Nightfall

Reynolds glanced up from the map he was looking at to gaze at us. “Ike, take the sweat from them.”

Ike huffed and ran his hand over each of us. We dried instantly.

Gabriella glared as Ike finished. “Damn pervert.”

Ike glared back at her. “Would you have preferred to remain damp?” he muttered coming back to Reynolds’ side.

“Good,” said Reynolds as he came around the table. Wanda was asleep on the couch next to Viviana who was fluffing her hair. Cho looked solemnly dressed in black armor and beside her Machi stood vigilant and calm against the cave wall. His eyes were trained on me.

“We’ve been taken over by symbiotes. Someone showed them the way in and in they came. They want to make us their slaves and food source. Machi has been studying this large nest for a while now but even he didn’t understand their plans until too late. “

Machi nodded. “I could not warn of the impending attack as my means of communication was gone and we never got the satellite up.”

Reynolds walked back to his map and signaled for me to follow him. I walked forward and stared at the map. There were several red dots around a place. While several more orange ones were scattered about.

“We need a leader to round up each team and rendezvous here,” he pointed to the red-dotted place.

“Where is that?” I questioned pointing to the red dotted place.

“Our sister base Tierra Obscura. It’s a bit hard to find but the entrance codes will be given to you. Can you lead what remains of this base to Tierra Oscura and reunite with our sister base? We must launch a counterattack to regain lost territory. Jason will know what to do when you arrive.”

I shrugged. “I’m not sure. Half of your men abhor me.”

Machi walked over. “You will not be alone. I will be with you.”

Gabriella scrunched her nose at that and even Andromeda scoffed. Donny was vocal tho.

“What can an old fart like you do?” he asked grinning.

Machi smiled. “Ask me how many impudent children I’ve schooled to shut their tongues in my presence?”

I grinned and put my arm on Donny’s shoulder. “How many?” I asked squeezing the kid’s shoulder lightly as it trembled.

“Many…or I wouldn’t have been a teacher,” laughed Machi as Donny frowned.

“He…got me didn’t he?” he asked glancing up at me.

I nodded. “He got me the first time too. He’s a ballet teacher. Stop being so afraid Donny.”

“He’s only thirteen and plenty brave,” said Andromeda smiling and offering her arm. Donny grabbed it and made a beeline for hiding behind her body. I raised my brow to call him out when Reynolds called me back.

“Well?”

I raked my now shoulder-length hair back. “Alright I’ll lead this excursion but if your men give me problems I’ll eat them,” I muttered my eyes heating up. I knew they were doing their glowy thing.

“Then it's set,” said Machi walking over to us. I stared at the tall man and nodded drawing Andromeda and Donny closer as Gabriella closed the circle. Ike remained by Reynold’s side.

“We leave immediately,” said Machi as he grabbed a wall torch and started for a small crack in the wall. Did he even fit through there? My question was answered as he disappeared from view and a disembodied voice beckoned us.

“Come. We have some ground to cover this way.”

The six of us followed through, and I took point again. I wondered what we were running from. I’d only seen one symbiote. Greg wondered if he was alright. Our altercation seems ages ago. I held him no ill will and Betsey could be…cutish for a half dog half croc. We followed Machi through another ravine before heading uphill. We were traveling for hours when shouting became noticeable. Machi took his gun out and Gabriella followed. I and Andromeda took the rear protecting their backs. Ike and the grumbling man took the very rear.

There were a few pings of shots bouncing off the rock but we remained in the shadows. Another shout and the symbiote–that resembled a half human half houl–turned around and kept walking. Machi inched around the shadows to the other side. Andromeda copied him and Gabriella. Ike was swift and even Grumbling Man was but a shadow, but Donny was frozen to the spot.

“Want me to pick you up?” I whispered.

He nodded, and I slung him on my back, before zipping past the symbiote. I felt something wet trickle down my neck and felt Donny quivering. He was crying. I could hear his soft sobs.

“Hey bud, “ I whispered as we continued our trek down the hall, hiding from symbiotes when they passed. Once we reached another closed-in ravine, I motioned Andromeda over.

“Kid’s crying. I don’t know what’s up.”

Andromeda patted Donny’s head and whispered to him, before glaring at me. “Did you zip while Donny was riding your back?” she asked crossing her arms.

I gulped as I nodded. She balled her fist and socked me in the face. “Idiot! The kid feels as if his brain nearly exploded! Don’t do it again!” I nodded holding my aching nose. A silver glow encompassed my nose and it was healed. Wasting no time, I set the crying boy down and ran my hands over his head. Again they glowed silver and Donny sniffled.

“Feel better?” I asked.

“How?” he asked watching me.

“New ability,” I replied staring at my hands thoughtfully.

“Gather close. The end to this passage draws near,” said Machi taking something out of his pocket. It was a badge, that glowed a dim crimson in the torchlight. He handed it to me.

“This has the entrance codes to Tierra Obscura; don’t lose it, it also validates my authority to others. I am passing everything to you, Matt”

“What? But I thought you were going with us to Tierra Obscura?” cried Andromeda as her eyes kept going from Machi to me and back.

“There is something only I can do,” he said, glancing back the way we came. “Go straight. The entrance is wide and craggy.”

I took the badge and nodded. “Alright, then may the Universe guide your steps.” I turned to the others. “We have to leave.” I glanced at the badge. It was beeping.

“It’ll help find the others,” he said before turning around and walking back toward where we came from.

Ike nodded. “Let’s go.”

And so my next journey began. I don’t know where it would lead me but I had a duty to me and mine and mine was humankind. I didn’t fit that label anymore but what made us human? Was it our diet or something far more subtle? As I made my way out of the cave I studied the humans around me. Donny who had been as courageous as a twelve-year-old could be under the circumstances.

Andromeda who had loved, now feared me but was working on that, and Gabriella who saw me eat and didn’t fear me, but then she didn’t fear much being a Hunter. I studied Ike, another like me, who helped me when I was in need. All of them were proof that Humanity was something more than the original fear it now showed me, and for that, I was doing this. That glimpse of real Humanity. My Nightfall may have changed a lot about me but deep inside I still felt Human and that’s what counted.