STRANDED 011

It looked like someplace I saw in my dream. It was like a field surrounded by people on high seats. It looked like... An arena.

I batted my eyes, trying to steady my breath when something struck me hard from behind. I crashed to my knee and turned around to see what had hit me but another blow struck me in the face.

With blood streamlining down my face, I raised my weapon and moved back on my butt but, it flew out of my hands.

I saw a fist raise through the dim light in my eyes about to smash my face but a sharp piercing sound was heard and it paused.

Quickly, I reached for my blade and scrambled to my feet.

A man dressed in a very weird kind of outfit came over and made pace between us. "Kamilu guda para" he said to me. Funny enough, he understood Dome language which meant "Fight till death" in English. My eyes widened then, the huge hunk of a man who happened to be my opponent began to register.

Wait. I knew this man. We shared the dirt together at Dome, we came here together... Twenty?

He looked exactly the same but he had a very unusual look in his eyes; a look filled with rage and contempt.

"No Rules. Kill or get Killed" the man added and my heart skipped a beat.

Twenty would kill me with a blow; no doubt about it. He was huge and well trained compared to me. I swallowed on my spit, almost chocking. The huge man stepped away and blew air into something that made a piercing sound.

The people on the high seats were chanting, eager to see the outcome of what was going to happen.

Twenty began to circle me. He had very long blades in both hands and he looked like he was made of steel. I swallowed hard as he made his first swing. Quickly, I jumped away from the wrath of the blade - the arena was large enough to swallow a battalion of fighters so, I used the free space to my advantage.

He swung again and I luckily blocked it with my blade.

"Your blade is an extension of yourself" I remembered Atom's words and held it tightly like it was part of me, like it would save me from Twenty's wrath.

"Twenty!" I called him but he seemed like he was locked within himself. He plunged his blade at me and it tore into my upper arm. "Twenty, it's me" I persisted but it was no use.

His blade made a reverse and I blocked it with my knife. "Aim for the throat" I remembered what Atom told me so, I pushed his blade away from me and punched him on the neck. He staggered backwards and quickly, I used the back of my sword to punch him in the abdomen but I didn't hit hard enough. He waved his sword and I missed with a very close shave.

"Wake!! Wake Twenty!" I yelled at him but what woke was the sword that slashed my wrist and made my blade fall. I made to take it but he pointed his sword at my neck and I froze.

"Tu so gu to yo bans (you don't want to do this)" I told him but I was only wasting my breath. He used his feet to kick me hard on the chest and I fell backwards then he raised his blade to my eyes.

No... I don't want to end like this. I needed to survive...

I saw the flashing of his blade in the air - this couldn't be the end. I grabbed a hand full of sand and swung it at his eyes. I didn't think that would work but it was worth a try and to my amazement, his sword fell and he held his face in horror. I kicked his sword out of his reach and grabbed my blade from the floor. With full force, I drove into him with my shoulder and we both landed on the floor with a thud. I tried to pin him down so he could look into my eyes. I heard the crowd gasping, wondering how possible it was for a weakling like me to uproot such a giant but they had no idea the overall effect on me.

I was now bleeding from the nose but I needed him to wake up. It was me, Twenty two... Why would he want to kill me? What orientation did he get from working at the games? But he was stronger. He recovered quickly and seized me by the neck.

"Si yen (please)" I told him "Si yen du Twenty. Wake up!!!" I slapped him hard across the cheek but he wasn't asleep, the Twenty I knew was dead. This man I stared at was a beast, a monster with no compassion.

He threw me to the floor and I could swear I heard a rib of mine crack.

I stayed immobile for a while then he lifted me by the leg and threw to the west side of the arena. I squealed as I hit the ground and winced in pain but there was no retreat. It was fight or die.

I staggered to my foot looking a mess. Twenty was gone. Even if I screamed his name, he wouldn't hear me. He seized me by the neck again but this time, I slashed his upper arm with my dagger. He let go of my neck but his other arm slammed my skull and I hit the ground again.

I was going to stand but Twenty kept me down with a strong kick, smashing through my jaw.

He went back to retrieve his blades and came for me. I always stared death in the face but this time, death stared in mine.

