Varha
Troubador
Posts: 61
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Post by Varha on Aug 24, 2011 19:13:47 GMT -7
Here is where I will post my short stories.
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Varha
Troubador
Posts: 61
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Post by Varha on Aug 24, 2011 19:14:02 GMT -7
Book of the Apocalypse
Though it was not discovered until years after, the apocalypse began in the year 2008 A.D. Originating at a Biochemical lab in Berlin, scientists were trying to create a breed of super-humans with amazing strength, speed, and intelligence; they succeeded, raising children with the strength of full grown men. But in the year 2012 the children, who were near the age of 5, began to lose higher brain functions: speed, motor control, etc. When further studied it was found that all the children were mutating at an alarming rate. Then, exactly one hour after losing brain functions, their hearts stopped; they were dead. When the medical staff rushed in to see what was wrong, the bodies of the children rose up and launched themselves at the doctors and nurses. They were all downed, scratched and bitten until their hearts stopped. The guards rushed in soon after, although they were too late to save anyone. Yet as soon as the guards entered the room the doctors and nurses launched themselves at the guards with a cannibalistic rage. They were all infected; they all escaped. The day; December 21, 2012
Johnathon grabbed the shotgun shells and started loading the gun. The gun was pure black, modified so it could hold 12 shells at a time. He picked up the sling and attached it to the gun, slinging it over his shoulder. It seemed out of place with the clothes he wore; he had worn jeans, a dirty shirt and new boots. Even though the gun clashed he bore it with a great familiarity that suggested he had used it much in his 29 years of life. He then grabbed both pistols and strapped them to both hips; the cold familiar weight gave him a measure of comfort. After they were securely strapped to his satisfaction he grabbed his .30/06 semi-automatic rifle and strapped it next to the shotgun; he was ready to leave the city. He walked to a door down the hall, “Hey, are you two ready to leave yet, or are you going to spend the whole morning in there?” He leaned against the wall pulling out a pack of cigarettes. He lit one with a flick of a lighter; he drew in a big long breath and sighed audibly. A soft feminine voice shouted from the other side of the wall, “Almost!” “Well hurry up, we can’t stay here for too much longer.” He puffed a bit of smoke out of his lips. Another voice, also feminine but loud and pushy; “Yeah, yeah, we got it.” The door opened and Jen walked out; she was about 26, had long brunette hair, brown eyes, and was a little shorter than him. She had a beautifully made sword on her back, a Katana. After her came Amy, same height as Jen, short blonde hair, and worn clothes; she carried a flamethrower on her back. He cleared his throat, “Alright, let’s get going.” They walked into a front room full of dusty old furniture. They weaved their way through the room until they reached the door. Johnathon opened a small panel on the door, looking out to see if any of them were near; none were. “It’s clear,” a soft whisper, “let’s go.” He opened the door quietly and dashed outside, quickly pressing his back to the wall. He wielded his shotgun; the others were readying their weapons as well. The sun was rising into the sky, dropping bright hot rays onto the barren scorched earth. All three walked down the asphalt road, waves of heat hovering above the flat surface. Johnathon took the point, Jen took rear, and Amy was in the middle; the sound of their footsteps was the only noise that broke the silent air of the city. As they crept along, the three of them peered into every shadow, every corner, to make sure it was safe to continue; hours passed in this manner until they decided to break to eat. It’s hot outside today; and its days like these that make me wish we still had air conditioning. A nice cold beer or soda would be heavenly, but all that has changed; now we are lucky to find anything to drink at all. He rubbed his eyes and stretched his muscles, trying to massage the aches and pains away. Amy was making their quick and tasteless lunches while Jen and Johnathon kept watch. Amy was the first to speak. “It’s been quiet today, hasn’t it?” She passed a can of beans to Johnathon who was crouching near her; Jen came and grabbed one as well. They ate quietly for a stretch of minutes, Jen cleared here throat. “Yeah, very quiet; something is wrong. They aren’t acting like usual.” She shoveled the last of the runny beans into her mouth and tossed her empty can into the miniature compactor; it would crush any material to small manageable sizes for easy transportation and eventually to be recycled. The other two followed suit when they finished. Amy grabbed the small metal pellets and placed them in a small leather pouch filled with similar pellets. Amy cleaned what little mess there was, they fell into formation, and continued on their way. They went on until the sun started to lower and day was at an end, then they stopped their traveling. They set camp in an old hotel, three stories; choosing an employee lounge in the middle of the floor. With only one door it was easily defendable. The room was small, with a few sinks, a couch, two tables, and a few old vending machines. Johnathon took the first watch; he sat in a chair with his shotgun in his lap facing the door. Hours passed in an uneasy peace with no interruptions. His eyes began to droop, his shift was over. He went to wake up Jen; Amy was snoring nearby, she still hadn’t learned how to sleep lightly and quietly. Amy reminded him of a younger sister even though he never had one; he would do anything to protect her. Amy had been with him and Jen for about a month, Jen for two. When they had first appeared 9 weeks earlier, he had immediately tried to find people to keep around him. But over the course of the first week most people had been turned, he had only been able to find Jen. They traveled for a little under a month through California until they got to ------, when they got there they found one survivor, Amy. It had been her 17th birthday, and she had been with them ever since. Jen opened her eyes, “You awake?” Johnathon shook his head and pulled himself out of his reverie. “Just thinking about the past.” He sat next to her and she propped herself onto one elbow. “Amy is still a child at heart Johnathon; that she must live through the world in this day of age...” She sighed, “What is it coming to?” Johnathon lay onto his back. “It’s the end of the world. We’re all at war with them and it’s ending life on earth.” Jen stared into his eyes, they kept their gazes locked. A blush spread across her cheeks and she stood up. “I’ll go keep watch.” She walked over to the door and kept a silent vigilance while Johnathon went to sleep. She held her stomach, remembering that day one month ago, three days before finding Amy.
