>>6065175Going home is out of the question. It's a decently long walk and your parents will be worse than useless in an emergency situation. You might be able to find some companions at the school, but on the other hand, no one would even recognize you. The dead(?) guy's apartment seems like the safest bet. Even if he somehow survived that, he probably won't be coming back any time soon, and it's close. Assuming no one is else is there, it could be a decent home base, or at least a place to plan your next step.
You turn to face the front door of the market. It's significantly darker now than it was when the monster busted into the store. A long line of abandoned cars are in the street. How long were you unconscious? And did no one come and loot the market in that time? That seems unlikely given what you know about cataclysmic events from movies and tv shows. Maybe it was Gabriel's doing? You don't see the point in dwelling on it now.
You take one last look back at the interior of the market. Even destroyed, it conveys some sense of security to you. You'd be lying if you said you weren't scared. Surviving some hell-gorilla is one thing, being possessed by an archangel and expected to save the world is a whole nother. You take a deep breath and then finally stick your foot out and take your first step towards your future destiny.
Looking down the street, you see the extent of the chaos you apparently slept through. Several corpses are strewn about the ground in drying puddles of blood. Some look only like they were trampled, others have more unnatural wounds. 6 inch holes pierces through them in a perfect circle like someone took a chunk out of them with a cookie cutter, or half-corpses that look like they were bitten in half. You can't help but gasp, and the echo of your gasp sends you into a panic, like you just announced to whatever abomination caused this carnage that a late night snack had been served. A terrified part of you is begging to return to the store, but you steel yourself and press on.
Each shadow, bush, or alleyway seems a lethal threat as you tread quietly down the empty city streets, keeping your eyes straight ahead and stepping carefully to avoid having to see the gruesome sights all around you.
Occasionally, you see movement in your peripheral vision and turn with wide, terrified eyes to see someone staring out at you from some building window. When they see you've spotted them, they draw the blinds. Others are still alive, they're just in hiding.
Even at your slow pace, it's a short walk to the man's apartment complex. You make your way in through the empty lobby and head up the stairs to the second floor and find room 205. You dig through your bag and find his keys and try each in turn until finally the door unlocks, and make your way in.
"Dr. Hastings! You're finally back!" A male voice calls from another room.