Spectre

Spectre(Jared Gargus) Chapter 1

Lucifer ran as fast as he could as the adrenaline flowed through his veins. His pursuer’s quick breaths could be heard close behind, causing Lucifer to run faster than he thought his legs could carry him. Wishing he had trained more vigorously, Lucifer struggled to catch his breath after he paused behind a tall, dead oak tree. It was at that moment his pursuer took advantage of his weakness, and Lucifer was mercilessly shoved to the ground.

“Gotcha.” exclaimed Dante almost effortlessly.

Still trying to catch his breath, he replied “Screw you.”

“I don’t know why you even play this game, you always get caught.”
Looking up at Dante’s black hair and slightly burnt skin, he just smirked and walked off. Dante jogged after him. “Come on Lucifer, I was just messing around.”

“I know, but it’s getting dark, we should head back. We aren’t supposed to be out here anyways.”
Lucifer continued to walk through the brush. After he finally caught his breath, he asked “Do you ever think we’ll see the sun again?”

He stopped jogging. “I don’t know Lucifer, I think it’s better off we not see it. You forget it caused the Eternal Burning and...”

Lucifer turned and interrupted him “Nevermind, it was a stupid question.” Then he began to walk away and Dante followed him closely. He looked through the charred trees and tried to imagine what the world was like before the Eternal Burning. Although this kind of thinking was forbidden, he couldn’t help it.

In an attempt to break the silence, Dante spoke up “Have you heard about Colony Anubis?”

Once again, Lucifer stopped to face him. “No, what about it?”

“Really? Apparently the radiomen lost contact with them yesterday.”

Lucifer attempted to hide the disbelief he felt when he heard the news. “You can’t be serious, that’s just a rumor someone made up for attention.”

“Yea, well, the radiomen claim it’s just interference from a passing radiation cloud.”

Lucifer nervously replied, “Whatever you say, but I still think the idea of it was a failed attempt at grabbing someone’s attention.” After he thought it over, the idea of losing communication with a fellow colony bugged him as he walked through the forest. A short while after, they could hear the shouts of people safe inside the protective walls of Colony Osiris.

The two boys stealthily walked along the treeline just before the great concrete walls of Colony Osiris. Lucifer eventually whispered, “Quick, we have to get in the sewers before we’re spotted!”

Dante’s expression changed as the searchlights narrowly miss their position “I know, I know just shut up and I’ll open the gate.” They then silently crept along the tree line towards a small, dirty stream that led to the walls of the colony. “Here it is, just give me a second.” With a quiet grunt, Dante pushed the grate of the sewers open and Lucifer crawled inside.

Lucifer slid through the water, the dank smell of rotting materials and feces filled his nose. “I hate doing this.”

Dante pinched his leg in attempt to keep him quiet. He also hated crawling through the sewers, especially because the smell burned his nostrils and made him want to puke. After several minutes of crawling, they slid down another tunnel that branched off of the main tunnel. “Faster Lucifer, we’re almost there.” he gasps.

Reaching the end of the tunnel, Lucifer reached for the rusty iron hatch when he realized he couldn’t hear Dante’s gasps behind him anymore. “Dante!” he fiercely whispered, “Where are you?” His heart begun to race as he awaited an answer. Finally, his question was answered by a few splashes of water.

“I think I found something” Dante whispered.

Slightly curious, Lucifer squinted in the dim light to see what he was holding, “Nevermind that, we need to go!” Lucifer crawled back down the tunnel to the iron hatch. He struggled to open the heavy hatch so Dante shoved him to the side and pushed. The hatch slid to the side and they were greeted by a face painted red with anger.

Chapter 2

Castor reached into the sewer and grabbed Dante’s wrist just before he threw him to the ground. Dante attempted to retaliate but was struck in the face by one of Castor’s guardsmen. Castor looked around frantically “Where is Lucifer?”

