Sirens blare around me; the pounding from my heart echos in the chambers of my brain. Slipping, my makeshift boots barely groped the rubble strewn across what once was a street. How much longer is this round gonna last? I ask myself. Another thought enters my brain from Outside myself: cant be much longer. Its already been days. I glance in the direction the thought came from. Shrouded in smoke from the grenade that went off before we got here, I make out my companion, Him. Skeletal, feral, stealthy, his shape ducks and dodges the crumbling building He's taken to scaling. Slightly reassured, I nod, knowing He will Sense it. Beads of sweat threaten to blind me. Should've kept my fucking hair, I think, to which a muffled smirk responds. He and I know each others frequency so well, we've gone past the point of just sharing thoughts and can Sense the others physical sensations and facial expressions. They want us to teach Them, but this Bond didn't form overnight. The Greys would even say it took lifetimes fo attain. We get it,He thinks, reminding me that we are both hunting... and being hunted.
We make it to what was once a stadium; I know this term from Communicating with a Grey. He nods, still some ways behind me. His eyes scan the top and He finds his opening. Going up. My breathe catches as He begins scaling the rubble. Carefully, quietly, I step foot over the threshold. A pile of undisturbed ash creates a cloud ag my feet. Fear permeates every cell in my body. Before I can determine whether or not this is mine or His, bullets spray from the left of me. Automatically, my body flings itself low, meeting the ground fast and HARD. Again, the wind leaves my lungs. Scrambling, I hear another splatter of bullets go off. Ignoring the pain that threatens to escape through my mouth, I crawl, keeping my frail frame as low to the ground as humanly possible, my mind focused on one thing and one thing only. The connection with Him has been quieted and I know it's His doing, His protection...
I barely catch my breathe before my eyes land on exactly what I need. Those sick fucks, I think. Stretching my fingers as far as they can go, my fingertips bring the AK 47 towards my body. Once I have a good grip, my elbows and knees hasten to lift me on all fours then just as swiftly to my two legs. Turning in the direction of the gunfire, I pull the trigger and let loose my own bullets. A grisly growl leaves my lips, and it doesnt matter because in that moment, I am Primal. Chunks of the building slam into the ground and as the dust settles, I can start to make out a figure.. long, tangled blonde hair sits atop her head. Her face juts out at angles that make one uneasy. She isnt from Here. A transplant if the Others, judging by her slightly larger build. She was made for this moment and she was finna relish in it. "Well, well, well.." she straightens her back, not caring that her words are carrying beyond just us. You'll attract Them, I send out at a low frequency, one that all generations and people can receive and transmit. "I AM Them," she sneers, wiping the sweat from her upper lip. Before a bead can even hit the floor, I send out another round of bullets. Faster than my eyes can see, she throws herself to the ground. "FUCKING CUNT!" she screams. Our friendly banter has ended and we are back at sending and dodging bullets. My gun clicks and dread threatens to drown me. I'm fucking out. Totally empty. Although I switched up frequencies, I can tell she could make our some of what I said. The malice in her stance as she lifts her body from the ashes. I feel the snarl crossing her lips, a sense that we both know what's going to happen next...
SMASH!!! Concrete hurls onto the ground next to me; His prescence hides behind the cloud of dust that's yet to settle. Panicked, Blonde shoots into the dust, assured that atleast one bullet will stick. The sound of bullets ricocheting echoes, reverberating off every cracked brick. A dull, muffled sound repeats itself, the bullets having found a body to penetrate. Once the echoes cease, all that remains is my labored breathing. Barely more than a shadow, He steps lightly amongst the debris, swiftly drops to the balls of His feet, resting His forearms on His knees. You alright? His thought enters my brain. Unable to formulate a sentence, I Share my emotions. Fear, excitement, adrenaline, the inability to breathe, arousal- all of it floods His nervous system. His pupils engulf the light brown iris of his eye. I stop transferring. Shuddering, He turns His neck until it snaps, shaking the feelings from His mind. A siren interrupts, an announcement that The Battle has ended. Our Tribe has acquired credits. We advance to the next round. Lucky us, He sneers. Chuckling, I tilt my head to catch the rest.
THE NEXT BATTLE BEGINS IN THREE MOONS.
Him and I look to each other. Three moons. We're low on ammo, aid, food, water. In unison, our heads shake. Trip to Them? A bead of sweat makes it's way down His lips, the same ones trying to keep the leaves of a smile from forming. Against myself, and most likely due to HIM, I smile. Yeah, a fucking trip... the The Others.