I heard myself gulp my dry saliva and I kept my eyes open to see what kind of death would finally take me.

I saw his flashing blade....

Everywhere froze like someone pulled the plug. I didn't know what happened but my hands moved, I threw my chained dagger, still holding on to the chains, the dagger plunged forth and slammed into his heart region. I saw Twenty freeze, his eyes glassy as if refusing to die....

Then he hit the ground.

"How..." I wondered. Seeing this, I crawled towards him and his eyes fluttered weakly. "Twenty... Si yen" I felt tears raise to my eyes. "Twenty..." Blood. Began to ooze from his mouth and his eyes trailed life leaving his body.

His body so cold.

"No... No..." I cried "Twenty! Twenty!" I shook him as tears leaked my eyes "wake... Parvo Si yen" I cried "sorry" I cried into his shoulders but that was not the end.

I felt a strong hand grab my collar from behind and pulled me away from him then threw me with a thud in the sand. I looked up at my next attacker and my heart fell.

This being was nothing like Twenty. This being was taller, huger and blacker - bigger than Twenty.

His head was bald and he had rings in his nose and ears. He frightened me.

I swallowed hard and got hold of Twenty's blade. Slowly, I was transforming into that killer, that creature they wanted me to be.

I managed to my feet but a blow kept me back on the ground. God! This man was different like his hands were made of steel.

I swear, I saw stars circle my vision as I landed and every part of me ached. His sword was longer and had three edges.

I was debilitated and as I contemplated either to live or to stay dead, I felt a hot stinging pain in my lower abdomen. He drove his knife into me and blood spurted from my mouth. I stared at him, my eyes glassy and he twisted it in.

He removed the sword sharply and made to strike again but something happened.

Something I never imagined.

Something I could only fantasize about happened.

I saw a familiar face above his shoulders and as the being made to strike me, his eyes went glassy and he fell with a thud.

I blinked and I saw Atom.

Atom?

Without saying anything, he tucked his sword back in its sheath, rushed beside me and wrapped his arms around me. He lifted me into his arms and stood to leave but he couldn't just leave. He was breaking the rules. For even doing that, he had committed a treason.

Like he pulled a war switch, strange men closed in on us, all looking feisty and had deadly weapon in their hands.

What was Atom doing? I wondered. These people would kill him. Why did he come back for me? Fear clouded my heart for him. My heart started to beat fast for him.

He set me down, waved the hair hovering down my face aside and his soft smile touched my skin "purta condo demanasto" he said to me. Then, he stood to his feet.

 He drew his sword.

I watched him weakly. Was he crazy or something? We were both going to die together!!! How possible did he think it was to take on all those many men? From random look, they would be nothing less than twenty one to twenty four.

I held on to my bleeding side as I watched his hair wave backwards and a spasm of horror shook the crowd.

Ready, set, go! Atom plunged into the air like an eagle, made few twists and landed on his feet knocking two men off their feet. The lights in my eyes began to fade due to the fact that I was losing much blood but I still saw him. He was staying close to me so they wouldn't hurt me but I didn’t ask for this. He only got himself into trouble for trying to help me. Why was he even helping me? This was the greatest treason anyone could ever commit. Disha won't let this one go.

My breath quickened as I applied pressure to the deep wound and I groaned in pain.

I shouldn't have doubted Atom's strength. He was doing well out there on his own... 

Was he?

**********************************************************************************

STRANDED 010

I sat still for a while then my restless subconscious began to worry again. I wanted to know if Teen was okay; I needed to be sure.

I swung my feet out of bed again and using the wooden table as support, I couldn't just sit here and do nothing. I have to prepare myself for whatever was ahead, I needed to survive. Only then would I be able to be there for Teen.

I grabbed my blade from the shelf and belted it to my waist.

Steadily, I released my grip from the table and once I found my stamina, I made for the door.

I was defying Atom again but he wouldn't know; I would be back before he noticed.

                                          ***

Red-head lifted the pile of hay over his shoulders and moved around the stables to feed the horses; only the commanders used horses.

