ‘Mutants’. Mutants are also undead but have an evolved form. There are a lot of factors that can lead to evolution but most common now is the survival of the virus, the virus can reanimate dead by reactivating or creating it’s hosts cells from then, the virus had evolved to prolong its life. To be able to survive the deterioration and rotting, they evolved. Their appearance diverts into a human form once the evolution is done.

“That’s crazy. Even the government can’t control mutants!”

“I agree with her. Mutants are species that are most unpredictable.” Xian agreed with Alexa.

“That doesn’t mean it can’t happen. All the government needs to do is to release them.”

“I agree with her.” Apollo stood beside Gabrielle. “If she is wrong then, she is wrong… but what if she is right? All those people will die.”

Adam, who had been quiet, wanted to speak but swallowed his thoughts. He can’t help but think this Apollo guy is someone who doesn’t care about anything or anyone else except for his sister. Him siding Gabrielle right now is suspicious.

“... I agree with Gabrielle, in here. Should we take a vote?”

It’s not like they are having discussions whether it was the scenario, they are discussing whether to go forward or to go back.

“We don’t know anything for sure, just how far do you think our gasoline can take us?” Alexa asked.

“If this is what I think it is, then it is better to see the games as an audience to get more understanding of it. I can get a plus one with me.” Xian continued.

“Then should we give up on these people who are currently inside the games?” Gabrielle said.

“This is the government, Gabrielle! Think! They already trapped us here, what if they find us again huh? It’s best to sneak back into the walls and come back prepared. ”

“What makes you think you can sneak back safely?” Apollo asked.

“What is it you are saying?” Alexa raised an eyebrow at him.

“They knew when we all sneak out, that's why undeads pop out of nowhere the first night, and undeads come out exactly when we are all in the fields. Did you think those audience doors opened and locked themselves? . . Now what makes you think that there is still a car waiting for you outside?”

There was total silence in the room after that.

“Do you think we are still being watched?” Alexa asked as she slid down. Exhaustion had caught up.

“The drones had left last night so I don’t think so…”

“Let’s take a breather… Let’s move at night. Get everyone a good rest.” Adam said as the tired looks and shoulders suddenly became unbearable.

Alexa, Xian and Apollo were the first to rest while Adam and Gabrielle did the first watch.

“I can make the first watch. Go ahead and take a rest.” Adam offered.

“I wouldn’t sleep anyway.” Exhausted but her eyes mind is not letting her.

“You haven’t changed…” Adam put his hand in Gabrielle’s head and ruffled it. Though Adam has been childish and sounded like a jerk most of the time, there was no question on how reliable he is and or his skills.

Gabrielle let him mess her hair. It was a habit of his to do this from years ago when Gabrielle was still training under Alexa and back when they were still married. It was vivid to her the day of their separation.

Adam, who is next in line as the captain of the special force, suddenly quit after his whole squad died in a mission. Dying is not foreign for people in this field but that event takes a toll in their relationship. Adam refused to talk and it's the start of their daily fights and months later, they separated after Gabrielle took over the position of the Renaissance’s Captain.

Seeing that Adam is quiet once again, she can’t help but reminisce on that time.

“What really happened that day, Adam?”

“What day?” There was a cold tone in his question. Obviously he was thinking about the same event.

He sighed deeply and looked over at their sleeping comrades.

“I’ll tell you if you don't tell Alexa…” His attempt on childish behavior made Gabrielle frowned hard.

“...10 years ago, the government sent us on a retrieval and extraction mission.”

“What is it?”

“A person.”

****

A nauseating smell begins to permeate in their nose as they get closer and closer.

*GROOOOOOWL

A nearby grow haunted them as they jumped to the nearest thing they could hide at. Fallen tree - Jack throws himself down. Trash can - Elijah squatted with his hands on his mouth and nose. Broken animated statue in the center.

*GROOOOOWL

Elijah and Lucas are adjacent to each other and so they can see each other.

*Thud thud thud

Small footsteps of the mutant are enough to make three full men hold their breath as they watch the shadows of the mutants pass their area.

While Elijah’s knee couldn’t get up at once, Lucas said to wait there.

“I think I’m gonna throw up.” Jack said after he weakly came out of the trunk clenching his stomach at the stench lingering around the area.

It was an incomparable smell, as if this is much worse than putrid and septic tank combined. It’s making their vision spin.