Jen grabbed an apple out of the basket, biting large chunks out of it. The sweet juices fell from her lips like a waterfall from a cliffs edge. Johnathon walked in from the bathroom. “Better go while you can, the water is starting to run out.” She took another bit, “Okay.” She went to the bathroom and came back out. Johnathon was sitting on a chair peeling an orange over a garbage can. “We need to get some weapons that we can use to defend ourselves. We might not get so lucky next time we run into one of them.” He took a bite out of the orange, looking forlornly at her. She bit her tongue lightly as she thought for a moment. “We passed a Cabela’s when we got here, think they have guns left?” Johnathon took another bite, “Maybe.” He tossed the remains of his orange in the garbage. “We need to go, your rifle is not enough to protect us; especially with you being such a lousy shot. Plus, you’re almost out of bullets.” Johnathon sighed, “I admit that we should have more ammo and weapons, but I am not a horrible shot. My aim is great, the gun is just misaligned, that’s all.” Jen just shook her head, “Whatever. Since it’s going to be daylight for few hours, let’s go now before the sun goes down.” He stood and wiped his hands on his pants. “Alright, let’s go.” They left the apartment and walked out the front door of the building. They walked down the street at a brisk walk, casting looks left and right every couple of seconds as they went. Filth and dirt filled the gutters over a foot high; stench rose and assailed the nostrils. Jen sniffed loudly, “Stinks…” Johnathon nodded in agreement, letting his silence answer her better than any words. A turnoff appeared at their right seemingly out of nowhere. “Let’s get going.” Jen led the way, steadily going faster and faster until she was at a slow jog a tad faster than before. They jogged down the parking lot, emptied and abandoned cars littered in various parking stalls. They stopped at the front of Cabela’s; the doors were ajar and glass was littered everywhere. Johnathon raised his gun and crept carefully in the doorway. Light shone in through the skylights, filtering through the air onto dust blanketed jackets, coats, and other items. Light shone in through the skylights, filtering down old air onto dust blanketed jackets, pants, and other items. Across the room they could see the fishing and hunting section of the store. Creeping quietly the only sound heard was the occasional squeak from their shoes on the floor. They arrived at the counter where the pistols were stored. The glass was shattered and all weapons were gone. Jen looked over at him, “They’re all gone.” Johnathon just stood just stood thinking, he looked up. “I have an idea. Do you think that they have any stored in the back?” Jen contemplated for a moment, “They might.” “Should we go look?” “Sure.” They opened a sturdy wooden door and walked into the back room. A computer sat on a desk, a cup of coffee sitting congealed next to it gave a disgusting smell off into the air. Jen sniffed loudly. “Stinks.” “A lot.” A small door was set into a corner of the room with a sign that read NO ENTRY BEYOND THIS POINT! A picture of a beautiful woman hung on the wall, he whistled appreciatively, “Cute.” Jen looked at him in disgust. “You sick pervert! What are you, a pedophile?!” Johnathon looked closer; the light revealed that it was actually a little boy with a sign that promoted workers comp. “No! I thought it was–I thought it–it was the light!” She giggled under her breath, “Yeah, yeah, I know.” He stood with embarrassment plastered all over his face. She opened the door with a laugh and they went into the back room. It was as dark as a moonless night, the only light coming faintly from the front door. They pulled out flashlights, the beams illuminating the large storage shelves. Boxes of every shape and size littered every available space; all boxes were opened and strewn. Jen took in the scene with practiced disappointment. “Looks like someone got here before us.” “Think there’s anything left?” “There might be; let’s check.” They methodically rifled through boxes, some were empty while others had wrappers and cardboard cases in them. Jen called out, “Johnathon, I found something.” Johnathon trotted over to where she was bending over a large box; she was pulling out large pieces of Styrofoam. She wrestled out a long thin black box; about 3’ long and 6” thick. It was inlaid with silver designs that were spiraling and swirling. She fumbled with the clasp for a few seconds before finally prying it open. Lying strapped on soft velvet, were two beautifully crafted Katanas; the blades were so sharp they looked like they could cut you just by looking at them. She unhooked one and held it cradled in her arms. Johnathon snorted, “Not very practical.” Jen just stared daggers at him, “They are the most beautiful things I have ever seen. I’m taking them.” Johnathon looked at her, having those would not be as effective as guns. “Jen, please reconsider looking for another weapon. Those won’t be of any use to either of us at any time.” She kept staring at the sword, “I’m keeping them.” “Jen…” “Johnathon, I’m keeping them!” He just mumbled inaudibly. “Fine, keep them then; but I’m looking for something useful and not just pretty.” He looked on different shelves, opening a box here, tossing a box there. He looked until he found a box that felt a bit heavier than the others. He opened it, and found a jet black shotgun sitting there. He picked it up, it was perfect. He slung it onto his back next to his rifle and kept looking. Jen looked at him for a moment before turning back to her swords. He looked for a while longer before giving up. “Jen, we’ve found all that we can here; let’s get going.” She stood up stretching her arms, “Alright, but have you checked the safe?” “Safe, what safe?” She pointed over to the area next to the door. “There’s a safe there, think we should take a look?” “Definitely.” He sauntered over to the safe and turned its stainless steel wheel, it opened silently. The safe was probably for dangerous weapons and/or custom orders. Inside were cases of bullets, some cleaning supplies, and two pistols. He picked up the pistols; they were silver semi-automatic and black grips. Lying next to the guns were leather holsters with easy access. He took them and clipped them to his belt, inserting the pistols after. “Jen, I’m ready to go,” Johnathon said quietly. She looked out the door towards the front of the store; she had a worried expression on her face. “Johnathon, the sun’s going down.” “Hurried over to the doorway, she was right. He thought quickly, “We should probably stay here then, we do NOT want to get caught where they can get us.” She closed the door to the main part of the store and he closed the door to the warehouse; they locked the doors. Jen grabbed the coffee and dropped it in the sink, and walked over to the table and sat. Johnathon sat next to her, she leaned her head on his shoulder. He stiffened for a moment before relaxing again. She whispered softly, “Johnathon, do you think they will ever be destroyed.” “Who, the zombies? Yes they will be, one day.” He looked down at her face and he realized that he loved her. She looked up at him and their gazes locked. He leaned in, she leaned in, and they kissed. Johnathon marveled that he could feel the way he was felling at a simple kiss. That night was the best night of his life.
