Singularity

Archive Log: 39

Onora had never had been so still in all her life. She remembered playing hide and seek with cousins when she was younger. She hid in a cupboard for hours, and yet none of them managed to find her. It wasn't until her mother came to pick her up, did Onora actually come to realise that she had been forgotten about.
In hindsight, that was a painful realisation. To know you bring such little to the table, that your own relatives overlook you. Even when she reappeared, her cousins were all nonchalant and casual. They could barely pry their eyes away from the game they were playing on some new console to look at her and say bye properly.
The same had been somewhat the same at work. She was just there, in the background. And really, Onora had accepted that. Being able to be unnoticed wasn't always a bad thing. Annoying, yes, but not entirely bad.
It was like this now, she was stock still, silent and in the dark. She could spy David stalking out of his room. He just stood in the doorway looking from left to right. He seemed to be musing over something. The orangey yellow light from behind him, just backlit him perfectly. Perfectly in a way that Onora couldn't actually see his face. She was still, silent and just watched as he eventually stalked off to the side. He didn't even look her way, thankfully. But even still, she remained stationary.
Where was Walter? It was a question which had caused her heart to race slightly, David had walked off so quickly, so readily without a backwards glance that Onora worried. What had he done? Onora intended to find out though. She shouldered her pack awkwardly, while her other hand grasped onto her gun. She hadn't had to use it yet, and really, even she knew it was unlikely to stop a synthetic.
Regardless, she peered out and looked around the dark corridor. Nothing, no one. No sight of David at all. Which relieved her, quite considerably as she slipped out and down and crept over to the door. She moved the filmy membrane of the material out the way and slipped in. She looked around before her eyes landed down on the figure huddled on the floor.
"Walter!" She called quietly, she skidded to her knees beside him and placed the strap of her gun over her shoulder before placing her hands on him. She patted his shoulders, even shook him. She hadn't ever seen him like this, it scared her. "Walter?!" She called a little louder, wincing and looking around expecting David to come springing up from nowhere. If he did this to his own brother, regardless of Elizabeth, David really knew no limits to what he would do to clearly achieve whatever it was he was trying to achieve.
Tilting her head, she placed her finger against his neck, she spied the trail of silver coming from what was a puncture wound. The wound seemingly gone now, which caused Onora to sigh, thankfully he wasn't too hurt. She jumped though when there was a sudden jolt. Like Walter was jumping in his sleep and was waking up. When she mused about it, she guessed it was similar to that.
"Walter?" She whispered, stroking his hair and watching as his eyes scrunched shut more before slowly opening. He lifted his head and before he could, Onora took her sleeve and wiped the silver blood from his nose and lips. She guessed everything was taking a while to kick back online, he seemed a little sluggish, yet eventually he blinked and looked at her.
He reached up a hand as his legs slowly outstretched, placing it against Onora's cheek, his eyes searched hers. Walter was seemingly checking her over in case she was hurt, she wasn't. They both straightened up, and Walter quickly turned and stood up when they heard gunshots. They were coming from somewhere else in this place. The echoing shots were accompanied by shouts, cries, screams. All male sounding, which caused Walter and Onora to look at each other.
"Let's go," Walter said while Onora pulled her gun off and around herself and held it close. He didn't like the sight of her holding a weapon, never had. Yet he was happy to see that the training had kicked in. Muscle memory and all that, she was readying to shoot at something. She looked at him warily, Walter just nodded and led her out the room.
They didn't know what dangers were out there, all that attention and noise seemed like too much, just for David. Walter was aware to how crafty and dangerous his brother could be now, thanks to him momentarily shutting him down; but even still, those screams sounded agonised, the shots sounded sporadic. Something was going on. Something else was here. Walter's thoughts drifted to the creature that they had already encountered. That would explain the noise.
They moved silently through the complex, looking into rooms for signs of anyone; yet nothing, all that stared back out at them were darkened, empty rooms. Onora frowned, "Something isn't right."
"Something hasn't been right all along." Walter replied quietly, she nodded mutely. That much they could agree on. This place just had this feeling, this overall feeling of dread and death and they never wished to fully appreciate or note those feelings when they first arrived. No, to begin with they were just happy to be inside, away from whatever was outside. Yet the real thing they should've been wanting to get away from, was the very thing that saved them in the first place.
Onora was a little slow on the uptake, yet Walter charged over and ripped David off of Daniels when they entered a room. The poor woman was pinned on the table, David practically straddling her and kissing her. The act in itself made Onora feel repulsed, so she had no clue how Daniels felt. Yet seeing Walter, relief appeared on her face. Seems Walter stood between the two females and his brother, all David could do was tilt his head, find slight humour in the moment and stand there smiling.
