Escape
Astrange hum stops our movement. Ron's eyes open wide as he turns andfaces the direction this unnatural breeze and hum is coming from.
"Helicoptersounds." He mutters.
Nottoo far through the cluster of slender tree trunks embedding theforest, two rope-like things slid down.
"Thisis not the time to stand here with our thumbs up our asses guys,"Ron faces me, "RUN! RUN!" He screams.
InstantaneouslyI turn around and break into a spring, "Hurrry, hurry, RUN!” Iscream.
Ihuff it through the wilderness. I trip on a vine, land with abreath-depleting thump, and then roll down a decline until my bodysplashes in a stream of ice-cold water.
Avibration shook the ground and less than a second later aftershocksstrip through forest floor. As I raise the shock catapults me facefirst into the shallow edge of the stream. I feel my face scrapethrough the rocky surface as the rocks carve into my skin likeknives.
Iraise my head up from the water and see streaks of blood streamingwith the water.
Ishiver and crawl back on the bed of leaves where I collapse and setmy head down to rest.
MomentsLater…
Toecho, to reach, and only to realize, I am the stone amidst the wakeof the storm.
Iopen my eyes and see the parading leaves of the grand oaks dancingwith the tug of wind brushing through the forest.
Ipass my fingers across my face and feel the scratches, lumps, anddried blood. The pain stings more than anything I’ve ever feltbefore, more than the very impact that caused it. The good news is…my nose isn’t broken. Thank f*cking goodness.
Evenwith my sore muscles, I manage to leverage myself from the ground. Imake my way towards the stream and dip my head in the water. The icywater soothed some of the pain, but as it washes into the cuts thesensation is too sharp to fathom.
Islip my shirt off and wipe away what I can from the scratches andblots plastered on my face. I suck it up and just press down as hardas I can. I scream at the top of my lungs only to hear my echocomfort my loneliness.
Istare at my white shirt… the smear of blood coated it like crimsonpaint.
Ithrow my shirt on the ground and rise. Now to get the hell out ofthis wilderness. And to hope that this doesn’t turn out to be somestrenuously endless stroll.
Wherethe hell are Andrew and Ron?
Iexamine my perimeter. Nothing but mossy ground, endless series oftrees that small shallow stream, and the steep incline I rolled downfrom. Maybe going back up might be my best bet.
Ihurl over the stream and run up the incline. I leap up, secure mygrip on a branch, and jump over to the ground above. Again, the samepicture, trees, trees everywhere, f*ck. I don’t even see anyfootsteps, not even my footsteps… they must have been covered bythe leaves or something. I shake my head and sigh. My aggravationgnaws.
Whenanxiety gets to me… that’s when I blurt out with profanity.GODDAMN IT!
Myheart sinks at the sound of helicopter propellers. I stare ahead andsee leaves falling not even thirty yards away. The wind intensifiesand howls.
Imake out two ropes and know, I know it’s them, those-those humanlookalikes… they’re looking for me, for us, Ron and Andrew.
Ireach in the back of my belt buckle and grab my nine-millimeter.
Iturn around, slide down the decline, and leap into the stream. Fromthere I pick up my shirt and brake into a sprint towards the maze oftrees.
Thepropeller sounds seem to be following me. I peer back and see thefalling leaves trailing me. They’ve spotted me. They’ve spottedme… no, no, I can’t, I can’t be captured. Ron… Andrew….
Ihasten my pace. The leaves crumble and rustle beneath my feet and thelow shrubs smacked against my skin like whips. I can’t stop, I haveto keep going, no matter what, no matter the pain, and no matter theagonizing reality that I’ve lost my dearest friends in the mess ofthis chaos… I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.
Theburn of my memories brought the tears. And the regret plowed moreholes in my vacant heart and torn soul.
Abreak in the wilderness finally appears…
Onemoment I was cluster f*cked in a forest, and a second later I’mrunning across a long and flat field… a football field. I made myway towards the stadium benches. I hit the pavement, slowed down, andran behind the benches to rest. I slid down the wall until I fellflat on my rear.
Idry my face full of tears and sweat.
Ican’t imagine Ron’s response to this: Quit being a f*cking p-ssykid, suck it up.
Isnicker at the thought and then sob in return.
“Iam being p-ssy aren’t I?” I mutter to myself.
Andnow I’m talking to myself, f*cking great. I’m losing it—no, noI’ve lost it.
Thepropeller sounds hum in the distance, something that relieved aportion of my ache. But then footsteps arouse every hair in my body.I rise and press my back against the wall.
Multiplefootsteps shuffle over the grass. Ron and Andrew?
Iedge and peer around the corner. Nothing but empty fields.
Ascratchy sound brings my attention behind me. I do a one-eighty andfreeze stiff. It’s them, the lookalikes. The black suited figure,face veiled in that same black visor, stood upright with the glossygreat katana drawn forward and some sort of handgun aimed directly atme.
