Chapter VI: Detrimental Health

Sometimes I ask myself how I got here. One minute, we discovered a hole in the ground where the ship used to be… and the next… I'm standing over the mutilated body of Graham Young.

It became more frequent and each time, the voice became clearer to me. We began having conversations with each other. It spoke… evil, and for some reason, I listened. I followed it. Like it was my commander.

"The voice is the only one that understands." I would say to comfort myself. Even though she made me do horrible, despicable things.

And each time I do, I forget what I did.

It is eating at me. My soul, my being… everything. However, whatever it says is true.

After all the harm I've done to the Earth and this mission, there is no hope of going back. There is no reason to spare these two females. But even so, I feel guilt for all the atrocities I have committed.

I killed Graham.

Even though it was indirectly, I still took his life.

"Do you have murderous thoughts sometimes? Like, do you think about killing people sometimes?"

"Yes. Everyday since my little sister was stabbed and killed in front of my eyes."

"Have you ever done it? Have you ever… killed?"

"Hmm… Not that I can remember."

She made me lie to her. I am the true definition of filth.

Don't feel so bummed-out, brother. Also, I didn't make you lie to her. I merely said what you wanted to say but couldn't because of your soft-heartedness.

Leave me alone, voice.

You don't recognize the voice of your own sister?

You are not my sister. Melissa is dead. She would never make me do anything like this.

Naïve, you are. Fine, maybe you're right. I am not your sister… but I am what you wished she could be, if she were still alive.

LIES! Stop spouting nonsense!

You retaliate with raising your voice because you know it is true.

It's not!

Then explain to me how I came into existence.

I don't…

Go on. Explain, Michael.

I don't know!

Because your hatred for humanity bore a violent, vile existence that could handle the hate and dish it out for you.

You are lying.

You wanted all the past pain and trauma to escape you and it did. YOU CREATED ME TO FIX YOUR PROBLEMS AND I AM.

Shut up.

Every little despicable thing you fantasized about could be done by something other than you. THAT IS WHAT YOU WANTED, WASN'T IT? MICHAEL!

SHUT… UP!

Now you cannot handle the dirt and blood that stains your hands. You want to back out. Well, let me wake your senses. That wish is useless. The damage has been done. There is no going back. DO… YOU… HEAR… ME?!

"I SAID SHUT UP!!!" …

Jennifer's Perspective

"I SAID SHUT UP!" He shouted as if he were in distress, clutching his head and breathing heavily. I stared at him in shock, not knowing what to do in that moment.

Celeste was taking a nap. I was trying to sleep until that moment.

His breaths became more paced and heavier as tears began enveloping his eyes. Instinctively, I hugged him from behind. He held my hands as he mumbled something.

"I'm sorry." He muttered, barely audible.

"What?"

"I'm so sorry. I was just so tired of their so-called 'mistakes'. The pain… and torment they cause millions of innocent people. The fear that was imbedded in the hearts of so many. I couldn't take it anymore." He started rambling, gripping onto my hands tightly.

"Michael, I don't know what you're even-…"

"Please, Jennifer. Please forgive me. It's all my fault. My hatred caused this massacre. This extermination… this extinction. It's starting to take over me. I don't know how long I have left to be myself. So, please… I'm pleading with you. Please forgive me." His tears rolled down his eyes like a dripping faucet. I held him tighter.

"I forgive you, Michael." I comforted him, even though I did not know what he was talking about. He seemed so open and vulnerable.

He cried for a while in my arms before passing out. Unconscious, he laid on the ground. It was the first and only time I've ever seen him so… peaceful.

Something told me not to look into whatever he was yammering about. However, I felt as though it was my duty.

…

After we rested and Michael awoke, an odd, ominous atmosphere dawned upon us. Our endeavor began seeming more and more… tedious. The only person who was enthusiastic and optimistic about the remaining distance we had to cover, was Celeste.

Michael didn't seem like himself anymore. He appeared more conclusive and withdrawn. His posture changed and he started smiling more… often by himself.

The colour of his irises changed from an ocean blue to a dark brown. Around every turn, I would now and again find him having conversations with himself. He barely spoke to me and Celeste.

