Traum von Asterhive

The Monument

You don't know how long you stayed in bed, but you were out of it when Buttons ripped the curtain aside.

"The Monument is collapsing," she said in a voice far too calm for the situation, then carried you out.

She bounded past the living quarters, past a makeshift infirmary, past an infinity pool and tennis ball court, then out a tiny door. Most of the others were outside, other humans standing by them.

You looked at Asterhive Model Monument. You had seen it many times before, the giant mirrored strutcure in the center of Asterhive Mall, but never this close. Right now the mirrors were cracking, pieces falling off and splintering. The whole thing shook like the rest of the buildings around you.

"Help!" came Lambert's voice, and through the tiny doorway, you could see him helping a girl limp along. "Help!"

The world was shaking, shaking. The Monument was breaking apart.

"Knight," you whispered, but he was already on the move. The shadow zipped to the doorway and made beams of his body, crisscrossing pillars of inky black that supported the doorway just long enough for Lambert and the girl to slip through. As soon as they were out of range, the whole Monument came crashing down.

"Knight!" you cried, jumping out of Button's arms and stumbling to the ruins of the once-great structure.

You couldn't see him, couldn't see a trace of the shadow over the dust everywhere- you dug into your bag for the flashlight and shone it about.

"Knight," you called. "Knight!"

Just as tears pricked your eyes, a dot of squirming black caught your attention. Your free hand dug into the rubble and moved stones and mirror shards away. It scraped your hands but you didn't care. More dark blobs squiggled close and joined the first. You set the flashlight to its brightest light and beamed right on the spot. Before long, there was a sizable blob pulling itself out of the wreck.

You turned the flashlight off and began digging. You soon became aware of other hands joining yours, helping free your friend. The shadow-bits quickly slithered out of the wreck and swirled into a rabbit. Knight looked up at you and launched himself into your arms, nuzzling you.

"Oh Knight, you scared me!"

The shadow seemed to smile at you, then paused.

"Your hands!" Patches said in dismay.

He shifted around until he saw your fingers. They were raw from the stones and bleeding from the mirror fragments. Knight glanced between your face and your hands, then gave you one last nuzzle before wrapping himself around your hand like a bandage.

"Thank you," Lambert said with a bow, and Knight twisted your hand towards the once-sheep into a thumbs up.

Your reunion didn't last long. You soon became aware of the low moaning surrounding you.

Ah, the infected.