Author's Notes 24/06/21: I did a minor edit to this chapter so that the story could breath a little. I need to spend more time editing.
I stepped out from the gate and onto the pavement with a sense of satisfaction. It had been a rather tough day at the park, my hands were still a bit sore from having to tear out those weeds from the gravel path. The air was still warm and humid, contrasting with the cold wetness I felt on my knees and elbows. The sky had a dark grey overcast, and I could already begin to feel small droplets of rain hit my face.
Fortunately, my house was right across the road. After a short walk under looming trees and unkempt hedges, I made it to the porch. As I fumbled through my pockets to get my keys, I noticed that my dad's white van was still parked outside.
"Strange," I think to myself. "he's usually still at work by now. They probably cancelled."
I wipe my boots and walk inside.
The house is quiet. The lights in the hallway and sitting room are on.
"Mum?" I shout, putting my boots away.
No answer. I shout again. Even dad would have responded by now.
I walk into the sitting room. Empty. The TV was off. The wooden coffee table had some empty bowls and glasses placed upon it. Strange, mum would never leave something like that just lying on the table. Well, dad would, but mum would yell at him until he cleaned it. I checked the kitchen, nothing. Dining room, nothing. I look out into the garden, nothing. Something wasn't right. I could feel it.
Dad couldn't go to work without his van, and mum usually worked from home. I checked my phone to see if I gotten any messages from them. Again, nothing. I was getting nervous. I made my way up the stairs.
All the doors were closed. I knocked on the bathroom door. No response. I opened it, empty. My bedroom, empty. The computer was still there, my bedsheets still mangled from this morning. Parents' bedroom.
I gave a quick knock, just in case. I hope I wouldn't walk into anything I'd regret. Again, silence. I grabbed the cold metal handle and opened the door.
The room was dark. Small shafts of grey light seeped in from gaps in the curtains to the left. I could see shapes lying on the wide bed.
"Mum?"
My parents were lying on top of the sheets on the bed, their faces pointing up and their arms at their sides. Their eyes closed.
My heart felt like it was in a vice. As I slowly walked into the bedroom, I thought I saw my parents move. But when I stood next to the side of the bed, I noticed that they weren't lying on the bed at all.
They were… Floating. Just hovering a few inches above the duvet. My heart was racing now, I struggled to comprehend what I was seeing.
Then I saw it.
A tall, slender figure stood by the side of the curtains. I could see the design of a dark suit hit against the pale sunlight as he stood with his hands behind his back. First, fear arose in me. Then a sudden fury. I felt energy spark against my fingers.
Suddenly I heard something scuttle on the floor beneath me. I could barely react as the small, goblinoid creature climbed atop my back and clamped a small metal device behind my neck. My entire back became ice cold, I lost feeling in my muscles and fell to the floor.
I saw a glimpse of the small creature scurry back under the bed as I lay on the carpeted floor. I could see the tall figure walk around the bed and towards me as everything faded to black.
Suddenly I felt cold air brush against me as colour returned to my vision.
I was floating upright a few feet above the ground in some wooded area. I still couldn't move my limbs. I could see several figures walking across and around the tall, dead trees and muddy ground. Then I realized I was in the park again. More specifically, I was in that quiet corner I snuck in a couple of times to scream out that overload of psychic energy.
I saw the same suited figure kneeling next of a circle of burnt earth. I could see him more clearly in the fading sunlight. He wore a dark blue suit, had pale skin and short black hair. His limbs were unnaturally thin and long, looking like insect appendages. He was moving some handheld instrument over the burnt patch, and then looked at it for a moment.
I saw another figure standing by a nearby tree. He was of a similar height and build as the other figure, but was wearing a grey hoodie with blue jeans. He was hovering a similar device over a large broken branch on the tree. I could hear the sound of leaves crunching behind me.
Then, to my shock, another figure walked right across from me, only a few feet away from me. She was tall and gangly like the rest of them. She had long and straight black hair that went just past her shoulders. She wore a black coat and a long black skirt flowed from underneath. Her face had, long, narrow features that unnerved me to look at. Her eyes were hidden by large brown aviator sunglasses. She then turned to me, and face contorted into a look of scorn. I was afraid.
She then shouted something to her companions in a ghastly voice which caused them to stop and walk towards her. When they all came close into view, I realized something. I had seen them before.
The hooded figure, I had seen on the bus a few times, on those trips I had to go into the city. I saw him stare at me few times before I got off. I thought I saw him in other places too, like when I was in the in the shops in the city. I could see the same man in the grey hoodie looking at me just a few aisles behind, but he always walked away before I could be sure. But now I know it was him.
