The beast stepped closer to me. It wasn't moving on all four anymore. It was now standing on its hind legs.
I didn't know why they brought me here, but it couldn't be to just kill me right?
As it stepped closer I realized I couldn't be certain.
It kept letting out this low bleat.
I moved backward as I laid on the floor,
moving my arm frantically trying to look for something, anything to grab onto.
As it stretched its arm towards me, the same time my hand grabbed something that looked like a metal pipe. I grabbed it. With a swing it connected with its thigh, forcing it to one knee.
It let out a scream.
Giving me enough time to stand to my feet.
I tried running again and it grabbed my leg.
It dragged me beneath it and wrapped something around my neck.
Then it spoke.
"Hey, can you hear me? Are you ok? Follow my finger."
I watched as it waved its finger around me.
Was I really getting crazy or did it really speak to me?
It stood up and sighed.
"You've got a real strong arm kiddo. I can't feel my leg."
I watched its mouth move apart from its face and its rectangular pupils. It spoke human.
"Where am I?" I finally spoke.
It didn't seem like it was trying to kill me so I might as well start a conversation.
He stretched forth its hand to pull me up.
I pulled on it while he yanked me to my feet.
"I thought for a second I grabbed the execution one instead. That's a relief."
I didn't get to hear what it said. I had already started running again.
There were levels to the amount of weird I could take. A talking goat was borderline.
As I ran a zap ran across my entire body. I fell nimbly to the ground, but I still had a bit of strength.
I might as well keep running.
It was hurting but it was manageable.
As I took another step it zapped again.
I touched my neck. It was the stupid collar they had put on me.
I started crawling, since I couldn't run.
But the man goat was already walking beside me as I crawled.
"You shouldn't run from people while they're still talking. It's considered rude you know."
He yanked me up and looked at me.
In his hand was a remote which I presumed was what he was using to control the collar.
He stared at me and said,
"Don't even think about it. If you touch it you will die for real."
Truthfully, I wanted to grab it but hearing that made me think twice.
"Walk with me." It said, its arms folded behind me and the remote within it.
He was letting me know he wasn't joking. I might really die from touching the remote.
I wasn't risking it and just followed behind him.
"What you are looking at is the inside of one of the numerous Task Zero flagships."
"I'm the health expert here. You can call me Dr. Raquel, or Doc Rac.
How did you survive the purge, Devon?"
I paused.
How the hell did he know my name?
"That is your name is it not?"
"If you are wondering how I knew your name, we have our ways."
He smiled at me and kept on walking.
I was still suspicious and cautious of how he got my name but right now I was admiring the interiors of the ship.
I didn't know when he stopped.
I stumbled into his back.
"Ouch," I said, rubbing my temple.
He then looked at me.
"Devon, this is where we part ways. Hopefully we don't meet again." His face making a short grin.
I was still in pain but I heard what he said.
"These two will take care of you," he said and then gave a bow and turned to leave.
As he left, I could finally see the two figures in front of me.
One of them was a man in his mid 30s. The other was a young boy who was staring at something else entirely, unfocused.
Devon felt elated. Because these figures looked human. They were what he had wanted to see after so long.
The man spoke first, his hands folded.
"Come."
I didn't resist. After seeing what they were capable of and experiencing it firsthand.
As we walked not one of them said a word.
I took the time to observe them.
The boy had long orange hair. He was wearing a kind of large trouser and a jacket on his bare upper body that was quite visible. He even had what appeared to be a kind of coloration beneath his eyes that ran down all the way to his cheek in a straight line.
The man was more built, wearing some kind of medieval Chinese clothing with a conical hat. His hands folded in front of him.
But his clothes were lighter.
And just there I could see a kind of metal buried in his back. It was pure black with tentacles stretching out from it.
What the hell was that? With each look they kept looking less human.
He finally stopped then looked at me.
"Are you familiar with the concept of death?"
I stared at him.
"Excuse me?"
Not letting me finish he picked me up and put me in front of a dark hole.
With not a single word he let go.