Blend the Light

Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars

"Answer the question, you vile creature," Blade seethes as he laughs humorlessly.

"Or not... I'd definitely prefer that option." I shrug as I speak. None of the Wasteland guards have made any attempt to open the cell door; something I'm both surprised and confused about, but relieved nonetheless.

Twig's head suddenly snaps up. The eye with the blinking light has been taken over with a color similar to that of a blood orange. I shudder- there's something about that shade of red that makes my skin crawl like there's termites swarming over my arms. Twig's body is unnaturally still until he stands up a little straighter before freezing again. Is he... Has he been taken over by the Wasteland guards? That happened at the Wasteland sometimes, but I didn't realize they'd to that to their own Wasteland guards. But, hey, when it comes to Guthrie Harper, never underestimate his evilness. "Answer the question," Twig growls.

"No, thank you."

"Answer it, Hawk." Twig's lip curls.

"No," I sigh. My shoulders slump. They're driving me insane, and they just repeat the same actions over and over in a vain attempt to get me to answer their questions.

"Answer. It. Now!" Twig snarls as he takes a step forward, drawing his arm back as his fingers curl into a metal fist, and slamming it into one of the iron bars. I involuntarily flinch, shifting back an inch or to as the metal bends from the force of his punch. A clang echoes throughout the cells for several moments after Twig pulls his arm back. When he stands up again, he's far more relaxed, and the red has receded and disappeared from his eye.

"So, Hawk, ya gonna answer the question?" Blade sings. I take a deep breath.

"No, thank you though."

Minotaur pulls out a key from his pocket, and jams it into the lock on the cell door. There's a faint click. The three Wasteland guards walk through the door. I see Sarah watching over Blade's shoulder, and she frowns. 'You're from The Loyal Order of Thorny Devils?' She mouths. I give a nod in response. A look of shock washes over her face. 'Really?' She asks. Another nod. Blade slaps me, his hand leaving a stinging sensation in its wake as my head sags to one side. My teeth grind across each other as I take several long, deep breaths in a futile attempt to keep my cool. There's a raging fire rapidly growing into an inferno.

Then, despite attempts to calm it, I snap. "Do that one more time. I dare you," I snarl as I move closer so I'm looking down on him. I square my shoulders, and stand up as tall as I'm able. Hatred burns within me, urging me to attack. A sick smile oozes across Blade's face. "Very well," He purrs with a sneer. A moment later, the blow lands across my cheek. Blade hunches over a moment later, hugging his stomach as his face contorts into a grimace. The heel of my foot connects with his knee cap, and he collapses to the ground. He groans, slowly curling around his knee.

I watch him, satisfaction washing over me in small, lapping waves, but exhaustion washes over me like a tsunami. Dizziness spins me around in circles like a hurricane. I stumble a few steps to the side. The room tilts dramatically, threatening to send me falling to the ground. My eyelids flutter as I block out the dizziness and vertigo brick by brick. Hunger. Food. Water. Scorching desert. Sleep. Soft pillow. Dreamless sleeeeeeeeep now, Hawk. Sleeeeeeeeeep. SIT DOWN! YOU NEED TO REST! My mind shouts at me to do just about anything other than what I'm doing now. It screams at me to sit down, and rest rather than trying to fight back. No, I whisper back, forcing down the urge to comply with my mind's words. I'm not going to sit down. I won't be submissive to them. I'm going to fight back. I... I-I can't just do what they want. I don't want it to be me here, but I also don't wish this upon another fellow T-LOOT-Dian.