#shardsoffire

[ustrinagenesis]

Chapter 7: A Feral Mind

“Bullet! ... Lightning! ...” Cade calls out through the echoey apartment “Darn it why won't they answer?... Bullet!, Light-" his ears catch a faint whimpering coming from upstairs “Boys?... are you okay” he swiftly trotted up the swirly staircase every stair creaked sharply with age, echoing eerily through the empty room. The air was heavy so tangible that Cade felt like he was wading through it, something was off, something was wrong. He sprinted faster up the stairs; a sharp metallic scent started to drift up his nose “ oh no" he dashed as fast as he could up into the attic “ Bu-" the air shut off in his throat, blood was splattered and spilling across the floor a nurse lay on the floor steeped in blood, Lightning sat terrified shaking and whimpering in the corner and Bullet sat at the ledge under a clouded window his .hands on his face and claws digging into the sides of his head with a look of terror and disbelief plastered on him, his maw dripping with blood.

Earlier that day...

“Bullet had a high fever this morning, I gave him medicine before I left so hopefully he has stabilized by now but can you go check on him and Lightning for me because I’m really busy right now,” Cade says with a stern and tired expression on his face while scribbling down things on documents on a large and messy pile “but sir I-" “ also can you go to the store and get something for their lunch, they haven’t eaten yet," he says cutting her off “ but-" “ Diana I know you have nothing on your timetable right now, I wrote it. Just do this now and ill give you a bonus at the end of the week. She stood there her brow furrowed and a strained obviously fake smile “hmpf- you’re lucky I’m in a good mood today” she says as she pivoted on her heel and trotted in the other direction “only for you Dens" She said as she walked out the door. Diana sighed and walked towards the vending machine down the hallway and stopped and searched her pockets for change. “Man I wish they had lunches in vending machines,” she said and sighed to herself “Well Actually something similar to that is rolling out soon," A deep voice said behind her "AAH” she swivelled round shocked to see a tall thin dark figure with light grey combed back hair and thin piercing eyes, his tall towering ears stood high to attention and the bat stood high almost regally behind her “Jesus Christ Ivoss don’t come up behind me like that, you almost gave me a heart attack,” she said clutching her chest ”Sorry Miss grant-" “Doctor” she interjected as she pressed some buttons and put some coins in the vending machine, “I overheard you wanted some lunches, well I had made some lunches for my son and his friend but it seems they had found some pizza vouchers and wanted to use those instead.” He says as Diana stared at him with a concerned expression “So, do you want them it’ll save you the trip” Ivoss said with a smile while holding up a see-through carrier bag with two lunches in cheap plastic containers, she looked at them apprehensively however she quickly realised that she was too tired to contemplate. Diana sighed and took the lunches and two juice boxes that dropped from the vending machine “Thank you Ivoss” she answered as she started to walk away “No problem Doctor Grant" Ivoss said in a quite tepid tone, however with is staple wide smile on his face.

Diana walked down the echoey hallway towards the staff elevator, the sounds of her heels clacking bouncing off the walls, that was saturated in the mid-morning sun spilling through the hallway windows. Trotting up to the elevator, Daina got out her key and slotted it into the staff elevator and rode it up to the residential area. As the elevator doors opened again she clutched the bag plopping in the two juice boxes while walking up to the library and she opened the doors and walked through the tall walled maze. The smell of old leather and parchment filled her nose, the dim warm brown light swirled throughout the old library, reflected off the sea of books, the light came from the old yellowed circle windows. The windows spotted the heights of the shelves and looked like old eyes overlooking the astoundingly large library; after a while, she navigated herself to the small parting in the shelf wall to an antique-looking door. Diana knocked hard on the old door that looked like it would shatter under a little more force and the sound ricocheted through the apartment. Diana stood there for a bit before she could hear small footsteps running down the stairs and up to the door, a small light bluish boy opened the door his excitement visibly turning to shyness once he realized it wasn’t his Grandpa “Cade wanted me to bring you lunch" she sighed and handed the bag to Lightning, he nodded at her “ill come back to check on you in half an hour” she said dryly and he nodded again in response. Afterwards, the little boy closed the door and she could hear him run upstairs to give his brother the lunch. Diana walked back through the library to the computer area and started to do a little work to pass the time, she enjoyed the muted echoes of the quiet library as it was usually quite empty and loved the rich vintage atmosphere, she could easily get lost in it and as a result she quickly became saturated in the thick classic feeling and while she worked 40 minutes flew by. Absentmindedly Diana checked her watch and put it down but quickly took a double-take as she realized the time; she quickly saved her work and logged off and swiftly went to the two boys apartment to check up on them. Once again she knocked against the rickety door however a frantic scrambling of feet came from behind the door and the door flung open revealing the same bluish boy, however pale and with a look of terror pasted across his face. Lightning flung himself at Diana grabbing at her jacket and his eyes pleaded at her in silent horror, his looks sent chills down her spine “What’s going on, what’s wrong?” she said hastily, his fear prickling wavers into her voice. Lightning just pulled at her jacket while he pointed up the winding staircase and her eyes followed but she quickly started to hear manic scuttling, scratching and crashing up the stairs that dashed across the upstairs with insane speed and ferocity. Without hesitation Diana started to dash up the stairs “Bullet!, Bullet!, Are you okay?!” She shouted up the stairs as she ran, Lightning right behind her. Diana swung open the door “B-" the sound shut off in her throat as she looked in abject terror.

Bullet stood hunched over on all fours however somehow seemingly towering over his surroundings, his crimson fur was on edge, his face curled and scrunched up, his nose flared, his mouth grimaced showing monstrous blade-like teeth. Dark unknown black liquid and viscous dark blood dripped from the dressing on his eye finally his eye, a brilliant almost glowing red with 3 strange white circles spinning in the iris, and it was staring right at her with blind fury. Bullet’s dripping maw parted slightly letting out a booming growl as he started to turn towards them stalking on all fours like a predator, snarling, as he pursued them they started to scuttle to the other side of the room and with their sudden movements Bullet’s growling became more intense; Diana startled by it tripped over onto the floor and started to scoot backwards on the floor and Bullet was now only focused on her. As Diana stared at him she could notice his fur getting darker and it seemed like his back got longer and his tail started to puff up, his lower ears started to shrink and by the time he was only a meter away he was a large black feral beast that had smoke that drifted from his nostrils and As he edged closer she started to look frantically around her for an escape. Finally, he stopped as he loomed over her still snarling as piercing red eye stared at her intensely, but suddenly in her delirious fear she dashed in the direction of a pencil to distract him with but without warning, he lunged at her going directly for her throat.

