Gray Hills - Chapter 9
Wha-do my friends, it's time for another update! School just started and I'm already getting a bunch of projects to do, but I will keep updating, if only semi-weekly. So we have finally started biting into the good parts of the story so I expect that this Arch is about a third done, give or take a bit. Also, I am quite happy. Our first constructive criticism!
MightyMangoes666 - Well, the thought of making Star not magic would completely ruin the story, because the entire idea for how the story ends is inspired from a story I read a few months back, and it is just really lazy. Like those people who just re-write episodes with minor changes. I'm also glad that you enjoy Wallace. There are two stories in this story, so to say. There is the story of Star and Marco, attempting to escape to Mewnie and be reunited with their families, and there is the story of Wallace. I'm not going to spoil anything but his story is going to be revealed slowly throughout the story, and I am debating with myself how I will end his story. I have a few ways I am thinking, but we will have to see how it goes. I'm also very glad that you pointed out my writing style, becuase I went back and re-read some things and realized that you were right so I've put more effort into describing the world and I hope you enjoy the level of detail in this chapter and continuing to the end of the story.
Disclaimer - I asked Nefcy to be my valentine so I could get rights to the show, sadly it did not work.
Wallace sighed as he turned away from the two retreating figures. He turned to the blue man beside him who only raised an eyebrow and shook his head no. To this Wallace's only response was to turn around towards the shore and start walking. The sand shifting under the weight of the redhaired man was the only sound as it slowly shifted against itself. As the two approached the shoreline the putrid smell intensified, causing Wallace to cover his nose with his sleeve. "Hold on, I gotta get something to cover my nose." came the muffled request of Wallace.
The two stopped while the young man quickly dug through his bag, grabbing a black bandana which he quickly tied around the lower half of his face. "Do you want something? It won't block the smell completely, but it's better than nothing."
"No, I can't smell anything." Glossaryck responded.
Wallace chucked at this before explaining. "You would think that with such a big nose you would be able to smell it even worst, like a dog."
Glossaryck's face twisted into offense. "Well it doesn't and if you need me or my big nose, we will be over here." The blue man floated over to a pile of dead fish, before climbing into one's gaping mouth to inspect it's insides.
"Guhhh. No more hobo stew for me." Wallace remarked to himself before hurrying to the edge of the water. The water was a black, tar-like substance, with small ripples caused by the dry wind sweeping over the small reservoir. The stagnant smell hit Wallace's nose, fueling the sickness in his stomach. Crouching down, he was tempted to touch the water, but thought better of sticking his hand in the pool.
Standing up straight, he started to look around for something to poke the water with. Walking around the edge of the beach, and careful not to step on the decaying piles of fish corpses, Wallace made slow progress while stopping every now and again to scan for an object to disturb the water with. Eventually, becoming distracted with the task at hand, he didn't notice as his foot plunged through the rotting carcass of a fish. He looked down and the odour wafted up past the face covering, finally tipping over his stomach.
Wallace tore the fabric from his face, vomiting the contents of his small breakfast onto the dusty ground. He continued retching until nothing came out, and stood bent over and hands on his thighs to steady himself for a moment.
When his energy returned and he felt steady on his feet, he slowly stood up straight, wiping the tears from his eyes He took a deep breath before moving away from the contents of his stomach now spilled all over the floor to sit. Finding a dune a ways away from the water, he sat at it's base and slung his pack to the ground, leaning the banjo against it. Sitting beside it he also removed his hat and grabbed the canteen swinging from the side of his pack.
Attempting to clear the awful taste now lingering in his mouth, Wallace took a small swig of water and spat it on the ground, clearing the remaining vomit from his tastebuds. He almost felt sorry for wasting precious water, but hoped that Marco and Star would pull through. Taking another swig, only swallowing this time he reflected on the past few days. Although he had been watching the three before he went into their camp, he still didn't trust the boy, Marco and felt that the feeling was mutual.
The girl, Star on the other hand seemed to trust him. She liked his music and was fascinated by everything around them despite the circumstances. He felt sorry for her, and couldn't imagine what it was like. Going through this was hard enough for humans who knew about it and the danger of radiation and other people, but she seemed so naive. She didn't know what nuclear war was, or radiation. It was safe to assume, he decided, that she came from a technologically inferior society from the descriptions he had heard thus far.
And then there was Glossaryck, the enigma. Always speaking in riddles, Wallace couldn't make heads or tails of what he was trying to say half the time, and when he did it usually just confused whoever he was addressing. Wallace couldn't read the blue man, yet he felt like Glossaryck could look right through him. Whenever he looked into Glossaryck's eyes, it was like a black hole. They would suck in and absorb anything they could, but nothing could escape.
Wallace's now empty stomach growling for food pulled him from this thoughts as he started digging through the pocket of his pack where he kept his snacks. Removing them, he took inventory of what he had. Thee granola bars, a piece of chocolate which was long deformed from the desert sun, two sealed fruit cups, and a clif bar. Laying the items out before him, he immediately rejected the chocolate, putting it back into the pocket. "I would rather save that for an occasion."
