I'M YOUR PUPPET; invincible

chapter 4

    It doesn't take long, however, for both of them to fall asleep. Loren hadn't realized, really, that her head came to rest upon Mark's shoulder. Her eyes, heavy and closed, jolted awake when he flinched awake.

    She watches, then, as he rounds the corner, something akin to panic swirling in her gut as his eyes widened, murmuring, "What?"

    She comes to his side. Her chest immediately tightens. "Shit."

———

    Dust clouds rouse in their wake, growing in massive plumes at every increase of their speed.

    She can hear Mark talking to himself in quiet murmurs, though her attention is quickly stolen away. Stolen by the ending of footsteps below them.

    "Mark!"

    He follows her, shadowing her movements as she gently lands at the end of the footsteps, pearing past them with furrowed brows.

    "What?" He breathes, following her gaze into the distance. "Martians?"

    She shrugged. "That would be my guess." She looks back at him. "We should keep going."

    He shook his head suddenly, gaze dropping. Her brows furrowed deeper, watching as he took a step closer to her. Grasping her hand with a gentleness that surprised her, he moved her to stand at his back. She watched, then, in silence as he dropped to his knees as a sudden gust of dust rolled over them. Reaching down, he hooked his fingers under a small lip.

    A door.

    "I didn't even see it."

    He grinned at her. "That's why you've got me."

    The moment he opened the door, however, pink brain-like creatures launched at them. Latching onto their helmets and bodies, the creatures squirmed.

    "Oh, gross!" Loren cringed, tossing one from its place on her shoulder.

    They began pulling wildly at the remaining creatures stuck to them, throwing them as far as either could. Turning their gaze back to the bunker, they approached, Mark following just behind Loren.

    She tipped her chin over her shoulder as he approached the teal stone-like object lining the walls, reaching a hand towards him. "No, Mark, leave it—"

   He gasped, jumping back in an instant as red eyes blink back at him. Suddenly, they find themselves surrounded; forced to their knees with spears at their necks.

    "Do not move, humans."

    Mark keeps his arms in the air. "Whoa, hold on! We're—we're not here to hurt anyone, okay? We're just here looking for, uh—"

    When another creature drops onto Loren, she grasps it, throwing it across the hall. Unable to contain her frustration, she looks up at the Martians, "You really need to contain those creatures."

    Mark looks between her and the aliens before them. "I assume those are, like, Martian dogs, or something? You should really keep them on a leash."