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The ground met the soles of your shoes so hard you swore it shuttered your shins. Like a wounded animal, you cried out and collapsed under the severe pain that shot up your legs. Your body tilted forward and landed hard on the leafy ground. You rolled over and gazed down at where the pain originated from. The skin smooth on your skins. You released a breath of relief and relaxed back on your hands. The pain was bad. Possibly a break, but at least the bones haven’t shifted.
Things slowed down. You gazed around your surroundings and furrowed your brows at what you found.
Forest. Large, towering trees with palm-like leaves casted shade over you and blocked out a bright sun. A forest? The last thing you remember is walking to your car at night after closing up the bar. Why were you in a forest? This must be a dread. A weird one. But, why would you feel the pain? In dreams, you shouldn’t feel pain or anything at all.
When the pain in your shins died down to a manageable level, you gingerly got to your feet. The heat was bearing down on you despite the trees blocking out the sun. Sweat collected on the right of your brow. You used the back of your hand to wipe it off. It was hot? It was winter back home. Why could you feel the heat? You shook your head in disbelief and continue to limp around. You were wanting to make sense of this whole thing.
Twigs and dead leaves crunched under your shoes. Heavy pants voice from your parted lips. The world around you was quiet, as if it held its own breath. Your brows furrowed. The unease that built in your stomach made your heart stutter. This wasn’t feeling like a dream anymore. It was starting to feel real. As if someone plucked you up that night and tossed you into the middle of a forest. But why?
Voices echoed through the trees. Your whole body froze for a moment. People? Ae you not alone out here? You painfully hobbled your way over towards the origin. Excitement pumped into your bloodstream.
Warm metal pressed against your temple. Everything in your body sputtered to a halt. You stopped in your tracks and swallowed down the growing lump in your throat. The metal was warm, like it had been tucked into someone’s waist band.
“Who tha’ fuck are you?” a feminine voice demanded and shoved the gun harder against your temple.
Fear petrified you. Your muscles refused to listen to at least try and save yourself from death. You find it in yourself to tell the woman your name first. “I-I don’t know where I am. All I remember is-is coming down in a parachute and meeting the ground. Pretty hard too. My legs hurt-“ you started to ramble from your building nerves.
She taps your temple. “¡Suficiente! I don’t need your life story.” The woman pauses then pulls the weapon away from your head. Relief flushed through you. “Sounds like you entered the same way we did, kiddo.” She tucks her gun into the waist band of her pants at the small of her back. “Nombres Valeria. Welcome to the team. Don’t die.”
Then, Valeria walks in the direction of the voices. For a moment, you hesitate. This could be a trap. You don’t know these people. You don’t know if this is real or fake. One put a gun to your head. But groups have a better chance at survival than you on your own. You take a deep breath and will your legs to move forward. The pain was manageable. You shadow after Valeria.
Past the black haired woman, you saw a small group of people huddled around a small fire with a pot over it. Water! Your parched mouth nearly watered if it could at the sight of fresh water. Warm but at least it was safe to drink.
Every single pair of eyes turned towards you. You froze mid step and winces at the pain that gave you. Six people, eight in total including yourself. You raised a hand and waved at the shaking a little.
“Hi?”
One man narrowed his dark gaze on you. “Seriously? Another mouth to feed? Do you have an skills, kid?” The man looked to be around thirty years old, but he didn’t have much to talk on about you to call you kid. You swallowed down the lump in your throat and shook your head. He groaned. “Get lost then. We don’t need someone useless taking up a spot and eating our sparse food.” You couldn’t help your flinch at his harsh, but true words.
“Si, Carlos is right but the more people we have, the better chance of survival… wherever we are,” Valeria said and nodded her head. Her black, bob-styled hair flowed with the movement. “I’d say… keep him.” Now, that surprised you. You expected to be thrown out with the wolves. Yet, Valeria became your savoir.
Carlos stood up fast. “Keep ‘im?! He’s not a damaged pet. We don’t need more people. Think smart about this!” Carlos argued, red in the face about this whole situation with you. “He’s a liability. He’s unskilled and injured. Don’t think I didn’t see you limping over here.” Carlos had set a firm look on your form.
Oh shit. The odds weren’t in your favor now. You had to think of something fast and convincible with them, mostly Carlos.
“At least let me stay for the night. I have no idea where I am, what’s happening, or why this is happening. It feels like a nightmare. And yes, I’m hurt. Please, let stay for the night,” you pleaded for any of them to have humanity in a situation like this. You saw them contemplate the two sides of the same coin for your situation. All you could do was pray for them to accept you.
