The living hell

EXT. SMALL TOWN - NIGHT

The small town is in ruins. Buildings lie in rubble, streets are smeared with blood, and the air reeks of death. The few survivors wander aimlessly, their minds fractured by the terror they've endured. The moon shines brightly, casting an eerie glow over the desolation.

INT. ABANDONED FACTORY - NIGHT

OFFICER RILEY leans against a wall, barely able to stand. Her body is covered in scars, her clothes tattered and soaked in blood. Her left hand trembles uncontrollably, a side effect of her last battle with the Vendor. She stares blankly at a fire burning in the corner, her mind replaying the horrors.

OFFICER RILEY

(whispering to herself)

Why... why am I still alive?

Suddenly, the faint sound of whistling echoes through the factory. Riley’s head snaps up, her eyes wide with fear. She grips a broken pipe lying nearby, her body tensing.

OFFICER RILEY

(to herself)

Not again... it can’t be...

INT. SMALL TOWN - DIFFERENT LOCATION - NIGHT

LUCAS, another survivor, stumbles through the wreckage of a grocery store. He clutches his stomach, his shirt soaked with blood from a deep gash. His face is gaunt, his eyes hollow from sleepless nights.

LUCAS

(whispering)

I just want it to end... I can’t take this anymore...

As he searches for food, a balloon drifts silently into the room. Its face is no longer grinning—it is blank, emotionless, and eerily cold. Lucas freezes, his breathing shallow.

LUCAS

(panicking)

No... no, please...

The balloon's string lashes out, wrapping around Lucas's arm. He screams as the string begins to tighten, slicing through his skin. Blood pours onto the floor as the string pulls tighter, severing his arm. Lucas collapses, writhing in agony.

INT. ABANDONED CHURCH - NIGHT

KAREN, another survivor, hides in the church, kneeling before the altar. She clutches a rosary, her lips moving in silent prayer. Tears stream down her face as she begs for salvation.

KAREN

(whispering)

Please... God... save us...

The stained-glass windows shatter as a balloon bursts through, its face twisted into a grotesque mockery of an angel. The strings slither down like serpents, wrapping around Karen’s legs and dragging her toward the altar.

KAREN

(screaming)

No! Let me go!

The strings lift her high into the air before slamming her onto the altar. One string slithers across her face, slicing her cheek open, while another wraps around her neck. Karen’s screams echo through the empty church as the strings tighten, choking the life out of her.

INT. ABANDONED FACTORY - NIGHT

Riley makes her way through the factory, the whistling growing louder. She stumbles upon Lucas, lying in a pool of his own blood, his arm severed. He’s barely alive, his breath ragged.

OFFICER RILEY

(softly)

Lucas... stay with me...

Lucas’s eyes flutter open, tears streaming down his face.

LUCAS

(weakly)

It won’t stop... it never stops...

Before Riley can respond, a balloon floats into the room. Its face is completely black, with no features except for glowing red eyes. The strings lash out, aiming for Riley’s throat. She ducks, grabbing Lucas and dragging him out of the room.

OFFICER RILEY

(shouting)

You’re not taking us!

EXT. SMALL TOWN - NIGHT

Riley and Lucas stumble into the open street, where they find Karen crawling out of the church. Her face is bloodied, and her voice is hoarse from screaming.

KAREN

(crying)

It’s everywhere... we can’t escape it...

The three survivors huddle together, their bodies broken but their will to survive unyielding. The sound of whistling grows louder, and dozens of balloons begin to descend from the sky, their strings slicing through the air like knives.

OFFICER RILEY

(whispering)

We’re not going to make it...

LUCAS

(weakly)

Then let’s make it fight for every second...

Riley grabs a piece of debris, Karen clutches her rosary, and Lucas picks up a shard of glass. They prepare for a final stand against the balloons.

FINAL CONFRONTATION

The survivors fight desperately, slashing at the balloons and dodging their deadly strings. The battle is chaotic and brutal. Riley manages to impale one balloon, causing it to burst in a shower of black liquid. Karen smashes another with a rock, while Lucas uses his broken glass to sever a string.

But for every balloon they destroy, more appear, their numbers overwhelming.

LUCAS

(screaming)

There’s too many!

The strings lash out, slicing into their flesh and tearing at their clothes. The survivors fight with everything they have, refusing to give up despite the odds.

INT. ABANDONED FACTORY - DAWN

As the sun begins to rise, the balloons retreat, their strings slithering away into the shadows. The survivors are left battered and broken, their bodies covered in wounds. They collapse to the ground, breathing heavily.

OFFICER RILEY

(weakly)

It’s over... for now...

The camera pans over the survivors, showing the extent of their injuries. Karen’s legs are mangled, Lucas has lost his arm, and Riley’s face is scarred beyond recognition. They’ve survived, but their lives are a living hell.

EXT. SMALL TOWN - DAWN

The town is silent once more, but the scars of the nightmare remain. The camera pans up to the sky, where a single balloon drifts away, its face blank and expressionless.

FADE TO BLACK.

TEXT ON SCREEN: "Survival is not always salvation."

ROLL CREDITS.

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