PART ONE- Ch. 3

That conversation was, interesting. I was more focused on the first part rather than the rant about Undertale. Though it was helpful, if I’ll remember any of it. Should I go back? When? During school? I can’t do that. Can I? If it would help everyone survive from an overflow of illegal weapons and a company who just wants to rule over them all. But is it worth it to risk dying? I wasn’t sure. I walked back home, taking the same route I used to get to the Pizza place.

The rest of the day wasn’t too interesting. I just drew some figures of guns, and of Emund and the Plasamic employees. I couldn’t get them out of my head. Be reasonable. That was what Emund had told me. I thought I was being reasonable. Maybe, I wasn’t. Bailing out on them like that, when I was needed apparently. Tisha wouldn’t go with him if I wasn’t there? That was ridiculous. They could handle it. Even if Emund had failed by himself, and Tisha was known to get in trouble if I didn’t keep her in check… agh! It sounds like I should be going back doesn’t it? I dunno anymore. I’ll just wait until monday and see what happens. Perhaps it’ll be normal, and I can forget this.

Who was I kidding. It didn’t happen like that. Why would it? First off, sunday was boring. I just basically did my usual. Drew some images of the underground from Undertale, and Chemical Plant from Sonic the Hedgehog 2. I do watch games on YouTube often. I also tended to my plants in my backyard. They were coming along quite nicely. I had some sunflowers, lilacs, and astrantia flowers. I loved how calming they were. No such guns or danger here. Just nature doing its thing. My mom had asked me if I was ok, and I just said yeah. She didn’t need to know. Did she? Maybe. But I would handle this myself. Then monday started. I was driven to school by my dad. I could almost tell myself it would be ok. Then I got out of the car and saw Emund standing on the sidewalk. He was tossing up and down the keys to his car. I pulled out my backpack, said bye to my dad, and approached him.

“ What are you doing here?” I asked. He faced me, he was wearing black shaded glasses.

“ Kid. Look. Let’s forget what happened before. But you need to come with me. Now.”

“ I have school!” He sighed.

“ I know. I’m sorry. But we have to. The last facility is moving tomorrow. That means they should be packed up and ready to go. It will be easier to attack now while they aren’t as armed. If we lose them, I won’t know where they are. That’s bad. We have to go now. Tisha is already in the car. Please.” Other kids passed, rushing to school.

“ I-I…” I faltered. “ I just don’t wanna get hurt. And plus my school work.”

“ You will not get hurt! Look kid. You have my promise. You will not get hurt! I haven’t let that happen so far, and I ain’t going to let that happen anytime soon. As for your work. Uh, just do it later.”

“ It’s not that simple!”

“ Well! I had to miss a decent amount of assignments when I was in school. I mean that due to me sleeping through most of the day…” He coughed and straightened himself. “ Anyway. Are ya coming?” He had the same pleading look in his eyes. I hated being so nice sometimes.

“ Whatever. Sure, let’s get this over with.” I grumbled.

“ Great! Follow me! The car is down the street back that way.”

I followed him to the car. Tisha was in the backseat, playing Fortnite on her phone.

“ DAMN IT! I swear this version of the game is freaking messed up man! How did he kill me after I sniped him? I had good stuff!” She sighed and let me in. I scooted in next to her. “ Heya Ceena, you feelin’ better about this?”

“ Mmm, I guess. I’ll feel guilty if I don’t so…”

“ Yeah. I get it. Thanks for coming. It’s something special to do something you don’t want to do for other people. But you do it since it’s important.”

“ Yeah, let’s just do this.”

“ You kids ready? Do y’all have lunches?” Emund asked, igniting the car’s engine.

“ Yeah I do! I got me a sweet peanut butter and jelly sandwich!” Tisha said happily. I nodded, smiling.

“ I have a soup of noodles and chips to eat.”

“ Ok good. I already ate, but y’all can eat here in the car if you want to. It’ll be awhile drive. This forest is a few miles away.”

“ Welp. Good thing I got my phone.” Tisha said, stuffing her sandwich in her mouth. The car drove into the street, and we headed for the third factory.

Was I supposed to be doing this? No. I was supposed to be in school. But I wasn’t. Apparently this was the right thing or something. I at least hoped so. It was a little nerve wrecking eating in the car. Emund kept making big turns, and my soup sloshed around. Thankfully it never actually spilled out of my cup. I gazed out the window. People in their cars, driving around. Worrying about their own individual issues. Could any of them be a part of Plasamic? Did they know? Who knows. I didn’t. It was weird. We were doing something to save these people, and yet they had no idea of it. At all. If I told anyone, they would think I was crazy. It depends on how you look at it. It could be good or bad, if people don’t know about what you do, or if they do. It could empower you, or break you. I wasn’t sure which I preferred for this instance.

