Solo Apocalypse

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

My breath came rapidly as I tried to calm down. I almost laughed at myself. I thought Id be used to this by now. But this? It had shattered whatever notion I had about humanity persevering. What I thought mightve been a bastion of survivors was nothing but deathtrap.

And there were people still stuck in there.

Something, however, made me stare at the skyscraper. Was it [Solos Instinct]? The vines and roots that entwined it, curling as if possessive, gnarled. From here, far away, yet close enough to see. A creature, a being, moving and writhing, if only minutely. Like staring at the clouds and not realizing they had taken a new shape.

Suddenly, I felt small.New novel chapters are published on

Field Boss: [Rootmother Hivemind]

An enormous organism that subjugates all life around it. It is native to humid environments and often operates from submerged caves, hollowed trees, or other large structures. Its roots can spread across an entire ecosystem, effectively dominating the land.

What the fuck. I breathed, realizing I was staring at a single living thing. One the size of a skyscraper.

I was out of my depth and the panic kicked in. A hysterical fear that I barely managed to squash on account of apparent immediate safety. Still, my hands were shaky as I stared at this thing. My eyes wide, my face pale.

A Field Boss.

Anyone whod come anywhere near wouldnt have stood a chance. It wasnt fair. It was luring others, survivors whod powered through the initial shock, only to end up here.

I watched mutely, helpless, as a group of people walked into the skyscraper. II couldnt help these people. It was impossible. Unfeasible, even for someone like me. This was that obstacle, where multiple mes were useless.

Fuck. I grimaced, watching Third and Fourth abandon him.

Cant be sure it wont kill him. Second spoke from behind me, grave. He was leaning against the trunk, watching my back. But if not that, then what?

My eyes drifted to the skyscraper as my clones pulled out. The enthralled survivors swarmed around the unconscious man but made no move to follow me, if they even could. I frowned, regarding the swamp and began to make slow circuit of the pools.

I traversed the gnarled terrain with relative ease, climbing over roots that overlapped, twisted, and curled every which way. My aim was the side of the clearing closest to the skyscraperto the rootmother.

Once I got there I had a better view. On the other side of the skyscraper, I found a parking lot full of cars. Employee parking. Vines grew over the entire thing, roots grasping at tires and trying to inch between car windows, breaking apart cement and bursting through any cracks.

Had the terrain been anything else, a car mightve been useful.

I held both my palms up and boosted myself up to the next ledge. The clone reached down, pulling me up. Rinse and repeat. Here I was out of range from the thing, at least from its roots. [Low Profile] meant I didnt have to worry whether or not it saw me.

The building had a number of unobstructed entrances though just as many were blocked by the things tendrils. The pit in my stomach grew as I watched another group of survivors herded inside.

The door opened, people walked in, and I had the barest moment to witness something jerk all of them away before the door closed again.

Then something stupid crossed my mind. And damn it, I couldnt ignore it.

My gaze drifted to the parking lot.