They all glanced at each other. Some nodding, others shaking their head. It didn’t take long for the ‘yays’ to out weight the ‘nays’.
“There you go, Carlos. It’s been decided. The kid can stay,” Valeria proudly stated and strolled into their camp. You toed closer and received a deadly glare from Carlos and an unknown woman behind him. “Don’t mind him. He’s pissy I won.” You released a breath of relief and followed behind Valeria. Carlos’s dark eyes tracked every move you made. What was his problem?
Valeria lanced over her shoulder at you. “Come along, kiddo. Let’s get you some water.” The woman led you to a pot that had been on the fire not that long ago. “Give it a couple of minutes before you drink from it. Okay?” You nodded your head and sat down by the fire.
Night had fallen quickly. The only source of light was the fire. Heat of the day and swiftly turned cold. Everyone huddled close to the fire. Some had taken their turn for sleep, napping away in peace. They had offered to you to take this turn to sleep but with the way Carlos kept his eyes on you. You didn’t trust him. He could come stab you in the back or slit your throat while you slept. You played it safe and stayed up with Carlos and another person. You poked at the fire with a stick, stirring up the embers to keep the fire blazing.
“So, how long have you guys been here?” You questioned, curious about their situation. They seem to be more established for being here less than a day.
Carlos doesn’t entertain your question. The other man, shaved head with pale skin and a few freckles, spoke up instead. “What we estimate a week. This… place is different. The time isn’t the same like a home. Twenty-four hours isn’t twenty-four hours here. Wherever he are,” he answered but didn’t quell your curious or, now, fear.
“Hold up. Are you trying to say we’re not on earth?” That couldn’t be what he was saying, implying. He must’ve gotten into some the local fauna and it made him crazy. Or, he’s just trying to fuck with you.
“Yes, he is,” Carlos finally grumbled out. “We aren’t on earth and we’re being hunted too.”
Hunted?! Not on earth?! “Okay, stop it. Stop fucking with me. I just want to know what’s going on. Seriously.” It was getting frustrating that they kept messing with you as the new person of the group.
Suddenly, Carlos stood up. A dangerous look in his eyes that flipped to fear. He stumbled back, dark eyes looking at something behind you. Goosebumps raised your skin. Every muscle in your body tensed up.
“We’re under attack!” Carlos shouted to alert everyone. You felt the eyes of a predator pinned to your frame. Run, your brain told you. Run!
You got off the log and sprinted away as fast your legs could go. No one tried to stop you, too worried by the other predators that hunted them. Your legs pumped and pushed you through the jungle you had been trapped in. Your heart pounded wildly in your chest.
Think of something! Survival is all you could think of. Surviving this encounter and return back to that group. Carlos hadn’t lied to you. There was something hunting them. Something dangerous.
Your foot caught on a root and sent your body fling forward. Your face slammed into the ground first before you went heel over head and landed on your back with a grunt. A presence toward over you. A gasp escaped your mouth. You noticed a little cervices to your right in the base of a tree and ground. The panic in your body had you rolling over to the cervices and slipping right in.
The air you once occupied two milliseconds ago were clawed through. You felt the faintest whoosh that grazed your forearm. You tucked yourself as far into the cervices only to realize it was a tunnel system. Something reached through the hole again and tried to grab at you. The arm or hand was invisible but you could see the slightest distortion despite the darkness around you. You take your chance with the tunnel and slipped in deeper to escape the monster. The entrance was a bit of a squeeze at first but found it opened up after five feet. Your hands feel around the space and feel how large the area was. If you had to make an educated guess, you thought this to be an abandoned den. Perfect for you to hide out in.
With your back to a wall, you sat down to finally catch your breath. All of your limbs ached from the frantic scrambling you had to do, finding a place that seemed safe even though you couldn’t see a single inch inside of it. At least that creature couldn’t reach you down here.
Yet, the longer you sat there, the heavier your eyes got. Exhaustion settled over you. A yawn broke over your features. A couple of tears pooling in your eyes. Your head lolled back to the wall with a small thump. No matter how hard you fought it, you couldn’t ward off the tiredness. Your eyes shut on their own before you passed out from exhaustion.
Your whole body jolted when you woke up. Light blinded you at first. Until your eyes adjusted and noticed light was coming from the entrance of the den. It was day again. How long had you slept for?
Now that there was light in here, you used it to take a better look at the den.
Not entirely spacious but enough to call it a temporary home. Until you could figure out how to go back home. Because you were going to go home. That was far damn sure.
