As Atka and Miki journeyed farther from their shelter, the wasteland sprawled before them in an ever-changing landscape of debris and decay. Barely consuming their consumables while also looking for possible objects to scavenge and consume. The memory of their recent encounter with the wasteland bandits lingered, a stark reminder of the dangers that lurked in this desolate world.
Atka's eyes were always set between the Wasteland map and the Frontland, imagining the track line drawn on the map. While little Miki holding her steel pipe spear while keep looking below for some rats or small mammals to be eaten for lunch. Yet, their shared determination propelled them on keep moving forward, driving them to seek the promise of The Frontlands.
One day, as the sisters walked amid the trash-laden terrain, they spotted a peculiar sight. A massive creature, resembling a dung beetle, rolled an enormous ball before it. At first glance, its appearance seemed harmless, its large eyes gleaming with an innocence that belied the harshness of the world they inhabited. They both stood there in shock and also in awe how majestic an insect almost as big as twice their size walking like that while rolling dirt and garbage into a solid ball.
"It's... huge, right sist?" Miki whispered, awe and curiosity mingling in her voice.
Atka nodded, her gaze fixed on the creature as it diligently rolled the ball of trash and wet dirt. "It's strange to see something that big surviving out here, what does it eat?"
Approaching cautiously, the sisters observed the creature, a mix of fascination and skepticism in their eyes. The beetle's actions were oddly endearing as it meticulously worked to shape its peculiar cargo. As they walked past, Atka and Miki exchanged a glance, their expressions softened by the sight of this gentle giant of the wasteland.
"Maybe ... rotten eggs... or... moldy bread?" Miki innocently guessed with a wide grin on her face.
"Maybe, let's just continue our walk, lil sist. By respecting others, others will respect us-" While Atka supposedly giving Miki a meaningful message, she heard a something moving behind her, making her neck slowly turning around, trying to look what it is.
Just as they thought the encounter was nothing more than a fleeting curiosity, a faint, weak voice emanated from within the rolled ball. Both sisters froze, their attention snapping back to the beetle and its cargo. The once-harmless scene was transforming into something altogether different.
A shiver ran down Atka's spine as realization set in. "Miki, something's not right."
As if summoned by their presence, the ball of trash and wet dirt started to shift and quiver. Trembled internally to a point where the dirt ball cracked open, revealing what's inside. A horde of dung beetle juveniles sized to as long as toe to knee screeching so loud like a bag full of newborn babies.
The ground beneath it seemed to come alive, and a series of chittering, malevolent sounds emerged from within. The sisters' faces paled as they watched the mass of debris part, revealing a group of carnivorous dung beetles, their mandibles glistening with a predatory hunger.
"We've been lured," Atka said, her voice a mixture of anger and urgency. "They used that big beetle as a distraction! Run, Miki, Run!" But as Miki being pushed by Atka trying to save their life both, a barricade consisting of carnivorous dung beetles with glowing red eyes blockaded their only path on escaping the beetles' territory.
The carnivorous beetles emerged from their cover, their attention fixated on the two sisters. Their movements were deliberate, predatory, and the sisters found themselves surrounded by a circle of chittering danger.
"Sist... W-What should... w-we do?" Miki's grip tightened on her steel pipe spear close to her heart. Atka pointed her makeshift bow, her fingers trembling as she notched an arrow, her gaze locked on the encircling threat. In the blink of an eye, the wasteland transformed from a place of fleeting curiosity into a deadly arena of survival.
The sisters knew they had to fight, their bond and their shared resilience driving them forward. As the carnivorous dung beetles closed in, Atka and Miki readied themselves for a clash that would test their skills and their trust in each other. Amidst the shifting shadows of the wasteland, they fought not only to survive but to defy the dangers that sought to consume them.
"No choice left, Miki. We Fight!"
YOU ARE READING
The Remnants Pact
Ciencia FicciónAtka and Miki. Two girls lived on the vast wasteland for years by themselves. Barely surviving the world while the wealthy lived on the Frontland greedily. One day they start to thrive. One day everything will change. One day the pact will be paid.
