Futuristic Into the Dark

[RakuRen]

Neha leaned back, Islia's belt in hand. She watched carefully as the man faded into…well, nothingness, she assumed. Sleep, at best, death at worst. The creases on his face that signified the pain of his injury eased as did his breathing. In fact, were it not for the very slight shift of his chest and the twitch of his fingers, she might have assumed her first aid failed. She studied his brow, now smooth, the lips that had tried to squeeze out some kind of protest in his final moments of consciousness, and his eyelids, which fluttered subtly as he rested. He seemed peaceful. That was good. Peace had been in short supply in the final days of the Earth, and it hadn't exactly increased since leaving. She had learned to enjoy it when she found it.


"Here's your belt," she said, handing it back to Islia.


"All done?" Alyvia asked, sitting back on her haunches. Neha didn't respond. The answer was obvious. Instead, she packed up her medical supplies. "Then we should get going."


This was the moment Neha had been dreading: when "us and them" inevitably became "we." From the moment Alyvia greeted them, there was no way Neha and her were leaving alone, it was just the sort of person Alyvia was. But at the same time, taking these two along severely limited their options. For one, they only had enough supplies for two. But beyond that, Neha had the sinking suspicion that Alyvia was forgetting something very important. She shot the girl a look and asked, "Where will we go?"


"To find shelter," the girl responded, meeting Neha's gaze with an unwavering one of her own. They stared each other down a moment before Neha finally acquiesced. For once, Alyvia seemed as serious about the circumstances as Neha did. She pulled the unconscious man into a sitting position and slung his arms over her shoulders.


"Take my pack please," Neha said as she carefully loaded the man onto her back, piggyback ride style. The weight of his body pushing down on hers made her breath catch, but she carefully adjusted him so that his head fell comfortably (she hoped) on her shoulder and stood, slipping her hands under his thighs to keep him in place. Her legs trembled. One might have assumed it was the exertion of supporting the dead weight on her back, but it was more than that. She was in a different place, a different time, with a very different body pressed against her, and the memories were making her feel sick.


You're free, Neha. You don't have to deal with that anymore. She took one small, shaky step forward and faltered as she felt his body shift on her back, feelings involuntarily flashing through her mind. Hands holding her wrists. Lips brushing against skin. Hot breath tickling her ears, her neck. He's unconscious. He wouldn't… He can't… She tried to bring herself back to reality, but his shallow breath on her neck was scrambling her thoughts. It had been months since she'd escaped that place and those memories. She thought she'd gotten past them, but here she was trapped once again.


"Neha? You okay?" Neha looked up, her distress and anger flashing plainly across her face for a split second before she realized it was Alyvia speaking and wiped her face blank.


"I'm fine," she tried to reply, but the sound petered out mere inches from her lips. She tried to prove it by catching up, but she took another step forward and crumpled. She winced as she struck her knee and her hands scraped the ground in her effort to catch herself. Once the shock subsided, she tried to make herself stand, but no dice. This position was even more suffocating than the last. She felt like he was going to crush her and she was powerless to stop him. She didn't realize she had started to hyperventilate until she unceremoniously tipped him off her back in an effort to get more air. No sooner had she done so than she felt the panic starting to ease. Alyvia was by her side by that point, trying to make sure she was okay.


"I'm fine," she gasped. "It's j-just an…old injury. I-I'm sorry. I c-ca– I can't carry him."


"That's okay," Alyvia said, confusion evident in her voice. Neha knew she was trying to figure out why she had never heard about this old injury until now, but Neha couldn't gather her wits enough to think of another lie. After a moment, Alyvia continued, "I'll carry him. You help Islia."





"Is he okay? Is his leg okay? I'm sorry," Neha said again, more to the unconscious man than to Alyvia.


"Don't worry about that. I'll take care of it. You go help Islia," Alyvia replied. Neha nodded and pushed herself to her feet, remembering to limp as she headed over to Islia.


"Sorry," she mumbled, unable to meet the other girl's gaze. She slung both her and Alyvia's packs on to her back and then wrapped Islia's arm around her shoulders. "Looks like you're stuck with me." Behind her, Alyvia had gathered the unconscious man onto her back and was walking forward in slow, deliberate steps to meet the two waiting girls.


"Let's get going," she said, casting a questioning glance at Neha as she passed. Neha was too busy pretending to make sure Islia was comfortable to meet it.





@Anaxial @Lenchan

Spoiler

Sorry for the wait! Hope the length makes up for it!

 

[Mystik]

The towering figure of the SPRTN doesn't budge from where it had last stepped. The head upon its metal shoulders twists into what seems to be an attempt at a very human trait - tilting its head. The woman's voice comes out slightly distorted as this particular android is far older than what would have been considered 'cutting edge'. "My makers? You mean the Humans on board?" Another trait of human behavior swings into play. "Do not insult my Mother. They cannot even compare,". With those last few words the Android continues its advance, grasping a smaller tree and simply ripping it from the dirt, roots and all. The movement barely seemed like it required effort.


