90 DEADLY DAYS (WEEKLY UPDATES RETURNING THIS DECEMBER)

Chapter 22

"You are useful."

"Yes'm."

"You are Xaro..." Her voice is earnest.

I believe her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Xaron craft disturbs morning silence. The mechanical creature blusters along, settling over an empty plain not too far from where I've set up camp. My blood involuntarily boils, and stiffening, I rise. The jungle alights with the noises of others doing the same.

I thought I was alone.

Marching robotically, Graduates make their way to more forsaken ground. The shadowy wasteland begins to shiver beneath my feet. The noise of rumbling, of trees breaking crams my ears. The musty earth groans, sustaining tiny cracks from an unknown shaking in the earth. Perhaps the ground will split.

Remarkably, I retain perfect focus on the Xaron monster awaiting my arrival. As Graduates approach, the mouth shaped into the underside of the craft opens. Glittering silver and tar toned metal pour out, crashing into dirt, clattering onto each other with silvery clangs. Once the opening empties, I gaze at what Xaro has left.

Pistols.

Sabers.

Dirks.

Spiked, silver clubs.

The sight enlivens me, rousing me from a trance-like sleep. My blood once more burns with rage. Tracker beeping and pulse soaring, I release a villainous war cry and scramble for the prizes. Others awake, responding similarly.

Bodies descend on the pile, grappling for whatever they can reach. Battles begin. The air brims with war and swords slice cleanly through whatever lies in their path. The tremors from the ground become more violent. The rumblings set my hands to quivering. The roar of nature cries in my ears.

I can't acknowledge it no matter how hard I try.

My chapped hands grasp a smooth pistol. Sun rays make it sparkle. It is beautiful. It is powerful. I raise it and aim for the girl bending before me. I've never handled a gun before. I don't know how I know to use it.

The girl's face swims like watercolors. The blur slowly fades. I retain deathly focus. Soon the face becomes recognizable. I blink.

Elisa?

I don't know her anymore.

"Phoenix?"

Memories attempt to come rushing forward. Something holds them back. I struggle to recall the person, the face. All I can remember is another name: Fahim.

Choking rain.

Rocks.

Escaping raiders.

"Phoenix, it's me! Elisa!"

I don't know her.

Xaro doesn't want her.

I smile. "Goodbye."

The ground shakes faster and faster. I'm all wobbly. My fingers don't shake though—they are cold and steady.

The earth opens miles before us. I notice a mountain I never saw before. It rises tall and forms itself of black clay. Orange juice spurts from its wide opening at the top.

The girl screams.

I pull the trigger.

The wind next to my ear whistles. I turn suddenly, only to see a fist. It bashes my face, sending me into a world of stars. Power livens the punch. My knees crumple, my head goes loping forward. And I descend into a shock of bright lights and terrified screams.