Once he stepped into the stables away from searching eyes, I seized him by the collar and pushed him into one of the corners.

"Hey!" He meant to shout but I muffled his mouth hard so that his voice suppresses. He was panic-stricken; shock written all over him.

"What the hell?!" He pushed me off once my face began to register. He looked around quickly to be sure no one saw us then, he pushed me into another corner he considered safe. "Twenty two!" He snapped in a whisper "what the hell are you doing here? Are you nuts?" He looked around wearily again then shot his glare back at me.

"Sorry...I shock you" I shrugged

"Yeah, you better be. Where were you last night? We thought you were dead"

"I almost dead" I replied, panting as well

"What happened?" He queried, worry now taking ground on his face.

"Now, not time. I want you to farco to me where they Dome keep"

"What?" He was confused

"Dome... Dome creatures. Keep Dome creatures where?" I was trying my best to explain to him but he seemed lost. "Dome... Blood cover..." I scratched my head in frustration. "Me. People like me from Dome..."

"Okay..." I think he got that part

"Where keep Dome people"

"Oh!" It struck a nerve "they are probably still at the infirmary. Why?"

"Thanks to you. Do you know what is a happen over at Dome to them?"

"There was an attack. A nearby colony wants to take over the worksites. That's all I know"

"Attacko pandari ko na kotondeso?"

"Whatever that means... That's what is left of Dome. Better get out of here before you get us killed"

"It’s a thanks to you" I tapped his shoulder and sneaked back the way I came. "Infamarai" I mulled. That was the place Atom worked as a doctor but since he would be with the black workers at the moment, I needn’t have to worry.

It was only a matter of time and luck that I soon arrived at the infirmary.

But the infirmary seemed empty of Dome creatures. I wondered where they could be. As I made to head out of the infirmary, I heard footsteps coming my way: immediately, I hid behind the door, my heart in my mouth. Atom would kill me this time, I thought but thanks to divine providence, it was just a care giver and his partner. I stayed still fearing they might fish me out but they just stood there talking.

"Where are these going" There was a strong third masculine voice

"We are wheeling these trolleys down to the Dome creatures." One of them said and my ears pricked. Dome creatures? These people must know where they are. I heard their footstep leave and I followed.

My death wish scale was hitting the apex. I muttered a silent curse and stealthily followed them and they stopped at a wall. I wondered what they were going to do.

From where I peeked, I saw one of them pull a switch and the walls began to roar and in a matter of seconds, it opened.

My heartbeat was fast but there was no going back now. Before they entered through the walls, they left the trolleys at the entrance and went to the other side of the hallway to do something.

Without hesitating, I opened one of the trolleys which contained black boxes, climbed into it covered myself up. The men soon arrived and began to wheel the trolley through the open wall.

"This feels heavier" the man that pushed the trolley I was hiding in spoke.

"Maybe there is a dinosaur in there and it has began to grow" the other man joked "we can't know what is in there. We are not allowed to open it" he added.

Open?

My ears pricked. Was he going to open the trolley? My heart slammed against the walls of my belly. I gently touched my belt and reached for my blade. If worse comes to worst, I'd defend myself. I clutched it tightly just in case but there was no sign of anyone opening anything.

I got wheeled into the ward, I was still and as soon as I heard their footstep trail away, I pushed the lid open and climbed out of it.

I looked around, the health facility was in some sort of underground. I could tell because of the walls and ceiling were very similar to that of the underground furnace. The place reeked of an odd kind of sterility and the starkly ventilated atmosphere wasn't something that seemed like it aided quick recovery. Something smelt wrong.

Wooden bunks lined the hall and series of supposed patients laid quietly and immobile on them.

The wall had machineries that ran pipes into the veins of each patients. What was happening? Why was there an underground health facility? I took a closer look at the people that once shared space on the dirt with me; they seemed drained of life. A pipe was collecting something from them and another was running something into them.

The pipes that was collecting, was drawing a red liquid from their veins and the latter was putting something greenish into their system. This was odd, this was wrong!

I searched each bunk for Teen but he was nowhere to be found.

No. Teen had to be somewhere here. My heart began to ache again; the maniac playing tins and cups in my head already hit a crescendo and it was driving me nuts.