Blood sprayed across Bullet’s face causing him to recoil, he looked at Diana, a pool of blood started to form as he looked at it his fur started to shimmer and red started to come through again and he slowly started to turn back. Bullet regained his senses and he finally looked at himself he fell backwards and scurried away from the expanding pool of blood, he leaned himself against a ledge below a bright circular window in the middle of the room, his breathing became shorter and shallower, his breaths became short and gulping almost like he was drowning in the thick sharp air and his stomach started to convulse dryly as he coughed violently. Tremors drifted throughout his small body and he dug his claws into his face as he shook and a mixture of wine red liquid and a black dripped from the soaked bandage. Time seemed to come to a thundering halt, milliseconds or centuries could have passed and he wouldn’t be able to tell over the crashing of his own heart. Scorching heat spread across him as his grip on reality started to waver as the dizzying pain that spread across his core started to drift away, everything became distant and intangible, his very existence almost seemed foreign, detached, unreachable. “Bu-" The door opened.

Later that evening

Air was suffocating Bullet as he waited and his impatience was maddening. Bullet sat on a waiting room chair outside a surgery room as he tapped his fleet anxiously at the floor, holding himself tightly as he stared intensely at the floor “Are you okay?” A voice asked suddenly in front of him. Springing upwards Bullet exclaimed “AH!... where did you come from" a small black, fluffy little figure with tall towering ears and large round dark eyes stood right in front of him “Hey! If I'll be your friend will you be happy!?” The boy said with beaming excitement “Huh?” Bullet said confused “There aren’t a lot of Sover kids in the in this part of the hospital so we get lonely so we’re gonna be friends ok!” The small bat said with a bright smile “W-we?” Bullet stuttered “Hi" another unexpected voice uttered from his side “GAH!” Bullet shouted once again shocked to see another short black little figure but instead with a short greyish beak fluffy ruffled feathers everywhere except his head “Oh! I forgot!, my name is Ivory but my friend calls me Wings and this is Raver!” Wings gestured to the small Raven boy beside him “U-uh” Bullet stammered as Wings jumped up and sat beside him “Hey! Do you know why he calls me wings! Because I was born with an extra wing, but it made my other wings go bad a little bit ago so they all had to be taken away” he pointed to bandages where his wings would be. Bullet gave him a wondering gaze “Hey! Also, my dad works here in the lab and dose aneelisis on stuff, that’s a hard word" Wings said loudly; Bullet just looked at him confused at his loud and over-enthusiastic nature “So! I’m going back to the library come meet us there ok, byeee!” Before Bullet could comprehend what was going on Wings was already gone and the Raver trotted contently behind him. Bullet had to take a moment to process the barrage of information but by the time he collected his thoughts the door opened and Dr Cade Emerged from the room off to the side, he silently motioned for Bullet to come to him.

The two walked to the other side of the room and into an adjacent office where Cade sat down in a large plush swivel chair and sighed as he put his hands together and looked down sullenly Bullet immediately knew what was coming “Firstly, Dr Grant sustained quite serious injuries however because I was there so quickly she did not get any irreversible damage. The artery in her neck was grazed and she lost a lot of blood, but thankfully one of our staff knew that they had the same blood type and so they had a blood transfusion so Dr Grant is recovering. As a result, she had to have a lot of stitches in her neck.” After Cade paused Bullet gave a sigh of momentary relief “Also luckily she decided she didn’t want to press charges however, now you have to be under constant supervision.” Cade Continued “But Grandpa-“ Bullet said but was quickly cut off by Cade “Because I agree that this isn’t like you, so I will have Dr Ivoss do physical and physiological tests on you to get to the core of your issue”. After Cade finished his sentence a dark figure cantered into the room that sent shivers down through Bullet’s spine, it was the ever-smiling bat standing tall with his large hands behind him; his presence was dark and thick, practically physical and his thin sharp eyes felt like it bore straight through Bullet’s very core. “Dr Ivoss is a good friend of mine so he will also be supervising you daily” as Cade uttered those words a low unknown panic started to well up inside Bullet “Lightning will also attend just in case he is capable of the same thing” Cade gave a large sigh and got up and turned around facing a window letting in the warm afternoon sunlight. Bullet eyed Dr Ivoss warily “Grandpa I-" “Unfortunately Bullet because of the situation you’ve put us in we cannot discuss or debate it, it has already been decided. Do you understand?” Cade asked flatly "Bu-“ "NO" Cade shouted as he swung his head towards Bullet, his brow furrowed and a mix of anger, disappointment, fear and confusion flickered like flames in his eyes. Cade dropped his head and sighed turning back towards the window “Do. You. Understand?” he asked again, laboured, Bullet nodded somberly “Good” Cade pause and moved his chair to face the large window “This will become effective immediately so Dr Ivoss is ready to take you now” Cade’s words wavered as he stared out into the afternoon sky. Dr Ivoss opened the door and motioned for Bullet to follow him, Bullet opened his mouth to say something to his grandfather but no words followed only the prickling of tears at his eyes. Dr Ivoss silently led Bullet out of the room and Bullet stayed silent as he followed fighting back the tears that threatened to fall, they walked down turn after turn, making so many that it almost like spiralling through a labyrinth. Finally, they ended up at an elevator door that was crested with what looked like years of dust, rust and wear, very different to the usual elevators that looked pristine from regular cleaning; it almost looked abandoned. Ivoss put a key in and the two walked inside, as the doors creaked open Bullet became increasingly more anxious and shifty on his feet. Stale air drifted through Bullet’s nose as the door closed with a loud clunk “So uhh, where are we going?” Bullet enquired but his question was met with unchanging silence, Dr Ivoss just stared blankly into the industrial-looking metal triangle pattern in the wall. Searing shrieks of metal reverberated throughout the elevator as they started to descend; the tall bat subtlety tapped something into the level keypad and suddenly the elevator came to a shuddering halt "W-what happened, wait where are we going” Bullet asked frantically.

