Chapter 2: Soul heard sounds
As darkness slowly engulfed the power short Ark, the little light that came from the twins' optics began to distort the shadows in ways only fear could. Twisting and forming, the shadows became horrifying creatures. With these creates came noises, which only a frightened processor could conjure up. Creaks, shrieks and whispers slipped from the shadow's lips. With each roar of thunder, another yelp from somewhere in the base rang out like a cry of bloody murder.
"Where are we going, Sunny?" whispered Sideswipe to the twin in front of him.
"Anywhere…we just need to find someone," nodded Sunstreaker.
Taking careful steps, the twins retraced their steps back to Red's office. Their memory recalled the trip to be much quicker the first time around. With the lights off and fears running wild, they could be walking in circles for all they knew. Sunstreaker placed a hand upon the wall, feeling around for the nearest control panel. Sideswipe followed his lead with the opposite wall. Slowly, the two began to feel their way down the hall.
"Did you hear that!" gasped Sideswipe, glancing behind them.
"Don't…don't scare me, Sides," pleaded Sunstreaker.
"No…listen!"
Silence fell apart from the quiet whispers and calls from throughout the base. Suddenly there was sharp thud, followed by the loudest cry they'd heard all afternoon. It was a thick, strong voice, familiar but distorted by the shadow's playful nature. It called in fury, shouting like a lost spirit. Just as all seemed to subside, there was a rapid pounding that could only come from a gun. Snapping away at the silence, it howled and rang in the twins' audio receptors. It was quick and abrupt, ending just the same. Silence fell once more; even the voices seemed to run dry. The lights of the two's optics met, showering both in frightened blue light.
"What was that?" whispered Sunstreaker.
"Not what I think it was, I hope…" answered Sideswipe.
"Gunfire…" gulped Sunny.
"Gunfire…" repeated Sides.
"Help! Someone! Anyone! Help, please!"
The twins looked hastily over at the way they were heading. Again the shadows drew back, dancing light a flame. The voice continued to call, t plead, for assistance. Sideswipe nearly took a step forward, cautiously worried about whether or not a bot truly lay somewhere nearby. He heard the faintest click of a gun beside him. Before he could look for the source, a blinding light showered over the two. Blinding for a moment, slowly every color could be seen and the shadows ran away in terror. Glancing at each other, the twins blinked blinded optics at one another.
"Oh, joy, I found someone!"
With heavy groans of returning optics, the twins again glanced at the hall. The terribly blinding light came from a small device in the hand of a bot. Sideswipe rubbed his optics, helping them to regain the ability to see color and lines. There was a click of the gun again, returning to its holster. Once Sideswipe stopped, he could see clearly Red Alert before them, holding the powerful light in his left hand. He offered a weary smile, taking a few steps closer.
"Red! You could've blinded us!" howled Sunstreaker.
"Oh…Oh, I'm so, so very sorry. The lights went out from the storm that I nearly went into statis! I'm lucky I found you two so soon," he nodded.
"Right," grumbled Sunny, rubbing the last strain from his optics.
Sideswipe looked over the device in Red's hand. It was small, box shaped with the power light coming from the front end. Red found nothing odd in the strange device to which he possessed, though it was one that Sideswipe had not seen anywhere within or outside the base.
"Where'd you get the light…" mumbled Sideswipe.
"Oh, this? I have tons of these," Red smirked.
"Of course you do…" sighed Sides, continuing down the hall. "We should keep looking for the others. I don't think there's been a power outage like this in forever."
"Never one that I recall," agreed Red, following.
With Red's light, it was much easier to navigate the halls. It was almost as if the power wasn't even out. The shadow screamed in fear of the light but was quick to take up behind them. It was strange though, Sideswipe thought quietly. Red Alert was being awfully quiet. Then again, he thought smugly, maybe the old paranoid fool was think 'I told you so' too much to say anything.