Chapter 2, again this chapter is a year old. I hope you all enjoy. I'll post more chapters later today.

Chapter 2: Recovery and Downfall


Audio Log #2: Recorded by Fran Burstop on October 3rd 2352. 22:37 Cornerian time. Subject: Mandatory death toll report.

Good evening. This is an audio recording of Fran Burstop, a nurse at Cornerian General Hospital. This report has been requested by some of Corneria's Senators in response to the recent pirate attack. Up to this point the official death toll is two thousand, two hundred and fifty six people. This number has been deemed too high to release to the public because the Senate doesn't want to send the people into more panic than necessary. So we've been told to tell the tabloids that the official death toll is six hundred. Many of the survivors of this tragedy are strong willed and I really believe that they'll recover nicely. There is one victim however that stands out from the rest. She has suffered a broken leg, concussion and amnesia. Her recovery rate has been unbelievable. The first day that she came in she had several lacerations across her whole body. Now, less than two days later, they're no longer there. I'm truly awestruck by the rapid recovery of this patient and I'll submit another audio log if I find out more about her. Fran out.

*END OF RECORDING*

***

It has been almost two weeks since the crash, when over six hundred people died on that horrible day. The death count rose in the week that followed, when more patients died from their injuries or when more of the dead were found. All of the hospital staff have been working very long hours over the past couple of weeks. I found out after the crash that about one thousand people, including me, survived it.

In the past two weeks, about seven hundred of the survivors have been dismissed from the hospital. Most of them only needed a few stitches or treatment for broken bones. I was a special case. The metal rod from that was found in my leg had torn a vital muscle. I needed nano-surgery in order to repair it. I had that surgery three days after the tragedy., and I've been spending these past couple weeks learning how to walk again. I can walk, as of two days ago, but I need a cane or some other form of support so that I can balance myself. My doctors are telling me that it will most likely take a week or two before I will learn how to walk on my own once again.

I am off morphine now, I decided to stop taking it. I don't feel like I need it anyway, since there isn't much pain anymore. Most of the time I'm pretty active around the hospital, I don't just want to sleep my days away. I volunteer my time by helping to prepare food in the cafeteria. There is also this room in the hospital that most of the other patients call 'the game room'. I usually enjoy playing checkers, chess and pool by a nearby window. It's funny how I can remember the rules about these old board games. yet I can't remember anything about my own life.

***

I'm in some sort of huge hanger. I see quite a few armed guards around me, they're wearing uniforms with a hint of red and gray in the fabric. I can see more clearly now... I'm on my knees with my hands on top of my head. One of the guards behind me must be holding a blaster rifle, I can feel its barrel digging into my back.

There are two in front of me. A pig and some sort of dinosaur. Both of them are smirking and snickering to themselves. The pig is fat and smelly, I can practically see the odor steaming off of him. The dinosaur beside him has yellow eyes and blood-red scales. His gazing eyes seem to pierce into me...

"You've betrayed our trust Nikki..." the dinosaur sneers. "our organization no longer needs you.."

I see the pig wave his hand and point behind me. I hear two clicks as the blaster rifle loads.

I look back at the dinosaur and smile confidentially. "Well then... I guess I don't need you either... goodbye, Falm."

Before they can even react, I manage to grab the rifle aimed at my head with both hands. However, the guard behind me refuses to let go. I notice that the other two begin to unlatch blasters from their belts. I pull harder as the guard behind me finally loses his grip on his rifle. The force of pulling the rifle sends the guard behind me flying straight towards the other two. The pig and dinosaur begin to raise their blasters. As the guard collides with the other two, I hear three blaster shots. I suddenly realize that it wasn't their blasters that went off, it was my rifle. I look down and see a small cloud of smoke billowing out of the barrel, I see the three guards in front of me, motionless. I smell the stench of burnt meat...

***

I wake up, startled and sweaty. I sit up on my bed as I wipe my tear-sodden eyes.

"Oh man..." I groan half asleep. "Another nightmare..."

That's my third one this week... I sigh again and pull my bed sheets off as I grab my cane and get out of bed. I check the room clock to my left...

'Four fifteen,' I tell myself. 'Perfect... just perfect.' I turn on the radio and walk towards the bathroom.

I turn on the bathroom light and I see my reflection staring back at me. When I first saw myself in the mirror a couple weeks ago I was shocked at the color of my hair. My whole body is covered in white fur, except for the hair on my head, which is black.

I run some water from the sink and splash some of it onto my face. Brr... it's always cold in the morning. I begin to roughly comb my hair with my claws but I quickly see that I'm not getting very far.

'Nikki, you're a girl, use a real comb.' I tell myself as I pick up the comb near the sink.

The song should have ended right before I got into the shower, but I press the repeat button. I turn on the bathroom intercom so that I can listen to it. After about 30 minutes I'm clean and dressed in a pair of blue pants and a black sweatshirt.

I open the bathroom door and I notice that Fran is in my room, making my bed. I notice that she looks very tired, she's been working hard these past couple weeks. Possibly too hard.

"Here, let me help you with that," I offer as I walk toward the bed.

Fran smiles slightly. "Thanks hon."

I look at the radio clock again, I notice that the song is still playing the volume has just been turned down.

"It's four forty three. When does your shift end?" I ask her concernedly.

"In a few minutes hon, just thought that I would make your bed before I leave." she responds quickly.

As I'm helping her make the bed I glance now and again at her face. She doesn't look old, but she doesn't look young either. She looks... quite weary, as if she was powerless to stop the suffering that has occurred around her.

I open my mouth to speak but before I can say anything I hear a loud bang. I'm pushed off balance, hit the ground hard and I yelp in pain. I suddenly hear a loud alarm blaring, I smell smoke that is so thick my eyes are stinging. The music has stopped. I manage to wipe out my teary eyes and as I look around behind me I see Fran lying on the ground. She's covered in a thin layer of dust, motionless.

"Fran!" I scream as I cough through the smoke filled air.

...but there is no answer.