“Annabelle, it’s me! It’s Catalyst. We are back aboard the ship. James is safe. We are all safe. Toni came back, and they rescued us from that desert. Everything will be ok, “I said. She stared into my eyes and studied my face for a moment. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me.
“Hey Zadok, still up for training me with that chakram? It’s time to help me become the badass I know I can be,” said Annabelle. Zadok walked over and ripped the chakram out of the wall and handed it to her.
“Let’s get started, we will train while they finish the fuel,” Said Zadok.
He set up lots of targets, cans, empty containers, chunks of metals. Annabelle threw the chakram over and over at the different targets. She missed several times. Every round, she would miss fewer and fewer objects. Until finally she had cut almost all of them in half.
Toni and I checked on Agatha and Reuben, who guarded the dinosaur bodies. We attempted to make the fuel. We began to walk out of the door, and the last thing I saw was Annabelle held a Chakram in each hand and practiced her melee skills. Zadok’s eyes glowed goldenly and he pulled out a middle-age long sword from his amulet.
We continued through the door’s threshold and heard the clanking of metal on metal.
“Toni! Gabriel! Catalyst! We figured it out Reuben found the perfect formula and exactly which ways to use his powers to make the fuel,” said Agatha.
Everyone gathered in what was left of the main cockpit. We stood around what was left of the chairs, and we tried to hold on to the wall. We were all excited, and in wonderment as Reuben pulled aside a door to a room I had yet to be in. The smell of death and decay filled the air. The smell incited a flashback to when we were fighting the fermenters. I could picture the fermenters long scrawny fingers wrapping around people’s arms and fermenting their bodies. The purple and black rotting flesh filled my mind in vivid details.
“Catalyst? You alright, man. Hello?” Toni asked as he shook me back into reality. I checked on James, and then turned back toward Reuben.
He touched the dead dinosaur men on the forehead and changed their state of matter. They began to melt into black puddles of elements. Zadok cut hole in the floor that connected to the fuel intake. The liquid hydrogen meshed with the liquid oxygen. Zadok’s eyes glowed golden once more, and he returned the long sword to the amulet and pulled out a tinderbox. Gabriel grabbed a chunk of the sword from the floor and dragged it across the flint. Creating enough heat to warm the fuel intake. The ship lifted even farther off the ground. The computer lit up and said, “launch sequence activated, where would you like to go Catalyst.”
I smiled before answering. I hugged Annabelle in excitement turned to front of the ship, and said. “Computer, take us home.”
Chapter twelve
A low hum emitted from the heart of the ship. I smelt the burning fuel made from the dead bodies. My nostrils twitched at the stench. The thrusters began to flood, engaged, and the ship lifted off the ground.
The main computer screen rolled back, and the giant windshield was revealed. A loud thunderous clap erupted, and the rocket boosters propelled us.
Gabriel, Zadok, and Agatha were in awe of our ship.
“Instead of having an autopilot for landing or as an emergency, the ship's main pilot is the computer, and you’re a pilot are the backup?” Asked Gabriel.
The ship started the last phase of the launch sequence, and we began the lift-off. The ship took off like a jet and began to start flying faster and faster, shredding through the air. The black soot-covered floor whizzed by faster and faster. With every passing minute we climbed higher and higher into the sky.
The computer flashed once again, and speakers popped and said, “Mach infinity approaching edges of the atmosphere.”
Annabelle squeezed my hand, and even Zadok nodded and smirked.
MALFUNCTION, MALFUNCTION, MALFUNCTION. The computer screamed and screamed.
The ship began to shake and shutter. We were thrown around the cabin and slammed into the walls. The ship began to corkscrew out of control. The emergency red lights flashed, and speakers blasted. The shrill sounds pierced my eardrums. We inverted, and my feet touched the ceiling. I reached for something to grab; the closest thing was a seatbelt. I grabbed hold and held tight and wrapped the belt around my hand. I pulled myself tight against the wall and caught my breath.
