They reach their settlement by night,everything the same with more taller and wider building,everyone depart from the vehicle and before leave Jorogumo says "we catch a reasonable amount of food,but we need more,in five days we will go again in another forest,mlre prepared and more organized ?for now goodnight to all of you"
they all looked at her with a feeling of dread inside them and then they continue .
Stan and Mason then go to their houses and sit on their beds,saying nothing just looking at one another,a knocking then gets their attetion,Stan gets up but Mason nod at him and goes to open the door,seeing Aphrodite looking up to him
"is anything wrong?"
"no i just wanted to talk to Stan"
"alright then come in"
Mason lets her in and goes outside ,closing the door.
Stan gets up and Aphrodite stands opposite to him "isnt a little late to come?" he smirk
"oh then i can come tommorow if its fine"
he says with a fast voice "no,no i was just joking"
Aphrodite smirk back"oh alright"
Stan extend his arms and points it to his bed "please sit,sorry that we dont have anything more comfrotable"
with a smirk she replie "you talk like any other house here has anything better, beside i will not stay for long,i just wanted to thank you for protecting me back there,it was then most selfless thing someone did fot me"
he starts opening and closing his arm from behind his back and stays smiley, silently looking at the floor
Aphrodites black eyes look at him as she curve her hair back to her ear with her long fingers"anyway i have to go,see you tomorrow"
both go to the door and Stan opens it,watching the old man and Mason talking.
Stans face tighten as he look at the man holding his hands
Stan says "why are you here?"
Mason goes beside thebold man saying "he wants to apologize"
Stan howl "for leaving all of us to die back there without even thinking for us for a minute?"
"i know you are mad at me kid,but please let me apologize first and then you have every right to say what you want"
Stan stops and the pld man says with a sobbing voice "i am really sorry for running like a coward man back in the forest,but i coudnt do anything else"
Stan interupts him "why dont you just say you are a selfish man and get over with this?"
the man look at Stan in his "yes i am, im really selfish mam but i cannot do otherwise,"
"why cant you?"
"im sorry but i cant tell you,its a really personal matter" the man says as with a hollow voice
Stan face then relax and says "alright then,i forgive you"
Aprodite and Mason say the same and the man look at all of them wih his mouth corners pulling down "thank you,but i dont want forgiveness,i just wanted to get it out of my chest for the while" his eyes lower and glisten a bit "until i do it again and again and until you.." he pause and then continue "goodnight" the old man leaves and the three of them look one another "i think we should talk to him" Aphrodite says and Mason replies "we should better leave him alone for now"
"maybe you are right"
Stan left silent opening and closing his palps.
Aphrodite then wave her hand at Mason and says goodnight and then waves her hand on Stan with an inoccent smile, and says "goodnight Stan" he waves back and replies with a smile, she turn to leave only for her to fall to her knees and start vomitib,Stan and Mason grabs her and she says "im fine,you dont need to help me"
Stan then says " just stay and rest for a while" Aphrodite look at him with her face becoming pale and she says with a weak voice "fine" he takes her inside and Mason says "im going to find something to clean it" Stan takes her inside and place her to his bed "im sorry, im just a burden from the time we met"
"you are not,beside i have to repay you for saving me"
" do not be stupid,many will have done the same"
"and many will not,beside i like helping people"
she sigh "then it seems im going to stay here"
"just wait a while,im going to bring you some water"
Stan goes outside watching Mason cleaning the vomit with a bucket of water.
He grabs another bucket beside their door and goes to a tree,filling it with water,he goes inside again leaving it beside Aphrodite and placinfg aripped part of his suit in the bucket and leaving it to her head
"you have done enough"
"just wait a bit more"
he goes out again and comes back with another empty bucket and leaves it beside her.
Aphrodite responds "thank you "
and she continues after a brief pause "do you want me to sing you anything?"
"no just rest for now,you dont need to push yourself"
"it really doesnt bother me,the opposite i enjoy it
"then sing"
Aphrodite clear her throat and starts with a slow and calm voice,slowly building up and start singing
"oh boy together we walked in the forest of mystery ,
and in the corners of it shadows came and you protected me with the danger of your life,but then i protect you back and in these actions i saw a man who cares about me"
Stan look at her with his eyes wide open and she smiled back,her face getting red "what do you think"
he says with his smile reaching his ears
"it was beatiful" she then says
"can you come here?"
