Amnesia

“You knew this was going to happen, Alex.” Captain Jason Argo rested his black spotless, booted feet upon the stainless steel table that held a glowing monitor. He brought a steaming hot cup of coffee to his lips, eyed it warily and continued to sip, violently spitting it out when the molten liquid touched his tongue.

“You’ve been watching this from the beginning, Jason. I have no idea if my sister is alive. The sensor I implanted subdermally in Blink keeps giving such odd data.” Alex let out a deep breath and adjusted the worn leather jacket that kept him warm. In the abandoned train stations of Chenolla VI’s moon, extra clothing layers were essential. He fidgeted, wrapping his gloved fingers around the pilot’s wings that decorated his collar. Even through the cotton fabric, he could feel frigid metal.

“She’s a tough kid, Alex. You know we had limited options, here. It was either the uncertainty with this, or leave her to the same fate that befell your parents. You and I both know she would have been a barren and mindless slave, before suffering to death under Trageth rule.” The young captain blew into the mug again, and watched the steam curl into different patterns.

“You have no idea what this is like for me. I don’t understand why we just can’t go in and get her!” Alex’s tantrum echoed through the large and empty room. Caught of guard, Jason immediately set down his mug and stood. At full height of 6′2, he was eye level with his subordinate.

“You will shut your mouth right now Lieutenant! Is that clear?” Upon hearing his rank in the resistance, Alex immediately silenced himself and stood at attention.

“You know damn well that we can’t go in after her. The Space Force has the planet under immediate quarantine, allowing for the Trageth to sweep it clean. Chenolla VI is a lost cause. We can’t do anything to compromise our location. You’re just going to have to trust in everyone involved in Sophie’s well being, including me. This isn’t the first extraction we’ve done.” The Captain kept his blue eyes focused on his LT, impressing the importance of his rapid words. “You’re one of my best pilots. Don’t make me address you with rank again, is that clear?”

“Sir, yes, sir!” Alex stiffened and saluted.

“Now, talk to me like your actual friend.” He reached for the coffee that was now icing along the top and sighed. “There are no good guys in this situation, Alex. Even the resistance has done shameful things to protect our own. Your sister is an important person in all of this, and when the Trageth realize what she can do, we are all in very big trouble.”

“So what now?” Alex asked as he rocked back and forth on his heels watching the static of the monitor.

“We wait.”

Tom (a.k.a. Snave) has compiled all of the stories so far on one page, incase you’re one of those lazy bastards who hates clicking on people’s links.

It is here.

Thanks, Tom! I’m off to be a lazy bastard.

Ah, it is my turn to continue the story of Sophie from Shinola. So far, it’s been rather interesting to see different writing styles and where imagination has taken our main characters. Nathan has graciously started the piece on his blog and has asked for volunteers to continue along the way, and I will be putting up a post with the list of links very soon. Without further ado, here is my contribution following Tom’s brilliantly crafted prose.

     White gauze curtains framed the tiny window that overlooked the waving field of wheat outside Sophie’s room. As she huddled in the corner where her small bed met bright pink walls, her glistening brown eyes gazed from the patchwork doll she clutched in her hands, to the multi-colored sunset that both warmed and comforted her. From below her haven on the second story, her older brother Alexander lifted a sweaty arm and waved before he heaved another bale of hay upon the hover platform. There were easier ways of getting the harvest done, but her family believed in the benefit of hard, manual labor much to the chagrin of impatient colony officials. 
      As she brought the large sleeve of her favorite blue apron dress up to dry her cheeks, Sophie managed to smile back down at Alexander. He hadn’t wondered why she was so upset or why she was hiding inside on one of the few remaining nice days before the ice season started, but she didn’t care. Although he said nothing to her, she could feel his love even through something as simple as a wave. That feeling ultimately quieted Sophie in the moments where her screaming and crying accomplished nothing but a sore throat and wet eyes. She needed to rest. She needed to grow stronger.
     It was under the safety of the quilt that her mother had sewn, or peaceful drawing on the easel her father had given during Colonist’s Day, which would help Sophie combat the intruder who had taken her hostage. In the brief periods where Sophie fought her  way out of her room, she had been asked about the anti-Sophie by many different people. Annoyed by the fact that everyone was calling that thing by her own name, Sophie at once decided to refer to it as, “Raven”. She had remembered during a school instruction download, that although the dark birds of the namesake were intelligent, they were known as tricksters or even harbingers of death back on old Earth. In Sophie’s mind, the label was quite suitable.
    On the rare occasions that Sophie fell back from Raven’s hold to the safety of her room, sometimes the once inspiring figure of her brother would be replaced and manipulated by the grotesque mirror version of herself with large black and broken wings, and razor teeth enclosed in a sharp orange beak. The monster would then taunt her with horrific images of the deaths of her family in various and undignified ways and laugh before it went off to more important things.
    It was in the moment she left the comfort of her memory and into the embrace of Blink that Sophie knew Raven would never be able to hurt her again. She held onto her friend as hard as she possibly could and although the transfer made her quiver with pain, for the first time Sophie felt freer than she had in months.
    It was Raven’s turn to finally know what it was to feel deserted and alone in the few remaining moments of its life. For Sophie, it was time to live.

Next part of the story can be found on Justin Ryan’s  site.