The night was quiet in the small village of Woodhaven. Tomas and his wife, Maria, had just finished putting their children to bed and were enjoying a rare moment of peace together. They sat on their porch, wrapped in blankets, watching the stars twinkle overhead.

Tomas put his arm around Maria's shoulders and pulled her close. She nestled into him, feeling safe and content. They talked about their day, the crops they had tended, and the plans they had for the future.

"This is nice," Maria said, snuggling closer to her husband.

"It is," Tomas replied, smiling. "We should do this more often."

Their moment of bliss was interrupted by a piercing scream that echoed through the village. Tomas and Maria froze, their hearts pounding in their chests. Another scream followed, then another. The screams turned to howls and growls, and they knew something was horribly wrong.

Tomas stood up, his eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of danger. "Stay here," he told Maria, his voice shaking. "I'm going to check it out."

He grabbed a lantern and a knife and headed towards the sound of the screams. Maria watched him go, her stomach churning with fear. She knew she should stay put, but she couldn't bear the thought of her husband facing whatever was out there alone.

She followed him, keeping a safe distance behind as they made their way through the dark streets. They soon found themselves at the edge of the village, where they saw a group of villagers huddled together, their eyes wild with fear.

"What's going on?" Tomas asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

"The plague," one of the villagers whispered, his voice trembling. "It's turning people into monsters."

Tomas and Maria exchanged a horrified look. They had heard rumors of a new sickness that was spreading through the neighboring villages, but they never thought it would reach their own doorstep.

Suddenly, a screeching sound filled the air, and Tomas spun around. The sight that met his eyes made him recoil in horror. A creature, once a villager like himself, now twisted and distorted beyond recognition, stood on his doorstep. Its skin was grey and scabbed, its eyes black and empty. Its limbs had elongated into spindly appendages that ended in razor-sharp claws. Its mouth hung open, revealing rows of jagged teeth.

Tomas tried to push Maria behind him and lunged at the monster with his knife, but it was too fast. The creature tackled him to the ground with a sickening thud, pinning him down with its immense strength. Tomas struggled with all his might to break free, but the monster's grip was unrelenting. Its claws dug into his flesh, drawing blood, as it prepared to sink its teeth into Tomas' neck.

Tomas frantically searched for a way to escape, but it was hopeless. He could feel the monster's hot breath on his face, its rancid odor overwhelming. In his final moments, Tomas looked up at Maria, tears streaming down his face.

"Run," he gasped, his voice barely above a whisper.

Maria hesitated, torn between staying with her dying husband and saving herself. But the monster that had blocked her path was getting closer, its twisted hunger evident in its black, empty eyes. She knew she had to run, to protect herself and their children.

When Maria ran away, Tomas continued to fight against the monster with all his might, but it was too strong. He could feel the life draining out of him, his body weakening with each passing moment. He thought of Maria and their children, and how he would never see them again.

With one final burst of energy, Tomas managed to break free from the monster's grip. He staggered to his feet, blood pouring from his wounds. He turned to face the creature, his knife at the ready.

The monster lunged at him again, but Tomas was ready this time. He dodged its attack and plunged his knife into its chest, twisting it for good measure. The creature let out a howl of pain and collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

Tomas stumbled backwards, his own injuries catching up with him. He felt dizzy and weak, his vision blurring. He knew he didn't have much time left.

"Maria," he whispered, before collapsing to the ground.

In the chaos, Maria ran back home, towards the bedrooms where their children were sleeping. She stumbled into their bedroom, her eyes wide with horror. She saw the blood on the walls and bedsheets, the signs of violence that had taken her babies away from her. She collapsed to her knees, tears streaming down her face.

"Why?" she whispered to no one, as she dropped to her knees. “My babies…"

She couldn't make sense of what had happened. It was as if her entire world had crumbled around her, leaving her stranded in a desolate wasteland. The grief was too much to bear, and she felt herself slipping into a dark, nihilistic state of mind.

As she sat there, surrounded by the remnants of her children's lives, Maria started to laugh, a bitter, mirthless sound that echoed through the room. She laughed at the futility of it all, at the absurdity of her own existence. What was the point of living in a world where such things could happen?

"Put an end to this nightmare," she muttered to herself. "I don't care who, be it a hero or a villain. Just avenge my family."

And then, as she heard another pair of heavy footsteps enter the room, her laughter stopped. Maria slumped over, her body racked with sobs. She didn't want to live anymore, not in a world without her family.

She closed her eyes and whispered a final plea to the universe.

"End it," she said. "Just end it."