Stan goes close to her and knees,suddenly her hugging him as tight as she can,even if she is feeling weak and staying like that for many seconds,he then leaves her gently to the bed and she turns to the other side 'you are really a great man" he smirk
"as i said i just like to help the people thats all" his hands clunch and then look back at her already sleeping and he mumurs "why am i getting attached,she will abandon me, like they all do"
the door opens and Mason comes inside and says " did she fall asleep?"
"yes"
"well then we can both sleep in my bed"
"go sleep and i will come later?"
"are you sure? I can stay with you if you want"
"no man im alright"
he sigh and says "goodnight then"
Mason falls asleep instantly and Stan sits on the floor, looking both of them and his eyes starts flickering,falling to sleep.
The suns rise again and Stan open his eyes, feeling them heavy and see Mason still sleeping and Aphrodite missing with the two buckets empty, he gets up and goes outside, bringing water and food and cleaning their clothes, Mason then wakes up and Stan gives him water, food and clothes,they go outside seeing grey thin robots doing works guarding the settlement and following orders without question, they both eat and change clothes and go outside , giving their plates back and then going for a walk , on their way they see kalevi walking alone.
Stan goes infront of him and says with a smile that reach his ears "Kalevi thank you for saving me back then"
Kalevi says with a hollow voice "you are welcome" and leaves,
Stan look at him for a while and goes back to Mason
"short chat eh?"
"i tried to talk to him but he seems that he wants to be alone" Stan makes a short paise and continues
"what you do and people like you so much?"
Mason look to the clean sky and says "maybe because i dont cjase them, i mean i talk to them but i do not talk to them continuesly or with every opportunity"
"i will keep that in mind"
they continue and see Aphrodite singing, with the peoples and soldiers eyes lock on her,she waves at them and Mason waves back woth Stan ignoring her,she look at him with concern and they continue "why didnt you greet her?"
"i just didnt see her thats all"
Mason take his look forward and stays silent, their day continue normal, talking with people,eating,training and helping the soldiers with the robots and the drones and at the night,a small fire started again and people sit to hear Aphrodites euphoria voice, and then go to sleep,with the wind starting to get more intense.
They wake and do the same routine,they give the plates back to the soldiers and Jorogumo meets Stan and Mason "good morning to both of you"
"good morning " they say
and Jorogumo continues "Stan and Mason, i want to speak with you for a minute"
they both nod their heads and Jorogumo point with her finger on a hill close to them "lets go talk there" Stan and Mason follow her and look at each other with wonder.
As they reach and sit on the hill Jorogomo continues to speak with her hand extended above her head "isnt this gorgeous? people with the miracles of science managing so many things,flpating cities on jupiter,autonomous sun generators in space and controling their power,making worlds everywhere in the system and smaller planets becoming farms of mass production and now surviving alone in a mysterious and new planet,but still after all of these time in human history they are many who have forgotten it ,people who want to harm others for their ego and personal gain,corruption never left us and maybe never will" Jorogumo stare at them with the same unmotional face as they both stare at her and says "inside your thoughs you may asks yourselves what im saying and why,you see there are many selfish people ,arrogant,liars, people who do not even deserve to live at the first place, but there are people who remember,people qho think of others and can make good deeds ,thats why
i want people like you,people who can sacrifice themselves for others even when death is whispering in your ears,people who can make the difference ,so i want to offer you to join me and my soldiers,for your support will be a great benefit
and even stay when we leave fron this planet"
Stan and Mason look at her,waiting with great curiosity for their answers.
Mason speaks first,trying to form a sentence and showing uncertainty in his almost quite voice "Jorogumo we are sorry but we are not meant to be soldiers, we are just two people who know about enginireeing,robotics and drone management,who try to find a job in this world that always expands but still has little things to give us"
"i understand very well,but if you ever change your minds come to me and i will ensure you a prosperous and permenant job"
"thank you for that"
Stan and Mason get ready to leave until Jorogumo speak to them again
"then can you help me on something of your field?"
they say "yes" simuteniously
"then follow me "
in the way Jorogumo starts explaining then
"as you may know our best engineers are dead and we didnt had any problem with that sort of things except the drones and robots,but we come to the point that we cant use our limited knowledge"
Stan then says "and what exactly are you trying to build?"
" stronger transmitters "
the rest of the walk goes silent and reach Jorogumo small base in the outskirts of the settlement, three barracks in their right ,extended for many meters in both sides,the vehicles gathered in a vertical line one next to other and soldiers cleaning them or repairing them,and some soldiers running scarted with sweat all over them,trying to give food,fix and repair broken drones and robots ,one of them even collapsing down and his comrades running to help him.