Two loud clicks accompanied by two violent shakes of the elevator “What’s happening!” once again Bullets questions were met with silence only this time the Doctor’s smile grew “Wh-“ The whole elevator convulsed cutting Bullet off when out of nowhere the elevator started to hurtle downwards at terrifying speeds “W-WHATS GOING ON!” Bullet shouted desperately, lights from the levels flashed through the gaps of the door “WAIT A MINUTE WHERE IS LIGHT-" before he could finish the elevator came to a thundering halt and Ivoss walked up to press the door button, instead holding it down and then bending down a little, a flickering blue light flashed out from a tiny bead on the wall wiping across Ivoss’ eye “-ning" Bullet finished as the doors opened revealing some sort of shadowy room with towering a ceiling l spotted with black metal structures and pillars making it look like a sort of sweatshop or factory. Tables were strewn throughout the large dimly lit area filled with testing tubes, chemicals, strange machines, equipment, large cylindrical tanks and right in the centre of the room stood large silver ring and right in the centre of it suspended was Lighting, restrained, held up by his arms and legs and an attachment with long wires leading up to the ceiling along his spine. “ LIGHTNING!” Bullet screamed in horror as he scrambled towards his hanging unconscious brother “I wouldn’t do that if I were you" The elevator door slammed behind them and Ivoss’ plastic grin stretched further across his face and a platform with buttons rose from the floor. A long claw from his winged arms pressed a button, various sharp-looking surgical tools rose from the ground attached to mechanical arms. Laser attachments on more mechanical arms descended from the ceiling like thin sliver spindling spiders and they pinpointed points across Lightning’s body. “Listen, kid, if you want your brother to walk away from that thing alive today I’m going to need you to do exactly as I say” the large bat stalked towards Bulle, his movements were silk-like, light like twisted royalty. Ivoss loomed over Bullet and clasped his claws around his face “I’ll let you in on a secret” he whispered mockingly “A while ago I started researching this strange substance that interwove with and manipulated Sover DNA, research that eventually hit a dead end, however suddenly it started reacting again. I wonder, do you know when that was" he sneered as he pressed a claw onto Bullet’s eye bandages “Surprise, Surprise, it was when you came along” he lifted Bullet up by the shirt “ You don’t understand the kind of breakthroughs possible with this. I will singlehandedly bring the world into a new age of evolution” Ivoss reeled back and basked in awe of himself. Bullet flailed at his grasp simultaneously terrified and infuriated “Now boy lets make a deal, you let me do my tests anytime on you without you telling anyone and I won't kill or test/torture your brother, Deal?” the dark doctor dropped his clasp on Bullet and he stood completely speechless and terrified as he scanned the room with his eyes spotting many completely dangerous machines and tools that could hurt torture or kill him, he was frozen with fear feeling completely helpless and small “Listen kid, you better decide soon or ill just kill him and do my tests on his corpse. 5...4...” Bullet panicked and the situation spun through his head violently almost making him sick “3 ...2” his bandage started to soak again with blood "On-“ “DEAL!” Bullet cut off Ivoss in desperation and fell to his knees tears streaming down his face. Ivoss gave a sharp wide almost demonic smile "Good choice kid, now let's have some fun”

To be continued

[ustrinagenesis]

Ustrina Genesis: Shards of Fire Chapter 6 Coming today!

[ustrinagenesis]

Ustrina Genesis: Shards of fire official cover!

[ustrinagenesis]

Ustrina Genesis: Shards of Fire

Chapter Six: Blood tears

"What do you mean we got nothing !" Cade stood up suddenly smashing his hands on the desk in front of him crushing papers and knocking over his desk tidy "Sir I sent emails with photos and scans to every hospital and University on the island and sent every form of message out of the island with either no response or they have no idea because of the individuality and fragility of the boy's eye no one knows what to do" the Assistant said with a noticeable waver in his voice " I refuse to believe that because he's a little different no doctor in the island knows what to do" he paces around his desk ad shakes his hand in front of him as he talks "Every doctor on the island are either stupid or still ignoring us" he pulled his fingers down his face to his nose, his eyes squinted shut "Jesus Christ! Its been four damn years, forget it ill just do it myself. I'll sort it out" he sighed "But Dr Dens the board said if you do any more unsigned procedures they could shut us dow-" " ADAM, I said ill sort it out so ill sort it out! OKAY!" the Assistant recoiled at the exclamation " Y- yes sir" the assistant stuttered then Cade sighed again " Listen I'm sorry I'm just very stressed" he looks around at the table behind him "Where's my coffee..." he looks around frantically "WHERE'S MY COFFEE, I NEED MY GOD DAMN COFFEE!" he slams his fist on the table mid-sentence "ADAM I NEED MY COFFEE GET ME MY-" " Already on it" the Assistant interrupts as he runs out the room.

As Adam ran past he revealed a certain red boy standing at the office door " Oh... Bullet I uh... didn't see you there" Bullet didn't move "We were just talking about the uh new bedsheets in your room which one would suit you better, cream or... white" Bullet gave him a level look and Cade stirred at the unusual maturity coming from him "Grampa. I may be seven years old but please don't treat me like an idiot" Cade's eyes widened at the child's statement " Uh... okay" he gave Bullet an obviously too-wide smile and nods " Did you come to ask to see your brother?" Bullet just looks down and shuffles on his feet and nods " Come on then" Cade waves Bullet over and holds out his hand and gives Bullet a warm smile Bullet stays quiet but takes Cade's hand and they walk out of the office. As they walk down the sunlit corridor Adam jogs over to Cade and hands him a mug with white and blue wings overlapping each other, Adam hands the mug over to Cade's freehand" Oh Adam you're a lifesaver" Adam smiles at Cade and he smiles back then promptly takes a large sip of the coffee "ahhh that's a good cup of joe" Bullet looks up at Cade with a raised ‘eyebrow' " Whaaat? I like me some joe" Bullets face softens and he smiles.

The two stop at a door that has a clipboard with 6 names including L. Dens, Cade knocks at the door and waits, after few shuffles inside and some footsteps the door opened and a white-coated fox came to the door. Cade and the unknown doctor exchanged some words as Bullet watched, after a bit, the two nodded at each other and the fox went back in, closing the door behind him. Cade turned back to Bullet "Dr Factor said that you can't come in right now as their doing some tests but we can come back in fifteen to twenty minutes" Bullet nods " Okay" Cade walks Bullet a little bit down the corridor to the waiting room. They both sit down in an empty blue couch, the room had other people in it also waiting for their turn and they chattered and interacted amongst themselves. A blocky TV was set up at the front of the room on the wall on an old metal arm with thick black wires along it covered in dust; the TV seemed to be on a news show. Cade found the remote on a side table and turned it up.

"-ank you jenny for the weather. And now to the top story of this week, the infamous new head technician at the bioengineering facility has been found dead Tuesday morning at the construction site of the new office location of BioTemp Ltd, furthermore the wife of the technician, Mrs Lucerna Dens was pronounced missing the day after. Through citizen reports we learn the victim was walking home with his wife and two children from work and from CCTV footage it shows they were encountered by an unknown figure before the incident, however, unfortunately, all CCTV footage cut out shortly after. The next morning the discovery was made by an early working construction executive who immediately reported the situation to the police. The crime scene was a mind-blowing mystery as there were massive craters in the ground, a giant hole in the side of a building and many of the windows from the ground to hundreds of feet up were shattered."

"Our experts say that the crater was caused by a person crashing into it at high speeds as well as the hole in the building as it has traces of blood on the shattered tarmac and glass shards, however, the windows were caused by a giant shockwave of sound. The most terrifying part of this story was that the victim was found with massive disembowelling holes in his torso and his skull almost completely shattered and the tools needed to do all of these things would have unimaginable force. " they flash a small warning for disturbing imagery as the reporter talked then showed the bloody scene of the crime scene and then the autopsy showing the deep holes and intestines.

