Black eyes with milky irises stared at her from under the hood at that instant she knew, they were all going to die here. 

"PARISITE." She cried out in alarm.

   Clutching her shock baton in one hand and pointing at the monster with the other; time seemed to stand still her armed guards rushing to put themselves between her and the parasite. Her ears only registered the sound of her own heartbeat and shaky, uneven breaths, her blood ran cold and sweat began to roll down her to her chin. Everyone knew that the corridors of the derelict spaceship would soon be there grave.

   Cracks filled the air her three guards opened fire on the cloaked figure. Fast as lightning the figure weaved through the hallway towards is prey.

The guard in a large, armored vest suit cried out to his team "AT BEST I CAN BUY YOU GUYS 5 MINUITS GRAB THE PRINCES AND RUN"

   Reluctantly they turned heel, and all ran the monster closing in dodging the loan man's fire. The other three ran through the halls of the ship not looking back hair stood on end.

"The bulkhead!" the male guard said, "Thats right! if we can close it before the parasite catches up it should be enough to hold it off till we escape." the female guard responds. "What about James!" The princess cries out, "It's too late for him." The female guard says. With gritted teeth they follow the map through the labyrinth too the bulkhead. 

   James resigned to his fate and out of rifle ammo tosses it aside and unsheathes a sawn-off shotgun and draws his knife as the monster finally closes the distance. James swings at its head, it quickly ducks dodging his attack and swiftly countering with a kick to his side sliding James into the wall he grimaces and grabs his side. "That definitely broke a rib." He thinks, too his shock the monster stands tall and speaks.

   A low hoarse voice bellows "Impressive I see the resistance spared no expense; most humans would simply become a spot on the wall after one hit." James responds, "I didn't know u animals could speak.", "Animals that's harsh I just gave you a compliment." the man responds. "Don't act impressed if you're after the princess I'm sure you're on the stronger end of your kind, I've seen weaker parasites tear through steel with their bare hands, you're just playing with me." The man only responds with a sharp smile then blitzes towards James.

"I have one shot." James waits till the man gets close and throws his knife, the man jumps over it and clasps his hands together and rears them behind his head. James raises his shotgun, "Can't dodge this.", The shot rings through the ship both shells tear into him he recoils back flying into the ceiling and falls onto the floor with a thud. James quickly goes to reload he aims- gone. A black puddle of blood where the man fell, franticly James looks around before a long grotesque hand grabs him by the throat and raises him into the air chocking James looks down at the man who is smiling ear to ear.

"I like the smart ones, more fu-" James interrupts unloading the shotgun into the man to no effect. "Rude I was talking." the man responds to James's rude display by slowly crushing the life out of him. "End of the line I guess- sorry I couldn't even buy you all 5 minuets but maybe I can do better." James reaches into his ammo pouch and pulls out a device he flips open the cover over the switch and gives the man a bashful smile. "You humans always confused me, smiling at a time like thi-" James with grim resolve flips the switch his vest violently explodes filling the hall with fire and brimstone the explosion shakes the whole ship.

   At the group stops in their tracks catching themselves at the bottom of the staircase they look too one another with a weight settling on their hearts. "We're almost there, it's coming we can mourn later." The female soldier says solemnly. In silent acceptance they all push forwards.

   In disbelief they pass the threshold of the bulkhead "Kairi find the controls, close it and meet back here." the male guard says. "You both better be alive when I get back.", "Who do u take me for James softened him up if he gets here before you close the bulkhead, I can take him!" He said mockingly brandishing his rifle. Kari turns heel as she leaves, she remarks, "Full of shit like always."

"Are you ok Princess.", voice shaking she responds. "Surely that killed it.", Quickly he responds. "Depends on the cycle its host body is on, but I've seen them shrug off worse.", "Cycle?" she questions, "They can't sustain their host indefinitely, but they tend to get weaker as their hosts body wears down.

   Alarms suddenly ring out as the giant door creaks too life and begins too slowly close. "Kairi did it, qui-", "Homera? What's wrong?" the princess questions. Homera raises his rifle to the staircase, "It's coming." At the top of the stairs stands the parasite, top half of his skull exposed by third degree burns; he rips his ruined shirt off revealing a pulsating purple orb dug into the center of his chest his abdomen spotted by shrapnel wounds oozing black blood. Manic, he rips away loose skin from his face and yells out. "PRINCESS! come on now this was supposed to be fun... I was going to just kill you quick, but now I'm going to turn you into a dress." 

   Suddenly he cracks his neck and sets down on all fours. His limbs twisting into monstrous appendages best suited to speed, Fingers blend into daggers, spikes erupt from his spine. Homera scrambles too switches magazines and barely mutters, "Get behind me princess." 

   The parasite breaks into a bloodthirsty sprint, Homera opens fire easily being dodged by the parasite who's quickly closing distance moving as if he were a blur. Homera cursing under his breath with every missed shot, "focus Homera come on find the pattern." He curses himself. Holding his fire, he calms his nerves and focuses in on the parasite leading his shot he pulls the trigger striking it in the chest causing it to stumble and fall halfway to the bulkhead. Seizing the opportunity Homera focuses his fire on its legs rending them from its body as it lets out a ghastly howl. 

   Kairi runs towards them from across the room she yells "What's going on!" Turning to face her Homera yells back. "We need to get going it's here!" As Homera turned to face Kairi the parasite claws away the orb from its chest as the bulkhead nears sealing shut launches the orb. Homera turning back only in time to see it hurdling towards him tearing into his stomach.

   Homera flies backwards his rifle sliding across the room, clutching his stomach he cries out in anguish as the bulkhead closes. Kairi running to his side putting pressure on his wound. "What hit you, how bad is it!" Kairi said in a panic. Homera clutches at her coat." You need to shoot me quickly, its growing I can feel it!" The orb settled in his stomach claws through Homera its tendrils slowly spreading through him. Black creeps into the whites of his eyes as Homera snatches Kairis's pistol attempting to turn it on himself his other arm grips the pistol pushing it away from his head. A voice echos in his mind, "I only just put you on let's spend some more time together, come watch me rip your friend's legs off just as you did to me!" 

   Heart pounding Homera shoves Kairi away and stumbles to his feet blood raining from his stomach he staggers to his rifle kicking it to Kairi, "Quickly while I'm still myself!", Choking on her words Kairi sputters "I can't! You know I can't!" Shaking as she picks up his rifle tears rolling down her cheeks. A silence blankets the room blood and tears alike dripping to the ground. Unable to raise the rifle to her partner, Homera begins to twitch violently losing himself he slowly raises the pistol towards her. Kairi gasps as the rifle is ripped from her arms and the princess quickly takes aim at Homera, she squeezes the trigger and the shot rings out breaking the silence.