Feathers of Life Chapter 5
Everyone had gotten settled in nicely and my own preparations had finished after raiding the kitchen fully, surprisingly the food was normal enough. Even though I have many questions swirling around inside, nothing felt like an emergency which was good enough for me. The trip through the desert in the vehicle seemed different than I expected but maybe too many movies have affected my judgments. Since my backpack was carrying snacks and water I decided to keep it with me, which Kacy agreed too since it wouldn't affect anything. In the distance many tents had been set up but I couldn't help hoping it was a mirage like you see in movies. Yet the heat didn't seem hot enough to even start creating mirages for anyone.
When we pulled up after what seemed like a short drive Kacy was being pulled away from us the moment she exited the vehicle. Kristopher disappeared as well which has been a consistent thing happening with him since we arrived here, The supposed happy couple took off for the sights in camp. Luckily I wasn't abandoned fully since Erin was at my side still which also gave me hope we could find something together to occupy our time.
"Hey, Hannah. Is everything okay?"
a strange question that i wasn't prepared for but also struggled to answer her right away as well.
"I think so, why do you ask?"
"You seemed a little tense and Felicia asked me to watch over you… Not to mention we can't let you get stressed out either, a trip should be fun."
Perhaps it went unnoticed by me but I didn't feel tense at all or even stressed, but her words seemed full of concern. Those same words also had a second meaning. I'm not sure if she intended it, but it's a buried secret between us i don't wanna ever remember.
"Think I'm good right now, so don't worry about me so much. This is all new to me and it's amazing seeing everything. This place has so much beauty and I even took a plane ride out here, so I think I'm good."
She gave me a smile before pulling me into a hug. She was acting a little more concerned about me now but I hope she can enjoy herself while we are out here. I guess after she takes someone here to bed everything will be better for her.
After roaming around for an hour it was time we headed into the building beneath the sand. The more I looked and examined the structure, the more curious I became. It did not look like it belonged but it also seemed like an old bunker or something from a long time ago. With every step made inside, guided by flashlights gave me a more clear picture of my surroundings. Even though I could see into the darkness better than other people here most likely, something was stirring inside me. A familiar feeling from a long time ago that only arrives in moments of true danger but this did not seem so dangerous. The darkness was just adding atmosphere im sure and once we have proper lighting i won't feel this way.
I watched in silence while following Kacy and the group, my breathing exercises let me manage my stress a little better. I could only hope for more light soon or something close enough to give me a sense of safety while traveling blindly in the dark. I could see how those walking ahead of me continued to tense up or jump ever so slightly at every little thing. Kacy brought us to a large room that we piled into while unsure what was happening next. That's when lights started to flicker and loud rumblings started to shake this place almost violently, making many stumble around. The lights, while not fully reliable did reveal more of this place to everyone which was the start of strange things, my brain couldn't shut off from thinking.
" Now we can explore with better lighting. The real fun begins so let's see what's in here."
even though Kacy said that she had to be lying and when i started thinking trying to connect the pieces like a jigsaw, it just clicked. She was leading us confidently while many were tensing up and even showing signs of fear but Kacy was not affected. Like she has been here before and knew everything this place had to offer, but it didn't make sense either. Why did she want to bring us here of all places, then I noticed Kris disappeared.
" Let's start searching this place but no one should separate while in here, could be dangerous"
She looked at us but did not even mention Kris disappearing from the group, on one hand i wanted to think of this like a big prank. But it didn't help my stress levels from rising no matter the excuse i tried to believe, i felt the urgency to go home. Once back into the hallway she led us to a nearby room but before we could see inside, a sound echoed from further down. It sounded like something fell at best but everyone just brushed it off and continued to look through the room. Once Erin looked at me she could see everything like an open book so we stepped to the side away from everyone, yet I was still trying to calm down.
"Hey, you don't look good at all. what's wrong?"
"Somethings wrong… this entire thing. It's all wrong."
I wasn't speaking coherently enough but I'm sure she understood what I was trying to say. I could easily be crafting things inside my mind due to the panic and stress but I feel something is wrong.
"What do you mean?... Do you wanna go outside for some air, maybe you feel claustrophobic?"