"Due to the malfunctioning of the CCTV footage the identity of the suspect is unknown and there are few leads. However, due to the suspicious disappearance of the Mrs Dens, she has also been considered to be a crucial suspect in this case. A freind of Mrs Dens, a receptionist at the bioengineering facility Miss August Lee Was interviewed the following night of the incident-" the video cuts to a recording of robust lady being interviewed in front of a wide reception Littered with police officers "Lucy and her kids came to meet Arco after his meetings ended here for the day; they came to me to chat a bit about normal things had a bit of a laugh, Arco forgot his keys to the construction sight because they always passed through that way to go home and because construction hadn't started yet so it was safe to go, or so I thought-" the clip momentarily cuts "Do I think she had any reason to do it, of course not they were a perfect little happy family that at least seemingly had no problems, they adored each other so there's no way-" "although Arco did rise to a very high position rather quickly no one had any visible animosity towards him because he was all round a really nice guy and always strived to improve the department for all including the lower workers so I think its highly unlikely that it was anyone from the facility.-"

The video transitions back to the news reporter "It was reported that yesterday afternoon the two children were reported to arrived Monday night of the incident hundreds of miles away at the Cornico island general hospital and taken in by the father of Mr Arco Dens the also well known (however for the wrong reasons) the in-famous Dr Cade Dens however when we asked for information on the subject he refused all inquiries. Interviews on close friends and workers of the will continue throughout the coming weeks and the investigation will continue to find more concrete information. If you happen to have any information about the case please contact this number onscreen or go to our website for more informa-" the TV suddenly was cut off. Cade stood there trembling and gritting his teeth, rage and despair flushed on his face and the room stood silent staring at him. Bullet suddenly gags running out the door, breaking the silence cade twitches and looks around the room "What are you lookin' at" everyone avoids eye contact looking away and the room again fills with conversation.

Cade turned the TV back on to a different station and walks out in the way of the bathroom, sounds of violent coughing and retching came from a stall in the corner of the bathroom in there sat Bullet, hanging onto to the walls of the stall for dear life, his small but sharp claws burrowed into the walls and his face blindly staring into the toilet bowl retching with nothing else to give, his eyes were filled with realisation and devastation, the blood that streamed from his reopening wound and the tears from his right eye rolled down his crimson cheeks and gathered at his chin, the blood tears dripping down to the floor and at his feet, further exhausting his small dehydrated trembling body. Cade crouched and put a hand on the small boys back he swivels around fast in a sudden and involuntary panic and the terror in his eyes sent shivers down Cade's spine "hey, hey its just me calm down" He gently put his warm hand on Bullet's head; his eyes soften and he hugs Cade and continued to cry into his chest "Its ok, its ok, lets go change that dressing on your eye; Bullet just nodded still hugging Cade close and Cade picked him up and walked into the room across the hall.

After his dressing was changed and he cleaned up and calmed down Bullet sat at the end of the bed looking down, his hand planted squarely on his lap. "I assume you don't want to talk about it" Cade said breaking the silence; Bullet paused then slowly shook his head "Allrighty then" he hopped onto his feet Lets go see your brother then" he held out his comparatively large hand and Bullet took it and they walked out the room. They walked up to the door again and Cade knocked, Dr Factor opened the door and walked them into Lightning's bed near the window with twilight shining through the window. He slept in the hospital bed with two machines connected to him and monitoring his vitals. Bullet sat in a blue chair beside the top of the bed and Cade pulled up a chair beside him. The doctor walked up to the other side to the bed, clipboard in hand "Ok so we've finished all the tests, and Lightning is mostly in shock after whatever transpired on Monday, he's had a mild concussion and so should wake up soon however, he has severely strained and damaged his vocal chords to the point of rupturing a blood vessel, so I advise he does not talk at all until they are completely healed which could be two to three months, however, due to the strange biology of this boy there is a chance that his vocal chords regrow in an irreparable form and he could be mute."

They look back to Lightning who had sat up silently without the three knowing and sitting silently with wide eyes. Bullet jumped to hug his brother who smiled and winces in response, his bruises and cuts were not fully healed. "I'm just glad you're awake and ok.. for the most part" he moved back " Welcome back Lightning" Cade said with a smile and Lightning smiled back; the three looked back to the doctor "So I assume you heard what I said about your voice Lightning" Lightning nodded slowly in response "Ok, so I will provide two alternative options for speech replacement 1. A whiteboard and pen/book and pencil for the short term or for the long term in case of complications you could use sign language, I have a small sign language book of simple things for kids and you Bullet could learn it with your brother" Bullet looked to his brother then back to the doctor "It could be your own little secret language" the doctor said with a warm smile.

He handed a whiteboard and a book to Lightning the brothers exchanged looks and then Lightning looked to the book and picked it up and flicked through it and then held it up to the doctor with a page with the sign for "this" and then a sign for "one" the fox chuckled and said "Ok" as he took the whiteboard "Ill check on you on a bi-weekly basis from now on Lightning, but for now this concludes our session. You are free to leave but if you are still tired you can stay in the bed" lightning promptly shook his head and started to move himself out the bed "You don't have push yourself too hard" the doctor said worriedly, Lightning shook his head determinedly. He edged out of the bed and stood on his feet, his legs were a bit shaky but he pulled himself up using Bullet "are you ok" says the doctor, Lightning nodded shyly "Well you are free to leave" The doctor does a small nod to all of them and then he walked off to attend other patients.

The three walked out of the room into the slowly darkening hallway, lights fluttered on as the night was solidifying "Ok you two as your tests are over and I don't have any urgent work until mmmm about an hour and a half later so I'll show you where you are going to stay, come on" he motioned to the two to follow him as he walked off down the hallway resting his hands behind him and the two hobbled after him. They reached an elevator a quarter the way from the end of the long hallway, Cade took a ring of keys from his pocket and then put a red-capped key into a slot among four under the elevator keypad and then pressed up; Bullet and lightning looked up to a complicated looking colour coded level map for the hospital, their eyes were drawn to a brown rectangular section with the code RW20 which stood for Residential Wing 20, it had 4 initials written in eraser marker in small writing and one engraved wooden plate at the very end with Dr C. Dens and above it the letters CEO in block capitals.

The elevator doors finally opened and they walked in, Cade pressed a button labelled RW20 amongst a terrifying number of buttons and they went up. After a bit the door opened and he walked out to the right of them down another hallway; at the end of the hallway were two large-ish dark wooden doors, cade pushed the doors open revealing a massive but cosy library "This is the hospital residents library for levels 15 and above, it is mostly quite here so you can come here whenever you want and read, there is a kids section. You could also practice your sign language when you get to that here Lightning." he said and Lightning nodded to Cade. They walk to the very back of the grand library to a small wooden door with a latch, barely noticeable among the towering rows of books. Cade takes out a complicated key for such a small door from his personal key chain and opens the door, it reveals a small spiral staircase and they walk up to it to another door.

