The Unseen Enemy

Chapter 2

My mind slowly came to that night. I was aware of violent shivers rippling through my whole body. I rolled over and curled into a painful ball, trying to warm-up, but there was no way I would be able to. Already I could feel the numbness working up my arms and legs. My hands and feet were already gone. So cold I couldn't even move them.

Maybe the surge would have been better than this. What am I thinking? Better to die human than live and be alien.

I lay there shivering. Slowly falling back into unconsciousness. The sound of the river lulling me to sleep.

Right before I was out, I heard a sigh come from behind me, back towards the woods. I heard foot steps walking toward me, then someone picked me up. I tried to struggle, not wanting to be taken back to New Pretty Town. But I was too weak to put up a fight.

I sat up right, screaming my head off. I started kicking and flailing my arms. The blanket that I was rapped in was flung to the side and I jumped up, looking around to find the nearest special. But the room was empty; or at least I thought it was. The man I had met earlier, the one with the funny hair, came out from behind a weird looking table thingy. He was flipping switches and turning knobs. Then he looked up as if he was just noticing me.

"Where am I?" I demanded.

"Remember the blue box. This is it."

"But this is huge. That blue box…this can't be it."

"If you don't believe me then go outside. See for yourself." He turned back to the table and looked at a screen.

I looked around for a door and saw one on the other side. I walked around to the other side a pushed open the door. The sun poured in and I had to shield my eyes against the brilliance. We were definitely not in the forest anymore.

I stepped outside and let the warmth of the sun wash over me. It felt good after freezing half to death. Then I turned to find the blue box starring me in the face.

"Ahhh!" I screamed and fell back into the soft grass that surrounded me. "But-but," I got up and walked all the way around it. Feeling it to make sure it wasn't just a hologram. I stuck my head back inside when I came to the front again.

"But it's-it's bigger on the inside." I stammered. "This tech doesn't exist. Are you a spy? Like back from the rusty era."

He looked at me puzzled. He had moved from the table to the door and was looking at me face-to-face.

"What's the rusty era?"

"What do YOU mean 'what's the rusty era'? Everyone knows about the Rusties."

"Well let's just pretend I'm not everyone. What or who are the Rusties ." he looked at me waiting for me to reply.

I sighed, "This is a long story."

"We've got all the time in the world." He replied with a wink.