She
By CrazyDeafGirl
Disclaimer: I do not own the glorious games of StarCraft and Brood War.
---
I sat there, watching the nightmare come true.
I saw them scrambling over rocks, over plants, over mines that blew up, over the corpses of different races, over deserted tanks and crashed ships, over charred and burning buildings. They are a wall rushing towards us, and nothing are stopping them.
I smell the cooper of freshly spilled blood, the powerful scent of fuel, the haziness of smoke, the bitter of sweat, their unpleasant body odor, burnt flesh, burning blood, the melting steel, the acidic smell of explosions. They smell strong and disgusting.
I hear the eager shrieks of the hunters, their howls, their growls, the terrified screams of my people, their groans, their moans, their hurried whispers. I hear the powerful blasting of the guns and the tanks, the mind-numbing explosions as the buildings and vehicles blew up, smoking funneling up towards the sky. They sound horribly loud.
I gulped. I moved my eyes, seeing my father clutching at his rifle like a lifeline. His body rocked backwards and forward with each pull at the trigger. Little sparks flew from the gun, landing on my face. He gritted his teeth, whispering curses.
I glanced around me, seeing my sister rushing there and there, quickly and tremblingly injecting needles into fleshy arms and slapping on bandages over wounds oozing red blood, stopping occasionally to raise her little pistol, shooting a small bomb that blinded the creatures hovering above us. Her eyes are wide, fear flooding them and flooding me as well. She did not once look at me, only at the wounds and nothing else.
I looked up. The sky is on fire. It is yellow, orange, red with dim stars scattered there and there, the two moons hovering above solemnly. Our ships screamed as they rushed smoothly by, shooting everywhere with their bright lasers. The creatures fluttered around, hurling saliva and acid and sticky goo from their mouths. Some of the tiny creatures even committed suicide, slamming into the hulls of our ships and blowing up them. The gigantic steel hulls burned as the ships swooped, crashing into the fiery field.
It is true.
We are defeated.
I lowered my head when I hear gasps. Utterly terrified gasps. When I saw them, I join my brethrens with their fearful moaning.
The infested ones are rushing towards us. Brave men around me try to plow the parade down with their rifles and flamethrowers. The women stopped their tending of wounded people and ran up to the men, hurling bombs there and there in a vain attempt to blind the monsters.
Some fell, crashing into the ground and immediately burning up. Their fellow kamikazers scurried over the fallen ones and continue run with all their might to reach us. Now the men are starting to howl and scream and cry as they got nearer. One of the monsters peeled away from the column and slammed into a bunker.
The figure exploded in a green mess and almost immediately the building blew up to sky, fire and smoke screaming. As the black clouds slowly trickle upwards, another infested being rushed at a tank. It exploded in a dazzling show of flames. Now the men are panicking.
The tanks hurled roaring flames towards them, and some fell. The men aimed their rifles at random spots and several went down. But too many had survived. Not enough died. My brother gasped; grabbing his oversized rifle, he glanced at my father's back before pressing a button.
He dissolved into nothing and my sister gasped. Then several other men followed my brother, disappearing into the shadows as well. We all saw the door opened as nothing left through it. Then it closed and my father let loose another curse.
I watch as the men and women spun back, blasting again at the infested monsters. The few tanks and ships left shot there and there, blowing up some monsters. The flying creatures swooped in, efficiently destroying more vehicles.
Now the heat is near unbearable. I feel the flames on my face, and they are coming closer and closer. Another bunker blew up, followed by two turrets. As the debris hurled up, some landed on the enemy, some landed on our own. I hear the screams of those dying.
Then I saw a tiny red dot. More and more dots appeared on the monsters. I hear gasps behind me and somebody grabbed me as we all dove for cover. I hear the steady roar of our great terrible weapons coming down. I dare glance.
I saw flames and smoking rushing out of our nukes as the missiles rushed at great speeds towards them. They struck; a wall of force knocked us down. It was deafeningly loud. Thunders and roars echoed around us. It is loud! LOUD! I had to shut my eyes as the brilliant, as brilliant as the sun, flames spread out.
When the flames and smoke began to implode, the rumblings slowly stopped, and I could smell blood, flesh, all burning. Some men swore and leapt to their feet, already shooting at the pitiful few survivors of the fiery hell.
