Chapter 1: Beautious
" You look wonderful dear," Serena pushed me out of my dressing room and into the corridor, the hall was lined with many doors which all had yellow wooden stars hanging from them, some lucky enough to even have names engraved on them. I was going to get my name on mine soon.
Serena held onto my elbows as we paced ourselves down the hallway, watching as my long gown was trailing us and Serena, watching her step gracefully to not rip my seams or trip. I felt so grateful like I was going to get married, well I was in a movie that was. The makeup started to move down my face as the fluorescent lights started to heat up the hallway, it felt as if it wasn't going to end until I held onto the railings that led towards glass doors to movie set B. Inside I could see my parents awaiting my arrival and my director looking over his scripts and notes, Serena dashed ahead of me to open the doors, she winked at me as I walked in, carefully over the sudden rise in the floor.
My mother looked at me and smiled proudly, she ran over and put her hands on my bare shoulders, tears welling in her eyes I couldn't help but to roll my eyes in response.
" It's not a real wedding mother" I held my tongue in laughter, in my tone it sounded like it was rest.
" Well I'm sure you reviewed your script, if not you should now and if you did let's begin" The director stood from his chair and walked closer to me, he had his book in his hand and he adjusted my bouquet in my hand, apparently they were sagging in my hands, I just walked out towards the set that was decorated as a church setting, many extras were sitting in the benches as I saw the young man I was supposed to marry. His name was Tom and he was kinda cute but not my type, I was still single and searching for the right type of man, I like someone who is artistic, shy and very kind. I walked slowly as everyone stared towards me and I walked closer when suddenly I felt something, a slight tremor within the earth I turned and saw everyone was shaking as well. The director was confused and he called off the set, he then went to find a prop man to help us out. We all waited while we bounced about on the set, I then had the sensation to turn around, outside of the church's window there was a huge shadow clouding over us, Tom looked at it to both of us pondering about what on earth could cause such a shadow, that's when the shadow or what ever it was broke through the window.
It looked like a huge bomb shell with a huge red eye in the middle, it seemed to examine us until we heard a charging sound awaken inside of it, then in a compartment it reveiled a huge gun. I stood still and heard people scrambling out of their seats and screaming coming from various directions, people whizzed by me as I stood stricken in spot. mouth wide open and staring at the red eye, it noticed that I was staring at me and the gun was pointed towards my chest.
" Jess! What are you doing run?" Tom shouted beside me.
I stood still I couldn't move, all air from my brain had shut down as well as it felt as if my heart stopped but kept pulsing with every minute that passed, I couldn't move I was petrified and lost control of my body, I awaited as the gun started to charge and finish me, I did relise that my parents were watching, waiting for me to join them. But what could I do? The machine standing in front of me was towering over me! I wouldn't stand a chance anyways, that's when the gun was just about to fire. I closed my eyes in response only to have felt as if being pushed, hardly.
I felt myself fall into a pair of unsuspecting hands, when I reopened my eyes I saw that Tom was laying on the floor after a bleeding ear bomb. When the smoke cleared I saw that Tom's body was laying covered in blood, his innards were starting to poke through his tuxedo and his skull was showing through bits of his jet black hair, my eyes widen in fear as I choked back bile that made it's way up my esophagus.
" TOM!" I managed to yell out after moments of silence, the smell of smoke and iron now filled the room, and the machine turned my way as soon as I excalimed. My mother and father pushed me back, as my father's lips brushed against my ear he whispered, " Find shelter we'll find you later" I nodded though they didn't turn back towards me.
I ran down the corridor, it was filled of people trying to get through to changing rooms, I shoved people out of the way and even knocked some down, as soon as I met my door I heard a gun shot and my mother screaming, my vision blurred as I thought of my mother. Unexpectedly like it knew of it, my brain flashed a version of my mothers death, so gory and repulsive. I managed to throw up some bile on my white, silk wedding dress. I tugged at the door until I had to kick it down in order to get in.
Inside there was my vanity, couch and closet. Immediately I ran into the closet, locked it and closed it. I tried my best to be brave, however my mother and father's corpses laying on the carpet haunted me every 5 seconds, the darkness made it worse as it made the images realistic as it rocked with the tremors of the machine. The screams of many, and the guns firing made the closet seem like a prison rather then a safe. I kept my shaking hands on the cold metal doors as felt it come closer, I felt it peer into my room as the doorway of the closet glowed a crimson red, fearing it was blood I pulled my legs up carefully, trying not to hit shoe boxes or make any unnecessary noises. I then noticed the red light went away and the tremors continued north. I then heard no noises of people, or machines anymore, the place was graveyard quiet, this now once popular movie studio was no a morgue for many, including my beloved parents. I kept still sitting in a fetal position as I rocked back in forth with paranoia, I realised that maybe it was over.
