Chapter 5 Desolate lands

Mabel smiled sinisterly as she watched the green light circle the sphere, the symbols on it lighting up. She watched with glee when the portal opened up like a wormhole. 'I promise this time you'll face your demise,' she said, feeling she was a step away from ascending the throne. Just four more to go.

''Ahahaha....'' Mabel laughed widely, and Cyra's body faded as if she was never there. The lights faded.

Cyra's body fell from the sky, hitting the ground in a cloud of dust. She was woken up by the pain in her back and legs. Struggling to sit up, and looking around, she was stunned by the colourless desert before her.

Everywhere was like a black-and-white old TV. The oppressive heat shone on her skin, and the gritty texture of the sand rubbed on her skin.

The sands on the floor were black, and the sky was white. There were no trees or water around her, just endless black sands, and the eerie sound was broken only by the sounds of the wind.

She shook with fear wrapping, her hands over herself. ''What's this place....where am I going to go from here?'' she felt lost, anxious, and scared, all her emotions battling at once. She felt a panic attack coming, she heaved, trying to breathe, her consciousness slipping from her.

''Pah...''

she slapped herself awake. ''Get it together. You are going to survive. It's not bad ...I'm still alive. If there is life, there is hope.'' She prepared herself, giving herself confidence. She can't lose it now; she has to find a way out of here.

she took deep breaths and looked at her dislocated leg. She tore a piece of her clothes and stuffed it into her mouth. Counting to three, she set her bone in place. She screamed, dripping sweat. She did the same for the other. She lay down from pain, she looked to the sky and a shade of tears streamed down her face, wondering why her life was so f*cked. She wiped her tears fiercely; she had to move on.

She walked in a limp for hours without end in sight, feeling she was losing sight of her sanity. Her lips chapped, her throat dry, and her stomach rumbling from hunger. She talked to herself in her mind, trying to keep herself sane.

Sand blew into her eyes, making them water. She wobbled on her steps and fell to the ground unconscious.

On the other side of the desert, two men rode on a solar-worn-out jeep, filled with claw marks and broken windows. Their faces were covered in cloth strips.

'' You are too much, Zane...why don't you become the leader's man? At least your life can become a bit better in these Godforsaken places,'' the woman spoke, spitting out of the window, and looked at Zane in vexation, wondering why he was letting his beauty rot away without use. They were fugitives or unfortunate people who found themselves here.

''Drive faster, it's getting dark,'' a smooth tone spoke out. Zane looked at the sky and sighed; he had been here for thousands of years, watching people come and go. He felt so alone; when he watched people he got close to die over time.

''Skittttt...''

''Shit, they are here,'' the woman shouted, speeding up, driving skillfully in a zigzag manner. Hot on their pursuit, there was a black beast with paws, all black with two pincers at the back. They spat out stingers, looking like short nails to the car. The air was filled with dust. Helene gripped the wheels, cold sweat dripped on her back as she saw the hurdles of Scitticks hot on their tails.

''Get the guns ... shoot these fuckers down,'' the woman shouted dodging the stingers. Zane took out a black solar gun; he tapped on it and saw the small life remaining. It can only shoot for three rounds before they are out, and no sun for it to charge up.

''Three rounds, and we are out,'' came Zane's calm tone without any crack in his voice or panic on his face.

''Damn! we are going to die. Why are you so calm...cough..." she coughed, black blood spilling from her mouth. Her face changed; panic seized her-she sighed, accepting her fate. So it's time for her to die. The poison has caught up with her.

''Friend I'm going to leave you here. It's my time,'' she smiled faintly as she removed one of the stingers from her back, but they were filled with many. Zane sighed sadly, already used to the death. He wanted death to take him too, but it seemed to reject his existence. The car came to a slow stop as she sprawled on the car wheel, dead.