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jeyoteswritings-blog · 8 years ago

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Recueillement

Nothing could ruin this fine summer day. It was noon in a city with a name long since forgotten, on a planet called earth or reminiscent of earth. High above the main thoroughfare, in a large house in the upper-class district a young girl was thinking that. Out her window was a perfectly blue sky with a few fluffy clouds and a cool breeze coming off the shore to the west. She was reading something, half-reading and half-looking she couldn’t recall now. Recollection of her old life would become a wistful memory. Her new life was going to begin very soon and it would begin on this fine summer day.

Inside the large house, her father sat in his study. He was banker, and this room is where he spent most of his time. He would sit behind a green lamp with a large coffee cup, hot and steaming vapor curling upwards to mingle with the smoke of his ever-lit pipe that she always thought smelled something like blueberries. He would sit and pore over reports or receipts or some such thing while she would sit in one of the over-stuffed chairs in the corner of the room and read from the study’s immense bookcase until her father would shoo her out to go play outside or to go help her mother.

Outside on the patio, her mother was tending to the rose garden. She could see from her window, her mother on the patio and behind her the rolling green hills that extended from the house all the way toward the coast. She could just make out the horizon, all blue-green colors of the sea. Old man Galthston, their neighbor, spoke to her mother over the hedges. They talked about the weather or events at the capital or of his reminisces of his time in the war. A war that continues to this day.

A car, all black and shiny chrome quietly pulled up along the winding driveway toward the house. Her mother and Old Man Galsthon didn't seem to notice it yet. The girl threw down the book and ran downstairs to get a better view. Peeking through the blinds from the downstairs living room window, she saw two men dressed in black suits and coats get out and start up the walkway towards the house. A third, dressed identically, stayed by the car and seemed to stare at nothing from behind dark glasses.

A hand on her shoulder startled her. She jumped and made a noise but it was her father, who simply leaned down and said "Eveline, please go upstairs." The sternness in his voice brooked no argument, and worried her besides. His usual jovial attitude had disappeared and the way he carried himself when he went to open the door implied complete seriousness, tension even. She hurried upstairs but of course, being twelve years old, went to her hiding place in an upstairs closet where she could eavesdrop. There was a hole there, half hidden by a ledge that her parents had not noticed. Through it, she could see most of the living room and some of the dining room. Sometimes she would lay there after her parents thought she was asleep and listen to her father tell her mother stories about his work at the bank. She took her place at the hidden spot just in time to see the front door open.

"Eustis residence?" The two men entered. one thin, with a black mustache and a rather pointed chin. The other had a pleasant face but forgettable. He said nothing and stayed near the door as the other advanced into the living room with a quick boldness that only came from someone who was comfortable in their position, and had been in it a long while. "You are Jean Eustis?"

"Yes, I am. Please, sit-"

"I will remain standing, thank you"

Evaline knew these men. Not specifically, but knew of their position. She had seen others of them sometimes at her father's bank, there were always three of them and they always wore the black overcoats. They were voyant, The royal Overseers. It was not for her to understand what they did or what they represented, but if their presence worried her father it worried her as well.

"Mr. Eustis I am here representing the Emperuer and his Magistrat. You and the financial institution you manage have been very influential in matters concerning our neighbors to the West. I want to congratulate you. However, as you may know, all is not well between our two countries."

Her father shot a quick look toward her mother, who remained expressionless and tight-lipped. It was hardly perceptible, and Evaline almost missed it. She didn't think the Mustache Man noticed, though. "Thank you. Yes, I had heard that negotiations were crumbling...it seems tension along the border grows by the day."

His heavy-booted feet clicked on the hard wooden floor as Mustache Man began to pace the living room. "It’s worse than that I'm afraid, negotiations have not only crumbled but failed altogether. They have taken our lead ambassador hostage and offered us an ultimatum: the immediate cessation and removal of our forces in the gray lands to the North, or they will attack our coastal cities. Which is why I-"

-click-

Evaline tried to stifle her gasp, but it was too late. The small ledge she had been resting upon gave way under her weight and had broken off. She hurriedly tried to put it back into place as best she could as she heard her father excuse himself from the conversation and start up the stairs. She backed out of the closet, careful not to disturb anything else as she made her way out. Now she just had to shut the door silently. If she was lucky she could make it appear as if-

"Evaline" too late again. Her hand was still on the closet door handle as her father stood at the top of the stairs. "Go outside and play with Mae. Your mother and I will talk to you later."

If Evaline thought her father's expression was stern before, it was more so now. Frightened, she rushed past him and took the stairs two at a time -careful to avoid being seen by anyone in the living room- and nearly flew out the back door.

In that moment, crossing the threshold, she felt free. More free than she would ever feel. She ran across the grassy field that was her backyard, at home among the poinsettias and iris flowers that swayed carefree in the sea-breeze. Evaline ran. She ran from the adult world that she had tried to stick her nose in. Despite that, she couldn't help but feel like she would be there soon. It was a world more complicated than she could hope to imagine. She ran until she stood at the edge of her parent's property, on a cliff overlooking the sea to the south. All she saw was unending blue, with seabirds squawking overhead. How silly she must seem to them, a creature bound to the earth with no ability to soar above waves. They were the very essence of freedom, she thought. Someday, I'll soar above the waves too.

