Thank you, my reviewers! Inspiration AGAIN! I love you! I had free time…so yeah! And I'm depressing! So WARNING! Lots of depression.
STORY CHAPTER THINGY TIME! Be prepared for depression. Continued from the earlier chap…
Maria was dead.
Shadow still couldn't believe it. When he reached Earth, he was afraid to step out of the capsule that had finally brought him to the beloved planet. Where was she? She was suppost to be with him!
He told himself it was a dream. Just go to sleep and it will be all right in the morning. But it didn't. Shadow was faced with the harsh reality day after day…
She was dead.
He still couldn't believe it. Even when the soldiers came, he didn't fight. He reasoned he looked terrible to them; starving, fur untamed, broken inside. They hauled him off without a fight. He didn't have a reason to live…
Shadow soon found himself lying strapped on a cold metal table, staring at the ring of lights above his head.
Maria…why did this have to happen? Why not me? Why you? What did you do to deserve this? He found the thoughts swirling in his head, repeating themselves over and over…never ceasing.
He didn't feel the pain from the injections they gave him. The drugs never had any effect on his body. The real pain lay with finally accepting the fact that his one and only friend was dead. As he stared into the center of the ring of lights above him, a tear traced its way down the side of his face. Why did this have to happen…?
A few scientists were talking off to the side, but Shadow couldn't hear them. He could only hear the echoing bang of the bullet as it left the gun and killed her…
And just like that, he was released from the table and dragged into another room, this one housing huge pieces of equipment that was all connected to a almost small containment unit in the back. He didn't resist…didn't fight…as they took him to the unit. A thick slab of glass was lifted up mechanically. Inside was what appeared to be a large chair that was reclined slightly, wires and tubes streaming from the back of it and spreading throughout the unit, connecting to larger wires and leading back to the other devices in the room.
Shadow was placed in the chair. He didn't resist as more restraints were tightened over his limbs and middle. An oxygen mask was placed over his muzzle, tubes jabbed in his arms and sides, wires and electrodes placed over his entire body. He couldn't feel the drugs seeping into his veins, slowly shutting his body down into a hibernation-like sleep. He couldn't feel the physical pain.
"Shadow, wake up. It's ok now. I'm safe."
He was back on the ARK. Had…had it had all been a dream? A horrible, twisted dream? Maria was next to him, staring out the large observation window at the Earth below. A truly beautiful sight.
"I don't want to lose you." Shadow said softly. "I saw…"
"I know." Maria said. "It really did happen. But for now, just stay here. We can spend our last moments here together."
"Maria?"
She turned. "Yeah?"
"Am I going to die too?"
"No. No, your life isn't over yet. It's just beginning."
Shadow didn't know how long they sat there together, staring out over the thousands of twinkling stars and the big blue and green planet below them. Such a beautiful sight, never changing, but still so incredible every time they saw it.
"I don't want to go back." Shadow said almost inaudibly. "Not without you."
"You won't have to do that. I'll always be with you." Maria smiled. "Just…give the people a chance. You might find you like it there. It might not be so easy at first…but it will be."
Shadow didn't say anything as they watched the planet below them turn slowly from night to day.
"A new beginning." Maria said.
Shadow nodded. He couldn't seem to take his eyes off the planet. "A new beginning…" He echoed.
XxXxXxXx
And there's my attempt at hurt/comfort. I hope it wasn't as bad as I thought it was.
Hasta la Vista, Readers.
Lordoftheghostking28