I could go find help at other studios and tell them what happened, I creaked open the closet slowly, I slowly peeked my head out and looked around. Trickles of my blond hair realised themselves from the metal weight bun atop of my head. Slowly I crept out and found my dressing room still in peace, there was no noise from outside, just pure silence. I walked to my door and crept it open, I felt myself scream at what I was observing.
The whole set, the movie studio. Was reduced to rubble I could see the whole outside world, many of those machines were about and they were destroying all of buildings, as well as killing by the sound of the screams, I knew I had to get help but how? I started to run but remembered my knee long wedding dress, I'm so sorry Director sir I thought, I put my hands at the seams of my dress and ripped them up towards my knees, revealing my legs as well as giving me enough leg room to run with, I kicked off my shoes and left the white high heels in my room. With no idea what I was doing I started to run towards the opening.
There was no point running towards the exit that was gone now, I just slipped over what was left of the studio and onto Broadway Bvd. The whole street was covered in huge holes in the ground, as well a bunch of corpses that were bloodied and many with their guts showing as well. I felt sick but was more worried about my safety. I ran as fast as I could to behind a A&W restaurant sign, as far as I was concerned there were many of these machines about. I peered up at them with rage, those creatures or whatever they were killed my family, I was now wishing I had an older sister or someone to get aid from, I was an only child though. I kept my eyes on the one machine that was busy studying an insurance agency building. The machine burrowed through destroying the building as well as any possible survivors of this massacre, which made me wonder about how this all came about. I then decided to start walking to a farther building to get help.
When I took a step my foot stumbled on a sharp piece of rock, making me slip into clear view of the machine. When I brushed the hair from my face I saw that the machine's gun was pointed directly at me, feeling fear and rage I stood up and started to dart behind the sign where there was still a bunch of building structure I could run behind. I ran as fast as I could hoping to find some building that was still in one place, No matter how far I ran the picture was the same, green colored skies along with Hollywood being reduced to piles and piles or rubble, I dared to look towards the Hollywood sign if I could find it in the smoky fumes of ashault and brick crumbling. I felt like stopping but I knew the machine was on my heels and presumably closing in fast as well, my feet were starting to ache but I knew it would be worth it soon. Even with my breath slowing down, my heart race speeding up and the stitch starting to weave it's way through my side, I kept on running, I wasn't sure which way but I decided to turn onto 6th street and curve away from the machine.
As I approached the stop sign, I turned sharply onto 6th street, nearly running face first into a iron gate. I slowed down a bit when I realised that it kept going straight on Hollywood, I stopped to look at the apartments, however they too were destroyed by the machines, I knew there was damage but not this much damage, the whole Hollywood scene started to look like a bad horror flick, like Cloverfield in my eye's. I slowly stumbled towards one of the apartments when I felt the earth shake again, I looked up towards the next street and saw a machine starting to loom through the rubble piles. I felt myself start to give out but I started to run towards Hollywood again, the machine noticed my presence and started to follow me, I ran as fast as I could again, passing buildings that stood on one brick or more and many people's corpses with horrified looks itched onto their faces, peaceful in death was the irony of it all in my mind.
I was just about to trick this machine as I did the other one, I was about to swiftly turn onto another side street when I felt my foot slip on a piece of abandoned glass, I felt myself start to fall towards the ashfault. Oh God, of all the times to be a klutz I thought as I hit the ground hard, I felt my hands get scraped as well as my elbows, normally I would have cried but now I was trying to regain my balance, as soon as I turned the machine's gun was pointed at me again, figured I would have got used to it seeing as how 3 times I've been playing this same scene. Instead of being shot at I heard an electoral sound arising from inside the beast. I looked up at the red eye that seemed to be a disco light as it was changing colors so fast. Then the legs started to tremble, suddenly the legs broke off and the machine fell to the ground, I held a breath as it tried to regain it's balance but instead the eye turned black, and the power was lost.
Tears sprung to my eyes as I felt so joyful, I prayed to God thanking him for spearing my life. I then heard a sound arising again from the machine, had I spoke to soon? Instead a tiny compartment revealed something too small that I couldn't see. Seeing as how it was dead I stumbled closer towards the machine, losing my balance due to the fear that replaced the blood in my veins. I found what it was. It was a contact for your eye, it was black with a ice blue iris inside. It kind of scared me by the way of it's ghastly stare but instead I picked it up, I put it close to my eye scanning it when suddenly it jumped. No kidding! It jumped into my right eye, in responce I closed my eyes in fear.
When I reopened my eyes everything was normal, I could see normaly that is until my eyes adjusted correctly. My eye which now held the contact, had a bunch of numbers scanning through it, I looked towards a pile of rubble and involintarily it zoomed in to reveil a bloodied hand, I was a couple of feet away however it was like it was maginifed for me, then the words came up as NO HUMAN LIFE, I relised that this was the contact that allowed the machine to detect life in various areas, feeling myself start to cry I reliesed that I wasn't so lost after all, standing up I saw all the numbers start to point in a direction, joyfully I ran towards it the eye could only detect life and that's were I was heading, even if I was surrounded by machines I would be able to fight them, hopefully.