Donning its new wooden weapon, Myriad steps mere yards away from the Dredge.




@Jarkov Malachai

Spoiler

Sorry for the length, I know it's not the expectation :c

 

[Jarkov Malachai]

Oh? Am I supposed to be Impressed?

For all the Automatons bluster and showing off, the creature before it honestly didn’t seem to care, or be impressed in the slightest. The writhing ball of flesh, muscle and coiled tension stopped not its movement or changed its routine as the sounds of cracking wood and splintering fibers filled the air. The smell of metal still assaulted her nostrils, t’was an affront, a reminder of her time spent in captivity and that in itself was not a benefit to either side. The some effort, those memories were pushed back to a safer place where they could dictate not, her next decisions.


That silver grey eye still peered from the gap in the twisting armored chitin, the heavy lid draped lazily over that brilliant star pupil which stared so intently at the metal man, sizing it up, calculating with a wit and intuition forged in the fires of survival, and found it lacking. The eye blinked slowly and it vanished from view, back into the ever moving mass of serpentine movements and flowing ebony skin.


That feminine voice slithered out from seemingly every direction, resonating with the beat of the forest. “I can insult whomever I wish for those who disturb my rest deserve no such courtesy, and especially some metal hollow of whom has no concept of honor.” The creature subtly licked her lips, the blood of the jellyfish like creatures, for she had caught more than one as the animals seemed to have no concept of survival and kept rushing past her. She supposed their bright coloration meant they were poisonous, if so well… It wouldn’t bother her too much to synthesize a new toxin.


“Leave me be, Metal Man.” The huntress said the words with utter contempt, it was practically oozing off her tongue in a physical form. “The Natural order has no place for you, especially interrupting my nap.” The Dredge finished with a odd sort of clucking/clicking noise from the back of her throat before settling back into her little wallow.


@Mystik

 

[Ironrot]

Arthur





Arthur turned to Tau with a look of rage. Settle down. What kind of bullshit was that? Cowards trying to run away and leave anyone else to die.


His train of though was interrupted by the sound of an explosion not too far away. Had it been the monster? Was it something else? His child was out there. Desperation slid across Arthur's face. When he spoke he was quiet and slow.


"My daughter is a 4 year old. She hasn't eaten or drank for atleast 8 hours. Shes hurt and likey traumatised." Arthur looked back to Joshua. "If you don't help me; Her death is on your head." The brief silence felt like it went on forever while Arthur waited for their answer. Too long.


"Fuck the both of you" He'd get her himself.


Arthur stormed to the rear of the landmine. If no one would help, Arthur would find Sally himself. He pounded on the open button for the rear door. Luna's voice came from somewhere above him.


"An explosion was observed outside of this vehicle. The doors are locked for safety"


"Open the doors, robot" Arthur said, only containing himself because he knew that his shouting would have no impact on the AI.


"Opening these doors may put the passengers of this vehicle at risk. Please wait until the situation has been verified."


Arthur stumbled back from the door. He walked back to the medical bay where Alex was working over Teal. He sat down beside Caitlyn. His head hung in his hands. Tears dripped down his wrists. He tried to make sense of the situation. Why no one would help him?. Why they were seemingly content to abandon any hope of finding survivors outside the ship? He couldn't do it. Overwhelmed, Arthur sat and quietly cried.


@Kayzo


Sally


Sally stumbled through the undergrown, clambering over great roots. Running through branches had scratched her arms and torn her dress. She took a moment to look around. Above her, brightly coloured birds flew between the trees, oblivious to her situation. The little girl sat for a moment and watched their sillouets dance. It was calming to think what it must be like, living above everything down here.


A noise interupted her brief calm. Maybe a twig snapping. Sally let out a yelp noise and ran through the trees. She stopped after a short distance. She felt sick and her stomach was beginning to ache from hunger. She was atleast hydrated having drunk the faintly glowing water from a puddle which she had found.


Up ahead, Sally heard voices. She wandered in their direction. Watching from behind a tree, she was a little confused by the site of a woman giving a man a piggy back. It reminded her of being carried by her father. She missed him. She hoped he was okay. Sally held her breath, trying not to cry. Tears made it hard to see.


Arthur had told her to be careful of strangers and people on earth had given her enough reasons. Regardless of the danger, Sally couldn't hold in her emotions and she let out a loud hiccuping sound which often preceded her crying.


Alyvia looked directly at Sally. Sally started sobbing and tried to run away but only made it a few feet before, unable to see the ground, she tripped and fell.


@RakuRen