They then move inside a tall building with a constructed tower on top of it,they enter inside and walk up an endless amount of stairs.
Reaching up in a small room with no only one light panel up in the celling,lighting a man in the end of the room that hunches forward to repair a terminal and a panel with cables that connecr the transmitter with the terminal,Jorogumo goes behind him and grabs his soldier,the mans spine shivered and fix his posture,looking back at her
"any chance of fixing it?"
the man exhales
"this damm thing has been fucked from the crash,i try and try all this time and still fucked" the man knock a box in his feet and Jorogumo continues "your fury will be in rest now,i have brought two men who can fix this"
the man inhales heavely and leaves.
Mason goes to the cables and Stan to the terminal.
They start both look to each other and Stan press the button for the transmitter to start but failed,Stan checks the terminal and makes changes while Mason does the same,with time and trial and error they manage to make it work, showing four sources of transmision
Stan and Mason look with wonder asking Jorogumo behind them "why are they four of them"
she leans forwards to the terminal and says "the united solar systems decided to transmit four sources to be certaint that we will find at least one"
Jorogumo then place her hands on them,having a little pressure on her hands and says "youve done really well,lets go outside to give you something as a reward "
they go outisde seeing the trees leaning forward from the intense wind and Jorogumo brings her grey coat close to her.
Stan and Mason start coughing,feeling the hot whether
in their lungs,
"we better hurry" they start walking and before moving even close,the ground starts shaking,small objects start fallling and getting increasingly greater with larger object start falling and Jorogumo turns her eyes to the south,and then other do the same,they look at figures running and flying towards them,the people starts taking everything they can and running to their houses,Jorogumo yells to the soldiers to regroup and shoot to the animals,with the wind getting hotter and the shaking greater and pulling Stan and Mason to the armory "unfotunately you have to become soldiers,take the guns and use your training to help our people" Jorogumo lead them weapons,two assault rifles and three mag of munitions,they go outside seeing animals like the one they hunt running away, passing left and right from the settlement and many of them inside it, birds flying above them,reaching
Masons head in heigh and their wings with their hands reaching almost two meters and its teeth howing in the edge of the large beak, large creatures with fangs sticking out of their circle open mouths and holding plants inside it and smaller ones without black or brown fur, holding on the backs of the larger creatures and one other creature almost to the height of Stans knees,their five white with small black pupil eyes sticking out from its antenna on its head,jumping and falling like feather and reaching people,showing their hair in the claws as they reach them and when they land on a human,placing the hair on the human body, finding the mind and piercing the head,taking the brain in their claws and storing it in the back as the sack opens and close and leaving,Stan starts shooting at them,with no sound of the weapon,neither drawback or the state of the wind mattering ,the creatures try to reach him and others nut he kill them with one bullet, each relesing toxins and making the others of their kind retreat,Stan then moves to help others,finding the large creatures stomping on humans or knocking them in the ground and tearing their skin,laying to cry for help,he runs straight to a man to help him get up but even with all his strengh the large creature go first crashing his skull to the walls of the house and destroying it,letting the ruins fall to him, he turn again feeling a pain in his heart, in the distance he watch soldiers in the center of the battle shooting everywhere like mad and gettinf ripped and still living for some minutes crying and yelling as they lose blood from their wounds on their lost limbs, he then sees
one of the large creature runs straight to Kalevi and Kalevi shoots it with his rifle,making holes in its body and still running
Kalevi shoot until he left with no bullet on the weapon and start running.
And Stan shooting it from afar in the eyes and making it fall some meters opposite to Kalevi ,both look at the ruins,watching the creatures leave and the wind getting more intense, feeling their lungs burning,they lokk each other with blood on their face and trying to catch their breathe and Kalevi falling to his kness and Stan looking all over the destroyed place with people crying ,mourning the dead, drones and robots destroyed and turn to dust,soldiers ready to lose their mind and looking to the ground,the old man hiding behind some ruins,Mason and Aphrodite breathing heavy and Stan ready to burst screaming, Joroguno came from the ruins with red cuts all over her head and goes forward to the people and pulling her coat tighter as the wind gets hotter and more intense,she coughs and with her dry throat she yells as it becomes harder to speak.
"To all the people who can still stand,help the obes in need" the people stood watching her with their eyes wide open glistening and showing dread, some trying to find a place to sit away from the bodies and many try to look away from the scenery ,soldiers coming and going taking the wounded and the bodies of the dead.
189Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvoyKJgnxo
