"Stranger in a Strange Land."
Part 1
Sweat dripped down my forehead as I walked along the black top roads. I had a very vague memory of what life was like before the world became infected. I did remember however the crowded streets, the cars lining the highway, stray dogs searching for food, restaurants as far as the eye could see, and people...alot of people. None of that existed now. Now the road was covered in scrap parts and carcasses. One could only bare the stench of death as long as they kept walking.
I had learned many things when the world was still civil but I've learned even more now, when survival on my own has been thrust upon me.
I wish I could remember more about my life before, like the smell of wild flowers in Spring, what my best friends looked like, what my brother's name was, what my name was, and if I had any parents.
I remember watching the kids of Dust City in envy as their parents called them home for supper and when their parents would tuck them in at night. All I had was Mister Clackson's cooking at the dinner and Sheriff Ronning's jail house cot to sleep on.
But these things were always swept to the back of my mind as I walked through Death's Desert.
Death's Desert covered most of Texas. Where once plentiful farms and crop fields lay now lies mile after mile of death and sand. No one has every survived through the desert.
No one but me.
This desert was my home territory for 2 or more years before I came across Dust Bucket. I survived by drinking from the Oasis that only I knew about.
But my once plush Oasis that was covered in luscious green grass and purple wisteria that had a huge pond in the middle was taken over by mindless Enders while I wasn't looking. This upset me greatly but I could do nothing about it. The Enders killed the last remaining place of beauty because I forgot to protect it. It was my fault.
I sighed and wiped my head of dripping sweat. I then took shelter in a small brick building off the side of the road. It's golden arches told me exactly what it was once.
I walked inside and felt a damp cold rush of air hit me. The one downside to finding damp indoor areas was the mold covering the walls and the fungus. To most people inhaling mold could cause allergies to appear or may infect your lungs. To me it just created a funky smell.
Inside this place it looked like a tornado had come through and ripped everything to pieces. There was also blood splashed here and there, it was incredibly dark. There were slime and oil trails from where Enders once searched for something to devour. They were the ones that caused the mess.
During the warm season Enders were out and about like flies, they were every where. But during the colder season's they hid themselves in warm places, but there were still animal type Enders around like Cobras, dogs, snakes, and scorpions. Even if it was only a slight chill in the air or freezing during the night the tentacle worm like Enders couldn't stand it.
After looking around I took a seat in the dark on the floor and started to relax my over worked muscles. I pulled off my backpack, my large blackish green garb, and my sunglasses. I could feel the damp air hit my arms and legs now and felt better because of it.
"Drip...drip...drip." I could hear water dripping into a puddle right in front of me. I looked up to see a loose pipe dripping water from within it. I looked down to see a puddle no bigger then my hand but much deeper then my palm.
I looked inside the puddle and sniffed it to see if it had anything I could not digest. Inside the puddle, even with such little light I could still see my reflection. My brown hair looked a mess, it tumbled off my shoulders then curled into itself. My green emerald eyes glowed with a gold color around my sharp cat-eye like pupils. My face was dirty covered in mud and sweat, you could barely make out I was humanoid with my mask of dirt. The skin on my shoulders and legs were pale compared to my face. The garb protected me from the sun well. But the hoody that masked the details of my face did not protect me as well as the garb.
After deciding the water was safe I took a handful and drank it but before I could take another handful I heard snarling and growling behind me. I turned to see 2 infected and rabid dogs glaring at me as if I was meat.
I glared back and let my lip up turn. I had learned that the more animal you appear the more you can control the animals around you. So instead of acting human I acted like an animal.
I growled at the red eyed dogs and snarled back at them. The dogs sniffed the air and recognized the scent of a vicious killer. They backed off and headed back to where ever they came from.
I smiled for a minute before drinking another handful of water. But then I heard something else, it sounded like a meow. Images flashed past my mind of one certain cat. The thought of this cat made my heart sink. Quickly I stood and followed the noise.
It got darker the further I headed into the building, but I could still see fine with the night vision I had. I walked a little farther till I saw the 2 dogs again growling at a little orange kitten that had it's fur standing up, hissing at them. From what I could smell and see this kitten was some how not infected. The thought made me smile and quickly I grabbed up the kitten and sliced the 2 infected dogs in half. I did so in almost a blink of an eye, so fast my blade didn't even get any blood on it.
Usually I tried not to kill any animals even infected ones but in this case I had to to protect the kitten. I then sheathed my sword and stepped back to where I left my pack. I could feel the kitten shivering from fear in my arms. The poor girl was just a big ball of orange fluff. There was no way she'd survive on her own.