A sound brought her out of her reverie, it was the noise of dozens of shuffling feet and furniture being tipped over; they had come. She quickly rushed over to Johnathon and Amy and nudged them both awake. Johnathon woke easily and quickly grabbed his weapons, he knew what to do. Amy was harder to rouse, but once she was she instinctively knew what was happening; maybe she would get the hang of it. Amy suited up her flamethrower and Jen went and drew both her Katanas. The door shook, the hinges bent and cracks racing down the doors surface. Johnathon pumped his shotgun, the ominous sound bring them to full readiness. The door shook again and one of the three hinges snapped, falling off the frame. Amy flipped a switch on her pack and held the nozzle at the ready. Then another hit and the door blasted inward, flying past their heads. The zombies came flying in like ravenous dogs fighting for a piece of the only meat in sight. All thought left that moment, only instinct remained. Johnathon fired his shotgun time after time, felling many zombies. Jen cut down more than she could count. Blood was dripped from her blade; but not red blood, blood that was so black that it was a rot that was spreading down the blade reaching to her. She ignored it and continued cutting down any rotten form that had the ill fortune of stepping in front of her. Minutes passed, their breathing became ragged and hard. Sweat streamed down their faces from the effort of repulsing the zombies. They just kept coming; there must have been hundreds of them. Blood began running down Johnathon’s shoulder from the continued friction and pressure of the butt of the gun. He retreated to reload his gun and Amy widened her range to compensate for him. He finished reloading and barreled back in. He was immediately knocked off his feet by an enormous seven foot mass of flesh. Amy and Jen were caught off guard and crashed to the ground. They were quickly separated from their weapons and hands began to surround them. Johnathon tried to get up but the large thing got in his way. He moved to grab his pistol with his left hand and the zombie crushed his left arm. The arm was immediately separated and he screamed in pain. The zombie, a man he now uselessly realized, bent down and bit him in the shoulder. He felt his veins run cold and red hot pain intruded throughout his body. His screams escalated as did the two women’s. Johnathon grabbed his other pistol and shot the zombie over and over in the head. It slumped onto the ground next to him and he stood up shakily. He looked down at his left stump and felt anger rising. He heard cries for help as Amy and Jen were dragged out of the room. He charged, shooting the zombies that got in his way. He got into the hall and looked around, Amy was being dragged to his left and Jen to his right. But since he only had one arm he could only save one. He looked back and forth; he just couldn’t decide which to save. No, no, NO! Why is this happening? He thought. Amy cried out, he could barely discern her words. “Johnathon, help Jen, help Jen!” Jen yelled loudly, “Save Amy!” Amy cried even louder, her pain making him want to save her. “No, not me; save Jen Johnathon, I know you love her. You need to save her, not me. Besides she’s pregnant!” Johnathon felt his heart stop; Jen, pregnant? That wasn’t possible, it couldn’t be possible. He saw Jen and immediately knew that it was true. He knew what he needed to do. He charged down the hall to the right, all the while trying to drown out the voice of Amy’s cries of pain and anguish. He shot down the zombies surrounding Jen and kicked them out of his way. He looked back over his shoulder quickly, Amy’s head was rolling down the floor; she was dead. He choked down tears and turned back to Jen. Her face was badly mutilated, her left leg gone and the left side of her torso brutally torn to shreds. He picked her into his arms gently, her blood seeping onto him. “So Johnathon how is it?” Her voice was lower than a whisper. He stayed silent. “That bad huh?” She coughed, blood spurting out her open mouth; she breathed with obvious effort. He looked down at her, “Is it true, are we really having a baby?” She nodded her head. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you keep it from me?” “I only found out yesterday, Amy was with me that’s how she knew. I was going to tell you tomorrow but I guess that isn’t going to happen, is it?” She coughed and more blood sprayed onto her. “Don’t talk, save your strength.” Johnathon felt his tears fall off his face and onto her face. She tried to smile, “Don’t cry, I’ll be alright.” “Yeah, you will.” He bit his lower lip to keep the sobs from coming. “It’s alright Johnathon, because I lov—lo…” Her voice fell to a low silence and she breathed out for the last time. Johnathon lifted his head to the sky and screamed a scream so full of despair and sorrow that it would pull any being into a state of deep dark depression. Tears cascaded down his face, falling to the ground in never ending waves. “Why? Why did you have to die?” He cradled her in his arms until he couldn’t cry any more tears. He stood up, gently setting Jen to the ground. “Jen, the world will become something that you can be safe in; something safe from fear and hate, violence and sorrow. I promise you this; I will change the world, for you…” He limped away from her, from the building, from his past life.
‘He went on to change the world for the better. He brought together thousands of survivors and started the first colony safe from the dangers of the outside world of them. He was known as the father of a new age.’