The door was white with a fresh label that reads B & L Dens "Welcome to your new home " Cade said and then he opened the door. It opens to a large apartment with a grand looking staircase in the middle with windows up it; the boys stare in stunned silence and then excitement quickly spreads across their faces and they run off to explore the place "I assume you like the place, it has three rooms a kitchen living room and an attic, I wanted you two to have a place big enough to live in for a long time and big enough for me to stay when I can, of course you won't be completely alone, one of the kids nurses will be coming it 4 times a day to check on you and I will whenever I can" Bullet and Lightning run down the stairs and pull Cade up by his hands "Grampa Grampa we know where we wanna stay" Bullet says excitedly "ok ok I'm coming" they run up to the top of the staircase into a dark and dusty room with an arched window at the end "The attic? Really? Are you sure?" The two nod in sync "ok then whatever you want" Cade says with a smile patting the two's heads.

"Alright, now that's done follow me" He walked back out of the apartment, the library and back down the hallway. They walk all the way to the end and they come up a single door " This you two is my apartment and office, come here if you need anything but try to use the help desk on this level and section first because I'm usually very busy ok" the two again nod in response "ok you can go back to the library now, I trust you can do that" they nod again and Cade waved to them "see ya later" the two wave back an walk in the direction of the Library. They trek there way almost all the way back to the Library. As they walk back they pass a tall figure, it was a dark with a pointy nose, giant towering ears and wings attached to their arms. His barely open eyes were dark, sunken and tired but his face healed a deep-set wide smile, his hands rested behind him and he wore the doctor uniform and had an embroidered name tag at his lapel that read Dr C. Ivoss in black cursive letters. As the two passed him Bullet caught eye contact with him and his smile widened slightly, a deep chill shot down Bullet's spine and spread through his entire being, clawing at his brain. His body somehow was physically and deeply perturbed and with that, he quickly looked away sped up toward the door. However, the man's eyes still followed them, watching intently and enticed...

To be continued...

[ustrinagenesis]

UG: Update

I'm going to start releasing chapters at least every month so I have a good quota and constant stream of content for my non-existing fans, I borrowed that idea from a friend of mine (shout out to you Bobby) . Chapter three of UG: Shards of fire will be out soon so be on the lookout. Thank you Bullaverse and farewell for now.

[ustrinagenesis]

Ustrina Genesis : Shards of Fire

Chapter Four: Run

The beast started to move and the black liquid started to morph and pulse almost dripping upwards and the two halves rose slowly and the black liquid started to move between the halves and slowly the liquid bound the two halves together' the bottom up sewing the deformed being together like the devil's seamstress. The head fused together last and black steam poured from the track of the cut "Did you really think it was that easy … fool" suddenly a flying stream of black liquid shot bullet from his spot and sent him flying upwards, as he reached the crest of the 500 foot building behind them the beast seemingly from air appeared before him and gave him a psychotic smile and raised his right foreleg and like lightning carved through Bullets left eye, blood streamed like a waterfall from his eye as he fell he opened his mouth to scream … but nothing came. He crashed to the ground in a heap in front of his brother shattering the road below his blood still flowing from his eye and newly earned gashes and cuts.

  The demonic being landed on his legs before them both cackling while the liquid sputtered from his mouth "YOUR MINE… and your dead" he said with a poison-tipped tongue him as he stalked towards them his eyes bound to their position as predator staring at helplessly broken prey but then all of a sudden Bullet shakily sat up his, brothers fear-ridden eyes softened. He slowly rose to his feet and stood unsteadily in place as the beast slowed his approach to a stop "Oh not dead yet huh, well I'll take care of that-" " No…" Bullet suddenly said and spit blood to the ground "I Will defeat you" he shakily rose the sword covered with his own blood and the black liquid in his hands. He stood ready. "So brave and yet so stupid" the beast hissed and restarted his approach. Lightning sat up trying to shake off the immense pain and tiredness off him and sat in stunned silence as he watched the beast finally stop in front of his brother "Bu-" "Die." a stream of black liquid shot from nowhere straight towards Bullet with unwavering accuracy to the heart then without warning a flash of a deep blue then… red red red.

Bullet reopened his eyes to shield his eyes from the strong blue and red that appeared across his vision when his eyes focused he was greeted with an indescribable sight with filled him with all cognitively possible negative emotions; Lightning's eyes wavered and shuddered in despair at the sight his eyes mixed blood with tears and a cold shivering shuddering scream left his lungs reverberating the very ground beneath them. Bullets eyes met a figure standing in front of the beast, arms out almost in embrace and the black stream piercing through his torso drenched in blood dripping to and engulfing the floor " D-… dad..dy" he reached behind him and yanked something off the creature still merged to him and also something out of the stream that impaled him, he held Bullet's hand and put them in there softly and closed the other over it; it was a red scarf and a ring. He slowly and looked up into the boy's eyes his own filled with tears. He smiled.  " R- run."  

The corners of his mouth dripped with a red stream, he retched blood and collapsed to the floor revealing the face of an aghast beast retracting his stream and staring at it dripping with blood. Before Bullet could think his legs started moving and he grabbed his unconscious brother and started running and the beast twitched behind him and unspeaking started to move towards Bullet except he didn't the the blood on his stream of black liquid started to light up and suddenly blue smoke started streaming from it "No." it started to engulf the tentacle-like thing and soar up his body "No!"  it swirled up him steaming against the ground lost encasing him in a cylinder of blue smoke "NOOO!" suddenly his whole body was engulfed and he was frozen time.

The dark blue statue was on top of a blue spinning, morphing living disk and the statue frozen in anger descended into the writhing mass of blue and in a flash of blue. The sapphire vortex slowly evaporated from existence but Bullet didn't dare look back he just kept running faster and faster, a familiar path flying before his one good eye bloody with despair and tears and the other completely shredded almost ripped from its socket but still he ran. He ran through his physical pain, his brother still clutched to his chest his face still stained with horror, tears and blood and still he ran, everything became a blur flying past without realization the only thing that filled Bullet's world was the fluttering sound of his feet soaring across the ground and still he ran. He ran and ran until he didn't know if he was still running in reality or not, he just held his brother to him closed his eyes and let his tears fall. Without warning, something caught his leg and sent him flying forward "Lightning!" Bullet used his body to throw himself in front of him to shield his brother and they crashed to the ground "Bullet!?" Bullet got to his knees and looked behind him "Grampa.." he breathed an exhausted breath out, his vision waverd, his knees buckled and he dropped face forward to the ground "BULLET!!”