After about an hour of driving, we made it to the forest. I gasped when I got out of the car. I hadn’t ever seen a forest so large before. It was dense. Trees extended to the sky, bushes clumped all over the ground. Leaves, sticks, and garbage littered the dirt.

“ Oh wow. How are we supposed to find it?” I asked.

“ I remember this place from long ago.” Tisha got out of the car. “ I almost got lost.” Emund came around, carrying a pack.

“ I know where it is.” He pulled out his phone. On it was some kind of tracking device. “ It’s not too far from our current position. Let’s move.”

“ Alright. Lead the way captain.” Tisha said. Emund and her moved into the forest. I stared at the other cars for a second. Let’s see if I’ll die from this one. I told myself. I ran to catch up with my friends.

For the first few minutes of walking, not much happened. We just walked through the forest. I tried to enjoy the nice scenery, it was good. Until I spotted our target. It was up in the trees. A series of wooden rooms, connect by boardwalks. The thick leaves covered it quite nicely. You wouldn’t know it was here unless you were trying to look for it. Unfortunately we were.

“ OK. So.” Emund pulled out two pistols from his pack and handed it to Tisha and I. Tisha twirled it around in her left hand.

“ Ay! We get to shoot people again? Awesome!” She said with enthusiasm.

“ Uh, I’m not sure you should be thinking of this as awesome Tisha.” I muttered.

“ Girl for real? I’m just trying to have some fun with this! You should try it. Might make this less troublesome.”

“ Mmm, I dunno. Less troublesome or more so?”

“ I dunno! Why do you need to make a big deal out of it? Just let’s do this!” She did seem excited about this. I’ll admit it made me smile. I probably wouldn’t be here still if it weren’t for her. I looked at my pistol.

“ Is this the same one we had before?” I asked.

“ Yup.” Emund grabbed his rifle, now a silenced sniper, and put on his backpack. “ Not like it makes much difference, but you know, still. At least it’s something y’all can use fairly well.”

“ Hey! I was killing it with that machine gun!” Tisha protested.

“ Yeah, when you were fighting a piece of wood.”

“ Shut up! I could still do it.” I laughed and shook my head at their bickering.

“ Either way. How do we approach the factory?” I asked Emund. He looked up.

“ There’s a ladder leading up to the first room. They wouldn’t have the weapons in there. More likely it is in one of the three rooms to the right of it.”

“ Three? I only see one other.”

“ That’s because it’s hidden by the tree leaves. They thought about this one.”

“ Oh, right.”

“ But it’s good thing y’all got me to locate it for ya.”

“ Oh really?”

“ Yes really. Are y’all ready?”

“ I am!” Tisha told us. I stared at the facility nervously. Emund put a hand on my shoulder.

“ Look kid. I wasn’t lying about what I said earlier. I will protect you. I will. It’s not that bad. You know how retarded these guards can be. Plus, they probably don’t have highly skilled people up there. It’s moving day. They’ll have some dopes there just for packaging and transportation. It’ll be easy!” He reassured me.

“ Well… alright, sure.” I said.

“ Great. Now follow me kids.”

We climbed up the ladder. Emund up top, then me and then Tisha. I kept thinking we would get sniped or something as we ascended. We didn’t. Once we were almost to the top, Emund stopped abruptly. I almost smacked into his foot.

“ Here. Just in case they do have people watching this front entrance, we should sneak around on our bellies.”

“ Excuse me?” I asked. Emund poked his head up, looking over. “ Yeah, in front of us is a window. There might be guys looking this way. To avoid them we should crawl under the window so we don’t get seen. Alright?” I thought about the amount of splinters my body would get.

“ Sure. If we have to.”

“ Crawling? I’m good at that. Let’s do it!” Tisha said below me. Emund climbed up and we followed suit. It was kinda awkward, worming along the ground. I kept going over little nails in the floorboards, which hurt a bit. We all stood up against the other side of the building, which didn’t have any windows. In front of us extending a small bridge to the next room. To our left, a walkway curved around the building.

“ Ok good. I think, to make this quicker, we should split up.” Emund said.

“ What? Split up? How is that gonna work?” And I thought you said you were gonna protect me. Is what I was thinking.

“ It’ll just make this faster. You can come with me Ceena, if you’re still scared. Tisha, can you go by yourself?” Emund asked. My friend nodded.

“ Yeah that’s fine! This’ll be like the gorgon’s labyrinth back in good old VoG in Destiny 1. Sure!”

“ It’s not a game…” I warned, again. She waved away my concern.

“ Ah, I know! I’ll be fine! I’m just looking for the weapons right?”

