Escape From Metal

Chapter 9: Survivors of the Exiled

Jake was only semi-conscious when he was being dragged and only saw flashes of the journey. As the light shimmered through the rusted and corroding metal the light seemed to cut through the cold air as it shone. Two people arguing pushing each other around and almost starting a fist fight. A group of people fighting two hunters and their lapdog robots and having to retreat after nearly getting the semi-conscious Jake killed. The panic and chaotic sounds seemed to disappear shortly after as the fullness of the void filled his eyes.

There was silence and a calm which was a foreign feeling, almost like a long-lost friend. Jake couldn't remember the last time he felt such a calm. He could only remember that he couldn't remember anything and that stirred something in him he wasn't sure if it was bravery or another mountain of fear.

Jake opened his eyes and was relived to find the calm wasn't just a pleasant dream but was in fact true. Jake found himself under a blanket in some kind of cylindrical bed of some sort. He expected a wind current or flapping curtains to gently pass through the room but all he could hear was some or other low electrical drone.

Jake thought about lying in his bed just to stay there in peace and try to remember days of peace, but he could not remember anything from his past. So, he tried to imagine what a better day would be, where a better day would be.

Would it have strange food, would it be somewhere near a ocean where he would be awaken by the breeze and sound of crashing waves or would it be in as scorching heat where water carries more value than money. Would the faces around him be faces he gotten to know overtime would there be any faces to speak of?

The harder he tried the more frustrated he grew with himself eventually he surrendered to the fact that he might not remember anything now... maybe not ever. In the very least he would like to understand his current circumstances and what on earth was going on here, after all it can't be a normal day when ever second person you see wants to kill or enslave you.

He slowly got up but groaned as he did so. His muscles felt comparatively the same as some of the rusted metal in this city and in much better shape he supposed. As Jake glanced around, he felt somewhat enclosed the room he was in wasn't as big as he was used to. Besides the small cylindrical bed, he was in there was a small tree in a pot next to his bed and some clothes that lay on the end of his bed.

Unlike the place he'd previously awoke from this one lacked the distinct smell of smoke and the immediate sense of danger. There were even handful of potted plants dotted around the room although these were much smaller than the comparable larger potted tree.

"Good to see you're finally awake, thought we'd lost you back there." A man said.

Jake hadn't even noticed that the door had opened and had wondered how long he'd been standing there. His mind had started wondering to the events and to Ben, even though he hadn't known the young man he still felt somewhat guilty for what happened.

"Names Dan, follow me if you want to live." Dan said as he walked away but turned around after a few steps.

"I'm just kidding no one here wants to kill you that is unless you're a robot." He said jokingly.

Outside Jake found himself in another more expansive room with the same metallic patterns as the tower he awoke in they were so intricate yet so simple although these seemed to deviate slightly by have the occasional round edge. Jake kept on following Dan into another room. There we're a few people moving around in it and talking but they all stopped and stared at Jake as he entered the room.

Jake both nervously and awkwardly gave a wave to everyone in the room as he said "Hi."

There were a few moments of awkward silence before Dan stepped in to help Jake. "We haven't exactly been formally acquainted besides for your half-awake blabbering. Who knows what you we're saying."