A World of Despair(Book One)

Chapter Two (Josh Garrison)

   Josh groaned as he blinked his eyes open. His whole body ached in pain and he felt as if he would melt. His mouth also was like a desert, dry and sandy. Forcing his beat body up into a sitting position he looked around. Josh hadn't meant to come here, he originally was going to the next planet over to collect raiation samples.His Flux Votex Manipulator had thrown him out there however because of a strong magnetic field disruptance. He originally landed far away from the spot that he was occupying right now. He groaned as it all started to come back to him. Three days. Three days he'd been here and in those three days he had experienced what he thought to be hell.

   Beeping was screaming in Josh's ears. Lights flashed all around and as he tried to balance out the forces he was shoved out of the Flux vortex. He sailed through the air like a bright star through the toxic sky. He was luck that he was wearing his extremely tough hasmat suit because as he hit the ground he was sure that he would've had more than some splintered bones without it. Bouncing a couple more times he finally came to a jarring rest. The heat was near unbearable and he saw that his suit was melting a bit. Quickly getting to his feet he found that he was directly in front of what used to be Hollywood Lake. Now it was green and bubbling; looking sick and Josh's radiation scanner was going haywire. Suddenly Josh felt a chill strike his core. For the first time he realized where he was. Earth. The planet that he was born on as a young child. He had returned home, but it was nothing like it used to be. He began to walk since his flux vortex manipulator was useless. 'Maybe I can find some tools that haven't melted to fix it.' He thought. 

      The days were harsh, but nights were deadly. Nights were when the Xions came out. They were the most dangerous thing about this planet. Josh watched the once human or animal creatures creep into the stained life. Their features all distorted and grotesque. It made him sick that their DNA was at one time like his. The creatures howled all lonely and, to him, in pain. He himself was tucked away in a high little cave too small for the monsters to get in. He felt sad for these things, but there was nothing that he could really do for them. It made him feel positively awful.

   The sun came up the next day and Josh began to walk again. He had seen from his perch earlier that there was a crumbling city not too far from where he was. He thought that maybe he could find a tool store or a lab or something. The sun beat down on Josh and his stomach roared at him. Reaching into the pants pocket of his he pulled out some of the only food he could grab, animal crackers. He ate a few of those and felt himself feeling right as rain. Walking on once more he made it to the city. It had tons of rubble that was oozing radiation. He moved through building after building hoping to find anything of use, but so far nothing. 

   He had spent six hours in this god forsaken city. Several buildings had almost collapsed on him and these weird bug like Xion had tried several times to eat him through his suit. He had found nothing of help and the sun was going down. Calling it a day he started his trekk back to his hiding place. He didn't make it there. Just as he was twenty feet from his little cave a Xion roared behind him. Josh booked it; didn't look back. He kept running hoping to make it, but no luck. He felt something attach to the back of his radiation suit and suddenly he was being hauled back. Claws ripped into him and things were biting him all over. He flailed his way out of the monster's grip and whipped around. The Xion was a big one. It has spines sticking out of its back and gnarled fingers each tipped with black claws. However it was its face that was disturbing. It had the face of a crying woman. But the eyes were pure red, filled with hatred for life. 

   Josh got out his gun ready to shoot this thing when another cry came. 'Damn! I forgot that they hunt in packs!' He thought. One Xion alone he could handle, but four or five and he was a dead man. The Xion in front of him began to move and before he could stop himself, he shot. The Xion fell with a strangled scream caught in its throat. Behind him, Josh heard the snarling of the other three. He wasn't going to stick around any longer. The Xion's gave chase to him. He passed the radioactive lake, and the crumbling city. They continued to chase him until the moon was far into the sky. They caught up to him about six miles away from the city. All at once Josh knew he'd probably be dead. They ripped at his suit, effectively tearing it to shreds. Josh was tossed around for several minutes, being torn like a ragdoll and thrown to the ground several times before stopping. He got to his feet and held his gun loftilly. Yes he was beat up and most likely dillusional for trying to take on all three of them, but he certainly wasn't going to let himself be beaten without a fight.