Tom
Well-Known Member
~The First Story~
"Richie, it's ok. Everything's gonna be fine."
Laura tightened her arms around her son. The wet warmth of the crying boy's tears stained the Nepleslian woman's shirt a darker shade of blue. Her son's face was buried firmly in her bosom, his trembling figure exhausted beyond the hysteria that first came with the mortar shells and cannon fire. The shock had taken his voice from him, leaving only his tumultuous shaking.
Laura placed a gentle kiss on the top of Richie’s head then gingerly brought her hand up to brush his coarse black hair. It was the only thing she could think of doing, all she could do to ease the invisible pain that wracked her son’s mind.
From her kneeling position on the floor, she looked around her kitchen. Bits of glass covered the floor, her two windows shattered from the concussive force of the explosions. Sand from the outside dusted the room, the hot winds from outside blowing small, yellow waves across the floor.
At least the table was still intact. The hard metal would shelter them in case the roof started collapsing.
She brought her amber eyes to gaze at the door. How long had they been waiting? Her husband had left shortly after the explosions ceased, in search of aid, an extraction point, anything.
The sun was near the center of its arch in the sky when he closed that door behind him.
Now the orb was an orange ball near the earth, and, with every passing minute, Laura’s heart sank with it.
-----
Time passed. Soon darkness enveloped them as night descended on Rok’Veru. The air was cold, biting through the blanket that she wrapped around herself. Richie was curled into a ball in her lap, exhaustion having finally put him to sleep. As Laura sat with her back against the wall, staring off into the full moon that shone through the window, Richie tossed to one side, pulling more of the blanket onto his little body.
Laura’s cracked lips parted into a smile.
-----
Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht
It was a faint, scraping sound that awoke Laura. She idly brought her hand to her face and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. The wind outside howled.
Another dust st- Then suddenly, panic overtook her, a moment of utter terror.
Her arms were empty!
Richie! The faint glow of the moon barely lit the room, and it took a moment for Laura’s eyes to adjust. Her heart racing, she reached out around her, a cold sweat running down her body.
Poot She made contact with the blanket, her hand heavily slapping into the thick fabric.
“Mmngh...” Richie, curled into a fetal position on the floor, stirred but did not wake.
A long sigh escaped Laura’s lips, and she closed her eyes. She breathed slowly and deeply, letting the cold air into her body. It was only after she opened her eyes and saw the steamy clouds escaping from her lips when she realized how cold it truly was.
Her body ached. Her hands and feet were numb. Slowly, she wrapped her hands around her body and clenched her teeth to prevent them from chattering. Were the nights always this cold?
Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht
The sound tore Laura from her thoughts. She looked out the window again, but heard only the wind. She stood up stiffly, reaching behind her to grab hold of the countertop for support.
She felt something sharp dig into her hand.
“Tch!”
With a wince, Laura brought the hand up to her face. She could see blood pooling in her cupped palm from the jagged shard of glass embedded in her flesh.
Damn it!
Her free hand balled into a fist and, with a burst of silent fury, she pounded it into her leg twice. Tears formed on the corners of her eyes, which she quickly blinked away. With a grimace, she then pinched the glass between her fingers and yanked it out.
“Mmn!” She clenched her jaw, fresh tears once again blurring her vision. She took in more of the cold air...
Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht
Laura froze, her eyes drying in an instant. The sound was louder than before. And it was getting closer.
Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht
Blood dripped from her hand as she opened the drawer behind her. She looked out the window.
Nothing... but the sound.
Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht
The unearthly racket, it filled her ears, her world. The chattering noise was descending upon her. Laura turned around and fumbled with the contents of the drawer before she finally laid hands upon it.
Her Zen Arms .45 pistol. The feeling of cold metal brought a small moment of comfort to her. Her grip tightened on the handle as she turned around to face the window.
Then she saw it. Four glowing red eyes sitting on the counter. Laura didn’t know what it was, but seeing the invader enter her home, the Nepleslian woman’s face contorted into an angry snarl.
She took aim.
Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht
The unexpected sound made a disconnect in Laura’s mind. The thing in front of her wasn’t moving...
Suddenly, it dawned on her. No!
Laura spun around to face the front door, brandishing her gun. Too late. What she saw made her heart freeze: a horde of glowing red eyes staring at her.
Her gun shook in her hand. Tears of despair and anger started to flow freely down her face.
“S-stay away from us,” she whispered. “Please...”
The eyes near the door continued their silent stare. And then... from the side she heard the sound.
Ch-cht
The creature near the window took a few steps. Laura swung her gun toward it.
“S-stay away! Please!”
Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht
Back and forth, back and forth, she kept aiming the gun but her silent attackers continued their advance. In moments they would be upon her.
Laura’s gun fell to her side, and sobs wracked her body. Then, as spit and mucous slobbered down her face, She turned and pointed the gun once more...
...At the sleeping boy on the floor.
“R-Richie,” she sputtered. “I’m sorry... I’m so sorry... s-s...”
She pulled the trigger.
“nnnnnnnnnnnnnaghhhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
Laura collapsed on the floor, screaming as she writhed, clutching at her head.
She didn’t even notice the horde descend upon her.
