Scary Horror Stories by Dr. NoSleep - No Fire

Episode Date: January 2, 2023

🎧 Check out The SCP Experience podcast here: https://spoti.fi/3juM1og 🎉 Ad-free bonus stories + exclusive uncensored animations: https://www.patreon.com/drnosleep 🎥 YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/DrNoSleep ✅ Send all advertising inquiries to: [e-mail] Author: Jordan Grupe Check out more of his work here: https://www.reddit.com/user/Jgrupe/ DISCLAIMER: This episode contains explicit content. Parental guidance is advised for children under the age of 18. Listen at your own discretion. #drnosleep #scarystories #horrorstories #doctornosleep #truescarystories #horrorpodcast #horror Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A cold wind was blowing, rustling the canvas of our tent violently in its gale and sending freezing spikes of air into our skin. My wife and I were huddled together for warmth, shivering and chattering our teeth. The blankets were never thick enough anymore, and each night seemed to grow colder than the one before. My stomach rumbled with hunger again, and I felt a sharp stab of pain in my gut at the same time. My body revolted against the spoiled meat and rotten vegetation I'd been forced to eat the day prior. Food was scarce this time of year, and we'd been desperate that day. Ever since the fire became a thing of the past, we'd all been struggling to survive, struggling to stay warm. Those who were left of us, anyways. The camp where we

lived was home to nearly 50 people, and each winter we lost more. As much as we might have wanted to, no one dared to have children, since we were all terrified of their noisy cries, attracting the things which came in the night, the hungry creatures that came with the darkness. When humans lost the ability to make fire, there were other changes too. It was like a celestial shift had happened, and we had moved into a new era, one in which man was no longer in charge. Instead, ancient things which we had no name for emerged from the depths of the deepest and darkest caves and began to quickly take over, and they devoured the weak and the helpless. People disappeared in the night, never to be seen again, and we knew the monsters

had taken them. But none of us have been able to capture or kill a single one of them. They are as elusive as ghosts, and quick as vipers. It wasn't only fire that went away when the great change happened. We might have been able to maintain civilization if that were the case, but we didn't just lose the ability to make a flame. Everything that cast a light or made a spark ceased to function. All electronics and every computer on the planet went out at once, like someone had put their finger on a giant light switch and pushed it down,

plunging the entire world into permanent darkness, and back into the technological dark ages. We all thought that early man was simple and stupid for not understanding how to make fire. But none of us considered the possibility that fire was not something earned, but something given. Fire was a gift from the gods, and we angered the hell out of them. We ravaged nature. We killed off most species of animals. We turned the oceans into cesspools of plastic and oil, and we destroyed this once great planet we'd been given.

So the gods decided to take back the sacred gift they had granted us so long ago as punishment for how we had used it. They took away the spark and the fire that we had harnessed for our own purposes, and they left us cold and in darkness once again, just like we had been once before, so long ago. Honey, are you awake? I asked my wife in a soft voice. Yeah, she answered back immediately.

I can't sleep. It's too quiet. That was the other strange thing about the world now. Without cars and electricity, it was always quiet. It was silent everywhere all the time. The only noise was the sound of your own breathing. It was rare to encounter animals anymore. They were so skittish and terrified since the change happened. And who could blame them?

We called them shadows, the creatures that came from the darkness. Because that was what they looked like. You just saw a dark outline of something moving towards you. And by then, it was too late. You were already dead. They were impossibly quiet, insatiable in their hunger. As I was thinking about the creatures, I heard something from just outside. The sound of breathing and movement.