Elijah, who is in better condition, supported Jack to get out of the area. Though the smell is still lingering in the air, the smell is not as strong as earlier. They didn’t get a chance to look at the mutant’s face because of Lucas’ warnings from earlier.

“Do not in whatever circumstance be spotted by any mutant. If they spot you, they will chase you to the end. Understand?”

Elijah and Jack nodded at him. Though Jack knew it by theory, encountering it is a different story! So much for being able to run, he can barely take a proper step hearing them roar and their smell are enough to disable anyone in the first few encounters.

Coming out of the kiddie race kart section is Lucas and the being supported by Kiko, the 10th placer. Kiko is still not in his best condition but with Lucas’ brief explanation, they can’t waste any more time.

Opening the map, Lucas located the last of the members of his team.

“From here, it is best that I go alone.” Lucas said.

“What? Why?” Elijah complained.

“I, I need you three to get used to this smell. We can’t run from them everytime. The three of you stay here and move cautiously to spot with stronger scent. Understand?”

“H,hey!” Kiko, Player 10, the player that was kicked out of Liam's group, is huffing and he blinks hard and massages his hurting nose.

“...What kind of mutants are we talking about?”

“I haven’t seen it, but from what I heard… it still walks on two feet and also have putrid smell still then it can be a lower grade mutant… nevertheless, it doesn’t mean they are easy to ”

“Are you sure you will be okay?” Elijah worriedly asked. He rephrased his original thoughts seeing even Lucas is trembling.

Lucas didn’t answer it, because he himself didn't know. His body can only know how to move despite all.

“You can’t just stupidly watch and let yourself get eaten! If you can’t fight! RUN! USE YOUR BRAIN!”

His mother’s angry voice keeps echoing in his head.

“I… I need to keep moving.” He answered and went on.

He separated himself from the group and instead of running in the opposite direction of the smell, he walked within the tracks of the mutant.

“Why is he going there?” Kiko asked, seeing that.

“Mutants are evolved forms of undead. Some have extraordinary speed or sightings and some can track human scent…That’s why he said, maybe that’s why he is going on like that and asking us to keep moving and not hiding.”Jack said.

Though Jack was considered an outlander and knew things, mutants are hard to grasp knowledge.

‘His quick thinking and observation skills are amazing and scary…’ he thought.

Lucas on the other hand is showering in palpitation and worries. Looking haggard and on the verge of craziness as he looked around. He can feel his teeth grinding as he expects the worst. His eyes are checking every corner as he sweats and controls his breathing. It was a cloudy morning that day but to Lucas it feels like he is basking in the afternoon sun that will give him a heart attack any time now.

The wide spaces of the theme park is not helping either… There are a lot of blind spots.

‘What if something pops out in that corner? … What if it is hiding there? … One wrong move…’

His continuous overthinking makes the time slower to him. It felt like a day had passed to get into his destination.

The Mirror room.

He got inside of it and according to it, he had arrived at the destination where the last member was.

Stepping inside, it was dark inside. The flashlight he had borrowed is useless because of the mirror. He had to check the corners of the reception in hopes he wouldn't need to go inside…

Empty.

His hopes are gone. He needed to enter the maze of mirrors. Picking a splint he begins tapping the mirrors to see which way he should go. It did take some minute to finally get an image of a man laying on the floor but as he got closer, his twig snapped. He was going forward with a mirror.

Without his twig he traced the mirror with his mirror to get closer to the unconscious person.

*Kick

He felt the body below him. Lucas knelt and touched him.

Zzzzzzzzt

The player was electrocuted and forced to wake up.

“W…W..what – h, hell!” The last member of their group is none other than Aaron. Despite him glaring at Lucas. It made Lucas smile a little.

“It’s not me.” He answered.

*TING

[Team 2 had successfully finished Task #1…]

Their watch begins to glow as the announcement begins.

[...Calculating Rewards…]

“What the hell is that smell?” Aaron asked as he massaged his numb body. The residue of the electrifying feeling is still in there.

Downside of getting used to the smell is it is hard to tell if it has become stronger or not. Lucas had to check this terrifying situation if he was right. He tremblingly put up his finger and said ‘Shh’ to Aaron.

He listened and looked at the mirrors.

*Creak c***k Clash!!

“...!!!” Lucas hurriedly picked up the bag nearby and put it on to Aaron.

“We need to move now!”