It was about nightfall when I arrived in a new town I have never witnessed before. I looked around as I saw that there was nothing here either, by this time I found myself exhausted by the outcome of the day, I decided that I would find shelter and go exploring in the morning. Now where could I sleep I thought to myself, my eyes directed me towards a huge church steeple in the distance. I ran as fast as I could towards the church steeple, watching out for any machines in the shadows. I stumbled upon the steps of the church and pushed open the doors, the creak that came from them was bone chilling, I was starting to have second thoughts about this place, but my contact starting showing me that there was life here, maybe some refugees have founded bunks in this place, I wasn't sure I just wanted sleep. I stumbled upon a church seat and laid across it, as uncomfortable as it was, I closed my eyes and tried to sleep.
I kept opening my eyes feeling a presence as soon as I closed them, opening them to find nothing. I would close my eyes then I would feel the sensaution as if someone was flashing a light into my eyes. This time I glanced open a bit, the light was so bright it seemed like two laser pointers were shined within my eyes, my eyes reacting to the quick change of light closed, this time I opened them right away and the lights were gone. I groaned and closed my eyes for a third time. Once again the same reaction, I opened my eyes a bit as I felt the lights dim this time I could see more.
I saw two garden glove looking things, standing and flashing lights in each other's eyes, I slowly closed my eyes and pondered to myself, There cute for garden gloves they even move and everything.... My eyes jolted awake, startling the glove they ran and hid and I screamed as loud as I could, I peeked around for them wondering what I had encountered. I then got up and looked around, my eye contact guiding me to their hiding place, I surely was curious but I probably made them both afraid of a screaming girl. So as I walked I whispered.
" I won't hurt you, I promise you just scared me that's all" I shook my head in every direction, although I knew where they were I just didn't want them to think I was making a head on path towards them. I keep looking upwards until I felt something tickle my leg, looking down I saw the garden gloves, as I bent down slowly not making any sudden movements I finally got a good look at them.
They weren't garden gloves, they were people! They both wore blue garden gloves with yellow, red and green stripes going down them. I could see they had little heads with huge optics for eyes and the garden gloves making a hood for them, I looked at their curious and puzzled faces. I smiled kindly and started to joke around with them.
" Did you guys wake me up?"
They looked at each other and flickered lights in their eyes, they then turned towards me and nodded shyly, they then started to shake as if scared of me.
" No, please it was nothing, please don't be scared of me, my name is Jessica" I held out my hand though it was 1000 times their size, they both looked up at me and smiled warm smiles at my response. I was hoping for a response in their names as well, but none of them said anything to me.
" What are your names?" I asked, I was getting tired and I was scared that I would fall onto of them in my exhaustion, to be safe I backed up a couple of paces.
They looked at me and flickered their eyes, I cocked my head to my side and they understood that I didn't understand, together they each put their hands underneath a black blur in my eye. I leaned closer and realised that they had numbers painted onto their bodies. With a look I returned my gaze towards them and smiled.
" 3?" I replied while pointed towards one of them, I also relised that they were twins as well. 3 nodded his head and then motioned for his twin to announce himself as well.
" And 4" I pointed towards 4 and he smiled as well and stood beside 3, now that I had that cleared up I wanted to ask what kind of twins they were.
" Are you girls? Or boys? Or each of one?" I asked thinking about it myself even after I asked.
They flicked their eyes at me, I still didn't understand so instead I decided to ask slowly and have them shake their heads in response.
" Girls?"
They shook their heads no.
" Okay... One of each? Girl and boy?"
No.
" So your both brothers?" I asked again, they both smiled and nodded their heads, out of nowhere a huge gong of the church's clock startled us, it chimed 9 times telling us it was about 9:00, I yawned in response while the twins were startled and started to hide behind my feet, tickling me in the process. When they heard me laugh they walked over and saw my face, they flicked messages to each other in confusion, when I finished my laughing I explained.
" You touched my feet and it tickled me" I explained, however they still didn't know what I was saying to them.
" Do you know what a tickle is?" I asked, surely they must have heard of a tickle or laughter before.
They both shook their heads in response.
" Okay" I pondered wondering how I could explain it to them, then it hit me I stared evilly at them and then I started to tickle 3, unsure of what to do at first 3 just stared at me like I had 3 heads, however he became aware of what I was doing so he started to laugh silently. I did the same to 4 and he laughed as well.
After a while of tickling, we all were wore out, I stumbled back towards my makeshift bed and laid down, I was wondering about the twins but I didn't have to after I felt a warm presence on my back. I opened my eyes slowly and saw that they found me a blanket to sleep with, I cuddled closely in the sheets and my stomach pressed on wood as well. Slowly as I drifted off I felt the twins cuddle beside each other at the base of my neck.