Goose bumps rose across my skin, and the hair stood up on the back of my neck. My wife grabbed my hand and gripped it tightly in hers. The two of us held our collective breath and waited to be disemboweled. If it happened, it would happen in an instant. Another rustling sound of movement, and a heavy, breathing sound. Whatever it was, it was very close. I'm telling you, that's what he said. Fire, though. Fire doesn't exist anymore. I sighed with relief, and my wife did the same, releasing her vice-like grip on my hand. People were talking outside our tent, and the two of us both

sat upright, hearing the excited chatter back and forth. At least we weren't going to die. That was always a relief. How can he be sure? He's never even seen it before. He's just a kid. I know, but he sounded positive. I'm going to tell Gregory, and we'll see what he says. My wife, Sarah, and I got up and went outside, eager to find out what was going on. Lisa and Kathy were heading towards the larger tent, belonging to the camp's leader, Gregory. What's going on? I asked Lisa. The two women looked back and forth at each other nervously. Jason said he found something while he was out exploring. There's a laboratory just outside the city, about eight miles from here. He said, she'd stopped talking and was looking uncertain now. What? What did he find? Fire, she said. Jason told me he found fire,

a wife whispered, her eyes wide. A tear rolled down one cheek. That's impossible. I doubt very much that what your boy says is true, Gregory said piously. We were inside the elder's large round tent. The outside was encircled with a ring of furniture, and at the center was a large chair, almost a throne, but not quite. Nearby, on a small sofa, sat Gregory's three wives, looking on passively and listening to the conversation. They rarely spoke, especially in public. Why would he lie? Lisa asked. He wouldn't make up something like that. He knows how important it is.

How did he describe it exactly? The boy has never even seen fire. It was gone before he was born. He described it exactly. Warm, orange and red with spiked tips. He said it shimmered and heated his hands when he held them close. Gregory looked unconvinced. He put his chin in his hand contemplatively inside.

I will not risk a search party based on a story from him. child. Our best people have worked to make fire for years. I doubt very much that a small boy managed to find it one afternoon of hiking. What exactly was he doing eight miles away from the camp? He knows better than to be venturing that far on his own. He was trying to help. He likes to explore. And the shadows don't come out during the day. The boy can run fast and he always gets back before dark. Until one day he doesn't. What if there is. heavy snow, or if he trips and sprains his ankle, you should know better than to let the boy go so far alone, and I will not permit him to do something so reckless again.

It isn't up to you. I'm his mother. And I am the leader of this camp. I'll hear no more of this tonight. We will discuss it further after the sun rises. The shadows are never far off. We cannot risk a discussion like this now. That seemed to settle the argument. Everyone nodded and filed out of the tent quietly, going back to their sleeping quarters. Except for Lisa, who followed Sarah and I back to our own enclosure. We led her inside, and a little while later Kathy came with her son, Jason, the boy who claimed he had found fire. Within a minute of their arrival, they were telling us what they wanted to do. Gregory will never allow it. That's why we need you to go. You're the only one who can keep up with us.

him. I've tried. The boy is way too fast, and I have a bad knee. I'd never make it back by sunset. I had once been a runner, but that was a long time ago. I tried to explain. I was out of shape. Oh, come on, said Kathy. I've seen you out there. Remember when we got lost that one time, and the creatures came after us? You saved us all by carrying Jason on your shoulders when he was younger. You're just being modest. That was a long time ago, I said, but I was already convinced. I would go with the boy to see what he had found. Still, I was terrified.

I didn't want to go for the same reasons Gregory had mentioned. Even if he was being overly cautious, he was right. We could encounter a snowstorm or wolves. One of us could get injured, or worse. There were a thousand ways to die out there these days. not the least of which was a run-in with another group of people. You never knew what to expect when you encountered another group. It must have shown in my eyes because Sarah grabbed my hand and gripped it tightly.

You don't have to go if you don't want to. What she didn't say, but didn't need to, was that she wanted me to go. Winter was knocking at the front gate and pretty soon it wouldn't wait another minute to be let inside. and I could already tell it was going to be a cold one. How far did he say it was? Remember Highway 5? She asked. It took me a few moments, but eventually I remembered and nodded.

Just past that, down the next road to the right, about eight miles each way. That was no short run. But if the weather stayed clear and we didn't get any snow, it wouldn't be a problem. The two of us would have to set out at first light, though. and we would need to keep a steady pace. All right, but try to break the news to Gregory gently. I don't want this to look like we're trying to ignore his instructions. Except we are.

