Disorientation

Rotor was a great deal slower than Sonic. I had to slow down for him as we made our way through the city. I even had the time to take in the scenery. Take note of the details. This part of the city looks as though it has been out of commission for quite some time.

The street is torn to shit, craters filled with dirt, and what was left of the somewhat smooth cement is covered in broken pieces of concrete. I kick one of the larger rocks, breaking it, and sending the smaller bits in all different directions.

I am amazed at my own strength. Perhaps this wasn't entirely misfortune after all. Perhaps God did this to me for a reason, as if I was chosen. I am needed to bring down this despicable empire, and all that it stands for. Right the wrongs I never even knew existed until today.

I honestly can't seem to understand what has become of me. My life has completely changed within the last couple of hours. I don't even hold my own name. Scarlett O'Hare is dead, and her family died with her. I've been born again, Bunnie Rabbot, and I still remain in a transition period.

I can't see too far into the future, other than what's at the end of this block.

It turns out I let my guard down too soon. We are a long way from any kind of sanctuary. I came to this conclusion when two things happened. The first thing was I could hear an alarm sounding. The second thing was when these three giant mechanical hornets came out of nowhere, dropping bombs directly onto the street.

I see them before Rotor. I am busy questioning what I see to notice what he is doing. Suddenly I'm being dragged into a nearby building and an explosion happens very close to where I was standing. Rotor opens the door to the dilapidated building, some kind of shop of sorts. He removes the pistol from the holster on his chest, and runs back out there.

As if I was that helpless. Look around the shop, for possibilities. It would be hard to kill these things from foot, as they fly, and drop bombs from the sky. A staircase catches my eye, and I smile. I did, in fact, see windows over the door.

Traveling up the stairs, I note the wooden steps cracking under my weight. I pray to God that they don't break, and slowly make my ascent.

Travel all the way to the third floor, and look for a window. I wander over to where I think the front door might be located. No windows; only doors. Lots of doors. Every door has a small metal square with a number engraved on it. 326, 327, 328, and so on.

Pick one at random, 327 it is, and kick the door in. The door breaks inward, in two pieces, and falls to the ground before me. Apparently the door was supposed to open outward. Walk through to see that I'm in someone's sleeping quarters. Notice the window across from me, and hurry to it.

Not a lot of time to waste, I think to myself, as I punch the glass, spilling shards on both the interior and exterior of the building. Peer below me to see one of the giant hornets dropping bombs in the street. Rotor managed to kill the other two, I think. The alarm can still be heard in the distance.

This is my chance. Take a couple of steps back, and take a deep breath. I'm going to try an aerial assault on this little bastard. Spring forward towards the open window, and leap with all my might. Tuck my legs in just enough to clear the window. That feeling of freefall tells me this was a bad idea.

Try to shift my weight, trying to veer forward, to squash the mechanical bug from the sky. Closer, and closer I get to the machine, as the ground closes in as well. Almost, so close I can feel it. I reach for it, and…

Miss.

Luckily land on my feet, making yet another large crater in the cement. Shockwaves pulse through my body, and I am too stunned to move. Sitting duck. I close my eyes, and wait for the inevitable. I wait for the bomb to drop, the one ending my short meaningless existence.

It doesn't come though. Instead I hear a gunshot, and the bug falls to the ground in front of me. All I can do is collapse in exhaustion.

"Come on! We have to leave now!"

He is pulling my real arm, and it's starting to really hurt. Decide it's best to work with him, and I manage to stand. Fall victim to a coughing fit, as I stand to the ground.

"I think I damaged something."

This barely comes out, as I manage to stagger forward. The stagger quickens to a half-assed jog.

"What the hell were you thinking?"

Ignore this question, and just keep walking. I'm okay.

I think.

The walk quickly turns into a run. There is a new mechanical whine to my pace, or maybe I just didn't notice it before. There's another explosion, and turn to see one of the larger buildings in the city reduced to a pile of flames and smoke.

I turn around and run to catch up to Rotor. I think he is still being pissy about that whole stunt thing I tried, and to tell the truth, I feel pretty dumb. That wasn't a good idea at all.

