-Auditory indications . . . Potentially hostile.-
My back was pressed against the wall, the T-shirt - which I regretted wearing because it was so thin - starting to feel damp. The tennis shoes I wore were soaked to the marrow, along with my socks and everything else from the knees down. My breath was labored because I had no idea those things were so fast.
Um, let me elaborate. The 'things' I'm talking about are called Clockwork Sentinels though I prefer to call them Iron Beasts, as I always have. Uh, would you believe me if I told you I was just playing the game 'Thief 2' before I ended up in this situation? No? 'Course not.
-I have seen . . . I do not know.-
Crap!
I glanced around hurriedly, trying to find some sort of escape. I could hear the metallic sounds of my doom coming closer and I knew I had to take a risk. Just as I swore I saw it turn into the corner I was in, I turned and took a dive back into the sewage water I abhorred so much. I was swimming in piss, but that didn't matter if I wanted to live! How the mighty would have fallen, indeed.
I raised above the water just enough to hear the last bit of the beast's words.
-I have . . . heard . . . something.-
When it turned away I gave a sigh of relief and swam closer towards the edge I had leapt from. I slowly drug myself from the water and sat on the edge.
Why me? The first thing I remember was sitting down starting the mission, 'Sabotage at Soulforge' before my computer froze. I picked up my leg and situated my hand against my cheek in thought. After a few seconds of wondering what happened, my screen turned blue and then a strange whirring sound started to come from my speakers. After that, my screen turned white and a small block dot was in the middle.
My eyes widened at a sudden realization.
That stuff wasn't supposed to happen! O-Ok, I looked at screen, saw the black dot and then-! I-I . . . Shit. I don't remember after that. I gave a sigh and backtracked a little later. I remember that I found myself in the streets somewhere – hell if I knew exactly where – but before I knew what was going on, there a group of people in blue and gold suits starting yelling in the distance. I shuddered at the memory.
They were Mechanists. Mechanists.
How the fuck did I end up from my chair in my room, playing a game to being in the middle of the street, scared shitless by a group of Mechanists?
From then onward I had high tailed it out of there and was unpleasantly met with another iron beast, which then proceeded to declare in that monotone voice - that I could swear Karras himself recorded for his own pleasure – that I 'Shalt not escape!'.
And here I am: cold, scared and lost and feeling like I've been thrown in some horror movie.
With a sigh, I picked myself up from the edge of the water and started walking, sticking to shadows and looking around corners as I went. I started to question the reality of my situation, now. None of these streets looked like Southside San Antonio and I would most definitely know having lived there in the ghettos for so long.
My name is De'Onna Antoinette, a surprisingly French name for my current residence in Texas – if you didn't count this place, that I think is a game. I turned a corner and had to backtrack quickly when I was nearly face-to-back with a guard that was keeping shift on the corner of a street. I pressed my back against the wall that was beyond the guard's corner and mouthed silently the curse word that rhymed with 'spit', in my surprise. Now what am I supposed to do? I could just walk out there like nothing happened and I could probably get away with it for being so nonchalant. Then again, I could have a bounty on my head for . . . Shit, I don't know, whatever reason the city could come up with?
But what could I be in trouble for? Falling out the sky in front of a bunch of overly fanatical bunch of idiots? I loved the Mechanists in the game but in the real life I would just laugh. The Hammerites are no different, aside from being more eccentric and loud.
Ok, make a choice. Do or die!
I looked out around the corner and saw – to my surprise - that the guard was gone. I blinked, incredulous, before looking around and walking hesitantly around the corner for any sign of him. Well, he wasn't anywhere near so I guess he probably just changed shifts while I was stressing ou-
"'Scuse me – Can I help you?"
"OH my god!" I gasped, spinning around to stare wide-eyed at the guard that I was just looking for. Where the hell was he?! I nearly would have shat myself right then and there if I wasn't already cautious for people. After a second of trying to calm my heart I nearly forgot he was expecting an answer from me. "U-Uh, just trying to find a way . . . home, I guess." It wasn't a lie; I just knew that I wouldn't find it this way.
"Oh", he shifted himself into a leaning position, "-well, in case you didn't notice there's a curfew out and I'd like for you to come down to the station with me for some questioning." He pulled himself up into large pose, his chest puffed out and I could almost swear a 'less-than-noble' smirk came across his lips. "I noticed you sneaking about and I'm not sure I want a questionable person like yourself out at night. You know how it is – the cold, dampness of the out doors and the shadows. A girl could get hurt out here too."
. . . That has to be the fastest I've ever been accused of being a thief. I narrowed my eyes at him in confusion and he simply held out a hand for me to take, like I was actually going to allow him to take me to a guard station alone at night.
At that point, I knew this was a game.
"I-I really don't think that would be a good idea." Well, I don't know what possessed me to say that. The anonymous guard gave me a sour look.
"And why do you think that?"
"I-um, my house is right across that corner!" I turned in any random direction and pointed my finger at a broken down shack and froze on the spot. "Err, it's only temporary. . . " The guard bellowed with laughter.
"You're kidding?! What the hell kinda girl are you – an urchin?" He laughed some more and I laughed along with him nervously, trying to play off confidence.
"Oh, that's good! Fine, if that's your home, have a good night." He turned away finally, chuckling as I assumed he walked back to the station he was talking about.
Wow, that was easy. No, too easy. If I didn't know any better, I was about to find that damn Iron-
"By Karras, look! Thou whilst stand and be crushed!"
Oh, yeah. There were those guys too . . .