Yeah, but try not to make it sound like that. I set off with Jason right after the sun came up, and the two of us began to jog immediately. The boy was 10 years old, but he could sprint like an Olympic runner. Pretty soon I was having trouble keeping up. with him. Hey, slow down. I called after him, wheezing. We need to conserve our energy. I'm fine. He yelled back. Take your time. You can catch up with me. Before long, he was far off ahead of me,

and I had a stitch growing in the side that felt like a knife blade digging between my ribs. I sat down on the road and tried to catch my breath and looked to see Jason was long gone. The blue skies had turned gray, and I looked up to see flurries drifting down from above. The first snowfall of this season, and it had chosen today of all days to arrive. Standing up from where I was sitting at the side of the road, I began to jog again. I just hoped that Jason would know better than to leave the road, and would keep going in a straight line until I caught up with them. Fan of soccer, you could assist a moment historic.

You could gain these tickets for the final of the Cup of the World of the FIFA 2006 with Visa. It's just to have a card of credit visa BMO for participate. Inscribe you at BMO.com bar-oblic concourse. The reglements of the concourse is applicable. After a half hour of jogging at a steady pace, I saw him. He was sitting on the hood of an abandoned car which had been left at the side of the road. The gasoline-powered vehicle,

had stopped working at the same time as everything else. I remembered at the time, everyone thought it was a large-scale EMP from a foreign military, meant to cast the Western world back into the Dark Ages. But then the connection was made with the lack of fire, and everyone understood. It was something far worse than that. And it affected everyone, not just us.

The whole planet had gone dark all at once. I thought you were a runner, Jason said, looking impatient. He jumped up from the car hood and looked ready to start going again. We should go back, I said, panting. It's snowing. We can't risk it if it starts to really come down. Oh, come on.

It never really piles up the first snowfall of the year. It'll all be melted by noon. Let's keep going. What if the fire stops working? There might only be so much of it. He had a point there. If a lightning strike or a chemical fire had caused this freak event to occur, it would be short-lived. We would be lucky to find a few embers still smoking.

Suddenly I felt hopeful again. I could imagine a fire in the glowing warmth it would give off, and I smiled. Okay, but if it turns into a blizzard, we go back right away. Just... Hang on. Let me rest for a minute. After a few minutes, I stood up again and started to move. at a slow jog. Jason matched my pace, but then quickly began to run, loping up ahead of me,

disappearing over a hill, leaving me behind. By noon, the two of us reached the lab. We went inside and I looked over my shoulder to see the snow was beginning to accumulate on the grass, although the roads were still clear. Hopefully they would stay that way. Okay, show me where you saw the fire, I told Jason. He was eager to show me to show me. his discovery. My stomach had butterflies in it, and I realized I was actually hopeful. My ears listened closely for the sound of a Bunsen burner left on, or the soft hiss of some gas-powered flame. I sniffed the air for the burnt smell of charcoal and smoke that had been absent for so many years. I could imagine the warmth of it felt so long ago. I imagined food being cooked, meat that was

charred, delicious, instead of raw, rancid, and spoiled. In here! Jason yelled over his shoulder, leading me deeper into the lab. It was dark in here. The chances of running into the shadow creatures was much more likely in a place like this. They would sometimes hide out in darkened buildings to get away from the sun during the day. Stay close. I called to Jason.

I told your mom I'd keep an eye on you, remember? Come on! He yelled back to me. It's right in here. I followed him into a large laboratory with beakers and tabletop centrifuges, various instruments and jugs of chemicals. Everything was sterile and white, as if this place had been abandoned during a regular workday,

and no one had ever returned. My stomach felt like there was a cinder block inside, as Jason led me to a tall metal tank that looked like an oversized oxygen cylinder and pointed at it excitedly. Look! He shouted. it, pointing at it. Fire!

See? I told you! I stood staring in wide-eyed, dismay at the gas tank. On the side of it was the old symbol we had all used so many years ago. The symbol for flammable, an orange-red flame with pointed tips painted on the canister. What? Jason asked. It's fire, isn't it?