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Varha
Troubador
Posts: 61
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Post by Varha on Aug 24, 2011 19:14:31 GMT -7
Book of the Shadowed Sky
I walked down the dimly illuminated halls, whistling a favorite tune while absently twirling my mustache. Doors were evenly spaced on either side of me, endlessly spreading in both directions. I occasionally walked up to doors and peered in through small slots set in the metal. Yells and incoherent babbling assaulted my ears everywhere I went. I ran my free hand through my hair; I could feel its tangles and knots even now after getting it cut. I heard a soft beep rise from my wristwatch. I brought up my hand and pressed the button on the side; the beeping stopped. Walking down the corridor I eventually reached a smooth metal door deprived of a handle. I pressed a button on the intercom and started to speak. “Hey, open up the door, my shift is over.” A crackle came over the small speaker, “Alright Tom, but I need you to check on a patient first. Patient #3A5689; we need you to administer a mild sedative, he’s starting to act up again.” I turned around and walked towards the specified room, pulling out a filled needle to help him settle down. I marveled at the events of the last few months, ever since that horrible day.
I woke up, yawning and stretching my arms. I got out of bed, scratching the itchy demon that was tormenting my behind. I walked over and picked up the remote, turning on the TV. I turned the channel to the news. Yells and screams came over the air; people were running around the studio being chased by decaying beings of flesh. They were finally able to penetrate to the safe zone, we were no longer safe. I ran to my closet, grabbing my rifle and pulling on my pants. I grabbed a few rolls of ammo and strapped some to my chest and more to my waist. I ran out the door and rushed to my Suburban parked in front of my house. I ripped the door open and dived into the side; my neighbors were dashing out of their houses and jumping into my car. Fortunately we had planned for this possibility, but we never thought they would come in such numbers so quickly. The doors closed and I started the car. The engine revved to life with a hearty roar and I stomped on the pedal until it was shoved against the floor with all the force I could muster. The car leaped forward with the force and speed of a jaguar with its muscles rippling under its black coat of fur. I navigated the difficult maze of twists and turns that the town had been built in. It had been modified to keep the zombies confused until the defenders could deal with the problem. Many times the car felt like it would flip, but it never did. Everyone in the seats behind me were loading their weapons; some had pistols, others had throwing knives, while yet more carried shotguns. Shotguns were the most popular because it would deal more damage to a zombie than any other weapon. Pistols were the next popular weapon because they were ultra-portable and easy to draw at a moment’s notice. The people carrying throwing knives wanted to go back to a simpler time away from the dangers of technology. I skirted a tight turn made smaller by a downed traffic light. The people behind me began to shoot at bodies that were throwing themselves at the vehicle. I slid to a stop in front of the town hall. We all jumped out and dashed forward; I brandished my rifle and cocked it. We fired shots as they came closer to us. We jumped through the doors and a metal gate slammed shut behind us. They launched themselves at the door; they wouldn’t get through for a few hours at least. The main hall was stuffed with bodies brandishing every weapon and clothing option out there. I turned over to my neighbor, “Now we wait, huh?” He just shook his head; a grimace of pain flashed over his face for a moment. He tried to hide it but I noticed it. “Are you okay?” I walked closer to him. “Yeah, I just…” He gasped in pain, keeling over and clasping his belly. “Jim!” I kneeled down and people around us gave us a slight berth. I could see blood pooling through his fingers. “When did it happen?” He gave no indication of recognition. A smell started to assault my nostrils, the taint. I jumped back, “TAINT!” Everyone scrambled away and hefted up their weapons. The woman nearest Jim raised her pistol, but before she could shoot Jim shot up and launched himself at her. She screamed and everyone started to panic, the woman fell to the ground. She immediately rose up, her lifeless eyes locking on a man next to her, she and Jim attacked. It went on like this until a third of the hall had been turned. We fought as hard as we could, it was barely enough. Everyone around me fell like stones. When the zombies were all killed we went into a conference room to get away from the slaughter. We posted a guard and closed the door. Out of the 600 original inhabitants only about 200 were left alive, thirty were wounded, and all were tired emotionally and physically. I sat myself down in one of the few chairs, slumping against its back with a pleased groan. The mayor stood up and cleared his throat; the room went silent like a candle being snuffed by a burst of wind. He started to speak, “Alright, as you all know the attack we experienced today devastated us, we need to assess any damages or problems.” A man stood up, “As seen in a few previous cases, I have noticed that a few people have a delayed reaction to the taint. I have also realized that the taint can be transmitted not only by physical wounds but by the air as well.” People around the room started to stir and whisper nervously. “Therefore I suggest that we find a way to deal with that problem.” He sat down. The mayor spoke again, “Thank you for your comments.” Then to everyone else, “It is true that it happens occasionally, fortunately our small team of scientists has a solution to that problem.” He gestured to a small group of six men and women behind him, “If you would.” They walked forward, I sighed, it was the pompous uptight asses from the med lab. “Ladies and gentlemen, it is true that this phenomenon occurs. We have named it the ‘Delayed Reaction Syndrome.’ But as you may or may not know we have been working on this problem for 4 ½ months. Just two days ago we invented a new serum that can be used to reverse the effect of the Delayed Reaction Syndrome.” Everyone started clapping. The man raised his arms, “Now people, this is not a cure for the disease. Unfortunately it only stops the process where it stands; it doesn’t do anything for those fully turned. For example, if specimen A were beginning to turn, he could be injected with the serum and he would stop in the step he was currently in. That will make it so you can save those you are close to when they are downed.” A lady stood raised her voice over the crowd, “So would one halfway through the transformation be able to make a full recovery?” “No, unfortunately he will stay in the exact same state as earlier. We have not yet perfected the serum to cure the disease, only to halt it in its steps.” He turned back towards the audience, “Now, we have enough here to help most of you; if you would.” He gestured to someone behind him. One of the scientists came forward with a large bag and started handing out needles full of the serum. I took one and stuck it into my left arm just above the elbow. I waited until it all went in and then a pulled it out and threw it on the table. I spoke, “What now, what of the ones stuck in the phase where they aren’t quite gone but they aren’t here, when they’re crazy?” The main scientist smiled, “Now that’s where you come in…”
I brought my mind back to the present; how had I been drawn into this? How did I get stuck with this? I stopped in front of a non-descript door and pulled out my pass card. I ran over the scanner and put in the password; the door opened. A man lay in a corner of the padded room, he was wearing a straitjacket. I walked towards him, and turned him over. His face was completely missing, only a bloody gory gaping hole left in its place. I stifled a gasp and grabbed my walkie-talkie. “This is Tom, I have a problem. The man I was sent to check on, he’s dead.” I heard only silence for a few moments, “Roger, we will send a team right away. And Tom; make sure nothing enters or leaves that room.” “Alright, Tom out.” I stared at the body, What had happened? Could it happen to me? Do I need to worry? All of these questions ran through my mind and many more until I heard a shuffling of feet in the doorway. “You’re here, that was quick.” I turned around and came face-to-face with pure terror. I screamed, screamed louder and higher than I ever had. In front of me was a creature with rotted green skin, disfigured limbs, and it was wearing the face of the dead man behind me. It looked at me hungrily, if it could lick its lips it probably would have. Where is that team they promised?! The creature kept staring at me; the deformed crime of nature had a perverted twisted look of curiosity on its face. It slowly started to advance; step by lurching step it came closer, closer. I could hear yells coming from outside in the hall, the thing looked at me for a moment then simply vanished into thin air such as smoke. I sat on the ground, my mouth open; I couldn’t move. A group of plainly dressed men ran into the room; one of them walked up to me, “Are you alright?” I mumbled a bit, “umm—well—I umm” “Alright I understand.” He turned to the man next to him, he whispered softly and the man ran out of the room. Another came up to me and hauled me to my feet. “Sir, could you come with me?” I stood and followed obediently, he led me down familiar corridors that had taken on an unfamiliar gleam. Only one thing ran through my mind, Keep it away from me; get it away from me. I never want to see it again. The man arrived at a cell and beckoned me inside; I went in. His raspy voice entered my ears, “We’re going to let you cool down in here.” He closed the door. I sat in an incomprehensible puddle of nothingness; my mind was empty of all thought. Slowly I started to come to my senses; I turned around and stared at the patterns of the metal on the door, stared at the smooth surface that held endless amounts of wonders and mystery within its panes. I stared at my shaking hands, they were trembling so hard it was like they were having spasms; When did that happen? I reached into my pouch on my belt and pulled out a flask of beer. Beer and cigarettes were getting more expensive recently, because of all the ceased production worldwide. I opened the flask and took a big long swig, my trembling hands started calming down, I drank some more. When I had downed the flask I lay on the floor and stared at the ceiling. It was just a dream, a mirage, it never happened... that was when I felt a hand fall heavily on my shoulder I froze and turned around slowly. A bloody mesh of flesh met me and I fell back screaming. It was back. It crawled towards me on all fours slowly, releasing a low moan from its inhuman mouth. The sound fell over me and repulsed me. I crawled back until my back was against the wall. I slowly pulled out my pocket knife and opened it up. The silver blade was stainless steel and would give me a better chance. The thing came within arm’s reach and I slashed out. Blood sprayed out from the creature and landed on me. The blood was searing hot and burned through my flesh, the black bloodlike acid eating away at my skin. I screamed, it screamed; it retreated to the other wall nursing its wound. I slowly grabbed the knife; I had dropped it in the pain, and slowly stood up. I grimaced as the pain spread throughout my body like molten iron. The thing, the creature glared at me with such malice I could feel it in my every pore. It lunged and I dove to the side, missing it by a hairs breadth. I swung my knife wide and it narrowly missed the rotting flesh. Through all the pain I called out, “Help me, anyone who’s listening for the love of god help me!” The creature rose from where it had fallen and started to limp towards me. It opened its mouth and reached its hand inside. It started pulling out a small metal rapier. It wielded it and thrust the point forward. I put my knife forward and felt the rapier cut through the blade and my hand. I heard my hand fall to the floor with a nearly inaudible thump. I screamed in agony again, How much pain can a single human being withstand? I heard the door slowly open, and dashed towards the door with all the strength left in me. The men from earlier stood clumped in the doorway. “What seems to be the problem?” I lifted my lifeless stump and shoved it in their faces, “Look in the corner the creature is there!” They peered over my shoulder skeptically, “Tom, there’s nothing there.” I looked behind me, the creature stood behind me putting its rapier