Anomalies

Chapter 2: Fear

Chapter 2: Fear

A cold sweat runs down Artur's face, completely paralysed from the shock. It's the first human he sees since his awakenning, "who is that person?", "why is it here?" and "why hold a knife to my throat?" are the questions that Artur asks himself but is incapable to ask, fearing death.

"Do as I say and maybe i'll let you live but try to do anything funny and i separate your head from your shoulders", said the person in a cold and serious tone. The human was standing behind Artur but he could remark that the person had a female voice, it was scuffed like she was wearing a mask. No other solution was presenting to Artur but to obey, in a trembled voice "F-fine I'll do as you say, and you let me go." he said, "Your not the one making rules here, but we'll see" replied the woman directly. "Now stand up, quick", she took Artur's arm and moved him up while still holding the knife closely to him.

On his both feet, Artur felt strange, tired and umbalanced, he was about to fall but the woman caught him and restabilated him. "Come on, on your feet and follow me" she said in an irritated voice, "We need to get out of here". Artur looked perplexed but followed anyway, he coughed feeling an irritation in his lungs, "Hold your breath and hurry" ordered the woman.

Artur didn't say a word and tried to hold his breath as much as he could, they arrived to a building, the masked woman closed the door behind them or what's left of it. The woman turn on a lamp she had on her belt and puts it in the middle of the room, the building seemed to be some old store, old molded wood is seen everywhere. She sits down on a fallen fridge, not leaving Artur unseen even for a second, "You can breathe safely now by the way" she said.

"Right" replied Artur, still nervous and keeping a distance from the girl. With the light of the lamp, he could finally see her, she was wearing a stripped black coat, short brown hair but the most noticable detail was the mask she was wearing, it seemed like a long used gas mask. "Why the mask" asked Artur naturally, she was looking out of windows while trying to find curtains to cover them, she was barricading the door with a shelf.

A nervous look could be noticed on her face, then she looked at Artur with a confused look "To not make the same dumb mistake like you" she replied, "What were you thinking, sleeping next to a mirage tree? You want to die or something?" she asked with a judgmental look. "A what tree now?" asked Artur confused, "You must be thanking me for not letting you die there like a..." she stops herself, "Wait you don't know what a mirage tree is?" she asks raising an eyebrow surprised. 

"I suppose it's the tree i was sleeping at but why did i need to get out of there?" he asked, "Were you born yesterday or something, how did you survive here if you don't even know that?" she asked, surprised and doubtful, "A mirage tree releases hallucinogenic spores to attract beings and slowly kill them with an overdose of substances flying through the air, they can then slowly consume the organism and get energy" explained the woman, "You must smelled quite a lot of those spores if you decide to sleep there to second you saw the tree, or you're just very stupid" she said with an annoyed look on her face.

Artur was surprised at first, he thought to himself a little, "I suppose... yeah it was a little foolish of me, i should be more careful but..." he looked up in her eyes and smiled, "That also means that you saved me, thank you very much, I owe you" said Artur. The girl eyes lit up a little, surprised with that reaction, "Well i couldn't just let someone die like that if i can do something about it, but you're right you do owe me" she said with a proud look. Artur coughs a little still feeling the effect of the tree, "You should be careful with what you breathe here" she sais , the girl takes a small mask from her belt, "Here put it on, should protect your lungs enough" she says while handing me the rudimentary mask. He takes it without question, "Thank you, it's really hard to breathe here" he says while putting it on.