《Atilius: Ultimate Galactic Human Prizefighter》


 Prologue

    Atilius emerged from the dark tunnel that lead to the arena. The only thing he could hear over the enormous roar of the crowd was the sensation his heartbeat pounding against his ears. The lights of the arena shone cast a blinding light in his eyes, which stung from sweat.


    Through the light, he could still make out the hulking silhouette of his opponent, standing and awaiting his approach. The long road of misfortune Atilius walked on for the last year had lead him to this moment. There was no way back, no route to escape, no words that would settle that which only violence could determine.


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    Now it was kill or be killed.


    Atilius steeled himself, clenching his fists tight. It was not fear of death he carried in his heart, nor the thrill of ecstasy at the chance to become warrior of renown, but only the hope to live another day, and perhaps return to his family once again. Walking towards his opponent, Atilius felt the dirt under his bare feet as the crowd erupted once again, all eager to witness the carnage to follow. The stage set upon the theatre of death.

 Chapter 1

    Life had not always been this way. A desperate and bloody struggle for survival.


    Where there was now violence there was once peace. Where there was blood and dirt underfoot, there had once been grass. Lush and thick. So beautiful that one couldn''t help but try to reach out and grab it.


    That was Atilius'' first memory. Being inside that dark box, cold and naked, on the day he was first brought home. It was through one of the airholes on the side of the box that he could see the grass. He stuck his hand out into the light and grabbed hold of one of the blades. For whatever reason, the sensation filled him with a calming joy.


    The grass was of course, synthetic. As the grass that covered the world known as Earth had been destroyed along with the planet. Earth was gone, deleted from existence without much fanfare over a thousands years prior. Not much history nor details remain on the subject. What is known however, is that the great cosmic pests known as humanity, had managed to claw their way off the surface of the green and blue ball in time. Massive fleets of uncoordinated ships evacuating into space, searching aimlessly for a new home in all directions.


    It was certain most were to meet their end one way or the other in the great expanse of space. There was however, the slimest of chances that some of those ships would come into contact with alien life forms. And so it happened, as all hope was dwindling and supplies were nearing end, that a small group of ships stranded in the general area of space we know as Orion; in orbit of the Chi star system, made contact with the native lifeforms of the planet Keet.


    This historic first meeting between Humans and Keetans was amicable, however, there were a few minor hiccups.


    One; There was no proper form of communication between the two parties.  The tongue formed words from the mouths of humans had no bearing on the ears of Keetans, who spoke from their beaks in whistles, chirps and soft soothing tones.


    Two; An adult Keetan is about six times bigger in size than that of an adult human. In terms of physicality, the humans found themselves completely dominated and quite outmatched.


    Despite these shortcomings, the Keetans were immediately endeared towards the helpless humans. They admired their primitive spacecrafts, the tuffs of hairs on parts of their bodies; their bizzare way of speaking. The charming way they interacted with one another. They were so small, so pitiful. The Keetans made the decision to take the humans back to Keet. The human''s went along willingly, not that they had much choice in the matter.


    And so, that once proud race of homo sapiens allowed themselves to domesticated completely. Human society slowly dissolved away and reintegrated within the lives of the Keetans, who let them live in their houses as exotic pets, as they found the new human creatures endlessly fascinating. Humankind began to lose its culture. Knowledge gave way to complacency. Information of how to make basic things disappeared. The idea of space flight became a foreign concept, unless their Keetans felt the desire to take them offworld for a weekend trip. In essence, the humans on Keet where trapped there, bought and sold to live and die as pets. But it was of no bother; all their basic needs were taken care of for them, and then some. At no cost whatsoever. Who would desire anything more?


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    So yes, the grass Atilla felt himself touching in that memory 15 years ago was not real Earth grass, but it was of no difference to the 4 year old human boy. Never having experienced the real thing In all the reputable care manuals found on planet Keet suggest keeping synthetic grass in the enclosure for pet humans, to give the feeling of their native environment.


    Much to the excitement of the Gennard family, who stood around the box, it appeared to be working. Proud mother and father held each other close as the three young children, whistled and chattered to each other as they watched the tiny boy''s arm reaching out to grab at the grass blade.


    ''Look, it''s moving!'' whistled Pico, the youngest girl. The feathers on the back of her head standing up in pure elation.


    ''When does it come out?'' coo''d Crick, the eldest. Looking back and his mother and father in puzzlement.