back down its throat. My voice started to take on the tone of hysteria, “But it’s right there!” The creature walked up in front of one of the men. It started to caress the man’s cheek, the man didn’t give any reaction, didn’t show that he saw or felt the creature. I refused to believe he couldn’t see. “But look at what it did to my hand!” I waved my stump in their faces. “Sir, there’s nothing wrong with your hand.” “What do you mean there is nothing wrong with my hand? It’s gone!” I waved my stump wildly from side to side. They looked at it, “Sir your hand is perfectly alright, we don’t see anything wrong with it.” Nothing wrong with it? I can feel the pain and see the empty gaping space you morons! By reflex I swung my hand at him; I felt my palm connect with his face. I stared down at the hand, it was still gone yet I was able to hit him. What is happening to me? The man rubbed his face and turned to the others, “I think he needs to spend some more time in here.” The others nodded in agreement. I could feel the amusement the creature felt as it watched me with cold lifeless eyes which were like black pits of emptiness staring into my soul. It’s doing this; it’s all the creatures fault! I turned toward the creature and lunged, it just watched me with the same blank stare. The men came towards me to keep me from reaching my target, They probably think I’m going crazy; and maybe I am. I made contact with the creature and felt my head make contact with crushing force. I could feel the blood pour down my forehead in torrents of red life. The creature flew back its head smacking the wall with a sickening crunch. The men grabbed me and hauled me to my feet. I tried to struggle but they held me firm. The man who was the only one who spoke walked in front of me, the creature watched in that annoying mocking tone; the creature was fine; my attack hadn’t hurt it at all. “Sir, bashing your head against the wall isn’t going to help you.” I felt anger and rage rise inside of me, “I didn’t hit the wall! I was attacking that thing behind you! It’s trying to kill me!” I struggled with renewed strength, but I couldn’t escape those holding me. “Apparently the death of the patient got to you more than we originally thought. Even though you are one who survived the initial onslaught of the zombies I think you should spend some time in here. Perhaps even with a person partially turned?” A devilish grin settled on his smug face. “You bastard, how dare you!” I swung at the men restraining me but missed drastically. A woman appeared briefly at the door and handed a straitjacket to one of the men. He walked over and gestured to the two holding me. They ripped off all of my supplies and possessions and forced me into the restrictive clothing. “No, if you put me in here that thing will get me like it got the man earlier!” The mental connection was unmistakable. I will die if you do this; have you no sense for human life?! “Let me go!” They all laughed and buckled the straps together; I am now helpless against that thing, the beast which is tormenting my soul. They shoved me in the corner and closed the door. I felt the slight rush of wind as the door slammed shut. A soft yellow light buzzed on, flickering wildly. The creature started approaching me, the evil groan escaping it again. “Stay away from me, I’m warning you!” My voice wavered, I can’t keep this up, I’m going to die…how are Evan and Dianne going to survive without me? I staggered to my feet using the wall as a surface with which to raise myself up. It rushed at me, I held my ground. I will at least die with dignity. Oh, how wrong I was. I felt the tremendous pain as its hands raked across my body, ripping skin cloth and muscle. I screamed loudly with painful emotion. I could hear the others screaming as well, their incessant babblings becoming clear phrases in my mind. They are under the same torture, that thing is getting them too; I’m not alone yet I am alone. I screamed and curled into the fetal position. This happened all day, and all night. It went on day after day for years. I didn’t have my dignity then; the beast took it away, took it away from all of us.
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Varha
Troubador
Posts: 61
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Post by Varha on Aug 24, 2011 19:15:00 GMT -7
Book of the Beginning
Loud blaring alarms accompanied by red lights pervaded the air. People ran in all directions, yelling and screaming incoherently. The bridge was devoid of almost all life; only three people were on deck. A tall older man, with graying hair, stood in an impressive black uniform, unconcerned by all that was happening around him. He watched out a large glass pane into the red burning space in front of him. A loud computerized voice screamed commands at passing personnel. “Red Alert Protocol! Red Alert Protocol!” The man stood solemnly, completely ignoring those at his side that were yelling reports and inquiries. A man stood next to him, nervously tapping away at his arm, biting his lower lip so hard it was bleeding. The older man looked at him and smiled, “You can go to the escape pods; I won’t stop you.” His voice was kind and caring, the complete opposite of his demeanor and looks. He looked up sharply as a large crack ran across the view screen. He yelled out an order in a commanding tone, “Close the heat shields!” A woman in front yelled a reply to him. “We can’t sir, they’ve been melted to the hull; they can’t be moved!” “Damn!” The man yelled. He looked back at the nervous man, “Sure you still don’t want to go David?” David looked up at him, then at the window, then at him again. “I…I’m going to go!” He turned and ran, running out of the bridge and into an escape pod. The captain stared longingly at the escape pod and then went back into commander mode. He looked at his crew, “You have all been excellent crew. I salute you. If you wish to leave now, I will understand your reasoning.” He put his hand to his head in a salute and stood at attention, he lowered his hand. Those on deck looked at him, and then ran to their escape pods. Within minutes he could see the faint shapes of escape pods through the view screen. He smiled in genuine happiness. He pushed a button on his wrist watch and started talking. “Captains log, year…” The window broke and he was sucked into the empty vacuum of space, and into the burning atmosphere of the planet, of the planet Nogard.
