They arrived at the station close to 4pm. A hot breeze blew against their skin. Close by, tin shoes clinked on the pavement. Three aged suitcases were stacked between them. The weather started to sour as the sun cuddled between the hills. Alice wore four layers of scratchy sweaters, the most visible had a wonky ’A’ stitched on. The clinking shoes faded away as the wind become unsettled. Alice looked at the bags; in that moment they looked as defeated as she felt. "You don't have to go you know," said her mother. "I'll be fine mum. I'll write" Her mother forced a smile. "You better" "You won't even notice I've gone" She immediately regretted saying it. Without Alice, her mother would be alone in an uncomfortably empty house for the first time. "...I just can't believe my little girl is all grown up" Alice gulped. To her relief a train sounded in the distance. Her mum blubbered, "Oh...well c-come back soon, Alice" "I'll be fine mum. I'll visit" The railways screeched. A glossy red steam engine towered over them, blocking the sun. "See you... soon,” Said her mother as she hugged Alice so close she could smell her mother’s lipstick. "Goodbye, Mum" Before she could reach out for another embrace Alice hopped next to the carriage door. She stepped inside, lugging her suitcases behind her. The carriage was ridden with leather seats lined with timber that smelled of mothballs. She took a window seat. "Hi there!” Shouted a voice behind her as she sat down. She turned around. There stood a silky blue cat with a twitchy smile. "Hi," Alice said. "Mind if I sit here?" "Um...I guess not" Alice sighed. She'd hoped to spend the ride alone. "I'm Rover!" He said, kind of like the man at the start of hardware-store advertisements. "I'm Alice" The train started to thrum, as it launched into a loud clattering. She stared out the window down at her mother who was waving frantically. Hesitantly, she waved back as the train started to chug forwards. Her nose filled with musty smoke. "So where are you heading?" "Hazelnut" “woo, far from home then!” Alice tried to ignore the heartbeat pounding in her ears. "Tickets please! Tick-ets! That is t-i-c-k-e-t-s. Tickets please!” Said a voice that started to grow louder. She scrambled in suitcase number one, feeling her cheeks become hotter. She handed her ticket to the brash elephant holding out her hand. Alice moved her attention to the platform that was now slowly becoming smaller. Her mother’s size diminished to that of a toothpick. Her head was clasped in her hands. That was the last time she saw her.
The sky was coated with swirls of hot shades like a fire had been smeared across it. Alice felt the warmth from the window against her eyelids. The carriage shuddered. She woke with a halt but soon relaxed at the sight of snoozing passengers. They were rolling past a sea of green, staring at it too long made Alice dizzy. A deer came slinking past with glassy eyes and little awareness. “Excuse me, do you have the time?” Alice croaked. No answer. Alice sighed. Almost there, she thought, finally I can create a life for myself. But she was distracted by an unusual clinking coming from under the train.
clink, clink, clink
On the seat across from her, rover stirred. He yawned and stretched like the opening of a musical number, blissfully unaware of his surroundings. He smiled at her before pricking up his ears at the sound of a bell in the carriage over. “Dinner?” “Maybe. What do you think we’re having?” “smells like.. soup?” Alice sniffed in the scent, but before she could analyse it the carriage door burst open. “Labouring all day…what do I get… no recognition…ungrateful…” grumbled the goat with his too small frilled apron. He started to lay out clear plastic trays on each passenger’s laps, conscious or not. He sniffed in disgust as a pig let out a thunderous snore but soon grinned as he clasped the bell in his hand. “DINNER! DINNER!” He screeched, ringing the bell wildly above him. The carriage yawned, sighed and mumbled as they soon became conscious. The goat reached their row and passed them the trays and two sets of plastic cutlery. “Thank you,” Alice said. He looked surprised but soon puffed out his chest looking proud of himself. He went back to his trolley and reached underneath it for the stack of bowls. As he distributed them Alice checked her phone.
3 messages from ‘Mum’ 1 missed call(s)
Her heart sunk to her stomach. She felt a lump in her throat and hastily slammed the phone shut, shoving it into the bottom of her suitcase. A soup ladle appeared in front of her. Red slop with green chunks was slipped into her bowl. Rover looked ecstatic when receiving his share, clapping his hands in delight. The rest of the carriage didn’t seem quiet as pleased. Alice sipped at her soup politely, trying not to think about its resemblance to cardboard. The carriage jolted forward. She clung to her tray. “Geez, talk about a bumpy ride” Rover exclaimed mid slurp. A knot twisted tighter in her gut. “Probably nothing.” Alice said as she stared out at the grassy planes. Gooseflesh bumped her skin.“How much longer do you think?” Rover shrugged, “Not long, maybe 30 mi-”
Grinding metal shrieked. Alice’s head slammed into the ground. She heard bowls smashing, bodies thumping against the walls. Her eyes clenched close, heartbeat thudding. Alice’s stomach turned to ice. Screams were cut off by a deafening boom. She was thrown to the side, feeling rough dirt against her cheek. Her head throbbed. Smoke stung her eyes. It was silent but the fire crackling. No-there was something else.