    ''Go on and open it up, see if he comes out!'' Said Father Gennard, trying to contain that he was excited as his children to be bringing home a Human for the family.


    There was an air of prolonged hesitation. Finally Lexi, the middle child and eldest daughter stepped forward. The arm recoiled back from the airhole. She knelt down and carefully opened up the box, but nothing emerged from within.


    ''He won''t come out!'' she called in dismay.


    ''He''s probably scared dear. See if you can think of a way to coax him out.'' Answered Mother Gennard.


    Lexi thought to herself for a moment. Then knelt down beside the box.


    From inside, the boy could sense a monstrous large presence looming. He cowered in the far corner of the box, away from the opening. With his face to the floor hands over head, he heard from outside the sounds of a beautifully song. It was a soothing song that Lexi had learnt from her mother when she was little, on nights where she was restless in sleeping. Thought the boy was unable to distinguish Keetan words, the soul of its meaning carried it''s way to boy.


    ''Though the storm is fierce


    I will keep you safe


    though the rain may fall


    I will protect you


    Though the wind may howl


    I will sing this song


    Now sleep little one


    I will allow no harm to be done


    to you''


    And with this the boy crawled out into the blinding daylight, Then found it obscured by a large silhouette. As it came closer and his eyes adjusted a giant face came into view. It was Lexi''s face, the first face Atilius ever saw. They looked into each others eyes and in that instant knew that they loved one another, and were from that moment inseparable. Lexi placed her hand down to the grass and the young human climbed on. With a tears in her eyes she turned around to show off the human the rest of the family. Who watched eagerly as she carried the precious cargo over to them.


    The boy had curled up and fallen sound asleep right in the palm of her hand.

 Chapter 2

    Life rolls on, whether you take the time to notice it or not, even on planet Keet. Their way of life similar to that of the ancient 20th century Earthlings. Many peaceful years passed in the Gennard family. The newest member was the beloved pet human Atilius Gennard.


    An important fixture of their daily lives, he was fond spending time with each of his giant guardians, though it was Lexi that he was closet with of all. He was raised under her watchful protection, always ensuring that his water dish was refreshed daily and his food dispensers were supplied with ample treats. They spent countless hours together. Everywhere Lexi went, Atilius would accompany, save for when she went to school. They would sit together in Atilius large enclosure, with Lexi carefully brushing Atilius'' long strawberry blond hair as he would repeat her whistles perfectly, without comprehension of their meaning.


    Atilius woke up on what was his 19th Earthen Birthday. The fact was unknown to him, as Earthen years were not counted on Keet by anyone. In Keetan Years, he was only considered around three years old. To him, it was a day like any other, but it would be one he''d not soon forget.


    Upheaving himself from his bed made of soft feathers, he viewed himself in the mirror. The Gennard family were well of financially, not every Keetan family is able to afford their own pet human. According to Father Gennard, Atilius came from a breeder of high repute. Who had told him that Atilius was a human of top pedigree. With a direct lineage towards a high ranking official of the first Keetan humans, found over one thousand years ago.  That, along with diligent daily exercise and training had resulted in a lean but athletic physique.


    For Atilius, The Gennard''s provided the best environment for his mental stimulation. He was fed the highest quality food. Every day Lexi took him down to the park where he could run and socialize with his human friends. He impressed everyone with his natural running ability. He could also pick up a rock and throw it further than any other human around. Atilius was popular, among Keentans and his fellow humans, but it was Lexi he enjoyed the company more than anyone.


    The peace and harmony of Atilius''s life came to an abrupt stop one fated afternoon.


    Lexi took Altius'' down to the park, as she did every afternoon. The park they visited was a big open field in a clearing of trees, with a river that ran past the southern part of the field. The air that day was warm as Keetans and humans played together underneath the Keet afternoon sun. A steady breeze ran through the trees around the field.


    Lexi''s friends spotted her arrival, with Atilius standing high on her shoulder. He perched there proudly, as if it at the helm of a ocean liner. They waved to greet her as she approached. Atilius scrambled off of her shoulder to the ground and raced over to his human friends, the pets of Lexi''s friends.


    The humans were standing around talking when Atilius approached them.


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    ''Say, here wander''s our grand Atilius.'' remarked Cornwell, spotting him. Atilius and Cornwell shook hands, a human greeting ritual, and a trait Keetans find endlessly fascinating. ''How are you, my friend?'' Cornwell asked.


