Honestly, I’d be lying if I said I wanted off the bus. The thermostat happily declared it to be a perfect 104 degrees outside, something I didn’t really want to deal with. I thought about bailing, heading out to the bridge to crash for the night, but it was 4pm, and businesses would be closing soon. There wasn’t much time left, and I had to take advantage of it. Sadly, the moment I stepped out onto the sizzling cement I felt drained, the life evaporating from me in an instant.

It’s kind of funny how the heat will do that to you. Redding gets cold during the winter months. People pray for rain, hoping for snow, but we only end up with a sudden drop in temperature. Now, you find yourself sitting around trying to stay warm, frustrated that summer is so far away. You start imagining what you could do, hitting up the lake, being able to make it through the night without freezing to death, and all the other perks that come with it. Then it finally comes, you dread waking up each morning, smothered by the heat, and find yourself out hunting for a job.

Desperation drew me to the corner. There was a coffee shop across the street, and air conditioning would make the rejection less painful. I needed to keep my mind off being cooked alive on the sidewalk as I waited for the light to change, so I decided to amuse myself by studying my surroundings.

It wasn’t my first time downtown. The old city hall was to my right, a historic landmark that looked nothing like a city hall should. It was small, the exterior clad in wood and bricks, and there was absolutely no indication of what the building actually was now. It still served as the town hall, depending on the occasion, but it was also the home of the RPD. I was familiar with it, sadly, and while I wouldn’t necessarily be happy working near the cops, I needed the money.

The infernal shrieking of the crosswalk forced me forward. Maybe I was tired, or the heat had gotten to me, but I almost stepped into oncoming traffic, a last minute shift of weight saved me from taking a face full of side-view mirror, but not from bumping into a young woman and her stroller. Stumbling back, I mumbled out an apology, my face turning red with embarrassment.

It takes a lot to get to me. Maybe it’s a part of being on the street, or how I was raised, but for the most part, I don’t take things personally. Being quick to anger often meant you were quick to die, that’s just how it was. It only takes witnessing one death to drive that fact home. I didn’t like it, but I understood it. Because of that, the little insults the woman muttered under her breath barely registered.

I did what any good teenager could, I tuned her out, and it worked, except for the last bit that caught my attention, her complaining about the poor example I was setting for her baby. The chubby little angel giggled at me as they pulled ahead, waving happily in my direction even as her mother shot a disapproving look my way. The laughter was genuine, filled with warmth and acceptance. Not to mention contagious, and I smiled in response.

Babies were weird. In their formative years, they were no better than domestic chest bursters, preparing to explode into the world in all their glory. After the sleepless nights, and ignoring the whole diaper thing, that’s when they get awesome. Most importantly, they don’t judge you based on how you look, they accept you for who you are. They’re innocent, that’s rare in our world.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the news van pull up, a tired reporter coming out just as the patrol cars arrived in front of the station. They must have circled the block a few times for this moment, so that the cops could walk the scary, half-naked, criminals into the station. It was good publicity, people would probably feel safer after hearing about it. Still, their little production wasn’t enough to tear me away from making funny faces at the little girl.

The baby waved, cooing happily even as the light changed, the crosswalk shrieking once again, removing that precious smile, as it signaled that we could cross. I wasn’t really paying attention, I was focused on saying my goodbyes to the munchkin, but I took a moment to look both ways this time. It didn’t do me any good, the police station exploded as we crossed the street, debris slamming into me. I ate asphalt.

My ears were ringing, and all I could make out were shadows running by, none of them stopping to help. Blood filled my mouth, leaking from my lips as my vision cleared. Looking around my first thoughts were of them, the baby and her mother, but people were screaming, running away, it was chaos. My ribs screamed as I tried to move, to get to my knees, but the pain was too much, forcing me to exhale roughly before cradling myself on the ground. They were broken, it wasn’t the first time. The sensation was familiar, almost comforting.

Someone grabbed me roughly by my hoody, pulling me to my feet as I gasped in pain. They spun me around, I could barely make out the uniform as the officer started yelling. Covered in dust, blood and sweat caked his face, and he was still trying to help me. I couldn’t move, dazed and frozen with fear, my focus was drawn to the hulking monster that forced its way out of the ruined police station.

It was a mass of muscle, well over ten feet tall, with runes carved into its indigo-stained flesh. The symbols looked familiar, but I couldn’t place them. Each subtle movement was a promise of destruction, not only for those around it, but for the creature itself. The abomination was covered in rended flesh, violet blood flowing freely from its wounds as they reopened with every step.

Looking around, the monster paused, taking a moment to marvel at the destruction it had caused. The smile that spread across its face was terrifying, revealing row after row of rotted teeth, and then it moved. It was a blur as it descended upon the nearest survivors, tearing them apart.

I had never seen anything like it. There were rumors about something new, terrifying, but no first-hand accounts. People talked about it like they were mentioning the boogeyman, an urban legend, as they tried to mess with each other. Now I had one standing right in front of me, a nightmare of flesh butchering everyone in its path.

The officer didn’t even notice, blood dripped from his ears, he was more concerned with me. Protect and serve, this one took it seriously, and as I tried to scream, tried to warn him that it was coming, I couldn’t. I shut down, the words trapped in my chest.

Its massive fist swung down, the officer’s head disappeared into his body. I barely made out what he said. He’d been asking me if I was alright, telling me to run. A fountain of blood erupted from his neck, showering me in it as the beast moved onto its next target, me.

Violet blood dripped from its body as it sauntered forward, snickering at me as I finally found the strength to move. I tried to run, only to get tangled up in the cop’s body as it fell lifeless to the ground. I wasn’t sure if it was his blood soaking through my pants or if I pissed myself.