She doubled back toward the house, leaving the pristine waves and troubled blue sky behind. Her friend from school, Mae lived a short bike ride away. Evaline set out along the dirt path, lined by birch and silver furs. She felt at home here, riding alone to the arboreal symphony of leaves rustling, birds calling and insects buzzing. She always felt as if she had a special connection to the earth, and all life living upon it. She had recently come to realize the implications of the constant skirmish that her country of Nentoivese had with the neighboring Shah'ra. She shuddered to think of a land much like her own, cratered and blackened by bombs and weapons created for the express purpose of ending life. It was something she could never understand and vowed she would try to stop it somehow, someday if she could.

After a while, she rounded a corner and through a small copse of firs, spied Mae sitting on the low brick wall surrounding her home. "Mae!" She called out as she rode up. "Hey Evaline."

"What are you doing out here?"

"My parents are arguing again. Seems pretty serious this time."

"Oh...what happened?"

"Um, I'd rather not talk about it."

The sky which was clear earlier that day, had become dark and heavy with clouds. The wind had picked up, and Evaline tried to think of something which would cheer up her friend. "Follow me, Mae. I want to show you something."

They rode on, one red bike and one blue. Neither of them had any words to say at the moment. Evaline considered her companion, they were opposites in a sense. Where Evaline had pale skin and blond hair, Mae had flowing brown, with a darker complexion. Her mother was Shah'ra, a stranger in this land. As such, Mae had often faced adversity from the Nentoivese of her own age. Most days, Evaline could tell, she took it in stride. She always seemed to have an inner sense of self to resist such things. It was strange to see her quiet and reserved like this. They continued to ride through the countryside and the forest slowly gave way to golden fields of wheat, reflecting dully against the grey sky above them.

Soon it began to grow dark. A pink twilight could faintly be seen among the grey clouds. Beyond the wheat fields, there were train tracks which led from a small coastal town and eventually met the capital city beyond. They were forced to stop, as lumbering down the tracks there were a series of monstrosities. Large cargo beds held even larger war machines, secured by bright yellow straps. A massive train engine steamed and squealed with a metal-on-metal sound and rumbled into the night. They waited there for what seemed like an eternity, until the last, forlornly blinking running light of the cargo train faded away.

After a few more minutes of riding, the pair came upon a large embankment. A soft, blue glow could be seen from the edge of the steep, grassy knoll. "It's easier if we leave our bikes at the bottom" Evaline said, propping the kickstand into the soft earth. This was the farthest she'd been from home on her own. She came here from time to time, to think or to write or just to watch the billowing clouds that formed over the sea. She had always come here during the day and felt a bit guilty about being out after dark. She knew she would get a good scolding when she got home but today felt different. She couldn't shake the feeling that something big was about to happen.

"It's beautiful." Mae remarked as they crested the hill. The small town below them was lit up with streetlights, shop windows and glowing signs. The pink and yellow twilight was sinking below the horizon and the colors reflected off the crashing waves of the sea in the distance. Cargo ships were moored into the port for the night, but there were others circling the waters out at sea. Military ships. Destroyers. Evaline and her friend watched as the last of the light grew dim.

"There were strange men at my house today, dressed in all black. They were from the government. My mom and dad seemed...well, they weren't happy to see them."

"Yeah, those were probably the same men that were at my house today."

Evaline looked up at her friend in surprise. Her house too...Mae didn't take her eyes off the scene below. Mae decided not to inquire further. If she wanted to say more, she would. They sat in silence until a low booming sound could be heard from far in the distance behind them. To Evaline, they sounded like fireworks. A few seconds later, small pinpoints of light whistled across the sky high above them. Not fireworks, missiles. "We'd better get home", she said worriedly, getting up.

"Evaline." Mae who had been staring off into the distance the entire time looked back at her friend, with a certain glisten in her eye. "Do you remember that necklace you gave me a couple years ago for my birthday, the one with the intricate golden heart? Some of the kids at school nabbed it from me later that day and broke the chain, saying a Shah'ra like me had no business wearing anything so extravagant." Evaline nodded. She remembered.

Mae got up and pressed something into her friend's hand. "I... I don't know what's going to happen Evaline. But I want you to have this. Just in case."

"Mae..."

...................................

Evaline pedaled hard to get back home after seeing Mae off back at her house. She rounded the corner and saw that the black car was still in the driveway, but the headlights were on and the motor was running. The thin man with the mustache was saying something to her mother and father on the porch. As she rolled up, he nodded to them and quickly got in the car and shut the door. They drove away with the soft crunch of tire on gravel.

Hurriedly, she leaned her bicycle up against the house and ran up to where here parents were, about to apologize for being out past dark. Something in her father's expression stopped her from saying anything. He was staring at the red taillights receding into the darkness down the road. "Evaline I need you to pack your things. Nothing unnecessary, just clothes. We're leaving for the capital in the morning."

…………….Fifteen years later………….

