I'm following the trail of red smokes - medicine. People need it back in the Tower. The governments dropping them from the sky with big planes. Hell - I need it myself. I need to get to them before the infamous local warlord's goons. So I run - sure as $hit I don't need any incentive. I chase after the smokes where the supply crates are dropped, bright yellow and dark orange tones of the downing sun catching my eyes... Zombies up and down, left and right - I pay them no mind. Jumping through obstacles, darting between tight walls, climbing over shanty rooftops, hopping over traps that are intended for them... Jade, the girl who saved my life - her voice buzzes through my earpiece. Says "it's almost night Crane, the nightmares will wake up - don't risk it!" in a scared tone. I say f*ck it - Tower needs it... This is what Brecken and the other runners risked and lost their lives for. Discovering nothing at the previous smokes - I finally make it to the last drop. My watch beeps, telling me that it's 20.58. Its warning me that sun is down. Night has come.

I've heard back in the Tower from some folks that it's dangerous to wander the city after sundown. But I'm here, my mission from both sides requires me to be here... I quickly do my thing when I hear blood freezing screeching. I stop for a second. Then I hear the flesh getting ripped off behind the white gate I'm next to - some sort of munching. I look through the small gap between the two gates... and I see it. The horribly mutated, disgusting looking hunter devouring its latest catch on all fours. Its making horrendous sounds on a pile of meat. On it's torso, there's a large opening where a normal humans ribcage would be, all the way up to its mouth... And it's ribs are kind of... teeth? I keep watching, amazed, disgusted, with a pinch of horror. After what felt like a solid minute, one of his friends suddenly shouts through the gap I'm looking through - sending chills down to my spine, scaring me to death. Its yellow eyes and bloody "mouth" glittering in the darkness - looking directly at me. In a split second of terror and surprise, I quickly realise one simple fact: every one of those f*ckers know that I'm here now.

That's it, I'm MADE. I start to sprint for my life, climbing balconies and rooftops in the favelas. As I rush through the dark streets, I can hear the heavy thuds of their footsteps and the disgusting deep growl / breath sound they produce right behind me. THE CHASE IS ON. All of my senses are nullified due to PURE FEAR and rush of adrenaline. I don't think, I don't judge, I just RUN.

I know these abominations are different from the regular stupid zombies that I kill during the day. I have to make it back to the Tower, where the bright UV light is covering all the entrances. Still running through the metal roofs, concrete roads and tight streets /TERRIFIED/ I notice that the zombies on my path are actually aggravating - it's like something in the night woke them up, CHANGED them. They get angrier and start mutating - I can see them twitching, gnarling and shouting at me as I pass through, my terrifying chasers not so far behind. After their mutations are complete, they join the hunt. I look behind me for a split second, and I DO NOT LIKE what I see. At least ten crazed monsters are behind me, shouting and growling. Feeling like a deer that's escaping from a wolf pack, I just keep running in the general direction of the Tower.

I finally make it to the tall building after what felt like hours of running and climbing - and jump into the safe, bright, delicious UV lights, panting. I hear those things making screeching noises behind me, hurt by the UV at the gates... I stop to catch my breath. Hearing a sizzling sound, I turn back. Two disgusting hunters are getting burned under the purple light, obviously feeling pain. They f*ck off back into the darkness after what felt like an eternity, their skin still shining orange from all the UV they consumed...

The feeling that's creeping up - the happiness of the fact that I'm still alive and the pure horror of what I just witnessed captures my mind... I slowly calm down after jumping to the lobby of the building, populated with people. Now barely coming back to my senses, I realise - my coming days in Harran will be hard and long. As they say: good night, good luck.