Ground Zero
“Jamie…your eyes…they’re turning yellow. Just tell me, how do you feel?”
“…hungry…” Her hand reached out, almost shooting for him, though she clutched her wrist with her free arm, yanking it back just before she could slash at his chest with her hands.
Hands, that were now developing lengthy, black talons to tip her fingers.
“Steve….I think I see why there are no Augments…” She forced those words out, as she rose up, and backstepped slowly, sinking into the water, up until her torso was all that remained out. Doing so, amazingly, allowed her mind to clear just enough for those thoughts to reduce in intensity…she found the source.
Ground Zero.
“It’s the Gateway…it’s what makes the Augments go feral; go savage! It’s what’s causing all of this!”
“…Jamie…what are you saying?”
“I’m saying…I can’t go. I get close to that thing, I’ll snap…and try to kill you. And let’s face it, I will. You’re gonna have to go alone.”
“B-But…we came all this way together—”
“And I’m seein’ you got a helluva lot more reasons to survive this shit than I do…so go. Go before I lose my fucking mind! Because believe me, it’s hard as fucking hell to keep these thoughts down…all say to eat you.” Her willpower was slackening…she was losing it. But, she could see Steve’s face reluctantly contort from overwhelming grief, to fierce determination.
“Jamie, you will not be forgotten…and I’ll get help. I’ll get people to come back with me…and we’ll end this entire place.”
“Good…so…just go. Find the fucks who did this, and smash their fucking teeth in. And then, come back with a way to fix this…one and for all. ” She watched him turn his back…and the man started to walk away. Moments later, she watched the emerald pillar glow blindingly, before dimming back to normal; the best way to assure to her that Steve was gone, and that he had made it out safely. She was torn between many emotions…many things…but one reigned above them all.
This was the only way. He could get the answers she wanted, and he could bring them all back, so she could be free.
But, deep down, Jamie didn’t want freedom…she didn’t even want to go back to her old life. She was happy; happier than she could ever be, hunting the other Augments and dominating this strange and cruel land. If he never came back, she’d think nothing of it…for this was how it was meant to be.
Now, she could go back and hunt, in her Hunting Grounds…she owed those bird Augments a visit, to savor their flesh and see how their blood tasted.
Written by AGhostInTheMachine on 30 March 2018
The end (for now)