Taskforce Spongbob

Strange Creature

“What is it?” Hai rushed into the room, yelling as he entered to find Henry standing over a peculiar creature, gun aimed at it, prodding to check if it was alive.

“What on earth is this..this thing? It looks like a blend of horror and death. Where did you find this..whatever it is, Henry?" Bai stared at the creature in shock; throughout his 25 years on Earth, he had never encountered anything like it. It resembled an alien parasite from space, measuring just half the size of a basketball. Its appearance was akin to an octopus, with spikes embedded in its tentacles. Several lines extended from its tentacles to its head, where a sphere was visible. It had two red eyes, each containing three layers of pupils. Although it lacked a visible mouth, when turned over, the mouth was revealed to be on the underside of its tentacles.

“I don’t know; it came out of that hole and tried to attach itself to my face. Luckily, I was fast enough to respond; otherwise, I don’t know what would have happened,” Henry replied, explaining what had occurred. He then continued to poke it with his gun to further test if it was dead.

“This is truly a troubling situation,” Hai remarked, shaking his head.

“Hey, are you all alright? We just heard a gunshot from this direction.” A voice emerged from the door as Micheal, Yoshi, and Rachael entered, each carrying a creature akin to the one lying on the ground.

“You found one too,” Henry said, gazing at the creature perched on the golf stick that Michael held.

“It attempted to attack me, and I ended up killing it. I discovered it in a hole in the wall. Initially, I believed it was the only one, but now, seeing this one as well, I’m beginning to doubt that.” Micheal replied, his gaze fixed on the hole in the wall with a hint of suspicion.

“It resembles an octopus when viewed up close,” Bai remarked as he approached the golf stick to examine the creature more closely.

“SQUIRM” The creature twitched slightly, prompting Bai to step back and take aim at it.

“Woah, what’s wrong with you? Lower that thing before you accidentally shoot someone!” Michael quickly moved to the side after witnessing Bai’s actions.

“It’s still alive,” Bai replied, lowering the gun.

“We must gather more information about this creature, Yoshi. What are your thoughts on our next steps?” Micheal inquired, casting a glance toward Yoshi.

“I believe it would be prudent for us to remain here for a while, given that it’s already daytime. We can take this opportunity to analyze our observations. During this period, I can conduct some experiments to gain further insight into our situation, while the rest of you can search for more of them within the walls,” Yoshi proposed, looking at Michael, who would have the final say.

“Alright, that sounds like a plan. I’ll assist Yoshi with his tasks, while the rest of you will search the house in pairs. Hai and his brother will cover one floor, and Racheal and Henry will take the other. Also, remember to switch to silenced mode; we don’t want to alert any nearby enemies to our position,” Micheal instructed, receiving nods of agreement from the others.

“We’ll take the upper floor; you two take the lower one,” Hai said to Racheal and Henry, who nodded in agreement as they all moved into their designated positions.

“Let’s get to work then,” Yoshi said to Michael, who nodded and pulled a table to the center of the room. He spread a neat cloth that he found in a cabinet over it and then placed the creature on the table before Yoshi.

“Wrap this around your mouth and hand and wear this too,” Yoshi said, handing Michael a set of protective equipment that he had produced from an unknown source. After receiving it and donning the entire set, Michael drew a knife and a flashlight, holding them over the creature that twitched slightly.

“Please keep the flashlight steady while I make the incision. Have you had experience with this before?” Yoshi positioned Micheal’s hand at an angle that showcased the entire creature beautifully.

“Yes, in the army, it’s quite common to possess some medical knowledge. It’s essential for handling various situations, have you?” Micheal responded prior to posing his inquiry.

“I haven’t, but everything has already been programmed into my algorithm, so it’s like I have, but also haven’t at the same time,” Yoshi replied, using his knife to slice the head of the creature, causing a purple-ish liquid to seep out onto the table.

“Gimme a minute,” Michael said, quickly placing the bag on the ground. He took out a canister adorned with several buttons, wiped some liquid off the table, and placed it into the canister. After pressing a few buttons, a timer appeared on the device.

“Alright, let’s proceed.” Micheal set the canister down on a different table and then picked up the flashlight once more.