    ''Blessed by the sunshine, Cornwell.'' Answered Atilius. He then regarded the others. Barton and Mary-Lou. Mary-Lou belonged to Lexi best friend, Marlon. Unbeknownst to them, there was talk between Lexi and Marlon about one day breeding the two.


    ''Hi Atilius.'' called Mary-Lou in her sweet, soft voice. Atilius regarded with warmth her but said nothing. In truth, he was shy around her. When he looked at Mary-Lou face, there was a feeling he was unable to recognize. His face would turn red while his chest pulled itself taut. What he knew as love was what he felt with Lexi. This was similar, but somehow altogether different. Human emotions could lead to severe complexities, most behavioral magazines state on the subject.


    The afternoon wore on, the humans conversed and played games, both intellectual and physical. Cornwell and Barton competed to see who could run the fastest, jump the highest or hold their breathe the longest. Atilius did not compete, it was known between them that he would win such a contest every time. Instead, Mary-Lou roped him into playing a game in which they rhymed words together. Mary-Lou would win without fail each time. They sat together on the ground with every victory she notched she would smile and giggle and Atilius would melt inside as she waved her long eyelashes up at him.


    ''Atilius, you wield an expression as if you have something you want say.'' Said Mary-Lou.


    ''Only that I find you to be too smart for the likes of me.'' He looked to the ground ''I feel my company must bore you.''


    ''It''s just the training that Marlon has me doing.'' Pushing her hair to one side behind her right ear.


    ''Soon, you''ll be so smart you''ll be able to speak Keet with them.'' Atilius pointed up at their humongous owners, engrossed in their own talk.


    ''If I could, I''d ask them to take me around to your place more often.'' giggled Mary-Lou. ''I enjoy your company more than you think.''


    Atilius felt the urge to reach out and touch her. If not her face, then perhaps just her hand, if only for a moment. She looked right up at him, her face inching ever so close.


    He felt the cold, sweaty slap of a hand clasping down upon his shoulder.


    ''Hah! you should have seen it Atilius! Barton had me beaten in both running and breathe holding.'' Cornwell stood over him, grinning. ''But when it came to running while holding our breaths, he folded! Just shy of twenty second flat on the ground before he awoke by my count.''


    Barton sat on the other side next to Mary-Lou nursing his head in hands. ''Curse you Cornwell. You called start before I could draw in my breathe.''


    ''I guess it''s a case of brains beating out brawn for once.'' said Mary-Lou. She still smiled, but no longer with her eyes. She turned to Barton to assess the lump that was swelling on his forehead.


    The moment between them vanished.


    While Cornwell continued to jabber on in his ear, Atilius wished that his two boneheaded friends would have just held their breath until the end of time instead. The owners were walking back over. Their afternoon at the park was winding up.


    Out of nowhere, a thunderous crash landed next to the humans. They leapt with fright. A large box  dropped down beside them. Three time the size of any human. Towering above them stood Crick, Lexi''s older brother. He looked down at Atilius with a wry smirk.


    ''Just the guy I was looking for.'' He whistled as he knelt down to open the box.

 Chapter 3

    Crick laid the contents of box out on the ground for everyone, Human and Keetan alike, to see. The humans gathered around in puzzlement at the bizarre contraption. They approached with caution and touched its cool metal. They stood under its wings, and inspected the rotating blades adorned on its nose.


    The Keetan youngsters knew what it was.


    ''Been to the model store again, Crick?'' Chirped Marlon.


    ''What does this one do?'' asked another.


    ''Fly. It''s what ancient humans called a aeroplane. A Spitfire to be exact.''


    ''Look uncomfortable.''


    ''They fought their wars in these things! Can you believe it? This one''s remote controlled'' Said Crick as he lifted the controller to show everybody. ''Now all it needs is a pilot for its maiden flight.''


    ''Well if you''re talking about my Atilius. You can look somewhere else.''


    ''Oh, come on Lexi! He''ll be fine. He likes driving around in the model cars at home, this is no different. I''ve got the controls handled. It''s perfectly safe. Just one quick spin around the park. He''s gonna love it, one of his ancestors probably flew in the real deal.''


    He put his hand out to Atilius and presented him with a tiny human sized pair of aviation googles. ''What do you say boy?'' Atilius struggled to put them on with great difficulty, have no real awareness of what the plane was or the conversation being carried out around him.


