Chapter IV: The Explanation

Michael's Perspective

"Day 38 on Planet Alpha… Well thirty-eight Earth days anyway. They haven't noticed… yet. This planet's rotation is exponentially slower than Earth's rotation, both on its axis and around its star.

My plan to trap Jennifer in that hole failed. Killing her would seem a bit extreme, so I kicked her down a whirlwind hole. It was supposed to cushion her fall, however, I did not take her weight into account.

Slight miscalculation.

Oh well, guess I just must travel with them. The distance I relocated the ship to is a little too far, but it'll have to do for now. I cannot do that again, otherwise they will start becoming suspicious of the situation. I have a feeling Jennifer is already suspicious.

I will have to come up with a scenario to confuse her rather than trying to convince her. The confusion will bring down her suspicions to a reasonable level.

If it were any other day of the week, I probably would not have hesitated to kill her… but this time I did. I wonder why. Have I grown attached? Why do I hesitate with her? She's just a human, right?

Doubting myself won't solve anything. Right now, my focus should be on gaining their trust again. I saw that Celeste hurt her arm in some way. If I can fix that, I can gain her trust and the rest will fall into place.

However, currently I should rest.

This dam's water is pristine. Clearer than any water the Earth could offer and more reflective than any diamond. Speaking of diamonds, my intuition tells me that the higher-ups in the U.S. government probably chose this planet because of its infinite resources.

Pretty smart, but they should try hiding their intentions better.

I'm glad that there is no sentient life on Planet Alpha. That would have meant fighting and combat would have meant exposing my physical abilities. Not ideal for my plan.

I'm so tired…" He said with his back laid against a rock. His body immersed in the lukewarm dam water. He hasn't had any sleep since they left the campsite three Earth days ago. He slowly shut his eyes for a split second and fell asleep on the rock.

Celeste's Perspective

I was pretty stupid to think I could survive on my own on this desolate, floating, cosmic rock. Jennifer welcomed me back with open arms, but will he? I feel like I don't deserve it either way.

I acted out on them because of Graham's death. Pretty pathetic, am I right? Acting like a stuck-up bitch because of my boyfriend's death. I should apologize to Michael as well, even though I don't like him.

Jennifer is acting strange though… deep in thought. I wonder, what's on her mind? Probably the thought of dying of hunger or thirst… or maybe she's mourning Gray's death more than I thought. OR… he did something.

Still don't know where we're going.

"Hey Jennifer! Which way are we going? My radar says we're moving towards the ship, but I don't think we're taking the best route."

"We're going up that hill, then in between the woods… Michael is there." She said with a straight face, tilting her head up towards the large, oddly shaped turquoise trees.

"How could you possibly know that?"

"Intuition, I guess. I know Michael. He got tired and found a resting place, most likely. Knowing him… the spot he chose probably has resources for him to use as he wishes." Her words made sense to me, but I couldn't understand why she wanted to get to him so urgently. Every step she took echoed through the open space. The sounds of the insects within the woods grew louder as we entered it.

I couldn't help but think… 'What am I doing here?'

I asked myself that in two aspects. One being: "What am I doing on this planet?" and two: … "What am I doing in this team?"

There is no doubt that some kind of separation occurred and the distance I feel between Jennifer and I resembles that. I recognize that it is my fault… however, I don't want it to be like this.

I need help.

Jennifer's Perspective

Up the hill we went and approached Michael's current destination. He's remaining in one place… out of character, especially for somebody like him. I could feel Celeste's stares on my skin. Is she genuinely worried … or is she suspecting Michael for something horrific again?

Whatever I do, I must first hear what he has to say before jumping the gun.

I was tracking his whereabouts with a locator-chip I installed within his computer. No matter how good he may be with modern-day technology, I was the one who studied it.

My mind went still, and my face turned numb as the air around us began feeling a bit heavier, but lighter at the same time. Celeste yawned at the foggy air enveloped the environment.

Not too long after we came upon a pondlike body of water amid the trees… and there he lied. Still in the light blue, moderately steamy water. So… PEACEFUL.

The water was about 4 feet deep and immaculate. I had never seen anything like it before. The beauty was mesmerizing and felt as though it would swallow me, to be honest.

Celeste turned her head at me as she then pointed at a dark cave. I shrugged my shoulders, slowly approaching the restful Michael. He was mumbling something in his sleep. I couldn't make out most of what he was saying, however… something did stand out.

"Regret… they'll see… I WILL KILL ALL OF THEM."

I went into a slight shock for a few seconds, taking a few small steps back from the warm rock he was sleeping on.

"Something wrong?" Celeste looked at me and asked as she was scouting the place for traps. Guess the Graham thing really traumatized her.

I said no, of course.

Worrying her would just cause problems. I bowed back down to look at Michael…

…

"So… you guys finally made it. It took you quite some time. Something kept you, Jennifer?" He stared at me with those dead, blue eyes of his. Staring deep into my soul as he asked me that rhetorical question.

I somehow managed to keep my composure. He kept his stare.