To be continued…

[ustrinagenesis]

Ustrina Genesis: Shards of Fire

Chapter Three: Fighting Through Pain

Caligo started to approach the two children slowly with large but sluggish steps, Bullet and Lightning were struck silent with fear and tears waterfalled from their eyes traumatised by the scene before them. The monster slowly increased its pace towards them and they held onto each other with the intensity of holding onto the edge of a cliff face that lead to a sheer abyss, all they could do is watch as certain death ebbed closer at accelerating pace. "Your death is certain you maggot spawn and my power is ensured" he kept approaching the children shaking with fear. Lightning closed his eyes bracing himself for the icy touch of death itself when suddenly a tiny sound emanated from him, it was like a sound of a broken live wire sparking and flickering; the strange sound quickly increased in volume almost like a small clap of thunder quickly increasing when without warning a small spark shot from the corner of his eye for less than a second but it increased in size, length and time until it was double the length of Lightning himself with no sign of slowing down  " Huh?" the void stopped his approach curiosity ceasing his mind. The same type of electrical beams started running across his body volume ever increasing until the electricity in his eyes started to flicker too fast to see "Interesting, I can't wait to take that with me as I rip the crystal out of your body" he hissed as he resumed his pursuit double the speed and jumped at them poised to kill.

Lightning's eyes shot open along with his arm flew forward, beams of bright blue electricity swirled along his arm and pulsing in a ball at the end of his hand sending a wave of pure electrical energy knocking the beast backwards several feet. "aha… AHAHHA what power I NEED IT" the beast started to shake and writhe in front of the children it started to morph its face started to contort becoming sinister and wild the tails becoming longer and thicker. The legs became more prominent and it started to bend over its arms resting on the ground its whole body looking more canine, teeth lengthening, claws sharpening and the horns sticking out of its skull like a two-pronged spear piercing the sky. The abomination let out a cry that made the ground ripple with almost waves of liquid evil itself, its mouth dripped with liquid darkness and its legs began to move towards the two its four tails swinging behind it as charged them. "NEEL BOY!" as it was just before the two a black dripping tentacle-like appendage slapped Lighting off his feet another striking his head directly shooting him like a doll to the floor.

Bullets eyes filled with pain anger and fear as he watched his brother become one with the tarmac and he dropped to his knees; his mouth opened and his scream sliced through the air shattering the windows around him on the building in waves. The demon being cackled at the boy's pain when suddenly a wave of almost tangible wind swept round the boy and for a split second his fur glinted with a sudden sheen then his body became ablaze shooting upwards like a volcanic blowtorch melting the tarmac below him the fire bloomed off his body out of his mouth and eyes like a concentrated furnace like a whole bonfire on the point of a needle. The intense red flames soared above the multiple story buildings heating the air so much making the atmosphere around the flames combust sending sparks everywhere where and obscuring his body; the giant fragments of flames landed they seared and burned the floor the mass of tar sunk below the surface of the ground with the unmatchable heat. The concentration of sparks flew to the ground revealing no one "What a show, fireworks and a disappearing act" a clang sounded behind the beast it was Bullet he reached down to get his father's sword still alight but flames slightly subsided pain and anger still branded on his face "There you are rat" the beast's face erupted with another cry at the young boy then immediately his eyes erupted with white-hot flames and he disappeared in front of the monster's eyes "what" the monster turned around "no" the boy was at his face "aaaaAAAAAHHH" with the sword he with his whole body with crushing force he sent the sword directly through the middle of the beast.

Bullet clattered to the ground the sword clanging on the road and on his knees he breathed heavy and sore; he almost gasping for air slowly looked at the beast, it was almost frozen in time when suddenly it slumped and slowly split apart cleanly. It was like butchers cut with a suction sound filling the air and a puddle of black liquid forming below the halved beast. Bullet with his adrenaline suddenly gone dropped to the floor still breathing heavily from exhaustion "LIGHTNING!" he sprang up suddenly forgetting his fatigue dashed to his floored brother and held him close to his chest. Bullet stared at his wounded brother, just above his eye was a small stream of blood the blood smudged on Bullet's white chest fur "Lightning, Lightning! can you hear me" Bullet looked at his brother with pain and tears in his eyes, suddenly stirred "mmmhhm" "Lightning" he cried "O hai bro what happened" Bullet laughed though hiccupping tears "Bullet...? What's wro-" he was cut off by a sight Bullets head snapped to it. A sound of pure black dread came from the… carcass.

To be continued…

[ustrinagenesis]

UstrinaGenesis: Shards of Fire

Chapter Two: Fight or Flight

The sky erupted into a shadowy black and it seemed light was non-existent stars hidden behind a wall of black. The corrupted being slowly rose before the three its head tilted down its mouth slowly parting to let out a heavy breath and a dim white cloud pushing itself out. It's opened mouth revealed large jagged teeth and a black snake like tongue and it rolled out and lay out twitching slightly "Aaaah my transformation is complete, now away with you mortal my business is with your two delinquents." The beast took large lumbering steps towards them, "Excuse me I –" the being shot a hand in his direction motioning with two fingers and his thumb to be quiet " Now child hand over the crystals before I  rip it from your still living body" he growled with a snake like diction.The children quickly ran behind their father shaking terrified by the amalgamate abomination before them " I don't think so Caligo" "No?" Caligo replied mocking him."Know these names Bullet and Lightning the names of the innocent children you were going to slaughter for power and Arco Dens the father who will stop and defeat you."

Arco reached behind him and took a long black and red sword out of a scabbard strapped to his back, he lowered  slightly and put his free hand in front of him and other arm back so the end of the sword was near but slightly in front of his face readying himself "Ahahahaha oooh really lets see how far your mortal idiocy gets you" a large grin widens on his face as his eyes narrow and turns and twists his neck with cracking and shattering sounds emanating off his neck then stopping with a full turn, licking his lips with a lust for blood. " NO!" Arco's face hardened his eyes wild with the intensity of a blazing furnace " Give me back LUCY!!!!!" the two children cower behind him at a distance " daddy?" they say in unison scared for their father "DIE!!!!!" he screamed at the monster and started to race at it. "Alright you imbecilic anime character, quite a pathetic first attack" Arco kept running at him, suddenly as he was a meter away from Caligo he disappeared before his black hole eyes "What! Where'd he go?" suddenly along mark of a blade was slit the length of Caligo's face "you... pest" a black almost living liquid started to leak from the long slit moving and rippling like its own sentient being.

