Hypnosis

Wendy gasped, her fingers flying to her stinging cheek as the haze in her eyes fractured. The shiki’s hypnotic pull faltered—just for a second—but it was enough. "Move!" Cortney barked, shoving Wendy forward. The group stumbled into a narrow alley between two food stalls, the scent of spices and rotting fruit thick in the air. Bryce’s shoulder slammed against the wall as he dragged Anne behind him. John staggered after them, wiping his throat with a grimace, the shiki’s saliva still glistening on his skinThe alley twisted sharply, leading them deeper into the labyrinth of the island’s underbelly. Shadows clung to the walls like living things, shifting unnaturally as distant laughter echoed—too melodic, too knowing. Wendy’s breath came in ragged gasps, her fingers clawing at her temples. "There!" Rebecca pointed to a rusted service door half-hidden behind a stack of crates. John didn’t hesitate—he kicked it open with a splintering crack, revealing a dimly lit storage room filled with sacks of rice and dangling fishing nets. "Inside. Now." Cortney’s voice left no room for argument.

The door slammed shut behind them, sealing out the shiki’s laughter—but not the scent of salt and decay clinging to Wendy’s skin. Bryce braced his back against the door, his pulse hammering as Cortney dragged a heavy crate in front of it. Anne pressed her ear to the damp wall. "They’re still out there," she whispered. "Circling." Wendy slumped against the sacks of rice, her fingers twitching. The whites of her eyes were clearing—Rebecca knelt beside herpressing a trembling hand to her daughter’s forehead. “She’s burning up,” she whispered. Anne hovered close, fists clenched. “Did it—did it take hold of her?” “No,” Rebecca said, though her voice wavered. “Not yet, as long as we don't let her get fucked or bit, she should be fine, A low groan came from the corner. John leaned against the wall, his breathing ragged. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his skin unnaturally pale under the flickering bulb. Bryce frowned. “John?

John slumped forward, fingers clawing at his collar. A dark mark bloomed on his neck—twin punctures, faintly glistening with something thicker than sweat. "No." Cortney’s voice was a blade. Bryce lunged, yanking John’s shirt aside. The wound pulsed, veins spidering outward in inky tendrils. Wendy whimpered, but it sounded blissful, not fearful.John's breath hitched as his fingers trembled against his collar, his pupils dilating until only a thin ring of hazel remained. "Fuck," he rasped, his voice rough with something that wasn’t pain. His hips jerked forward involuntarily, his teeth sinking into his own bottom lip hard enough to draw blood. The venom burned through him, twisting his nerves into wires of pure, electric need. Bryce grabbed his shoulders. "John—focus!" But John wasn’t listening. His hands fisted in Bryce’s shirt, dragging him closer.

"Fuck," he rasped, his voice rough with something that wasn’t pain. His hips jerked forward involuntarily, his teeth sinking into his own bottom lip hard enough to draw blood. The venom burned through him, twisting his nerves into wires of pure, electric need. Bryce grabbed his shoulders. "John—focus!" But John wasn’t listening. His hands fisted in Bryce’s shirt, dragging him closer. "Looks like he got his taste after all," john said, pushing Bryce away John - and I didn't get fucked first, that sucks...mmm...please get my family out of here..before I do something bad..my mind not...mmm .mind filling with..mm..list ..this is what we witnessed the other night, what we saw at the show last night, with those with the mark...mmm..run..please.im infected with lust now, soon I won't be able to..mmm..to help myself

John’s body arched against the wall, his fingers digging into the damp concrete as

his breath came in ragged, hungry gasps.

Bryce stumbled back, his pulse roaring in his ears. John’s skin was fever-hot under his grip, veins blackening beneath the surface like spilled ink. The air reeked of salt "Run," John snarled, his voice fraying at the edges. His fingers spasmed against Bryce’s wrists, Rebecca yanked Wendy upright, her daughter’s legs buckling. "Move!" she barked at the others, voice cracking. Anne didn’t hesitate—she grabbed a rusted fish-gutter from the wall and hurled it at the single flickering bulb. Darkness swallowed the room.

