Snippets

Starlight (A short story based off of Stalking Silence)

*Author's Note: If you read Stalking Silence before I took it down, some things may be a bit different from the book to this story. I'm rewriting it a bit so some characters may go by different names or different descriptions, I don't know when or if I'll put it back up, but this is kinda like a callback to that series. I may just contuine writing these short stories for it, but whatever happens, hope you enjoy the read. Even if you didn't read it, this is just a short story written for some fun so no need to have the information and background, I'll include the tidbits of note.

Blake was tired, but found he couldn't sleep. The 17-year-old having awful night terrors ever since escaping from the apocalyptic hell of Earth they'd been sent to by their government. Many of those included the torture he faced at the claws of the lunatic that called herself "The Ancient." 

It didn't make matters better that they'd brought her with them on the space ship holding cell a few decks below his and the others chambers. He swore sometimes he could hear her, yelling curses or just screaming sometimes.

It seemed this was one of those nights, his heart set racing at a small noise as someone walked by his room. He heard some chatter and calmed lightly when he heard Christine, their main doctor and biological researcher. She was a kind yet hardy woman with bouncing curls and round features. He wouldn't admit it, but she was the closest to being a mother to him than anyone else. A second voice could be heard as the footsteps died away along with the slight sound of crutches. That could only be Alice, she'd sustained a horrid leg injury on Earth after she'd been hung around like a ragdoll by one of the Ancient's so called "children." The injury had become infected and nearly amputated if not for their new found alien-alley. He'd called himself something fancy but Blake just called him Frank cause he once knew a guy in engineering school that acted just like the multiple-limbed furry creature. The Alien was always bickering with Falwood, who'd been their captain back on their own shuttle, but he was alright by Blake's standards. 

He turned back to look at the door and realized it had gone quiet again. 

Blake quickly rolled again on the bed spread he was on before sitting up, running a shaky hand over the eye patch that covered torn and slowly scarring flesh. He turned to running his hands through his hair, feeling it ruffle slightly before closing his remaining eye with a low sigh.

It had been a few weeks now, but he still expected for the lunatic to break out and try to kill him and everyone else one night. Or more likely, capture him and force him to watch it happen. 

He quickly jumped out of bed and dashed for the door, freezing in the doorframe as he gazed up and down the hallways. Blake sniffled lightly before dashing along towards the direction he'd heard the two go down, his heart was beating painfully in his chest now.

Ignoring the soreness that still clung to his limbs as he moved, he called out, "Christine? Alice!" 

He was shaking now, his body jerking as he heard one of those screams coming from below again. Blake waited for what felt like an hour but turned out to be seconds before he heard Alice's voice, "Who is it! Over here! Guess in' it's Blake?" 

He laughed lightly, trying to not pay much mind to the way it rose into a maniacal tone for a few seconds before yelling, "Yep! I'm coming!"

He hurried along and found the two in one of the observation chambers, hands intertwined with Alice slightly leaning on Christine's shoulder. It was at a slightly off angle due to Alice being the taller and thinner of the two, but the strength that Christine held herself with made up for it. Blake swiftly made his way over, noting lightly that Alice's faded sapphire hair and Christine's own red locks were both dyed a cobalt blue now. He ducked lightly when finally reaching them before gazing sharply at the windows to the outside swirling of colors and starlight.

Alice looked over at him before slightly leaning on her other side and crutch, ruffling his dirty blond hair before stating, "All good?"

He knew he could speak his mind after all they'd been through together and merely shook his head. Another scream could be heard, though notably shriller. He must have made a small noise because suddenly Christine was at his side, consuming his shoulder with a tanned and slightly freckled arm. Alice's own paler one soon followed and they stood there for a bit. He closed his eyes and felt his heart beat soften before gazing out the window again, "Nice view?"

Christine squeezed his shoulder lightly before wiping something at trickingling off his face, "Yeah, how about you look at it with us. Chris is heading down to check in with her. Karma, right, sweet pea?"

Blake felt the corner of his mouth twist up lightly before nodding as Alice gave her beloved a sharp grin, "Karma is the least of her worries once I'm off these things!"

She leaned down to his ear and mock whispered, "And that's in a two days." 

Christine gave a snort, "Dear, you ain't doing nothing of the sort. You can barely dance much rather than fight." Then she too leaned to his ear, a much shorter distance for her, "But I don't have much problem doing it for her!"

Blake laughed lightly and felt the two kiss his head, Christine ruffling his hair as Alice leaned back on her crutches. He gazed forward and took a deep breath, staring at the starlight and distant swirl of the galaxy with two of dearest people of his life, he felt utterly and completely safe. 

As the two later lead him back to his room, he saw the tall figure of Chris walk out one of the close by elevators. He rubbed a dark hand over his face before giving a slight hand wave to the group. Blake gave a slight wave back before the man walked along to his own chambers.

The screams were silent as he fell back asleep, Alice whispering for him to get some shut eye as Christine muttered something about checking up somethings. He gave some mutterings that passed as good nights before he felt his eyelid drooping as he fell into a dreamless sleep.