"Huff!" "Huff!" "Huff!" "Huff!"
"It doesn't matter if he dies, just shoot him". The soldiers are approaching me.
They are closing the distance faster than I thought they would. They've started firing guns at me. Bang* Bang* Bang*. I can hear the sounds of bullets grazing right past my flesh. I can smell the zinc-like stench of blood in my mouth. I'm so scared. What if I die? No, I won't. I wish I could go home. I can't. I'm so tired. So. God. Damn. Tired. But I've lived too long for it to end like this. I don't have a choice. I'll survive. Even if my skin is shredded. Even if all I can smell is my burnt face. I will survive..
I feel sand slip into my shoes. Every step I take my legs get heavier and heavier, making it harder for me to run. The soldiers draw close. I feel tired. Each muscle that moves drains more and more of my energy. If I survive this I will be able to complete my ancestor's legacy. I have to survive no matter what. Even if the world defies me and my family.
*Swoosh. My short boost of morale is cut short by bullets flying past me. The soldiers are terrifyingly close to me now, it would only be a few hundred meters away until they got to me. Now, their bullets seem to be getting more and more accurate. I keep running. I don't care if the sand under my feet is weighing me down.I hear the wind howl as a huge dust storm apporaches. It seems that this is the end. Whichever way I go, I will die. No, I won't let it end like this. I have to survive. An Idea pops up in my brain. With the hope that my plan succeeds I run straight into the storm with all the strength that I can muster up.
I can feel dust inside my clothes. The gale is strong. I feel like I might get blown away. I hear my clothes slowly ripping apart. I march on for either way im going to die. I won't give up. I feel like im about to fall on my knees but i am rejuvenated for i finally see the center of the storm. The closer to the eye i got, the less gusty the weather got. I sleep in the sand praying that the second half of my plan won't fail.
"Ah! I can't see him because of this storm."
"Let's get him after the storm finishes, or else we might die ourselves."
"The final call is yours captain, what will you do ?"
I can hear the soldiers conversing among themselves. I can sense their presence right next to me. It would seem that they had already caught up to me. I feel relieved because they didn't have any gear other than their guns and a walkie-talkie. They probably don't know where I am as they can't see properly due to the storm. Thankfully the last-minute decision to wear my glasses did not disappoint. Well, all that effort would still mean nothing if their captain agreed with them to retreat and wait for the storm to end. I can feel the tension built up in my skin. A drop of sweat slowly falls from my forehead.
"Alright then, let's take a short break from the hunt until the storm dies. Then we will feast, and I will finally be recognized and get a raise!"
I get annoyed at the fact that they just called all of this a 'hunt'. Here I am running like a castaway all for the sake of my family's legacy, and to hopefully save the world but to them, its just a means to get a promotion. I'm straining myself just to get that much further from them.Yet, they don't care.Whether i live or not doesn't matter to them. I feel a feeling of disgust in my gut. Most of the disgust was directed towards them, but some of it, myself. I start to drown in an inexplicable pool of emptiness. I just have to live on.
Thud* Thud* Thud* Thud*. The soldiers walked away.
I start to feel sleepy. I haven't had water in a few days now.I should just sleep through this storm. Even if the storm ends before I wake up, they won't be able to find me because I am hidden by the sand and they don't have any tools that could help them. This sand is the perfect place to sle-.
"UWAH" I scream. I wake up thinking that I've been attacked or captured. But nobody was near me. It seems like the raging storm is slowly quieting down. In the middle of the storm, I see something.
I see a tree in the middle of the storm.Using up all my remaining strength, I ran towards it. But the closer i got, the further the tree was getting. I didnt realize it but i had just been seeing a hallucination.All of a sudden, I see the soldiers waking up from their peaceful naps. I had likely woken them up because of my scream. Now, even more scared of death, I run towards the tree with all my strength.
"HE'S RIGHT THERE! SHOOT HIM NOW"
"Keke, here comes my promotion". Click* click* Bang*.