Arco then stopped then disappeared again; the only indication of his presence was the trails made in the wind around Caligo made by Arco's light speed "you annoying oversized porcupine" Caligo's eyes started to move fast in all directions dashing side to side, round, up, down at unimaginable speeds, so fast his eyes seemed to become a black blur of movement "Fool! You think the same thing will work on me twice. You naive rodent." Suddenly Caligo thrust his hand forward, he grabbed Arco's face seemingly out of thin air. He lifted Arco effortlessly off the ground and he clawed at Caligo's powerful hand to no avail kicking his legs and making in comprehendible sounds under the large clawed hand and Caligo's eyes widened and a large cytopathic smile extended across the length of his face. Caligo clamped his hand on Arco's face, the sound of a large crack shot off his face like a bullet piercing the air and a muffled scream came from behind the beast's hand. Blood started to trickle down from Arco's face from the areas where Caligo buried his claws into, without warning his hands fell away from his bleeding face and his arms flopped down.

Caligo threw Arco up quickly and then caught him again by his chest fur and looked down at him " Trash..." he threw Arco to the other side of the street his face not changing at all. Arco crashed into a building window and a billow of dust and glass shot up around him "Daddy!" the two cried in unison as they both stared at him there lying limp on the floor of the building in a pool of his own blood, dirt and glass his face patterned  with claw marks steadily streaming with blood his mouth also leaking it his arm twisted and backwards, bone slightly visible his face was stained with pain and fear. Caligo suddenly looked up " Children... let me leave you with one final sentiment before I tear the crystals out of your feeble bodies. I revel in your pain and torture so once you die I will enslave this pointless world and spread syphening power from all throughout eternity and it will give me the power of a GOD! I will be immortal at the expense of this universe." He slowly brought his blood soaked hand to his face, he trailed his serpentine tongue along his claws and the rest of his hand "You will die for my pleasure and POWER!".

To be continued...

[ustrinagenesis]

Ustrina Genesis: Shards of Fire

Reality. What is it?

Is it only determined by what you see, touch feel and smell restricted by these rules and regulations that say to you what is "Possible" and what is "Impossible". Structuring your choices and thoughts through "Truth"...but have you ever thought of a world beyond that?

A world that is beyond logic and conventions, a world that cannot be easily explained through science or tested or even be recreated. A world pushing the limits of reason, form, and structure with no real reason to.

That is my reality.

I am Bullet and this is my story, my possibility, and my truth.

Prologue: Once upon a time beautiful baby boys were born, one of astral crimson red one of spectral silver blue. However, from birth, they were deathly sick but out of the clutches of death, they were saved by two guardians of old. The scarlet phoenix of fire and the ashen raven of lightning. The Guardians used two crystals of cosmic power and fused it into them. The mother and father were very proud of their twins and loved them with all their heart and took them everywhere until one day where their world stopped and their lives shattered to fractals and were crushed underfoot.

Chapter One: The Encounter

Evening, the air was crisp and fresh in the around breeze blew with a slight dampness in the air. Dew frosted windows littered the wide labyrinth of tall city buildings. Twilight shone through the spaces between the shadowed clouds, covering the sky making the roads glow a dim purple reflecting and refracting through the puddles and dark windows. The hundreds of ghostly clouds covering the sky made the roads abnormally dark for the usual night and cold... a storm? She thought to herself hoping her boys wouldn't get caught in rain. A small hand clutched hers and two pairs of innocent eyes then fell on hers "Mommy?" one said "Is it gonna rain" the other said, a pair of large arms picks them both up "I think the sky wants us all to have a shower" he says and smiles brightly the boys giggle "I think so too daddy" one says. He puts them both down unable to carry the massive amounts of cuteness, he puts his arm around her and the other hand held tightly on one boy's little hand and the other boy holding her hand "Lets walk quicker if we don't want to get caught in a cold shower" she says then they move briskly to get in before the rain and starts and soaks their fur.

On the way, they pass a towering building and the sky rumbles and a slow drizzling of rain started to fall and they go faster. Suddenly small a dark almost dripping mist comes towards them "Stop..." she says, it draws closer leaving a trail of black void behind it making a low. Whispering. Sound. "Don't… move" she says.

The wind grew faster and more powerful the cold air screeching blowing her scarf making it curve and contort in the rich air, "It can't be" the mist takes form mirroring her movements "Hello… Lucy" the void utters in a ghostly tone "Caligo, where are you and don't you dare call me that, you have no right to" she hisses back her wings tense then slightly spread out in front of her sons and her husband "My dear old friend I disagree. So let us get to the matter at hand, I sense two strong forces of chaos energy from your two. Juveniles..." "Come a step near my boys and ill rip your head from your body" her tail started to sway in shaky jagged movements and her paws slowly curling to fists "Oh Lucy, I have no body silly or have you forgotten the poor excuse for an existence you put me into going from beast to beast when their weak bodies wither and new beings are to be born. Binded to their blood and chained to their DNA over thousands of years forced to live in the beasts repulsive body and thrown erratically from them to new maggot beings ME a KING forced to a thousand years to live in those red and black race alien in nature, pests... for four hundred years   s you forgot me and let me rot in that disgusting prison but as of 27 years ago something ripped my spirit from that cycle" Lucerna's eyes shrank to pinpricks.

"What! Impossible" her voice became shaky and her breaths shortened " 27 years ago an experiment was held and the DNA I was linked to was extracted from the body and was put into a new growing life form" " no..." Lucerna whispered, "One day while the life form was being grown there was a storm, at some point lighting struck a part of the building and lead straight to the tank it was growing in and melted the chains that held me to the DNA binding me to that being." " no no No No NO! This can't be!" she screamed " The tank was shattered and the being fell out and a black half liquid half gas substance streamed from every orifice of the being.  That... was... me, a shadow of my former self." " Why why is this happening" Lucerna said in utter disbelief "I then slinked down what I thought to be a drain was an industrial cryostasis liquid nitrogen tank and so I was frozen for 27 years and only an hour ago the tank melted and I  was freed... and then that leaves us at now" the liquid – gas cloud hovered in Lucerna's direction and she finches and tenses back up and sands paws out protecting her family "Now let me tell you how the future is set, your going to give me your chaos hoarding infants and you and your pet-" "Husband" she snapped " OK your pet husband-" *grrrr* "Can go" "Never..." she said with a stone cold voice almost like it was tipped with venom.

The void cloud slowly edged closer and closer to Lucerna's family, she couldn't just run because of the void's advantage of flight. Lucerna was trapped there was no way out they were suffocated at cliffs edge with nowhere to run... the cloud was dangerously close to Lucerna's face and her breathing was erratic and uneven "I'll give you one. More. Chance hand over the boy now" " you're not getting the scum off my feet let alone my boys" she hisses back then spits directly to the center of the void " Egh how doubly disgusting and disappointing, wrong... answer." The liquid- gas void soared back and started to dash far away to build up speed "Get as far behind me as possible NOW!" she screamed desperately and they ran as fast as their legs could take them. The void started to dash at her gaining speed,  Lucerna took out a small pole like object and pressed an almost invisible button and panels started to elevate and making it as long as her with a sword-like weapon on the end with two curved sections that followed the other.

