The Church Ultimate Edition

Verse 1 : Without Warning

Daniel's eyes fluttered open, his head throbbing as he found himself hanging upside down in a chilling meat room. The grisly sight of lifeless bodies surrounding him sent a shiver down his spine. "What the hell... How did I end up here?" he muttered to himself, trying to make sense of his situation.

A sharp jolt of pain shot through his body, drawing his attention to his impaled leg. "Son of a...!" Daniel winced as he thought of his next move. He needed to find a way down from this.

As he carefully attempted to release himself from the hook, his eyes caught sight of another figure, awake but gagged, tied up near the wall. They were positioned close to a button that controlled the chains suspending Daniel. In a hushed voice, Daniel called out to the captive. "Hey, you! Can you reach the damn button? Lower me down!" he said, pointing at it.

The person, groggy and disoriented, moved and tried to comply. With Daniel's help, they managed to hit the button, causing the chains to descend rapidly. Daniel's body crashed onto the cold, unforgiving floor, the impact knocking the wind out of him. Gasping for breath, he fought to regain his senses, his mind clearing as he took in the dire situation.

As he caught his breath, Daniel knew he had to act swiftly. He limped over to the tied-up individual, focused on setting them free. Amongst the groans and cries of the awakening survivors, he noticed an air vent—a potential means of escape. But his conscience tugged at him as he witnessed the desperate pleas for help from those around him.

Ignoring the desperate voices, Daniel approached the vent, exerting all his strength to pry it open. The metallic squeal filled the room as the vent's lid reluctantly gave way, offering a glimpse of hope. However, from the adjacent room, a bone-chilling sound pierced the air—a door opening, followed by the eerie scrape of metal against the floor. The butcher, an undead monstrosity concealed beneath a blood-soaked mask, drew closer.

Torn between saving the helpless and saving himself, Daniel made a difficult decision. The cries for assistance grew louder as the butcher entered the room, unleashing a wave of terror upon the defenseless victims. The screams echoed in Daniel's ears, amplifying his guilt as he hesitated before finally slipping into the safety of the air vent, leaving behind the nightmarish scene.

Unbeknownst to him, the vent would prove to be an unpredictable path. In the dimly lit darkness, Daniel's luck betrayed him, causing the weakened structure to give way beneath his weight. He tumbled into a shadowy room, landing on a bed next to a lifeless corpse. Panic gripped him as he fumbled for the light switch, illuminating a chilling sight—rows of beds occupied by decaying bodies, a grotesque tableau of death.

Gathering his wits, Daniel knew he needed to escape. Despite his injured leg, he limped toward the exit. Just as hope seemed within reach, a hand clutched his arm, sending a jolt of fear through his veins. Panic surged until he realized it was a girl, bound and still alive. "Let go, damn it!" he said, struggling to free himself from her grip.

The girl's voice trembled as she pleaded, "Please... help me. I can't stay here." Daniel hesitated, conflicted by the memories of the carnage he had left behind. Moments passed, his conscience weighing heavily on his shoulders before he said, "If you slow me down, I will leave you behind, got it?" The girl nodded in response.

Daniel helped the girl break free from her restraints. Together, they cautiously made their way out of the room, finding themselves in a blood-soaked lobby, the remnants of a shopping mall. The sight of dismembered bodies and severed parts strewn across the floor left them both stunned and bewildered.

A sound echoed through the room, footsteps alerting them to approaching people. Hiding behind nearby seats, they tried to catch a glimpse of the newcomers. Daniel's gaze fell upon the lifeless bodies of police officers and hospital workers, providing a chilling realization—they were not alone in this nightmare.

Taking advantage of the situation, Daniel seized a rifle and pistol from one of the fallen officers, along with some ammunition. His fingers tightened around the weapons he had acquired, his eyes scanning the room for any signs of danger. The girl, Holly, looked at him. "So, Mr. Hero, ever used a gun before?" she asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.

Daniel smirked. "Oh yeah, I'm a regular sharpshooter. Just watch me." He chuckled dryly, trying to hide his nerves. He then extended a hand toward her. "By the way, the name's Daniel. What's yours?"

Rolling her eyes, Holly responded with a smile, "Holly. And just so you know, Daniel, if you slow me down, I won't hesitate to leave you behind." Her words mirrored his earlier threat.

Daniel glanced at his injured leg and shrugged. "Well, Holly, seems like I'm the guy with a bad leg, but I'm still the guy that saved your ass. Let's get out of here."

Daniel and Holly hurried towards the exit, their eyes widening as they stepped into the parking lot. The sight of numerous cars gave them a glimmer of hope. Daniel wasted no time and swung the butt of his rifle at a cop car window, shattering it. "This is our ride," he declared.

They climbed into the car, and Daniel began the challenging task of hot-wiring it. Holly's curiosity got the best of her. "How do you know how to do that?"

Daniel's focus remained on the wires as he responded, "Does it really matter right now? We need to get out of here." The engine roared to life, filling the air with a sense of urgency.

Just as they were about to speed away, Holly's sharp eyes caught sight of the butcher, the horrifying figure with a bloodied sack over his head and a single eye hole. Panic surged through her veins, and she urged Daniel to hurry. "We need to go, now!"

The revving engine caught the butcher's attention, and he started to approach them with frightening speed. Daniel gritted his teeth, his foot pressing down on the accelerator. "Hold on!" he yelled.

The car surged forward, aiming straight for the butcher. Holly couldn't contain her fear and shouted, "Run it over! Run it over!"

Daniel couldn't help but respond, "Oh, what a brilliant idea! Run over the monster!" Holly yelled back, "I didn't see you think of anything! How was I supposed to know you couldn't do it?" He swerved to avoid the oncoming butcher but failed to escape his grasp entirely. The monstrous figure grabbed the side of the car, attempting to flip it over.

"Come on, come on!" Daniel growled, his grip tightening on the rifle. In a split second, Daniel aimed the rifle and fired a single shot, hitting the butcher square in the head. The impact stunned their pursuer momentarily. Seizing the opportunity, Daniel floored the gas pedal once more time, running over the now-damaged butcher before ramp