Struggling against the guardsmen, he said nothing.
General Castor was in charge of the military in Colony Osiris. He was a hulking figure that intimidated most civilians. It was his duty to keep order in the colony, as it was under military control. “I am very disappointed in you, Dante. I had never thought a member of the Gold Spectre Division would defy the rules of our Colony. I assumed wrong.” Castor walked off and Dante was released.

During all of the commotion above him, Lucifer had bolted back down the sewers. After he had spent so much time exploring them, he could easily navigate their walls. He hurried down another side tunnel and was relieved to find a rusty hatch. As he reached for it, he heard what sounded like something moving in the water. He rapidly turned around and strained his eyes peering into the darkness. The soft splash of water grew closer and the reflection of two dim yellow eyes were seen at the end of the narrow tunnel. Lucifer trembled in fear at the unknown creature and he quickly crawled out of the hatch and slid it back into place.

Lucifer walked down the evenly paved road to his house. He passed several Bronze Spectre Division workers plowing the fields. As he looked upon their tanned skin, he thought of what it must be like to be born to a division that only lived to work, and eventually die, in The Offering.

The people of the Colonies are told that The Offering is beneficial and it alone is the only thing to prevent another Eternal Burning. Once a month, 50 Bronze Spectre Division workers were sent deep into the woods never to return while President Vidar, the leader of the Colonies, assured the people that the Sun would not show its face as long as the offerings continued.

At his house, Lucifer stood in grief. The inside of his marble walled house was ransacked. His papers and miscellaneous objects were shredded and broken on the floor. He walked down the hallway and turned into his room only to be caught off guard by the hulking Goliath of a man that was Castor.

Castor smiled and his radiation scarred face wrinkled on the edges of his mouth. “How nice of you to show up, Lucifer.”

“What are you doing in my house?” Lucifer stuttered as he slowly backed into the doorway.

Castor took a step forward and his massive body cast a shadow over Lucifer. “This will be the final time I warn you Lucifer” he said “do not leave the walls again, or I will personally make sure you do not return.”

Lucifer broke his eye contact with Castor “Yes sir, it won’t happen again.” Despite the reassurance in his voice, he knew he could not stay confined to the walls of the Colony. He then turned around and walked back down the hallway followed by Castor.

Just outside the window, Dante had been listening. After the confrontation had ended, he snuck inside the house through the window to avoid Castor. When he looked out the window and saw Castor walking back down the road, he crept down the hallway and approached Lucifer.

Lucifer continued to look out the doorway at Castor’s back when he angrily spoke “You idiot! Why didn’t you listen for anyone before opening the hatch!”

Caught off-guard by Lucifer’s awareness Dante replied “I’m sorry, I was in a hurry and I had no idea Castor was expecting me.” He looked at the floor slightly embarrassed by his own stupidity. He then slowly crept out of the room, unnoticed by an enraged Lucifer.

Chapter 3

It was the day of The Offering, and most of Colony Osiris was gathered in the town square. A familiar face rose from the crowd and spoke. “Offerings, step forward now” the voice shouted. 50 Bronze Spectre Division workers stepped forward. “Sun spare you all” Castor said, stepping down from the stage. Several Gold Spectre Division guards filed into the town square and chained the Offerings. Other members, the more fortunate members, of the colony cheered as the less fortunate Offerings were marched through the gates of the colony.

“I don’t understand” whispered Lucifer, “why we do this every month.”

“Me neither, but if Castor says it will prevent the Sun from burning us to a crisp again, then I don’t have a problem with it.” Dante responded.

Lucifer snorted at Dante’s ignorance. “I’m going to follow them to the woods.”

“You can’t! You’ll be caught for sure, I mean sneaking out by ourselves is one thing, but following them is just stupid.” Dante said.

“Watch me.” Lucifer disappeared into the crowd. Like a shadow, he followed in the guard’s footsteps, unnoticed.