She was trying to be helpful which I appreciated and if we did head outside we could speak a little easier without having to nearly whisper. Then Kacy stepped out of the room catching my attention.
"Hey, is everything okay out here?"
"Hannah was just having a light attack, she will be fine once we get-"
The sound startled and interrupted everyone as it stretched towards us from the dark lingering in the hall, like a hand reaching from beyond the abyss. It was much clearer to understand now which was the more terrifying part. It was a guy's voice speaking in numbers and when he finally emerged from the darkness we could see him. His body continued to sway as if he was drunk or drugged and while swaying his hands stayed on his head while repeating the sequence of numbers.
"What the fuck is that, Kacy whats going on here. Shouldn't this place be abandoned?"
"How should I know… Hey sir, are you okay?"
My heart was racing and the sounds around me started to become inaudible to me like everything was drowned out so i could only hear my mind, my therapist once called it a trance of some kind. This isn't the first time I have done this either but each time is different and unpredictable, it scares me. Erin witnessed the worst of my moments like this when i was trying to protect her from an angry boyfriend not happy she stole his girl. Something that needs to stay buried deep inside and forgotten.
"Fight…"
The whisper I have not heard in so long had arrived, the one that made me feel safest when I was terrified. I did not understand what it meant exactly but my body was frozen so i couldn't obey, not at first, but that familiar feeling was crawling across my skin. The feeling of losing control over my body and taking the backseat while watching myself become a marionette. The last time I felt this way was a dark time when all I had inside was rage that could topple the sun's heat. It consumed every emotion growing ever more uncontrollable and that was a dark place for me but then moments like this happen, and I feel safe yet calm. However I have no control over what happens so I control my stress with every exercise possible, keeping all of it away.
Kacy got closer while calling out to the man and that's when I started to lower myself to the ground pulling my bag free from my shoulders. My hands moved calmly through the contents till I had a grip on the box that remained the lasting secret I never discovered. When my thumb pushed into a strange black space I could feel a little prick but then the box opened up revealing a gun inside. This seemed more custom made and not something seen on the streets or in movies but how did i know it was in there or was it just blind luck. I never held a gun before but my body was just moving according to something elses commands while it whispered softly to me.
I knew what was gonna happen with this gun and it was impossible to come to terms with that but then I heard Kacy scream as she was trying to fight off the man who was now in a frenzy. When she shoved him back with hands , that's when the first shot rang out but I couldn't hear a thing. It was like watching a movie in some way but I knew this was real and when his body fell I still didn't have control of myself yet. I saw where the bullet pierced but he didn't make a sound or even move after he fell down, it was clear to everyone he was dead. I never fired a gun before but I was in complete control with zero training.
"Hannah. Wake up, what the hell did you do…"
Erin was trying to pull me back which thankfully had an effect to let me take control again but i could see Kacy was terrified of what i just did. Then as the world around me started to have sound again we could hear those strange familiar sounds just like before. We decided to run back the way we came but Kacy said she wanted to check on her brother, which means I was right about everything. We had no choice but to follow her as she rushed down a side hallway, Martha and some of the workers disappeared and the group was split entirely.Tom was following us but he never spoke up once about his other halfs disappearance, which was strange to me.
We made some sharp turns with some of the workers following us closely behind and Erin was keeping close to me which was a comfort. I wish it was possible to ask Kacy what was going on here since she seemed to have the most knowledge, but it was not easy to believe her anymore. The gun was gripped in my hand tightly as if it was gonna be a lifeline but the truth was much simpler, I didn't know what to do with it. While traveling down these hallways we had some rooms with large rooms and people inside acting strangely, like they were being brainwashed in this place. It was difficult to see much with us running so much but whatever this place is something bad happened here.
"Its over here, Im sure kris-"
"Ahhhh…"
I noticed the hole but It was too late for any of us near the front to stop or even change course, we just fell into the hole filled by screams that soon died as we crashed into the ground below. My consciousness is slipping but I can hear a dripping sound not far from us. My body feels the pain running rapidly inside but i can't respond or even make a sound. I don't know who else fell with me or even how far we fell down, but it's getting so difficult to stay awake now.