Monsters of Men

It was impenetrably dark and the only audible sound was that of the soft hum resonating from the electric lights streaming down the corridor ceiling like the dividing lines of a common Earth street. It was the sixteenth night since the arrival. If it weren't for the tally that had been carved into the wooden panels on the floor there would have been no means of remembering just how long it had been since the bizarre dream had begun. No - since we had been taken into hell itself. I remember the arrival - it still doesn't seem quite real to me. There were fifteen of us to begin with; complete strangers from worlds and times I never knew existed. Even though we all looked human (more or less) there were clear signs that not all of us hailed from Earth; sword wielding medieval and ancient warriors of worlds that sounded like something from a children's book; abnormally tall and short (by human standards) people that came from places that I still cannot quite comprehend to this day; people with complexions of blue and orange; people with three eyes and no eyes (yet completely unhindered by their lack of sight), and people from various centuries from my own world - Earth.
         A young man named James with short black hair that reached for the sky in short soft spikes was the only one I ever really met. The others were a young girl, possibly twelve or thirteen in age, who should never have seen battle in her life, yet fate had cruelly taken her to possibly the worst battlefield of all. Her fate was a cruel matter and I am ashamed I couldn't save her. I never even knew her name, and now I never will. The other came from a world unlike the Earth I have ever known. His knowledge far exceeded anyone's of my time, which I can only conclude must mean he was from a future version of Earth due to his knowledge of history of my time and before and after, as well as his understanding of technology which far exceeded the capabilities of my time. He was one of the first to turn. His desire to live was something inhuman. His resolve to survive was barbaric and his tactics monstrous. It was he that was responsible for that poor girl's death. She was so young; so innocent and pure... her eyes shined a crystalline green as life left her. A small trickle of blood escaped her small pink lips and slowly drizzled down her chin. I was heart broken to see her in so much undeserved pain when all she wanted was the safety of her mother's arms. I couldn't bring myself to heave her tiny, fragile, doll-like body off the pike that had been thrust into her back and through her chest. Her pretty white dress turned black from the immense blood loss she suffered from the wound. She was so young; so innocent and pure with a kindness that was cruelly destroyed in my arms. One moment she was the only light that helped people see the way and the next that light was extinguished. I will never forgive him, but I felt so helpless; I couldn't even explain to her parents what happened because she didn't exist in my time.
         James removed his pistol from his holster, counting the remaining rounds in his current clip.
         "How many?" I asked.
         "Not enough if Nyves decides to make an example of us like he did the girl." he sighed. I opened my mouth in unease and looked away.
         "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I know how grieved you were about that incident. If you need-"
         "I don't need to talk about it. We just need to stop Nyves and make sure to fulfill our mission if we're ever going to make it home." my tone was sombre and despondent. I wasn't in the frame of mind to talk tactics and I didn't particularly want to get into another fight at that moment.
         "Get some sleep. I'll take the first watch. I'll wake you at 1:30. The lights shouldn't attract anything particularly dangerous, possibly just some minors, but I'll make sure to wake you if it gets bad."
         I laid down and closed my heavy eyes. My dream was nothing new - just a replay of the arrival. Fifteen complete strangers appear in a strange world that is comprised of parts of each of their respective worlds all collated together in an amalgamation world. A small white cat-like creature appeared in front of us and smiled a sickeningly cute and sweet smile as its immense tail moved back and forth in a slow, irregular pattern. I never trusted that "cat" for a moment. It spoke in a sweet and high voice, like a child.
         "Welcome. My name is Mercurio. Allow me to explain everything to you. This place is a composite world of each of your own worlds combined together. This world has no official name, though many who have passed through here have given their own colourful nicknames in order to explain this place such as: Never Land, the Nothing, the Void, the Other Side, Purgatory, the list goes on. There is another name that it has been called, several different names that I believe mean the same thing, however, that's not important. You need to know what this place is and how and why you came here so I'll tell you that instead. Basically this place is exactly as the names have suggested - it's a land of nothing and anything that cannot be defined or explained completely to anyone or anything. Does that make sense?" no one answered so it continued.
         "Well, you were brought here to fight and defeat the monsters that plague this world. Until you have defeated all of them you cannot leave. It is impossible. Now, what do I mean when I say "monsters"? I mean simply the beasts and foul creatures that shouldn't be allowed to exist. They come in all shapes and sizes, in all forms and colours. You'll recognise a monster when you see it because there are no other living creatures in this world except for all of you and myself, and no, I am not a monster. I am simply the one that brought you all here to defeat the monsters. Although, there are several things I should warn you about. If you die here you are indeed dead and shall remain so no matter what. Secondly, if you do not partake in fighting the monsters then, should someone else manage to defeat them all, you will be unworthy of leaving this place and will stay here forever. Thirdly, you must make use of the tools and weapons and equipment on offer strewn throughout this world if you are to defeat the monsters before they defeat you. However, with this task and your decision about using what is on offer, you are at constant risk of becoming monsters yourselves and with more time, greater use of the tools at your disposal, and any moral, mental, or emotional degradation during your time here you will become replacements to those you defeat so... Good luck and happy hunting. Be careful and cautious in your decisions of what to use, how much, and when for that may be the difference between freedom and metamorphosis. Although, I should warn you, no one has successfully survived and escaped this world without either dying or becoming a monster so... Perhaps you'll be the first to break that record."