Evaline stood on the command deck of the La Victoire. She stared out at a now-calm azure sky, but towering cumulus clouds in the distance warned of a coming storm. She didn’t want to be airborne when that storm hit. The La Victoire was the capital’s flagship zephyr, but even the most sophisticated armor and instruments could not prevent enemy cutters from slicing her up under cover of a storm.

Outside the command pod, her best flyboys stood at attention on the wooden deck. Their scarves fluttered in the high-altitude wind, maroon contrasting with their gold-and-black military colors. The same color scheme shone brightly on their porcupine stinger-jets, polished to gleaming as per Evaline’s expectations. They grumbled about the work of course, but she knew they were secretly proud of their “’pines”. They were the best of the best, and could take out a squad of cutters-storm or no storm. However, Evaline needed them at peak performance for the operation to come. Better to avoid a confrontation now, and take the offensive on her own terms.

Evaline had been an ace “flygirl” in her early military career, with a kill-to-crash ratio of 32/3 when she hung up the hat and goggles. Now, she found that command suited her, but rather than standard officer regalia she preferred traditional flyer gear: brown leather jacket, beige trousers and black knee-high boots. She wore the ensemble now, surveying her squadron out the large three-panel window of the command pod. She wore her long golden hair in a loose bun, and tried to feign an air of confidence.

The other officers in the room seemed relaxed, so she supposed she was succeeding. On the inside, a rising anxiety threatened to break her composure. She was nervous about the upcoming operation and the storm, but there was also another reason she was on edge.

Zzzzzzztttt…..

“A tele-video call for you commander.” Her communications officer broke the silence. “Shall I display it on-screen?”

A tele-video call? At a time like this?

“I’ll take it in my quarters. Inform me when our guests arrive.”

Commander Evaline Eustis turned on her heels, boots clacking on across the deck. It was a short walk through the narrow corridors of the zephyr and up a short flight of stairs to her cabin. The auto-doors slid open and she sat down at her desk. Upon it was a map of the current airspace, as well as a pair of binoculars and a bottle of Regent whiskey which she saved for special – or extenuating – circumstances. She considered taking a swig now.

Zzzzzztttt. The tele-video monitor buzzed, and she flicked it on. The typical static and grainy visual at first, and then her father’s face materialized on screen. She should have known.

“Papa, it’s good to see you!”

“Evaline, I hope I’m not too late. I called to wish you luck on this operation. I just got word.”

She sighed inwardly. The operation was supposed to be top-secret. Her father always had a knack for finding out what she was up to.

“You’ve been in the air for almost a month now.” He continued. “How are you faring?”

“Papa I’m alright. The La Victoire is a beautiful vessel. Powerful, too. I have no reason to believe the operation will be anything but a success. I’m flying with the best.”

“Yes I know you are, and I don’t doubt your capabilities, Evaline. You must be victorious. This is the key to our efforts on the western front. Things are not as well as they seem, here in the interior. There are mumblings of…well I can’t say. The Emperuer is a difficult man to deal with. I fear the coming weeks may challenge us all.”

There was a gleam of fear in her father’s eye that Evaline always hated seeing. He usually had an accurate premonition about such things. Every time she saw him, he looked worse. His hair and mustache were greying, and he looked thinner than before. It wasn’t just age, she knew. A deep-rooted sadness had caused his face to become gaunt, and withered with fatigue.

“Father, how are you doing? You look like you’re working too hard. I’m sure the capital can run without you for a few days, at least. Why don’t you take some time off?” She sighed outwardly this time. “it’s been a few years, dad. Have you even visited mom’s- “?

“Evaline.” Her father spoke sternly. “I must go. I am being summoned. Godspeed on your mission. Signing off.”

It wasn’t healthy. She feared her father would soon succumb to a rage-obsessed war fervor. But she didn’t have time to think about that now. Her intercom buzzed and her Com officer announced the arrival of another vessel in the zephyr’s airspace. It was time.

…………….

The auto-doors clicked open and commander Eustis entered the La Victoire’s conference room. She had waited a few moments before entering. She was hesitant, although she felt like she knew what was to be said in this meeting.

Her old friend, Mae looked up at Evaline as she entered. They both looked at each other for a significant, uncomfortable moment.

“Do you remember Mr. Galsthon?” Evaline blurted out, desperate to say something.

“Your old neighbor? Yes, I remember him! He had that curly mustache and would tell us old war stories.”

Evaline laughed. “That’s him. I wouldn’t miss that mustache anywhere. I ran into him at a café in the capital. I think you know the one, it has that sign with the frog out front. The Grenouille.”

Mae laughed with her. “I remember the place. Many of our carefree summer days after school were spent there.”

“It’s good to see you Mae.” Evaline crossed the room and hugged her friend. Mae looked well. Her dark hair fell in ebony waves down her back, and she was dressed in a plain blue officer’s uniform and cap. “I’ve been in the air so long…what’s going on in the interior, Mae?”

