The sea

Three nights went by. Three nights where they traveled north. There was only one sled and when they finally stopped for the night, Ryan said, "I think one of the Jacks damaged the sled."

"Hm."

"He ripped a section where some of the food was," Ryan stated. "The rations fell out. We don't have much left."

"We'll be okay," Virgil replied, taking Ryan's hand "We're always okay."

Ryan nodded. He looked to the rations, they were really low, might last them a few more days. The two sled off, bypassing any creature that they knew. The whispering shadows no longer beckoned them and the giant monster that slaughtered Elucid wasn't nearby. There weren't any Jacks. It was a clear shot, but their food was low.

Five nights had passed. They were eating dry food, all their canned ones had run out. Ryan was getting a bit nervous, but Virgil promised they would be okay.

Ryan looked at the map, it was frayed and dampened from everything that had happened, but it was still intact. They had another week at least, if they were fast enough. There was plenty of food for the dogs; they needed as much strength as they could get. But Virgil and him were running low. He closed his eyes.

He knew they couldn't make the week. They might not starve to death, but they could exhaust themselves. Long enough for some of those creatures to show up.

On the seventh night, Virgil became dizzy. It was brief and he told Ryan he'd be fine. Though Ryan wasn't so sure.

The next morning, Ryan threw up. The dry food that he had was outdated. Virgil apologized, though it wasn't really his fault. He promised that they'd get out of there.

On the eighth day, Ryan fainted while sledding. He woke up to see Virgil over him, telling him to eat. Ryan's hands were shaking, but he resisted. There wasn't much left if he ate a good serving. Virgil shook his head and made him eat.

The ninth day was when they became too tired. They both felt sick and hungry. They wanted to eat something, but there were only a couple of cans left.

Ryan whined "We won't make it..."

"We will make it," Virgil told him.

"What...?" Ryan asked. "Do we... eat one of the dogs...?"

Virgil shook his head, "No, we need... them..." His eyes were getting groggy.

"Then what?" Ryan groaned. "What can we eat...?"

"Ryan," Virgil stared at him "We can make it."

"How?"

Virgil smiled, he leaned up and said, "You're important. You know the way, you know how to get there. You're stronger than me, you have everything you need to get there..."

"What're you talking about?"

"You are brave and powerful," Virgil went on. "You've made it this far. So, you'll make it further."

"Virgil...?"

"It's okay," Virgil crawled on top of Ryan as he calmly whispered, "You need to eat me."

Ryan stared, his mouth had fallen open as Virgil gazed down at him. He weakly croaked out, "N...No, I'm not doing that..."

"It's okay," Virgil chuckled, a sort of contentment was on his face. "We'll be alright."

"I'm not killing you," Ryan stated.

Virgil smiled, "Who said anyone was dying?" He leaned forward and kissed Ryan's cheek, "I said we are both making it out of here, didn't I?"

"Then... what do you mean?" Ryan asked.

Virgil hummed.

Ryan packed up his tent and sealed up a bag of meat. He hooked up the dogs and stood behind the sled. He sighed as he fixed his coat, staring off at the horizon. It was a cloudless day, but he felt like the sea was close. He stepped up and grabbed the railing, pulling his head down.

"Are you okay?" he asked Virgil who was laying down on the sled with a fever. He was a bit dazed, but strapped in, covered in blankets.

He threw Ryan a comforting smile as he said, "Yeah... I'll be fine."

They set off and rode forward. They had been traveling for a few more days, full of energy and strength as he pushed the dogs to go. He glanced up and saw a skua above their heads. They were close, just a little further.

The two heard a rumbling up in the sky and peered up to see a helicopter. It landed, there were people inside with worried expressions. Ryan and Virgil stopped, watching them run over, their hearts filled with relief. They went to the two, checking and examining the pair. Talking to them, Ryan didn't hear much on what they said. It was all what he expected.

"Are you okay?!"

"Where are the others?!

"Is it only you two who survived?!"

One gasped as they were examining Virgil, pulling back the blankets to see that a leg was missing. They panicked, looking up to him, but he soothingly smiled, "We had to."

They were guided back to the outpost by the sea, but to their surprise, they saw a lot more people. They saw military, helicopters in the air, and men with guns on snowmobiles. When they sled up, they were swarmed by an entourage of guards, leading them inside and taking them to the infirmary. The two men were taken care of, being looked over by medical professionals to see if they were really alright. They were given medicine and proper treatment, especially for Virgil's amputation.

They were asked many questions which the men gladly answered. They both could read the room that everyone there knew about the monsters.

"How did you come to know about them?" Ryan asked.

"A couple of survivors came before you," a doctor answered. This surprised both of the men, as they felt flushed with relief. Someone else made it.

"Who, who made it?" Virgil begged to know.

"The first back were two men from another team," the doctor said. "One was named Duke and the others name was Riley."

"Duke... I know Duke," Ryan noted. "I met him, when I first came here."

"Well, Duke was severely injured and Riley was the one to bring him down," the doctor stated. "That was a few weeks ago. But they are still here under quarantine."

"Quarantine?"

