CHAPTER 14;
A ROCK OVERTURNED
The door was appealing to him somehow, but he wasn't sure why. Something was attracting him to it, even though he wasn't even sure he recognised it as part of Enterprise. He wasn't even certain he was actually awake, and not dreaming.
With a deep intake of breath, and an uncertain glance at the apparition, he pressed the door's opening button, and watched as the opening was presented to him.
He found himself a little frightened once again, but swallowed hard, forcing the fear back down, and entered the doorway.
The room appeared cavernous, and he stared around at walls that stretched on forever, a ceiling that seemed endless, and a floor that looked as though it were about to collapse out from under him.
The room was just about pitch black, or as close to it as Trip though it could get without impeding his vision completely.
Where was he? And why?
A rumbling sound came from behind him, then to his side, and then from above. It echoed all around, rattling through him, causing his skull to tingle slightly. It was almost painful.
He gasped lightly, and let his blue eyes scan the darkness for any signs of movement.
"Hello?" he called out quietly, praying for an answer of any kind.
He was greeted by a cacophony of voices that sent a jolt of pain through his head. He let a cry escape his throat, and he clutched his head, and winced, clenching his teeth against the agony the voices created in his skull.
The words were scrambled, and made no sense to him.
He tried to call out to the darkness again, but it felt as if he had never really known how to speak at all, and the attempt failed. He panted hard, and turned this way and that, searching for the door he had entered through.
It was gone.
A sound came from behind him, and seemed to carry on up the wall, accompanied by something resembling a growl.
Was there an animal in here somewhere?
No. the only animals on board were Porthos, and the Doctor's lab creatures. There should be nothing large enough to make these sounds he was hearing.
There was a heat in the room that caused him to perspire, and made his tousled hair cling to his head. He ran a hand through it, feeling the moisture in it.
When he brought his hand back to his side, he realised the moisture was warm, sticky in its feel.
He rubbed his fingers and thumb together, and frowned at the texture and thickness of the substance.
He smelt it, wrinkling his nose at the scent.
It was blood. And it had dripped on him from somewhere.
He looked up, and saw a sudden glint of something sharp.
The darkness seemed to lift, if only slightly, and just in time for him to realise something was dropping off of the ceiling towards him rapidly.
He threw himself to the side, and rolled away from the objects landing area.
He heard the light thud that was the result of the landing. but the sound was far too quiet for an object that had previously seemed so large.
He saw in the dim light that had mysteriously appeared a towering form, one that was threatening and ominous in its presence.
Before he had time to react, something lashed out at him, striking him hard in his side. He felt something give, and let out an agonised cry as he was sent backwards swiftly, coming into firm contact with one of the walls.
Real darkness enveloped him before he even hit the floor.
* * *
Porthos uncurled from his tight ball, and glanced over timidly at the area where the bad feeling had started. It was gone now though. as was his master's good friend, the one who had needed his comfort many times lately.
He pined another quiet pine, and looked up at his master, cocking his head. How could he still be asleep when the bad thing had been in this very room? It was baffling to the small dog, and he couldn't understand it one bit. and that frustrated him.
He padded silently over to the blankets where his troubled friend had been laying, and let his tail droop. He was gone alright. just like that. disappeared.
Just like the bad thing.
Without hesitation, or a care as to whether his master would lose sleep, he began barking loudly, calling as much attention to himself as possible.
A ROCK OVERTURNED
The door was appealing to him somehow, but he wasn't sure why. Something was attracting him to it, even though he wasn't even sure he recognised it as part of Enterprise. He wasn't even certain he was actually awake, and not dreaming.
With a deep intake of breath, and an uncertain glance at the apparition, he pressed the door's opening button, and watched as the opening was presented to him.
He found himself a little frightened once again, but swallowed hard, forcing the fear back down, and entered the doorway.
The room appeared cavernous, and he stared around at walls that stretched on forever, a ceiling that seemed endless, and a floor that looked as though it were about to collapse out from under him.
The room was just about pitch black, or as close to it as Trip though it could get without impeding his vision completely.
Where was he? And why?
A rumbling sound came from behind him, then to his side, and then from above. It echoed all around, rattling through him, causing his skull to tingle slightly. It was almost painful.
He gasped lightly, and let his blue eyes scan the darkness for any signs of movement.
"Hello?" he called out quietly, praying for an answer of any kind.
He was greeted by a cacophony of voices that sent a jolt of pain through his head. He let a cry escape his throat, and he clutched his head, and winced, clenching his teeth against the agony the voices created in his skull.
The words were scrambled, and made no sense to him.
He tried to call out to the darkness again, but it felt as if he had never really known how to speak at all, and the attempt failed. He panted hard, and turned this way and that, searching for the door he had entered through.
It was gone.
A sound came from behind him, and seemed to carry on up the wall, accompanied by something resembling a growl.
Was there an animal in here somewhere?
No. the only animals on board were Porthos, and the Doctor's lab creatures. There should be nothing large enough to make these sounds he was hearing.
There was a heat in the room that caused him to perspire, and made his tousled hair cling to his head. He ran a hand through it, feeling the moisture in it.
When he brought his hand back to his side, he realised the moisture was warm, sticky in its feel.
He rubbed his fingers and thumb together, and frowned at the texture and thickness of the substance.
He smelt it, wrinkling his nose at the scent.
It was blood. And it had dripped on him from somewhere.
He looked up, and saw a sudden glint of something sharp.
The darkness seemed to lift, if only slightly, and just in time for him to realise something was dropping off of the ceiling towards him rapidly.
He threw himself to the side, and rolled away from the objects landing area.
He heard the light thud that was the result of the landing. but the sound was far too quiet for an object that had previously seemed so large.
He saw in the dim light that had mysteriously appeared a towering form, one that was threatening and ominous in its presence.
Before he had time to react, something lashed out at him, striking him hard in his side. He felt something give, and let out an agonised cry as he was sent backwards swiftly, coming into firm contact with one of the walls.
Real darkness enveloped him before he even hit the floor.
* * *
Porthos uncurled from his tight ball, and glanced over timidly at the area where the bad feeling had started. It was gone now though. as was his master's good friend, the one who had needed his comfort many times lately.
He pined another quiet pine, and looked up at his master, cocking his head. How could he still be asleep when the bad thing had been in this very room? It was baffling to the small dog, and he couldn't understand it one bit. and that frustrated him.
He padded silently over to the blankets where his troubled friend had been laying, and let his tail droop. He was gone alright. just like that. disappeared.
Just like the bad thing.
Without hesitation, or a care as to whether his master would lose sleep, he began barking loudly, calling as much attention to himself as possible.