The Last Colony

Part 37

Sean stayed on his knees hugging himself in silence. For a time, he rocked himself. Lost in the depths of his own thoughts. What had they turned him into? Was there a way to go back? Was he stuck like this forever? How would Mark react to seeing him? Sean stopped rocking, glancing toward a figure that stood in the shadows. The figure had not been there a few seconds ago. It seemed to mold out of the shadows. Sean turned to look at the figure with wide eyes. He couldn't believe what he was looking at. It was impossible. Shaking his head, Sean mumbled out to himself in a timid voice. "You're not real... You don't exist." The shadows giggled, causing Sean to fall backward and scoot away toward the wall. The naked woman raised her head, asking him casually. "Are you ok?" Sean turned his wide eyes on her briefly, pointing to the shadowy corner with the figure and stammering out. "C-can you see him?!" The woman's eyes drifted to the corner. For a long moment she stared at it, then finally looked back at him with concern. Sean lowered his hand slowly. She couldn't see him.

The familiar figure in the corner, crossed his arms and giggled out. "Of course, she can't see me. I'm not real. You made me up." Sean rose up the wall, snapping out at the shadows. "SHUT UP! The fans made you up!" The figure moved slowly among the shadows of the wall toward him, cooing out softly. "Oh please... You made me. They named me. Before that I was just feelings you locked away. Forbidden desires and wants." Sean covered his ears, closing his eyes as he muttered to himself. "Oh my god... I'm cracking..." Over his ear, the sweet voice purred out with a giggle. "No. You're becoming a monster." Sean dropped his hands, yelling over his shoulder angerly. "I'M NOT A MONSTER!" Sean blinked. The figure was gone. Sliding back down the wall, he heard Famine tell someone. "Interesting... A side effect?" A voice that sounded like Conquest, answered lightly. "I'd log it. I'll put up some surveillance cameras. The disease might not actually be attacking the muscular system like we thought. Maybe it's neurological?" Sean glanced at the cell door with fragile eyes. He was surprised that they were still here.

Famine leaned his shoulder on the bars, softly uttering out. "Then how do you explain the skeletons we saw a few weeks ago? There wasn't anything left of their neural system to animate them?" Conquest shrugged, pacing a little as he said coolly. "Stages maybe? Prolonged contact with an infected? Bones are just another form of tissue. Maybe it takes time to absorb it into the structure?" Famine sighed, shaking his head as he said mostly to himself. "Even if that's true... How can a thing that can't think and can't feel or even see function enough to attack us? Without muscle nothing would hold those bones together... Without flesh why does it have a need to start hunting? It wouldn't need the nourishment." Conquest slowed to a stop, saying almost timidly. "You don't want me to answer that..." Sean sat up a little to look at their expressions better. They were hiding something. Or scared of something. Famine narrowed his eyes on Conquest, discreetly uttering out. "But you're thinking about it. The same as I." Conquest stormed closer, snapping out discreetly into Famine's face. "We agreed that it was dangerous. WE VOTED!"

Famine touched Conquest's cheek with the back of his hand, replying almost lovingly. "You let your love for him blind you. When have Death and War ever kept their word?" Conquest swatted Famine's hand away gently, turning away from him to say distressed. "You think they did it behind our backs...?" Famine brushed his brown hair behind his ear, his gold earrings glinting in the soft lantern light as he answered gently. "Look what this cure is doing to the boy? Is that the virus we all worked on? Do you recall the lab rats having reactions like this?" Conquest twirled his long golden hair between his fingers, mumbling out reluctantly. "Viruses adapt outside the lab... You said so yourself. This could just be-" Famine locked hard eyes with Conquest to stop him, before tenderly informing him. "Conquest... This is NOT our virus." Conquest faced Famine with worried eyes, asking a little scared. "Have you asked them about this?" Famine glanced back at Sean. Sean lowered his eyes hoping not to distract them. He wanted to hear more. If Famine noticed he was listening, he paid it no mind by answering coolly. "I have asked Death... He remains as silent as a grave. But... We might be able to loosen War's tongue."