More and more men jumped up, mowing down the monsters. The women immediately went to the bleeding men, already patching them up and injecting shots. I stood slowly, shaking. On buildings all around us, men appeared out of thin air. I saw my own brother upon one, among them. They all joined in with the shooting.
The infested creatures rained down, dying everywhere. I can hear their insane shrieks as they fail their mission. When there are none left, we all sighed. We now have only a mere number of bunkers and turrets left and handful of tanks and ships combined.
I saw them before my people did. Yet more are coming. Now everybody sees them, and I hear cries. They cries, yet hurled up their heavy rifles and flamethrowers, already toasting more and more of them. Little critters rushed at high speeds, reaching us before we can blink. The men murdered them.
Long, snake-like creatures slithered, opening their mouths and shoulders to hurl their own spines at us. The men killed them. Large mutant creatures scurried, trying to get close enough to burrow. They die before they can burrow. Some successfully burrowed and their spines pushed up through the ground, gutting the vehicles and buildings. The ships destroyed them.
Creatures flew through the air, screaming and hurling many, many biological bombs at us. The rifles and lasers took them down. I felt hope. We're going to survive! I now eagerly predict the incoming events. More of the creatures died among the fires. The sky-bound monsters fell down to land upon their ground forces. Then I rose my eyes, seeing beyond the thick smokes.
My face became cold. My stomach became cold. My spine shivered, and my heart stopped. Gigantic monsters, far bigger than anything so far, stomped towards us. The men hasn't seen them yet. But I watch, gasping and trembling as their trunks of legs slammed at the ground, propelling themselves at great, terrible speeds.
Their enormous tusks shone in the light from the flames. Their tiny, soulless eyes trained themselves upon their targets. One man had seen then; I hear him gasp and cry, fear filling his voice: "Ultralisks! The ultralisks are coming!"
I saw my sister gasp, her face whiter than her armor. I see the women and men crying, I see my father's face darkening as he swore. I saw my brother atop a bunker, trembling. The monsters came, their very steps shaking the earth. One had reached a bunker; the bullets and flames bounced off its hide. It roared, tossing its head around as the tusks gored the building as if the metal is nothing.
The ships immediately reacted; the smaller ones swooped low, lasers battering away at the creatures' seemingly steel flesh. The larger ships held back, blasting at the monsters. Some fell down after many, many hits. Others simply shrugged off the burns and wounds and continue their mad rush.
Several surrounded a bunker, their tusks tearing it to ground in a matter of seconds. We all can hear the people's screams as the creatures behead them. The tanks and ships managed to kill few, but others turned upon them. The tusks tore apart the tanks within seconds, and they had taken down several turrets.
The flying creatures above them screamed and shrieked as they attacked our ships with no care. The fiery hulls came crashing down around us. I whimpered slightly; the ships all are gone. Our tank force are nearly destroyed. Only the ones behind our buildings remained, and there are very few of them.
The gigantic monsters ran towards us, tossing their heads wildly, their tusks cutting the very air. I can hear the swishing of their tusks. I can hear the booms of their steps, and I can hear their glee. The men behind me roared, and rifles pumped out bullets like none before, and few of them fell.
As their enormous bodies smashed into the ground, kicking up giant clouds of dust, their fellow titans rounded them, screaming deep within their throats. They are so near I can feel the pass of their tusks. One had reached us. I saw the tip of its tusk slamming through the building, missing my face by mere inches.
Somebody grabbed me and pulled me back as they traded rifles for flamethrowers. The flames roared out of the bunker, driving back the monsters for several moments. Some screamed as the fire burned their faces. Others snarled. Some fell. Then they howled, leaping towards us, tusks shining in the red light.
Suddenly the tusks began to shine blue instead red. The creatures paused, looking behind us. I barely had blinked when a bright blue light slammed into them, tearing the monsters apart. More and more energy lasers zapped around us. Somebody shouted out, "The Protoss are here!"
I saw many, many machines materializing out of blue light as they hurled their own energy balls at the enemy. Some of their warriors ran past us, readying their psion blades, tearing through the creatures' flesh. The giants screamed, tusks tearing through some of the saviors.
I saw huge machines slowly creeping forward, hurling strange bombs that zigged and zagged among the monsters, blowing up the forces behind. The enemy roared, and I saw yet another wave running towards us. The flying creatures screamed and swooped, destroying the aliens and their machines. I glanced up behind me and my gasp caught in my throat.
