Lancelot, who was in the car with his mother, grew more anxious as he observed the tense expression on her face.
Being a woman, it was only natural for her to panic in such a dangerous situation, especially with a child in her arms. With a shaky breath, she lovingly caressed his face, her eyes trembling with suppressed fear, while praying in her heart that her dear husband would return safely.
Lancelot already knew the future. His father and mother would die, and there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop it.
The fact that he was too weak to affect the situation made his heart feel like it was being torn apart.
He could only wait—wait for his father to return. Still, a part of him was curious...
Curious about how exactly it all happened.
He didn't know he was inside an illusion.
Soon, his father came rushing toward the car, injured, blood dripping from the side of his stomach. Beside him were Steve and Jane.
Despite the injury, his father completely ignored it, moving with such urgency that it was as though pain no longer existed.
With a press of a remote, the heavy gate in front of the mansion groaned and creaked open.
He opened the back door first for Steve and Jane to enter, before climbing into the front seat himself. From inside the car, Lancelot and his mother could hear the heavy growls of a beast. It was closing in.
The moment his father got in, he started the engine, pausing just a few seconds to make sure everyone was inside— And then he zoomed off. The acceleration was rough and sudden, making the car sway violently.
Lancelot's mother glanced at her husband, her lips trembling. She let out a soft, broken sigh before muttering, "Dave... sorry,"
Then she lowered her head and sobbed silently, hoping—desperately—for some miracle.
Lancelot's heart ached. His chest tightened painfully seeing the condition his parents were in.
A loud crash shook the car as the beast behind them slammed into the vehicle, just as it was taking off at full speed. The car swirled uncontrollably, tires screeching against the pavement, before Lancelot's father managed to regain control and steer it narrowly through the now open gate.
The beast, however, wasn't content to go through the gate like a normal creature.
No— It rammed itself against the thick concrete wall with terrifying force, shattering it like glass. Chunks of rubble exploded in all directions.
From the ease with which the beast broke through, it was obvious. Its strength was far beyond normal.
Luckily, they had gained a bit of distance, buying themselves some time. But even so...
The speed of the beast was horrifying.
It ran with the velocity of a cheetah at full sprint— But unlike a cheetah, this creature had insane stamina. It could keep going at full speed for days.
Lancelot's father didn't dare slow down. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, his eyes glued to the road, silently praying that the fuel would last long enough. He maneuvered through sharp turns, swerved past debris, tried different paths to throw off the beast.
But nothing worked. No matter where they went, the creature stayed on them like a curse. Its senses were simply too sharp.
Then Lancelot started hearing whispers... Low murmurs coming from the backseat, where Steve and Jane were seated. A strange chill ran through his body. He didn't know why, but a growing sense of dread began to swell inside his chest.
Something was off. Something very bad was about to happen.
He prayed—silently, desperately. But there was nothing he could do. He was just a baby. He could only watch and listen.
An hour passed. Still, his father continued driving, still trying to lose the beast. But no matter what direction they took, no matter how wild the detour— The beast chased after them relentlessly. It had no intention of giving up.
And those whispers... They hadn't stopped.
Occasionally, Lancelot would glance toward the back, but all he could do was sense it.
Something was building. Steve and Jane... were definitely planning something.
Then suddenly, his father muttered under his breath, "Zombies? Has a fucking apocalypse started in our peaceful world? Why now... Why when my son is still so young..."
Everyone in the car instinctively turned to look through the windows. And what they saw sent shudders down their spine.
People. Dozens—maybe hundreds—wandering aimlessly through the street.
Their bodies stained with blood, their clothes tattered and torn. Some of them had open stomachs, their intestines half-hanging out like meat from a butcher's shop.
They were all chasing after a woman. A sane woman. She screamed as she ran, dodging the undead as best as she could.
Though these zombies weren't fast, everyone knew the truth. Just one scratch—just one bite—and it was over. That's all it took to join their ranks.
The woman's luck ran out. She was cornered.
The zombies swarmed her like ants on sugar.
One of them clawed into her face and shoved a hand into her eye socket— Pulling out her eyeball. The undead creature munched on it like candy.
Another bit into her arms, another into her legs. In moments, she was no longer human.
Her transformation was horrifying. She looked even worse than the other zombies.
Everyone in the car gulped. The horror on their faces was evident. For a moment, they all imagined themselves in her shoes— And quickly shook the thought away. No one wanted that fate.
But even with the gruesome scene before them, none of them forgot the real threat. The beast was still after them. There was no time to stop or hesitate. Lancelot's father kept his focus and stepped harder on the gas.
The car rammed into a few zombies on the way—crushing their skulls or breaking their bones. But he didn't care. They were no longer human.
Then— Steve, who had been eerily quiet until now, suddenly spoke.
"Sir," he said slowly. "I have a solution. I know what we have to do for the beast to stop chasing us..."