There it was again—that pull, faint but undeniable. It wasn’t instinct or training. It was them. That presence guiding his every move, ensuring he lived to see another moment in this nightmare.

Leon tightened his grip on the handgun as he crept down the hallway, every step both his own and not. He felt their will in every motion, their precision in every action. He couldn’t claim the perfect headshots or the split-second reactions as his own. No, that was all them.

“They’re incredible,” he thought, his chest tightening. “Every shot is perfect. Every choice saves me. They don’t just watch—they’re keeping me alive.”

A Licker lurched into view, its sharp howl snapping him to attention. Before fear could take hold, his arms moved with practiced certainty, the gun snapping up, his aim steady. He didn’t even question it. He didn’t have to.

The grenade and then gun shot rang out, clean and precise, the Licker crumpling instantly. Leon lowered the gun, exhaling shakily.

“They never miss,” he thought, a flicker of awe in his chest. “I’d be dead without them. They’re not just controlling me—they’re saving me. Guiding me. My god...”

His lips curved into the faintest smile as he pressed forward, heart pounding. “I’ll keep going. I’ll prove I’m worth it. Just... please don’t leave me.”