Chaos

Episode 8: A Reunion

Episode 8: A Reunion

27th April II, Year unknown. Location: Xedom – near the Chuckwalla

                “Man, I’ve not been to this rustic city even once. I guess this is why people love travel. I am always linked to the network and don’t bother with this strange but amazing Mars outside.” Said AJ eagerly peering around the city.

                Silversun and AJ had reached Xedom after a long travel from Windzhor. Silversun drove around the brown and dull streets of Xedom till he got out a narrow lane and into a muddy road that lead to a forest in front. Silversun rode the barely visible forest road for a while till he reached a large bog deep inside the forest. AJ turned back to look at the road they had travelled and then at the bog. “Why are we here? It has a strange macabre feel to it,” AJ said.

                Silversun ignored AJ and got down from his lightcycle. AJ followed suit. The two of them walked along the edge of the bog for a few minutes until they reached a moss and weed laden creaky bridge. AJ peered at the bridge which started from their side of the bank and lead to a small island in the bog. AJ peered carefully at the island and noticed a house thickly covered by growth of plants and what seemed to him the undergrowth growing all over the house. The house seemed to have a lamp lit inside visible from one of the moss laden windows. If the bridge weren’t there, AJ could have sworn he would never have noticed the house in its milieu.

                Silversun took the bridge and slowly walked across it covering his face. AJ looked at him and followed suit again. Silversun looked back and nodded. He then signalled to walk faster. They walked carefully on the creaking bridge examining attentively the moist boards below them. As they were near the centre of the bridge AJ looked up at the house and noticed the light he saw at the window was put out. AJ pointed out this to Silversun, looking puzzled.

                “Fudge, this is trouble. They think we are hostiles. We need to rush. Start running…” Silversun said in a hurry as he took out his Glock and loaded a fresh magazine in it. Starting to panic, AJ said looking around, “Run? We can barely… wa… what was that? I saw something move in the bog. Why does the bog seem like it is starting to boil? Is this normal, Mas….”

                Before AJ could complete, Silversun had grabbed AJ by his waist and was starting to leap across the boards. AJ saw in horror as a huge snake with green glowing eyes and large fangs, draped in rotting plants appear slowly from the bog and turn to the two of them. “Um… I don’t want to trouble you or anything but, yeah, there’s a huge snake looking at us!!”

                Silversun aimed at the snake and fired a few shots towards its head. The snake did not budge and took the bullets head on. AJ stared wide-eyed as he noticed the snake seemed unaffected by the bullets lodged into its skull, as it slowly swam towards both of them. Silversun fired many more shots towards its head and across its spine. The snake nonchalantly swam towards the bridge and raised its head high in the air. Silversun frowned when he noticed the clicking from his gun. He had emptied the entire magazine at the snake with no effect. He then angrily threw the Glock at the snake and cussed, “Man! These archaic Earth weapons are so useless!!” The snake grabbed the tossed gun and swallowed it. Shaking itself, it opened its mouth revealing its large green fangs dripping with golden yellow droplets of an ominous fluid. AJ noticed that the fluid bore holes into the wood bridge when it fell atop it. Silversun noticed it too, as he was now leaping more quickly to the island and tossed AJ near the door. Instead of knocking, Silversun quickly grabbed a broken oar he found near the door and turned to the snake.

                “Aren’t you gonna knock or something to get inside…?” asked AJ cowering away from Silversun and behind an old chair, looking away from the snake.