Something caught your attention. Your gaze narrowed on the items close by and tensed up at the sight. This wasn’t the first someone had used this as a hidey hold.
A few survival tools were laid out, collecting dust. For however along since their last owner had held them. At least there was a canteen. You picked it up and was relieved at the fact it had water. It was unknown if the water was clean but at least there was water. In the pile included a shovel, a tin blanket that’d keep you warm, a compass, rope, and climbing gear. All stuff you can keep and use in the situation you’ve been thrown into. You also found a Firestarter, a pot, and a filter straw.
This was a jackpot for immediate survival. You slowly, carefully climbed out of your hidey hole. An eye was kept on your surroundings while you got to your feet.
Nothing immediate jumped out to attack. There was no feeling of a predator watching you. Thankfully. So, you took what tools and gear you had to venture a little and start to set up traps. Anything to protect yourself from whatever was following you.
A few hours later with the two suns high in the sky, you finished up the traps. You had to become a bit creative with some of fauna you found. Including a plant that’ll puff up when touch or another that’ll explode and send yellow powder everywhere. It doesn’t seem to affect you but could get like a distraction though.
You go back to the entrance to admire your work that you’ve put into the place. It should at least do something to the predator. That’s what you could only hope for.
Eyes were locked onto you. Your muscles locked up. It was here! As much as you wished to hide away in your den, you were going to use yourself as bait for the creature. You kept your feet glued to the ground, and swallowed thickly at the lump that grew in your throat. Though, you couldn’t see it, you felt its heavy, deadly gaze on you. Your hand trembled at your sides so you turned them into fists. It did little to quell the fear in your body.
“Kiddo,” Valeria called out. Yet, it didn’t feel right. You take a step back but refused to take another. “Come along, kid.” A recording. It was a recording of Valeria and the things she’d said to you yesterday. That freaked you completely out. You shake your head. This wasn’t Valeria.
This was a nightmare come true.
The presence grew closer. Straight towards traps. You noticed the shimmer of a humanoid figure about thirty yards away from you. Your whole body tensed up at the sight. This wasn’t that walked on all fours. What was this thing? Your heart stuttered, scared of the fact it had a human shape. But the height… It wasn’t a person.
An… alien? Call you crazy but because of where you were, the things you’ve seen, you had to include that it could be on alien. Everything you’ve seen, it had made sense. An alien while on an alien planet. Fucking weird. But why was it hunting you? What could it get off of you? Certainly, the humanoid figure had some sort of intelligence.
Somehow you stood tall and raised your head high. “Come on, fucker! Come after me,” you shouted at it and thumped a hand on your chest with a grunt. You wanted it to come, to come after you without thinking. So it would attack and get stuck in one of your traps.
The shape grew closer. It’s foot stepping into the snare. The rope went taunt around it’s ankle. The heavy log you had hoisted into a tree come crushing down… only to stop when the rope went taunt around it’s ankle. The weight of the figure greatly out weighed the log. Then, the exploding plant went off in front of it. The figure was doused in yellow powder, covering it head to toe in the powder.
The powder revealed the creatures shape. It had a human shaped body besides it’s head. Even with the powder, your brain couldn’t put together what its face was. But, it wasn’t human. That was for sure.
Your lips pressed together, tightly. The sight of it covered in plants pollen, had you choking back on a laugh though. That was absolutely hilarious as it stood there with the rope taunt around it’s ankle. It’s eyes were staring you down. You could feel the heated glare. That was the only thing holding you back from bursting out in laughter.
There was a glint of something unsheathing from its arm. The hiss of a blade sliding free. Your whole body locked up. It swung the blade swiftly through the air and sliced straight through your rope. The log comes crashing down to the ground next to it. The figure doesn’t flinch.
Oh. Shit.
Yous pun around and went to scramble into the safety of your hole. The back of your neck was grabbed and pinned to the tree you’d call home. A broken gasp left your cracked lips. It’s hand tightened. A warm body pressed against your own. Deep growls rolled off of its chest, vibrating through whole from. You struggled and attempted to push off of the tree with your legs. But the creature easily outweighed you. It had you officially pinned to the tree with no chances of escape.
“Nothing but trouble… you arm.” Two different voices whispered into your ear. Its fingers twitched around your neck. “A prize… I would – keep.” What was it trying to tell you?
“P-prize? Are you going to keep me as a prize?!” you gasped and squirmed against the unseen body. It was like a ghost was holding you down. A whimper sounded from your throat. “I’m not something to be won!” You couldn’t believe this.