“It’s…not good I’m afraid. The Magistrat is starting to become divided. The original cause is lost and the war continues, fueled on bitterness and hate.” Evaline’s friend turned from her and strode to the conference room window, looking out. “Evaline, when I was young, this war seemed complicated. My people were expanding their holdings, yes. But at what cost? It seems like my whole career has been spent trying to uncover the truth. It’s simple, really. The Magistrat does not have our interests at heart. They don’t want to stop us. They want to destroy us. And I’m not the only one who feels this way.”

Mae turned and looked her friend in the eyes. “Evaline, I’m going to defect. My place is alongside my people. I’m only half Shah’ra but I feel their cause is more just and I…I wish it didn’t have to be this way.”

A weight had been lifted, but replaced by one of a different sort. Evaline didn’t know whether she wanted to cry, or laugh, or simply say nothing at all. She knew this was coming. She tested her usual composure. “I…understand. You know what this means right? If we should ever meet on the battlefield…”

“I know, I know.” Mae’s eyes glistened now with reluctant tears. She grabbed Evaline and hugged her close. “I’ll write you. We need to stay in contact. There are ways to get through our decoders.”

“Mae…”

“When this is all over, we can find each other again. We just need to stay alive through this.”

“Agreed. You know that café I was telling you about? Let’s meet there when the war is over. That will be the place.”

“Okay…okay Evaline. I’ll see you there someday.” Mae sniffed and stepped away, regaining the stance of a military officer. “Now I must go. I need time to make it across the border. Godspeed my friend.”

They hugged one more time, and Evaline watched her friend leave through the auto-doors, sliding into place as she left.

“Godspeed.”

…………..Twenty years later………..

Excerpt from the Capital archives on the Great War. The last of a series of secret correspondence between commander Evaline Eustis of the Nentoivese and commander Mae Calisto of the Shah’ra:

Evaline, I hope this transmission finds you well. I can’t believe the war is finally over, but ours is a bittersweet victory. It came with so many losses, on both sides.

I apologize for not writing you sooner. Your last transmission came a few years ago, and I feel these last years of the war were the hardest. I am sorry to hear about the loss of your father. I remember he was a kind man, and much like yourself had a certain compassion for all life. My parents still live, although their health is declining. I fear their time may be coming soon.

Do you remember the promise we made as young women? Those days seem like something from another lifetime, now. I know you wouldn’t forget something like that, though. I went to that café in the Capital, the one we used to go to. The Grenouille. It’s still there, despite the destruction. It hurt my heart to see the state of your people, the war seemed to have taken the hope out of them. Now though, we can begin the healing, for both of our countries.

I went to the café as soon as I could after hostilities ended. I visited a few times, but I never saw you there Evaline. On my last visit, a waiter handed me something. He said he’d been instructed to give it to me. I’d never in a million years think I would see it again. It was that locket. You remember? The one I gave you when we were kids, before all this started. And you know another funny thing? I swear I saw your old neighbor, Mr. Galsthon, hobbling away down the street as I left.

Evaline, I look forward to your next transmission and hope I can see you soon.

Love, Mae

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jeyoteswritings-blog · 8 years ago

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Ruins

Dear reader, you hold in your hands a manuscript record of what transpired here in these fateful ruins of Stu’un. Let these words be a testament to the abhorrent events that lead me to now hastily, yet carefully put them to paper. Let any man, woman or being possessing intelligence enough to read them take heed. Thankfully, there is sufficient light emanating from the strangely lit sconces flanking the great stone-metal door that I now rest my weary back against. My only remaining companion, the poor O’Leary, is resting beside me in a somewhat fitful sleep. It is not his destiny to explore further into these old ruins, when he awakes I will task him with taking this manuscript back to the entrance. I remember seeing a half-broken pedestal there, a perfect resting place for it. Anyone who enters this place hereafter shall see it, and the silicon-laminate pages should last for as long as these ruins stand.

We were a company of seven, including myself. My name is Robert Inez, professor of anthropology at the University of the moon of Circadia. The others were Danvers, Haley, the sisters Sheatha and Tera, Captain Vargge and O’Leary. Among our company was a doctor, an archaeologist, the two sisters who were well-respected in their fields of biology and ecology, and myself having taken up anthropological research after my time in the Great War. Originally, there were only to be six of us to enter the ruins. Captain Vargge, commander of the star cruiser the Mara Zephyr that brought us here, insisted that O’Leary come along in case an extra hand-or extra firepower-was needed. I reluctantly agreed, and while I am glad that he should be the one of us to escape this fascinating yet wretched place, I fear for the young man’s sanity and stability of mind. Even now, he mutters strange words in his sleep. These words he should not know, whose meanings are too horrible to dwell upon in further study.

Now while I harbored no animosity or ill-will toward Captain Vargge, I did find myself at odds with his behavior during the course of the expedition and in truth found him to be quite insufferable. He was of the G’achean race, a people known for their prowess and skill in battle, but also known to be hot-headed and, one might even say, reckless at times. I wondered at the Collective’s choice for him to be the star cruiser commander for the expedition. Our first entanglement came not even as our party took two steps into the ruin’s entrance. He candidly informed the group that he would be the first to enter and proceed to take the point position. “we don’t know what we’ll find in there” he said, or something to that effect. “It could be dangerous.” I argued that I too, had military training and should take point (to be honest, I was afraid that he might break some historical artifact in a zealous charge against an imaginary threat). Still he insisted, so I acquiesced. To be honest again, most of my military career was spent on the bridge of many a star destroyer as a battle tactician. I used what I had learned, and let him have this victory if only to assure the next would be mine when it might prove more vital.

