Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Come out come out where ever you are...
The shuttle's slow decent through the dark clouds was announced by the lightening that flowed within. "It's pretty." Salvo commented watching a long ladder light up in front of the window.
"Scares the hell out of me." The pilot said as he steadied the shuttle when it left the storm system.
"To each his own, I guess." Finally some rain has come.
"Where would you like to be dropped off?"
Salvo looked out over the town, "Anywhere is fine."
"Can do." The pilot picked a small open spot near the edge of the forest, "I'll just hover here, so make it quick." He opened the shuttle door, the hard rain crashed into the outer door trying to make it in.

"Thanks a lot." Salvo bowed and flew out of the shuttle. He turned in time to watch it rise back into the clouds. Damn this feels good. Salvo hovered above the trees letting the rain soak every inch of his stiff body. What now? My current activity is all and good, but it is not meant for long. He looked over the forest, smoke seemed to be rising from a small building near the, still under construction, municipal building. Oh, right. It is a temporary masonry. Why the town decided to build this place in the old fashion way, he did not know, but they were and it would seem they are even doing it in the rain. Might as well check it out.

Salvo slowly glided over the tree tops towards the smoke. Lightening struck off in the distance, nice. He circled the foundation a few times to size up the progress; it looked almost finished. The ground sunk around his feet as he landed by the main entrance, some of the lights were on. He checked the door, it was unlocked. "Excuse the intrusion." Salvo said as the door closed off the rain behind him. He ran his hand through his matted hair, water poured from it. He cracked his neck and started to explore. The place didn't look that bad, it had a sorta civil look to it, modern and original founders type civil. The lights lined the halls in sconces, flooding yellowish hue. He took a left from the entrance hall, a few pictures lined this new hallway. He checked the few rooms that were off to the sides. Each was about the size of a typical office, all painted a pale white (or at least that's what it looked like in the light from the hall).

What was that? Salvo turned around believing he heard footsteps. Now there was laughter. "And then she said, 'I was wondering where all that hair went.'..." Right and... A man poked his head around the corner at the other end of the hall, "Hey, you looking for someone?" The man asked coming into full view. From his attire, and the gear around his waist, he was most likely a capital guard, "You hear me kid?"
"What's up?" Another man who was still out of view asked.
The guards looked back slightly, "I'm not sure, sir. There is a young child standing by one of the offices looking at me strange."
"Does he look threatening?"
"Hard to tell, sir."
Salvo blinked away a few stray water droplets, "Just looking around. I saw the lights on so I figured it should be okay."
"Yeah I guess it's fine. What do you think, sir?"
The other man came around the corner, "Oh," he laughed slightly, "That's just Lesone's boy."
Salvo bowed, "Majest."
The Majest waved away the bow, "You should know that I hate formalities by now."
"Dad always taught me to have good habits that die hard."
"I remember he told me that once." The Majest walked up to Salvo, "So what made you finally decide to look around at this place?"
"Saw the smoke," Salvo shrugged, "Other than that, I couldn't say."
The Majest smiled, "So what do you think so far?"
Salvo went across the hall to another room, "I think it will be all right when it is finally finished."
The guard walked up and looked into the room, "Just all right?"
Salvo shrugged.
"Mind if I ask you something kid?"
"Sure."
"Is it true that on a few occasions you've found and fought Narcissian soldiers?"
"Yes." Salvo cocked his head, "Where did you hear these rumors?"
"From a few different field units."
"Probably the ones who found me each time."
The guard leaned against the door jam, "What reason could a kid like you have for fighting?"
"Couldn't tell you that either." Something felt odd, Salvo looked down the hall to both sides, "Is there only two of you?"
"Last I checked." The guard looked towards the entrance hall, "Why you ask?"
Salvo tried to shake away the feeling, "Whispers." It was getting stronger. He went down on all fours and sniffed the air.
The guard laughed nervously, "What are you doing?"
"Tracking." Salvo closed his eyes, "Now shhh." The rain outside, the breathing of the Majest (slightly elevated), breathing of the guard (also elevated), a floor board creaked. The board; Salvo turned around. Nothing but the sea of yellow.
"Kid if you are going to keep acting..." The guard stopped as the lights went out. Lightening cracked outside temporarily lighting the surrounding rooms. The guard tensed up and took out his pistol, "Get in the room, sir." He took the Majest by the arm and led him into the room on the left side of the hall. He looked back out into the hall, "Hey kid?"

Salvo was crouched close to the ground and didn't hear the guard. It was close. He launched off on all fours down the hall to the entrance way. Lightening cracked again, the dark shadows came and went. Salvo shifted his eyes to a cat's for a better view. He went farther down the hall and turned into what looked like a dining room. The chairs cast a deceiving shadow with the flashes of white light. That smell, I know it. He is in here with me. Something cut Salvo's arm, he looked at the ground near by, a throwing knife. He stood up to get a better view, every thing looked a grainy grey. No! He turned around. "Peek a boo." Salvo jumped back as the boy went to strike. He clasped against one of the chairs, his chest throbbing in pain. This can't be happening. He was dying, his blood flowed steadily from the gash in his chest. "Thought you had gotten rid of me." The boy's face sneered eerily as lightening struck near by, "Our little game of cat and mouse is finally over. It would seem I've won."
Salvo tried to stand straight but fell almost limp to the floor, "I'm not dead yet, Arcon." He pushed himself into a sitting position, "And you'll never make it out of here."
"Ha!" Arcon leaned against a chair, "You are dead, can't you just feel the life blood flow from your every cell."
"Hey kid! You in there?" The guard yelled as he entered the room.
Arcon turned to face the guard, "Yes he is, but not for long." He threw a knife at the guard, catching him in the leg.
"Shit!" The guard took the knife out and steadied himself in the doorway, "Where did he go?"
Salvo fell back against the chair that caught him the first time, "He is after the Majest." He coughed up a bit of blood, his breathing fast and raspy, "Get back to him."
The guard limped over to Salvo and knelt, "It's okay back up is on the way." He moved his hand slowly down Salvo's chest, "Oh god, hold on kid." Is this really it? I guess it was all pointless in the end, "Hey kid, you in there?" All that work for nothing, all those promises that will never come. "Come on kid." The guard fell limp by Salvo's porcelain body. Arcon looked into Salvo's vacant eyes, "No doubt about it, I win." No you haven't, I'm still alive, surprisingly. I will get you, I think. Funny how it doesn't hurt any more. I wonder if the power is back on yet. That would help the back up. Yeah, they need it. Too bad I'm too sleepy to help them. That's right, sleep now. I'll handle the rest. Who are you? Sleep. Okay.