Feel it. It's warm. The sun was shining through a nearby window. The heat from the beam of light landed on the light. of light landed on the side of the gas chemical tank. I wasn't sure what was inside of it exactly, but I noticed there was a slight shimmer above it, like above the asphalt of a road on a very hot day. Maybe it was leaking something. Maybe the combination of air with the chemical inside was causing a reaction that produced heat. I stood up and walked over to the tank,

touching the side of it and feeling that it was quite warm, perhaps just heated by the sun through the window at my back, or perhaps by something else. It was difficult to tell. Letting out a sigh, I turned to look at Jason and tried to think of how to explain this without letting him down too badly. I could tell that he had been excited too. He had wanted to be a hero for the camp, and now he would feel like a fool. I didn't want that for him. You did well, Jason. This is a gas tank. They used to use these to store oxygen and propane. which you could make fire with. I'm not sure what's inside, but it feels warm to the touch, and that's great.

It might help us through the winter somehow, if we can use it to our advantage. But this isn't fire. I'm sorry. What you see here is the symbol for fire. Maybe someone drew it for you once, and that's why you recognized it. This meant that whatever was in this tank could be set ablaze. It was a warning, so people didn't know. So people didn't get injured. Does that make sense? I could see the distrust in his eyes,

a sign of how much hope he'd had in this endeavor. Are you sure? My mom said that's what fire looks like. She drew a picture that looked just like that. I'm sure she did, but I saw a real fire many times back in the old days. And this isn't it? If your mom were here right now, she would say the same thing. Trust me. He lowered his head and looked at the same. at the ground. Turning around, he began to shuffle towards the exit. Come on, let's go. I don't want to be here one minute longer, he said, sounding upset. Hang on, I called after him. I'm going to bring this with us. It could help keep us warm through the winter. If there's more of this stuff, it might really help us out. We could even use it to cook

food. If our science people can get it hot enough, maybe they can even use it to make fire again. You really think so? he asked, running back over to help. Yeah, I do. Come on, help me lift it up. It's heavy. Be careful. Jason and I left the laboratory to find the road covered in a fine layer of powder. More snow was drifting down from above now, creating a haze which was difficult to see through. And it was colder outside than it had been all year. I cinched my coat tighter around my neck and pulled my glove. out from my pockets, putting them on. The warmth of the gas tank was already beginning to dissipate,

and I felt my hopes fading with it. But I tried not to let that show to Jason, who had a half-hopeful smile in his face. Wow, it's really coming down, he said, looking around in wonderment. How much longer do you think we have until sundown? A few hours at least, but it will come on fast with these clouds. Let's start jogging. You can go ahead if you want. You don't. You don't need to wait for me. This tank is going to slow me down some. What I didn't say to him was that I was going to ditch the tank at the first opportunity if I was worried about making it back before sunset. I wasn't going to risk my life on the off chance that it would amount to something, and we could always go back for it the following day. Jason didn't want to leave me,

though. He kept up with my slow jogging pace for a couple hours until I stopped to rest. The sun was getting close to the horizon by that point, and I was a little worried about our progress. It was much slower, going with the snow piling up on the road. Both of us had almost fallen on several occasions, and potholes and ruts were now obscured by the fine powder, making running much scarier than before. I'd already turned my ankle once and was limping slightly. I could feel my shoe getting tighter around my swelling foot. You okay? Jason asked, nervously. carry the tank for a while. I shook my head. It wasn't that I couldn't use as help. The problem was, that the tank was totally cold now. I was sure that the warmth we'd both felt was just the heat

from the sun through the window glass, causing the tank to grow hot throughout the day in the lab. Now that we had been outside in the snow for a while, it was freezing cold, even through my gloves. I'll be all right, I said. You start running ahead. That's an order, not a request. I want you to go back and tell everyone what we found. But I don't want you stranded out here with me if I have to hide somewhere for the night. I stood up and started walking again, my hurt ankle feeling twice as bad as before. Now that I'd given it a chance to rest, each step made me wince with agony. Jason didn't argue, at least.