    ''Could be cool to see a human fly.'' Whistled Marlon.


    ''Just up and down.'' Lexi said begrudgingly. ''We''re already due back home. And no higher than the trees.''


    ''Alright!'' cheered Crick. He delicately placed Atilius into the cockpit of the plane, closing the hatch above. His human hands reached out to grab the controls in front of him. They moved but the plane did not react to them. Crick picked up the plane in his hands. Atilius looked out the cockpit window. He saw Mary-Lou, nestled in the arms of Marlon. Next to him stood his dear Lexi. Her expression one of grave concern.


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    Atilius was confused. Wasn''t this just another car to drive around in like at home? This thing had wheels like a car, and a seat and controls just like a car. Crick placed the plane down on a flat piece of land.


    ''Clear the runway for takeoff, please.'' Crick waited all afternoon for the chance to say that.  The Keetans scooped up their humans and parted to the sides of the plane. Crick flicked a switch on the bottom of the model plane. The blades of the plane cracked alive with a whirring start. Crick pushed forward on his controller and the plane began to roll across the ground.


    Just like at home. This was what Atilius expected. Concern set in however, when he noticed the speed increasing and the rapid approach of the river embankment. Had Crick gone completely mad? Was there time to jump out? He felt his stomach drop as the ground disappeared from underneath him. The plane carried him into the air. It tiled to the left and banked away form the river.


    Atilius kept his hands glued to the controls though powerless over them.  He looked out the window and saw his friends. Keetans had never looked so small to him, and the other humans barely in view.


    ''Alright, that''s enough Crick, bring him back now.'' Demanded Lexi.


    ''Sure thing sister, right after this last maneuver.'' Said Crick cooly as he pulled back on the controls.


    The plane shot upwards into the air, double the height of the trees. What a rush it was to be this high up. He took in the view of the entire field of the park, the twists and bends of the river that ran along side it. Roads, houses, mountains and forests.  The view was spectacular. Now the plane was arcing further and further upwards. Atilius felt the force against his lurching body. He could see the sky and ground, then only the sky, then for only a moment, only the ground beneath him before the plane rotated back around again.


    ''The perfect loop-de-loop. Okay, I''ll bring him home now.'' reported Crick. He maneuvered the controller. but the plane did not reorientate. The group sat and watched as the plane ascended higher up into the air, travelling away from them.


    Lexi saw with horror the single bead of sweat run down the side of her brother''s silent face.


    In an instant, everything can change. Before you even realize what happened.


    Atilius never saw the panic set in as Lexi screamed and cried at Crick as he wrestled helplessly with the controller before falling to his knees. He never heard Barton and Cornwell''s labored breaths as they leapt from their owner''s arms and ran after him across the field trying in vain to catch up to their friend. Atilius never felt Mary-Lou''s heart break as he disappeared beyond the tree line and out from view altogether. There was only the pang of fear in his heart that something was dreadfully wrong.


    And in an instant he was gone.

 Chapter 4

    The plane continued to cruise against the pale orange sky with Atilius trapped inside its cockpit.


    The only sounds to be heard were the gentle hum of the propeller and the frantic clicking of switches and jostling of the control stick as Atilius made a desperate attempt to gain command of the aircraft.  No matter what he did the machine refused to respond. He flicked switched attached to nothing. Tapped his fingers on dials that were mere stickers. Any sense of control a total illusion.


    Beyond the far horizon the sun  to set behind the mountains. Darkness settled over the land. The evening sky was starless, what little moonlight was to be had was obscured by a band of clouds that rolled in from the east. Little by little, shadow crept inside the cockpit and consumed everything.


    Hope dwindled along with the last vestiges of sunlight. Dots of light from vehicles and domiciles shone from the landscape below. Underneath Atilius right hand - flashes of scarlet. A large diode fixed onto the faux-control console blinked a bright red light onto Atilius''s face. So bright that he had to shield his eyes from it. What could it mean? Some kind of distress signal? Was someone attempting to communicate with the aircraft?


    The hum of the propeller ceased as it came to a stop.


    The nose of the plane began to dip downwards, slightly, then all at once. Atilius was in freefall. The hard ground of the land below made a rapid approach. Heart pounding, Atilius braced for for the end. The plane was veering away from the lights of roads and neighborhoods and off towards the darkness of untouched nature. Everything went black.


