Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Shoeleather

I awoke by the feel of fabric being pushed over my face.

I sleep in a cot currently, blankets upon blankets beneath me, on the second floor of a little wooden home. Six other people share the room with me. Which meant that my mind went to thoughts of murder immediately when someone covered my face forcefully, and leaned over me. I struggled, raising my hands up from under the large blanket. I pawed blindly at the figure above me, there was a weight at the assassin's arms as he pressed back down against me, fabric teared by my shoulder and heart as I did my best to block the knife.

I could barely manage a noise, but my legs kicked ferociously as I tried to grab some purchase. I felt the knife move again, and again, as the assailant used his entire body to keep atop me. That damn blanket kept me from being able to use my good arm against him, barely able to feebly shift.

The lights came on, and I was given a brief respite, just enough time to squirm partially out of my afghan. Admittedly, I was ready to kill the bastard that decided to take me out in my sleep. All this talk about everyone doing wrong, or making amends, or violence unable to happen here. Sanctuary had lied to me, and all I wanted was to leave. There were several screams of dismay.

What I did not expect was to see his eyes. It was like staring into space itself, an endless expanse of the cosmos itself. I felt myself drawn to them, like I could dive in and swim in a place beyond everything. I had felt that before, and pulled myself away. Only then did I see what the others had seen.

He stood tall and lean, a figure that was humanoid but not quite human. Humans don't fuzz in and out unless they're on a low-quality TV. From his hunched over look and faintly apparent clothes upon his frame, I knew my shadow when I saw it. In his hands, he clutched a broken blade, and lunged at me again.

I was stunned into disbelief as he came for me, pushing me back down to the bed, that blade pressed before him, piercing my chest lightly. My feet lashed out at him weakly, catching him in the shin. It was enough to make him lose some of his leverage, and I capitalized, sitting up and taking him to the floor with me.

There were no words between us, no witty remarks. That said, I shrieked like a little kid at the onlookers. "Get the fuck out of here! Run!" People in their undies bailed out of the room as fast as they could, as I struggled on. My one arm managed to grasp the hilt as I weighed down atop him. My balance was bad, but I had gained some strength, and put it to use. I pushed down with that shadowy broken blade, and pierced him. It sunk in as if he were intangible, before he threw me aside.

I landed against another cot, which upset atop me. Somewhere outside a baby cried, as he came at me again. I used the cot to trip him up, then made my way onto my feet. He capitalized, and slashed into my bad arm, cutting me to the bone. He had the advantage on me by so much, being armed and...well...two good arms. I threw myself at him again, trying to get inside his reach. Grappling was going to be tricky as injured as I was, but I didn't have the opportunity to get past him back to my cot.

The door burst open again, a young woman waved a gun forward, screaming. I couldn't hear her, my heart was thumping too loud. I yelled for her not to fire. He took advantage again, catching me in the hip, and drawing it across and out of my side. I landed a solid punch on him, that sent him sprawling. Gunfire ripped through the room as I scrambled across the mess of clothes, shoes, and such to get to my own blade. I sprawled onto the bed, right on my newly acquired wounds, and felt another sting just below my shoulderblade. I turned as hard as I could, fumbling for my sword with my arm.

He stared down at me, his form shimmering like black fire. That broken blade of his raised up again...
His eyes just seemed to grow bigger, like he were a black hole made flesh. His eyes became one eye, and then it expanded further, endless stars being sucked into that oblivion. His body was...eaten, by the void before me, and then it vanished into the ether.

I had no idea what happened, and was in awful pain from the multitude of wounds. The resident that fired at him, she was crying, I pulled myself up to my feet, armed myself, and just sat there.

It was back. My shadow, that long hunting shade that....well I never figured out WHY it pursues me, but it was able to reach me here, in a place of no violence. I was planning on leaving regardless, but now my timetable turned to the immediate.

I gathered up my items, a bit of food, and prepared to leave Sanctuary. Missouri was where that email was sent from, I was planning on going there regardless, but now...well, no time like the present. Nobody in the immediate area knew first aid, though most of the residents were awakened by the disturbance. I managed some antiseptic, cotton and tightly wrapped bandages, knowing that that'd have to do. I'd spend some time afterwards googling deep laceration wounds. Harris was up by now too, and didn't make any effort to stop me. He simply asked if he could drop me off somewhere.

I accepted.

That was a few days ago, and I've been doing little else but walking towards Missouri.

Anything to stay ahead of my shadow.

8 comments:

  1. Oh MY. Our big hero Zero is on the loose once again. Hide your friends, hide your families, because sooner or later he'll go off the deep end once more. Heheheheh. A surprisingly stupid move from someone called a "Sage" is it not? In Sanctuary, all you would have had to worry about is your little shadow... But out in the big bad world? Here there be Monsters.

    Better watch your back.

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    1. Well Star, I've always been the stupid one, haven't I? Might as well lean into the wind.

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  2. Fool's errand, trying to escape that which is you and follows you everywhere.

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    1. I've had a long time to think on that shadow of mine, but no real answers. I just know I can't beat him as it currently stands, and I'd rather not keep him around people that aren't involved. Especially since he did something that was supposed to be impossible, which is start violence in Sanctuary.

      Till I figure something out, I guess I gotta live up to the Runner name

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  3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Soa3gO7tL-c

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  4. Some of us still remember who you started as.

    Welcome back.

    Need a lift?

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    Replies
    1. I have drastically overestimated how long it'd take to clear a state. Ah well, perhaps I do!

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