A few things first, shoutout to The Jokerman for their positive comments. I am now considering a crossover, but it is not at the top of what I want to write. The other thing is that I have a question for you guys. I was thinking of starting every chapter with that journal/letter format like in the first chapter, so I would like your opinions on that. Now on to the story!
THE TRUTHS CHAPTER 2: FIND YOUR VOICE
Dry month, Fourday.
Kara and the scavenging party came back late today. Usually they turn up with nothing, since this unforgiving desert has seemed to consume everything that was the old world, but today they found something no less than extraordinary.
They found another.
It was apparent quickly why they had returned to the camp late, everyone-including I- just gaped as they carried the body back. Kara hadn't been too keen on bringing him back, but the rest of the group had convinced her it seems. "Just another body to use up our recources and attention," she says, "just another waist of time." I think differently, however, something is special about this one. Not only did we think that we were the only ones left after the last group of wanderers had joined our camp, but this one is so different then all the others. Clearly he had come from far away, and his lack of garment or other means of sophistication seem to conclude that his people are barbaric to say the least. Contradictory to that fact however are these strange things that he was carrying. To be out alone would suggest that he was a scout for his people, yet he carried no notes or maps. The only things he had been carrying were a staff of some sort and a strange glowing object. The object, which I have decided to just call the Glowing Stone, is obviously much more advanced than what I can study, so I moved on to the staff. At first I thought it some type of weapon, but that was quickly dismissed when I saw that clearly it would not be effective against any foe. Then I thought that it might be something to help him walk, like Poe's staff, but that was proven to be wrong upon study of the beings skeletal structure. Then through further examination I found that the glass atop the staff could illuminate with electric light. We know a lot about the old world technologies, including electricity, but we had thought it all destroyed. The final thing I put in my notes was the easily visible number on the stranger's back. Since we have nothing else to call him, that will be his name: 9.
Wait, I believe that he just moved, he could be waking up. I may have more to add soon.
E.
9 stood-no, 9 floated in a black emptiness. Although he seemed to be standing on air, he felt massive weight on all of his body, and especially on his head. He just stood there, not knowing what to do. Out of nowhere a god-like (for lack of a better explanation) voice boomed from the emptiness.
"You have a new goal 9..."
At these words, a light appeared in the distance, the small flickering flame of a candle.
"But like all things, getting to your goal isn't as simple as walking in a straight line..."
9's body reacted without control. He attempted to walk forward, but hit what seemed like an invisible wall, he hadn't even taken a full step.
"You will have to wander in the dark to reach your goal, but there will be others to guide you. The first step is always the hardest 9, and your first step is to find your voice."
9 wanted to ask so many questions, for he didn't understand. But no sound escaped from him, which explained what the being was attempting to tell him: He truly did have to find his voice.
"Find your voice 9...speak...speak ...speak...speak"
"Speak boy! Can you hear me in there!"
The darkness burned away in a surprising swathe of light, and 9 found himself lying on his back, facing a cloth ceiling. Off in the corner of his vision he could see the candle, illuminating the room with an orangish light.
9 attempted to sit up, only managing to get his head up a bit, which was enough to notice that his zipper was all the way down, his internal workings exposed. 9's face heated up with embarassment.
"Not so fast child, and don't worry, I'm a doctor. I won't tell anyone about this." The voice sounded old and rustic, much like the hand that was placed on 9's shoulder. Although the other figure- which was only slightly lit up from the candle behind him- appeared to be very elderly, the grip was strong.
"Kara found you out in the desert, it was a miracle that you didn't die out there. The constant sand storms sent grains of sand through your fabric, jamming and scratching up your internal workings. The heat also caused your gears to work overtime, which was hard with the invading sand. Eventually you just shut down, which is lucky, since the alternative would have most likely been death."
9 thought he saw a smile form on the other's face, but his vision was still poor.
"Look at me, babbling on and on, not even allowing you to speak. Can you tell me your name child?"
9 instinctively wanted to just tell him, but again remembered that he could not speak.
Why is it that he has this ability while I do not? He wondered.
Instead, 9 turned on his side, which was slightly painful, and pointed to the number on his back.
"So that is your name, 9..." The other's face turned into one of deep thought, and for a second he turned and wrote something on a piece of paper. While he was turned 9 pulled his zipper back up, wanting the awkwardness of this moment to fade.
"Anyway, I believe I got everything fixed up, so lets get you out of bed, okay?"
9 nodded in agreement, and took the other's hands. 9 was carefully pulled to his feet.
"Alright then, you should be able to walk fine, now can you answer some questions for me?"
9 didn't know what he wanted to say, so he merely just stared at the man. Now that 9 was at a better angle, he could see the other much better. He had cloth wrapped around the top of his head, as well as some kind of robe that covered most of his body. Around his neck was a blue bandanna, and on his waist there was a belt that held little needles. On his chin there was long white strands of thread, giving the other stitch a long beard. His optics perplexed 9 the most, for they were covered with black shiny cases.
(The clothing and optic cases are very important to their way of life, so pay attention!)
"Why won't you talk to me 9? I won't know what to do if you don't talk to me."
9 motioned some words with his mouth and tapped at his throat.
"You can't speak, can you?"
9 shook his head.
"Well, I might be able to fix that, wait here."
The elderly stitch went across the room to a pile of what looked like junk in the corner. He began to rummage through it, but quickly stopped.
"Oh, this is no use, could you bring that candle to me child?"
9 complied, but as he picked up the candle he looked closely at the wick. As 9 had expected, the flame quickly licked the end of it and the flame went out, shrouding the tent in slight darkness.
"Blast it! That was the last one of my candles, now what am I to do..." there was silence for a moment. "Wait! 9, I took the liberty of putting your things on that shelf to the left there, could you possibly use that staff that you were carrying to light the room up again?"
9 nodded again, although the other stitch couldn't see it. It would have been difficult to find the staff if the talisman hadn't been lighting the shelf with it's faint green glow. 9 quickly picked up the talisman and his lightstaff, placing the talisman inside himself. He then turned the lightstaff on, and walked over to the other stitch.
"That's much better, thank you." After a few seconds though he stood up from the pile again.
"I almost forgot, my name is Elder, but you can call me E for short."
With that, E went back to looking through the pile. After a little while he stood for a third time, holding some type of mechanical...thing.
"If you would be so kind..." E said, motioning to 9's zipper. Again 9's face heated up, but he complied and unzipped himself. E ignored the glowing green light of the talisman, and began to search around 9's chest area. There were strange tingles and feelings as E reached around, and 9 dearly wished the moment would just end, although he was very thankful for everything E had done for him already. There was a spark as E fit the device into a slot in his chest, and 9 could feel the mechanism starting up.
"D-did it work?" 9 asked.
"I do believe it did." E said, smiling.
"I think you just found your voice."