Yoshi seized the creature and sliced it along the sides until it was split into two equal halves, exposing a large green glowing brain that throbbed with a soft green luminescence.

“Wow,” Michael muttered, staring at the spectacle before him in wonder. This was something he had never seen or witnessed before. Yoshi turned the brain over to reveal a tube that extended from the mouth of the creature into the brain.

“What?” As Yoshi observed, he abruptly halted, his gaze turned to Micheal in astonishment.

“What seems to be the issue?” Micheal inquired with interest after observing Yoshi’s expression.

“I can sense something within the brain; it’s moving,” Yoshi replied, his robotic eyes scanning the creature in awe.

“Is there something inside the brain?” Micheal murmured with doubt.

“Step back a little,” Yoshi instructed Micheal, who complied immediately. In the next moment, Yoshi’s hands transformed into a vacuum, which he then inserted into the mouth of the creature. Within seconds, a cry for help echoed from within, and Yoshi withdrew his hands to reveal a peculiar wormlike being.

“Pass me that canister,” Yoshi said, pointing at a canister behind Michael. Michael hurriedly handed it over to Yoshi, who received it before shooting the worm into the canister, which sealed the worm within.

“SHHHHSSSSS!” A peculiar gas was abruptly released from the canister, leading the worm to succumb to a profound slumber.

“What is this?” Micheal inquired, his gaze fixed on the peculiar worm inside the canister.

“I believe we have identified the cause of the mass infection,” Yoshi responded, his gaze fixed on the worm.

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“Are you suggesting that this small item could be what we’ve been looking for?” Bai sought confirmation of what he had just heard, his gaze fixed on the worm inside the canister.

“Yes,” Micheal replied, his gaze fixed on the worm. The others stood beside him, their eyes locked on the canister, their minds still grappling with what Micheal and Yoshi had just revealed. They had spent several hours searching the entire house and, fortunately, had not encountered any other creature.

“It seems quite small,” Bai commented, tapping the side of the canister in an attempt to rouse the worm.

“Stop that,” Hai reprimanded, swiftly taking the canister from his brother.

“We must gather more information regarding this; how many of them exist throughout the entire area?” What is the mechanism by which it leads to infection? What was the reason for its concealment within the octomonster creature? “There’s so much to know,” Henry said, letting out a sigh as he massaged his head in contemplation.

“I believe it’s important for us to take a moment to comprehend the situation we’re facing. However, since we’re all gathered, let’s first observe the events that transpired at the control center.” Yoshi pressed a button on his temple, and a holographic screen materialized before him.

“Close all windows and shades,” Michael instructed the others, who swiftly gathered whatever clothes they could find to cover the windows, plunging the room into darkness.

“Alright, let’s find out what occurred.” Yoshi tapped the button on his temple, activating the hologram. The scene unfolded from the perspective of a hidden camera in the wall of the control tower's first floor. Individuals sat calmly, monitoring the screens before them; everything appeared normal at that moment, heightening the squad's curiosity about what had transpired. Their anticipation grew as, in the next instant, someone entered with a distraught expression.

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“Captain, is everything okay?” One of the men seated in the room remarked to the man who had just entered, having noticed his expression.

“I’m feeling somewhat unwell, and there’s a tight sensation in my chest, but it’s alright; I just need some time to rest, that’s all.” The individual known as captain responded before settling into a chair beside the first man.

“Did you have a bit too much to drink last night, Cap?” Another man standing by the coffee machine asked with a grin toward the other two men in the room, who chuckled at his words, grasping the underlying meaning behind them.

“Screw you, Grey” The captain responded, rubbing his temples in exhaustion as he settled into the chair.

“I’m just saying, Cap, you look really stressed. Maybe you should take some time to rest,” Grey said with a wink.

“BEEP BEEP BEEP” Just as everyone was engaged in cheerful conversation, the atmosphere shifted dramatically as the warning sound reverberated throughout the tower, signaling an imminent threat.

“What is going on?” Grey, poised to take a sip of his coffee, suddenly flinched, causing the hot liquid to spill all over him. However, his primary concern was the blaring alarm.

“There is something outside the tower, along with a message from the main base.” One of the men seated before the control center responded with urgency, pressing several buttons.