    The last thing that flashed through his mind before chasing was the images of his loved ones. Lexi and Mary-Lou, welcoming him back home. They had waited for him all this time. Atilius felt the warmth of their embrace. Would he never see them again? The thought plauged him. No! there was still hope! So long as there was breath in his lungs and blood in his heart, there was still hope of going home!


    Atilius roused seated in the cockpit of the now at rest aircraft.  No wherewithal of his surroundings, save that he was no longer in the air. The red light of the lower power diode  flashed, ever dutiful. Lifting himself out of the seat, Atilius pulled himself out of the cockpit via a hole in the broken covering.


    There was no dirt where planted his feet. Here the ground was soft, like a cloud, or the feathers of a Keetan. Alas; it was neither of those things. Atilius determined that he must have landed in a tree. On Keet, trees sprout from their branches a material with consistency comparable to cotton once found on ancient Earth. Atilius thought of them as cloudleaves. It made for the perfect platform for an emergency landing. He felt around for any damage to his body and found none. Luck was still on Atilius'' side, for now at least.


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    Gleams of ambient moonlight provided enough illumination to assess the damage to the model airplane; Complete destruction. The tail was completely shattered. It''s right wing detached on impact. The propellor was gone, nowhere to be found. So ended the first and last grand voyage of Crick''s plane.


    Atilius contemplated hard on what to do next. Without a way to gauge the true distance travelled from the park, there was nowhere to place his current location. He''d gone far enough for the sun to set. Here it was dark, and he was surrounded by nothing but treetops. The blinking scarlet was his only lifeline. The only way anyone would ever find him out in the middle of nowhere. He determined, however, that this was not enough. But to try and leave from this spot, for the time being, would be unwise.


    Resolving to stay put, Atilius tasked himself with finding food and shelter to last until morning light. Shelter was easy enough. The debris of the plane would suffice to shield him from the weather and foliage ripped from the tree to provide enough warmth to stave of the cold.


    Hunger was a different issue. Atilius''s last meal a now distant memory. The need for food pitted inside of him. At home, it was a simple matter of going across the enclosure and activating the appropriate food dispenser. There was one for meat, for fresh berries and fruits, one for grains. Always fresh water at the ready, more food than any person could ever need. How delicious it all was...


    Atilius caught himself drifting off with his thoughts, the growling of his stomach snapping him back to reality. There was no dispenser out here. He set off using the blinking red light of the plane as a homing beacon. Swift and steadfast he moved from cloudleaf to cloudleaf. Scaling up and down branches, searching for anything resembling food. His eyes slow to adjust in the darkness. Dead silence lingered. Not even the wind offered up any song to him. The bark of the trees were coarse and roughed the soft skin of his hands.


    Persisting, running only on that human instinct to endure, he continued. There, a short distance away, he spotted under the moonlight what looked to be a grouping of berries. He approached, and salivated as he came upon them.  Reaching out to grab the soft and juicy bounty, he was repelled by the sensation. Hard. Dry. He examined them closely.


    Eggs?


    There were dozens of them. sitting in clusters, the more he looked around, the more clusters he spotted. They were everywhere, surrounding them.


    Then came a sound that broke the silence. the undeniable cracking and splintering of the eggshell


    held between Atilitius'' hands.


    Something wicked was springing to life before his very eyes.

 Chapter 5 - Broodmother

    The egg shell split open with the cracking sound of a whip. Atilius felt something within wiggle itself free, poking its way through the outer membrane. A face. Reptilian and horrid with black scales covered in slime that glistened in the moonlight. It stretched open its maw exposing tiny razor teeth and emitted a labored screech.


    Atilius dropped the thing to the floor of the cloud leaf, stepping away as the creature began to unfurl it''s new body. It became longer, taller. The body of a predator. Tailed, with six legs . It cried again, and its neck popped open like a frill. It opened large eyes that were yellow with a dark slitted iris. The first thing it ever laid eyes upon was Atilius; who saw the hunger in it''s eyes.


    It had six thin legs and a tail that whipped around in wild frenzy.


    The sound of cracking erupted at once over the cloud leaf, the rest of the little darlings where beginning to hatch, and they too were sure to be hungry. Ready to devour whatever was close at hand. The primal urge to flee enveloped Atilius. Fear clung to him, and Atilius could only use the swift power of his feet to push against it as towering bulbous heads of the nightmare creatures sprang forth on all sides. He tossed a glance over his shoulder, seeing how they moved in clustered masses, bloodlust for man-meat fueling their two prime instincts; to murder and to devour.