Now allow me to digress. Officially, the reason we were here was simply of historical and academic pursuit. To learn about an ancient people’s way of life and improve our understanding of the current inhabitants of the planet Ashima-vide IV. I had learned from one voice in the Collective that was a confidante of mine, that they suspected there to be an ancient weapon buried here in these ruins. They thought that it’s what gave the Ashimans their seemingly unknown edge in their progress in the Great War. My own investigation around the small town where we gathered supplies proved fruitless. Not only did the locals have no reverence or respect for the ruins at all, they openly shunned them. They would say in their colorful local tongue, “this bad place was once alive and operating. Oh, the oppressors! Oh, the drivers! Do not go there. Some may still move.” Needless to say, I was somewhat creeped to tell the truth. But still this did not hint at any weapon of any kind buried underneath those walls.

Stu’un was short hike up a snowy hillside from the small town. I remember the crunch of boots in the snow as I got my first good look at the sharp towers and leaning parapets of the ruins. The walls seemed not to reflect light as we approached, even though they were of a silver-gray complexion. When we opened the ornate black stone-metal doors of the entrance, I knew right away this was and never had been, any ordinary place.

An overwhelming sense of power overtook me as our steps echoed against the walls. Everyone was silent at first and I remember that when I heard the perpetual deep rumbling of the place, it left me unsettled. The damned rumbling continues still, as I write this. It has become a kind of bassical music to which I can no longer imagine being absent from my peripheral hearing. I discovered another strange thing as I ran my hand along a smooth stone-metal wall near the entrance. It was warm. The star cruiser’s scanners had not detected any energy readings from the entirety of the ruins. Somehow, the ruins were being warmed by some unknown force. It had to be something not of electrical design, or else the scanners would have picked it up.

We expected the ruins to be dark when we entered, but all our flashlights and lanterns proved unnecessary at first. There were sconces, placed high up where wall met ceiling. A kind of faint blue light illuminated from them, although we could never find a source for the projection. I felt, as some of the others must have, as though these ruins demanded a certain amount of respect. An overwhelming sense of uneasiness stirred my blood and there was a part of me – a small part at that time – that desired to acknowledge this feeling and flee from the encompassing walls. My curiosity was the ultimate victor however, and I was – am – compelled forward against my own common sense. The five of us fanned out in all directions into the corridor while O’Leary and Captain Vargge marched straight ahead, weapons held prone as if they expected a group of goblins or unsightly ancient daemons to be hiding behind the tall, crumbling pillars that spanned the corridor.

“Whoo! Stinky place, ain’t she?” Our company’s Archaeologist, John Haley was the first to speak. The corridor did indeed have a distinct, if subdued, musk that would be extremely unpleasant if it were any stronger. “Well, at first sight I reckoned this might be a structure built by relatives of the Rillou in the T’xani system – looked like one o’ their temples. Now it’s lookin’ more like a D’booloo palace upon closer inspection.” Inspeecshun he drew out the last word in a kind of hackneyed Old-earth Australian accent. I suspected that this accent was fake and just an act to make himself seem more endearing. The two sisters, Sheatha and Tera moved to investigate the stone walls where tangled vines had spread from the ceiling. Sheatha, I had noticed, spoke only when completely necessary in a stoic voice. She seemed to speak for them both as the other sister, Tera spoke hardly at all.

“All clear!” Captain Vargge called from up ahead. Examining the room, I did not notice any similarity in the simple pillars or walls to any culture I had studied. It seemed largely utilitarian. The space was large enough for many persons to walk abreast without difficulty. Work animals and vehicles could have passed through with ease. Small adjoining rooms off the main passageway were lined with wooden racks, their purpose I could not guess at without seeing more of the ruins. The company pressed on, and the workers hired from the nearby town set up arc lamps to illuminate the passageway from whence we came.

The end of the corridor opened to a massive chamber. It was not illuminated as the entrance hall had been. As powerful as our flashlights and lamps were, they only shed light upon what seemed a fraction of the space. The depths of the darkness ahead seemed unfathomable. Everyone in the company fanned out and gazed in awe at what little could be seen. “Shin-Ra be merciful” I remember Captain Vargge had breathed as he kicked a bit of debris off the ledge in front of us. It took a few moments to clatter to the bottom with a resounding echo. “Ya ‘ear that?” remarked Haley, the archaeologist. “Sounds like water dripping far off somewhere.”

The decision was made to make camp on that ledge for the night. We rolled out our bedrolls and pop-tents that were designed to regulate the atmosphere inside them. The chamber was quite chilly, and we were fatigued from the journey to this point. However, I suspected that most of us were too excited to get much sleep, myself included. I could hear O’Leary off in a corner, recording a vid-diary. “First night here. We’ve found a gigantic chamber…”.

