The Other Earth - Derek Schumacher (good novels to read .TXT) 📗

eyes slowly became bloodshot, the sweat burning his vision. The skin of his body slowly beginning to pale from the increasing anxiety, his blood going crazy. He wouldn't let them have their way, he wouldn't fall victim, like all those that were taken before him. He made it this long, he was going to make it last. No monsterous shadow creatures would drag him down, not tonight, not ever.

The man gritted his teeth, the two shades raising their hands and staring at him, their empty eyes piercing through his mind. Suddently, the visions began to appear once again. They somehow broke through the pain that he had inflicted on himself, which meant he needed to do more than that. He sliced into his arm again, the blood beginning to pour out, Neil gasping from the shock. It was a lot of blood, but he would be alright, he swore it to himself.

Then, he noticed the area around him growing darker, the fire having died down some. He quickly turned and stuck more fuel into it, the last of what he had to use. The wind howled around him, the growls and noises of the shades seeming to be all around him. The two just stood there, motionless.

As Neil faced away from the fire, he heard something. Something almost like a whisper, right behind him. He was going to turn around and swing his axe as hard as he could, but it was already too late for that. The fire was snuffed out, and everything went black. Neil was blind, alone, and terrified.

He began to scream, and swing his axe wildly in the air. He didn't know anything else to do, as there was nothing he could do. If he ran, he would get lost, and die. If he tried to fight, he might die. If he tried to escape with the water, he'd drown, and die. No matter what, it seemed the odds were stacked against him.

How did things go south so fast? Was he really powerless? Neil was only a human, a human who was being attacked by creatures much more powerful than anything he could imagine. And they were stalking their prey the whole time, waiting for a perfect moment to strike. And now they had him.

Suddently, Neil felt something on his back leg, and he turned around to look, shaking violently. There was a third shade, it's face looming over his shoulder, staring right at him, it's face only a few centimeters away. Then, without a chance to resist, the other two grabbed his arms. The man had no idea what to do. Should he scream, should he fight?

Then, they pushed him to the ground, and the axe fell from his grasp. The dark was so thick, he lost it instantly. He was defenseless, and was restrained. Then, the shades began to pull him towards the lake. Neil realised what was about to happen, and his mind was set into overdrive.

The man began to thrash and grunt, trying to break free from the grasp. The water edged closer and closer, soon Neil felt the cool liquid on his legs. It wouldn't be long before he was dragged into the drink. He tried to grab onto anything, the ground, a rock, anything at all. He didn't want to go like this, drowned in the very lake he sought to see all this time.

Tears welled in his eyes, and he began to sob. Everything around him was falling apart, he was going to lose everything. So many things he hadn't known, things he didn't understand. And it looked like he wasn't ever going to know them.

Instantly, the shades all pulled at the same time, and Neil flew into the water, going deeper, and deeper. The bubbles escaped from his nose and mouth, floating to the surface. He tried to struggle, to do something, to break free, to be able to survive. All this time, it was his only goal, to be able to live. To not die like all the others before him.

But it looks like all that hope, that will to live, was all for nothing. Because he was overpowered, and had nothing to fight back with. It was over, and he felt his lungs began to give way. Seconds ticked, slower and slower. His head began to shatter to what felt like a million pieces, his body growing freezing cold. The pressure of water pulled him lower and lower. Looking up, Neil saw the three shades watch him sink farther and farther into the lake. All the hope of living was gone, he couldn't do it anymore. It was over, He had lost. And to think he could have done anything at all. Slowly, the air within his lungs became no more, and his body began to crave oxygen, but there was nothing left. He began to take in water, his body filling with it. The last thing he heard, was the flowing of the liquid into his mind and heart, and drowning him, along with all his hopes and dreams. Neil's journey was over, ending at the bottom of the mountain lake.

Marcus

Good Morning, Today is September 30, 2118.

 

The last thing the man could remember was hitting the button, and watching the bright flash happen through the window. After that, he must have blacked out from the intense velocity. Who knows how long he had been out for, but he had finally awoken, his eyes slowly opening after a long time of being unconcious.