Tyrea pulled her long hair into a ponytail, tying it together with a leather cord. She picked up her small bone whistle and strapped it into her belt, its soft cream color giving her comfort. She picked up her small brown pack and slung it over her shoulder. Its weight pulled down on her like the weight of the acts she had committed and the reason she was running. It wasn’t her fault either; it was her perverted boyfriends fault. She slowly opened the window to her left and put her foot on the sill. She looked nostalgically at the room she was leaving behind her; she had many memories of the place. Like the time she had first learned to use Elemental Magic. Or the time when she had undergone her mental trials required to officially be named the heir. But she could no longer safely stay; she had to leave. She hoisted herself out of the window, and away from her old life. Tyrea silently closed the window behind her. She used a Small Magic to lock it from the inside. She turned and walked away from the small cottage. She would have almost twenty-four hours before anyone realized she was missing; they never thought to check on her when she was ‘studying’. She crept silently through the sparsely spaced trees; no one was out this close to night. Once she was sure she was out of site of the town she let herself walk more slowly. A loud shockwave resounded through the air. Tyrea looked up immediately, she stopped in astonishment. A large ball of fire was falling out of the sky, thousands of smaller fireballs surrounding it. They flew across the sky shot overhead towards the mountains. She followed their course with an unbelieving stare until she saw one fireball heading towards her. She raised a defensive shield and the fireball crashed in front of her. The force of the impact crashed through her shield and flung her back dozens of feet. She crashed to the ground and her head hit the ground with a loud and audible crack. She could feel the blood running freely from her head. Her vision began to go hazy but she shook her head wildly to help herself stay awake. “What was that?” She pushed herself to a sitting position and felt the back of her head; she pulled her hand away, it was wet with blood. Even though healing spells weren’t her strong point she prepared and performed a simple healing. Healing yourself was extremely difficult and never had as much success as when healing someone else. She stood up and brushed the pebbles and dirt off her clothes. A large crater smoldered in front of her, smoke and steam rising from it. She walked to the edge of the crater, carefully looking down into the smoking depths. Sitting cradled on the bottom was a large pod made out of metal. It was shaped like a teardrop yet was all angles and no curves. It had burn marks up the sides and had large platforms jutting out of the side, much like the wings of a bird. A clear opening sat embedded in the larger side, although that was cloudy and hard to see through. A small light leaked through the side, in the shape of a door. Tyrea slowly made her way down the side of the crater, sliding and stepping down the warm earth. She hit the bottom and she bent her knees at the moment of impact to absorb the shock. She stood up and walked slowly forward. Directly in her path was the large metal object, she could see it was red and orange in color from some sort of heat it had been through. She stopped a few feet from it, her knife at the ready. A large hiss of steam jetted out of the metal beast where the light was leaking. She jumped back, crouched and at the ready for anything that might happen. The releasing steam stopped, and she watched in wonder as a panel in the side of the metal pulled back and slid out of sight. She looked on in wonder as an Elf pushed himself out of the opening, his short cropped yellow hair smoking, and his odd clothes soaked through completely with sweat. The odd Elf fell to the ground and sat up, rubbing his head. He looked up at her and stopped, as if just realizing she was there. He got to his feet, swaying a bit, and used a twisted bit of metal to help him stand. He walked over to her slowly; he stopped a few feet from her when she brandished her knife at him, to show him she was armed. His voice was gruff and shaking from some sort of trauma. “I’m David. I was on the colony ship Amerigrass when we were caught unawares by this planets unusually strong magnetic pull. We crashed landed but I was able to get an escape pod. Could you tell me where exactly I am?” Tyrea stared at him in wonder, this time for a different reason; now that she was closer, she could see this ‘David’ was not an Elf. He was not tall enough for starters, and he had hair on his face in a not quite unpleasing fashion. His ears were rounded, and he was much too brawny. “What are you?” “What do you mean?” “Ye are not an Elf, so what are you?” “An Elf…” He saw her ears and his eyes widened. “Spectacular,” he whispered. He raised his voice and looked back at her. “I’m a human, or as we are technically called, homo-sapiens.” Tyrea listened in a state of distrust; he might or might not be telling the truth. She quickly used a spell of truthsaying on him and asked him to repeat himself. “You’re a what?” “I’m a human.” It looked like he was telling the truth, she thought. “What are you doing here?” “Like I said before, my ship crashed and I was forced to escape in one of the pods.” Tyrea looked at the pod behind him in disbelief. “What do you mean? A ship glides on the ocean, so how did you fall out of the sky?” The human shook his head. “My ship flies through space, through the stars itself. And I come from a planet far away called Earth. We, me and everyone on my ship, had to leave because of a devastating disease sweeping across all of the nations, infecting all with no cure in sight. When we came close to your planet a small miscalculation caused us to get too close and we were pulled into the planet’s atmosphere, into the sky, and before we crashed I escaped in a pod which is behind me.” Everything he said was truth, at least in his mind. “Alright.” She said, “I believe you. So what do you want?” “I would like to get to the nearest town, city, or village to get some help.” She thought for a moment. Should I take him to the city? If I do I have to show my face, but if I don’t this man will die what should I do? Live a lie and run away from my problems, or help an innocent and be like a true Elf? Or drop him off at the city limits and escape, thereby solving all of my problems, absolving me of my guilt and allowing me to run away. Or I can blame everything on him and live my life the way I was living it earlier. Which one? “Okay, follow me; I will take you to the town just half an hour from here.” David’s face lit up. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” He yelled, grabbing her in a large enveloping hug. “Don’t do that.” She said, pushing him away from her. “Sorry, I’ll remember that.” “Okay, follow me then.” She led him up the wall of the crater, fishing through twists and turns in the rubble and rock. The earth was starting to cool down slightly, not quite so hot against her skin as earlier. She took each step one at a time. It was a lot harder going up then it had been coming down. She tripped many times while climbing, slipping on a rock or a loose patch of dirt. Each time she fell she picked herself up and pushed through, determined not to show weakness in front of the human, in front of David. It took a long couple of minutes, but she finally made it to the top. With a grunt she swung herself over the edge and fell flat on her back at the top. She jumped to her feet within seconds because the blistering heat was beginning to wear through her shirt and started burning her skin. David came up behind her and massaged his back, putting his hands above his hips to help support himself. “That took longer than I thought.” Tyrea inched forward, not comfortable with him standing so close; she started walking away. She smiled when she heard him scramble to catch up to her. They walked through the forest ahead in silence, neither saying anything to the other; her because she didn’t want to be heard approaching the city and him presumably from the shock of the crash, whatever the reason really was she didn’t know. As they traveled the sun went down under the horizon, its companion the moon rising high into the sky. After walking for about an hour or so a few lights started appearing spaced unevenly in the trees. They appeared in an instant; one moment was dark moonlit trees and the next lights were placed in the trees. She stopped; looking in the shadows closely to make sure no one was waiting in them. David came up next to her, his voice low and raspy. “What’s wrong?” “Nothing, just checking something.” “Then let’s get going” She grunted, nodding her head in acknowledgement. She started creeping forward, this time more slowly and with more caution. They went on for a few minutes in this manner, silently winding through the trees until a small rustle in the bushes ahead stopped them. Tyrea held her hand to signal him to stay low, and she unsheathed her knife. A light rose out of the shadows, a hand gripping it tightly. A body followed behind, a tall Elf with long brown hair tied into braids and a ponytail. He stopped when he saw her and yelled out. “I’ve found her. Everyone, I’ve found her!” The Elf jumped out of the bush unexpectedly and grabbed Tyrea, unarming her in the process. A large dog knocked down David, growling at him while standing above his vulnerable neck. None of them moved until other Elves started arriving at their location. They came and bound David’s hands with a long cord of rope. Tyrea and the human were led into town, a few people up and about, but most asleep by this hour. They were led to the palace, the one area of the town that was completely awake and running. Guards rushed out to meet them, conversing quickly with the search crew. After the talk the guards let them pass and a few followed behind, letting some of the searchers go back home. They were taken into a large room, and all of the Elves left except for the Elf who found her and the guards who had followed them from the entrance. Within a short time the door burst open and her father rushed in, his face dark red with anger. He was large, not from fat but because he had a large build. His arms and body were muscled heavily and he wore his hair short cropped. He turned to his daughter and slapped her across her cheek. She felt her face redden and tears started forming at the edges of her eyes. Her father’s voice was loud, he yelled at her with spittle flying out of his mouth. “Where in the hells were you?!” He turned to the human. “And who are you?! Is this your fault?!” His voice rose even louder. He turned back to his daughter. “I thought I told you to have someone with you at all times!” Tyrea looked him in the face, trying to put on an air of dignity. “You did.” She said quietly. “Then where the hell were you?!” “I was leaving.” “Leaving? Was it because of him!?” Some spittle flew onto her face as he pointed to David. “No, I left because of Josh.” “Josh? What does he have to do with this?!” “I left because of what he did.” “What did he do?” She gulped, “I can’t tell you.” “Did he hurt you?!” “No,” she said quickly, perhaps too quickly because her father immediately looked at her with an unbelieving glare of anger. “Tell me the truth!” “I did.” “Why did you leave?! Tell me or so help me…!” “I told you!” Tyrea yelled, “Its all Joshes fault. I didn’t mean to kill hi…” She stopped, realizing she had revealed her secret. Her father’s voice was low, quivering with rage. “You killed him?” She gulped. “Yes.” Her voice was just barely audible. “Why in the hells would you do that?!” She kept silent. When her father realized she wouldn’t talk he turned to the human. “Who are you?” His voice was thick with his fury and he stared daggers at Tyrea every few seconds. David spoke clearly and without fear. “I landed here just a few hours ago, she said she would lead me to a town, and so she did.” “Landed? We’re in the middle of the continent!” “I know, let me explain. I was flying in space on the ship Amerigrass when we were caught unawares by this planets strong gravitational pull, an error in the instrumental readings. We were pulled into it and before my ship crashed I escaped in an escape pod. I landed just outside your city and was helped by her.” He nodded to Tyrea. “Fly through space? Impossible!” “It’s not; we humans have been doing it for quite a while now.” “Human?” “Yes,” Tyrea said quickly. “He’s not from this planet. I saw” “Quiet!” The king yelled, he turned back to David. “How do I know you are telling the truth?” “You could send scouts out to find my pod, salvage items from it, those can prove my story.” “What about the fact that you are human?” “Well, my ears.” The king looked closely at his ears. “They’re rounded.” “Yes, and I’ve noticed that none of you grow beards, is that a personal preference or are you unable to?” “Beard?” He looked at David’s face. “You mean the hair growing on your face?” “Yes.” “Your story seems to hold credibility.” “How so?” “We have had other reports of giant metal beasts falling from the sky in balls of fire.” “So will you let me go?” “No.” the king said simply. “You are going to stay here until I have unyielding proof.” “But…” “That’s final!” he yelled out to the guards next. “Take him to the dungeon. Keep constant watch over him at all times, I don’t know what he’s capable of so take every precaution necessary.” The guards nodded and took David out of the room. The king looked over at Tyrea. “We’ll get our problem straightened out later.” “What problem?” Tyrea asked. She knew it would anger her father, which was why she asked. “What problem? The one where you commit murder and run away afterwards!” “And?” Her father groaned and his body shook with anger. “I never should have kept you!” “That wasn’t your decision.” “I kept you out of respect for your mother! But you have never shown me anything but contempt and disrespect!” “Because you forced my mother to marry you!” “I did not.” The king whispered. “Yes you did!” “No, I didn’t.” He looked at her and his eyes were red with tears. “As of this moment you are banished from the Elven kingdoms. I renounce you as a child and you are branded an outlaw and murderer. Get out.” “But…” “GET OUT!!!” He screamed. She stood up, tears streaming down her face. She had never wanted it to turn out like this. Her father pushed her out of the room and closed the door. She felt her heart snap in two when the doors closed shut. It was at that moment that she didn’t hate the king, she didn’t hate her father. What she hated was that he had married after her mother had died. It was at that moment that she realized she had just ruined her life. She had ruined her life all over again, three times in the same day. She blinked away her tears, and turned around, and left the palace. She left her old life behind her, her family, her friends, and everything she had ever known. She cried as she left the only home she had ever known, and staggered into the unfamiliar wilderness, never to return.
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