The fish-gutter clattered to the ground as the bulb shattered, plunging them into total darkness. For a heartbeat, there was only the sound of John’s ragged breathing—then a wet, desperate groan as his body twisted against the wall. "Fuck—" Bryce’s voice was tight with panic. "We can’t leave him like this!" Cortney’s hand clamped around his arm, nails biting into flesh. "We have to. Unless you want to end up just like him.to get the shiki to infect you as well A low, guttural laugh bubbled from John’s throat—too smooth, too knowing. As they heard the door they cane in open, john just opened it, losing out to te venom

A low, guttural laugh bubbled from John’s throat—too smooth, too knowing. As they heard the door they came in open, John just opened it, losing out to the venom. His fingers curled around the rusted handle, his muscles moving with eerie precision, as if something else had seized control of his limbs. The door swung wide, revealing the dim glow of the alley beyond—and the silhouettes of figures moving toward them, their laughter a chilling harmony. Wendy whimpered, pressing closer to Rebecca, her breath hitching as the scent of salt and something sickly-sweet flooded the room.

The figures stepped forward, their movements liquid and deliberate. Moonlight caught the gleam of their eyes—too bright, too hungry. John swayed in the doorway, his body no longer his own, his lips parting in a slow, seductive smile. "Stay," he murmured, his voice velvet-dark, fingers trailing along the doorframe. "It feels... so good." The nearest shiki—a woman with hair like spilled ink—tipped her head back and laughed, the sound rippling through the air like a caress. She reached for John, her fingers brushing his jaw, and he shuddered, a moan slipping from his lips.John’s body arched off the wall, his back bowing as the venom burned through him. His fingers clawed at the damp concrete, nails scraping grooves into the surface. The shiki woman’s touch sent fire licking through his veins, and he groaned, hips jerking forward helplessly. "John—" Bryce’s voice was raw, but the warning died in his throat as John removed his shirt.

The shiki woman peeled off her soaked robe, letting it pool at her feet with a wet slap. Her bare skin glistened in the moonlight, the scent of brine and something musky thickening the air. John’s breath hitched as she pressed against him, her nails raking down his chest— Behind her, more figures shed their clothes with slow, deliberate movements. Naked bodies slithered forward, their laughter low and hungry. One—a man closed in on them and .trailed his tongue along Wendy’s trembling shoulder before Rebecca jerked her away, slamming her elbow into his ribs.

The man hissed in pain but didn’t retreat—his fingers tangled in Rebecca’s hair, yanking her head back as his other hand slid up her thigh. "Run!" Cortney snarled, slamming her shoulder into the nearest shiki, sending them both crashing into a stack of crates. Wood splintered, the scent of salt and rot exploding into the air. Bryce grabbed Wendy’s wrist, dragging her toward the shattered remains of the back window. She stumbled, her legs still weak from the hypnosis, but Rebecca was suddenly there, shoving her forward. "Climb, now!", Anne you next!

Bryce - cortney

Bryce’s grip on Wendy’s wrist was iron-tight as he hauled her toward the jagged remains of the broken window. Splinters of glass crunched underfoot, the sound drowned out by the wet, hungry gasps of the shiki closing in behind them. Cortney lunged forward, driving her shoulder into another figure—this one wiry and slick with seawater—sending them sprawling into a stack of moldering fishing nets. The scent of salt and decay clung to the air, thick enough to choke on. "Go!" Cortney barked, whirling to face the encroaching shiki, her fists raised. Bryce didn’t hesitate., but didn't won't to leave her either.

Bryce hesitated, torn between dragging Wendy to safety and turning back for Cortney—but the decision was ripped from him when Cortney’s gasp and seconds later her voice cut through the chaos, laced with something unnatural. "Stay." The word slithered into his skull, syrupy and irresistible. His muscles locked. Wendy’s fingers went limp in his grip as Cortney turned toward them, her eyes glazed, her lips parted in a slow, dreamlike smile. The shiki woman who had touched John now ran her fingers along Cortney’s collarbone, whispering against her ear. Cortney shuddered, her breath hitching—then her gaze snapped to Bryce, sharp and predatory.

Cortney’s fingers twitched at her sides, then curled inward—beckoning. Bryce felt his pulse hammer against his ribs as her lips parted again, the same honeyed command dripping from her tongue. "Come closer." Bryce knew he should run, but he had to try and save her One step. The shiki woman’s laughter curled around him, humid and approving, her eyes locked onto his he closed in on Cortney, a trap, and he fell for it. His eyes hazed as well as Cortney reached for Bryce’s belt, her movements languid, deliberate. Wendy’s whimper cut through the haze—just for a second. Bryce blinked, his vision swimming. Cortney’s nails scraped his hipbone, and the shiki behind her pressed closer, her breath damp against Bryce’s neck.