Arcon was crouched in the corner of the dark auditorium, he just couldn't help but be proud. Yeah he missed out on his main objective, but that pesky cat was finally out of his way. Three times the cat stopped him from killing his target, and another two times just to annoy him. But he has won the war. Now all he needed to do is get out of this stupid building. It was only a matter of time till they find all the dampeners and their weapons will be functional again. Luckily Dad has taught him some useful old war tactics. I mean who would ever think that a nine year old boy would know how to kill efficiently.

Oh, they are near by. Arcon took out another knife as two guards entered the auditorium. The absolute darkness of the room would make it difficult for either party to get a clear shot. The guards turned on their flashlights, the beams scanned slowly around the room passing by Arcon's hiding spot. Ah yes I could do that. He put away the knife and took out the flash grenade he took from the guard in the dining room. He pulled the pin, 1, 2, 3, he hurled it towards the guards. It exploded in mid-air; Arcon ran to a new spot hidden by the blinding cover. He bit down on his hand to muffle his breathing. The guards were recovering from the light. Clear shot, Arcon shifted on his heels as he aimed at one of the guards. Bingo, a hit. The guard went down, the other one fired in the direction the attack came from. A stray bullet grazed the edge of Arcon's cover.

There was a loud thump, Arcon hesitated before peeking around the edge of the overturned table. Both of the flashlights looked like they were lying motionless on the ground, neither guard seemed to be standing. The hairs on the back of his neck shot straight up as a low, eerie laughter started to echo in the room. Arcon couldn't move, he was frozen in terror; he knew the voice. The laughter grew louder and more maniacal, "Al tret mia des." Something started to scrap on the ground, something metallic. Oh god, he had forgotten in the fun of the chase. He had dropped his sword somewhere in here. "Al tret mia des." The voice repeated even more sadistically.

Summing up as much courage as he could, Arcon laid down flat on the ground and started to crawl toward the exit. "Al tret mia des." The voice said as it slashed at some object in the dark. What the hell is going on? Where are the other guards? "Al tret mia des." A chair flew overhead and crashed into the nearby wall with an echoing clash. The rain grew harder and started to cause a light, constant drumming noise to resonate in the large room. The voice laughed again as it cut down another object close by. The doors to the room closed, Arcon recoiled into a small nook in the wall. His whole body shook in unspeakable fear, the knives slipped around in their pouch because of the cold sweat. It was now completely dark in the room, the guard's flashlights had been thrown against a wall. "Al tret mia des!" The voice called from the stage, "Le rogus mosu." It laughed and then fell silent.

Arcon could taste blood as he bit down on his hand. His heart beat loud and hard and he wished it would just stop so the thing would not find him. There was no way out now, this was truly the end. But how had this happened, he had everything perfectly planned; it should have worked. Where are the other guards? The lights came on in a blinding instant. Oh god, just don't move. It might not know where I am. "Boo!"
"AAAAAA!" Arcon screeched as he pushed past the creature. This is not happening, "Aa." He tripped over one of the mutilated objects. He turned around, his legs locked. The creature slowly staggered towards Arcon, dragging the sword. "You are dead!" Arcon screamed at it.
The creature's blood painted face smiled sadistically at Arcon, its fangs peeked over his lip. Blood stained sheets were wrapped tightly around its chest to hold it together. Its blood soaked hand stuck slightly to the work bench as it steadied itself. It squatted down in front of Arcon and stared deep into his trembling eyes. Its eyes were like a void, everything it looked at seemed to get sucked in; but Arcon couldn't look away. It smiled again, "Imar les tobi go." Its head fell limp on its shoulder, "Ebek?"

The doors to the auditorium crashed open and three guards rushed in. The creature stood abruptly and turned to look at the group. It sneered as they raised their weapons, "Don't move!" One of them shouted.
The creature growled and crouched slightly, turning the blade in its hand.
"Drop your weapon!"
The creature screeched and rushed towards the guards. They fired, the creature dodged the first borage. It started its advance again, a fourth guard hit it as he entered. It fell to the ground limp.

A steady beeping noise played gently in the background as Salvo awoke in the darkness. He looked around the room, it was pitch black. What happened? A sharp pain shot through his chest as he tried to sit up. He fell back breathing hard, what the hell? He ran his hand up his chest, it was covered in thick bandages. His eyes were open, he was blind. Where am I? Is this the afterlife? No, it's a hospital. That would explain the beeping. Salvo closed his blind eyes and ran his hand down his chest one more time. See, you haven't won yet Arcon. I wonder if he's dead now. He smelled his hands, just his blood had been on them. If he is, I didn't kill him. Sleep, you need to regain your strength. Yeah, you're right. Salvo started to drift off, wait. Who are you? Does it matter? Sleep. Fine, whatever.

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