He knew that if I was ordering him to do something, it was serious. He nodded with a grave look on his face and took off down the road, running quickly, disappearing into the snowy mist in the distance. Beavneau reaeroy. Embarked and profite. Embarked and relaxed. Syrotay. Bookine. Oh, that also. And profite. Villaray, the voice that we love that we love. With Jason gone, I set the tank of gas in a ditch on the side of the road and covered it superficially with snow. There was still a chance it would be useful. in some way, so I figured I would come back for it the following day, but I wasn't going to risk

carrying it any longer. I began to jog, then picked up my pace and began to run. Every time I left foot hit the pavement, a lightning bolt of pain shot up my leg, but I ignored it as best as I could. Looking up, I could no longer see the position of the sun. The cloud cover overhead was so thick that it felt like it was getting dark already, despite the fact that it was still mid-afternoon. I couldn't help but wonder if the shadow things would come out early if it stayed dark like this. The clouds overhead were dumping snow down on me in heavy globs

that soaked through my coat and my gloves, freezing my hands. Before long, the snow was up to my shins. My legs were exhausted from running and felt like jello. My ankle was a throbbing, swallowing. ball of pain, screaming at me to stop. And finally, I did. By that point, I had no idea what time it was anymore. All I knew was that I would not make it back before dusk. I had to find a place to camp out for the night, and it would be a very cold, very terrifying night if I even managed to find such a place. Looking around, I saw an old gas station down the road. It was my best bet, I thought,

if I could make it there. Ignoring my exhaustion and the horrible agony of my ankle, I picked myself up and started running again. About 30 paces in, I stepped on the edge of a pothole and turned to my bad angle again. I felt something tear and a horrible pain ripped through the side of my foot and halfway up my lower leg. This time I couldn't walk on it.

I had to hop and hobble along on one leg, struggling desperately to make the remaining distance to the gas station before darkness fell complete. When I got there, I could already hear the sounds of the shadow creatures moving nearby, sniffing the air as if searching for me. The darkness was total by that point, and night had settled insidiously over the world without my notice. At some point it was day, and then it was night.

I closed the door of the gas station shut behind me, terrified of the complete lack of protection it offered. The top half of the glass had been shattered, making the process. of locking it a pointless effort. Nonetheless, I did so, turning the lock and wincing at the loud sound of it snapping shut. Sitting behind the counter where the cash register had once sat, I waited for the creatures outside to hopefully pass by.

But I knew there was a good chance they had seen me or heard me because they were known for their keen senses. Not even a minute had passed by before I heard them outside, only a few feet away. Their feet crunched across the same. shattered glass I had walked on moments prior. A sound of sniffing could be heard and husky breathing. I froze in place, too terrified to move, and then a deep, guttural voice began to whisper. No one had ever heard the creature speak before, to my knowledge, but these ones were talking

back and forth between each other in low, rumbling voices. I held my breath, waiting in the darkness, shivering and praying that they would go past. But then a moment later they were in the inside. Pitch black shadow shapes grabbed me roughly and pulled me up from the ground. They covered my mouth with something wet and sticky like slime, so I was unable to speak and began to carry me away from the gas station. I tried to make out the details of these creatures in the low light of the moon, but could see very little. I caught glimpses of rough, wiry fur, dark and thick. Their eyes reflected golden in the night, and their teeth were sharp and pointed, meant for ripping flesh from bone. No matter how hard I tried to scream, nothing made it through the gunk which they had

used to cover my mouth, like tarry mud. It seeped into my mouth every time I opened it, and I reminded myself to keep it shut. My heart was hammering with fear as their cold, slimy hands clasped my arms, carrying me away against my will. I was thrashing and kicking, but they held firm and continued dragging me away from the gas station, through the trees into the forest. Eventually I had no choice but to accept my fate. Whatever these things were, they were going to kill me and consume me. Maybe not in that order. The creatures brought me to a cave, taking me inside with them.

