Wistar’s P.O.V.
"Do I make myself quite clear number 5?"
I nodded dumbly keeping my eyes fixed on her body. Today she was wearing a very tight, very low cut green, hmm I don't know what it was, but whatever it's called made her look very very hot.
Oh shit, wait. Clear about what? Something about a machine.
"Do we know anything more about the machine in question ma'am?" Oh yes I'm awesome, I thought to myself.
Miss Nightingale sighed and looked over at a short man with glasses sitting by her over-sized chair.
The poor guy looked terrified and starred at his shoes so intently you would have thought they were about to tell him how to live forever.
"I'm afraid not. So far our so called experts..." The man seemed to shrink back even more "Have come up with nothing"
"All we know is the documents that Doctor Reid had are no longer with him. And I highly doubt the Preta would have eaten a bag of paper when there was a juicy hunk of meat waiting for it.
"Those documents are still out there number five" She said walking towards me, her hips swaying gently with every step she took. She was right in front of me now, her red lined lips inches from mine. "Get them for me and I will fulfil your greatest desires" She looked straight into my eyes and I felt myself getting a little excited.
"I will do everything I can ma'am" I saluted and hurriedly walked from the room.
"You won't just do all you can number five" She called after me as I walked out "You will do more"
In the few days that I had been here I had learnt my way around my new living quarters and the way to main chamber but nothing more. I hadn't had time to explore! I had been introduced to my squad which I by some miraculous occurrence had become leader of. I had been put through my paces in a training scheme and I had been fitted for a brand new uniform. All of this, however, was a complete blur because there was only one thing I looked forward to and paid attention to in my day.
Every night, at eight o'clock sharp I would be fetched from my quarters and escorted to the main hall where I would have dinner with the enigma that was Miss Nightingale. These were the moments I strived for. I was addicted, I needed them.
I was infatuated with her and everything about her. Her beautifully defined lips, her mesmerising eyes, her curvy figure in her tight and flattering outfits. I lusted for her, wanted her and she knew it too. All I wanted to do was please her, to prove myself to her. And I knew that I would do anything for her to show it.
A scream pierced my daydream and I came back to reality. I looked around and found myself in an unfamiliar part of the unit. I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere.
Again the scream ripped through the otherwise silent corridor and, acting on instinct I ran towards it no knowing where on earth I was going.
I heard heavy footsteps and the rattling of chains, the crack of a whip and another scream.
As I rounded the corner I saw a small child, his wrist bound by shackles attached to a long chain which I can only assume was attached to more children. He was clothed in rags and he was filthy, the only clean part being the tear streaks down his face. He was putting all his weight into pulling away but the guards simply picked him up roughly and slung him over his shoulder.
"MUMMY!" He screamed and for the second time that week time stopped.
My feet hurt, my eyes were tired, my whole body ached and creaked as I walked but I knew I couldn't stop. I looked down at my wrists and saw them rubbed raw by the shackles that encompassed them. A head of me were a sea of heads some taller some shorter than me but all young, all children, walking, bound to the same length of rope. We were herded like cattle down a long corridor and one by one passed through the heavy metal door at the far end. I don't know why, it was just a door, but it terrified me. I started to scream and pull on my chains but the guard grabbed me, slung my over his shoulder and carried me through that door.
"MUMMY!" I screamed
The door shut with a dull clang, echoing of the corrugated walls of the dark corridor. I stood blinking. Mummy. I didn't know this word, I had never heard it before in my life and yet just the sound of it felt comforting. Something about that word made me feel safe and warm.
"Number 5?" A hand landed on my shoulder and I jumped, spinning around. Miss Nightingale stood before me with a hard look on her face. "What are you doing here number five? These are not your quarters."
"Sorry ma'am I must have lost my way." I bowed slightly. Her eyes scanned over me looking for some tell that I was lying. I gave her nothing and she seemed to buy it.
"Straight down and to your right" she nodded in the general direction I had come in "and make sure it doesn't happen again Number 5. Is that understood?"
"Yes ma'am" I saluted and walked away. Mummy... I didn't know what it meant, but I liked it.
Lilly's P.O.V
"Well now what?" I asked, placing my hands on my hips and staring intently at the small hole where the stream had disappeared.
