A Land of Tales and Dreams

Surprisingly wholesome story about a somewhat dystopian world-

WEEK 71

Prompt:

Futuristic humanity resides underground, with no one having been to the surface in thousands of years. Recently, large tremors have been detected that originated from near the surface. A team is sent up to investigate.

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"I've never seen a real sunrise, until today."

"Jeez, no one said it would be this bright."

"When was the last time your skin basked in any sunlight?"

"You confuse me sometimes, you know."

Ashley looked at Marco with a small smile as she took in the new warmth neither of them had ever experienced.

"Marco, why do you hate your father so much?" Ashley asked.

Marco's face turned grim as he frowned.

"Ashley, this is a big moment in our lives. We were literally born underground and we're seeing the sun for the first time, so why did you think this would be the best time to ask me something like that?"

"Well, I'm sorry. I just want to know more about you. You are my friend, and I care about you." Ashley responded, looking him directly in the eye.

"We have a task, focus on that instead."

There was rustling in the bushes behind them, and out tumbles Oakley, "We HaVe A tAsK?!?!"

Ashley and Marco Jumped. "Dude, what the heck?!" they said in unison.

Ashley shook her head and didn't give time for Oakley to apologise, instead saying, "Did you really think we risked our and our families' lives sneaking up here with the exploration team for nothing?"

Oakley looked at Marco and whispered, "She asked about your father, didn't she?"

Marco shot a glare at Oakley, a silent warning to be quiet.

"Well?" Ashley asked, still agitated, not noticing the tension in the air that she had caused from earlier.

Marco cleared his throat and said, "No, but we should run. Like right now."

"whyyyYYY-" said Oakley as he made the genius decision to take off and leave Marco and Ashley in the dust.

"GET BACK HERE OAKLEYYYY!! WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER!!"

"Oakley!" Ashley screamed.

"NOOOOoooooooOooooOOOOO-" Oakley screamed back, tripping over a tree root.

Ashley, Marco, and Oakley raced across the roof, not caring about anything but still worrying about the guards that were chasing them.

"Oakley, you collect samples of life up here; Marco, you keep up safe and be our muscle; and I will lead us fearlessly," Ashley went over the plan as she hopped over a chimney.

Oakley and Marco nodded. They did not dare to look back, though they wished when they heard a shrieking noise from behind them.

"What was that?!"

"I don't know, and I don't really want to know," Oakley grimaced.

They heard the footsteps getting closer and closer.

"I'll approach it, but I need you guys to sprint off full-on when I say the word," Marco said firmly as he prepared himself for a fight.

"Neighh!"

"WHAT'S A HORSE DOING HEREeEeeEe?!?!" Oakley screamed in fear and confusion.

Marco stopped, looking up at the 'horse' - but, this was definitely not a horse. It was shaped like a man and a horse. He screamed at the others to run as this man-horse chased him.

"What the hell is that thing!?" Ashley screamed and yelled as she jumped off one house onto another.

"I don't know Ashley! Just run and be safe, okay?" Marco shouted, and in an instant he ran the other way, luring the monster away from his friends.

As they jumped from house to house, Oakley almost fell off one of the roofs and fell behind.

"Oakley!"

Thud. That was all Ashley heard as Oakley's body collided with the ground.

"OAKLEY!!" Marco screamed in tears as he raced to the ground to see if his partner had survived the fall.

"NEIGHHH!"

Marco held Oakleys limp body in his hands and he looked up in horror.

Just then, Ashly came slicing through the air, bow held steady as she shot an arrow which pierced the centaur's side. The centaur screamed and kicked a nearby trash can. Ashley aimed once more and cleanly shot an arrow directly in its head, silencing the beast for good.

The unexpected happened, as what Ashley pointed at was not hurt in the slightest. As the centaur neighed again, Oakley's limp body began to stir. Before they could do anything, the beast had already turned into the strongest monster and could not be defeated by anyone.

"NEEEEEIIGGHHHHH"

The beast begins to destroy everything that can be destroyed and it leaped to the trio, but one of them shielded the two. Marco.

He tumbled like a ragdoll onto the floor at the creature's feet just as Oakley's body unexpectedly sat up, eyes glowing with a crimson flame.

"OAKLEY NOW!!"

Attacks started to be launched, with the trio throwing things into chaos in an instant. The centaur shrieked as things hit its muscled body from left and right.

"Goodbye"

"Marco, what do you mean goodbye?" Oakley asked, concerned that their partner was apparently leaving.

"Where do you want us to go to next then?"

"Well, I don't know, but the plan never was for us to leave separately all of a sudden?"

"Coffee and waffles, anybody?"

"Fine."

"I think I prefer tea though."

"We can have coffee for me and Marco, and tea for you Oakley, if that's okay?"

"Where should we even get that? We weren't allowed these back in the base."

"I can make it for us if you want."

And so, the story ended with everybody sipping their chosen beverages and eating waffles.

THE END.