Chapter 19
Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.
*Humming . . .
Beyond the darkness, a soothing sound sang in her mind, so sweet and lovely that it attracted her like a moth to the flame. Despite the desire, her body couldn't move, even her eyes refused to open and it felt like a weight was strapped on her chest. Get up.
Like a light switch, the abyss was lifted and she could see, the light blinded her sights for a moment before it adjusted to realize where she was, laying on a small bed with walls decorated in stickers, pink lighting, and pictures of family and friends, smiling with her. She got up and remembered it vividly. This was my old room.
"Sweetheart! Come and eat breakfast," She groaned, trying to go back to sleep, "You're going to be late for school."
Knowing she wasn't going to win this argument, she scooted to the edge of the bed and slid onto her feet, wobbling as she made her way through the hall and into the dining room where her stomach growled upon being hit with the perfume of sweet syrup and pancakes.
"Sweetheart," A tall, beautiful woman stood next to the kitchen counter, her dark skin almost glowing in the morning sunlight as she ticked her tongue, "I told you to set the alarm so you'd had time to eat breakfast."
She smiled in embarrassment, "Sorry, Mommy."
Her mother glared but didn't last long before she chuckled, "Well dig in. The bus will be here soon and you don't want to be late. Go on."
With delight in her heart and hunger in her stomach, she wasted no time sitting in her small chair and grabbing her utensils as she almost drooled over the fluffy pancakes glistening with sweet syrup. Aww. How I missed these. She pressed her fork on one end and began to cut with the knife, impatient to take a bite out of it.
But as the cold steel glided across, a bright red substance oozed out. She pondered on the strange liquid as it was very unusual. Maybe it's strawberry filled? She kept going and pulled in the fork to bring out the piece but when she did, the table suddenly was flooded with the color of crimson, much squirting out of the pancakes until it became a roaring stream.
She screamed and tried to cover her face as she slipped and fell, coating her hands and body in crimson color. After landing hard, she scrambled backward and fumbled for anything she could grab. What's going on!? This isn't happening!
"Mom! Help me! Please! Mom—"
When she looked back, her heart spasmed and her fingertips trembled as shock and horror gripped her, facing down at the body that was sprawled on the floor. The limbs were twisted like old vines, the torso riddled with stab wounds and other sorts of holes that she didn't want to know if only she could resist the urge to keep going up the body. As soon as she made contact, she nearly spilled her guts along with the vomit.
The neck was hanging on to the rest of the body by a thread of flesh and vessels, still beating faintly as she traveled up and that's when all Hell broke loose in her. There she was . . . her mother's glazed pupils staring at her, cold and lifeless but her expression was one of excruciating pain upon her dying moments. She fell to her knees and began to cry.
"Momma!" She shook her mother's body feverishly, uncaring of the blood and gore staining her clothes, "Please wake up! Don't leave me!"
She called for her over and over again, her voice cracking, "Please . . . Don't go . . ."
She remembered what her mother said when there was trouble and her small mind popped up with an idea. Gotta get help!
The door began to rattle just as she got up, a series of hard knocks sent a signal that help was here. Running as fast as she could, she made her way there and shakily turned the knob in the hopes that it was someone here to lend a hand.
The door swung open and she opened her mouth to call out but the spark of aspiration she once had was gone in a blink of an eye, replaced by the dread of 'who' was in front of her.
A shadow of a person, a few feet taller overall than her mother, stood at the opening and effectively blocked her way out. It was nothing but darkness, unable to even see the face but she was sure it was a man. Despite not seeing who it was, the familiar scent of cologne filled her nostrils, a putrid smell that was strong and when she took a second to study it, her heart dropped and a cold sweat saturated her skin.
The creepiest smile peeked out of the shadow where the mouth would be, "Hey kiddo. How's it going?"
She took a shaky step back and when the figure matched her every move, coming closer, she continued but it was like her body was made of rocks.
