Their steps were uneven as fear forced their exhausted bodies forward, each of them pushing past the limits. Their breaths came out harsh and rough as their lungs burned from the strain.

One of them tripped and nearly fell, but a man grabbed him by the collar and yanked him upright without slowing, their bodies colliding briefly before they pushed again as if nothing had happened.

"Keep moving!" Don’s voice rang out from the front, urgently.

Only moments ago they had been barely able to walk, their strength almost gone. But now, they didn’t even have the luxury of slowing down, they forced their bodies to move even when every muscle in them screamed in protest.

Ronan’s body failed him with every step he took, his legs trembling beneath him as if they would give out at any moment.

The pain in his shoulder throbbed relentlessly. ’What in the hell are those things... oh God, wasn’t the infected and the red mist enough? Now we have to face mutated animals that came out of a f**king portal!’

"Stay up," the girl beside him said, tightening her grip as she adjusted his arm over her shoulder and pulled him forward with more force. "Don’t slow down, or else I will be forced to leave you." She said, glancing over her shoulder.

Fear clouded her eyes the moment she saw the monsters closing in on them. Their growls rumbled through the air as if to announce their terrorizing arrival.

"I will not," Ronan muttered, though his voice lacked strength.

She didn’t reply, but she didn’t loosen her hold either.

"As long as we are not the last person behind," Ronan muttered under his breath.

He did not need to look back to know they were already closing in on them. Because the sound alone was enough.

"They’re getting closer!" someone shouted from behind, panic laced in his voice. He tumbled to the ground before lifting himself up, his strength failing him as he fell again.

"Ahhh!" His agonizing scream tore through the air as the monsters clasped their teeth around his neck, legs, and hands. Separating his body into pieces.

"Oh my God." The girl helping Ronan cried as her eyes widened in horror.

"Move faster!" Don snapped without turning, his tone sharp enough to cut through the fear.

A woman at the back stumbled and fell hard onto her knees, her hands hitting the ground as she tried to push herself back up. Her mind was already wondering if her fate was going to be the same as the man who was eaten by the monsters.

Before she could regain her footing, a looming dark figure rushed in from behind and struck her with force. Pain tore through her skull as she felt the tight pull of her hair. Her body jerked backward as she was dragged across the ground, her fingers clawing at the dirt as she tried to hold on.

"Help me! Don...!" She wailed.

Not long her voice was cut off abruptly. Only the sound of bone snapping, flesh tearing and growls echoed through the air.

This only fueled the others’ reserve to run faster.

One of the men flinched as he watched with horror, his face pale. But Don’s voice came again, colder this time. "Don’t look back. Keep moving."

The man clenched his jaw and forced himself forward.

The wall loomed closer with every step they took, its blood-stained surface towering ahead of them, and for a brief moment, hope flickered weakly among them.

Not long after, they made it to the gate.

The man in his twenties slammed both his palms against the metal, the impact ringing out as he hit it again and again, his voice breaking as he shouted, "Open it! Open the gate!"

Another shoved him aside and started kicking it, his boots striking hard as he yelled, "Hey! Open up! We’re here!" while someone else shouted, "Let us in!" his fists pounding faster and harder like he could force it open through sheer panic.

The noise built quickly, overlapping voices and metal shaking under repeated blows, fear spilling out of them with every strike.

Ronan was dragged into the gate with the rest, his shoulder brushing against the cold surface as the girl pulled him closer, his footing slipping for a moment before he caught himself with one hand pressed flat against the metal. His head dipped, his breath uneven, his chest rising sharply as he forced out, "Camile..." his voice low and rough.

He swallowed, lifting his head slightly as he forced more strength into it. "Camile! Open the gate!" His hand struck the metal again, weaker than the others, but he didn’t stop. "Camile! It’s me!"

Above them, movement finally came as figures stepped forward along the wall with weapons raised, their silhouettes appearing one after another as they looked down at the chaos below.

"They see us!" one of the men shouted, relief flashing across his face. "Open it! We made it!"

A soldier leaned forward slightly, gripping his weapon tighter as he looked past them, and then his expression changed.

"We can’t open the gate."

The words didn’t register at first.

"What?" Don stepped forward, his voice sharp. "What did you say?"

"Monsters are coming!" the soldier shouted down. "If we open it now, they’ll get in with you!"

"We’re already here!" another man yelled, turning and slamming both hands against the gate again. "Just open it!"

"We can’t risk it!"

"Risk it?!" Don barked, stepping closer. "We’re standing right here!"

Behind them, the monsters closed in on them. Seeing that their prey were no longer running, they strode towards them. Circling them with no escape, their fangs bared as saliva dripped from them. Some of the monsters’ fangs were stained with blood, the blood of their people.

A man at the back turned his head, and his face drained instantly. "They’re here..."

The first creature burst forward, and it didn’t slow or hesitate as it crossed the distance in a blink of an eye and slammed into the nearest man, knocking him off his feet while its jaws tore into him before he could even react. His scream ripped out before turning to choking noise.