Curse of the Transformation

Jacob and Daniel staggered onto the riverbank, their soaked clothes clinging to their skin as the icy wind bit into them. Behind them, the creatures prowled the edge of the river, their glowing eyes locked on their prey. They paced and snarled, hesitant to enter the rushing waters. 

For the first time since the nightmare began, the river felt like a fragile barrier between life and death. 

"We can't stay here," Jacob said, his voice steady despite the tremble in his limbs. 

Daniel leaned against a tree, his face pale. "Where do we go? We're running blind." 

Jacob scanned the dark expanse of forest ahead, his mind racing. There was no clear destination, only the need to keep moving. But then his eyes caught a faint, flickering light in the distance. 

"There," Jacob said, pointing. 

Daniel squinted. "What if it's more of them? Or worse—what if it's Narkos?" 

"It might be," Jacob admitted, gripping the pipe tighter. "But it's our only lead." 

---

They moved cautiously, their steps muffled by the wet ground. The forest around them was unnaturally silent, as if holding its breath. 

The light grew brighter as they approached, revealing a small clearing with an old campsite. A fire burned in the center, its flames low but steady. A lone figure sat by the fire, their back turned to the approaching men. 

"Hello?" Jacob called out, his voice low but firm. 

The figure didn't respond. 

Jacob motioned for Daniel to stay back as he stepped closer, the pipe raised defensively. "We don't want trouble. We're just passing through." 

The figure shifted, their head tilting slightly. Then, in a slow, deliberate motion, they turned to face Jacob. 

It was a man, his face gaunt and hollow-eyed. He looked human, but something about him felt off—his movements too controlled, his gaze too piercing. 

"You shouldn't be here," the man said, his voice a low rasp. 

"We don't have much of a choice," Jacob replied. "What's going on? Do you know what's happening out there?" 

The man's lips curled into a bitter smile. "You think you've escaped them? The river won't save you. They'll find another way." 

"What are they?" Daniel asked, stepping closer despite Jacob's warning glance. "Why is this happening?" 

The man stared into the fire, his expression unreadable. "They're us, and they're not. What you see is only the surface—the real change is deeper. And it's spreading." 

Jacob narrowed his eyes. "Spreading how?" 

The man looked up, his gaze locking onto Jacob's. "The water. The air. The food. It's in everything now. Even if you survive the women, you won't survive what's coming next." 

---

The cryptic warning sent a chill through both men, but before they could press further, the man stood abruptly. His movements were jerky, almost robotic. 

"You need to leave," he said, his voice rising. "They're close." 

The distant howls of the creatures confirmed his words. 

"Come with us," Jacob said, though he didn't fully trust the man. "You'll die here." 

The man shook his head, a strange smile playing on his lips. "I'm already dead." 

Then, without another word, he stepped into the fire. 

Jacob and Daniel recoiled as the flames consumed him, but there was no scream, no struggle. The man simply stood there, his body dissolving into ash within seconds. 

"What the hell was that?" Daniel whispered, his face pale. 

Jacob didn't answer. He couldn't. 

---

The howls grew louder, the creatures closing in. Jacob grabbed Daniel's arm. "We need to go. Now." 

They ran, the firelight fading behind them. The forest seemed to stretch endlessly, its twisted branches reaching out like claws. 

But as they pressed on, Jacob felt a strange sensation creeping over him. His skin itched, his muscles ached, and his vision blurred at the edges. 

"Jacob?" Daniel's voice was faint, distant. "Are you okay?" 

"I'm fine," Jacob lied, though he could feel something wrong deep inside. 

---

Hours passed as they pushed deeper into the wilderness, their breaths fogging in the cold air. The forest began to thin, giving way to a rocky terrain. 

Finally, they reached a ridge overlooking a vast expanse of desolation. The land below was scarred, littered with craters and twisted metal. In the distance, the faint outline of a city loomed, its lights flickering weakly. 

"Civilization," Daniel said, his voice filled with cautious hope. 

Jacob wasn't so sure. The city looked broken, a hollow shell of what it once was. But it was a direction—a purpose. 

"We head there," Jacob said, his voice firm. 

Daniel nodded, though his expression was wary. "And what if we find more of them?" 

Jacob's grip tightened on the pipe. "Then we fight." 

As they began their descent, neither noticed the faint yellow glow flickering in Jacob's eyes. 

> **The infection spreads silently, even to the seemingly strong. What awaits them in the city? And how long before Jacob becomes what he fears most?**