The figure's grin grew larger and so did her dread and fear of what was to come, "What's wrong? You look pale."
The buildup inside broke like a dam and she screamed, going into flight mode and running for her life, heading for the back door in the hope to escape. But the edge of her foot touched a puddle of blood and the lack of friction forced her leg to buckle and she slammed into the hard floor with a slight crack to her skull. The pain alone made her see double but not enough to obscure that the figure was just above, glancing down at her like a hawk watching prey.
"You shouldn't have done that," She inhaled to scream again but a massive hand covered it while another grabbed her throat, sucking out all the air and leaving her to fight for any small breath she could muster. Despite being suffocated, she struggled to loosen and flee but her cheek burned with a hard smack from the person above.
"I saved your life and this is how you repay me," The figure scolded, "If it wasn't for me, you'd have ended up in an orphanage and been worse off."
The figure let go of her throat and made a quick word of her shirt, tearing it in half to expose herself before groping her breast. She screamed again and got hit once more, this time on the underside of her jaw that effectively broke it. Now her only way of calling for help was gone and the nightmare was far from over.
When he was finished, his hand tracked across her stomach, tweaked his finger into her navel that sent unwanted sparks between her legs, and then curled to the underside of her panties, and like with her shirt, it too was gone in seconds.
The figure chuckled in fright as he moved to her core, "It's time you show some appreciation to your uncle."
She closed her eyes and felt his breath, "Don't you agree?"
In that second moment, she pushed through the pain and screamed in absolute fury, grabbing something in her hand and striking with all her might.
Sara!
A heavy voice broke her from her nightmare and allowed the soft light to open her eyes. Blunt and dazed at first, she blinked and slowly she regained her senses, feeling that she was lying on the ground with someone holding her. It was peaceful until a loud shriek from above snapped her fully awake.
"Sara!"
She gasped and was met with the worried look of a familiar face, paired with piercing golden eyes and the blue stripes detailing his head, "I'koh . . ?"
Sara opened her mouth to ask a billion questions she had until she felt the thick, warm liquid between her fingers. That's when she looked and realized she was holding a hunting knife that had embedded itself into his forearm, the green phosphorus blood dripping to the ground.
She let go and got to her knees, terrified upon understanding, "I'koh! I'm sorry . . . I didn't mean to . . ."
I'koh stopped her and then reached for the knife, grunting to keep from roaring as he ripped it out with one swift motion. He checked the bloodied blade before placing it on the ground between them, meeting her eyes once more, "Fine . . . Worried . . . about you . . ."
Sara rubbed her forehead with an exhausted sigh, "I'm okay. A little sore and tired but will be alright."
"Nightmare . . ?"
Her body shivered at the word and she did her best not to remember what she'd experienced, "It's nothing."
She noticed her arms were bandaged while other parts were covered in cuts and scabs that were still healing along with other things. It triggered the sudden flood of memories, the explosion of fire and shrapnel, the screams of people dying around her . . . and the strange vessel she saw in the sky moments before passing out.
"What happened?" She asked with a hastily, shaken voice.
I'koh clattered his teeth, "Man'daca . . . ooman metal . . . vessel . . . fall from the sky . . ."
Sara held a breath. Oh . . . That's when she looked around her surroundings and noticed they were hidden under a makeshift shelter, being that it barely was with just a large slate of metal that once belonged to the aircraft. The reality dawned on her as she observed the craters and damage to the frame that once was part of their vessel.
I can't rest. Not now.
She wobbled as she stood and swayed to stay upright. It took I'koh holding onto her waist to prevent her from falling, "Not well . . . Rest . . . Hurt."
Sara groaned, "I'm fine. We have to regroup with the survivors. We can't stay here."
I'koh's mandibles tightened at the center but he stayed silent for a moment as the mechanical voice from the translator echoed, "Understand . . . But not now . . . Need to rest."