Muffled clicking sounded right next to your ear. Instinct drove you to tense up again. “My prize… to claim. My pet.” A pet?! You strained against the iron hold on you. “Stay with me. Alive. Fed.” It thought that would convince you to willingly keep you as a pet? The figure must be all brawn and no brain to be acting like this.
Then, your body was ripped off the tree and sacked over a broad shoulder. All the air in your lungs was pushed out with a low ‘oof’. Whatever kept it invisible started to ripple away like a retreating wave. You gasped at the dark, scaly back. Reptilian? Your hands pushed off of his said back, shocked at the smooth scales under your hands. It was unlike anything you’ve felt before.
An arm locked over your hips and pinned you flush to a muscular shoulder. You swallowed down the lump in your throat and gazed over your shoulder at its head.
This thing was definitely an alien. The long tentacle strands of possible hair that came from its head was number one indicator. The scales were two. The size was three. But from this angle, you couldn’t see the face. Just the edges of what looked like a mask made from metal.
“Mine.” The creature that looked male began to carry you through the jungle. It stepped over every trap you’d set up for him. He keeps you pinned to him. No matter what you did, he refused to let you go. He was serious about making you his pet.
Something in the air changed. The muscles in your back locked up. Though, you couldn’t see where he was taking you, you noticed the change from the jungle to a camp-like area. One that’s been here for some time from the amount of bones and hides they’ve collected. You shuddered at the sight. Was that what he meant for you to be his ‘pet’? Your heart dropped to your stomach.
He tosses your body onto your feet. The orientation change made you unbalanced. The figure steadies you with a hand around your bicep. He’s taken you to the entrance of a primitive tent that’s decorated with bones and pelts. You whimpered, believing he was going to add you to his collection. The alien drags you into the tent.
It’s not huge in here. Just a simple, primitive bed, and a wooden chest close to the door. He takes a knee in front of it and opens the lid. That one hand is still wrapped around your bicep while he dug around in the chest. It seems like he found what he looking for and pulled it free from the chest.
A rope… and collar hang from his hand. What? He was going to leash you like-like a pet. You clawed at the large hand holding onto your bicep. There wasn’t even a chance to even pry a single finger. The alien easily overpowered you with a single hand.
“Please no! Don’t. Don’t leash me. I’m not some kind of pet! I refuse to be your stupid pet,” you shouted at him and even went as far to kick his shin. The tip of your shoe hit his shin and bounced off. He wore metal shin guards. You cursed at the paint that earned you. “Fucker and his armor.”
One moment, you’re standing and the next, you’re on your back. The large, heavy alien was straddling your torso. His strong thighs pinning your arms to your side. You tried to shimmy your way free, but he had a tight hold on you. He brings the collar to your neck and clicks it around your neck.
Damnit!
He stands back up with the gel-like chain in his hand. You stayed lying down for a few moments in defeat. Your hands come up to the collar and tried to unlatch it, to tug it off. But the thing was on there snug and locked up. You gazed up at the alien and tensed up at the emotionless metal mask staring down at you. Terrifying.
Finally, you timidly got up to your feet. He goes over to one of the large rib bones being used to keep the tent up and ties the end of the leash to the bone. A button was pressed on his gauntlet before he stepped over to you. His hand pinched your chin between two fingers and forced you to look up at him.
“Stay… I’ll bring food… water,” he voiced by using recordings he somehow has of people. You solemnly blinked up at him. He grunts with a couple of muffled clicks before leaving you alone in his tent. A few seconds past before you rushed over to where he tied you off at. Your hands touched the rope only to yelp in pain. Electricity denied you your freedom. A snarl tore at your features. You tried again but the shocks about knocked you on your ass.
Frustrated, you stomped over to the entrance and peered out. The leash long enough for you to see your freedom. You scanned your surroundings. There was a lot of bones used either as décor or a warning. You take another step at the end of your leash. Only to gasp.
In the middle of the camp was Verlia and Carlos chained to a tree. Their arms tied above their and forced them onto their tippy toes. They were beaten and bloodied. You tugged on your leash but the material wasn’t budging. Their chests rose and fell though, telling you they were at least alive. But… being alive in this case was probably worse than death.
“Valeria, Carlos!” you whispered-shouted, trying to be loud enough they could hear you but nothing else could. Because you knew there was more then one that night. The two other tents confirmed that suspicion.
Valeria moved first with a pained groan. Her eyes opened… or one did. The other was swollen shut. Valeria squints in your direction before her only good eye snaps wide. “Kid?” she hoarsely called to you. The sound of her voice louder than you liked. “How are alive? What are you doing here? Get out!”
