Galactic War Ch. 14

[New chapter, a new hope. I wanted to explore my writing some more. I tried to edit myself and with help of my RL best friend and editor I managed to do it but with horribly dated release. I planned to release this chapter back in November but I was lazy, did not write anything new, my imagination did not flow pure so I thought of using some time to recharge my batteries. I hope I did not lose you with my selfishness, again enjoy this and I hope I still have you at the end of it.

ALL questions please leave them in comments or email me. I'll try to respond to everyone.]

I was standing in front of the HUD, damage lined across its corners, pictures that played showed few scenes that the man tried to describe while they were happening. A person in morphing process, a violent act that left no one in the room without any emotion. Fear was a large part of it, I was feeling it every minute that I was looking at the screen, being a man, and feeling what I have felt in the past, I could only presume what girls were thinking.

I was not clairvoyant. God, no human was, but fear was something that very few people could mask when it hit them as it did us, in the end we weren't accustomed to these scenes. Where there was once flesh, now mossy substance slowly replaced its place on the man's body. The screams echoed. The scientist on the film showed no emotion, no fear, he was methodical, scientific, a man with a mission that only he knew the value of. Every piece of mossy skin, once removed by the scientist's hands, would elicit even more screams from the bed ridden man. Straps that were all around his body now contorted around his flesh while he screamed his lungs in the air.

Meanwhile the man holding this moss slowly proceeded to bring it to his eye and study it with unwavering attentiveness. Sounds that brought chills to our hearts weren't phasing him in the slightest.

"Purpose of this moss seems like new tissue has grown on the surface on his skin. I can see that he can feel every probe of my scalpel. The DNA shown on the picture seems to belong to the man but now is rapidly changing even when just few moments had passed since I injected him with the concoction."

Cold chasm that seemingly never ended as screams cuddled up to us, a vapid sense of security evaporated in seemingly never ending stream, was it ever with us, as a companion or as an illusionary friend that seemed to give in to our fear of the unknown. We wanted to feel secure, but in this case it was strangely absent.

The scientist on the screen was now showing several medical trays of skin in different colors. As he went on and on liberating the subjugated man on the stretcher of his own skin, the skin, or moss in this case was getting darker and darker. As minutes went by, the scalpel in his hand never seemed to stop. Each cut, nip and tuck usually accompanied by the man's screams, after a while the screams stopped entirely.

The subjugated man was now blank canvas that did not give any response to the ongoing probing of the white clothed scientist that was so easily walking around and doing all of this unashamed, absent emotionally and physically from the deed that he was doing. Right or wrong. He was a subject to his whim, to his carnal desires that were looking more like a god that took care of his business, he made sure to approach the gurney every time he wanted a sample of his flesh. Eerie silence was enveloping the room, both on screen and in the present where we were staying, I was hoping, pleading that something happens. I was left alone with my thoughts and I found it was probing my psyche to the areas I rather not visit.

Video went on, probing continued, samples were taken, as minutes went by the eerie feeling became fear, as the man on the gurney became darker, the fear itself was something primal, and what was I afraid of? I was unsure since everything seemed normal about the subject. Girls on my left and right started shivering, if it was for the same reason as me I was unsure, but I could see it on their faces that it unnerved them in many ways. I was probably getting the same reaction to them as I watched the subject on the gurney getting less and less human. Even though his shape was still that of humanoid form we all remembered, now he was just oozing bad vibes, as people would call them. The silence was deafening. The only noises that came from the video was functions that scientist made.

Gasps here and there mostly coming from him discovering new things about the skin that he pried from the dominated man.

"This is outstanding. The level of symbiosis his cells now have is....well with one word magnificent. Every sample further down the line has more than previous one. Cells no longer seem human, this is entirely amazing, lycra type of skin that frogs and toads have, protects from disease and injuries."

As he continued talking he brought a vial of liquid to one of the skins that was on the tray.

"Fascinating, it would seem that his skin is slowly becoming water permeable. The further down the line I go with the test skins it's evident that his condition has changed greatly. Samples seem to have discoloration as time passes by, I'm uncertain if this will persist but if it does my science senses are getting increasingly stimulated by the prospect of what may have become of this man. I can theorize, postulate but whatever I had previously imagined it would become from injecting this tonic, the few hours I spent here with this man have been quite enriching in my search. Every vision I had has been cut down and replaced by this reality we are in now."

A long pause between gasps while scientist probed the skin in detail. No sound came from him and the picture started to fade to black.

As sudden as the video ended it came back immediately with the scientist worriedly searching for something on his table.

"The changes are just too drastic. I keep...No scratch that. I want to see the end of his...its evolution, but it has no end. IT shows no beginning. What will become in the end? Have I made a mistake?"

Several moments spent in daze looking at the camera like it was this unknown thing right in front of his face. But for some reason he smiled and started to write something on a piece of paper.

"I have no idea how this will end, but for time being I will go forth like many scientists before me. They treaded into the unknown, they gave their lives for the greater good, the knowledge we all share today was thanks to those brave souls that never wavered. They left touches so profound on the surrounding world that it echoes through time and space. I want to be a part of that. Forever etched in time."