Crates and chairs and an empty gurney slid past. The sound of screeching metal filled the room. We stopped tumbling and flipping. The ship slammed into a mountain, jutting everything loses again. I saw someone slide by and I jerked my wrist to grab them. My hand was caught on the seatbelt, and the ship hit a boulder. I was thrown back into the ceiling. My black burnt wrist snapped, and the pain shot through my arm. The spaceship slid to a stop at the base of the mountain, and everything became quiet.
“Annabelle! James! I screamed. Toni, Agatha! Anyone? I screamed, no one responded.
I laid back against the hard metal ceiling and drifted out of consciousness.
When I woke up, the ship was almost pitch black; I could only make out a few shadows and faint screaming in the distance. I stood to my feet and pulled on the seat belt until it finally gave away, and the buckle snapped. I slipped, so I placed one hand on a wall for support. The wall began to melt, and liquid metal began to roll down my arms like a bead of sweat. I stepped back, and in the dim lighting I could barely make our Reuben and Gabriel.
Gabriel’s eyes narrowed, and he whispered in my ear.
“So far it’s us, don’t worry about Agatha we haven’t found her yet either thanks for asking, “Gabriel snarled then paused a second before continuing, and he ran his clawed fingers over the crest of his head.
“Something tells me this was not an accident, Toni and Agatha had everything perfected nothing should have gone wrong and yet three minutes after takeoff we crash for no explained reason I bet if we look at the engine. We will find sabotage.”
I looked at Gabriel and then at Reuben. I grabbed my pant leg and tore a big chunk of the suit off and made a makeshift sling out of it. Pulling my now busted deformed wrist to my chest and snuggling it tight.
“Gabriel no I don’t think anyone would have or even could have sabotaged the ship, why would they. Everyone wanted off this planet as much as you and I. Why would anyone want to lose the only opportunity we have of getting off this planet?” I said.
Gabriel Bowed up to me, and one of his wings twitched. He ran one of his claws across my chest.
“Between you and I Catalyst, I don’t think everyone does. Think about it; there are eight of us altogether you really think eight people from different groups, different back stories different periods all want the same things no, we don’t know anything about each other. One of us could be lying. What’s easier to confront us and fight seven super-powered people? Or to wait for us to be distracted and happy and using the one thing to get us off this planet before destroying it and some of us with it, said Gabriel.”
No matter how much I hated him and how much we fought in the past I couldn’t help at least agreeing with some of the stuff Gabriel said. The only people I trust are Annabelle and James. Even Toni, I have my trust issues with after he sided with Zadok. I opened my mouth to Tell Gabriel on the parts I agreed with him about when the floor started to shake and give away. I tried to grab on to something; it was too late, I plummeted into a giant hole in the floor.
I rolled a chunk of metal off my leg and looked for Gabriel and Reuben.
“Gabriel, Reuben, where are you? Can you hear me?” I screamed. Once again, no one answered me, and I truly felt alone. My thought drifted to Gabriel’s words about sabotage and people. How well do I really know anyone really? All it would take is to lie to me from the start and then continue lying.
Great as if my trust issues were not bad enough.
I was jolted out of my thoughts once more when I saw a bright orange and red flames filling a hallway up ahead. Even though the fire stood yards away I felt the flames an
d embers heating my skin from where I stood.
“Catalyst! Catalyst, please help me! She is stuck!” Some screamed from near the fire, I shielded my face with my makeshift sling and approached the flames. I could barely see Agatha trapped behind the wall of flames. The fire racing towards her. Gabriel has been the one screaming. He and Reuben were trying to pry a flame covered girder away from the base of the fire
I tried to wrap my good arm around the girder. The metal burned my skin, and I jerked away. Agatha’s face red from screaming. “Please help me I don’t want to die,” Agatha screamed through her tears. She stomped at the base of the flames to extinguish it.
Gabriel freaked out and blasted black acid back and forth. Gabriel Laid back against the wall, exhausted. Reuben and I slumped to the floor trying to catch our breath.