Hi guys, not an new chapter but I'm just letting you know if you have a fanfic or have ever thought of writing one [link=http://www.animalcrossingcommunity.com/Topic/5796246/1/Computerfan_s_Fanfic_Competition_2013_Series_6_Entries_Open_kdpuppy_s_Audition_]Compy's fanfic competition is still open for entries!
If you're wondering, I'm trying to make my chapters a bit longer and I've changed the formatting a little. I was in a bit of a rush when I wrote this so please feel free to point out any spelling/grammar mistakes.
Chapter Two
There was a fiery pain, gnawing at her skull. Her hands flew to her head as she cussed. She stared at her hands, now rich with sticky red liquid. Alice attempted to scream but her smoke damaged lungs instead let out a heaving cough. She scrambled forward through the dust and rubble, wincing at every length. What had happened?, she thought. Alice stumbled to her feet. The world was spinning around her, she felt vomit at the back her throat. Figures on the ground jiggled in her eyes. It was starting to come back to her now; the screams, the deafening boom, the horror. She blinked the sweat from her eyes. There it was, below her bodies were scattered in the rubble next to the overturned steam engine.
She knelt down next to a silky blue paw and swept the dirt from his forehead. Was he dead? She tried to swallow the lump in her throat and went to feel his pulse. A healthy thud pulsated through her fingers. Alice’s brow knitted together. There wasn’t one scratch on him. She flicked her head around. A wolf was sprawled on the dirt with its legs wedged under the train’s bulky core. She struggled to pull out his legs but flung herself backwards. Her heart fluttered. Just for a second there had been a deep gash almost down to the bone on him. Blue glowing netting had formed over it, and it healed without a trace. Alice’s breath became ragged and shallow.
“Wake up,” She screeched with tears flooding her face, “What the heck is wrong with you?”
She laid her shaky fingers on the wolf’s eyelids, slowly lifting them. A scream escaped her lips. She gasped for breath as she stumbled backwards. She started to run but froze solid. A siren sounded in the distance. She looked up, a huge black aircraft was flying towards the wreckage. They must be taking away the bodies, she thought, who are they, some kind of criminal organisation? More importantly, was she meant to be conscious? Her eyes widened as she realised she was stuck stiff. She tried to move her legs with her clammy hands. There was no hope. Her thoughts flashed to her mother, waiting years later for her daughter to send a message. A scream ripped from her throat as sweat clung to her forehead.
“MOVE!”
The aircraft was coming closer, had they spotted her yet? She begged her body to come out of paralysis. Her heart skidded into a rapid thrum. A hand tugged at her arm. She turned around to come face to face with a pale-faced young girl with dirt smudged cheeks. The girl shoved Alice forward and began to run. Alice finally barrelled after her, swiping away the branches in their path. Despite this, the siren was still edging closer to their ears. Alice desperately huffed for air to fill her failing lungs. The girl had gained at least 5 meters on her. Alice flung her legs forward, clenching her fists. Her heart stopped as she felt a rapid wind on her neck.
“Watch out!” Screamed the girl as she glanced backwards.
Alice could see a metal claw coming at her fast. This was it, she thought. The siren blared through her head.
“This way!” shouted the girl as she swerved to the right.
Alice followed, trying for one last sprint of speed. The metal tipped the back of her neck and sent shivers down her spine. She winced as she felt twigs slicing up her skin. Up ahead a tunnel appeared, just large enough for a small body. The girl scampered through. Alice got down on her hands and knees but found the task of squeezing through the hole not an easy one.
“Hurry!” The girl wailed.
“I-I’m trying” Alice said as she struggled to get her shoulder through. The girl grabbed her arm and ripped her out of the tunnel. They sped forward until the sirens had faded to an indecisive whine. Alice sighed, slowing into a walk.
“Thanks for that” She puffed. The girl shrugged.
They walked in silence for five minutes until they reached a cave opening. Alice laid her hand on the jagged rocks fixed with grey crystals.
“It’s getting dark, you can stay here if you want” stated the girl plainly.
“You live here?”
“unfortunately. How did you end up here anyway?”
“The train it-“
“Oh right. Didn’t know they took people now.”
“What?”
“Never mind.” She ducked inside the cave. Alice obediently followed behind her. The cave was dimly lit by the setting sun. In front of her was a green sheet, laid out and littered with small handmade tools and fruit. The cave was arranged neatly with chairs and tables, a small bed snuggled in the corner. Next to the bed were a number of wooden framed photographs too small to decipher.
“Who are you?”
“Claudia. A former villager of this abandoned town. And you?” she said, ripping apart an orange peel.
“Alice.” “Guess this isn’t your wonderland” Claudia said. Alice tried to smile but couldn’t build up the effort.
“I just…want to go home”
“Were you heading home?”
“No, Hazelnut actually. You probably haven’t heard of it though it’s pretty off the radar.”
“huh”
Claudia threw a piece of orange in her mouth and bent down to retrieve something from her feet. Her black matted hair curtaining her eyes. She pulled out a match and lit it. The sight of fire was a nice change to the darkness of the cave but didn’t provide warmth to their trembling bodies. She carefully carried the match to the lamp beside her and placed it in-between them.