They brought me down deeper and deeper into tunnels which were winding and narrow, and sometimes through caverns as large as football stadiums. But every movement they made seemed planned and orchestrated, as if they were following a set route. Deeper down into the ground, darkness we went, and I barely caught a glimpse of my captors, as they muttered back and forth in an unknown language, low and rumbling like gravel being poured. After a long, long time, I actually fell asleep. I couldn't help it. We'd been traveling for so long, what felt like hours,

and the adrenaline rush had passed, and with it I'd been overcome with a need for sleep so deep I could not deny it. When I awoke, it felt like a full night had passed, and my nightmares were quickly forgotten as I jumped to my feet and looked around. I was not in a cage or chained to a wall. Instead, the creatures had left me free to wander around when I woke up. The things were all around me, looking at me as if curious what I would do.

They stood on two legs and watched me with intelligent, passive eyes. Despite carrying me here against my will, They looked peaceful now. I took in the place around me and found to my surprise that it was warm down here, and there was light coming from somewhere. It was shimmering a dull green glow, and I tried to figure out where it was coming from but couldn't.

It's a geothermal heat source, a voice said from behind me. I jumped with fright and backed away. Turning around to see a man was behind me, his hands held upright in a peaceful gesture. There were other people too. dozens of them were down here, living with the creatures. We've been trying to figure out how it works, and if we can bring it to the surface.

The man came a bit closer, but kept a respectful distance. What are they? I asked nervously. We can't communicate with them much yet, but we know a little bit more than we did at first. We believe they are a branch of human evolution, which went underground following a meteor event, and subsequent ice age. They chose not to return to the surface, and instead they stayed in the deepest caves and in the darkness, waiting for the world to freeze over again,

which it has now, in a way. I remembered seeing a map once, which showed the cave systems of the USA overlaid with all the missing persons cases. The two overlapped perfectly, indicating that wherever these cave systems existed, many people went missing, just like I was missing now.

Were these cave people responsible all along? What do they want from us? Why did they bring me here? He looked around nervously, then came a bit closer before speaking under his breath. They think they are helping us by bringing us down here. When people escape, it angers them greatly. As if we are giving up a sacred gift they've given us.

I guess in a way it is a gift, I said, considering this. It's warm down here. It's safe. There's light and heat. Do they have food? Maybe they'll let me bring my wife down here. Don't get too excited. Personally, I want out. You might want to see what they're offering up for dinner before you commit to staying. If you want to go with me, I'm leaving at first light. I've got the path all mapped out. I shook the man's hand right then and there. Deal, I said. Thanks. My name's Jordan. What's yours? David, he said. Come on. I think they're about to serve our evening meal. You might not be too hungry when you see it, though. A cold stone slab had been set up as a table in the underground cavern, and the kidnapped people and humanoid creatures assembled around it,

mostly standing up while a few sat down on rocks. And then two large sacks were brought into the room and their contents were emptied out on the stone slab. There were a few dead bats and mice, rats, and other critters, but mostly it was an assort. of bugs. Millipedes and worms, spiders and potato bugs, beetles and roaches, still living, squirming, crawling, and trying to escape. The humanoid creatures began to devour everything, first going for the bats and stripping their bodies of their hairy flesh, then going on to

the rats and mice next. The hot smell of blood rose up in the air, the sewage stink of entrails following after it. One of the creatures saw me looking stunned and mistook the expression on my face for hunger, since it grabbed a handful of intestines and held it out to me. I took it, slightly worried, what it would do if I refused. I snuck away from the stone slab and found David. He was not eating, I noticed. He couldn't stomach the menu in this place either, I guessed. Let me know when you leave, I said. I'm going with you. The two of us left the cavern after everyone else had gone to sleep. Following a twisting series of tunnels, we ascended up and up, walking for nearly a full day. But finally, we reached the surface. I breathed in

a deep intake of fresh air, and was glad to be outside again, despite the cold. The sun was low in the sky, and I guessed it was getting dark soon. Thank you, I said, waving as we went our separate ways. I hope our paths cross again, David. I really need to run, literally. Hang on, called after me. I don't usually do this. You don't know who you can trust these days, but did you want to come back with me to my camp for tonight? It's close, and who knows? Maybe we can set up a trade deal or something between our group and yours.

