Chapter 8

July 23, 1998 The Arklay Mountains: Just Outside the Training Facility

Matt missed. My eyes were closed, waiting for death to close around me. But nothing happened. I heard the gunshot loud and clear, but there was no pain. I opened my eyes to see that Matt had somehow disappeared from the elevator lift. I climbed back on and turned around to see the towering mutated Dr. Marcus, one of his tentacles wrapped around Matt.

"Tina, help me!" Matt yelled toward me, hands outstretched in my direction.

Dr. Marcus wasn't pursuing me, for he was too busy with Matt. This was my chance to get away from the nightmare, but what about Matt? Should I save the monster that only moments ago was trying to murder me? I picked up his handgun and took out my handgun as well. With one gun in each hand, I began firing at Dr. Marcus. Somewhere along the way, I had actually got a good hit and the mutated Dr. Marcus squirmed and dropped Matt. Matt caught himself on the elevator rail and began climbing back up with immense speed. Even though he caught up with the elevator in mere seconds, I was already on him, pointing both of the guns at his head.

"What? You're really going to try and shoot me? You're a crack shot, and we both know that." Matt gave me a devilish grin.

"But by all means, do try." Matt put his arms up, as if to surrender.

But I knew better. I put away the handguns, carefully watching him. He seemed surprised and his grin disappeared into a curious stare.

"What are you doing?" he asked, rubbing his chin.

I smiled, seeing the green tentacle slithering behind him.

"I don't have to do anything." I said, and I jumped back.

Matt looked up just in time to see Dr. Marcus collapse his whole body onto the elevator lift. The elevator finally reached the entrance of the facility, having been cleverly hidden around the back. It was still pitch night, and I estimated that it was somewhere between two and four A.M. I pushed the green button on the elevator switchbox and the elevator descended into the darkness, with Dr. Marcus along with it. I then used the last bullet from Matt's handgun to take out the switchbox, hoping nobody would ever discover the horror that lay inside that facility again. But…

"It's long from over, isn't it?" I turned around to see Matt, bloody and crushed, but still alive.

I looked around for any means of killing him. He was unarmed as well, but I knew he was dangerous. He walked completely casually, as if nothing had happened at all. He brushed some of the blood from his face and smiled.

"I'm a bit dirty, you got a towel?" He asked casually.

I stepped back.

"Stay away from me." I said.

"Now, Tina. Relax, I don't have a weapon, and you must be out of ammo, seeing how you pumped so much lead into that plant monster not too long ago." Matt smiled, pointing to the guns strapped to me.

I took out my own gun and fired. The bullet actually hit Matt in the stomach. He stumbled back, but no blood spilled from his chest.

"Isn't it awesome? I'm a killing god. I could take down a hundred of those monsters with my bare hands. I am perfect." Matt said as he reveled at himself.

"You're not perfect. You're power has turned you into a murderer, and a jerk." I countered.

"Why you…" Matt grunted and tore across the grass to attack me.

He ran so fast that I could barely see him move at all. He punched me on the left side of my cheek. I could feel more punches coming, but I could barely see where he was. At last, he finally stopped. I could feel blood streaming down my face and my mouth. My vision was completely blurred, and I was seeing three Matts standing over me.

"It ends here." I heard him say, although his voice was distant and muffled.

I looked up, and not too far away I could see a pair of big, yellow lights dancing in the distance. For a minute I could have sworn that I was seeing the eyes of those mutant dogs again, but as the lights grew closer, I could hear sound too, the chugging I had heard at the station. I realized that it was a train, as I regained a bit of my sight. The Ecliptic Express came clearly into view, its headlights shining right at us. It was tearing wildly through the grass, for it had somehow gone off-rail. Suddenly, I felt a force brutally push me miles into the air. I flew high through the air, and I was able to look up into the night sky. For a moment, I stood still in the atmosphere, floating almost. The night sky was so beautiful, it was like looking at it for the first time. Then I hit a tree.

I woke with my head throbbing. I looked around and realized I was still in the forest. The trees and branches had collapsed directly above where I had fallen. There was blood staining the grass, but whatever wounds I might have had had disappeared. Had I really survived falling through all that? I got up, feeling somewhat dizzy as I stood on my feet. I rubbed my head, and remembered the train, and Matt. I caught the scent of smoke in the air. I ran toward the scent, and I saw the train had crashed into the training facility. A blaze had started where the train had crashed. I remembered something had flung me out of the way during the collision, but what? Or who, I remembered Matt had been there too. But had he the one who threw me? But he was trying to kill me and the train had presented the perfect opportunity to do so. So, if didn't fling me, what did? Was it just the train itself, impacting me and sending me into midair? That may have been a possibility, but it seemed more likely for me to be crushed by the train than be ejected by it. Or had someone else saved me? But that possibility was far-fetched. There was no way someone had flung me with such immense force and still have enough time to save his own hide. I approached the train why caution, remembering the leeches that attacked the train in the first place. The train had flipped on its side, preventing me for entering it. I leaned down and saw the place where Matt had once stood was covered in blood. An arm stuck out where Matt was suppose to be standing. I stood up and took one last glance at Matt, as I had once known him. And I saw the mansion, standing on the nearby mountain. I wasn't going there to find my parents, I was going to find the truth. About what I was, and what the monsters I was suppose to contain were.