The Coder

Chapter 26: A Ghost In Your Shell

    "Yeah we probably should. Let's just... let's board it up as well as possible." Waylon was wringing his hands and small sparks are flying from his fingers. Their light disintegrated in the air but left them burning smell behind. I could see the worry in Eddie's eyes increase as he watched this.

   "We will darling, let's just find something here soon. I don't like sleeping out in the open." He wrapped his arm around Waylon's waist and pulled him close. I don't know a whole lot of the time they spent together before I came along, but I have a pretty good idea that something happened to Waylon before. It's just a guess but by the way Eddie acts with Waylon when he goes quiet... Let's just say that I've seen that thing before. I wasn't doing too well after Chris left for the first time.

    We wandered into what seemed to be an office or a facility that controlled the machines... wait this looks very familiar. If I remember correctly this wasn't that far from the kitchen. SHIT!!! What if Frank finds us!? Oh my god I never want to see his fucked-up face again.

    "Guys, what if Frank finds us? I don't really feel like taking a hand-saw to the face today!" my breathing was coming rapidly and my chest was heaving. I can't catch my breath!

    "Hey hey hey! Miles, calm down! You're going to pass out if you keep breathing like that!" I shut my eyes as tightly as they could go. A pair of hands cupped my face, but they weren't Chris'. They weren't the callused and rough hands he has. They were large and soft, too big to be Waylon's... so it had to be Eddie.

    I slowly opened my eyes only to see two wide blue eyes staring back at me. I tried to steady my breathing but it was only making it worse. I couldn't breathe and my eyes were stinging.

    "Miles, I need you to take a breath. I need you to calm down for me, okay? Just breathe with me okay, just copy me." I watched as his chest rose and fell with his deep breathes and tried to do the same. I closed my eyes tight and forced myself to take deep breathes. It was like I couldn't control it though. My breathing would be going fine and then I would have those short panicked breathes. I opened my eyes and noticed the tears streaming my face.

    I'm a mess.

    "There you go, just try and hold it out a bit longer." I looked into his icy blue eyes and finally calmed down. He wiped the tears from my cheeks and smiled down at me. I couldn't help but feel like a child looking up at his father, damn him why was he so tall.

    "T-Thanks." I sniffled and pulled him into a hug. This is what I needed. Chris wouldn't know how to handle me like that, Waylon would smother me, but this was perfect. I think the Eddie would make a great father one day, hopefully we'll survive to see that too.

    "You're not going to have to worry about Frank anymore. Waylon took care of him a while ago. Trust me, I understand why you didn't want to meet him again." Eddie took a step back and looked around the room. "We'll still have to board this though, just to be sure no one else gets through.

    So, as we block up the doors and window, that deep rock in my stomach crawled its way into my throat. What the hell is going on? It was becoming hard to breathe again, but for a different reason.

    "Hey guys, do you still feel that?" My voice was shaking and goose bumps were forming in the air. Slight vibrations in the air was starting to bother me as well. "Waylon is that you?"

    He shook his head and started to tap his foot nervously. We all looked at each other as the vibrations became more and more violent. It was as if there was an electronic hum warping the air around us.

    As the humming become more violent, and noticed something black seeming to ooze out of the wall. It wasn't a liquid more like a gas.

    "Guys?" I pointed a shaking hand at the black gas leaking in the room through the boarded-up door as it started forming into a shape. Slowly it grew hands and then a chest that formed a head that was pointed directly at me. I could feel myself freeze up as the figure took form and slowly started floating towards me. Everyone in the room was still, trying not to anger the being in front of me.

    Then suddenly, it snapped. I ripped its claws across my face and dug its hand into my stomach. My face was trapped in a silent scream as the pain over took my body. I was shaking as screams filled the room, but they weren't mine.

    Waylon has tears running down his face as electricity was exploding from his hands and Chris yelled for me helplessly. Eddies stood there shaking trying to think of what to do.

    Soon all this was blocked out as me limp body was tossed across the room. The throbbing pain in my stomach was debilitating. The pain wasn't going to stop, I knew that, but that didn't stop me from wishing it would.

    I felt its clammy claws grip my ankle and tear me back. Blood stained the floor as I was dragged across the room and thrown against another wall. How was I to fight back? I Can't touch the thing.

    My mind was going fuzzy. I couldn't keep this up for much longer, not with as much blood as I was losing. I was going to die here... I don't want to die... please.

    It left me sprawled on the ground bleeding and dying. I couldn't tell if my leg was broken or not, but I couldn't move it. It hurt too much. I took too much energy.

    Slowly, something cold and aired was crawling up my chest. I could faintly hear my friend's cries in the background and feel their hands clawing at my chest, trying to stop whatever it was that was there. But I could try anymore. I'm battered, tired, and dying. I can't fight anymore. I don't want to hurt anymore.

    That cold feeling soon filled my chest and something was happening. Was it pushing against me? Expanding my rib cage? I could tell. But it was in me, try to become me. As my eyes closed and I fell into consciousness I was talking to someone, Something.

   "Miles, Stay. You need to survive."

    "W-wait, why? I I don't want to fight anymore. It hurts to much."

    "I need you to live. We both need to live. I-I... You were hurt so that I could enter, but I didn't want to harm you. I'm afraid to die, and you were the most suitable."

    "I don't understand."

    "I'm sorry you're hurt, but you need to fight so we both can live. I needed a host but I couldn't use you without you being injured."

    "I-I don't want to be a host! I don't want something controlling me! Stop it, Get out!"

    "Please. You will still be you, you will only be my connection. I need you. The Walrider needs you. Please. Keep fighting."