The video again faded to black.

"I've found it!!!!"

A scream that shook us down to our core crept on us like a cat in a dark crevice. I could not recognize the man that came on the screen, blood and disheveled hair greeted us and was so much different than the prim and proper scientist we all saw on the screen. Few cuts and bruises partially healed that seemed older than the other changes that were on his body. White lab coat was now dark gray with dirt and blood stains randomly placed on his body.

"The perfect specimen. Symbiont of man and nature. My quest has finally ended." He took deep breaths, elated like a child that found his favorite toy.

"IT...He is my child that will move on and create the next era of man. GAZE AT PERFECTION!!!!"

Yelling his last words to the air he approached the camera in quick strides and turned it making us gasp in fear and awe. What was in front of us was a black silhouette of a humanoid being that radiated terror through the screen. I've never felt terror until today. Two women beside me weren't even looking at the screen yet their nails and claws dug deep into my flesh. Like children caught in a lie they hung their heads with such desperate gazes that I did not know what should I do, a part of me wanted to stop the video and console them but a sick and twisted curiosity wanted, needed to see the end of this video. What was so petrifying about this man on the video?

Oily black skin. Camera went from his full frontal view to zoomed in, first the head, defined humanoid features that should have reminded me of humans were still evident below the color but something was off, either my felling got rusty or this being was no longer human. Camera panned on his hands and feet showing nothing that would allude that this creature was anything but a human of different color. Finally it showed his torso, developed and fully muscular. But still a luster that hinted that his skin went through a certain metamorphosis.

"His skin has fully integrated and developed." Scientist went on. Describing this new entity that was shown on the screen.

"I thought it reminded me of frogs and toads. But it's so much more. Plants show remarkable effects when near the subject. It has lost all reason. The few conversations I tried to have went...poorly. He remembers the things I try to teach him but still a large mental blockade persists. The reasoning of the subject, to pain or pleasure, seem nonexistent. And I wonder if he even knows what empathy even is."

Suddenly the entity opened its black void eyes. For a moment I wanted to die for some reason. Terror was so strong. Silent abyss that seemed so inviting was calling out to me, wanting me, waiting for my eventual crash, the fear was etched deep into my skin. Arms and legs clenched in anticipation of something, like the entity would take any moment and jump through the screen and grab me by the neck. His eyes, a dark black pits of despair, gazing at the scientist. Camera started shaking and we could hear his nerves were giving in to the fear he was feeling.

"Now son.... Do not do that. Please you're hurting daddy." A desperate voice of a mind that stopped functioning long ago came through the screen, we recognized the voice as the scientist but it was sounding crazy, a possessed man looking at his lost prize.

A low hum was in the background indicating something was cooking on the scientific devices, probably prepared by the crazed man before starting to record the video we were watching. Black silhouette of humanoid form menacingly stood silent and unmoving while the man tried to approach it, each step was calculating and waiting for whatever may happen. Video was no longer about the research that he did, but about something else, the man apparently degraded so much that he was no longer able to coherently produce words correctly stringed together. As humans we are strangely aware when people need help and this man was on brink of losing himself to terror that he felt every day with this entity. As he stepped closer and closer the tremors on the camera were more evident and he was almost wincing in asking question to still quiet being that stood in silent attention.

Making few more steps toward the dark man he and the tremors fully stopped and now he was waiting for something in apparent anticipation, his voice was producing words and syllables that we were no longer able to understand. Like a prayer to ones God, this was something only the deranged man understood.

The entity suddenly moved, eliciting gasps and moans from us, as fluid as river going from one place to another his actions were mesmerizing as he grabbed the scientist by the throat and blaring screams ensued. Hands produced dark silhouette tentacles that went into the man's eyes and ears. Soon after blood was spurting from each orifice as he convulsed slowly walking towards his death. But it would seem that the man welcomed it as his eyes popped out of his skull and fell on his cheeks, the dark menace just lightly smiled as the scientist went limp on his arm and fell down the ground.

I saw that he watched in amazement for few moments. Before the video shut off there were few moments where wind blew around him, calling it terrifying would be talking lightly of the image we all saw at that moment.

Screen went black in just few seconds. It seemed hours before anyone of us dared to move. I was feeling like a coward for feeling this amount of emotion deemed unnecessary by someone. A man must always be strong and decisive. But I felt none of that. I wanted to drop down to the floor hug my knees and just forget about the image I knew was permanently embedded in my brain.

Soon we woke up for our stupor, "Let's collect everything we can."

Those were the only words anyone spoke for a long time. We worked in utter silence. No one wanted to confirm what we saw on the picture, I think like me the ladies wanted to forget and think of these few moments just like a horrible nightmare that just happened. And when you woke up you could not remember. But we could, it was etched in our brains as a permanent memory. A part of our DNA if you will.

Strange! The lab looked pristine. The surrounding area was picture perfect as if the experiment never happened. Data that was on the desk in the video was no longer there, papers and few pieces of lab equipment were neatly arranged and apart from few drops of blood person would think that nothing has happened here, if you did not watch that video that is. No sign of a body that a deranged entity would leave behind after his murderous rampage. Could it even be called rampage?

"Does this look strange? I asked out loud.

I did not expect anyone to answer me as I was unaware what I did but voice responded to my question, "Yeah its way too clean."

"Someone or something apparently was here before us, if the entity was deranged enough I could not believe that he had the presence of mind to clean after himself." I hear another familiar voice respond.

I could not be bothered to register who or what it belonged to but I heard them and that was all. My mind drifted further as I noticed door slowly drift open on the encroaching wind gust that came from outside. Revealing further echelons of this dwelling that we thought was just a laboratory. A large room was in front of us that had many layers of crates, soon I heard someone yell in a delighted voice as we watched in awe on never ending streams of supplies. We came back to reality. We knew we had to get off this rock and start our climb towards sanity. We needed normality, what we knew off normal life was probably all gone but we still craved for that sense of security that came from knowing what we could control.

"YES!" I heard someone yell in a loud ecstatic voice.

"I need this to repair my ship!" Pointing to bunch of crates with various supplies the lady we all knew to love was bouncing up and down.

"I thought you did not know what you needed for the ship, miss." I realized now that I did not know this woman's name or where she was from.

"I'm Saar. I know I never introduced myself but being crazy would do that to you... Hahahaha." A joyous laugh that we needed to hear.

"Kal..." A voice interrupted us.

Full of begging and pleading Anna's voice soon brought the emotions to a screeching halt. Turning towards her I saw that she was shaking for some reason, my eyes did not focus quickly enough, I could not envision nor could I have anticipate what the nature of her distress was. But very soon my eyes adjusted and I noticed the black silhouette standing behind her, tall and menacing oozing dread, smiling with terror that poured through ever action that it took. The same one we saw on the screen, the same one we remember killing the scientist so easily. Few moments passed where the only thing I could hear was my puffs of breath going in and out. I watched for an opportunity to leap and move my love away from the danger I felt, but as if reading my mind he looked me dead in the eye and with such quiet and graceful movement of its appendages stabbed Anna through shoulders.

What went through reminded me of black ice, blood soon came from the wounds and I yelled. I think I did, I could not hear anything, I felt my legs moving.

I felt my arms clenching as I ran breathing hard as I felt everything slow down, and in fluid motions he ripped her body clean in half like she was a doll waiting to be discarded. Blood and guts sprayed from her wounds, her lower body went across the room while he was still holding the top half.

So much blood.

I felt her upper body part collide with my own, as gently as I could I held her and placed her down on the ground my eyes looking, gazing and wondering if she'll be ok. Random thoughts of her laughing at me, with me, came to my mind. I kept imagining us as two old people remembering this day as if it was just another day, her wounds were severe but she somehow survived.

A freezing screams of a woman in distress slapped me to reality. Screams were vividly going up and down my own throat as I watched my own love beneath me cut clean in half, blood and guts, all over me, she was pale and getting even paler by the second. I felt tears in my eyes, I saw them dripping down on her cheeks as I held her gently screaming to everyone that would hear me or even care. I felt a finger across my cheek wipe my tears away, she gently held her hand to my lips and I knew right then and there, leaning in and giving her one final goodbye kiss. I offered my body countless times, but now my soul was hers for the taking.

A kiss where emotion was the only thing included along with a pass to one's heart and soul. Many describe love as something ethereal, irrelevant that is a matter of chemistry coming from our brains. We do not actually love, many would say it like a matter of fact. But I did. I love this woman with my entire being. Why would this happen? Still neglecting reality I kept clawing at her remaining body like it was something that could offer deliverance. But soon a kiss that could bring me to countless joyous moments, soon brought me out of this drunken stupor of emotion.

Anna made her final breath on my lips.

I denied every second of the obvious. I kept shaking her shoulders, hoping she would come out of it, hoping she would recognize me with her beautiful eyes. I could vividly see her standing up and stick her tongue out to me in playful delight. But it would not be, my mind played tricks, mental gymnastics that offered sanctuary to the broken hearted.

I felt her body getting dragged away and the entity that so easily killed her tossed her as a piece of discarded tissue paper. Her husk of a body landed with audible 'thud' across the wall. I saw him approach, something stirred within me, but what for. Everything was gone. My love. My family. Why do I fight for now?

I was still on my knees, brain saying to me 'fight'. Pictures of her broken body was still in front of me as if she was in my arms. But my heart and body protested. Few more seconds and I'll join her wherever she may be, heaven most definitely. But I'd go through hell itself to get to her. To be with her.

I felt this entity grabbing me by the neck and looking me in the eye, every fiber of my being screamed in terror. But I offered him a glare full of expectance. Still on my knees, I wanted to push off of him and stand up in defiance, but as I placed my arms on his chest I felt my arms bend in curious angles, bent, broken and useless. For some weird reason I felt no pain, I could feel the arms bend back and I heard the snapping of bone and cartilage I thought I could feel the phantom limbs moving up and down across his flesh and strangling his neck but that could not happen anymore. I did not want my hatred to let go, locking our eyes together I knew what awaited me and I welcomed it with open arms and waited for his next action as I was permanently disabled from taking my revenge.