"No!"
Danny could only watch with utter fear as the monster charged towards Unity at blinding speed, using one of its many limbs to grab him before speeding off, leaving the ground shaking in its wake. Just like that, in the blink of an eye, the world around him fell into chaos.
He heard the fading cries of help from the helpless victim, who was suddenly entrapped by the monstrosity's embrace—a sight that will haunt him forever. With his heart pounding, blood rushed through his veins, unable to take his eyes off where he had once stood.
As the cries for help became silent, Danny's fear for survival only intensified. The reality of the situation hit him hard, and he stumbled back, hands shaking as he gripped the radio tightly with both hands.
His thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion and despair, in disbelief at how the situation escalated so quickly. He just couldn't fathom this level of insanity. In the midst of the madness, he felt all of his actions in coming here becoming fruitless after seeing everything in front of him swept away from the rug.
Where is the head doctor? Was the man just a liar meant to bring him here for nefarious reasons? Is that why he is gone? Should he even continue staying here and find out where Unity went? Is there even a point in trying to do anything when his own life is at risk?
All those questions raced through Danny's mind, struggling to process what had just transpired before him. And it is terrifying, yet, amid the chaos and the fear, the overwhelming desire to flee from a bigger predator has overtaken his sense of morality.
Trembling frightfully, he desperately wants to save him, but because of his deep fear of risking his own life over dying a complete stranger, It became more logical if he just ran away and saved himself. He didn't have the time to think about the consequences of abandoning someone in need.
This was survival of the fittest, and he had to accept that harsh reality. Playing hero is only mandatory when he has a clear shot of escaping to safety. Sweating profusely, two choices now presented themselves in front of him.
To save a useless person who is not only mentally deficient but also completely useless in contributing to any group or second, just walk away and head back to the hospital where the rest of the survivors are currently taking refuge.
It's a hard choice to make, one that would leave a mark on his soul. He wanted to believe he's a better person than this, but the circumstances had changed everything. And so, in the end, he chose the latter because he doesn't want to die or be inflicted with serious injuries, regardless of how powerful he may be.
"I'm sorry, Unity."
Letting out a final sigh, he quickly turned and walked away, refusing to look back at what he had done. Pained expressions etched into his face as he took each step as the replaying cries for help echoed in his mind of what he left behind.
He felt sick to his stomach, but he had to keep moving; he had to put distance between him and the nightmare he'd just witnessed. It was all he could do to stop himself from losing his own life for someone he just met, despite having grown some bond between them.
Regardless of the choice, he already made up his mind that he'd be saving himself to see another day rather than risking one life in the hands of a soulless machine.
It was a hard decision to make, one that he never thought he'd have to make. "I am so sorry," he said, eyes shut and lips curling inward as he uttered the apology under his breath. His body shook with the effort to hold back the tears that threatened to spill, regretting ever coming here and encountering this person in the first place.
If it weren't for Unity, Danny wouldn't have had the difficult choice of just leaving, but now he was alone again. The weight of his decision was crushing him, but he knew he had no other option. He couldn't save everyone, especially not in a world where the odds were stacked against them.
As the saying goes, life is precious, and they only live once. They were all on their own in a world gone mad. Now his regret was directed towards the spider-like contraption that had taken Unity away, the guilt boiling inside him, a darkness he would use to fuel his escape.
Clenching his fists tight, he cursed himself for trying to play hero in a world where there was no justice. He could've saved the poor soul, but instead, he chose to run, leaving a piece of his humanity behind in the process.
Choices like this are rational and not evil; it is how animals in the wild survive when forced to abandon their loved ones or young from a more dangerous predator who would eat them alive. He had to adapt; he had to learn to prioritize his own life if he wanted to continue living.
But as he continues to shamelessly walk away from the scene, his entire mind tells him to turn back, to try and save the one person he had sworn to help.
To face the problem that became ten times worse. The pain of leaving someone in need was eating him up, the fear of being caught by the spider-like machine was stronger. It was a constant battle within himself: the cowardice and the heroic, the rational fear and stupidity. Its like two combating forces fighting for supremacy in his mind.
"Dammit!" Stopping abruptly, he screamed at the top of his lungs in frustration, "Dammit! Dammit!!" Eyes opened, and Danny wanted nothing more than to go back and save the helpless.