Celeste's infection was getting worse by the minute and the distance felt longer than Snake Way. (Dragon Ball Z reference). Everything just felt… useless.

"THIRTY-SEVEN KILOMETERS TO YOUR DESTINATION."

We strode over and through the granular path. Dust blowing and whistling in our ears. The star's luminescent shine did not bother our eyes anymore. We began adjusting to this world's conditions… I could see that. However, it only grew the resonating homesickness within me.

Michael marched euphorically behind me and Celeste with her eyes and ears wide open ahead of us. Michael's head staring into the blinding light of Alpha's Star, joyfully murmuring a melody, and counting his fingers.

His personality completely modified, proving my worst scenario true. The mental ailment he has is…

…SCHIZOPHRENIA…

Is it too late to attempt to help him? Is this person behind me even Michael?

"Deep in thought, Princess?" He suddenly whispered in my ear. I jumped up in surprise of his approach. He cracked up… uncontrollably so. I rolled my eyes at his childish antics, still worried but too afraid to ask any questions.

"It's nothing, Michael. Nothing to worry yourself about at least." I attempted to get him off my back.

"Oh? Come on, Princess. You are many things but a liar you are not." He smilingly said, placing his two index fingers on my cheeks.

Is he trying to help me? Is he going to give me some advice or something? I was confused but expectant in a way.

"If you're going to lie to me…" He announced as he lifted his fingers, stretching my lips nearly from ear-to-ear.

"The least you can do… is smile." He snickered, bursting into laughter. Celeste turned around briefly but quickly minded her business.

I began becoming irritated at him and reacted accordingly.

"Alright! Enough of this bullshit, Michael or whoever the hell you are! What is this? What are you? What happened? You don't talk to me for so long. I don't know how long it's been exactly, but it felt like an eternity. Now, suddenly, you're acting all buddy-buddy with me?! The fuck?!"

"Woah. Firstly, watch your tongue, Princess." He tried calming me down… but that was impossible at this stage.

"Don't call me Princess!"

"I'm just trying to be nice." He said, his smile slowly fading.

"I don't need your nice… I need your honesty. You're not Michael. I got that. Who are you?"

He inhaled and exhaled, briefly. Then, he yawned. His eyes met mine. A dead, bleak, hatred was in those eyes. Murderous and evil are the only words that could define what I felt when I saw them.

"Perceptive. I like that. Well, I don't exactly know who I am or what I am. However, what I do know is that Michael doesn't want to come out. He's dwelling in his own sorrow wherever he is in this universe he calls his mind." He uttered, slowly moving forward. Celeste was out of sight. I'm guessing he was checking where she was.

"Okay. Then what is it that you want?"

"Oh, right! That has already been taken care of. There's only two remaining." He said smilingly.

"What are you talking about?"

"You have to find that out for yourself, Princess. Oh… and if you say a word to your little Asian friend ahead, I will cut your throat as I watch your soul slowly leave your body." He announced with no remorse and no emotion. His voice sounding as determined as a stork migrating north.

I could do nothing but stand frozen in fear and surprise. I wanted him back. I needed him back. This guy… was too much to deal with. I winced.

…

We continued.

Celeste didn't notice a speck of the ominous tension lingering between me and… him. She also didn't notice that the infection on her left arm began spreading. She was truly determined to get that ship.

I don't know if I want to leave anymore.

"TWENTY-SIX KILOMETERS TO YOUR DESTINATION."

We hit a dead end. The GPS kept telling us to head straight, however. Annoying little hunk-of-junk, it could be. Or so I thought until Jennifer pointed upward.

"It's… up there." She announced disheartened.

'He' began chuckling, mockingly.

"You're saying the ship is twenty-six kilometers above ground?" He questioned as if he were questioning her sanity.

I gazed upon the surface of the giant ahead. She had a faded, dusty red tone and emitted a mellow heat. It wasn't too hot to touch… she was just warm enough to annoy our hands. So massive she was, you couldn't see the top… even if you tried. I looked back at my disheartened crew. Celeste was off her rockers… probably afraid that she might hold us back because of her wound. Michael… or… let's call him 'they'. They didn't seem to care much at all. I figured as much anyway.

This was going to be our most difficult trial yet. I'm not sure all of us will make it out alive.

-Chapter VI End-