         "You said this place had been called another name before. What name was that?" asked one of the many new arrivals.
         "Oh, didn't I tell you? Possibly the most popular name this place has been called is-"
         "Andy, wake up! Wake up! We're under attack!" came the distinct sound of James's voice. I jerked awake and sat bolt upright. Sure enough there was James shooting and batting away, with the grip of his pistol, a horde of small gremlins. I took a small grenade from my supply bag and hastily removed the pin before impulsively throwing it out the window. I lunged for James and pulled him down onto the floor away from the window before a deafening explosion and a miniature earth quake caused the room to slightly collapse around us. Curled up holding each other we slowly opened our eyes to see the extent of the damage and survey any remaining threat. For a moment I was lost in the situation I had found myself - inches away from the handsome face of a young man, holding tightly onto him whose arms were also wrapped around me. My heart was palpitating, but that could have just been the adrenaline caused by the sudden attack and the impulsive explosion. His eyes stared into my own and he looked pensive as if there was something his eyes were trying to say that his lips could never express or even attempt to utter. His lips parted oh so slightly and he continued to stare into my eyes. I didn't dare move out of sheer shock of everything. We heard nothing stirring outside and continued to lie in silence. As I lay there, uncertain that I was even breathing, I felt his breath leave his mouth and enter my own. My heart raced faster and faster. I still attempted to rationalise its palpitation as a result of the recent and sudden activity, though I knew that I was merely deluding myself.
         "Andy." he breathed out suddenly. He moved one of his hands clutching my back and placed it gently on my cheek. He caressed my face gently and longingly. He began to lean in closer, inch by inch, towards me and suddenly the gap between us had all but disappeared.
         "Thank you." he said as our noses had finally made contact.
         "For what?" I asked, puzzled.
         "For being with me all this time. Thank you for being someone I could trust with my life."
         "That's what I should be saying. I would never have made it this far without you."
         "Believe it or not, but neither would I... without you." again, our eyes met and we finally saw what our eyes concealed and our lips couldn't utter. As we both slowly closed our eyes and we tasted each others' breath I heard a small thump and stopped him just as our lips grazed each other.
         "Shhh. You hear that?" I asked. we both looked around for a direction to pinpoint the source of the sound. We heard the thump again and quickly stole a glance out the window. There was nothing in sight, but the remains of the gremlins scattered as far as the explosion had taken them. As we snatched up our supply bags I opened the door to make sure the area was secure. As I turned when exiting the room I was met with a rude welcome. A sudden thrust and sharp indescribable pain came from my abdomen. A distinct taste of copper filled my mouth and I felt as the flood gates spilled over with a crimson tide that drowned my chin and pooled quickly and immensely on the floor. A tall blonde man with eyes like ice stared into my own tear filled eyes. His expression was as cold as his eyes and he slowly drove the blade deeper and deeper into my already perforated flesh. My eyes were blinded by pools of tears that had escaped down my cheeks and joined forces with the crimson flow masking the lower half of my face.
         "Just like the china doll girl." he said coldly as he stroked my cheek.
         "She had a name."
         "Oh, yeah? What was it?" he asked sarcastically. I looked at him coldly as I saw her dainty features corrupted by her own blood. Her youth - her purity and innocence destroyed by one man. Her tears were mine; her blood, my blood. Even if it wasn't her true name, she was the only one I considered worthy of it.
         "Her name... was Angela." and with that - my conviction in my statement and my glare of defiance - he rapidly pulled the spear out of me and left me to fall to my knees.
         "NO!" cried James. He lunged for his pistol and aimed it at Nyves's head and planted four rounds in his forehead, his eye, his throat and his nose. He raced to my aid and held me in his arms as tears streamed from his violet eyes.
         "I'm glad. Thank you." I breathed weakly as he held me tightly.
         "For what?"
         "I'm glad that not only did I get to meet you, but I didn't become a monster before leaving this place. I thank you for that."
         "No! This can't be the end. There must be a way to stop this!"
         "Do this for me, please: escape this place. Escape this place and break the record. Make sure you don't succumb to the powers here and become a monster. Make sure you don't succumb to yourself. Remember your home, your loved ones, your memories, your self. Escape this place... and remember me." everything faded to black as I breathed out those last words. All that filled the now still air was a wail of utter loss with no evidence of resilient hope in sight.