Slave to a Sundered Soul

Well, here goes my first attempt at a fanfic. This story details the feelings, emotions and thought process of my courier as time passes and her fate unravels; not so much about specific events. She will eventually meet a certain person who just might be able to reach her heart. Please review so I can improve as a novice writer. Many thanks, and of course I own nothing except my underwear. As far as I know :)

Chapter One – Nemesis

The young girl stood tentatively at the cave entrance, debating whether she should feed her curiosity and explore it, or return to her parents' shack. She had asked her father permission earlier to go explore the wastes in the hopes of finding something of prospecting value.

No risk, no reward.

She remembered her father's motto. After a moment she decided she shouldn't waste this opportunity, as someone could come along and loot the place before she got the chance. She walked into the cavern, letting her eyes adjust to the dark before proceeding further. Hugging the cave wall, she went a short distance before she was led into a second chamber, even more spacious than the first. As she traveled a bit farther her nose was assaulted with a heavy musky smell, which she did her best to ignore.

This cave is bigger than I thought...

From here the cavern separated into two paths leading presumably deep underground. The girl was admiring the menacing stalactites protruding from the cave ceiling when something in the corner caught her attention.

"Is that... an egg?" she thought out loud.

There, sitting in the middle of a collection of rocks, grass and bones was the largest egg she had ever laid her eyes on. It was as big as her head, if not bigger.

"Jackpot" she claimed as she hurried over to it, "This thing could feed Ma and Pa and me well!"

She carefully scooped up the egg, cradled it in her arms, and with a smile she walked out of the cave, unaware of the mangled corpse she passed along the way. The trek home with loot this heavy would be a long one, especially with the Mojave sun beating down on her back. But her parents would be proud of her, so she diligently kept walking.

…...

Drag kill along dirt. Into home. Feed well tonight. Must be strong. To protect...

Protect...

Violation?

The scent violates home.

Leave corpse. Brood chamber.

EMPTY.

No life, only putrid scent.

Must find.

MUST KILL.

…...

A good hour had passed before the girl made it back home. She was greeted by her mother as she tended to the five corn stalks she liked to call a garden.

"Katul..." her mother looked at her inquisitively, "what have you got there?" The woman stood to investigate the strange sight before her. "My god, where did you get such a massive egg?"

"It was in a cave, to the west." The girl was beaming with pride. "I'm gonna go show Pa!"

Her mother watched her, dumbfounded as she waddled into the shack with her prize.

Her father was sitting at a table sorting through random items of various value.

Two conductors, a pile of scrap wires, a fission battery, a medical brace, and half a tank of flamer fuel. Not bad I suppose.

"Pa, look what I found!" Katul anxiously awaited her father's praise. She was going to be a prospector just like him.

Her father turned and gave his daughter a warm smile before his eyes fell to the massive egg in her arms. His smile turned to a concerned frown as he recognized the egg's brown, almost red color. He had seen an egg like this only once, when he visited Sloan on a trading voyage.

Oh no... no no no.

"Katul, where did you get this?" He demanded.

"I found it, in"-

He cut her off as he grabbed the egg from her. Shit.

"Pa, what's wrong?" The man didn't bother to answer.

"Get in the storage nook. Now." His voice cracked as panic began to set in. "Now!"

He shoved her towards the stairs, set the egg down by the door, and grabbed his laser pistol.

Katul climbed into the space under the stairs and shut the door, latching it. That's when she heard her mother's bloodcurdling scream. It was cut short by a long, deafening roar, followed by her father's terrified voice calling her name. Deep growls and snarls mixed with the sound of tearing flesh and splintering bones. A laser searing thick skin, a furious howl, and a forceful slam, followed by clattering dishes and a pitiful moan of agony. Then, one final growl and a gruesome crack.

Labored, primal wheezing. Distinct thuds on the wooden floor, getting softer... softer...

Finally, silence.

Hours passed by. The girl did not move. Didn't blink. Didn't cry. Didn't think. Didn't try.

Could not understand why.

Left in the vestiges of slaughter, unharmed... but not unbroken.