    Atilius leapt from cloudleaf to cloudleaf until he found himself stuck at the edge of a tree. Looking up, he saw a faint flashing of red light, the beacon of the plane. What little good would the refuge of the cockpit do for him now? They would crawl their way inside and consume him. But it was impossible to stay put. If there was to be any chance of survival. Then, he made the mistake of looking downwards. An endless expanse of tree trunks disappearing down towards some unseen nadir.


    The clicking and screeching of the newborn brood had reached him. Atilius leapt through the air managing to grab hold of an outstretched branch of the joining tree. After pulling himself up, he turned to see his pursuers were still stuck on the other side of the divide. they were unable to reach him. Atilius wiped the sweat from his brow and began to shimmy up the side of the tree. he looked back to observe his pursers to make sure they were really were stuck on the other side. They were moving about in an odd fashion. moving back and forth, clearing a back down the middle of their huddled mass.


    To Atilius'' horror, moving down the isle of the little beauties was the broodmother. 5 times the size of others. It looked up to the human latched to the side of the tree and hissed. The brood mother reached out with its long front legs and crossed the gap with utmost ease. Atilius quickened his pace, scaling upwards against the tree as quick as he could. he looked back to see the broodmother was already upon the trunk and scrambling upwards with the use of her dozen limbs. her open more a nightmare of twisted fangs lusting for his blood.


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    Reaching the top of the cloud leaf branch, Atilius was now in sight of the Aircraft wreckage. There was nowhere to hide, nowhere he could see that the broodmother wouldn''t be able to claw her way into.


    but there, laying at the foot of the wreckage. A broken piece of the propeller blade. It''s edge may just be sharp enough. The brood mother bursts forth. Clambering towards the wreck in search of her prey. moving slowly now inspecting the hunk of twisted metal. She can take her time in her hunt in order to find the food that will feed her newly born babies. But there is no sound nor sight of the human. only the blinking red light from the cockpit, which is slowing in frequency and fading in intensity. In the end all things must perish. the cockpit is the only place left for the human to hide. She inches ever closer, fangs bared and ready.


    The blade jutted forth from with the confides of the cockpits though the opening in the broken glass. her eye pierced, she recoiled in pain as Green pools of blood pour from her face. Atilius scrambles out on top of the plane wreck. The injury only conjured the beast''s rage. She charged forward slamming to the wreck, toppling it over. Atilius managed barely to jump in time. landing on the curved spines of the broodmothers back. again he thrust his blade downwards into her flesh.


    He held onto his blade as she swiped and clawed blindly at her victim turned attacker in vain. She twisted and turned trying to throw Atilius from her back but the human held on with all the strength he could muster. The broodmother moved back further towards the edge of the cloudleaf and then in one final desperate move tossed her body along with Atilius over the side into the abyss below.


    Atilius awoke and found himself imprinted into the soft thorax of the broodmother. Her body unintentionally shielded him from instant death. Her legs were curled up, stiff. He came down from on top of her, careful that she might still be alive, ready to pounce on him. but she was as still and silent as the dead air around them on the ground floor of the forest. Though she wanted to make a meal of him, Atilius could not help feel sorry for her. She would never see her family again, what would become of her brood? He thought of his own family, how impossibly lost and far gone he was from them. There was nothing to do now but find another way forward, in hopes of getting back to them.


    He walked in the darkness, endlessly, without direction, without a single sliver of light to guide him. hunger and fatigue plagued his mind, and when his body could no longer carry him, he collapsed. Before he passed out he noticed that the ground beneath him was no longer the soft dirt of the forest floor but a hard surface, Keetan made. He raised his head up and saw an immeasurable bright light racing towards him from the distance. It was the last thing he saw before everything went black.

 Chapter 6 - The Bad Samaritan

    Exhaustion swept Atilius into a frenzied dream state. In his dreams he was dying, but not at the gnawing fangs of some hellish creature like the demon he only just managed to escape. Here it was a peaceful death. He felt himself of an old age, wrinkled and feeble. The end of a well extended human lifespan. He was standing on land that was foreign to him, though somehow altogether familiar.