The lady, I had definitely seen before. I saw her in the in the garden centre at the park a couple of times. When I was watering the dahlias one rather hot morning, I saw her slowly walk across the stands on the other side, giving me a sly smile as I looked up at this tall woman. I found the gesture to be more unsettling than anything else, so I just ignored it.
As for the suited figure, only one haunting encounter came to mind.
I was meditating in the garden one afternoon, I sat on the grass and was in a mild trance. For some reason my eyes opened. Nothing shocked me or grabbed my attention, my eyes just opened. I look to my left, high wooden fences. Then I look to my right, beyond the rows of short chain link fences.
There he was. Just standing there two gardens opposite. He was looking right at me, a pair of small sunglass obscuring his eyes. He wore the same dark blue suit. I was shocked by his height. Even from two gardens away, he looked like he was looming over me. Then he simply turned around and walked back behind the house.
I knew who lived in that house, there was no one in there that looked like him. There was no one on my street who looked like him! It terrified me. I found it hard to sleep for a week after that happened. I told my parents, and they said they didn't see anyone. I never saw him again after that, until now.
The three figures approached me, their stern and scowling faces visible to me now. I could see the square sunglasses on the hooded man's face as he approached. They stood about a metre away from me as the female, still close to me, put her hand behind my head. I felt her cold fingers touch my neck before I lost consciousness again.
After what felt like hours of floating in darkness, I felt control slowly return to my limbs. My skin felt something cold and wet slide against it. There was a light pressure on my body, as if I was being pushed through some slick membrane.
Suddenly I fell onto the cold, hard ground. I coughed and hacked as I lay on the floor. There was an awfully strong smell like ammonia seeping through the cold, dry air. My body felt weak, but I could move again. I slowly rose up on my hands and knees and looked at my surroundings.
I was in some dimly lit chamber. Tiny green lights in the ceiling showed strange, organic designs on the dark blue walls. As I got up, I felt something brush against my foot. I looked down.
I felt horror unlike anything I had felt before.
There were people's clothes littered everywhere. Shirts, jackets, trousers, skirts, shoes. Some children's shoes. Not only that, there were other items too. Handbags, phones, wallets. I saw a few watches and lighters.
I stumbled back onto the floor, panic rushed through my body.
What happened here? What is this place? What did they do to my parents? What will they do to me?
My train of thought was interrupted by the sound of gears whirring in front of me.
Suddenly a huge door in front of me flew open, and I was blinded by a ray of light.
Three silhouettes appeared before me, a small figure stood in between two much taller ones. The small one raised its arm towards me and felt a similar cold feeling shock across my body. My limbs dangled as I gently floated a few feet into the air. The two tall figures walked towards me.
They were exact copies of the suited man I had seen before. Same suit, same lanky gait, same scowl. They stood on either side of me as they began to remove my clothes.
I was on the verge of tears. I wanted this to stop. I wanted to wake up in my bed. Please God.
When they were finished, the small figure moved his arm again and I hovered towards him. The suited men followed in tow. We were led through a long corridor that looked like inside of some monster's throat. The walls were coloured a dark purple and had columns shaped like spinal vertebrae.
Soon I was led to another chamber. Rectangular blue lights adorned the walls of this large room. In the centre, lay a large white cuboid. A bright light shone down on this metal altar as I was guided towards it. Soon I was next to it, and I felt my body rotate until I was slowly being laid on my back on the platform.
The smooth metal touched my bare skin, it felt oddly warm. The two tall men stood on either side of the table. The small figure stood behind my head and looked down at me.
It's grotesquely swollen head appeared to glow with a pulsating amber light, whilst it's huge black eyes stared right back at me.
I saw the tall man on the left pull out a small metal box from under the table. He opened it with one hand and pulled out a long, silver needle. He held the instrument between his forefinger and thumb, then looked at me. No.
The other man then reached out his hand towards my face. He used two fingers to push my chin upwards. I could feel him mark an "X" on my throat with his fingernail.
I was crying now. Begging for them to stop. I want this to stop.
"Do not be afraid." Said a strange, unknown voice in my mind.
I looked up at the small creature. His large eyes blinked, making a wet noise.
"You will be part of something far greater."
I was awoken by clawed hands gently shaking my shoulder. I heard Shakti's voice speak to me.
"George! George, wake up!"
My vision returned. I was in on the floor of the workshop next to the stasis pod. I slowly got up, coughing and sniffing. My throat felt rough. I could see the other Crew members gather around me. David knelt beside me and had a first aid kit in his hands. Shakti embraced me again as I stood up. I slowly put my arms around her and hugged her back.