At this point dear reader, I’m afraid that any semblance of normalcy on this expedition was rid from our hearts. Upon waking, we discovered the workers milling about and uttering under their breath foul curses in their native language. Two of them had vanished in the night, and none had observed any sign of struggle during their sleep. Their packs still lay at the head of their bedrolls where they had been placed earlier. The rest of the workers were spooked, and left us a bit unnerved. “Prob’ly ran off back to town. She’ll be right.” Haley said. Danvers inquired after their health, and I attempted to gather more information and mollify the other workers but they didn’t seem in any mood to do anything but curse the ruins under their breathe. Roughly translated, they referred to the temple as “The damned place” and that “the oppressors still live.”

The rest of our company seemed to share Haley’s sentiment and we decided to continue regardless. I must admit I was hesitant but my curiosity at beholding a ruin untouched by modern hands and unseen by eyes for millennia outweighed my fear of an unknown malevolence. We affixed staves upon the stone ledge and rappelled downward to the depths of the enormous chamber. A couple of the workers opted to stay behind to watch over camp and keep a lookout for their missing companions.

After what must have been the better part of an hour, we finally reached the bottom. The floor of the chamber was tile stone, crumbling and uneven. Captain Vargge and O’Leary took point of course, pointing their laser rifles at the surrounding structures. The bright flashlights affixed to the weapons cast an eerie light upon decrepit columns, stairs and ramps that led upward in the distance. There were low buildings that were found to have little in them but the rotting wood of what was once furniture, beds and tables and chairs. All throughout were horrendous thick and green vines, choking the rough stone of the structures. The workers had to cut through them with long, sharp blades and harried our progress some. To make the journey even more hazardous were foliage-filled pools that were deeper than they should have been. Upon closer inspection, they seemed to be craters made from falling rocks from the ceiling. The workers were even more wary now, a couple of them having fallen in and complained of sprained ankles.

Coming across a particularly large ramp that led upward into the darkness, we decided to split the company into two parties. Myself, Captain Vargge and Danvers would take a couple of workers and investigate where the ramp led. O’Leary, Haley and the sisters would remain behind with the other workers and survey the surrounding area more thoroughly. I remember we noticed at this point the luminescent tendril-like plants that hung from the ceiling high above, and spread out downward along the walls. The sisters mentioned that they would try to look for a sample to take back to the ship to be analyzed.

The trek upwards on the great ramp was toilsome. It was steep, and there were points where it branched off into other directions, apparent that it was just a part of a network of ramps and walkways above the ground floor far below. Intermittently were small towers, seemingly waypoints of sorts. They glowed with strange symbols when we cast light upon them. The cursed mutterings from our native companions increased with each one we encountered. Ever upward we trekked along the ramp, and once passed a great waterfall. So massive was it that the source was not apparent with the light we had available to us. A wall of roaring water, falling to the black abyss below.

Eventually we reached a structure, and our progress was impeded by a set of heavy golden-metal gates. Off to the side were two small towers, like the waypoints we encountered earlier. Closer investigation revealed to us that each had a lever set upon a pedestal inside. After several attempts, we found that the levers had to be moved in sync by two people. The gates creaked open with a sickeningly loud screech and opened inward. Past the gate was a set of great stairs, worn and cracked from past use and age. As we climbed, our flashlights and torches shed light upon what could only be a great underground fortress. There were walls and parapets, and inside a massive courtyard were three keeps. Two lesser and one great keep set farther back against the tall wall that surrounded it. The stone here we noticed, gleamed with a curious sheen. I concluded that the bricks themselves had gold in the mixture! This was an important discovery. This keep, following that many cultures regarded gold as a precious metal, must have been a headquarters of some type. What glorious beings once graced these gold-stone steps and mingled between its walls? And glorious they must have been, as we came across another amazing discovery! The ornate wooden entrances to the keeps, more massive than we first realized, were nearly five stories tall! Too far up for us to reach were golden fixtures, clearly handles for a giant hand to grasp and turn. Even with our combined strength, the five of us could not pry open the doors to the first two structures. But the wood was rotting at the bottom of the doorway of the great keep. We made short work of clearing it away to gain entry. Our two native companions refused to enter, and waited outside in an anxious manner.

The sight of what lay in that room dear reader, I cannot fully describe. My premonition of foreboding increased as we surveyed the vast chamber and cast light upon what was carved inside, but I also felt a strange compulsion. I’m not sure if imagined or real, or when it had started, but a strange and ethereal hum seemed to emanate from the walls themselves. My feet seemed to act on their very own and I began to walk toward the carven images, Captain Vargge and Danvers split off on their own without a word. The statues were carved into shapes of men and other creatures from around the galaxy, but were wrong somehow. Some had heads or limbs or tails that did not match. Some were beasts from worlds not known to I. Even now I shudder at the memory of their vicious, toothy visages.

“AAAAAaaaaahhhhh!” A hair-raising scream woke me from my mystified reverie, and I spun my light in all directions seeking the source. I started to run back to the entrance, and nearly collided with Danvers.

“They…they rise! Woe becomes him who defies their whims!” Danvers clutched at my shirt, his eyes wild and the sheen of cold sweat visible on his brow. “They command! AAAaaahhh!”