As much as she protested, I'koh persuaded her to lay down and he was right to a certain extent. Her body didn't feel right, her left side aching while the right side was numb and several shocks ran through each time she twisted her hips. Part of her logically wanted to protest and find the rest of their group while the other had enough 'excitement' for some time.
I'koh moved to her side and carefully assessed her injuries, "Stay still . . ."
Sara nodded, closing her eyes tightly as he tugged on her leg, the pain almost unbearable but it didn't last long as he gently placed it back, then went to use some pieces of clothing to act as cushions to keep her comfortable on the ground.
"Need . . . anything?"
She sighed. You have to admit . . . he acts more like a gentleman than anyone I've met.
"I'm fine. Just . . ." She took an exhausting breath, "Give me a minute."
I'koh nodded and sat next to her, working on something. Sara peeked over his shoulder and noticed he was tending to his forearm, the streak of green blood connected to the deep gash where she plunged the knife in earlier. Man . . .
Guilt settled in along with the uneasiness of not trying to remember the nightmare so she decided to help. While he wasn't looking, she grabbed his forearm and pulled it close to her. At first, he was startled but relaxed to her touch as she ripped a piece of cloth, one to dry off the blood and wound, and then wrapped another piece, being as gentle as can be. It's not much but at least it'll help to heal until—
I'koh's body suddenly vibrated and Sara paused, listening to the deep purr that was coming from his lungs. She pulled away just as she secured the bandage, raising her hands in the air. What was that?
I'koh froze, the translator scrambled in static as he spoke in a foreign tongue. He appeared flustered, sort of like a person in panic mode, "Are you alright?"
After a moment, she saw him relax a bit but still tense. He nodded, "Fine . . . Surprise . . ."
She chuckled. I bet. I wonder what that purr meant to make him so nervous.
She was about to ask but I'koh beat her to the punch, "Rest . . . Now . . . Wake you up . . . Later . . ."
Sara didn't argue, laying softly on the ground with I'koh's help. Sleep began to take her and she slowly began to close her eyes, just as she watched him leave to go outside.
For the millisecond before her subconscious took over, she smiled. That was . . . really cute.
I'koh had to get fresh air, the small confinement and being close to Sara had done an effect on him, one he knew all too well.
Had to happen right at that moment. Make a fool of yourself, why don't you? And close to the mating season of all times.
He grunted, finally outside and into the cold air of the forest that they crashed into, taking a seat on a fallen log nearby to think about the next steps. Out here, he can see the severity of the crash. Pieces of metal stuck everywhere like a minefield and most of the trees that stood a few hours ago were turned into mulch, a disaster that was not the least unexpected in his eyes. He hasn't seen any of the oomans that were on board the vessel but neither Ma'dti, which was out of the ordinary. But then again, the destruction that the enemy left behind was excessive.
I can't believe he found us so quickly . . . and just as one of our clan mates escaped to her. Something must have happened on Homeworld.
I'koh worked on his wrist gauntlet and activated the radar system, normally used to track prey but reversed the frequency to make a beacon that only another Yautja close to him would detect, mainly his brother. He waited for a reply but after a few minutes went by, nothing happened.
He growled in frustration and tried again, only getting the same outcome and it was the same as he did it several times. The worry for his brother was growing but with Sara being injured and within unknown terrain, he couldn't abandon her. He was stuck and had no choice but to wait until she was strong enough to travel.
He looked to the sky as his gauntlet beeped for a signal, waiting . . .
"Where are you, mei'hswei? Where are you?"
Hello, my fellow readers!
My apologies for the late update but finally got the chance to finish this chapter and what a doozy as we get a peek into the mysterious past of our main protagonist. I wonder what happened to make her so dramatized? We will find out soon . . . maybe lol
Thank you very much for your great support and everything and can't wait to hear from all of you!
Enjoy and Good Hunting! :DDDDD
Normal = Human speaking human language
Bold = Yautja speaking ooman (human) language
Bold and Italics = Yautja speaking Yautja language
Man'daca = Ship
Mei'hswei = Brother