The charred metallic gates creaked open as the Offerings were forcefully walked through them. Lucifer watched from further up the street, waiting until the gates were closed and the guards were gone before he opened the iron hatch by his foot and climbed into the darkness. Through the tunnel he crawled, light splashes were all that could be heard as he moved. Once he reached the small stream at the opening of the sewers, he checked his surroundings. Off in the distance he spotted the faint glow of a torch. With a quiet grunt, he had started to jog towards the light in the darkness.

The screams filled Lucifer's ears as he watched humanoid figures lunge from the darkness to the Offerings. In shock, he stepped backwards only to stumble on a broken branch. The sudden rush of adrenaline enhanced his senses, and he had become aware that the Offerings weren't the only ones being attacked. A Gold Spectre Guard was grabbed by multiple gruesome hands and pulled into the darkness. Lucifer's eyes widened and he ran through the charred forest.


Chapter 4

After he caught his breath, Lucifer scrambled to the front gates.

A tower guard approached the gates, "What are you doing out there boy?"

"Let me in, they're coming!" Lucifer managed to say.

"Castor is going to love this. Wait here boy." The tower guard marched off at a quickened pace.

As soon as the tower guard had turned his back, Lucifer bolted. He ran to the back to the sewer but was interrupted. Just beyond the entrance to the sewer was the treeline, and at the treeline was Dante. Lucifer sensed something was wrong and his run slowed to a jog. As he took a closer look, he saw Dante's pale face as he held his stomach with hands painted red with blood.

Dante tried to talk as blood dripped down his face. "I tried to follow you.." he muttered "but they caught me before I caught you." Tears filled with pain dropped off his face. "I'm sorr-"

Grey, radiation burned hands wrapped themselves around Dante's throat and he stopped mid sentence. Lucifer was frozen in fear as he watched his friend's throat torn out by the sheer force of the grey hands. His friend fell to his knees and Lucifer's gaze was met by a pair of glowing eyes. He felt as though he had just looked into the depths of Hell as the radiation fried humanoid viciously lept on his downed friend.

Lucifer finally regained control of his body and he slowly backed up before he turned and ran deep into the sewers. He crawled as fast as he could through the tunnels as the irregular splashes behind him grew closer. As he iron hatch, he turned to see the thin frame of the creature behind him. Its mouth opened and a damaged hiss escaped its throat. It crawled unnaturally fast towards him in uncoordinated strides. In horror Lucifer crawled out the hatch and slammed it behind him.

Chapter 5

Lucifer's relief was cut short when he heard something down the street. "You're kidding..."

The radiation burnt creatures were running down the street, the slap of their rough feet on the pavement could be heard as just before they pounced on various civilians. It was at that moment he heard it, the panic of the colony was visible in the air. Screams rang throughout the streets and alleyways.

A violent explosion shook the street Lucifer was standing on. He turned and was greeted by Castor at the end of the street, wielding a grenade launcher, surrounded by the best of the Gold Spectre Guards. The scrawny creatures feebly attempted to attack the group of soldiers, but were met by a wave of lead. Before Lucifer could be reassured by the surprise that was Castor, something unexpected happened. In the corner of his eye he saw an iron sewer hatch slightly move. As he focused his gaze, the hatch flew open and out poured dozens of grey charred bodies. The first guard fell. Then another. Then another. Like dominoes, the guards dropped one another, covered in a mass of gray writhing bodies.

The guards' screams were muffled by the mass of bodies growing on top of them. Castor was cornered in an alleyway, and Lucifer watched from afar, he knew any attempts to escape were futile. Castor drew his long hand forged knife and split his first victim's skull. More and more grey bodies closed around him until he could not be seen. Only seconds later Lucifer saw the massive pack of bodies scramble over each other, some covered in fresh blood.

At that point, Lucifer knew it was over and he sat down in the corner. Suddenly, with death prevalent, he made sense of what had happened. The Offering, was not to keep the Sun at bay, but to feed the monsters growing in numbers outside the gates. Castor must have known the whole time, however, what he hadn't known was that they were multiplying faster than predicted. As he began to piece it all together, the burnt bodies surrounded him and the darkness swallowed him.