    Under an odd blue sky, he saw mountains that were crusted with ice that melted away into long flowing streams of water that crashed over rock and flowed away from the land into an infinite expanse of ocean below. From that ocean brewed forth fire and heat underneath a storm of lighting which gave birth to new land. Everywhere around him chaos abounded! but his soul was the felling of calmness.


    There, beneath his feet, he felt the brush of a million small green plants that all moved together as one in the breeze. He squeezed them gently between his toes. He turned to touch the face of his beloved, but she was not there.


    A harsh bump in the road jostled the weary traveler awake. Harsh yellow from above passed overhead in a pulsated rhythm that reverberated in his head. Heavy were his eyelids, but even in closing them could he not escape the bright shining. Atilius felt with his hands not the surface of millions of plants but the rubbery hardness of a vehicle seat, like when he would tumble out of Lexi''s lap on family days trips on warm Sunday afternoon. But now it was a cold night, and the air instead the vehicle was rank and stale.


    Atilius detected a large presence looming next to him. As his eyes began to unblur he could see it was a Keetan. A strange woman with an odd smell. She kept one hand firmly affixed to the steering wheel while she fumbled around restlessly, searching for something in the back seat. Turning up empty handed on each attempt she pushed her glass cup bifocals to the top of her large pointed beak. Occasionally she coughed in a hoarse spluttering, causing flecks of phlegm to appear on the windshield.


    Often, the woman threw hard glances over at her passenger to check if he had roused from his sleep. Atilius tried to ignore her and feigned going back to sleep, but her keen eye had spotted him and she poked him hard in the chest with feathered finger.


    ''Wakey wakey little human.'' she chirped. ''Don''t worry little fellow, I''ve nearly got you there. I know you''re tired and lost The place that will get you all the help you need.'' The singsong tone of her voice did little to reassure Atlilius. ''Hey! are you listening to me?'' She reached over and flicked him on the arm. The battle wounded warrior looked out the window while he nursed the dull pain with his other hand. Everything that surrounded him, either inside or outside of the vehicle was strange and unfamiliar, and appeared to want to do him harm. of this supposed rescuer of his, he was most unsure, and wondered if he would be safter outside of the car instead.


    With an awkward shift of the control stick the vehicle as it slowed to a lower speed as the engine hummed and churned.


    Atilius stood up in his seat so that he could look out the window. He hoped to see some sign of his old neighborhood. Perhaps word had gotten out of his disappearance and his family was going around telling everyone around to look out for him. He looked for the orange glow of the street lamps that signposted the entryway of his street that he passed every time he and Lexi took a walk together. Maybe she would be there standing underneath one waiting to scoop him up into her hands and lay him down at his nice warm bed.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Instead, He was greeted by the haunting sight of a towering grey building. Like a massive building block had been placed haphazardly in the middle of the woods. it was surrounded by a large wall with no gaps. lots of light surrounded the building, being thrown on the walls and the grounds, but barely a speck of light emanated from within. there were no visible windows. there was no way to see what went on inside that place. There were words printed along the side of the building, but Atilius could not read them. there was only a feeling, and it was a bad one.


    ''Not to worry little one. We''re almost here, you''re new home.'' The Keetan woman twisted back over to grab a drink bottle from the confines of the rear seat. ''This is the kind of place little <i>freaks </i>like you belong. This is where they keep human''s and other invasive pests from running wild and destroying the environment.'' she took a large slurp from her drink.


    The Keetan woman parked the vehicle facing the the border of. The looming solid gate with no gaps. There was no more hum. They sat together in that silence. For the first time, she placed both of her feathered hands on the control wheel. staring blankly at the grey wall that stared straight back at her. Her breathing became heavy. A feeling of danger grew within the pit of Atilius'' stomach. The silence grew unbearable.


    Suddenly, she reached into the inner pocket of her jacket; from it, she pulled a small card. She pushed it right up into Atilius'' face. It was a pticure of a small furry creature with happy smiling face. Atilius had seen this kind of creature before, down at the park with Lexi. Keetans kept them as pets. He looked at the card then looked at the woman, not knowing what to do.


    ''This was Booshi, my baby boy...'' Her breathing became more labored with every sentence. ''Do you know what they did to him? You filthy humans?''


    Atilius replied with a vacant stare.