Bang*. As soon as I reached the tree a bullet flew right past me. I could see them hurtling towards me slowly. The tree has a thick trunk so maybe, just maybe, I can hide behind it. I mean I could try to climb it but I have never been a good climber so I should just go with the safer option and hide behind the tree.
Thud* Thud* "HALT".
As soon as I hid behind the tree they stopped right at the tree.
"Oh? What sly little prey we have here, hiding behind this big ol' tree."
Their captain is making fun of me. I would have just gone out there and tried to punch him but I can't do that, they'll just shoot me.
"I-I w-want to make a deal with y-you guys"
I feel nervous because I might die if I don't do this correctly.
"Now, what kind'a deal would a kid like you want to make, it better not be a waste of time, or I'll hang you upside down till all the blood in your carcass drains and reaches your brain"
He threatens me. It annoys me even more but I can't mess this. So, I have to keep my anger concealed.
"I just want to s-say my final prayers, after that you can do w-whatever you want"
"Alright then, go on, say your final prayers kiddo."
"I want you guys to pray with me as well, so co-could you please cl-close your eyes as well ?"
I risk it all and say it.
"Hahaha!".
"HAHAHAHAHAHA".
"What a cheeky little guy you are. You want US to close our eyes and pray ??"
I feel the pressure Just from his loud laugh. This is the laugh of a man who has killed thousands of people.
Still, I try my best to answer.
"Ye-Yes"
"Alright'y then go ahead"
My eyes shine with hope. My plan worked. Now I just have to run with all I can.
"Okay I will start praying now, Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name."
I slowly move.
"Thy kingdom come, and thy will be-" CRUNCH*
Oh no. They heard my footsteps.
"Well, well, well, I knew this would happen. Hey guys, this kid thinks he can bamboozle us."
His soldiers laugh loudly.
Who does he think we are? A group of idiots?"
I feel my heart start beating louder.
Thud* Thud* Thud* Thud*
They've started to move towards me. I could try to run, but at this range, I will surely die. All I could think of was trying to climb the tree. So, I step on the trunk trying to climb up. "Ah". My foot slips and I fall on my back. I see them right in front of me. Teardrops start to form in my eye. I make a heavy smile. I'm sorry everyone, it seems that I'm joining you faster than expecte-.
Suddenly, A hole opens up from the trunk of the tree and swallows me up.
"Wha-"
"AAAAAAHHHH"
"Now what's this?!"
The soldiers are confused and don't know what to do. They leap towards the hole but right as they closed in, the hole seals itself. They unleash a hellfire of bullets onto the tree..
Click* click* bang* … bang* … bang*. They start firing shots at the trunk but their attempts are futile. The trunk is bulletproof.
"Great, now what do we tell "them"? That the tree ate him up ??"
"Let's just return for now"
"Good idea, let's just go back"
"AAAAAAAHHHH". I don't want to die like this. "SOMEONE PLEASE, ANYONE, JUST SAVE ME.".
Thud*. I feel the ground. I think I have died.
[Welcome]. I hear someone's voice. It seems that the afterlife also has technology and robots. There is a giant apple tree situated in the middle of this place. It is probably at least 40 meters tall or even taller, and the tree's width is probably 10 meters or more.
"What are you doing laying on the ground like that ?"
I get annoyed at this random person in the afterlife. I can't see his face because they're behind me.
"Will you please just shut up"
"Well if I shut up, who's going to answer all your questions?"
"Okay then, please answer this question properly without any sarcasm"
"Alright.". His voice gets heavier.
"Where is this place, Heaven or Hell Or am I somewhere else in the afterlife ?"
"Oh, well you are asking the wrong question"
"WELL, why don't you tell me why this is a wrong question" I try to copy his sarcastic way of speaking.
"This isn't the afterlife. This is the space near the core of existence." He answers swiftly instead of using his sarcastic tone.
"What the hell does that mean? " I'm speechless..
"I will repeat this just once. WE ARE IN THE SPACE NEAR THE CORE OF EXISTENCE" He sounds annoyed and says it loudly.
[Welcome, Stark Hartmann, The son of Charles Hartmann and Emma Hartmann]