Shrimping away, I began dragging myself along the street, trying to escape the madness I saw in its eyes, the twisted expression of joy plastered on its face as it stalked me. The monster had killed everyone else so quickly, and for some reason, it was going to take its time with me.

My heart felt like it was going to explode out of my chest, and as it raised its fist, I closed my eyes, relieved that all the bullshit was going to end. It would be better this way, to just give up.

The blow never came. Slowly I opened my eyes, and I saw the puzzled look on its face as it searched for something. Looking around, I could barely make it out over my own panicked breathing, a screaming baby.

A grin formed on its grotesque face, forcing me to follow its gaze. I could see the stroller, knocked over onto its side, and the screaming child that was trapped within.

The monster chuckled, a harsh and terrifying sound as ruined teeth poured from its mouth. It was the most disturbing thing I had ever seen, row after row of freshly grown teeth slowly emerging, replacing those that were lost. My stomach sank as it stepped forward, walking past me, and moving towards the young mother who was now desperately fumbling with the stroller.

Struggling to my feet, the pain barely registered as I tried to come up with a plan to stop this. It couldn’t happen, I wouldn’t allow it. Looking back I saw the dead officer that had tried to help me. I didn’t think, I acted. I was on autopilot, watching in stunned silence as my precious cola slammed into the back of the abomination’s head.

It had still been cool to the touch, somehow surviving everything that had happened, but I couldn’t help but ache as it exploded on impact, drenching the monster in sugary goodness.

Shit. The world stopped, and silence drifted over the street. Steam rose from the tattoos as the demon turned, its demented gaze falling upon me.

I shuddered uncontrollably as it stepped towards me, my mind racing, trying to find a way out of this. Exhaling sharply, I watched the young mother run, dragging the stroller with her, as the monstrous arm lashed out, backhanding me.

The world spun as I flew through the air, darkness threatening to consume me as I skidded and bounced along the street. The last thing I saw was the Cream King jalapeno and cream cheese filled corn-dog mocking me as I smashed into the bus stop.

The sheer force of the slap was terrifying. Blood filled my mouth as the officers charged forward, trying to help the survivors out of the conflict area.

Looking down, I stared at my own back, my head was twisted the wrong way. Everything was off, my limbs forced into unnatural positions. I was shattered and broken. All it took was a single strike to ruin me.

Worst of all, I couldn’t feel anything.

“It’ll be ok kid.” I could barely make out the officers as they knelt beside me, trying to help as others rushed forward to force the monster back. I wasn’t sure if my mind playing tricks on me, or if it was because I was bleeding out, I’m not even sure how I could see, but the monster seemed bigger.

My mouth opened, trying to speak to them, but I ended up gargling blood instead.

I couldn’t even imagine how anyone else would have been able to deal with it. I had barely been able to catch a hint of pain, to latch onto it. But it wasn’t enough. I needed to feel more.

“What do we do?” One officer said. They gently reached out, trying to move me, but all it did was sending jolts of pain through my body. It was enough.

The police had brought out the big guns, fully automatic weapons, moving in even as they tried to take it down. It almost seemed like every time the monster was shot it got bigger. It wasn’t the first time I’d seen that.

“Get up.” I heard my father’s voice echo through my head, somehow louder than the war that was going on around me. I could almost see his fist hurtling towards my face. “I didn’t raise you to be weak, useless.” Memories of him limping towards me, his body barely a blur as he slammed me against the wall, flooded my mind. Almost like he was breathing down my neck, I could hear his mocking whisper: “I’ve hit you worse.”

Bones shifted as the officers tried to drag me back to safety, their eyes a mix of pity and horror as they only seemed to only make me worse. Their faces contorted with each groan of pain. They didn’t know I needed to hurt.

Neither of them noticed what was happening, the slight movements I made as I tried to assess the damage. My old man wasn’t wrong, I’ve been hurt worse. My mind was clear, all it took was a simple thought, spurred by anger and pain, to set things in motion.

They stopped, turning back in shock at my strangled cries, mesmerized as the compound fractures began to heal, the bones receding back into my body. My breathing slowed as my head savagely snapped back around, forcing me to stare at the pool of blood beneath me as my body mended itself at an astonishing rate.

“Get up,” I remembered him standing over me, the bat being raised above his head as stared down at me with contempt.

My fingers straightened, the cuts on my hands effortlessly closed before I clenched them into fists, writhing in my own blood. I could feel the eyes on me as I bit my lip, trying to hold back the sobs, to give myself time.

The broken bottle slammed into my stomach, hatred in his eyes as I fell to the floor, shuddering as I watched the mixture of blood and shit pour out of me. “Get up.”

I was screaming, my own body tearing itself apart, forcing me back into peak physical condition. I howled as my skin split, the useless parts of me, the impurities, slipping from the wounds before they mended back together.

He was drinking again, I tried to hide but he found me like he always did. My face bruised and swollen, I could barely make out his arm moving right before he’d hit me again. Curling up on the ground I tried to wait it out, to hide as he threw the bottle at me. That just made him worse.

Gasping, I spasmed on the ground, pain wracking my body, but that was only the beginning. It quickly receded, replaced with a surge of strength. Unsteadily I made it to my feet, nodding to the two cops that stared at me, dumbfounded. I had gotten back up.

I knew what they wanted to ask me, even as I handed the ruined hoody over to one of them, the dollar menu burger spilling from the pocket all over his shoes. They wanted to know if I was gifted, I never really saw it that way. I always thought of it as more of a curse.