Countd0wn

Chapter 38: The Final Countdown

I felt like I couldn't breathe. I don't know what he had done to Sparrow, but it looked like she couldn't move. She tried to move her head towards me, but she looked as stiff as a board, and her eyes were filled with pain. When we finally did make eye contact, I could see the two words that she wished she could say on her face. I'm sorry...

Gerrard looked at the both of us, then at Ivy who was floating next to him. "Did you two honestly think you could get away? Where would you run to, exactly? I am everywhere. I can take over the minds of anyone on this planet. There is not a single spot on this rotten world where I cannot find you! What, did you honestly think your precious ritual would save this world? You honestly think she could do it?"

My eyes widened, and so did Gerrard's smile. He inspected Ivy's lifeless body, and looked into her eyes, which I just now noticed were open. They were glassy, and seemed like there was nothing behind them. "Oh yes. I know everything about your little mission to replace "Tobias" or whatever he's calling himself now. But I must admit, I didn't think he would pick her to be his next shell. And people say I'm evil!"

I grit my teeth as Gerrard stared at her, like some sort of doll in a toy store. I clenched my fists and moved closer to him. I felt the heat begin to rise in my body. I didn't know how I was going to damage him without hitting Ivy, but I would try my damnedest to. "Don't. Touch. Her."

Gerrard simply looked over at me, scoffed, then flicked his hand downwards, like he was swatting a fly, and I found myself being flung to the ground. I was lying flat, and I felt like all of my body was being pressed down by thousands of pounds of pressure. Gerrard continued talking, like I hadn't even spoke. "Look at you. You think you're so brave, soldier boy? Just cause you can fire a gun and shoot lasers, you think you're some hero?"

He left Ivy's side, and knelt down next to me. He flicked his hand again, and I suddenly found myself being flipped over onto my back. Gerrard was now looking down at me directly. "I'm every goddamn nightmare and fear you've ever had. Audrey once called me the devil? That's too demeaning for me. I don't need a title to justify what I do. I'm just...me."

He smirked at this, like a proud schoolboy showing off a drawing to his mom, and slapped the side of my cheek. He got back up and stretched. "Now then, here's the part where I tell you what I want, and you give it to me. You'll probably say something stupid like "Or what?" or something like that. And I will say...I'll kill both of them."

Suddenly, I saw a small rivulet of blood starting to drip down Sparrow's throat, and I saw the same thing happening to Ivy. Sparrow couldn't move her mouth, but I heard a small high-pitched noise coming out of her lips. I knew that she was screaming. I grit my teeth, and looked at the sky, and shouted out. "ALRIGHT! .....alright. It's in my bag."

Gerrard looked at me, an eyebrow raised, and chuckled a little bit. My bag floated through the air, and he grabbed it. As soon as he did, the bag disintegrated, leaving only the vial with blue light floating in midair. I noticed that he didn't touch it. "I didn't even have to tell you what I wanted. You're smarter than I give you credit for, Wren."

Then, I heard the leaves rustle around us, and I saw several of the hypermorphs jump down and surround the area, all of them seemingly bowing before Gerrard. He nodded to his army and looked down at me. "Now then, before I burn your planet to the ground, along with every last one of you stinking humans, how about I exact some good old-fashioned pain."

He suddenly grabbed my head, and clutched it hard. I screamed, and suddenly blacked out. I felt myself falling, and saw myself in a vast black space, like the spots where Gerrard came to me in my dreams. This was his world. To my right, I saw a vast field of glowing red lights. I found myself being drawn to them. I floated over to them, and my heart froze with what I saw.