Where is Teen?

"Looking for something?" A voice startled me. I turned around sharply and to my horror, I have been caught by my worst nightmare.

I swallowed hard and began to stammer. "What? Have you lost your voice?" Her voice echoed in every corner of my bones. "Atom couldn't put a leash on you" she had darkness etched deeply in her eyes.

"Guards!!!!" She yelled and very swiftly, three black guards showed up "take her to the cell" she commanded and they grab me.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Atom searched for me. He was panic stricken, thinking I had tried to run away so, he went to check for me at the borders. Once he didn't find me there, he went to the dormitory; Ruth and Red-head had told him that I had been missing for a night. He ran a hand through his head, racking his brain; I wasn't at the pit, neither was I at the furnace nor slaughterhouse.

He was restless, hoping deep in his heart that I wasn't in trouble but even at that, he failed.

I was in the deepest kind of trouble.

He did a slow replay in his head of how he left me in his living space and told me to stay put "I told her to stay put" he mulled "I told her to stay right here but she wanted to..." He paused then shut his eyes in frustration. It occurred to him that there was one place he forgot to check. Disha.

He got to Disha's cabin and without knocking, he barged in.

"Outrageous!" She shot to her feet from the counts of white powder she was stuffing into her nose "Atom..."

"I know you have her" he said squarely

"Her? I keep no female"

"The creature from Dome. I know you took her"

"No man of mine would regard a creature as 'her' it is forbidden." Disha's voice was stern but Atom didn't bat an eye. "I am throwing it to the games" she said, flipped her long garment and settled to sit.

"To the games? She has spent only four days. She is not ready to be thrown into the games"

"No man of mine would refer to a creature as a human!" Disha shot to her feet again "Not ready?" Disha raised a brow "I told you that little pest was trouble and even if I had a grain of compassion in me, I wouldn't let it go scot free this time"

"It has done nothing wrong"

"Nothing wrong?" She scoffed "when did you become so defensive of that pest? Are you becoming emotionally attached to it because it's a female?"

"You put its responsibility in my hand. Let me finish with it Disha"

She flipped her garment again "I have decided"

"To throw it to the games? That is outrageous!" Atom thundered "creatures at the games have been trained for years and years. It’s been here only four days!"

"And it has been trouble! I have decided Atom. Let the ring decide its fate"

"What has it done to receive such cruelty from you? Does your hate for Athena run so deep that you kill anyone that came from it? It doesn't even remember where it came from."

"You are from Athena Atom, I don't hate you but that creature is nothing like you..."

"You know nothing about me" he said through clenched teeth. "You know absolutely nothing about me... Give it back Disha"

"It wasn't yours to start with. I gave it to you, now I want it back."

"What has it done?"

"That is my concern." She said coldly. "I have decided Atom, let it be. We both know what happened last time when you hung on to something like this. Let this one go Atom"

Silence ensued.

"It is not Jonas" Atom said through clenched teeth in a very low tone

"You are childish Atom. You can't change everyone"

"The games..." He scoffed then paced. "The games!!! Can you even hear yourself? They will kill it even before it steps foot into the arena"

"Then, it’s all for the best. We'll pitch it against one of its own. I have decided Atom. I never imagined a creature could get you this shaken up. You took Jonas out without batting an eye: someone who was like your brother... This one is just a mere creature." She said with mockery in her voice.

Atom's face reddened. It was like she was prodding his open wound, making him feel guilty about the incident that happened several years ago. He took a step away from Disha. She was a beast that was torturing him mentally, emotionally. Everyone saw him as this icy bastard that was cold to the bones with no compassion whatsoever but he was beyond that was. "Let this one go. You have done it before, you can do it again. It's simple"

Atom touched his lips. "It’s your call. You are the commander but let me see it one last time"

Disha heaved a deep sigh "you are immature" she groaned.

"Just one last time" Atom pressed.

"Alright black soldier. I will grant you one last request due to the fact that you are being brave to let this go...". She said in the same tone "Tom!" She yelled and quickly, a guard rushed in.