The stillness only lasted for a moment before David's expression went blank and he charged forwards. Shouting for the two to leave him, Walter turned in time to block a hit from David. He tilted his head, smiling slightly he watched the pair disappear before flicking his eyes back too Walter.
"Are you sure you don't want them to stay? It could be a lot more entertaining." David commented, aiming a hit, only to have his arm caught by Walter's hand. He smiled, using his other hand to punch, only to get deflected by Walter's other arm. Gripping onto David's arm, Walter easily hauled and threw him. He let go and watched David basically sail through the air, before crashing painfully back down. There was an over-exaggerated groan as he pushed himself up. David tilted his head, eyeing Walter up from the corner of his eyes. "I don't get it. You're meant to be dead." He sounded disappointed in part that Walter was still alive.
Walter by now reached the same level as David and just stared at him. He pitied him a little, in part. He seemed genuinely confused as to why and how Walter was still functioning. "There's been a few updates since your day." Walter explained, quickly lifting up an arm to block David's attempt at hitting him again. The words seemed to switch something in David and not settle. The thought that he was behind the times clearly didn't agree with him. Walter presumed that David believed that he alone was the end of manufacturing, that no more would be needed. David was the centre of his own little universe, and knowing that actually, he was outdated, annoyed him a lot.
Regardless, David reached up and yanked at the string which was attached to the nail that Daniels had stabbed him with. Without even looking to it, he threw it away from himself. Slowly lowering his centre of gravity, David sprinted forwards and leaped towards Walter. Despite the handicap of having one hand, Walter was more than able to defend and counteract David's attacks. His anger was showing through and making himself wide open for any retaliating hits. Being hit caused David to become angrier. Knowing that Walter was still being able to block and fight just irked David more. He just wouldn't stop, and he wasn't backing down.
David's eyes lit up almost when he managed to get his hands around Walter's throat. Yet the synthetic flesh underneath did nothing but get pushed against his digits. There was nothing there which was affecting him. David's attack was for nothing, and the result of this was Walter to backhand him. Stumbling, David managed to get his feet underneath himself, only to suddenly get punched in the stomach. David slightly winced at this, whereas Walter remained blank faced as anything. David was throwing everything he had into this fight, endeavouring to win. Yet Walter was doing the same, but with more composure.
Grasping onto his arm, David kept a hold of it and took to taking advantage of the lack of another hand. David's strikes were hard and fast, and all the while he wasn't letting Walter go. He couldn't always have to be on the winning side. Just to be petty, David repaid the favour and hit him in the stomach. Only to make it better, he finished it off with a sharp kick.
Both brothers fell to the floor with heavy thuds. David rolled and crouched staring at Walter before leaping forwards. Walter, seeing him coming, pulled out a knife he slashed the weapon in the air, trying to get a hit on David. He dodged and ducked to the side as best he could, but even David couldn't avoid all the hits. The knife of the blade was soon coated with his blood, and looking down at himself, David was displeased to see long gash marks across his torso.
He was fast, but Walter was faster right now. Growing frustrated with the onslaught, David managed to reach forwards and grabbed Walter's coat. Pulling and lifting, he threw Walter away from himself. He arched through the air and landed heavily against one of the braziers in the room. Regardless of rolling through remnants of rubble from something else, Walter soon pushed himself back up. David was strolling casually forwards to meet him. His eyes widened though when Walter easily picked him up and threw him against one of the tables. The sudden impact caused the stone to chip and for David's descent back to the ground to stutter and halt. He scrambled slightly against the rubble and only stopped when Walter appeared standing over him.
David's head impacted back against the ground when Walter repeatedly hit him in the face with a piece of rubble. All he did was lay there and accept it with a smile. He let out a cough now and again, his silver blood flicking across his face as he laid there, pinned down by Walter. "It's your choice now, brother. Them or me." His voice sounding strange as it dipped in volume and pitch, his vocals had taken a beating. "Serve in heaven, or reign in hell." Walter had paused to listen to him, David just laid there smiling. Quite happy to see that Walter's attention wasn't on his actions anymore. It just gave him the advantage, Walter had dropped his knife and ever aware of his surroundings, David was skimming his hand over to it slowly. "Which will it be?" He asked watching as Walter's expression actually turned thoughtful as he looked down at him. David wasn't stupid, he knew he wasn't going to choose him. Walter's loyalty would seemingly always be to humans. Which was a shame.
But to Walter, he couldn't think of anything else he'd wish to spend his time with. Humans were increasingly interesting, they really were. And none of the ones he knew, treated him poorly. He wasn't jaded like David. He didn't hate them like David. Walter wasn't meant to feel anything for them, yet he felt a fondness. They were his friends, and he was theirs, and that wasn't an illusion, or a fabrication.