My walk is definitely different and more uncomfortable to maintain. The borderline of flesh that meets the steel is burning, as if the robotic limbs were overheating. We made it out of the city a while back; now we wander through the forest.

He is at least ten steps ahead of me. Earlier I had to wait for him to catch up to me, now I'm struggling. Odd how these things work out. My vision gets fuzzy, and I find myself asking this walrus if it's close, but he doesn't hear me.

Try to say it louder, but it is interrupted by coughing. Fall to my knees. My head is spinning. Colors melt together as the ground gets closer and closer. Something's amiss. Face makes contact with the forest floor, leaves crunching beneath me.

Inhalation of dirt causes more coughing. This is all I remembered before passing out.

"What happened?"

"I don't know, she just fell over, and started twitching."

"Shit."

"We can't just leave her here!"

"I know. I didn't plan on it. Just let me think."

Vague conversation. Little snippets; that's all I can catch. Everything is distorted, nothing is right. What the hell is going on? I can feel the world around me, but it's almost as if I'm not allowed to be a part of it.

Yet.

"This isn't going to work. She's too heavy."

"Damn it."

"Look, I'll stay here. You jet back to the village and get some people. Four or five of us ought to be able to handle her."

A dream? Yes, it must have been. I'm quite sure of it now, thinking to myself about how silly the whole idea was. Open my eyes, and a bright light overcomes them. The light was turned on recently. My eyes can't handle it, so they are forced closed again. After a few seconds squinting is possible.

Where am I? Silhouettes speak to each other so quietly that it isn't
possible to understand what is being said from my side of the room. Eyes have adjusted, making it possible to keep my eyes open. Seem to be in a bed, in white room. Examine my hands.

Fuck. It wasn't a dream.

Across the room from me is a mobian in a white coat speaking with my savior. Instead of saying anything I try to listen. Bits, and pieces can be made out, but most of it is mumbled jargon. Most of what is heard adds up to me being medically fucked.

I think.

Close my eyes, and lay my head back on the pillow. No idea how long it has been, but it doesn't matter. Still a bit tired. Might as while rest while I can. If all of that was real, who knows what kind of crazy shit is next?

In my dream, I am an angel sent from God soaring over trees, meadows, and mountains. Anything is possible it seems. An approaching city beckons me over the horizon, and it seems only right to seek it out. Gliding through the air, it almost seems like this is really happening.

As the city gets closer sounds can be heard emanating from the brightly glowing city. Night has come, and the only things in my line of vision are those beautiful, bright lights. The sounds are unrecognizable until I get closer.

They are screams. The sounds of crying mobians. This makes me sad, as I slow to a stop just outside of the city. The lights get brighter, and regret of flying to the city suddenly arises. Back away slowly, facing the city. It's calling me. It's my purpose.

No. It scares me too much, and I am unable to do it. Look down at my body to see that I am glowing as well. Just like the city, but not all of me. The right half of my torso, and the arm are not glowing. Both of my legs are, and my left arm is too. The light begins creeping over to the right side of my chest, and this scares me more than anything in that entire city.

My savior keeps asking questions, and seems genuinely concerned. This makes me feel better about my current situation. What is left of my body feels as though it is swelling. Pounding migraine, and my blood is boiling. Sweat pours from every possible place, making my fur soaked and smelly. Start coughing and convulsing. This doesn't feel good. Where flesh and metal meet itches like fire.

My savior stands over me, shining brightly in the light. Try to smile, but suddenly he is pushed away by the man in the white coat. He puts some white cloth around his face, and glares down on me. He pulls a syringe off the table next to him. The needle is extremely long, and it has already been filled with some clear substance.

He stabs it into my chest, injecting the contents into my heart. It doesn't feel good at all, and I can't help but feel scared. Vision gets blurry, and lights dim, as my eyes close, and I drift into the blackness.

Drifting in and out.

Having trouble distinguishing imagination from reality.

I am not whole, and blood covers the bed around me.

The right side of my torso and my waist down is just gone.

Once I was whole, then transformed.

Now it is all gone.

What the hell is happening to me?

VD

LazerTH