I sat down with the kitten and put her in my lap, she stared at me for a long time before noticing the water and going to lap it up. Quickly I grabbed a piece of meat from my bag and handed it to the kitten. Some how this kitten didn't seem malnourished either. I could only guess that at one time a human had made a place here and fed this kitten then left and never came back, and recently too.
The kitten meowed happily at me in thanks for the food and I smiled as I petted her. It was a miracle to see such an animal not infected and not starving, this kitten was a miracle within herself.
"I'm going to name you...Lena." My voice sounded deep and scratchy after barely any use. I barely talked to any one even the people of Dust City, I was a very quiet person. But I remember not always being that way.
The name was also very familiar as if I had taken it from my memory or something. But I shrugged off the feeling of deja-vu as I continued to pet little Lena.
After a few hours of eating scraps and drinking water from the pipes I began to grow tired. I hated sleeping, I always had nightmares about an eerie set of red glowing eyes watching me. Every time I woke up there was always one word on the edge of my tongue. I dared not think of it.
I yawned then Lena yawned. I petted the kitten then sat against the cool brick walls with my katana and sheath sitting inbetween my arms and legs as I slept sitting indian style. Lena wanted to sleep in my lap so I hugged my katana to make room for her.
I fell asleep almost instantly, while feeling of Lena's warm little body in my lap. Her chest peacefully raising and lowering as she breathed. I matched her tempo as I closed my eyes and let my cheek fall against the cold brick of the wall behind me.
I could feel it again, the nightmare over coming me. It was so dark and hot, I could barely breath. I had forgotten what it felt like not to be able to see when my eyes were opened. I had always been able to see in the dark after I woke up from my death.
I could feel my body lying down, my back felt a cold metallic surface underneath it but I could not open my eyes to see. I then felt heat waft all over my body, around my legs, over my shoulders, on my bare breasts, and on my face. I could feel I was nude and that my arms were chained together and so were my legs.
I tried to struggle but I couldn't move. I could feel sweat dripping down all parts of my body. Fear struck me for the first time, at least it felt like it did. Fear like this any way.
But then I could feel a cold leather gloved hand ghost over my body, touching me in places that made me want to struggle and scream.
After the gloved hand went away I heard a voice, the voice that haunted my every dream. It was velvet smooth yet sharp and strong, just like the gloved hand that touched me. I knew if I tried to scream it would strangle me but if I stayed quiet the movements would be smooth and caressing.
"Open your eyes."
The voice commanded softly and I felt an overwhelming urge to obey that voice's every command.
I opened my eyes to see glowing red and gold eyes almost exactly like mine staring back at me. These eyes could see further then skin deep, I felt that just by looking at me he knew who I was.
But I myself have always had this odd ability to tell what kind of person some one was by looking into their eyes.
I peered into the eyes that peered into me and I saw death, blood, flames, anger, and an all consuming need for absolute control. I saw the oily tentacles consuming the world and I heard 6 billion cries of agony inside my head.
I tried to scream along with them, it hurt so much! I felt hot tears prick my eyes and I felt like I wanted to die. But I couldn't scream all I could do was whimper out a few words.
"Please...make it stop..." I pleaded to the red eyes and their owner.
Thats when the glove hand gently covered my lips and the voice told me; "Shhhhh, it's alright. That isn't your problem to worry over dear heart. Not any more." The voice told me. Then the hands reached out and closed my eyes. "Soon enough we'll meet and you'll be among your own kind and all those pathetic humans will be gone."
As soon as the voice said that and my eyes closed I saw quick flashing images of all of my friends at Dust City dying and there being flames every where.
I woke up with my head jerking up and that one word pulsating at the back of my throat escaping through my lips like a bad tasting piece of meat.
"Father."
I shivered at my own voice and felt freezing cold for the first time in a long while. I wanted to shake off the feeling of death from my body but I couldn't. Either the dream I just had was a vision instead or just a dream.
For the first time in a while I felt my heart beat speed up almost as if my heart was telling me I was doing the right thing. It was telling me; Go! Protect the last of humanity! Protect your friends!
And that was exactly what I was going to do.
So I picked Lena up off my lap and sat her down then picked up my pack and garb and put them on, then I attached my sheath to my pants, and then put on my sunglasses last. I then safely tucked Lena under my garb and into one of the large pockets so she'd be well protected from the sun.
Only two things were on my mind as I started my journey again, protecting Dust City and the figure in my dreams...a man the blood inside me wanted to call father.