I hesitated. But the more I considered it, the more I decided I should go with him. If I didn't go now, that would ruin any chances of a partnership. And we needed all the help we could get. Okay, I said. lead the way, but I need to get home before dark. Is your camp far from here?

Not far at all. Just a half mile north. Come on, we can be there before dusk if we run. The two of us found the road where I had first been captured, and I saw the gas station a little ways away. Then I was startled to see a figure in the road. Even from a distance, I could tell who it was. It was Sarah, my wife, and she looked hurt.

I ran towards her, and when I got closer, I saw her clothing was torn and she was covered in gashes and claw marks. Her face black and blue with bruises. What happened? I yelled, taking her in my arms. It was the creatures. They attacked our camp. Gregory, Kathy, Jason. Everyone is dead. They killed everyone. How? This made no sense to me. I thought I'd just seen the truth about the creatures. They weren't evil. It was actually just a group of underground cave people trying to help people in their strange way. I tried to tell Sarah that, but David interjected. No, no, no. I'm sorry to interrupt, but you should know. The creatures are very real. You just got lucky the cave people found you first. Otherwise, you definitely would have died out here

the other night. Those things are out of control. They're practically invisible, but they're everywhere. Huge, eight-legged monsters that can blend in with the shadows and crawl up behind you silently in an instant. The sun was almost setting now. It was getting very dim outside. We need to go, I said. This is David. He said we could go with him to his camp. I think we should go with him. The cave people are another option. But personally, I say we go with him. Sarah looked, shell-shocked and completely broken from everything that had happened. She simply shook her head. You decide, I'll go wherever you think is best. I decided to go with David. A decision. A decision that I would come to soon regret. He brought us to an old abandoned mall.

Immediately that made me feel nervous, since most people avoided buildings like that. They were too big to control, too open and unguarable. This is where you guys are living? I asked dubiously. Just temporarily, he said. It's not ideal, I know, but we found a good spot in the basement that we can easily guard. Only one way in and out. We followed him inside. and I looked over to see my wife eyeing the surroundings nervously. I gripped her hand tightly and proceeded forward on wobbly legs, following after the man.

He looked back occasionally to see if we were still following, giving a slightly creepy smile which grew wider each time. Finally, we reached the stairs to the basement, and he led us down into the darkness. I saw there were no lights on down there, and my heart immediately began to jackhammer with fear. I remembered the stories I had heard of people who lived symbiotically with the shadow creatures, luring people to their nests in order to feed them in exchange for safety.

It's not much further, David said, and I saw something glowing in his pocket. Reaching down to grab it, I pickpocketed the man who was luring us to our deaths and grabbed the hunk of rocky it stolen from the caves. Amazingly, it was warm to the touch, and it glowed a soft, pale green color, just like the ones in the underground caverns. It was a little piece of that place which this man had stolen and brought to the surface for himself. But now it was mine.

That was the price he'd have to pay for trying to kill us. I kicked him down the remaining stairs as I saw shadowy spider legs beginning to emerge from the darkness, and I grabbed my wife's hand, yelling at her to run. No! David screamed, tumbling down to the bottom of the stairs. His right leg broken and bent at an unnatural angle. Blood poured out from his mouth in one ear. You can't leave me here with them.

They can smell blood. The Shatter creatures were on him a second later, devouring him as he screamed. I risked one quick glance over my shoulder to see if they were following us, and wished I hadn't. Sarah and I made it out of that mall and marked the doors with an X

to show it was a nest for the creatures. We ran to the nearest shelter and hid, and we survived that night, against all odds. The little chunk of glowing rock which I stole from David, whatever it is, carries with it a sense of hope. It's warm, and it lights up our new home in the darkest hours of night, even when we're at our lowest. We lost our old family. Everyone from our camp is gone. Everyone we knew is dead. But we're

starting a new tribe. Sarah is just beginning to show, and I wonder if it'll be a boy or a girl. Either way, I'll be happy. Maybe being alive isn't so bad after. After all, maybe we can survive in a world without fire. Lasagne sur-joled, Pucance-Moyerned for 15 minutes. We'd say that's the hour dojo. Preet a joy? Vive the pleasure with Leo Jo!

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