Wavering Future

Chapter 5

Ten years had past since the groups had split up into two paths, since then they had split up even more. Jay, Angeni, Ashling, and Pharzuph were traveling together still after getting lost from the others in a Sentinel attack. They didn’t know how many mutants were still alive, or how long they would have left before they met the same fate as so many of their friends and family. Currently they were traveling through ruins of a once largely populated city that was now dark and ominous as the crumbled buildings cast strange shadows in the moonlight.

            “I don’t like this.” Ashling whispered. “It’s too quiet…”

            Angeni nodded. “I know, we haven’t heard or seen any sign of people or Sentinels in days. It’s quite unusual if you ask me.”

            “Don’t let your guards down.” Pharzuph ordered. “I would bet my life they’re watching at this moment.”

            They jumped as rocks tumbled down the side of fallen rubble and waited in tense silent until Jay appeared carrying a small supply of food. He walked over tiredly and handed it out to them.

            “This was all I could find that hadn’t gone bad.” Jay informed them as they began to eat. “Have you found anything interesting?”

            “Nothing.” Pharzuph muttered and leaned against a crumpled brick wall. “Sometimes I swear we are the last people out here.”

            “But that’s impossible. If we were the Sentinels would have found us by now.” Angeni spoke up. “They must be tracking others down… right?”

            “I feel sorry for their victims if that’s true.” Jay replied as he looked up at the cloudy dawn sky.

            Ashling shot her head up from looking at the ground and glanced in ever direction despite not being able to see. “Did you hear that?”

            “Hear what?” Angeni asked as she began looking around as well.

            Pharzuph’s red eyes widened as an image flashed through his head, he back at the building he was leaning against and shouted a warning before ‘hitting the deck’. “Get down!”

            A second later a new version of a Sentinel’s drill went through the brick where his head had been moments before, Angeni grabbed Pharzuph and teleported him back to where Ashling and Jay were looking around in preparation for a larger Sentinel attack. He nodded in thanks to her as he watched the brick crumble while the Sentinel broke through and charged them. A second one flew down from the sky and made the ground tremble as it landed while two others broke through buildings and ran towards them with all the intent to destroy them all.

            “Looks like they did find us.” Jay shouted at Angeni. “Why’d you have to jinx us?”

            “I don’t believe in jinxes.” She shouted back over her shoulder as she dodged an attack.

            Jay watched, as the new Sentinel versions worked together like a pack to split them up to fight them individually. He lashed out at the nearest one with his icy blast in hopes that it would stay back but, to his horror, watched it blast fire back in defense before continuing towards him like a predator. It came through the flames unharmed and spun its arm around like a drill while staring at him with its dead yellow eyes, he felt his breathing pick up as he scrambled back out of arms reach for it but knew it was only a matter of time before it actually tried killing him. Funny enough the fact that the Sentinel was here to kill him wasn’t the most disturbing part, no, the most disturbing part was the fact it had a cut across its face just like the one he’d given to an older Sentinel version. He briefly wondered if it was the same one that had just been remodeled, though the Sentinel didn’t give him much time to ponder the thought.