User blog:Baluar/On a Shadow, chapter 2

A week later… 

-The Gehenna is minutes away from here, Nia! – I hear Baluar shouting to me while he grabs his God Arc. – Grab your Arc and a few supplies and let’s get out of here ASAP!

-Roger that! – I scream in answer while I pick up my Arc and head to the kitchen while chaos ensues: Aragami are all over the place, both small and large, and the only thing keeping us safe is a door that seems to be closer to its destruction every second that passes. I get to the kitchen and get as much food as I can within my bag, stuffing it until I can’t possibly get anything else inside, and head towards my brother’s destination. Just as I arrive, though, the ground trembles and a Jormungandr takes its ugly head off the ground. Bal loses no time and screams:

-Got any problems, you bastard? You can talk with my sword any time! – The Aragami then seems to notice him, but when the beast looks like it’s about to eat him, he throws a stun grenade inside of it. Suddenly, the monster’s head explodes into tiny pieces. The beast falls dead in its place. He then shouts to me: – Hey, what are you waiting for? Come on, dammit!

-But the people…! – I shout. He gives me an exasperation look.

-Nia, it’s us or no-one! If we stay, we’re dead: it’s no use trying to help anyone! If anything, it’s time to run, NOW!! – Hearing him, I know he’s right, and I have no other choice but to leave everyone to their own luck. I begin to run towards him when I feel an earthquake shattering the whole area. – Dammit, the Gehenna is closing in! Hurry the hell up, Nia! – While Baluar gives me the encouraging speech, I retake my equilibrium and run up to his position, point at which he begins to run as well.

We run and run and run, past human survivors and the occasional Aragami, be they fighting some sort of resistance or fighting each other for food. We keep running until our bodies cannot take it anymore, and we arrive to the middle of some plains, where there is nothing but dirt wherever I lay my sight.

<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">-I think this place will be just fine for setting up a camp. – Baluar says. He then takes a tent out of his bag and sets it up in a few minutes. – I worried about security, not comfort. I managed to set up a security system out of an old movement sensor, an alarm, and a set of solar panels. It should warn us if anything comes within a hundred meters from our location.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">-Don’t you think about all the lives we have left behind? – I say, with tears falling down my face.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">-Nia, there was nothing we could do. If we tried anything, we were as good as dead. – He says while lightning up a cigar. – Tomorrow we’ll go to the city to see if we can acquire more food. For now, what did you pick up? – He says, taking the cigar up to his mouth.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">-We… we have some meat rations. – I say, taking a couple of them off my bag.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">-Just my favorites! C’mon, it’s time to eat. – He then begins to eat his ration, but I can’t even open up mine. He quickly notices it and says: – Ah, sis. What’s it gonna be? There was nothing to do. I’ve already said it to you. Anything in Gehenna’s wake is as good as dead. Come, eat. You’re under my care now. Trust your old twin, there’s nothing that can harm you while I am nearby. A hug? – He says, opening up his arms. I throw myself to them, crying helplessly. – Come on, come on. I’m here. You know what? Go to bed. Calm down. We’ll have time to think our plans tomorrow, ok? – I assent. – Good. Go inside. I saved a couple of sleeping bags in my bag. Take one and sleep. – He kisses my front. – Sweet dreams, Nia.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">I prepare the sleeping bag and sleep an uneasy night, unlike any other before.