"Yes, they had come across many abnormalities where they went," the doctor told them, "And we had to detain them for a while to make sure they are clear. We'll have to do the same for you two."

They nodded. They didn't really care where either of them were, as long as they were safe and with each other.

"Can we meet them?" Ryan questioned.

"Yes," the doctor allowed, guiding them to the facilities where Duke and Riley were being quarantined. When the two saw the two, Ryan pushing Virgil in a wheelchair, the others gasped at the sight of them.

"Mr. Hailey!" Riley exclaimed. "You're alive!"

"Mm," Virgil nodded.

"Ryan," Duke called to him. Ryan could see that he had several scars and was alarmed when he saw he was missing his arm.

Ryan went up to him and asked, "How did this happen?"

"... A team member of ours went crazy," Duke replied. "His name was Samson."

The two flinched at the name, drawing their attention.

Before Duke asked anything, he first explained, "We met a man named Jack, who was one of those monsters. He convinced Samson to become... something else. Samson drugged us and stole our body parts."

"I'm so sorry, Duke," Virgil stated.

"Well... it looks like you hadn't completely come out unscathed either," Duke gestured to Virgil's one leg.

"Hm," he nodded then confessed, "Duke, Samson is dead. Zoya must have been part of your team, she was killed by him... We're so sorry."

"We know," Duke solemnly sighed.

"Wha- How would you know that?" Ryan questioned.

"You..." he thought for a moment, then generously smiled, "There is a surprise waiting for you two. It's in the bio tent. The doc can take you there."

The doctor nodded, leading Ryan and Virgil away. They promised they'd tell each other their stories later, and Ryan pushed Virgil to the bio tent. When they left, Ryan glanced back to see Riley go up to Duke, placing his hand on his remaining arm. They gazed at each other, the same way that Ryan and Virgil looked at one and another. They passed the armed guards to see scientists inside with plenty of vials and empty cages. Someone sat on top of an examination table, turning to them. She was just as surprised to see them as they were to see her.

The doctor said, "She's not contagious or dangerous, so it's alright."

Chuntao was there and she was alive. Their mouths fell open at the sight of her. Her expression was calm, her eyes were pale, and what was most noticeably different were these patches on her skin and around the line of her head were scales. There were moving extremities that wavered about, stemming from the side of her face. The extremities had these pale blue webs that glowed a bit.

Ryan cautiously approached as he pushed Virgil towards her, their faces and bodies both very wary of what they were seeing. Ryan hesitantly called to her, "Chuntao... is that you?"

She blinked at them; her emotions almost vacant, "... Yes."

"What... what happened to you...?" Virgil asked, his voice breaking.

".. I... changed," she answered, her voice was cool as her eyes fell.

"They took you," Ryan let go of Virgil's handles as he came closer. "We tried to get you."

"I remember," Chuntao absently replied. "I remember... everything...."

Then she glanced down at Virgil and saw the blanket on top of his legs was sunken on one side. She straightened up and stood, they watched her as she felt the empty spot of the chair. Her face showed some emotion as she whispered, "Your leg..."

"It's okay," Virgil told her. Then lifted a hand to the extremities on her face, gently caressing them. "A small price to pay..." His eyes flickered to their movement and he wondered, "What about these? What are they?"

She felt them and responded, "I don't know... I don't know what I am anymore..."

"Chuntao..." Virgil called. "I'm so sorry."

She didn't answer, just asked, "Did anyone else survive?"

They stared, then shook their heads. She dropped her hands and balled them into fists.

"I see... how awful."

"Where did those things take you, Chuntao?" Ryan questioned. "Where did you go?"

"Me," Chuntao sighed. "I was swallowed by darkness. Slowly but surely, those things changed me... whispering into my ears." She lifted a hand to lightly touch them. "Making me something I'm not. Then they let me leave. I wandered the icy landscape for so long, not eating or drinking anything... I didn't need to. I felt nothing. Not the sadness or the cold. They changed me and I became like this." She stared, "I don't feel much of anything."

She held out her hands, clawed and scaly. She pulled back, "I don't feel the same... I know I'm not. Who knows what I have become, but it is not human."

"Chuntao..."

"...Did... Did you find her?" Chuntao suddenly questioned. "Did you find your wife?"

Virgil sadly frowned then nodded, "...Yes... she's one of them."

Chuntao thought to herself, an expression of pain dawning her face. She looked at them, then said, "Go... please."

"We'll do what we can to help you, Chuntao," Virgil promised. "Anything we can."

She stared, nodded, then turned away.

-

Ryan and Virgil slept in the same bed, gazing out a porthole. The snow was hailing outside as they cuddled. Ryan said, "When we leave... let's get a little house by the sea."

"A little house," Virgil added, "Away from it all."

"I want a porch to look out over the waves," Ryan stated.

"I want a lounge outside, to lay with you there," Virgil continued.

"I want to live there and it to be warm," Ryan sighed.

"I want to hear birds, see people," Virgil noted.

"I want..." Ryan stared at him, "You to be there."

Virgil smiled and nodded, "I will be."