He took off screaming the way we had come. I think I was more frightened than I ever have been in my life. I ran after him, through the rotting entrance and back down the stairs and ramp as fast as my feet could take me. I vaguely remember now hearing the discharge of a weapon behind me, as well as thunderous steps that made the floor rumble. Something huge was moving. I can recall no more until the moment I returned to the others at the base of the structure.

The first person I saw was Haley, who looked frustrated and excitable. “Wot, the ‘ell!” he yelled as he saw me. “Danvers ran off screamin’! We needed ‘Im to look at one of the sisters. What’s his deal?”. When I inquired what he meant, Haley led me a little way away from the little camp to small clearing behind a low building. The glowing tendril plants we noticed earlier snaking down the walls had apparently grown in a shockingly short amount of time. Tangled up in the luminescent tendrils was one of the sisters. It was the older one, Sheatha. “I tried to ask what the ‘ell happened but she won’t say anything,” Haley said. O’Leary was off to the side, gun poised and looking nervous. Tera stood directly in front of her sister, silent and seemingly transfixed. My premonition of impending doom for our little company increased, but so also did the strange compulsion. I told the others I planned to press on, to the heart of the ruins. I told them briefly of what I saw up the ramp, and the disappearance of Captain Vargge. They agreed to accompany me, only slightly reluctant. I wondered if they too felt the compelling force.

We set out along the main path again, doing our best to clear away the vines and foliage. Before long we reached a chasm with the great waterfall on the opposite side. There was set of narrow stairs leading downward. We could not see where the stairs were leading us, and our proximity to the waterfall brought the sound to a deafening roar. It entwined with the unearthly hum of before, along with a distant thumping. We descended to that place, into the very heart of the ruins and my mind was clouded with visions of what I can only describe now as distant memories. I saw this place as it once was, a terrible and thriving machine of horrible capacity. A twisting and writhing industry of creation. I will write down no more of these visions. My last sane thoughts I wish to be of more peaceful things.

We reached the bottom of the stairwell and entered a chamber of which there were three massive stone-metal doors. The original giant inhabitants of these ruins must lie behind them. Again, that sense of an immense power we felt when we first entered, but many times stronger. Torches were still lit down here, ensconced next to each doorway. The flickering flames cast playful shadows along carvings of the masters, the oppressors and their subjects. Depicted were scenes similar to what I saw in my visions. Still I had no choice. I had to continue further.

Then, the torches were suddenly snuffed out! “Fuck!” O’Leary flashed his light towards something that moved at the edge of the room. I shone my flashlight around too, and do not care now that I admit I cowered in fear for a time at what I saw. Several manners of beast moved around us in a circle, snarling and shying from the light of our lamps. I glimpsed fur, teeth, scales, nails and I swear to you dear reader, that these creatures had the bodies of beasts but the heads of none other than our missing companions!

When I once again had the courage to look up, the torches were lit again. O’Leary stood staring, leaning against a wall. He wouldn’t speak to me, but I told him to lay down and get some rest before beginning to write this manuscript. Now the time has come for me to wake the poor man, who must live with what he has witnessed in this wretched place. For me, I know that I will remain. This will become my eternal home. I have been chosen by them. In a few minutes, the doors will open to the inner sanctum and I will gaze upon the majesty of my masters…I can…feel a change…transformation…my…destiny…Stu’un!

End.

#short story #horror #surreal

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jeyoteswritings-blog · 8 years ago

Text

The Switch

And lo, when i first descended those Cold metal steps lay prone Waiting for my hesitant footsteps

An unease most uncanny, consciously Akin near to terror As those depths were unknown to I

The brevity of assignment above Vague instruction But as befitting, displayed no distress

Such was thy mood, leaving behind A life spent hitherto The opulent silver-gold towers of pleasure

And what i said unto those stoic guardians Barring egress to the underneath "I bear unto you the seal official of potentate"

And thus a knowledge and familiarity Of an epoch of man's potential reached Thy premonition was gradually crumbled

For those silver-gold towers of leaders few Glisten in bright alimentary light And alight upon its surface those of beauty

Thou'st noble citizen belonging to these Embark to the hidden place Resting thither beneath palace foundations

The first level underground

Thine ears detected first, aberrant sound Rythmic, driving rumble Shrill and cutting melody wrapped within

Stepping into an enormous room slate Individuals attentive and earnest As a giant workroom, accosted thine eyes

Countless wonders beheld as those Artisans, in their profilic flurry Born of wit and intelligence, yet unveiled

Thy senses overcome, attention drawn first To works of aesthetic beauty Art of the like familiar, yet avant-garde

Of the many, few do i have space to describe As that of a flowing green mural Or the one of interactive spartan desert

Delectable these works, yet more evident Machines form-wraught Commisioned, golden and spectacular!

For one who in life built and built Therron, praised and widely-sought Fashioned a great glittering wheel

A tongue familiar, like the treasures surround Yet discordant, and realization Years-old cybernetics this one possessed

Thus he spake: "achievement for Thou to gaze upon In splendid glory, the chariot of empyrean!"

To which i replied: "for thee unparalled Such an undertaking of effort Why doest though struggle and toil so?"