"Richie, it's ok. Everything's gonna be fine."
Laura tightened her arms around her son. The wet warmth of the crying boy's tears stained the Nepleslian woman's shirt a darker shade of blue. Her son's face was buried firmly in her bosom, his trembling figure exhausted beyond the hysteria that first came with the mortar shells and cannon fire. The shock had taken his voice from him, leaving only his tumultuous shaking.
Laura placed a gentle kiss on the top of Richie’s head then gingerly brought her hand up to brush his coarse black hair. It was the only thing she could think of doing, all she could do to ease the invisible pain that wracked her son’s mind.
From her kneeling position on the floor, she looked around her kitchen. Bits of glass covered the floor, her two windows shattered from the concussive force of the explosions. Sand from the outside dusted the room, the hot winds from outside blowing small, yellow waves across the floor.
At least the table was still intact. The hard metal would shelter them in case the roof started collapsing.
She brought her amber eyes to gaze at the door. How long had they been waiting? Her husband had left shortly after the explosions ceased, in search of aid, an extraction point, anything.
The sun was near the center of its arch in the sky when he closed that door behind him.
Now the orb was an orange ball near the earth, and, with every passing minute, Laura’s heart sank with it.
-----
Time passed. Soon darkness enveloped them as night descended on Rok’Veru. The air was cold, biting through the blanket that she wrapped around herself. Richie was curled into a ball in her lap, exhaustion having finally put him to sleep. As Laura sat with her back against the wall, staring off into the full moon that shone through the window, Richie tossed to one side, pulling more of the blanket onto his little body.
Laura’s cracked lips parted into a smile.
-----
Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht
It was a faint, scraping sound that awoke Laura. She idly brought her hand to her face and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. The wind outside howled.
Another dust st- Then suddenly, panic overtook her, a moment of utter terror.
Her arms were empty!
Richie! The faint glow of the moon barely lit the room, and it took a moment for Laura’s eyes to adjust. Her heart racing, she reached out around her, a cold sweat running down her body.
Poot She made contact with the blanket, her hand heavily slapping into the thick fabric.
“Mmngh...” Richie, curled into a fetal position on the floor, stirred but did not wake.
A long sigh escaped Laura’s lips, and she closed her eyes. She breathed slowly and deeply, letting the cold air into her body. It was only after she opened her eyes and saw the steamy clouds escaping from her lips when she realized how cold it truly was.
Her body ached. Her hands and feet were numb. Slowly, she wrapped her hands around her body and clenched her teeth to prevent them from chattering. Were the nights always this cold?
Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht
The sound tore Laura from her thoughts. She looked out the window again, but heard only the wind. She stood up stiffly, reaching behind her to grab hold of the countertop for support.
She felt something sharp dig into her hand.
“Tch!”
With a wince, Laura brought the hand up to her face. She could see blood pooling in her cupped palm from the jagged shard of glass embedded in her flesh.
Damn it!
Her free hand balled into a fist and, with a burst of silent fury, she pounded it into her leg twice. Tears formed on the corners of her eyes, which she quickly blinked away. With a grimace, she then pinched the glass between her fingers and yanked it out.
“Mmn!” She clenched her jaw, fresh tears once again blurring her vision. She took in more of the cold air...
Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht
Laura froze, her eyes drying in an instant. The sound was louder than before. And it was getting closer.
Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht
Blood dripped from her hand as she opened the drawer behind her. She looked out the window.
Nothing... but the sound.
Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht
The unearthly racket, it filled her ears, her world. The chattering noise was descending upon her. Laura turned around and fumbled with the contents of the drawer before she finally laid hands upon it.
Her Zen Arms .45 pistol. The feeling of cold metal brought a small moment of comfort to her. Her grip tightened on the handle as she turned around to face the window.
Then she saw it. Four glowing red eyes sitting on the counter. Laura didn’t know what it was, but seeing the invader enter her home, the Nepleslian woman’s face contorted into an angry snarl.
She took aim.
Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht
The unexpected sound made a disconnect in Laura’s mind. The thing in front of her wasn’t moving...
Suddenly, it dawned on her. No!
Laura spun around to face the front door, brandishing her gun. Too late. What she saw made her heart freeze: a horde of glowing red eyes staring at her.
Her gun shook in her hand. Tears of despair and anger started to flow freely down her face.
“S-stay away from us,” she whispered. “Please...”
The eyes near the door continued their silent stare. And then... from the side she heard the sound.
Ch-cht
The creature near the window took a few steps. Laura swung her gun toward it.
“S-stay away! Please!”
Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht Ch-cht-ch-cht-ch-cht
Back and forth, back and forth, she kept aiming the gun but her silent attackers continued their advance. In moments they would be upon her.
Laura’s gun fell to her side, and sobs wracked her body. Then, as spit and mucous slobbered down her face, She turned and pointed the gun once more...
...At the sleeping boy on the floor.
“R-Richie,” she sputtered. “I’m sorry... I’m so sorry... s-s...”
She pulled the trigger.
“nnnnnnnnnnnnnaghhhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
Laura collapsed on the floor, screaming as she writhed, clutching at her head.
She didn’t even notice the horde descend upon her.