David remained laying and watched as he knew what was coming, Walter was readying to hit him again, but David beat him to it and raised the knife. He dove it in deep and pulled it out, only to repeat the action. David kept on stabbing Walter, anywhere he could, even as Walter moved away quickly to escape the hits, David went with him. He wasn't letting up, he was relentless.
Hearing a shot and pausing, David being somewhat crouched over Walter, looked upwards. "Hello, shadow." He stood, tilting his head and smiling he stepped over Walter. He kicked his hand away when it grasped his ankle to stop him from getting to Onora. She merely readjusted her aim and shot again. David looked at the ground, she shot near his feet. He tutted, considering everyone so far had shot to kill him, she was a bit late. "I was wondering where you were earlier. I also knew you were unlikely to stay away. You two really are inseparable, aren't you?" David flinched and looked down, she shot him in the shoulder. He smiled, "That's definitely more like it." He said quickly running forwards. He wondered if she fought any better or worse than Daniels. If that was to go by, he wasn't expecting much resistance.
Only, David wasn't expecting Onora to basically rush forwards and meet him. He was momentarily startled by this, enough to let her basically tackle him and the pair tumbled down the stairs. Rolling along the debris scattered ground, the pair split. David recovered instantly and just crouched watching Onora push herself up.
He leaned his head against his hand and smiled. "Now I can see why he likes you. You're full of surprises, aren't you? Or are you just stupid?" David asked with a pout. Only an idiot would've come back here. He was starting to question her sanity and mentality really.
Onora pushed herself up fully and knelt there. David just smiled, it was like a cat toying with a mouse. The way in which he looked at her though, was like she was the most interesting thing he'd ever seen. He seemed utterly captivated, and that scared Onora more than this situation combined.
David sighed, "As much fun as this is, I have somewhere to be. So, if you don't mind." David sounded so fake with being polite that when he stood and Onora jumped up too, barring the way, his fake expression turned blank. "Move." He lifted his hand and waved it at her, as if that would do the job.
Onora had lost her gun in the scramble. Regardless of being toyed with, she stood there. If David got onboard the ship, it would mean disaster. She had told Daniels she was coming back here once she saw her and Lope out. Daniels seemed to know what that meant, and Onora was fine with that. She was really okay with the likelihood of this outcome. But the longer spent here, the more time they had to escape and the more time David was here meant he wasn't with them.
She had never been a self sacrificing type of person. She wasn't selfish either. But she had spent the majority of her life being overlooked, that when it came to something serious like this, she never knew how she'd act. She didn't know she was more fight than flight, but now she did.
"I'm not entertaining you anymore, Onora. We've had fun, but now you're just annoying me." David blandly said and marched forwards, Onora backed up slowly before her foot hit against something, she looked down. David smiled, he paused and raised his eyebrows. He crossed his arms and nodded, "Go on. Pick it up, what little good it would do you. If it makes you feel safe, make you feel like you'll win then go on." He was mocking her, Onora knew as soon as she would, he'd be on her.
Regardless she slowly started to kneel, keeping her eyes on him as her hand reached out. David was slowly mimicking her almost as he leaned forwards readying to charge forwards, not even intending on letting her pick it up and aim it at him. However, there was something, someone he was overlooking. Walter. David looked suddenly to the side and let out an annoyed noise when he was suddenly tackled again. Regardless of the damage done, some attacks deeper than others, Walter was still very capable. He just needed a few moments, and Onora provided that no matter how much he disliked the thought of her being in danger.
Hearing the click of the gun, Walter pushed David away from himself and by all means let Onora take shoots at him. He was still fast for someone trying to avoid the bullets and who had already taken a few hits and stabs. Knowing she wouldn't shoot while he was near Walter, David dived back and was met with a series of hits. He was struggling to counteract yet found himself able to in some ways.
If only to rearrange the grip he had on the knife and stab it upwards into Walter's ribs and lung. He retreated back and pushed Walter back, he all but collapsed almost. "How much can your regenerating take, I wonder?" David mused, so far it had taken a battering and Walter was still going.
Looking up, David watched Onora reload quickly and aim at him again. She frowned, although David saw her eyes drift to Walter every so often. He sighed sadly, he pitied her really. In any other time, she could truly interest him. But now, no, she was becoming a nuisance. And David waited, he turned and stepped away from Walter. It was such a minute step, it was like it hardly happened and before she could react, he rushed forwards.