Huge, large, enormous, gigantic, titanic spacecrafts hovered silently above us. They are the size of planets! Blue light shone from their insides as many small ships left them. The tiny ships quickly attacked the flying monsters. Many people gasp when they saw the carriers.
Then I sighed. We're saved. The creatures are being driven back by the new arrivals, and my people gained their second wind as they joined in the massacring. I could smell the pure energy, the endless blood, the burnt flesh. It's the same all over, only we are winning.
I watch as the air simmer, and I know that their invisible warriors are moving in. The monsters roared as slashes immediately appeared in their hides and they fell. The air creatures is battling with the tiny and enormous spacecrafts. Some slow-moving aliens paused and rose their arms; blue lightnings hurled down from the clouds high above and I can hear the electricity cackle.
I saw balls of white clouds moving in and their blue energy zapping the enemy. Then the balls of red clouds moved in, possessing the minds and turning the monsters upon each other. I heard the men behind me hollering and cheering at the deaths of the creatures. I almost smiled.
Raising my head, I try to look beyond the black smoke. There are many masses behind them. Not more. They still has more coming. I let loose a tiny groan as I saw them running through the smoke, revealing themselves. The men silenced, dismay rippling through them. I heard my father swearing quietly. I saw the aliens retreating slightly as they formed a barrier around us, protecting us.
I hear the roar of our tanks and their reavers as they let loose their bombs that immediately turned the front forces into pools of blood. Still they come. The creatures screamed and their flying monsters doubled, tripled their air forces and the giant spacecrafts are being driven back. The land forces had hurled themselves at the warriors and machines, battering away at the aliens' psionic shields.
We gasped at the impossible sight; the aliens are slowly being defeated. I glanced behind me, seeing the few survivors' faces darkening. The man scrambled back into their tanks and let loose upon the monsters. My brother hollered to his brethrens and they aimed tiny red lasers on the creatures again. My father muttered curses as he and other men grabbed at their rifles and flamethrowers. The women, my sister among them, hurled blinding gas bombs at the monsters.
I saw many, many missiles coming roaring down, and I had already braced myself for another mind-numbing explosion from them. After the blinding lights and deafening noise faded, I saw the horror: many of the aliens lay along with the enemy as the dead.
And still the creatures are coming. Gigantic tusks tore through the reavers, and snake-like creatures spat their spines at the spacecrafts high above us. The flying creatures threw their own bombs at both the air and ground forces. The little runners tore at the warriors with blinding speed. The infested monsters blew up many of their machines.
We are losing. We are losing!
I see the aliens' brilliant blue blood seeping into the ground along with the red human blood and the creatures' blood. I saw the tusks tear apart another building. I saw a snake creature's spine piercing my brother's chest. I hear many, many screams in both my ears and mind.
The spacecrafts burned with blue flames as they slowly, oh how so slowly, fell towards us. One barely missed us and plowed through forces, both ally and enemy. The ships began to explode as their control centers was destroyed. The brave warriors held fast, slashing there and there with their blades.
Another building blew up; the debris rained upon us. One struck my cheek. I put my hand there, feeling hot liquid. Blood. I am bleeding. My eyes are wide. I saw the enemy tearing away at the bunker I am in. I can see their teeth and claws and tusks gorging the metal.
I whimper and backed into a tiny corner. They didn't see me. I watched as a runner tear apart my father in seconds. I saw a tusk behead my sister. I watch as the creatures absolutely murdered everyone. Everyone except me.
The blood had flooded the bunker, soaking me. The sparks danced across the computers, small flames coming to life on the fuel of the rifles and flame throwers. I see my father's skeleton and armor laying there. My sister's headless body is near to me. Many men and women, all dead. Few are still moaning. Two runners had entered the building, slashing apart the still living ones.
I did not breath. I did not utter a single sound. I watch as the runners hopped out of the door. I can see the titanic ships falling down, their brilliant blue fire lighting up the night. The aliens' psychic cries echoed in my head as they fall. The machines blew up, and the creatures rushed past the building.
I can hear the tanks' loud explosions as the monsters destroyed them. I can see the turrets blowing up as the infested creatures slammed into them. The flyers zoomed over the bunker, still not seeing me. Nobody every saw me. And I sat there, watching.
They hurled their bombs at the bunkers. The flames and smoke rose, rose, rose higher than ever before. There are no ships left. No tanks or reavers. No brave alien warriors. And worse of all, no of my people. There are nothing left. Nothing.
