ResidentEvil-Underworld [Chapter: 21]

TWENTY-ONE

THE CREATURE DESIGNATED TYRANT SERIES

ReH1a, more commonly known as Fossil, was motivated

purely by instinct and it only had one: eat. All

of its actions stemmed from that single, primal urge.

If there was something between it and food, Fossil

destroyed it. If something attacked, tried to stop it

from food, Fossil killed it. There was no reproductive

impulse, because Fossil was the only member of its

species.

Fossil woke hungry. It sensed food, picking up on

electrical charges in the air, scents, distant heat - and

destroyed the thing that held it. The environment was

unfamiliar to Fossil, but not important; there was

food, and it was hungry.

At ten feet tall and weighing roughly a thousand

pounds, the wall that stood between Fossil and food

didn't stop it for long. Past that was another wall, and

then another - and the rich feels and smells of food

were very close, so close that Fossil experienced the

closest thing it had to an emotion: it wanted, a state of

being that went beyond hunger, a powerful extension

of its instinct that encouraged it to move faster. Fossil

would eat almost anything, but living food always

made it want.

The wall that stopped it from food was thicker and

harder than the others, but not so much that it could

stop Fossil. It ripped through the layers of substance

and was in a strange place, nothing organic there but

the moving, screeching food.

Food ran at it, hard to see but smelling quite strongly.

Food raised a claw and swiped at Fossil, crying in fury,

its desire to attack and kill; Fossil knew this because of

the smell. Within seconds, Fossil was surrounded by

food, and again, it wanted. The animals that were food

howled and screamed, dancing and leaping, and Fossil

reached out and picked up the closest.

Food had sharp talons, but Fossil's hide was thick.

Fossil bit into the food, tearing a great chunk from the

writhing body, and was fulfilled. Its sense of purpose

was met so long as it chewed and swallowed, hot

blood dripping down its throat, hot flesh ripping

between its teeth.

The other food animals continued to attack, making

it easy for Fossil to eat. Fossil ate all of the food

animals in a short period of time, and its metabolism

used the food almost as quickly, giving Fossil

strength to find more food. It was an extremely

simple process, one that continued as long as Fossil

was awake.

Finished with the dark and cavernous room that

had housed the screaming food, Fossil licked blood off

its fingers and opened its senses, searching for its next

meal. In seconds, it knew that there was more, living

and moving close by.

Fossil wanted. Fossil was hungry.