He remembered setting the course of the pod to the old planet, the one they were forced to leave. He needed to go back, to rescue him. He had nothing else to live for, after all. The rest of them were dead, and this was the only person he had close to him anymore. Besides, would anyone really miss him once he left?

Once the man regained full conciousness, he began to make his way to his feet, holding his head. His hair was in a mess, but that's how it usually is anyways. His big, bushy beard was tangled up, also not suprising. His clothes were a bit worn, but nothing too drastic. He still had his jumpsuit from the ship. Everyone had to wear one, to make sure they all knew who was who. To make sure, everyone got their own suit with their name on it.

Marcus Bright, that's who this man was. No mistaking it, especially since that's what his suit says. He had no problem remembering his past and himself, sadly though, he doesn't want to remember most of it. Filled with distressing memories, he wished he could go back and fix the things he had been too weak to do anything about.

But now, this was the best he could do. He was certain that his brother was still on this planet. The Other Earth, that's where he was. The place everyone left, yet it really wasn't everybody. Some people never made it, and on the ride upwards, people cried for loss of loved ones, and significant others, who hadn't made it on time.

Marcus had lost his family to the shadow creatures before they launched. His brother came with them on the ships, but he wasn't sure where he ended up. And it sure wasn't on the ships that left the planet, because he looked all over, contacted other ships, and everything he could think of. The only thing he had left was to use an escape pod to shoot himself back towards the Other Earth, and look for him himself. Thing was, with no family, besides his brother, there really wasn't anyone for him. There was no point in living, so it was worth it at least to see his brother again, and try to be the big brother he should have been all those years ago.

From what he last remembered, his brother was younger by a five year margin, which must mean he was thirty-five, as Marcus himself was fourty.

Now off of the ground, the man made his way towards the front of the escape pod, and looked out the window. He had landed during the time he was out of it, and seemed to have landed in some field somewhere. He pushed the door open, and slowly made his way out of the pod, looking around. 

Stepping on the grass covered ground, he noticed it was similar to short grass, the ones with the blades that could easily cut someone if they weren't careful. In the distance, he could see a giant mountain, and to the side, a decently sized river. Behind him, it looked like a large set of hills was strewn around the area. This sure didn't give many things to go off of. His brother could be anywhere, so where was he supposed to start?

Marcus strolled over to the river, scratching his beard, and looking up at the sky. He arrived at a pretty decent time, early morning. That would mean he would have plenty of time to search before nightfall. He gazed over at the river, and noticed something odd near the shore. There seemed to be a large stone slab laying on the grassy ground, and seemed to be laying over a hole.

The man peered inside the hole, to see ashes and remains of a fire. The stone slab also seemed to have plenty of burn marks on it, which meant that someone was either a pyromaniac, or attemping to have a barbacue. Either one didn't probably go very well, and whoever made it sure ditched it in questionable condition. Unless this is what it was supposed to look like, Marcus wasn't quite sure.

He would the look down the river, the way that lead into the woods, towards the mountain. Was this the direction he was supposed to go? He had no idea, but then again, if it wasn't, then he guessed he could come back and try the other way. Marcus got up from looking at the burned stone slab and began to make his way upstream.

When was the last time he even saw his brother? Must have been that day when they arrived. At least, he thought that was him. He might look completely different now, depending on how much time has passed, and his condition. Maybe he's grown a magnificent beard like him, or maybe not. Either one would work, because Marcus knew his beard would still be better.

While walking, he would continue to glance at the ground, the river, and the other side of the river. He wasn't exactly what kind of signs he would be looking for, or how long he would have to travel. But it didn't matter much, whatever it takes to find his brother and finally be able to be with him. His folks wouldn't ever let them be together once they got older, and left his brother behind. He wanted to do something, but his mother and father scared him. They even threatened to leave him behind too, and he was too weak to do something against them. Oh, how he wished he could go back and do the right thing, to help his brother.

After an hour or two of walking, Marcus began to notice what seemed to be faint