“Attention everyone, this is an urgent message for all. There has been an outbreak of parasites in the area. These parasites can infect you and transform you into a mindless killing machine, akin to a zombie. If you encounter any of them—BZZZZZZ—on site, that is the only way to eliminate them. Seek shelter immediately and arm yourself for the worst. Stay safe; in a few hours, a countermeasure will be initiated to eliminate all threats.” The screen abruptly illuminated, showcasing a middle-aged man who addressed the matter at hand. Once he concluded his remarks, the screen flickered again, and the man vanished along with the light.

“Parasites? We need to secure the area immediately. Arm yourselves and ensure that no one enters or exits the center. The captain abruptly stood up, a look of concern on his face. He approached the wall and pressed a button, which triggered the appearance of an array of weapons before them. However, just as he was about to grasp his own, he halted, his hands hovering mere inches from the gun.

“Captain, the tower has been secured. Are you alright?” The first man remarked upon observing the captain's unusual appearance; his eyes were reddening, his skin appeared pale, and he was sweating profusely.

“I’m fine—“ Just as he was about to reply, the Captain’s hand dropped to his side, and his body collapsed to the ground, prompting the others to rush to his side.

“Captain!” Grey shouted as he hurried to the Captain’s body, which convulsed violently on the ground.

"Someone needs to call Jim right away." The first man spoke of the medic who had attended to those in the tower, but before anyone could react, the captain's body ceased its movements.

“Captain…Captain!” Grey called out, attempting to rouse him, but to no effect.

“He's dead.” One of the men muttered in shock, stepping back slowly. Unaware of the chair behind him, he tripped and fell to the ground, resulting in a slit on his finger from which blood trickled down. As the cut appeared, the Captain's eyes suddenly shot open. He turned to the stunned Grey, seized his neck, and sank his teeth into it, tearing out a large chunk.

“Grey!” The other men gasped, retreating in terror as they observed the Captain rise after dealing with Grey, who lay convulsing.

“Captain, please don’t do this. Stop!” one of the men pleaded, attempting to reason with the Captain, who had gone into full rage mode.

“Don’t waste your time, he’s a zombie, likely infected; we need to eliminate him.” The first man inhaled deeply as he focused his aim on the Captain.

“RAWWWR” The Captain bellowed and sprang at the first man who took the shot.

BANG!

The bullet fired from the gun's barrel, slicing through the air before striking the Captain squarely in the center of his head, effectively halting his progress.

“Is he dead?” Another man inquired, gazing at the upright form of the Captain, who remained motionless for a few moments before collapsing to the ground.

“Oh, my goodness, what is going on?” The man who posed the initial question approached the screen, observing the chaos unfolding outside, where individuals surged towards one another, ripping each other apart. This sight evoked memories of a comparable incident from several years prior.

“I’m leaving now, and I encourage you to consider doing the same. I sense that the situation may deteriorate further. I’m heading home to check on my wife. Until next time, stay safe.” The first man spoke, unloading some weapons into a bag which he picked up before stepping outside, leaving the others behind.

“What do we do now?” The remaining two men exchanged bewildered looks, uncertain about their next move. They had just witnessed the deaths of two friends, an experience that was undeniably traumatizing. Yet, that was not their only concern; within moments, the body that had received a headshot in the center of its forehead began to twitch, drawing the attention of the others away from the screen.

The body writhed and contorted as it ascended into the air, seemingly unaffected by  the previous gunshot wound.

“RAWWWR” With a powerful roar, the Captain lunged at the first man.

“What the—“ The man was taken by surprise, and before he could react, he felt a sharp set of teeth sink into the back of his neck. In an instant, he realized he had lost a significant piece of flesh from that bite. The Captain then turned to the next man, lunging for his neck and repeating the same gruesome act as with the first victim.

After dispatching the two men, the Captain rose and surveyed his surroundings, his gaze landing on the camera. He paused momentarily before approaching it, his eye fixated on the lens, veins creeping from his eye as he seemed to contemplate something. Suddenly, his expression shifted to one of madness as he opened his mouth and unleashed a roar, an object erupting from his throat to shatter the camera, abruptly severing the feed.