Monotone | ✔️

Chapter Twenty One

It was my watch right now - deep into the night. To be fair, it could be daytime, yet the clarity of time was tainted by the perspective of the underground; the lack of the outside world.

The light was dim, mystically so, the faint lustre the smothered candle illuminated flickering wearily, like it was tired. We all were. But our adrenaline was motivating us forwards, toward our unknown objective, toward our demises or our victory.

Cheery subject, right? My fingers flirted with the flame, casting the shadows upon the wall. It reminded me of shadow puppets. Muscle memory enabled me to create a bunny, a dog... My hand moulding into these shapes without thought, reflecting a childhood lost long ago. It was different, for this time it was with fire, and in my youth it was using projectors, screens, glowing with malice we did not yet realise.

I am part of this stolen youth. I wanted to scream, yell, cry, turn back time. Turn it so no one would have to experience this silent tyranny.

Vividly, I recalled the joy of getting my first personal phone - I was the mere age of six. I remember cradling the device in my chubby hands, forming my words carefully as I described it. 'This is soooooo cool! Thank you so much mummy and daddy!' I cried with ardent glee.

It broke one week later. It was replaced in the next day.

Although I knew recovery of my magical item would soon be found, I felt discombobulated without its presence, already brainwashed by the enticing grip it had on me. I cried, screamed, as though it had been a family member lost. It had come to the extent we cared more about our technology than our peers, our kin. Instead of support and care from our mates, it was the technology we looked to.

Realising tears were streaming down my cheeks, I hastily wiped my hands across my face, stifling a sniffle, a choke. As I felt more of the salty residue cascade down my features, I imagined each tear I was shedding a fear, a doubt, and as they fell on my feet they disappeared.

I need to stop crying!
I need to pull myself together!

"Tempest?"

Turning around and hoping the plethora of crystalline shimmers weren't so visible on my face in the dim light, I looked up to see Robyn.

"Hi." I whispered in reply.

I was expecting a lash, mean words, so you can expect my surprise as the words projected were amiable. "Look... I'm here to say sorry."

"Did loverboy set you up to this?" I murmured, before shaking my head. "It's alright."

"No, it's not." Robyn's fists clenched at her side, though it wasn't an aggressive action, merely resolving a conflict happening within her. "I'm a murderer, a mean imbecile who thought it was acceptable to disrupt our mission. Look, this is the only apology you're ever gonna get outta me, so cherish it. I'm sorry. I promise not to kill you in the future." I could see a faint smirk toying with her lips, though a haunted look was in her eyes.

"Thank you. I'm... I'm sorry for everything that happened. You didn't deserve it. This world is cruel."

With a stoic nod, Robyn yawned and went back to her bed. I might've imagined it, but the haunted look in her optics had seemingly lifted.

-------------------

"Let's hope this canoe thing doesn't capsize." Chris said as we were preparing to set off, readying the craft for embarking. We had discovered wooden planks amongst the bench inside the vessel. Apparently, hopefully, they were supposed to propel and steer it - that was our only guess.

"Alright. I'll steer. Robyn, you'll ride with me first. Then, I'll come back and get you, Tempest." Chris instructed. We nodded.

Holding the boat steady, they both climbed into it, the backpacks resting on their spines noticeably emptier. A frown curved my mouth negatively - haste was needed in the coming few days, we were running out of supplies. And when we did, there would be no chance to replenish our stocks.

I felt a slither of unease worm into my chest as they set off into the water, striking insidiously like a camouflaged snake, impacting my mind with paranoid dread.

My eyes scanned the dim water, yet only the crackling of electricity and swish of my friends resonated, as well as my quickening breaths.

Then, something in the water moved.

It lashed and convulsed like a rat tail, moving through the water with only a trickle in its wake. These things had been hiding amongst us all this time? What were they?

"Guys! Something is in the water!" Robyn looked back at me as the words left my mouth, confusion furrowing her brows. "It... I don't know how to describe it! It looks small... It's going toward you!"

I could see Robyn's hands twitch by her holster; I craned the candle I was holding as far as I dared to try and see. Yet we both knew that a gun was pointless - it would splash the water back up.

The being in the water appeared truculent as it approached. Slowly, it arched from the water, a forked tongue flicking to expose fangs...

My alacrity to assist in the danger was making my feet shift, yet I couldn't do anything!

Considerably, the progress the canoe made fastened, Chris moving faster in order to do so. The thing seemed put off by this, as the wake the sticks left was disrupting its path.

Hastily, Robyn rifled amongst her backpack, trying to find something to hit it with, yet according to her angry demeanour everything appeared inept. The only choice possible was to throw the cans of food at it, but that was suicide.

An idea ignited in my brain. Running toward where we had slept, I carried on the corner where we had stashed all our rubbish. An abundance of empty cans awaited me. They looked sad, but right now they were our panacea, our remedy for this mess.

By now, the two of them were nearing the shore, yet the thing still lurked, and we still had two more journeys across the water to go.

The serpent seemed attracted to movement in the water, but was repelled by too much... Drawing my sleeve over my hand for meagre safety, I chucked the can into the water, throwing it far enough away I was unaffected by the ricochet of droplets.

As the two landed on the other side, it hissed in annoyance, instead turning to me. Slithering quickly, I lost it's progress amongst the murky waters. Hoping it was impaired to movement only in the electrified water, I grabbed another empty can, preparing to throw it at the monster.

A hiss clawed at my ears, and suddenly it was visible again, it's head arching from the water.

Whatever this thing was, it was idiotic.

I threw one of the cans, and it managed to strike it on the back of the head. This irked the thing, and more of it stretched from the water, elongating, growing...

Suddenly, it flopped from the water, coming right for me. It lunged, and I leaped back; screams from my comrades were shrill.

Rather ungracefully, it transported onto land, a smug glint in its reptilian iris. Feeling my breath hitch in my throat, I threw another can, hitting it on the forehead. Retracting slightly, it slithered around me, the length of its body nearly circling me whole.

Was this how I was going to die?

{ I'm going to cruelly leave you on a cliffhanger! I hope you're enjoying! Thank you so much for 450 reads! I appreciate knowing that apparently my stuff is worth reading lol. Remember to vote, comment and enjoy! }