Her eyes widened even further. “Behind you!” Little did she knew it was for too late for you too.
A hand cupped the undersides of your jaw and tilted it back to look at him. Fully exposing the silver collar and green-blue gel leash attached to it. He guides you back into his tent afterwards and closed the flap, blocking out the jungle. You stopped when his hand let go and bowed your head. Your hands tugged with each other in front of you.
“What are you going to do with them?” you asked timidly and looked at him.
He sits down in the middle of what looked to be his be on the ground. One of hands were closed into a fist, while the other carried some sort of sack with a liquid in it. The water sack was set down. The alien snags the leash and tugs you over to him. You trip over your feet and barely catch yourself in time.
“Kill. Their… skulls… will be added… to our collection.” He motions over to one side of his tent.
Skulls. Lots of them being human were stacked up. You gasped and backpedaled from. He snags your leash again before you could get too far away.
“Wait, please! No!” you pleaded and dug your heels into the ground. But he easily overpowered you. You’re tugged all the way over to him despite your thrashing and fighting. He pulls you into his lap. One arm wraps around your waist and locks you against him. Your fight leaves quicker this time, your exhaustion catching up. You slowed to a stop and slumped in his hold.
The hand that’s closed to your mouth. He somehow slips a piece of whatever is in his hand into your mouth. You tried to spit out but realized it was meat. Food. He was feeding you. You chewed on the cooked meat and swallowed it down. It was a decent, unseasoned piece of meat. It made your stomach growled fiercely.
He opens his hand and shows you the jerky he offers. Despite all that you’ve been through, hunger gnawed at our stomach. One arm is allowed to slip out. You pick up a piece of jerky and toss it into your mouth. It doesn’t take long for all the pieces he brought you to be consumed. Your stomach still ached food but you didn’t want to beg for more. This was humiliating as it is.
Next, the alien offers you the sack of liquid. You untie the strand of string and peer inside. Water or something clear and scentless. You pour the liquid into your mouth and nearly cried at the fact it was water. The sack was large as you began to guzzle it down.
A growl came from the creature behind you. He snatches the bag back. You tried to follow it but it’s kept out of reach.
“Do not… overfill… yourself.,” he warned and placed the bag to the side. That surprised. Since it sounded like he cared about you.
Your body sagged in defeat. He puts the top of your head but it doesn’t help. “You’ll get more, later.” But you wanted it now. A sigh left your lips.
When a moment of silence entered the air, you broke it. “What is your name? What are you going to do with me?” Your voice lost it’s hoarse, broken edge.
“Keep you.” He stops though. You can feel him thinking before he acted.
Both of his arms pull away from you and reach for the mask covering his face. You shifted in his lap o watch him tug two hoses off of the side. Pressurized air hisses out. His large hands cup the mask and gaze a small yank. It came off into his hands. He pulls away the mask.
His features were quick to tell you he’s an alien through and through. You gasped and leaned away from him. Monster. Those sharp teeth and mandibles were meant to tear and kill. This was a hunter, predator. You swallowed down the lump in your throat and wanted to crawl away from him. Somehow, you found the strength to stay still. Or maybe it was your fear.
“What… are you?” you asked, disgust in your voice.
The mask was set to the side. He clicks and chitters to you. In a language you didn’t know. That’s when the realized hits you. “Oh, you can’t speak my language and use the mask,” you stated out loud. He nods his head then points to himself.
“Meknoy,” he said in his language. It must be his name. You try it on your tongue. The name isn’t entirely smooth, but you at least tried. He nods again.
“Okay, that’s your name. What about what you are?”
“Yautja.” You blinked a couple of times.
“Okay then.” You looked back at your lap and played with your hands. “Since you’re going help me.” For now. “What’s my purpose to you?” He’s keeping you for a reason. You’d like to know what for.
His mandibles twitched while in thought. At first, it looked like he was going to try and answer. Then he shook his head. Meknoy lifts you out of his lap and stands up. His large frame moves over to an armor stand and starts to peel off his armor. Either he’s confident no one will attack their camp or everyone besides Carlos, Valeria, and yourself are dead. The three of you were the last ones to survive such an attack.
Meknoy pels off the last pit of his armor goes to the tent entrance. Without his mask, communication was harder. He makes eating motions with his hands and points at you. You dipped your head when you understood what he was trying to say. Then, he take his leave out of his tent and left you alone.
Your head whipped to the mask and water sack. Though defeated in your eyes, you will find a way to free yourself from this hell. You’ll free Carlos and Valeria as well and show Carlos you do have usefulness. Plans begin to fly around in your head. You will get free.