Fantasy Vs Reality | The Withering

18: Bad Idea

They know.

~~

Coal's fur stood up on end under his suit as he followed in deep silence further into the ruined spaceport. He flinched when Marcus' voice crackled into his ears, "We are approaching the secondary airlock, it appears to be in working order, everyone come here please."

The team gathered in front of it and Marcus pulled the lever to open the lock. Nothing happened at first, but when the lights flickered overhead as if there was a small electrical pulse, the vault-like door began to move. It grinded against itself as it seemed to have trouble moving. 

It rolled aside and the four stepped inside as the airlock closed behind them. There was a brief moment where oxygen and pressure was attempting to be added to the small lock space, but only a little bit got through and the other door rolled aside.

The four were able to properly walk now, however, they were still fairly light on their paws. Coal pulled his laser pistol out from his belt and held it at the ready. It was too quiet...

Marcus scanned as they walked down a long, crudely-made metal hallway and murmured, "The oxygen levels here are close to critical. Keep your suits on, and let's split up further ahead to look for survivors. They won't last long in this port's current condition." Marcus put the scanner away and pulled his own pistol out, "Weapons out, lights on. We don't know if we've got hostiles here."

Coal flicked his light on, and noticed some lightweight objects were floating in the air around him. He pushed an empty coffee cup out of the way and gazed further down the hallway. It seemed there were three paths, one to the left, one to the right, and one that kept going straight.

Marcus stopped in the crossways and turned to face the three before him, "Two of us are going to have to agree to go alone. I can go alone and-"

"I'll go alone." Ember said, "I may be the youngest member on the ship but I can handle myself, Captain."

Marcus gave her a weary look, Coal caught the swift glance to her mechanical leg and then back to her eyes. After a thoughtful moment, the wolf finally nodded, "Very well. Storm and Coal will go together then."

Storm pressed up against Coal as Marcus gestured for Ember to go left, and Storm and Coal to go right. Marcus took the hallway straight ahead. The captain spoke before he began to move further down the hallway, "Meet back here in one hour sharp. We can then assess the situation and decide our next move. Shoot hostiles, do not harm innocents. You know the drill, specialists. Synchronize our timers in three... two... one. Move out."

They all pressed a button on their arms to one hour. Coal and Storm went to the right, Marcus and Ember went the other two ways.

Coal and Storm found themselves looking down a long, poorly lit hallway that seemed to stretch forever. There were no windows, the walls were dented and cracked, some places seemed to have been bashed at aggressively with a blunt weapon.

Bits of different coloured fur were floating around in the air as if they were pulled out in chunks. It sent a chill through the air. What would've caused that? Space sickness maybe? Insanity?

Coal sensed Storm's unease and he grabbed her free hand and gently squeezed it to reassure her. They walked on for about ten minutes before they found anything of interest. After that, they came across a room that opened up in front of them.

Based on the dim lighting and the two's light sources, there was a small, abandoned cafeteria. There were small windows along the wall and the lights were flickering slightly. Coal and Storm walked side by side, scouting the area looking for anything that moved. They didn't hear anything at first other than their own breaths and heartbeats, but then they heard something crash somewhere further ahead.

Coal raised his pistol up in front of him, ready to take on whatever laid ahead. He steadied his breath and narrowed his eyes as he and Storm rounded the corner across the café. Coal raised his light and found himself looking into a small storage room. The door had been yanked off it's hinges and was lying up against the wall behind him and Storm. It was an enforced door too, which suggested something very strong tore it off... a bear perhaps?

He entered first, ready to defend himself and Storm. He swallowed, unsure of what he was going to face here. Storm had fear coming off of her fur, and he brushed his tail up against her to comfort her. 

The room was no bigger than the chambers on the ship where the crew slept. There were boxes stacked all the way to the ceiling here, no doubt with food rations or cookware. Coal's ears pricked and he quickly checked his time. They had been here for thirty minutes already.

Breathing out slowly, Coal took a turn to the left in the small maze of boxes and halted. Something was sitting in the corner, barely moving. Next to it, was a big heap of an unmoving figure. He lifted his light up to it and leapt backwards in surprise. He had found the bear... they were dead, but the other figure was still alive.

It was a young, grey squirrel. She had milk chocolate brown eyes, she was short, and had a large fluffy tail. Her hair was bright, cyan blue and her eyes were wide open. She didn't have a mask or suit on, she didn't look fully aware of her surroundings. 

Coal began to approach her, but she jerked and forced herself up to a standing position. She looked down the path further ahead, beyond Coal's view and she lifted a box that was nearly half her size and threw it. 

She stumbled from the effort, Coal could hear her breath rattling. She wouldn't last much longer in her condition. Launching forward with the momentum of the small amount of gravity, he scooped her up and briefly looked down the path she had been looking and was confused to see that the box she threw was gone.

He didn't think about it and called out to Storm, "Storm find some spare oxygen tanks! She won't last very long without one!"

It was against protocol, but Coal took one deep breath before unplugging his oxygen tank and giving it to her. She gasped in the air as he placed a mask on it and placed it over her mouth. Coal immediately began to feel light-headed. He was still able to breathe, but it wasn't enough to keep his head from pounding. 

The squirrel wasn't aware that the oxygen was helping her breathe, because she kept putting it down. Coal forced it back on her face, and strapped it on. He lead her slowly out of the storage unit. He called out breathlessly for Storm, but there was no reply. 

His own breath beginning to rattle dangerously again, he turned around to gaze into the storage. A thought suddenly struck him... They wouldn't keep oxygen tanks in there... would they? Where was the main storage though?

He unbuckled the oxygen tank from his belt and gave it to the squirrel, "Hold onto... this okay? It'll... help you breathe." The squirrel's eyes were transfixed on something else across the café, but her ears had twitched towards him so she had heard him.

He just hoped she understood. 

As he turned back around and reentered the storage room, he went back to the spot he had spotted the squirrel and the bear. He proceeded further in. As he looked around, his skin crawled. These boxes were oddly dark... he looked closer and his blood went cold.

This was the same substance that was on the debris outside. The monsters had gotten inside.