***
Captured
Idive into a doorway and dodge the in coming bullet spray...
Mynine-millimeter slides out of my hands and into the pitch-black untilI hear it clatter down what sounded a very long scale of steps.
Bulletsbatter against the outside wall in a perpetual sequence that seemseverlasting.
Myeardrums rattle and my heartbeat pounds with the overwhelmingadrenaline coursing through my veins.
Icrawl across the hallway, leverage up, and run deeper into the dimcorridor. I press my back against the wall and steady my way down thehallway.
Abullet zips by and barrages the entire wall into one enormous cavityfull of crumbling debris. I gasp and lose my balance. I reach outinto the darkness to grab a hold of something, anything, but fall andspiral down the steps.
“It’scoming in…”
Ihear someone say.
“Dr.please give him some space to breath.”
Thatvoice sounds feminine, kind, and gentle.
“Whydo you care about this thing?”
“It’snot an animal Dr. it’s”—
“Animalis a compliment.”
Idon’t know who it is speaking but I can tell I wasn’t going tolike it.
Thefeminine voice clears her throat, “Excuse me? Watch your wordsclosely please…”
Silenceand numbness consumes me.
“Hello...”
“Hello.”
“Hello,can you hear me?”
It’sthat feminine voice again. But she sounds so far away… her voiceechoes and echoes, gets closer and closer like a whisper in my ear.
Ifeel a warm touch graze over my brow. Trickles of cool water slitherdown my face. I feel so sooth d and captivated, my whole body waftsin an omnipresence that I can’t describe.
“HeyI think he’s coming in!”
Ihear footsteps coming towards me.
“Excellent,about time.”
Ifeel a more rigid hand grab my wrist and put a bit of pressure on mywrist.
“It’scoming in alright—its heart is beating faster than any otherhuman’s. Hope its not an abnormal thing…” a pause occurs, buthis hand still held my wrist. “Give him an Anti-Acquaintinjection.”
Ihear her gasp.
“B-Butw-we don’t know what affects it has on a human host.”
“WellI guess this guy right here will be our first live clinical test thathas voluntarily accepted our treatment. Give him the shot please.”
Ifeel a prickle on my neck. The warm liquid courses through the needleand enters my bloodstream in seconds. The burn is abrupt andunfathomable.
Withmy gasp the pain subsides.
“Relaxyou’re safe.”
Thatfeminine voice assures me.
Ifeel a rough pat on my shoulder. “Yeah, for now at least.”
“Pleaseshow some respect.” She hisses.
Iopen my eyes to see these two mysterious faces staring at me. As myeyes adjust to the low light, their blurred figures clear up. On theright, a beautiful female lookalike, with honey golden eyes, cheeksflush and pink, and lips strung into a smile. And on my left, thatbastard bad-mouthed doctor, his dark beady eyes narrow and lipspurse.
Ican’t see a thing, except for this small cylinder looking lamp hungdirectly over me shedding an unusual blue light that solelyilluminates my forward sight. I think my head is secured and strappedon to this tilted bed I’m tied to too since I can’t seem to makeany part of my body budge, hell I can’t even feel any other part ofmy body.
“W-where,”I cough and croak.
Thefemale hurries off but the doctor remains glued to his spot.
“Wellhello.” He mutters, his eyebrows slump lower, “Let me finish thatsentence for you: Where am I, correct?”
Thefemale appears from the shadow and places a glass of liquid againstmy lips. My body doesn’t reject this kind offer; I open my mouthand allow her to drown me with this unknown substance. I gulp it downuntil I gurgle in its quenching tastelessness.
Shepulls the empty glass away and gives me another smile that makes myheart sink.
Iclear my throat. “Thank you.”
Shenods and trails off out of sight.
“Youwere saying?” He says.
Ishoot him with a mean look, “Don’t you mean you were?”
Hebreaks a smile. “Mindy, call the Oracle please.”
“Already?Are you sure?” I hear her say from across the room.
Hecombs his long black loose hair from his forehead and glances herway. “It’s awake isn’t it? That’s what the Oracle wanted.”
“Ok.”
Thesethings, human lookalikes, or so that's what my mind deciphers themas, or so I think... and what's an Oracle?
Ican’t seem to remember anything… shit, I don’t even know whyI-I… what is wrong with me? I can’t seem to remember anything. Iclose my eyes tight and search, search for an answer to my ownquestion, but a black void of nothingness hazes my mind.
“Doyou know what an Oracle is?”
Inarrow my eyes. I don’t like this thing here, I’d much ratherpunch it in that pretty little face of his that’s smirking like asmart-ass.
“ShouldI give a f*ck?”
