9/20/2018

Note:

Hi Everyone! Just started on my first story but wanted to give you a preview of what it's gonna be about.

I am open to all reviews for this story and hope that you guys love it.

Enjoy! :)

Prologue

It is so dark… I can't see anything!

I tried to maneuver around the wreckage surrounding me with the limited sight my eyes can give. The only light source around me were sparks coming from wires and popping all over the place, threatening to explode at any moment without warning. However, it's all I had to find my way through this place.

I moved cautiously before my surroundings within the ship, worried that the floor would give way and I would fall down again. It wasn't a pleasant trip down the first time and I would do anything to prevent it from happening. That's a mistake I wouldn't want to repeat.

Now how do I get out of here? I want to get out of this nightmare and forget all about it!

I thought I would never say that phrase within my mind. I had been through hell and back before all this occurred and yet these recent events of my life proved me wrong and those words were a confirmation. But now is not the time to think about it; I needed to find a way out. It was my only thought that sunk into my mind and nothing else.

As I moved through what I believed were pieces of metal and rock, I finally managed to find a solid wall or at least that's what it felt since it was cold and metallic to the touch. Using my hands, I moved almost like a blind man across the wall until I found a hole in the side or at least I thought so. But as I inspected more with my hands, it felt like a latch or a code lock used for doors and such. My heart rose in my chest and filled with hope that it might be my way out. However, I didn't know how to use it.

Damn it! I can't even see what it says in the dark and even if I can I wouldn't be able to know what it says!

It was true; the alien language was hard to understand even with my limited exposure to it before. I knew some of the symbols but I could only make out pieces of it from time to time but my brain kept telling me to try and figure it out as best as I could. First, I needed a reliable light source and not something that will spark and most likely catch me on fire. Wires are out of the pictures. I looked around for anything that might be useful but with so much wreckage scattered around, it was like finding a needle in a haystack. I widened my eyes a bit in hopes of better adjusting my vision. Luckily for me, it didn't take long to find something useful right in front of me: A flashlight.

My brain tried to register how it ended up so far below in the depths of the ship. Must have fallen from one of the soldiers during the fight above.

I remembered now that some of the soldiers had flashlights as they were trying to hunt for the alien and especially me since I had taken some of them down before I ended up down here…

Shaking my head to remove my useless thoughts, I grabbed the flashlight and started to fiddle around with it, hoping that it still had life in it. I signed in relief when it turned on and I finally was able to see what surrounded me. It was a wreck…

Scraps of metal were scattered all over the place like confetti while some were crushed by the weight of heavy concrete blocks, which made this place look like a war zone. Wires were spread everywhere and reminded me of vines in the jungle except man-made or in this case alien-made. After checking around to make sure nothing was alive that might jump out and kill me, I proceeded to the code lock I found earlier and looked at the images it showed.

Reading the complex images on it, I made out some of them that I thought could help me.

"Okay… so this symbol means…uhhh…."

Again, my brain wouldn't function at all. I kept trying to find the right meaning for the symbols but my thinking process kept popping like bubbles and disappearing. I began to panic again. Come on Anya! Keep yourself together!

After composing myself and taking a huge breath, my panic wavered but didn't fade entirely but it was enough for now. I returned to the task at hand trying to translate the symbols on the code lock. "So this symbol means… 'open'… and this one means… 'press'… and the last one means 'hand'…"

Putting two n' two together, I proceeded to place the palm of my hand onto the pad of the code lock and waited for what seemed like an eternity. At first, nothing happened and felt stupid that maybe I interpreted the symbols wrong but then some clicking noise began. The doors automatically opened so fast that I jumped in fright and for a moment. I thought my heart would leap out of my chest.

Finally! I can get out of this hellhole!

As much as I wanted to rush through the doors, I moved forward slowly, thinking that some of those creatures are still around and could be waiting for me on the other side. Especially those black, faceless ones…

I poked my head out and scanned the area in front of me and when I felt it was safe, I ran forward with hope that an escape was there waiting for me.