“ Uh huh.” Emund said. “ And if you find it, then text me in the group chat. Tell us your location, and we’ll come as fast we can. Got it?”

“ Yup! Don’t worry Ceena, I can do this!” Even though she said that, I was still worried.

“ O-ok, just be careful please.” I pleaded.

“ I know I know. I’m going now.” Tisha crept down the bridge to the other room. I tried to calm down, watching my friend walk off to her potential death.

“ Ceena. You ready? Let’s check this building right here. Just so we don’t miss anything. Ok?” I sighed and turned to face him.

“ Yeah. Are we gonna blow up this place also?”

“ Mhm, unfortunately.”

“ But, the forest.”

“ I know. Again Ceena, don’t lecture me about what I’m doing. I’ve thought it over. Whether or not there is a different way doesn’t matter now. We are doing this a way I know will work. If there are other smaller damages, then so be it. Please, don’t make it harder than it already is for me.” This surprised me a little bit.

“ Alright. Sorry.”

“ Naw it’s fine. Let’s move.” He began to crawl around the corner of the room. I followed. The back had no windows. But it did have a door.

“ Stay here. I’m gonna check the other side.” Emund moved around, and I stayed put. After about a minute, he came back. “ Ok. There’s a window on the other side, I check to see if there was anyone inside. There is. Three employees. They’re standing around boxes, talking to someone on a big computer screen.”

“ The weapons?” I asked.

“ Nope. Not here. We should met up with Tisha to see about the other buildings.”

“ How do you know?”

“ The boxes are labeled with the kind of contents that are inside. These don’t have any of the stuff we are looking for. Just other supplies.”

“ Oh. Alright.” I said. Emund went back around the corner. I was about to do so myself, when the door opened. I froze, as a guard stepped out. He was wearing a purple suit, with white highlights. He had black hair, red eyes, and dark skin. He seemed about my age. I recognized him. He spotted me and stumbled backwards.

“ C-Ceena?! What are you doing- you can’t be here!” He exclaimed. I stood up, facing my old friend Spaik.

“ Hello… Spaik.” I said. I tried to keep for a straight face. Even though on the inside my emotions were exploding. Shock, joy, betrayal.

“ W-what are you doing here? I wouldn’t ever have expected this!” He said.

“ I am here. To stop all this!” I gesture around to the building. “ Why are you here? Why are you with them?” Spaik didn’t seem to know what to say.

“ Ceena. I’m sorry. This must seem so terrible to you. Come, let me show you something.” He gestured and walked into the room. I walked in with him, not really thinking about what I was doing. The two other saw me, but didn’t do anything thanks to Spaik telling them to chill. He opened one of the boxes. Inside were blueprints for more weapons, and how to use them and where to ship them to. “ Ceena, you see this stuff? This is what will progress our future. This will allow humanity to protect themselves. We can use this technology more than just weapons. Weapons were but a test. A test to see if we could harness the energy of an alien metal. It seems we could. Now we are experimenting with other things. Things such as medical devices, to keep people living longer, and ways of increasing technology everywhere. To make the computers, TVs, game devices, all of it, better and more accessible to anyone. This is how we proceed Ceena! That was why I joined. I know it looks bad, but it can help us!” I closed my eyes.

“ I don’t believe this. You seriously expect me to think that’s true? I know it isn’t.”

“ What do you mean?” I faced him, anger forming in me.

“ Come on Spaik! You’re a smart boy! You should realize what the hell this, this company is doing! Sure, they may say they have the ability to do all this good crap. But the ability to, and actually doing it are two very different things! I’ve seen how they are! Those two other facilities that went boom? That was me!” The three men gasped. The other two raised their guns, I did not care. “ Yeah! I’ve also seen on the news what they do. Do you watch the news? The crimes that have been committed? They say they don’t know the people behind it were. Bull manure. It is Plasamic! Who else? Weapons being used to murder anyone who won’t join them in their quest to claim more land? They won’t use this stuff for good! Even if they do, it would only be for those who they force to join! They aren’t trustworthy! This guy, Emund. He actually escaped from Plasamic somehow. I’m with him. He’s been trying to stop you guys for awhile! He knows of the dangers you cause, and I realize that too! I don’t wanna do this, but I have to!” I grabbed Spaik’s hand. “ Please. You have to believe me! Help me stop them! You don’t have to be apart of them! Please!” I felt my eyes tear up. I couldn’t accept the fact that my long lost friend would reunite with me in this way.

Spaik removed his hand from mine.

“ I can’t. I’ve heard that speech too many times. My parents disowned me when they found out. I don’t care about that and I don’t care about being with you any longer!” I saw him begin to cry also. “ I-I never wanted you to find out. I couldn’t bear the thought of encountering you again. I’m sorry.”