However, he knew the risk involved and the cost of doing so. He was torn between the responsibility he felt for bringing someone to safety and his own fear of death. Instead, he finally gave in to his good side after 3 steps, seeing how, for some mysterious reasons, he was compelled to do the right thing.
Despite being three steps away, he couldn't leave without at least trying to do something. It might be too late for Unity, but he can't just stand there and do nothing.
Letting his own instincts be the judge over what he should do rather than consciously choosing what was wrong makes him overturn his decision and act on what he truly wants. With a renewed determination, he turned around before inhaling and then exhaling slowly, now only caring about getting back to Unity to at least try and save the person in need.
He knew it was likely futile, being surrounded by the unknowns and not grasping his enemies true potential capabilities other than what they presented. Danny is not one to underestimate others, but the spider-like creature was something else.
It was a different breed—a new level of danger that he was not prepared to deal with. Fighting for survival is something he doesn't want to do, let alone think of doing. He prefers to live a solitary, peaceful life away from dangers and conflicts that can make his life harder.
Righteous and moral, he is willing to face the music of the consequences that come with it. And he is not going to be shy about it by standing idly while letting his problems sort it out for themselves.
Because in this world, life doesn't always involve in being successful. Sometimes, everyone has to risk their own skin for the greater good, even if the odds are stacked against them. Their own lives and the actions they take define what happens to the world around them.
Prepared to stop that monster by whatever means, he tightened his fists further before walking forward to where it ran off, determined to rescue Unity from the mechanical clutches. He could feel his entire body coursing through, the adrenaline pumping across his veins from this maddening decision he made for himself.
But he knows it is worth it in the end because the compelling need to help someone in need is far stronger than the fear of death. He didn't know what he was going to face or how much time he had left; he was still not going to give up on Unity, not when he promised to protect him.
Walking with a purpose, wondering if risking his own life for someone else is worth it in the end, "What am I saying?" Shaking his head, he tried to dispel the notion that he's just a small fish in a big pond, unable to make a difference.
"I need to try because... because I can." Placing his palm on his own chest, he continued to ponder his decision. It was a fight for his own humanity, a battle between the rational and emotional sides. In the end, he choose to be a man than coward.
He wonders why the side of him wants him to do this. Possibly because he takes pity on the person he just saved, lost, and demented—a weakling who cannot fend for himself—and in addition to acting like a child, he can bring someone's emotions to it.
Or maybe it's his own conscience gnawing at him for running away and leaving Unity behind. The only thing that matters is deciding to act on what he believes is the right course of action. When he continued to move forward, the wind blew fiercely, sending a shiver down his spine.
His own heartbeat reverberated within his chest, moving closer and closer, cautiously, ready to face whatever awaited him. After a while of walking, he came across a broken wall with a large hole in it.
From here, he could hear the distant creature's footsteps moving sporadically, the metallic screech echoing through the mysterious building. The sound of its movement grew louder to the point that it made him feel uneasy about even doing this in the first place. But a choice is a promise; he is not going to abandon it now.
Carefully entering the hole with the radio still in his hands, Danny gazed upon the remnants of a once bustling parking space, greeting him with an eerie familiarity. The decaying cars that lined the ground were a show of the passage of time, with their paint peeling, windows cracking, and doors hanging limply from rusted hinges.
It seemed like an eternity ago that such a place would have been filled with life and noise. Remaining only the eerie sounds of the night, the wind whistled through the openings, creating a melancholic symphony that danced along the ruins of the abandoned world.
As he made his way deeper into the structure, the darkness began to loom over him. A feeling of dread settled in his gut, a heavy weight that threatened to drag him back. He wants to scream, to run, and to hide, but he can't even though he wants to.
Danny needs to save Unity no matter what; it's a promise he made to himself and the other person. And he wasn't going to break it—not now, not ever. He's not going to let it stop his agenda or goals; he will face the monster head-on, just to save someone's life.
Glancing something moving from the corner of his eyes, "Get your hands off him!" Shouting at the supposed thing, Danny then hears the quick movements of a spider moving manically on the ceiling before hearing a loud crash of a broken roof falling down into pieces.
The spider-like creature was fast, but he was lucky enough to catch it in the moment. "It ran away from me." He was surprised by that; he didn't expect the machine to do something like that, but knowing how dangerous and smart these machines could be.
Its still a possibility they have more things to show than what meets the eye.