How completely wrong I was…

I stopped in the center of the room and scanned the flashlight around me. I was standing in the middle of an open room, which was huge and reminded me of the picture I saw back when I was a child showing a football stadium. All over the walls were more of those symbols sketched on with several columns running between each section of the walls. What really caught my attention were those skulls…

Ranging from small to large, one skull had tiny horns on the top of it with needle-like teeth closely resembling a piranha while another was so large that it was three times my size and had gigantic fangs that could easily skewer me like a pig without any effort. I was terrified of them but not because of their appearance but thinking of what they were when they were alive and how dangerous as well.

Reeling back, I've noticed that all the skulls were displayed around the room and looked as if they were prepared carefully like trophies and it hit me that this might be a trophy room... but for what?

Almost forgetting why I came in here for, I shook to clear my head and pushed my legs forward in search of an exit or anything that might get me out of here. After a while, I came to realize that there is no exit and that this room was a dead end.

My chest pounded and filled with disappointment.

Great. Now what? I'm stuck in here.

Soon, my disappointment was slowly replaced by fear. What if I can't find a way out? What if there is nothing here but darkness? Will I die here?

Soon, fear and despair ran through me like cold water in my veins and reached to my legs. I lost the strength to stand and eventually fell to my knees. I dropped my flashlight and covered my face in defeat.

How could this happen? How could I be so stupid? What made me think that I could do all of this by myself?

These thoughts kept repeating over and over as if I was trying to find some clarity or answers within them but nothing came.

When I first set out on this journey, I thought I had the resolve to go through with this and that no matter what, I would accomplish what I vowed myself to do. Now here I am, on my knees and acting like a fool and a coward.

Soon, tears threatened to form in my eyes and I choked as to keep from screaming my lungs out.

"This is it. I'm done… I'm not strong enough."

No sooner did I said it that I heard a huge thump near the doors that I came through earlier and from the loudness and weight of it that I knew it was huge.

My instinct to react came on and I quickly stood up, grabbing the flashlight and turned around to face whoever came into the room but surprisingly I didn't see anything at first.

I thought my mind was playing tricks on me since I was close to going crazy but after a while, I heard a strange sound coming from the same direction as before. The sound was awfully similar to a cricket except it was louder. A clicking sound…

At that point, I knew I was not alone and after concentrating my eyes, I saw a silhouette of a person in front of me but it wasn't like another person. No, this thing was over seven feet tall and bulky as well. I didn't know what to make of it and I feared it could be something bad. However, I needed to find out who or what it was and not knowing made me even more nervous than I already was.

After a few silent moments, I finally had the courage to speak out to this thing, "Who are you? Show yourself!"

Looking back I regretted saying those words cause after I said it, the silhouette started to appear and soon a huge form replaced it. My eyes widen at the sight of this new creature and I soon realized that it was one of those aliens I saw before. At that moment, I knew I was in trouble.

The alien tilted his head to the side as if he was surprised to see me here but wasn't sure since his face was covered in a mask that made him look more frightening to me. I didn't know what to do. I was frozen in fear and shock at what I saw and I tried to will my legs to run.

Come on! Just run and get out of here!

No matter what my thoughts said, my body wouldn't budge and my heart pounded even harder that it threatened to burst out from my ribcage. I began to tremble as he began his walk towards me with an intimidating posture and I couldn't do so much as stare wide-eyed at this alien before me. Eventually, it was only arm's length from me looking down with an overwhelming glare.

There was silence between us but only for a moment but it seemed like an eternity to me. It was broken when it began to growl at me. Soon I heard metal scraping from its wrist as two pairs of blades protruded out from the gauntlet.

My heart raced even faster and my trembling grew worse and all I can do as I stare until finally, it raised its arm in the air, ready to strike me down and end my life like a candle.

This is it… It's over for me.

However, at that moment when it seemed that time slowed down, my life would change forever as if it was always meant to be.

A twisted fate…