“ You coward!” I yelled. “ Didn’t want me to find out? Why would you do something if you don’t want people finding out?” I could very well say that about myself. My subconscious said to me. Spaik raised his gun to my head.

“ Look. I already said I ain’ going to change. I know what I’m doing. Stop it Ceena. Leave, or I’m gonna have to shoot you.” I didn’t know what to do. My heart was beating like a car engine. I knew I would have to kill him if I wanted to leave here and finish the mission. But I didn’t want to, no where close to that. The big computer screen behind us turned on. On it was a woman. She had pink hair, dark orange eyes, and dark skin. She noticed me.

“ What is this? Who is that girl?” One of the guards turned toward her.

“ Ma’am! This is a friend of Spaik’s!”

“ I don’t care who she is. Is she a new recruit?”

“ No.” Spaik said.” No, she isn’t.”

“ Well then get rid of her! We can’t have innocents who hold information!” The guards turned to face Spaik.

“ You heard the leader. End her now!” Spaik’s hand trembled. His eyes said he would do anything but this. I eyed him, trying to stay confident. Even though inside I had none. Not just because of the fact that the Plasamic leader was looking right at me, but also because I was about to get shot by my once best friend.

A shout was heard from outside. Emund came rushing in.

“ Kid! Sorry, I was caught up with Tisha. The bombs are set and-” He froze as soon as he saw everyone else. The leader smiled.

“ Well well well. If it isn’t our good old traitor Emund. How have you been? Still trying to pathetically destroy us?” She taunted.

“ Luniet.” Emund growled. “ I actually have been quite successful at shutting down your disgusting operation! I took down two facilities! And I’m going to get to you also!” He seemed to scan the background behind Luniet. “ I know where you are. That’s chinese markings on your computer right? Smooth.” The woman growled.

“ You won’t get to me! Men, make yourselves useful and kill them!” The screen shut off. The other two guards shot at Emund. He hit the floor, shooting one of them in the knee. He hopped around on one foot. He was sniped in the head. The other hit Emund’s shoulder. He cried out in pain and clutched his wound, dropping the gun. Spaik was frozen next to me. But I wasn’t. I leaped out and grabbed the rifle. I pointed it at the other guard.

“ Haha! You probably don’t even know how to use that thing little girl!” He laughed. I smiled.

“ Oh really?” I sniped his head off. I turned to Spaik. “ Do you wanna be next?” He put up his hands.

“ Ceena! Think about this! We can make things better for everyone! Don’t do this!” He pleaded with me.

“ No. You should’ve thought about this when you decided on joining these vile people. This is not a good future. It’ll be a dystopia! And you would be the one to start that. Why would you want that? I am sorry, but I won’t let innocents get hurt by your actions Spaik!” Tears really were streaming down my face at this point. I tried to pull the trigger, I really did. But I couldn’t. I didn’t have the willpower to shoot my friend. Emund got up, his shoulder red and dripping.

“ Kid. We need to leave. We have less than two minutes to run!”

“ WHAT?” I screamed.

“ I was trying to tell you that! We need to go now!” I didn’t move. Spaik and I looked at each other. The memories of elementary school flashed through my mind once more. I felt like my feet were glued to the ground. Not letting me remove the memories from the past. Emund grabbed me, and hauled me upward. He carried me out the door and to the ladder.

I was acting like a total baby. I was screaming, kicking and punch my friend. I kept blabbing. I didn’t even know what I was talking about. All I knew was I wasn’t about to leave Spaik behind. Emund slapped me across the face.

“ Kid shut up! Gosh I didn’t know you were a damn toddler! Listen! We have to leave now. We cannot stay here. As soon as Tisha gets here we climb down and go.” He grabbed me. “ Do you understand me?” This was the most serious I had ever heard him. It scared me.

“ Y-yes. I understand.” I said. Tisha came rushing over.

“ Move now!” She climbed down the ladder, and we followed. Once we hit the bottom we bolted back the way we had come. I glanced back, and stopped dead in my tracks. Spaik was at the railing, looking down at me. He had a look of sorrow, and guilt on his face. The rooms behind him exploded, taking him with it. His face was consumed by the red and orange fireball. The entire structure collapsed. Pieces of debris flew everywhere. The nearby trees caught fire. Tisha pulled me along.

“ No time for watching, we need to go!” We ran back to the car. Emund turned on the engine and we drove off. I stared at the forest as we got further and further away. My mind was a blank slate. All I could see was Spaik’s eyes. The look that said he was indescribably sorry. Before he was consumed, and truly gone forever.