BOOM. Aloud burst shot through the room, and my eardrums rang. I saw the black acid that covered the floor catching fire and the room was set ablaze. The blast shot is backward and slammed me into a far wall. Reuben laid unconscious on the floor. My eyes clouded with thick black smoke. I felt it deep into my nostrils and cake itself in my lungs. I tried to cover my mouth to block out the smoke. The stench burned my throat, and smoke stung my eyes. I covered my head. I could barely see through the translucent garb. The flames spread faster and faster. It traveled up Gabriel’s leg, and his flesh burned. Between the pain and the smoke Gabriel passed out. I still could not reach him. I tried to run across the room; the Flames blocked most of the path. I hoped and prayed that Annabelle, James and the others were alright. I smelt the flames eating away at Gabriel I knew I had to do something I began to walk into the fire before I took a few steps the heat was in bearable.
Agatha awoke and panicked. She screamed and screamed for help.
“Catalyst! You must help him! He’s going to die; I’ve grown to love him! I need him!”
The fire had burned more-of Gabriel. His singeing Hyde burned slower than flesh. I tried to rush the fire once more. I was knocked down to my butt I laid on the floor exhausted bullet sized beads of sweat ran down my forehead.
“No, I won’t let you die!” Agatha screamed as she threw her hands into the fire as if she could claw her way to Gabriel. Dirt, sand, and mud began to spurt from Agatha’s hands. The sand doused the flames. The fire was extinguished, and the room turned pitch black.
We wrapped Gabriel’s feet and ankles as best as we could with what we had on hand, which was not much, mere scraps of cloth from our suits and packed the wounds with handfuls of Agatha’s mud.
We rested for a long time until we regained some of our strength, and then we went to investigate the ship’s damage further.
Gabriel was dazed awake he had one arm wrapped around my shoulder and the other wrapped around Agatha’s. Reuben finally awoke, and he took point. We walked through the near pitch-black room. The only light emitted from Reuben’s ring. A dark green glow highlighted his path.
Reuben placed his palm flat against the metal. It liquefied and oozed to the floor.
I felt a cold shiver run down my spine, and I stepped into the next room.
“How far do you guys think we are from the engine room?” Agatha asked.
I had stared at Reuben’s ring for a long time before responding.
“Agatha it is dark in here, I don’t know where we are or how far away the engine room is, or the others are, I think we should follow Reuben and meet up with the others first,” I said
Agatha had turned to complain when we were blinded by the lights. I covered my eyes with my free hand at the same time I scanned the room for whoever or whatever had returned the light.
“Catalyst! What the hell happened, I’m out for a couple of hours, and you find and crazy the ship.” Said, James. I slid Gabriel onto Reuben’s shoulder and ran over to James. Sliding my hand across James' palm and pulling his arm and body close to mine and squeezing him tight.
“Damn I missed you, man, you have no idea; we went through some crazy stuff, and I am afraid it is beginning,” I said.
James took a glance around the room and into the next room that was completely scorched and burned. I looked all of us up and down, examining our wounds.
“Catalyst, I missed you to bro you have no idea, I thought I was dead man, thanks for having my back. Hey, you still kind of suck, though.” Said, James
He let out a big hearty laugh and decked my shoulder we walked forward once again. Looking back to make sure we didn’t leave anything usable behind.
James and I took the lead, the others followed behind. We walked for what felt like an eternity, each minute passing slower and slower. We checked the hallway after hallways. Aside from the minor scuff or dent everything seemed to be fine. No cut wires, no other fires, no blaring alarms. Sadly, there was also no sign of the others. As much as I hated Zadok I hoped Toni and Annabelle had made their way to him. They would be able to keep each other safe.
“I know you’re worried about her; she is strong and a badass I’m sure she is alright. If anything, she is probably taking care of Toni and Zadok,”
I laughed a little bit and smirked before responding.
“I’m sure you’re right, James, the thing is, and I don’t ever worry about anything. We have been on this crazy-ass planet for months, and I’ve never worried once. Annabelle I am worried about right now.” I said as I ran my fingers through my hair and down the back of my head.
A loud metallic echo emanated from under our feet.