“I-I don’t have an extra bed so you’ll have to sleep on the floor.”
“That’s okay”
Claudia slid onto the bed and rolled away to face the wall. She sighed.
It was nearing dawn and rain lashed against the cave’s walls. Alice’s cheek rested on the cold dirt floor. She arched her back and outstretched the heels of her hands. Her eyes fluttered open. Puddles spotted the dirt floor and the air was edgy. Alice was still engulfed in a febrile daze, the world around her a blur. Claudia was perched on her bed; her arms wrapped tightly around her legs. She took the stout silver blade from beside her and brought it to a thick metal cuff on her wrist.
“Morning.”
“What’s that?” Alice said; the white noise of pelting rain behind her.
“I don’t really... know” Claudia started to scythe at the bracelet, her face skewed to one side in a sour expression.
“You don’t know? How can you…”
“I hadn’t noticed it before.”
If she really didn’t know, then was it the same people from the aircraft that did this to her? Alice’s stomach tousled at the thought. She flew to her feet, now aware of the aching pains in her joints, no doubt a result of slumbering on the hard rutted soil.
“What if it’s some kind of…I don’t know- tracking device?”
“I’ll put some of this foil on it, it’s meant to stop electric transmissions” Said Claudia, but even she could hear the quiver in her tone. Alice went to protest but Claudia was already in full flow of the day’s plans. Outside the cave rays of sunshine made their way through the screen of drizzle. Claudia traced the line of the cuff without looking up to see the path she was following. She half-heartedly explained they would go to gather food from the forest. When they reached the collection of trees the rain settled to a powdery mist. Alice wringed out her hair and brushed away the water drops that hugged her wet-dog smelling sweater. They gathered the ripe oranges in silence. A canopy of leaves shielded them from any of the enigmatic aircrafts. Alice turned around, drawing in a breath.
“What’s going on here?”
For a moment Claudia hesitated, her eyes like a flame at the tip of a flicker. She continued working.
“I still don’t know a lot,” She said, “but I do know that… it’s some kind of disease, something that affects animals and turns them into these mindless beasts. I’ve never seen another human around here so I was surprised when I saw you next to the train. I thought maybe you were from the aircraft.”
Claudia went on to explain how she had come to Hazelnut just like Alice. She’d become part of the community, and everything was fine until the animals got sick. She tried to help but the animals were no longer the friends she had before. She fled and went to live on the outskirts of her town, losing everything she’d once had. Alice was speechless. How did she possibly get involved in something so serious? Claudia cursed, clutching her head.
“What’s wrong?” Alice said.
“It’s nothing, don’t worry,” mumbled Claudia as she bit her lip, “Oh…I forgot”
Lines were drawn across Alice’s brow. “What?”
There was a moment of silence and Alice was now aware of the hot prickles travelling from her head down to her body. Claudia started to stroll away.
“I forgot something, I’ll be back.”
Alice tried to tear herself away from the situation, laying her fingers upon the sickly orange citrus. The sour scent stung her eyes. The oranges were stored carefully in a pouch she’d made in her jumper. Alice leant against the tree’s, allowing the rays to warm her damp skin. The leaves rustled a few meters away from her, but the wind was still. Alice froze, unsure whether to speak. The fruit tumbled to the ground. She shivered as anxiety crawled up her spine.
“…Hello?” said Alice, “Claudia is that you?”
And then something happened that Alice was much too familiar with. This time round it was almost haunting, enough to make her turn insane.
clink, clink, clink
The knot in her gut twisted tighter. Opposite to the sound was an opening, a stream of light, like a rug laid out for the sun. This path somehow seemed more inviting than the alternative. She started to run. As she did she felt her stomach sink. What if they had got Claudia? What if she was dead? And Alice was just running away. She stopped and turned around.
“I’ve said too much” screamed a voice.
“Who-Who are you?”
“I’ve said t-t-t-oo muuuch” screeched the defective voice again.
The source stepped out from the shrub. It was Claudia. Her eyes were gone, horrifying black holes were in their place.
“C-Claudia? Claudia, what happened?”
“I’ve b-been bad”
Alice saw something glinting, clutched in Claudia’s hand. Alice raced down the path, tears crowding her eyes. Her shallow breaths sawed at her chest. But Claudia was faster, she was catching up. Alice would be doomed. She squeezed out a final sprint. A siren sounded to her left. Behind her Claudia stood still, she stared. Alice collapsed to her knees and hunched over. She desperately tried to catch her breath. A spill of tears pockmarked the sand below her. Claudia was gone. She should have helped her. Now it was her fault that the real Claudia was dead.
She closed her eyes but still felt the shadow loom over her. Alice turned around but Claudia’s face wasn’t there. A claw wrapped around her. She shrieked and swung her legs madly. To her horror she was being elevated off the ground. Her heart pummelled. Claudia’s blank face gawped up at her with her knife drawn. Her throat swelled and she found herself hauling for air. Before she could break free something sharp speared her shoulder and she faded into darkness.
Posted:
6/22/2013 9:11pm
Edited: 1
