Against the Tide - A New Elysium Story [Complete]

3. Out With a Bang

The ocean was calm and quiet, and gentle waves were rolling out across the sand towards her. The water played around her feet, pulling at the sand below them as it receded back. Somewhere in the distance, the sea melded with the fog. But the peace was an illusion. Something was out there, she could feel it, and it was coming for her. Two urges were fighting inside her – the urge to flee, to run away as far and fast away as possible, and the urge to head straight towards it.

Null?  She could heard Lars' incorporeal voice as if he was right next to her.

Yes?  She replied without averting her gaze from the sea.

What is this place?

His voice seemed closer than usual, if that was even possible, considering it was literally inside her head all the time.

What do you mean?  She asked. Is this not one of your dreams? A memory?

Well, it certainly isn't one of mine...

What. What do you mean-

Reflexively, she turned around. She hadn't really expected to see anything, or, if anything at all, she had perhaps expected to see him like he was in his memories. She certainly hadn't expected that.

What the- she backed away, almost stumbling over her own feet as the waves tugged at them and stirred up the sand underneath them.

What is wrong? He asked.

"Lars, look at yourself!" she cried out.

"How exactly am I supposed to do that?" he asked, baffled.

And then, after a moment, the realization hit him. She could see it on his face. His face.

"You're-"

"How is this-"

How did we get here? What is this place?

Questions both spoken and unspoken whirled through the shared space between them, quickly blurring the line between his and her thoughts. The waves became more forceful now, pulling at her, calling her back toward the sea, and toward the fog.

"No, wait. Stop this," she said, in a vain hope to command the tide itself.

But the waters rose rapidly and relentlessly, reclaiming what belonged to the sea.

"Wait!" she screamed, and stretched out her hand towards him, but it was too late.

His eyes were wide with shock and fear as he reached out for her as well. Their fingers barely brushed against each other before the waves collapsed above her, swallowing her whole and throwing her back into the darkness.

~ ~ ~

She woke with a stifled cry, bolting straight upright and hitting her head against something so hard she instantly fell back on the surface she had been lying on.

"For fuck's sake", she cursed.

Well, it's good to hear you're still cursing like a sailor, despite our career as a space pirate having just taken a serious hit, Lars remarked.

That's not funny, she thought, rubbing her forehead. Where are we?

The brig, he explained, as she took in their surroundings.

It was a small cell, not more than two by two meters. She was sitting on the lower unit of a bunk bed and had hit her head on the upper one. Immediately, her hand went to the hidden pocket in her dress. The chip was still there.