Sniffing the air, Abe’s senses pulsed. There were six remaining. He was certain.

Their scents distinguished them. Each with a unique tinge that set them apart. The air, how it curried the scents, from where it blew. Vents, entrances, corridors, and enclosed rooms. They all painted a picture in his mind’s eye. He knew where the remaining ghouls were, which paths to take to find them, and when and where to turn.

Scooping up the last bit of brain matter, he sniffed again. 

Most of them were weak, having consumed maybe one or two of their kin. But one…

*Sniff*

It was dangerous. It has consumed more than Abe. It reeked of a power he was just starting to understand.

It couldn’t be helped, hunger had driven it mad from the moment the cages had been opened.

Ricky’s warning had been accurate. His brain and sensibilities had slowed him. And now he might pay a price for it.

There!

His head twitched and he took a step. Something hit his foot

Crouching down, Abe dipped his hand into the water and retrieved a small stone.

Useful, he grunted, closing his hand around the rock. 

The scent hit him again and he turned. He had chosen his next target.

Staring down into the darkness he channeled his senses and took off in pursuit. 

The hunger wasn’t just mindless greed. Abe had given in to logic. If he wanted to survive, he needed to feed as much as he could. Every brain strengthened him, and allowing that monstrosity to grow any stronger than himself could spell his end.

Within seconds he found his target, feeding at an intersection of sewer tunnels. 

They were pretty strong but dumb. It was more than just a lack of sentience.

Abe watched the thing feed from the corner of the tunnel, several dozen feet away. He hadn’t tried to be particularly careful, it just hadn’t noticed him yet—either due to hungry greed or stupidity. 

There was no way anything was sneaking up on him, not with his new, heightened senses.

Abe thumbed the rock in his hand. He didn’t want to waste time, but this was worth testing.

He threw it across the tunnel, and the rock splashed down into the water only a few feet from the ghoul—in the opposite direction.

As expected, it raised its head, looked toward where the rock had landed and sniffed.

That was all the time he needed. Abe closed the distance between them in seconds, and by the time the ghoul turned to him, it was too late.

The bone stabbed through its temple.

As the ghoul twitched its way into true death, he sniffed the air again.

There were only four now. 

It's getting stronger.

Time was growing increasingly precious.

Abe smashed open the skull and slurped up its contents as quickly as he could. The flavor was intense, almost sensual. But now wasn’t the time to savor it.

He sensed another, not far. It was weak.

Letting thought drift into his subconscious, hunger drove him forth.

Charging down the tunnels at a speed unknown to his human self, he caught the ghoul as it ran down a parallel corridor.

Tackling it to the ground, they struggled for a moment. He remembered the confused ghoul from earlier and lunged for its jaw, biting its flesh and hooking teeth to bone. Tightening his clenched jaw, he shook, violently. Bone cracked and meat tore.

The ghouls existed solely to quench their hunger, and with its jaw hanging loosely upon frayed flesh, its modus operandi was placed in jeopardy.

Capitalizing on the confusion wrought by its wound, Abe pulled his hand free and stabbed.

His first strike ricochetted off the bone, and the raving ghoul kicked as it thrashed beneath him.

He had grown stronger. Too strong for this ghoul to kick aside. With a grunt, he forced himself down, pressing the jagged bone through the soft of the temple.

A spasm and a gasp signaled its second death.

He brought the skull to his mouth, sniffing the air as he did.

Three.

Three remained. 

He ate, crunching through bone with little resistance as his strength grew. His maw had evolved, becoming bestial in nature.

*Sniff*

Two.

He jerked his head to the left.

Strong.

To his right.

Weak.

Snorting, he charged right—not attempting stealth. One more meal might be the difference between life and death.

His hazy gray vision caught sight of it as he rounded a corner, the stench it gave off making it glow in his mind’s eye.

Ravenous, his feet carried him faster, kicking up water as ran—his target’s head perked, claws readied, and mouth rabid and foaming.

Foamy saliva filled the air as it shook its head and charged toward Abe.

Pointless.

Weakness permeated the creature. At most, it had eaten one of their kin.

Mindlessly, he flew forward, no need for tactic against such a ghoul. Their bodies slammed against one another, and Abe effortlessly overpowered his weaker sibling.

There was no need for his bone dagger. Abe took a bite straight from its neck, severing the brain stem.

He dug his nails into the skull and brought it to his mouth like an apple, and bit. Moist snapping crunches sounded from his mouth as strength filled his veins.

He could smell the scents of the final two entwined in combat as a fresh wave of clarity filled his senses.

This was his chance to catch it off-guard, and with a flick of his tongue, he scooped up the last morsel of the brain and charged off into the pitch-dark tunnel, nose twitching as it directed him.

The sounds of battle drew nearer with every step, and a moment later Abe swung into the room they occupied.

A ragdolled body flew across the room, thudding against the far wall and splashing into the water below.

Its attacker roared and thumped its chest. Stomping toward its broken prey, it moved with controlled, fluid steps—not like the others, awkward and lurching about.

Standing upright, muscle rippled across its gray, necrotic frame. Sections of flesh hung, bone revealed in areas and it walked with a leaned grait. Nonetheless, there was an air of pride about it.