"Uh... Well, we could... Oh let’s face it we're doomed" Replied Robin. The stream had been getting thinner and thinner for the past couple of miles and finally had disappeared under the earth through a small whole. Our guide to getting up top had become an underground stream which is about as helpful as knitting a pair of socks for a hungry Preta!
"I have an idea" Piped up Aurora. "I don't know if it will work but I can try and feel the flow of the stream from beneath the surface?"
"Well its worth a try" Robin agreed, shrugging. What did we have to loose really? We were in the middle of god knows where with no way of knowing where we were or how to get anywhere in particular. Couldn't get much worse if you asked me. Unless you set a bunch of ground creepers on us I guess.
Aurora placed her feet carefully over the place where the stream disappeared and stood completely still. I held my breath not daring to move or speak in case it disturbed her. Glancing at Robin I saw him doing the same thing. She closed her massive pearly eyes and held out her hands for me and robin to take. She took a step forward furrowing her eyebrows feeling with her feet.
After a few tentative steps, her eyes flew open and a huge grin was plastered across her face. "Got it" She declared triumphantly and letting go of our hands she strode ahead determinedly with me and robin in tow. We walked in comfortable silence, letting her concentrate, each in our own little world. I glanced over at Robin, as I tended to do and noticed he had a goofy looking smile on his face and a wistful look about him. I wonder what he was thinking about. Probably what he was going to do up top. He had said something he should have done a long time ago. I wondered what it could be.
Of course a part of my brain was giggling going
He's going to tell you he loves you. He's going to take you in his arms and kiss you and hold you and you'll live happily ever after in the beautiful new world!!
And although the rational part of my brain wanted that to be true, it knew he was probably just thinking about the beef jerky that was in my satchel. And so I shunned the rational part of my brain and carried on in my dream world for the next hour or so.
I was so deep in my dreaming that it took me a moment or two to realise that Aurora had stopped. I turned to see if she had lost the stream but instead of disappointment or concentration on her face as I expected, I saw sheer terror as her blind eyes starred into the nothingness.
"Aurora" Robin gently grasped her shoulders. "Aurora what’s wrong?"
Her mouth moved but no words came out.
"Aurora?!" I said desperately "Tell us what’s wrong"
But she didn't have to say, because out of the silence the sound of stamping feet began. A quiet rumble to begin with but before we had time to react the sound was roaring in our ears, echoing around the cavern. Aurora screamed and dropped to her knees, clasping her hands over her ears.
I starred at Robin frozen to the spot and as the pounding of feet reached its peak I darted to him reaching for his hand, grasping it. He held me close and we collapsed to the ground next as well.
"HALT" I heard a man yell and the pounding stopped.
"Well, well, well. What have we got here? Two survivors and a Dark Walker how interesting." The voice sounded familiar but I couldn't place it and my head was still buried in Robin’s chest so I couldn't see. I heard him walk forwards and circle our little group. "Now, what to do with you that's the question. You're surrounded, so you can't run." I heard a pistol being loaded and cocked and I sobbed quietly into the fabric of Robin’s shirt. "I suppose I could just kill you now and save myself the bother of taking you back alive. Yes I think I'll do that. Starting with you pasty!"
"Number 5!" Another man shouted "The girl she has a bag"
I felt the man grab my arm and yank the bag from it. I squealed in pain.
"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER!" Roared Robin, but the man just laughed "What have we here?" Then silence.
"Oh maker" It was barely a whisper but I heard it. "The Para terraforming device. Now how did you get hold of these children?" His voice was patronising and condescending. I wanted to turn around and tell him to shut up but Robin held me down. "These are not to be messed with you know. "You two, take the girl. Find out what she knows. As for the other two, feed them to the Creepers for all I care. Actually no, lock them up, perhaps out little friend here will be more willing to talk if we have some leverage" The man laughed and walked away. Hands Grabbed hold of me and wrenched me from Robins grasp. He held onto my hand tight
"NO! ROBIN DON'T LET ME GO" I begged but another charge member came up behind him, crashing his pistol down on his head knocking him clean out. I screamed struggling and pulling but they were too strong. I was shackled and thrown in the back of a wagon and as I was carted away like some kind of animal I felt my heart break and I started to cry.
All Doctor Reid's work was now in the hands of the charge. I would never see the world in all its glory. I cried for the memories I would never have. I cried for the inevitable death I was facing but most of all I cried because once again I had never told Robin how I truly felt and I knew now, that I never could.