Surveying the remaining snacks in front of him, he eventually chose to eat the clif bar. Washing the dry protein bar down with the last of his water, Wallace decided to take a short break before continuing his adventure to find something to stir the reservoir water and grabbed his banjo to play a short tune. His cracked hands started slow, but eventually sped up to the pace of a fast beat, playing whatever came naturally, a song he had heard in an old movie once. "Oh I'm a man, of constant sorrow..."
He continued playing for about ten minutes before stopping, his stomach relaxed and ready to continue his investigation of the water. Re-attaching his canteen to the pack before swinging it onto his back and putting his banjo around his shoulder, he made his way to the top of the dune he had been sitting at the base of. The first thing he saw when he reached the top of the sandy hill was a beaten up white pickup, and two guys standing outside armed with rifles. Wallace instantly through himself to the ground, his bashe clothing camouflaging him against the sand.
He procured his binoculars, looking over the situation ahead of him. "Two guys, one with a rifle of some sort, one with a shotgun." Wallace said to himself, formulating a plan as he panned towards the door, now open. "Looks like there are more inside the building too." Looking to the other side of the road, he could see the road, open and perfect for an escape. Suddenly, a sound familiar to Wallace echoed from the building interior. Gunfire.
"... Shit."
"You two, fan out and see if they're still here. Nobody steals from us!" a feminine voice ordered, as two heavy sets of footsteps thumping against the metal floors hurried in opposite directions.
"Marco, what are we going to do?" A muffled voice came from the boys left. Star was clearly scared. And after her last encounter with people Marco could understand why. Now she knew what a gun could do and it terrified her. Monsters were dumb and used their fists or clubs. Swords at best. Humans on the other hand were smart, and dangerous.
Marco thought for a minute before brandishing his newfound weapon in one hand. "We have to sneak out and find the other two." Peaking up, Marco saw the woman still standing in the door, but due to the echoing he couldn't pinpoint the location of the two men. Using the little provided by the door, Marco noticed a potential exit on the other side of the building, the only problem being they would notice the light and noise. It was however, better than nothing.
Marco motioned for Star to follow and they crept back the way they came until they heard the distinct sound of footsteps coming up the stairs directly in front of them. An obscured head popped over the top, and although he couldn't see the other man's face Marco knew that he had seen them. Reacting quickly, Marck cocked the hammer of his magnum, and fired in the general direction of the other man.
Although Marco missed by a mile, it scared the other man into falling backwards down the stairs. The flash in the darkness temporarily, and a ringing in his ears let him only be partially aware of the girl frantically screaming his name and pulling him back towards the room.
Terrified was an understatement for what Star was feeling. She was vaguely aware of yelling and footsteps rushing towards their position, but she was more scared for Marco. His eyes were unfocused and he couldn't seem to hear her. She bit her lip as she removed her wand from the purse around her shoulder, ready to ward off these people even if it meant losing the wands magic until a hand grasped her wrist, and she turned to see Marco, shaking his head no. Although Star didn't agree, she trusted Marco and put her wand back into the purse, holding onto Marco as he quickly shoved the pistol into his hoodie and the footsteps once more reached the top of the stairs and into the room.
A flashlight filled the room with light and Star held her hand over her eyes to block the intense brightness shining into her eyes. "They're up here!" She heard a deep voice yell, before it turned to the pair. "You move, you die. It's that simple, so I would suggest you sit tight." The voice was a deep scratchy growl, and it's commanding tone prevented either from moving so much as an inch. Quickly, two other figures joined the one in front of them, shining flashlights in their eyes.
"Get up!" a feminine voice shouted at them, and the two complied. They stood, leaving their packs on the ground as the lights lowered and two pairs of hands grabbed them, pulling them towards the exit.
"Where are you taking us?" Asked Star, summoning the courage to speak up as she identified those restraining Marco and her as two burly men, the third party still unknown to her.
"Shut it!" The one holding her yelled, as he tightened his grip on her. As they passed through the exit, they saw two more armed men, and a truck. They were escorted over, and told to sit on the ground.
When the two were finally released, they could see the female. She was young, three years older than them at most, and had long ginger hair, a similar shade to Wallace. "You two," she said, pointing at the men who were waiting at the truck. "Go secure the room, and bring the bags in there." They nodded, running towards the building. She then turned to Marco and Star, sitting by the side of the truck. "You two, get in the back." Under the threat of gunpoint, they complied, climbing into the bed followed by the men who carried them out of the building.
They waited, the woman sat, watching the hills until two men exited the building, securing the door and carrying a pack each. As they got near, the woman got into the driver's seat of the truck, and the men with their bags got in the back seats. The engine started, and the truck lurched forward as it started to turn, continuing along road they had been heading down, kicking up dust behind them.