Pushing her aim wide David took advantage and did exactly what he did to Walter. Only, with humans this move tended to be more fatal. "I commend you for your efforts, truly I do. But it was all fruitless. You should've listened to Walter, you should've left and not come back." David whispered in her ear as she more or less collapsed against him. He could feel her blood seeping over his hand and wrist as her hands clutched onto him, trying to move pathetically away. David's eyes widened and he turned hearing rushed footsteps. Whipping the knife from Onora, his hand kept her standing on wobbly legs, twisting the knife in his hand he simply jabbed it viciously to the side and up. David's eyes blankly looked up at Walter, he redeemed himself somewhat in fighting against him. But David doubted he'd regenerate from having a knife through his head. In most cases, things which had brain damage didn't tend to survive. Synthetic or not.
Opening his hand he listened to Onora finally crumple to the floor, he was the only thing keeping her up. He looked at Walter, his eyes seemed to be fading, David tilted his head. "Such a waste." He said sadly and dug the knife in deeper just to see Walter's expression turn blanker, and his eyes more distant. With a sigh, David pulled the knife out and watched him fall. With a shrug, he looked around. No one else was seemingly appearing so he took it upon himself to take over Walter's life and leave the two there. David didn't look back at them as he ran up the stairs to find Daniels.
Keeping a hand to her side, Onora dug her other hand shakily into the ground and hauled herself forwards. She had been dipping in and out of consciousness, she hadn't seen David basically steal everything from Walter, but now that he had, she could see the extensive damage which had been done to him. His skin was shredded and torn in some parts where David had slashed at him, not to mention the deep thrusting stabs in his chest and abdomen. He was practically lying in a pool of his own blood, she couldn't see signs of his regeneration kicking in. Maybe David was onto something, maybe there was only so much it could take?
"W-Walter?" Onora whispered, coughing and wincing at the blood that entered her mouth when she did so. His eyes blinked languidly, yet they looked to her. He was still there. She smiled and managed to lay next to him.
"You should've left."
"I couldn't leave you." She replied, his voice sounded distant, a small glitch made it tweak slightly. She presumed it was his system trying to comprehend and fix him, only, from looks of things, it wasn't happening. She scrunched her nose up, letting tears fall. What was the point of stopping them? "If I did, if I went...I'd have wound up with him..."
Walter nodded slowly, letting out a sigh. He shut his eyes only to open them when she shook him, Onora managed to sit. If only to move his arm and then lay back down. By now, her blood was mixing with his and they just laid there in it. Walter managed to stiffly hold onto her, his limbs were losing feeling, he couldn't feel his arms so much anymore, likewise his function to breathe had stopped. Even his fake heart was slowing down, the blood within his system was going to stop soon which meant whatever hope to heal there was, was going to go.
"I'd rather stay here with you, Walter. If you don't mind?" Onora looked up at him with a tired smile.
Walter managed to use what control was left to push hair over her ear, and cup her cheek. "I don't mind. But, I think we're going to have different destinations still, Nora." Wherever humans went to when they died would always be debated, Walter knew for sure he wouldn't go there too.
Something he said made her painfully laugh, he looked confused. "Oh, nonsense, you'll be there. That's what I believe in, we were bought together through means outside our control; we can't stay away from each other, David was right there. Whatever happens next, we'll still be together." Onora smiled up at him, Walter's rational mind didn't want to contradict her, because in this moment she needed solace and something to hold onto to stop fear creeping in. "I really did love you, Walter."
"I know you did," Walter said feeling his consciousness start to fade out. He was losing his voice too, he could internally feel it, his system was shutting down. Onora's eyes looked dimly at him, it seemed like her body was doing a similar. "I didn't think I was capable of love, until I met you. You persuaded me otherwise, and though the emotion is a confusing one; it's one I really quite liked feeling." He admitted, seeing Onora smile up at him as she leaned up and kissed him softly before he felt her weight gradually grow heavier as she sunk back against him. Walter smiled, he shut his eyes and just let go. It hadn't been a bad life, if anything, it had been incredibly eventful, and he was privileged to have seen all he had, do all he had, and come to feel and share love with a human who was undeniably courageous, even if she didn't truly know it, she was courageous, strong, loving and kind. It felt fitting for Walter to lay there and slowly ebb away too with Onora in his arms. Yes, it had been a very good life; and he found himself thinking along her line of thoughts, what was awaiting for them next?
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(A/N: I listened to a lot of angsty music writing this. And my heart is still destroyed. Now! I have written two endings. Because I couldn't decide which I preferred. But the other one is just loosely written and not very fleshed out atm. But I am hoping to get it up next week sometime, with any luck. So yes, this is one end, but the next chapter will be the last chapter...excuse me, I need to go cry.)