"Commander!" He bowed

"Take black soldier to the creature." She turned back to Atom "this is breaking the rules but, I am generous. You owe me"

The guard led Atom to the underground cell where I was kept; in the darkness of the hole.

I froze on hearing footsteps and cuddled myself in one tight corner. What they would do to me, I had no idea.

The footsteps stopped, there was a crackling sound, and the lights went on. They were so bright that they stung my eyes.

After a while, the environment began to register and before me, outside the iron bars stood my protector.

The guard opened the gate and let Atom in, then shut it behind him. I lowered my head in shame, waiting to be scolded. I had caused him much trouble over the days I've been here and he had put a lot of things on the line to get me out so this time, I felt guilty.

I wouldn't blame him if he yelled at me, I just wanted Teen to be okay.

I slowly raised my face to meet his glare but to my suprise, he just stood there, his eyes all over me. And the silence between us stretched.

He didn't know what to say to me. Should he say that Den was right and he had failed me or, should he tell me that I would probably be killed by one of my own? Where would he start from?

After staying mute for a long time, he knelt on a knee before me and whispered something to me.

Tears rose to my eyes and I quickly looked away but he raised my chin so that I could stare him in the face.

"Sorry" I said voicelessly showing the emptiness in my heart "purfa cardinesto du..." My voice broke. "Atom no save me this one. Me to die this time"

"purta condo demanasto" he said "I promised you that right?"

"Atom no bad person. Sorry I call you bad person."

"You'll be fine" he tapped my shoulder and stood to his feet. In his eyes, I could tell that he wasn't sure about that. He was only saying that to make me feel better. He turned around, he was going to leave me again but once he stepped out of the bars, he paused and slowly turned back to look at my face then nodded and without any further ado, he left.

He had tried his best and now, it was my turn to survive.

____________________________________________________________________________________

I sat in the cold pit alone, weak from starvation. The darkness had began to drive me out of my mind and fever clawed its way up my belly. I started to hallucinate about a strange place filled with strange people. I saw blood, I saw death, I saw me.

I shivered from the chills that ran up my spine and I began to itch all over, slowly losing my sanity to the wilderness. I wanted warmth. Ever since I had tasted warmth, I craved for it. I needed it like oxygen and not having it shook me down to the bones.

I twitched and started tangling my hair. If I had gone blind, I wouldn't know for I saw nothing but black, eternal darkness.

I needed to survive.

Hours upon hours, I went mad with rage. What Atom whispered to me, I couldn't understand but one word endure

Teen always told me that anytime I felt like giving up and it kept echoing in my head ever since.

I didn't know what I was up against but I have survived long enough to know that Disha couldn't be up to any good.

The scenario at the underground health facility kept flashing in my memory. Why was Disha taking domites blood? What does she want to use it for? Did Atom know about it? I scratched my head for answers.

I doubt Atom knew about it. He might be a cold hearted bastard when it came to compassion, but he wasn't evil. I concluded.

Disha was up to no good, someone had to stop her. I rolled my eyes and tried to find the gates of my confinement by rubbing on the walls and floor but the darkness stung my eyes.

After several minutes of searching, I struck my leg on an iron rod and squeled in pain and the walls of my confinement began to rumble. The roaring was so loud that it frightened me.

Suddenly, the walls opened and a bright light pierced the room, stinging my eyes. I went blind and I could see nothing but white.

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" Thunderous chanting filled my head and I wondered what was going on; being blind wasn't aiding my reception.

Rough hands grabbed me and dragged me to an unknown, I fought to keep my balance but the next thing that hit me was the ground. I ran my fingers in the hot-dry sand I have landed and fell back on my buttocks. Where was I?

Slowly, the contrast in my eyes began to differ. I could now see shades and shadows but I was still lost about where I was. Something struck my chest with a heavy blow making my cough. I ran my hands on it as well but it didn't take the working part of my brain to tell me I had been thrown my blade. Where they letting me go? Was I at the square? Why are people shouting, chanting for me to fight?

I scrambled to my feet, clutching the weapon to my chest. My eyes fluttered and soon, the contrasts between lights and shade began to harmonize then the question hit me again.

Where am I?