“Hey Reuben, think you can make me a peep hole?” Reuben bens down and dragged his fingers across the floor; two little holes appeared on the floor. I heard the slow trickle as a small amount of liquefied metal seeped to the floor below.
I crouched down to my knees and placed my eye against the newly made hole. Several pieces of complex machinery laid on the floor below. Reuben scooted over to enlarge the hole. He places his hand on the floor; nothing happened. He had been using it a lot the last couple of days. His body is probably worn out.
“It’s ok Reuben you’ve been doing absolutely great I really appreciate everything you’ve done for us; Toni would be proud,” I said before nodding and placing my hand on his shoulder. Reuben cracked a slight smile before returning to Gabriel and Agatha.
“Well, only one thing left to do then,” James said as he gently ran his 3D printed arm’s ring across his palm for the first time in a long time. He crafted a blood battle axe and raised it above his head bringing the thick blade down into the floor. After several chops a crude opening was cut into the floor. The hole was big enough for me to fit through. James and Reuben Each grabbed onto the battle-ax and they lowered me down to the floor below.
Instantly the smell of crude fuel filled my nostrils.
“James, you Dumbass you’re lucky you didn’t send sparks into the fuel and blow us all up,” I said. Before he got a chance to answer what I saw startled me more than anything. Now I knew why we had crashed and why Annabelle and Toni’s perfect plan messed up. Someone had sabotaged it; someone had sabotaged us. Sprawled along the far wall was the eighteen-inch-thick fuel lines that connected the Fuel tank to the engine. All four of them were completely cut through, and the Engine had been completely covered in Fuel.
Chapter thirteen
“Catalyst, Is that you? Can you get this girder off me before I drown in this synthetic fuel? “A voice said from the corner. I peered over and saw Zadok trapped. For once I saw that his cocky and full of himself attitude had subsided, and only his fear remained.
“Zadok, I could leave you here and all those mutinies and the team division. The different views and plans would be gone. Why would I pass that up?”
Zadok’s eyes grew large, and he clawed at the amulet at his chest. His hands clenched tightly at the chain.
“Catalyst, you have to save me because that’s what you do; you think you’re a hero. In fact, you’re obsessed with it, with discussing it. You need it because it’s all you have. The thing that pushes you is being a hero. You�
�ll save me for the same reason why you didn’t want to use those dead bodies,” Said Zadok.
I grabbed at the girder and tried to move it enough for Zadok to get free. I thought about what he had said, and I knew he was right. If I didn’t save him, then everything, I believed was a lie. If you don’t choose to do what you said you believe, then you never really stood for anything.
I kicked my legs frantically as the fuel level rose, and fuel poured from the cut open pipes.
My mind started to spin, and it was as if the room got smaller and smaller.
I pulled at the beam it would not budge. Out of nowhere, big arms wrapped around the beam next to mine, and we budged the beam enough for Zadok to wiggle free.
The fuel level did not stop. I felt it rose higher and higher, and I had to close my mouth tightly as the crude oil began to agitate my nose.
The liquid-filled my nose, and I had struggled to move my legs to propel myself higher. James, Zadok, and I tried to scream they were muffled by the liquefied oxygen and hydrogen, the liquid entered my mouth and burned my throat.
A thunderous sawing sound came below me; I tried to swim out of the way; it was almost impossible to swim in the chemically crude fuel.
THUD. A portion of the floor gave away and dropped to the level below us. The fuel escaped through the hole in the floor. We went from floating and being pushed against the ceiling as we drowned to being dropped and slammed into the floor. My hip crunched and popped after I stood up. Every step I took shot pain down my leg,
“Stop moving, or so help me. I will cut you from scalp to heel, then peel you like an orange,” said a voice from the corner.
A thin blade was pushed across my throat. Blood dripped down my neck and pooled between my collar bones. My hand flung back, and my fingers found the neck of the man behind me. I injected a minuscule dose of poison from the hooded pitohui bird. He collapsed and fell to the floor at my feet.
Journey to a darker world Page 10