At the query posed, a look of such Abashment swiftly on The face of the great creator, and puzzlement

A reply swift: "toil not do i, for knowledge That my works adoringly may be Considered by protecters and leaders above"

I bade farewell to Therron, this master This architect of wonders And his dated cybernetics exterior

The second level underground

Upon the hiss of entrance strode i Through mechanized portal And was dumbstruck of sensations

Such heat! Such steam! And stark grayness Here was a room of such Expansiveness than the last was overwhelmed

Though perspiration pooled uncomfortably On thy brow, i continued And rapid metal-joined-metal all around

Verily here were the foundations of industry! And such materials once-terran Through miles of manufactre transform

Traversed did i, the rows and rows gleaming Bright metal against lurid grey vast Accosted thine ears were, screech and keen!

After such a time, whens't thine feet had Grown quite weary and fear swell'd That i would ever reach an end or exit here!

Hitherto ignored by the scurrying laborers Out of the shining gloom And cacophony, emerg'd a large figure

An aura of command, this man compelled Fury-driven proletariats All bearing such ancient cybernetic augments!

'Neath a swarthy tangle of beard flame-red A massive body set upon Rolling chassis, a voice like the darkest cavern:

"All ye who are immersed here, avast! Machines manifest machines Indiscriminate, they are! Avast i say!"

And verily i spake unto him, this overseer "Why doest thou struggle so? who are these wretched souls that toil thus?"

"This! This rightly is how thou'st has originated so. Work never stops, I toil thusly brothers can remain firmament"

For it seems that this endless fabrication Resulting in static, obsolete Cybernetics for all who dwell 'neath this level

I took my leave and descended down, down

The third through seventh level underground

Through corridors dimly lit i wandered And briefly paused To revel at such poverty i divined, as i passed

What could be such a cause, as these Inhabitants were poorly mended and I saw such horrors

Rended flesh shoddily fused to parts Inferior, and perpetual Hunger, for nutrient, for shelter, for tech!

Round and round, these destitute corridors As if unending And all throughout, wails and groans met

Grey and green walls warped hideously In disrepair Profusely dripping yellow oil-slime from above

And sharply a nefarious stench became Thine nostrils That i could hardly breathe, think, move!

For aeons it seemed that i crept and Throughout, witnessed Such revulsions i can scarcely recount

Denizens of this wretched place dwell'd In such squalor Wherein the weak preyed on the weaker

Many a writhing body i did see, missing then An arm, or leg! Cybernetic theft left them immobile!

Verily have i since blocked from my Concious thought, An exchange with one of these wretches

The dirt and grime lay thick upon its brow And raiment That only close inspection revealed a woman

Weeping, she spake thus: "my child!... My baby!... Taken away..." to which i replied, sympathetic:

"Where has your child gone, poor creature?" Voice: of sadness and fury: "He was worth 500 credits to recycle!"

Fleeing in my consternation, The poor woman's Screams of lament hounded my footsteps

Blindly, i stumbled and fell Into a gaping maw Appearing forth from the grimy floor

Alighting upon a rough surface, Complete darkness I perceived, but for glowing dots 'round me

Eventually thine sight returned and i Found myself Atop a morass of junk and parts

Horribly, this mound of rubble moved 'neath Twitching... Forever twitching! Arms! Cybernetic legs 'twixt torsoless heads!

Alas! This was a refuse pile for the damned, Obsolete human parts Some still had life 'neath cybernetic eyes

They watched, and twitched as thou Can imagine As fast a speed as i dared, stumbled away

An eternity seemingly it was, til i Reached the bottom Of the terrible morass, implications dawned

The final chamber

A cavern thusly traversed, til naught an exit Could be seen But for a pair of large iron-wraught doors

Brazenly, i pushed apart these iron barriers And then, a shock A scene most surreal appeared before me

The most gargentuan chamber discovered A massive central column Power pulsing immensely, and attached...

Brains! Four of them, gigantic and bloated Fat wires crawled To the column from pods where they floated

Upon my entry, and surprised immobility They soon beheld And buzzed with light as a booming voice:

"You who have entered the inner sanctum From where and why Have you saught us out?" I answered then,

"I...i was assigned an inspection The underground And the occupants therein, and report back"

"And what is it you will report, inspector? We know much Even now, we sense your misgivings."

"It is true, although i cannot heretofore Doubt any ruling Of a governing body, as you must be

I must protest the mistreatment and Neglect of those Unfortunate to find themselves obsolete!"

The brains laughed as one, a grotesque, Computer static "Who are you to make such statements!

As humans who have sought to achieve Perfection! We all wanted more, thusly cybernetics

Wheretofore, a new evolution emerged And those With the means to keep themselves current,

They live on. While those without Do not As you just witnessed, humanity's folly"

A horrid revelation, yet even so i noticed As the brains spoke A giant red switch, integrated in the column

The last words i have been recorded to speak: "If you are the masterminds Of such a system, then OFF with you!"

Wild, computer static-laughter: "you fool! Do you not realize Shutting us down will shut down everything!

Even your own cybernetic body!"

O F F

#sci-fi #poem

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