Eve of Terra

Part 4 'Decaying Alive'

Trigger Warning
Mentioned of dismantle body parts.

Staring at my feet had been my only choice under the ultraviolet streak. I didn't dare to look up for long, worrying my head would spiral under the heat. Aircraft blared in the sky, honks and garble from heavy steam-powered machinery maimed my surrounding.

My hope for rest after reaching a town shattered when Kael kept on walking. It was as if the man was fueled by solar energy. For the umpteenth time, I nudged him, but he persisted in ignoring me. My patience finally had enough, and I halted at the crowded expanse.

"Stop! Can you at least take a break for 5, " I let out, avoiding the begging tone at all cost.

The strained chain secured on my wrist informed me Kael wasn't in term of listening. Irritated, I released my cuss, earning disapproving looks from onlookers.

A blue-skinned lady -as I assumed from the victorian dress she was wearing- hissed at my show. "Hey, boy! Control your pet. It is making a tizzy!" She snorted at Kael while looking sideways at me like I was not worth her time.

I almost burst at the word pet. But my chance was never coming when a displease yet handsome face suddenly appeared at my front. With a snarl, the green-eyed green-haired man pulled on my chain, almost stumbling me from the force.

The alien lady smirk at my misfortune, leaving no space for my pride. I was dragged forward at no mercy until the day started to dim. My legs were fighting for me, but it eventually lost. With sweat smudged face, I fell on the dirt. Kael continued to walk without caring, pulling on my exhaust defeated body. Until we reached a deserted alley, he ceased his pace.

Furious was what ticked on his face, yet at the time, I had no energy even to care. Nobody warned me the universe had become a battlefield, or I wouldn't sign up for cryogenic sleep. Nor if I did know, nothing could prepare me for this kind of hardship after a thousand-year slumber.

"Get up!" He commanded.

I ignored him, curling to hide the coward tears trying to run from my eyes. My legs begged me no more; my body was shaking in pain. The plea was coming; I could feel it at the tip of my tongue.

"You think your kind had the rights to live. What use are you? An android or the weakest of extraterrestrial species would have walked the dessert for days non stop. Pathetic!" He spat.

A sob fled from my mouth, breaking as I trembled. Which superiority had seized this world where my being was deemed useless? My kind was once the one who flourished the lands and seas. Yet here, this human product of a machine or whatever he was had become heartless; the world itself plagued by the absence of compassion.

"What did you call me?" I muttered. My aching limbs at its wits but managed to lift me. Scarring my last energy, I lurched, head butting him square to his face. Shards of glint exploded seconds later from the impact to my skull. I landed on the gutter, wearing a ticker mask of disgrace. Alas, he barely flinched, wiping a stray crimson from the corner of his lips.

"Stand up, or I'll repeat it," he voiced with a smirk.

I couldn't fight. Yes, I succumbed to the shame, gasping for air as weeps pushed from my chest. "Leave. Let- Let fate decide on me, " I sputtered while wiping each drop of tear as soon as it reached my cheeks.

However, the unexpected happened-two strong hands took firm hold of me. I was hoisted to muscled back, subconsciously clinging. "Stop crying. You'll attract predators to us, " he asserted. However, there was something different in his tone; it was tender.

Albeit confusion tried to get me, my fatigue got the motion to direct. I leaned on Kael's shoulder, eyes closed for a mere minute before I noticed his steady pace turned rocky.

"When is the last time you bath?" He let out between heavy breaths.

I sniffed my arms, oddly smelling rotting on me. "Why does it matter?"

"Because those muts are following us. Regs prey on anything decaying for an easy catch."

My gulp was stuck on my throat at the sight of them. They were a mutation of what a fox and a leopard would look like if mashed together. Red cuspate tails and ears swayed as they stalked. Kael momentum heightened, but the mut kept matching his speed. My heart beating rate accelerated every time I looked back.

Suddenly Kael stopped, twisting just in time to block a lurching preditor. His metal arm clanked as it scraped against the creature's sharp canine teeth. I freed his neck, unloading my weight to ease him. How wrong was that move because I was making myself an easy prey. The repugnant smell registered with horror. Body parts were sprawled around like a butcher's hoard.

Kael pulled out his weapon and growled to make a stand at the pack of carnivore in front of us. "Quick, hide!".

I didn't waste a second more and jumped on the mess of carcasses, blending myself among the putrid odour. My fear hindered the bile pushing its way up, more focused on the coming danger.

Trepidation made time took a standstill. I watched as Kael got outnumbered, an obvious strategy the pack was using as a distraction to hunt their main course. I searched for anything I could use to fight back, and at the moment, the scattered body remains were my best gamble. Wielding a broken bone with both hands, I used it as a bat. When a reg darted towards me, I swung. It whined from the hit, dropping to the ground. More came, but I stood my ground, using every energy I had to stay alive.

I'm not dying today!

Gradually the pack of predictors pulled back, deciding I wasn't their prey. My victor was not achieved with ease, and as adrenaline flushed from my system, I felt the sting of each bite marks on my body. I wobbled, trying to stay awake, but my sight started to turn blurry. I fell to the ground, eyes searching for Kael before everything turned pitch black.