“Lookat this,” he snickers and shakes his head disbelieved. “Abadmouth human, as excepted of course, hell a little of your kind’svocabulary happened to have slipped into mine. And yes, you shouldgive a f*ck.”
Iscoff. “Well what a pleasure. Can’t wait.”
“Prepareto what your kind say as to: Ass Kiss.”?
Ismirk, “In a literalsense?”
Helaughs for real this time. “Glad we happened to have bumped into ahumorous one… thought you were broken.”
Iarch my eyebrow. “W-Why would I be broken?”
“Mentallyhandicap, stupid”—
“Ohyou mean retarded, didn’t know there were still any around.” Iwink.
Hecrosses his arms and smiles. “The Oracle is pretty much a higherend Officer of our Law. They’re in direct communication with theHeir Council.”
TheHeir Council? It doesn’t seem to click.
“Atype of government?” I ask.
Hishead bobs. “In a way, yes.”
Aknock has him take a couple of steps back. He bows.
“Gladyou didn’t dismantle this one.” The voice sounds muffled,indescribable—I couldn’t put a finger on it as to what gender itis.
Footstepsshuffle my way. I see a hand covered in a black mesh-type glove grabmy wrist.
“Strongheartbeat.” It says. “Interesting.”
“Inoticed that too.” Replies the doctor. “Could the completioncause that?”
Completion?
TheOracle glances at the doctor and shakes its head. “No.”
“Yeah,yeah, I don’t know what y’all are talking about, but uh what thehell did you do to me?”
“Pleaserefrain from your vulgar words.” The hand squeezes tighter. “Andas far as I’ve been aware you’ve been unaltered since yourcapture.”
Apart of me makes me sigh in relief, “Thanks a lot, that makes mefeel better.”
TheOracle releases my hand.
“Sarcasmwont keep you alive, so mind your tongue please.”
Itsteps into the light. The so-called Oracle’s face is hidden behinda black mask and body completely covered in a snow-white cloak. Whatis it suppose to represent?
Myheartbeat pounds harder, faster. The hair in the back of my neckrises and goose bumps spring on my arms.
“Pleaseleave the room.” The Oracle says.
Footstepsshuffle off until I hear a door shut.
“Sowhere we're you heading?”
Igulp. Her piercing words brought this sort of woe-like sensation topenetrate my heart.
“I-Idon’t know.”
“What’syour name?”
Isearch and search but can't find an answer.
Ishake my head. “I’m not s-sure.”
Whoam I? Where am I? Why am I even here to begin with? I just had aconversation with that doctor out of sheer randomness. I spoke but Ididn’t think.
AllI do know at this very second, is that my entire body, this body,fears whatever these human lookalikes are.
“Yourspecies has a tendency to lie without constraint, yet there’s nodeception in your words.” It raises an arm and presses it’s indexfinger on my chest. “I do however feel the fear you hold towardsme. Even with it, you do not fret and you do not quake. You remainsane. Intriguing.”
Isee it’s pale, blue eyes squint from the mask’s sockets.
“Whydo you fear me?”
Ishake my head and bite my lip. “I-I honestly don’t know,” afeeling of despair has moisture build up in my eyes, “This fearthat I f-feel I can’t comprehend…”
“Verypeculiar. And why do you think you fear me?”
Iwince. “M-my brain tells me you aren’t… human.”
“Moreof a hunch. But it’s correct,” the Oracle presses it’s fingeron my forehead and gently taps. “There is nothing to fear from us,we won’t hurt you.”
Asoothing comfort washes over me and erases all traces of my hysteria.
“Whyare you curious about this fear I hold?”
TheOracle crosses its arms and stares dead-locked into mine. “Justcurious. However it may be, thanks for cooperating. I’ll returnshortly and grant your temporary release.”
It’sgoing to release me??“What’sthe catch?”
“Fornow, nothing, but you’ll be escorted around with a chaperon.”
“IfI’m unaltered why can’t I remember a goddamn thing?”
“I’mnot sure. I’m going to report your case. I can’t promise youanything, I can’t promise you that you’ll be kept alive either.But I promise you won’t be hurt before that time comes.”
Canthe heart wrenching dread I feel towards these things be the solepurpose I’m being persecuted? I’m a human, but what are they?Humanoids? My brain processes the vocabulary, automatically deciphersthe meanings, but I can’t put a finger as to the why I’m here.
“I’llbe on my way.”
TheOracle walks off and opens the door. “He’s free to move aroundfor now. Cure any abnormalities and injuries he’s sustained. Mindy,go get him some new attire please.”
“Gotcha.”The Doctor says.
“Iwill do as you ask Oracle.” Mindy replies.
“Thankyou. And I’ll return shortly.”
Footstepsclose in on me and the Doctor appears. He pats on my shoulder. “Youwont feel a thing.” He says as he winks.
Hepoints a tiny spray can at me and the vapors consume me…
***