Barrenlands: An Odyssey (Old Work)

Chapter Five.

1

IT had, once again, become night and the sun was quick to disappear over the horizon and out of sight; perhaps at the premonition of the events that would shortly unfold. The Engineer remained propped up on her shoulder, her heart beating slowly and evenly as one would expect when it came to times of rest. But somehow, sleep was on the run and unwilling to pull the Engineer into its arms and captivate her for the evening like exhausted lovers underneath the starry heavens. Rather, she lay wide awake, gazing directly at Little Girl that lay in a curled ball a few metres in front of her. There was something about her, something that the Engineer couldn't quite put her finger on that didn't seem normal. Her age didn't fit into the fabric of the event timing and her comprehension skills and knowledge were well developed beyond her age. But even they weren't the tid-bits that rang in the Engineers mind the most, like church bells ringing across the  quaint townscape. Oh no, it most certainly wasn't. The thing that gripped her the most was that the Little Girl was still alive despite being so close to the mutant. Had she herself gotten that close, the Engineer would probably have been killed or had several limbs torn from her body and pools of blood would have now marked the spot as tribute. It was a silent night, and the Engineer was left to ponder her thoughts in the sand, only accompanied at times by the glow of flying insects.

"I know you're looking at me." There was movement as the Engineer saw Little Girl's body stretch out in front of her, her open eyes reflecting the moon like tiny pinpricks. Her dress was an odd white in the darkness, much like you would expect of ancient spirits that had been combined to the land. There was something eerie about this moment.

"Asleep, ye should be. Why aren't ye?" She watched as Little Girl rolled onto her back, shifting her hands underneath her head and letting her eyes wander around the stars overhead. They twinkled in the moment. Almost instinctively and mindlessly, the Engineer felt her own arms shift behind her, but it wasn't to support her head. She could feel the tips of her gloved fingers scrape against something cold and hard beneath the cloth. There was a wave of relief and something comforting as she knew that her firearm – her protection – was hugging her back, sitting, waiting, to be used only centimetres away from her wandering hand. Centimetres. That was all that was sitting between the Engineer and the lifeless body of Little Girl should fate take that path. Even if it did come to that, it would be quick and the creatures would be gifted with a feed for another night. And then came words; more words that added to the Engineers confusion and sleepless night, and she couldn't help but feel that Little Girl was smiling through the darkness.

"Who can sleep around a Drifter that has been thinking about killing the companion, and has her fingers brushing up against the butt of her gun at this very moment?"

2

Enough of the sickening, mind-bending games the Little Girl was amusing herself with at her peril, the Engineer snatched behind her and pulled the pulse gun from between the sheaths. But by the time she held it directly straight – the eyes of the little female creep in the crosshairs – it was already glowing its radiant electric blue and vibrating warmly in her hands. Shoot me, it seemed to say.

3

"If you kill me, Drifter, it will set your journeys back by hundreds of days. You yearn to find the causation to the effect; the reason why the wastelands is why it is. You seek to one day restore it to its former glory. You think I cannot see this? It is driving you to insanity; it is breaking your back. It's gripped your life yet you think it's just a by-product of your imagination."

4

The little girl laughed. It was a laugh that brought the Engineers blood to boil, her body trembling slightly from pent up rage. The voice was high-pitched, and empathetic of sorts – almost mocking. There was an ounce of remorse and shame that hung over the Engineer like a freshly-sharpened guillotine. She had lost control of her emotions and let them take over, now acting on nothing but what her body was telling her to do rather than using her mind. And that was against almost everything that she knew. But still, she held the gun in front of her, her arm unfaltering and the crosshair trained.

"Ye," the Engineer breathed. Her words were deep, filled with vitriol and burning malice; almost enough to scold an unsuspecting passer-by. The words continued to flow through her clenched teeth, her lips only moving slightly. "Enough. Ye tell me who ye are now, or you face your demons in hell."

Another laugh; another degree of heat added to the Engineers boiling hatred. "I'm surprised you don't know."

AN - Any theories on the Engineer and Little Girl? I want to hear them!