    ''There was a wild gang of them'' The Keetan contintued. ''Roving around in our neighborhood. Those disgusting humans. they started taking the pets from houses, working together. One day they came into our yard. They took him, my darling Booshi. We tried to stop them. We-'' She shoved the picture back into her pocket and faced the wall once again. Atilius could tell she was holding back tears. ''We found him, hours later. Eaten! They had eaten our Booshi. You disgusting things!'' She turned back to face him. There were tears streaming down her face, that was now upturned into a cruel smile.


    ''So you know what I did?'' She paused as though Atilius could possibly answer her. ''I made it my mission to finish as many humans as I could. I''d lure them into the car with food, then take them down the river. I''d weigh them down, and while they struggled under the water I would stand of the riverbed and say a little prayer to my Booshi until the bubbles stop.''


    She let out a sound between a sigh and a laugh. Like a pressure valve letting of excess steam. The feathers on her head began to stand on ends, then flattened, and so too did her expression.


    ''But it is getting too much.'' She groaned. ''There are so many of you, and I am getting older. This way is better. This place is specially designed to take care of your kind. I know, because I''ve been in there many times. I''ve seen what goes on. The river, is much too quick. this place, will extend your suffering for the rest of your natural lifespan. Now my prayers to Booshi are like a chorus that lasts forever.''


    She reached into the back seat for something one last time.


    ''Because you are part of an infestation. It is though you were created to destroy, to fight and to kill. You do not belong in this world, monster. There is no helping the idiots who take mercy on your kind.''


    The Woman turned to Atilius with both feathered hands outstretched.


    ''Now. Get in the bag, little one.''

 Chapter 7 - The House of Pain for Wayward Humans

    The guard behind the front counter raised his view from his magazine. He only required a swift half-glance to recognize the bottle cap glasses and ugly coat.


    ''Evening Glynnes. Got some more for me?''


    ''Just the one, Algie.'' She approached the bench and slapped her satchel down upon it. Within the bag something was putting up an almighty struggle. bulging and twisting against the threaded confines.


    ''looks like a feisty one.'' Said Algie as he opened up a drawer beneath the counter. He pulled out a pair of heavy duty gloves designed to fit Keetan fingers. ''Okay, let''s see then.''


    Glyness pulled the bottom of the satchel up off the counter, and Atilius spilled out onto the counter. He was cold, tired and half suffocated. his body was covered in cuts and bruises. As he tried to raise his body up, Algie''s large gloved hand came down on him, pining him and dragged him across the hardwood counter like a bunch of coins.


    Atilius struggled even though it was futile. He tried to bite down but caught only the foul taste of leather in his mouth.


    Above him he saw Glyness and Algie chattering away in Keetan. Taking in his surroundings he saw the inside of the building was even more grim than what could be seen from the outside. Grey drab walls with paint that was peeling downwards in large clusters.


    There were no windows, the only light came down from above in the harsh radiance of fluorescent bulbs that hummed endlessly in a droning buzz. The air was stale with the stench of sweat and blood of the thousands of poor human souls that had entered those front doors before him.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    Behind the counter, behind the Keetan guardsman who squashed him underhand, was another door. Altius peered at it. It looked incredibly heavy, almost immovable. He gathered a peculiar sense that whatever horrible things his now unpredictable life had in store for him, that they were waiting for him there; lingering just beyond that door.


    ''Well, be seeing you Aglie.'' Glynss looked down at Atilius one final time. Behind those bottle cap glasses, her eyes were wide with such malice and contempt. they spoke to him wordlessly ''Goodbye, you bastard. I hope you rot.'' She looked as though she was enraptured with the thought of slamming her fist down on his helpless head and snuffing him out right there and now. Instead she simply smiled and left, murmuring to herself as she walked out he front door.


    Atilius felt the grip around him tighten.


    He was being carried through the air in the glove of the guardsman. he felt the weight of his captor shift has he heaved the heavy door of doom open. On the other side the thing that terrified him the most wasn''t what he saw. Not or the horrible smells of excrement flung on walls, nor the rows of barred cages, from behind watched the glinting eyes of those who watched from the dark, eyeing off their newest member.


    No, It was the sound that frightened him most of all. It was the call of a hundred voices all suffering in unison. Some were wails of anguish, others were screams of furious rage, the sounds of fist against flesh, horrible unending sobbing. All of them raised up together to create a horrible chorus in a symphony of suffering. It hit Atilius like a wall of sounds that twisted in deep into his eardrums so loud that he thought they might burst.


    This was a house of pain, and Atiliuss was it''s newest resident.