Summary: There was nothing to see, hear or say. They wanted something. There was only Nothing. 2nd of my 9-strong tag-on series. Spoilers for 'The Long Reach' (22/02/2020). Each piece can also be read as a stand-alone.
And this is a continuation of my nine strong mini-series, based on the series final, of which I have also copied this intro to save my tired typing fingers! I debated with myself long and hard as to the format for these uploads, but decided in the end each needed to stand on its own as opposed to in a big group. All that's left to say is enjoy!
Nothing – John, Virgil, Gordon, Alan
He didn't want to have to say it, but there was no other answer he could give the youngest.
He'd lost Scott on comms and the elder hadn't returned, and… well, there was nothing else he could give Alan, but the word he hated the most.
"Nothing."
It was the word he didn't want John to say.
There were many other words; words which implied a sense of hope or chance and any one of those could have been better, yet Virgil understood, maybe there was no other word right now.
But Nothing.
He was watching over John's shoulder, but they didn't make him feel any better.
He knew what the answer to Alan's dreaded question was bound to be before John even said it, because he could see it too. It didn't make it any easier to hear the elder say,
"Nothing."
He had to ask, because he hadn't seen Scott follow him.
He needed to know. He needed to know he hadn't made a massive mistake in following the eldest's instructions, in trusting in them like usual. But the answer said it all.
Nothing.
There was nothing about there for any of them.
No answers to their questions, no figures in blue, no signals kicking back to life, no little flashing lights masquerading as life signs.
No sound, no sight, no nothing. When really, the four of them would take just about anything.
Anything in place of nothing, but no.
There was just the breaking up of their last piece of hope to watch.
To watch as it broke up every shred of chance they'd come here with.
To watch as it broke up…
Into Nothing.