Zorvak
I knew she stood at the rail looking down at me. I sensed it. I felt it. If only I could see her face. Even the color of her eyes was lost to me from this distance.
Her voice sounded strong, but I felt her worry. This would be an almost impossible task and I almost aborted the mission. If only there was another way.
The fight started, and my opponent didn’t seem interested in winning. He spent most of his time dodging my blows and avoiding death. With a punch to his chin, he fell unconscious on the rink floor. The rules were to the death, but I refused to kill anyone who showed no interest in killing. Standing over the unconscious male, I closed my eyes and threw my senses outward. The vibe seemed different tonight. More electrified with anticipation as if something was about to happen. My fingers twitched. Something wasn’t right.
I stood on my platform while two Humchins drug my opponent to his platform. It lowered me back to the cell where I paced and waited in silence.
Cami’s worry stayed constant, but not alarming. Not until bone deep fear pierced my chest. I feel your fear, what is happening? My heart thundered in my chest trying to mirror her own as the fear only increased. This feeling was new for me and I didn’t like it one bit. Still, it didn’t recede. I rubbed my chest as I paced the small cell.
I pushed the fear aside and let anger take hold. Cami, what is happening?
They caught me! Oh, God, they caught me!
Unknowing of what she did, she sent mental images to me. I could see the one who stood in front of her as he reached out and cupped her breast. My fist slammed against the wall. I knew what they would do! The force field loomed in front of me, making my anger rage until it reached a boiling point and an eerie calm descended on me. I stood still and controlled my breathing and slowed my pounding heart. The rage calmed to a molten black simmer that meant death for everyone. I tried to project it to Cami, give her strength to endure their inevitable torture.
Alarms blared overhead, but I remained stock still and concentrated on Cami. With a loud pop, the force field deactivated. I didn’t know why, or how it happened, but right now I had to rescue Cami. I surged forward with death gleaming in my eyes.
Other prisoners thundered past me trying to escape, but I walked with purpose as I marched down the corridor. A lone Humchin stood at the exit with a whip in his hand. It cracked, striking one prisoner as he tried to get around him. When I got close enough, the whip posed to strike me, I grabbed his bony wrist and squeezed. The bones crumbled beneath my grip. He let out an agonized shout from his mouth as he fell to his knees. His hand fell limp when I let go. With his head positioned between my hands, I snapped his neck and grabbed his whip.
I searched each room, killing every Humchin I encountered, until I found a female sitting on the edge of a pallet. Instant relief. She never looked up as I walked in. Kneeling in front of her, I looked at her distant face. “Cami?”
When she lifted her eyes, my breath caught. They had depths of green mingled with flakes of amber that lined a black round center.
Mesmerizing.
I could stare endlessly into her amazing eyes. The complexity held my gaze until the sound of pounding feet said time to go.
We need to go. I held out my hand and waited. After a few seconds, she placed her hand in mine and nodded.
Her creamy white hand looked strange next to my dark red as she gripped my calloused hand with her soft delicate fingers. My protective instincts shot to overdrive as we headed for freedom.
The whip cracked the air, knocking a Humchin to the ground. I snapped his neck while Cami went for his holstered weapon.
How do you use this thing? She turned the incinerator over, looking for a way to fire it. Never mind.
It wouldn’t do her any good unless she had the implanted control chip to operate it. That was the Humchins failsafe to keep it out of enemy hands.
As we hurried down the corridor, I turned the corner and faced two Humchins. They were no match for me but my senses screamed one more approached from behind. Watch out!
On it! I heard the incinerator as it hummed to life. With a glance over my shoulder, I spotted the enemy laying in a heap of ashes. Shit! That’s some firepower!
How did you do that? My eyes widened in surprise as I looked from the ashes--- to her--- back to the ashes. How did she get the weapon to fire? No one has been able to steal or replicate the control chip. She grinned as she stepped around, leaving me standing with my mouth gaping in shock.
We fought our way clear, which felt both exhilarating and new. I had never had a female partner. The Humchins fought with strength, but I grinned every time she used their own weapon against them.
We cautiously approached the exit but there were no obstacles in the way, no one guarded the door. A mystery in itself as we walked out of the fight club.
The bright sun blinded me with its harsh light, but it didn’t matter. We needed to get as far away as possible. Come on. I inclined my head toward the cliffs.
No, my friends are this way. She looked over her shoulder in the opposite direction.
I shook my head. They will look for us that way. We must wait until dark.
But there’s nothing that way. Just sharp rocks.
Exactly. They will never look for us there.
She stared with longing in the other direction, but finally nodded, and we took off.
After a while, she said, I need to slow down.
When we stopped running, I glanced over and noted she was out of breath. Sorry, at one point I could’ve kept up this pace, but I haven’t been able to run since arriving here. Two miles is my limit now.
I nodded as I shielded my eyes. The cliff of rocks was just ahead and I needed to get inside before I went permanently blind. But for now, I kept my eyes closed, only opening one to a squint.
What’s wrong?
Her breathing had slowed and she stood staring at me. My eyes cannot stand this much light.
It is harsh, that’s for sure. A minute or so later, she said, Here, maybe this will help. She nudged my arm. Bend down, you’re too tall.
I knelt on bended knee. My sex twitched when her soft fingers grazed my temple. Dressed in only a loincloth, I willed it to stay put. She wrapped a dark piece of cloth around my head, effectively covering my eyes. The comfort was immediate, giving my burning eyes much needed relief. Thank you!