"You are probably wondering why I kicked you down that hole. Just to place your soul at rest… I was not trying to kill you. I pushed you down there to keep you safe. I was planning to get the ship, then coming to get you. Murder is not something I particularly indulge in. I fell asleep accidentally on this rock. I walked about nine kilometers around that gorge. I don't even know why I am explaining myself to you. I guess I have become accustomed to it. I blame Celeste." He chuckled as he looked at Celeste. She was still preoccupied exploring the cave.

"You scared me though, but just so you know… I wasn't suspecting you of anything malicious."

"Wow… that sounds so believable." His sarcasm was too obvious but adorable in a way.

He stood up from the water, half-naked. It was the first time I have ever seen his hair down, untied. It was long and silky. Can one man be so handsome? Stop! I shouldn't be thinking like this.

I got out of the water as well. Michael headed to the cave where his clothes and gear were. He got himself decent again.

…

Huh?... I'm thirsty.

Michael's Perspective.

Sometimes I ask myself what my mission truly is… my personal mission. My public mission is to secure a new home planet for humanity.

But is that truly what I want to do?

NO.

What is my mission?... TO EXTERMINATE THE HUMAN POPULATION. KILL THEM ALL.

They deserve extinction. So, I thought to myself: 'I am a human as well.' There's a simple fix for that.

All this stems from my hatred for humanity. For their insensitivity, for their negligence, for their stupidity, for their selfishness… FOR THEIR INHUMANITY.

When I was a child, around the age of 8, my parents abandoned my younger sister, who was four years old at the time and myself. Threw us into the streets like garbage and left us to fend for ourselves.

I had to raise my sister. Eventually, an orphanage found us and took us in. I was 9 years old. From one abuser to another we went in foster care. Not that the orphanage was any better. HUMAN GARBAGE, THEY WERE.

First foster home adored burning me with cigarettes. His name WAS Christopher Jenkins. He hit my sister the time I was not there to protect her. She cried in my arms with a broken wrist. Swollen and purple.

Two days later, their house burnt down, and we were taken back to the orphanage. To this day, the arson is still unsolved. I'm glad I did it. Every dog has its day, and he did. I don't even feel sorry for his weakling of a wife that never did anything. She just watched my abuse.

The second foster home were nice people. They took care of us, fed us, clothed us. However, the orphanage took us back into captivity because they were suspected of tax invasion.

Happiness escaped us.

The eighth foster home was the worst. I was fourteen years old. My sister was only ten years old. I took daily abuse. From cigarette burns to 'punishment' from a wheel spanner. They showed no mercy.

Then one day, I came home later than the agreed upon curfew, which was 10:00 pm. I was five minutes late. He tried to kill me with a knife. A physical fight occurred.

I was bound to the ground when he rose his hand, preparing to deliver the final blow. I thought I was going to die that day.

My sister pounced onto him as she tried to wrestle the knife from him. Through her heart, the knife penetrated. Her blood ran like tap water from her body. While she was dying in my arms, the bastard ran. Just as she cried in my arms all those times of sadness, she died in my arms with a smile.

Her final words to me were: 'Everything will be okay, Mikey. Everything will be fine. One day, you'll find your home and find that people aren't that bad. Take care of yourself!'

Words of such maturity from a 10-year-old girl.

He was found two weeks later. David Lawrence Kingsley was then charged with first degree murder and sentenced to 28 years to life imprisonment.

At her funeral, so many people attended. So many cried as though they ever loved her. THEN… A VOICE.

I heard a voice echoing in her casket. "They will never change. You're living a dream that can never come true. Michael. Show them all. Give them what they deserve." It spoke. So comforting those words were. I cried hard. My eyes felt as though they would fall out of my skull and my heart felt like a minefield. A minefield where each and every landmine exploded. Oh… that feeling of relief… like a drug.

That was when I decided. Not a single time in my 14 years of living… not once was there ever a good person. The only good, innocent person that ever existed was my little sister, Monica Melissa Forrest.

I'll show them all. They don't deserve to exist. They could not even take care of their own planet. Extinction is what they shall get. I'll make sure of it.

Why should I show them mercy? Some might say that I'll be just like those that I despise. SO BE IT THEN. It makes no difference to me.

They shall feel how I felt.

HOPELESS.

After that, I infiltrated the prison David was incarcerated in. A happy, little, cyanide poisoning accident occurred the morning they found him.

Finally, I returned to my prison, the orphanage and ended the turmoil of all my fellow orphans. I burnt down the orphanage building. Sure, a few may still have been inside it, but whatever needs to be done for the greater good… they were only collateral damage.

I have never killed a single person directly with my hands before and I prefer to keep it that way.

Now here I am. Seven years later. On a distant planet. 'Stranded'. Carrying out my mission. It is the only opportunity I have to ensure human extinction. However, these two females are going to be a problem. I need to handle them as quickly as possible.

Jennifer makes me wonder. She resembles my sister so much. She genuinely seems like a good person. I don't like this inner conflict.

We have been on this planet for approximately two months now. However, since Planet Alpha's rotation is so slow, it has only felt like a week. Counting the six months it took us to get here… we have been away from Earth for eight months.

That means…

I only have two more months left. Two months… and my mission will be complete. Makes me want to smile thinking about it.

I do what the voice tells me. The voice is the only one that understands. The voice guides me. It brings me joy.

They shall all see.

-Chapter IV End-