Lucerna readied herself and had a stance of battle and the composure of a Queen, her tail waved behind her slowly her black fur shimmering in the moonlight and her bright yellow eyes almost glowing in the shadow of the building only covering her face her claws also extending around the staff ready to rid the world of anything that threatens her sons and therefore she was ready to fight. The void corkscrewed at her at unimaginable speeds swirling and turning at her but suddenly as the void was less than half a meter away from her she swiped at the entity with her staff at lightning speed much less than a second the void slowed to a halt and fell in two right before her face. Lucerna let out a deep labored sigh "Quick let's go home" she said with relief " Thank goodness your OK I was really worried" her husband said shakily then they started off. 

"Did you really think you could kill me that easily" they all snapped their heads back at the same time, the two halves of the entity started to rise up and swirl together like a tornado and reformed itself then it suddenly disappeared " Wh- where'd it go" Lucerna's husband shrieked "I d-don't kn-" out of thin air the void materialized directly in front of Lucerna‘s eyes "imposi- *urrkk*" the void started to force itself down her throat. Lucerna's eyes started to turn red and her mouth started to foam, she dropped to her knees all the energy in her body trying to force against the pure darkness shoving itself down her esophagus; tears streamed down her face and blood started to roll from her nose and mouth small gagging sounds drifting from it with what little energy she had left to fight back.

Horror was stained on the children's faces and fear drilled in their hearts, the father from fear and disgust started to cough and gag at the scene and using every between breath to scream stop. Without warning Lucerna's body started to shake and convulse then all of a sudden it was still as a bandaged corpse; a shrieking cry of disbelief pierced the mauve sky " NOOOOOOOO!!!!" the husband ran at her. Abruptly her face shot up and he froze in his tracks, the blood mucus and tears suddenly melted off her face but then like there was a mist of a black hole clouded her eyes and blacked them out; Her fur started to lighten almost like it was drying, becoming grey from the jet black and slowly turning matted and rough; the wings mimicked the fur becoming dry and matted curling in every way feathers slowly falling to the ground; all the female features of her body evaporated off her and she grew larger; her claws grew and curved looking charred, dead and broken; her tail started to divide into two, then three, then four then curling twisting horns started to break through the top of her skull cracking and shattering noises exploding off her head, black liquid squirting and oozing off her head. Steam started to emanate off her head cleaning the dripping blackness off the being because she is no more " I am reborn".

To be continued...

[ustrinagenesis]

Ustrina Genesis Out Today

Its Finally time to drop UG: Shards of Fire Chapter One I took a lot of time and effort on this piece months in the making (technically years if you count the time coming up with the story) but since I have started chapters will come out faster and shorter than this one because it is the first and an introduction to the series.  I hope you enjoy my story welcome to the world of Ustrina Genesis.

[ustrinagenesis]

Ustrina Genesis: Shards of Fire

Chapter Five:  A Scar Laced Mind

Darkness surrounds, suffocating, drowning forcing its way down. Sinking, sinking into the blackness; something rises to the surface something spherical. An eye, they come up in force bubbling frothing to the surface hundreds, millions, billions staring, burrowing deep. Suddenly a whisper of breath finds its way from behind a figure stands. “Dad” it flinches at the word and smiles blood pours from the corners of its mouth and trickles slowly down its torso; a slow river of red trailing down it “Bullet, why didn’t you save me?” the figure melts into deep ruby liquid onto his hands. He stares into it his face staring back at him, his eye drenched in blood, red and dripping. A spot of darkness like the eye of a needle appeared in the ravaged eye dripping with streams of a jet black liquid, then the darkness started to grow swirling and spiralling consuming his eye his face  then “AAAAHHHH” Bullet jumped out of his sleep in a cold sweat entangled in a mess of hospital robes and bed sheets. His vision was red and hazy giving the room a crimson tint and he couldn’t put his finger on it but it was just a little bit off almost like it wasn’t real, like a flat picture.

He surveyed the room, it was quaint bright and white and crimson dawn shone through the windows to the right of him lighting the whirring machines lining the room with a sweet orange glow. Wires and tubes like water flowed from his arms into the different machines emitting a droning whirr and hum, one was next to his bed that had a white package drip that he couldn’t make out anything other than in bold letters AB -. The miasma of a sterile chemical scent enveloped his still dull senses, suddenly out of the sea of ringing almost white noise came out beeping with increasing loudness; he felt an almost gelatinous warm liquid trail down his cheek then drop onto the sheet. Deep charred red stained the sheets and burned through his retinas and a sharp raw metallic scent bubbled forth from the sea of sterile smells and stung his sinuses; the beeping became louder and stabbed at his ears with rampant intensity.

He rose his hand to the route of the sickly liquid; he felt a warm damp fabric over his face or more specifically his right eye, it was covering the entirety of it no wonder his sight wasn’t right his whole right eye was covered but how has it taken him this long to figure this out he questioned to himself. He slowly drew his hand back feeling more drowsy as the liquid still covered his hand, as he inspected it a wave of dizziness washed over him; his hand was drenched with a piercing red liquid and as he stared into it the room started to swirl around him and his vision started to waver and still the repeating beeping screamed on. He swayed and tipped slipping off the bed, multiple wires snapped and even more wailing sounds burst fourth clawing at his brain along with a multitude of fast footsteps slowly getting louder. He stared at the floor gulping at the air on his hands and knees a growing pool of the rose liquid trailing from his cheek, he retched into a white bin beside the bed and he lost all strength from his body and collapsed into the puddle as the door of the room burst open with an army of footsteps surrounding him.

Reality faded away.

Silence. The silence was then broken by distant voices “Bullet Bullet Bullet! Wake up!” Blinding lights filled his vision “whe...wha?” Bullet mumbled incoherently “Oh thank goodness, any longer and you could have been in a coma,” said a familiar voice with a relieved sigh “Uncle?” Bullet said quiet strained  “ Yes its me” Bullet slowly tried to fully open his eyes, his vision was filled with a mixture of worried and relieved faces in a similar but bigger room “W-what happened” Bullet stammered “Oh you I don’t know how but your wounds were re opened due exertion and coupled with a high heart rate you bled a lot, so much so that you went into hypovolemic shock and could have had a stroke or even go into a coma” he stopped and sighed and sat next so the boy staring blankly at him. He turned to the nurses beside them “Everyone you are dismissed please go back to your assigned sector” they all nodded slowly and left one by one “Bullet...” Bullet was looking down and clasping the dressing on his eye “Bullet I have to be frank your left eye was completely destroyed in whatever accident or fight you had and because of the biology of your eyes and how they connect your right eye is destabilising” Bullet stared at him in silence, wide-eyed. “Bullet you’re going blind.”

To be continued...