The creatures, at last done, slowly snapped out of their blood frenzy and slithered, scampered, hopped in every directions. The flyers lazily fluttered there and there, ensuring that the sky are empty of ships. Some runners dawdle among the bodies, occasionally stopping to slash at anybody still alive. I hear few screams. Some screams are men's. Some are the aliens'.
After the last of the screams faded, the runners hopped back into my bunker. They sniffed at the corpses. One runner stopped by my sister and grabbed at her armor. Tearing it off, it growled, saliva dripping. Three more runners joined the first one and dove at my sister's chest.
Tearing off her flesh, they gulped it hungrily. I watch their tiny teeth becoming stained with blood as they feasted. I hear the crack of the bones as they broke the ribs, reaching for the red flesh inside. One pulled at the flesh, red as the blood. I watch as the flesh stretched before snapping in two. Their gleeful cries attached several more runners, and within mere moments, they had stripped my sister to bones, much like my father.
They murmured happily as they left the bunker, drowsy. I still dare not move. My eyes are tired as I scanned the surrounding. I see only few creatures, mostly runners. They are feasting on the dead aliens and men. I didn't feel sick at all. I just… watch as they ate. Then I glanced at the thick smoke, seeing beyond it.
I froze. I did not quiver a muscle, did not blink, nor breathe. The lone figure are walking towards me. There are no doubt. It's walking directly to me. I still did not move, watching it. The smoke swirled around it, revealing it. My body became far colder than it ever had been.
The great terrible queen. She is coming. She sees me. I met her yellow, savage eyes. Her face is impassive as she walked towards me. The fire's light shone, making her green skin look brown, almost red. Her black armor shone with red light.
Still her face reveals nothing as her eyes held my own. I still sat, huddled in the corner that had hidden me from the runners. But apparently not from her. She is now in the perimeter of the bunker. She stops, still staring at me.
Then she slowly unfurled her wings, letting me see them. They are like giant claws, quivering and tense. Stretching into the sky, I knows that her wing-claws are thirsty for blood. I still did not move. Then she slowly relaxed her wings, closing them.
Her yellow eyes hardened as her face spilt into a mad grin. I can hear her voice, both in my mind and ears. "What is a human child doing here?" Almost laughing. I did not answer. I stared at her eyes. She stared back, equally silent. Then she spoke again.
"Everyone is dead." I didn't answer. I didn't want to. She almost nodded – almost - as she added, "Little girl, you will not live." I know she is saying the truth. But I just stared back, still staring into those savage eyes. Then she sighed very slightly, starting to walk again.
She stopped next to me and knelt down. Her eyes met mine. She reached out with a hand; I can feel her claws touching my cheek. Moving slightly from the sharp claws, I didn't do anything else. She was quiet. I can feel the queen's powerful psychic mind brushing against mine; she wants to sort through my mind, yet she does nothing. Then she softly whispered, much like a mother soothing a child.
"What is your name, little girl?" I stared at her. What to do? I will not live. She knows this and I know this. Why is she asking my name? I looked down, staring at her green hands and her sharp claws. Then I moved my eyes up her arms, down her wings, stopping at the claws' tips on them. Then I looked back into her eyes. She stares at me, waiting for my answer.
I realized that she will sit there until I answer. She won't do anything. I whispered very quietly; "If you tell me yours." Realizing the absurdness of it, I quickly sucked in a breath, feeling my eyes widening a bit. She did not answer as she stared into mine. Then she slowly nodded. I gulped. I know who she is. She's the infested queen of the Zerg. She's the infamous Queen of Blades.
But I do not know who she is. Nobody really knows who she is.
And she's waiting for my answer. But I'm stalling. I knows that if I answer, I will die. But if I didn't answer, will she get impatient and kill me? Then she whispered, startling me. "Little girl, I will ask again: what is your name?" I swallowed one, twice, and thrice.
Taking the deepest breath ever, I can taste the blood, the smoke, the flames, the flesh, everything. My eyes moved over my father and sister's skeletons. I can see my brother's body far atop another bunker. Then I met the queen's eyes again. She had followed my gaze and saw the bodies. She looked back to me, and I can see the knowledge in her eyes.
I swallowed before answering,
"Sarah."
She stared at me. She said nothing and did nothing. Then she slowly stood up, staring at me. She opened her mouth.
"My name is also Sarah."
With this, her face transformed into an ugly expression; her wings and claws hurled at me and-
---
