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The Mutant Herd
An unreleased short story from the book:
Beasts of Creation Tales of Human-Animal Hybrids Gone Wrong
The town of Ashfield had always been quiet. Nestled in the heart of the Midwest, the rural community relied on farming to survive—cornfields stretching as far as the eye could see, the scent of freshly plowed earth, and the low hum of windmills turning in the breeze. The people were hardworking, their days spent planting, harvesting, and tending to their livestock. Life was simple, predictable—until the day the farmhands started disappearing.
Dr. Howard Griggs had once been a respected biologist at the local research facility, the place where the town’s future seemed to lie. But that future had twisted into a nightmare. In the name of progress, Dr. Griggs had begun experimenting with genetic manipulation, combining human DNA with that of various animals, believing that the creation of hybrid creatures could unlock new possibilities in agriculture and medicine. What started as a seemingly harmless project to improve livestock quickly spiraled into something far darker.
The hybrids were meant to be docile—mule-like animals that could work the land, beasts of burden with the intelligence of humans, able to understand commands, adapt to farming tools, and help increase productivity. The research was funded, supported by promises of prosperity and advancement. But as the experiments progressed, the lines between human and animal blurred, and Dr. Griggs’ creations became something much worse.
What he hadn’t accounted for was the unintended result of combining human intellect with animal instincts: a predatory drive, an uncontrollable hunger. The hybrids began to evolve beyond his control, developing aggression, heightened senses, and an insatiable need for flesh. The transformation was too rapid to halt. And once unleashed, they were unstoppable.
The first attack came one hot summer evening, when farmer Jacob Matthews went to check on his cattle in the fields. He had heard strange noises coming from the woods—low growls, the snapping of twigs, the sound of hooves pounding the earth. At first, he thought it was just a wild animal—perhaps a bear or wolves roaming the woods—but when he ventured deeper into the thicket, he was met with something far worse.
A herd of grotesque creatures emerged from the shadows—mutated forms of both human and animal. Their bodies were a patchwork of limbs and fur, some with the broad, muscular build of bulls, others with the long, sleek limbs of a horse. The faces were distorted, half-human, half-beast, with glowing eyes that lacked any sign of sanity. Their mouths were filled with sharp teeth, dripping with saliva, and their claws were capable of rending flesh from bone.
Jacob’s heart froze. He barely had time to react before the beasts charged. His screams were cut short as one of them lunged at him, its claws sinking deep into his chest, tearing into him with primal ferocity. The last thing he saw was the bloodshot eyes of the creature above him, its mouth gaping wide to feast.
By the time his wife, Mary, arrived to find him, there was nothing left but a bloodstained patch of dirt where Jacob had fallen. His body was gone, taken by the monstrous herd.
The news spread quickly throughout Ashfield, though no one could comprehend what they were dealing with. There were whispers of a “mutant herd,” but no one dared to believe it was true—not until the second attack came. The farms that once stretched peacefully across the land were now sites of horror. The hybrids were more intelligent than anyone could have imagined, and they had developed a taste for human flesh. Every night, the attacks grew worse, the beasts growing bolder as their hunger deepened.
The townspeople barricaded themselves in their homes, but it was no use. The hybrids knew the land better than any of them. They had come to understand the patterns of the farmers’ movements, and they could easily stalk their prey in the darkness, emerging from the earth like shadows. They attacked without warning, clawing their way through barns, homes, and fields, leaving nothing but destruction in their wake.
One by one, the farmers and their families were picked off. Sheriff Tom Davies, a lifelong resident of Ashfield, had seen his fair share of violence in his time, but nothing prepared him for the brutality of the hybrids. He gathered a small group of men, all armed, determined to put an end to the nightmare. They thought that by tracking the creatures to their lair in the woods, they could trap them—maybe even kill them.
They set out under the cover of night, their faces grim, their weapons clutched tightly in their hands. But as they ventured deeper into the woods, the sense of dread intensified. The air grew thick with the smell of decay, the ground slick with fresh blood. Every step they took felt like it was leading them closer to their doom.
Sheriff Davies stopped suddenly, his eyes darting around, sensing something was wrong. But before he could speak, the ground beneath them shifted. The earth trembled as something enormous moved beneath it, and then, with terrifying speed, the hybrids emerged from all directions.
The creatures moved in a coordinated assault, their eyes gleaming with hunger and intelligence. They weren’t just attacking—they were hunting. Each member of the group was picked off one by one. The hybrids had learned to pick their targets with frightening precision. No one was spared.
The men tried to fight back, but the creatures’ strength and speed were overwhelming. A clawed hand raked across Sheriff Davies’ face, tearing open his cheek, the blood pouring out in torrents. The pain was excruciating, but it was nothing compared to what happened next.
A massive hybrid, its body a grotesque fusion of man and bull, charged straight into the sheriff. With a single swipe, it tore his head from his shoulders, sending it rolling across the ground. The other men fought desperately, but they, too, were overrun by the monstrous horde. Their screams echoed through the night as the hybrids’ hunger was finally sated.
Days passed, and the town of Ashfield descended into chaos. The survivors, a few farmers and their families, barricaded themselves in the town’s church, but even that would not protect them. The hybrids had learned to adapt. They could sense the fear in the air, their intelligence growing with each passing day. Their human side had come to understand that humans were not just prey—they were an obstacle to be eradicated.
The town, once full of life, was now a ghost town, its buildings abandoned, the fields trampled by the stampede of monstrous creatures. The few remaining survivors looked out at the forest, at the patch of land that had once been their home, and they knew that there was no escaping the madness they had unleashed.
The hybrids, now fully aware of their power, had become more than just animals—they were predators with a twisted intelligence, capable of wiping out everything in their path. They would not stop. The blood of their creators, the people of Ashfield, stained the earth, and the land was no longer theirs. The town had been forgotten. The creatures ruled now, the terrifying legacy of a failed experiment turned nightmare.
The world would remember Ashfield—but not for its farms, not for its peace, but for the horror of the mutant herd that had once called it home.
If you enjoyed this short story you will probably like our latest release available now:
Beasts of Creation Tales of Human-Animal Hybrids Gone Wrong
$3.99
Prepare yourself for a chilling journey into the heart of scientific ambition and unnatural horrors in Beasts of Creation: Tales of Human-Animal Hybrids Gone Wrong. This collection of dark and disturbing short stories explores the terrifying consequences when humanity’s attempts to merge human and animal traits spiral out of control. Each story delves into the unimaginable nightmare that arises from hybrid experiments gone wrong, filled with blood-curdling twists, moral dilemmas, and relentless horror.
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