《Plague Born》Chapter 15
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I squeeze my eyes tight as the fire roars in front of me, and let myself imagine everything good I've got waiting ahead of me.
Rum. Whores. Snooker. Cubans.
But the sound of the baby crying melts the good times right away.
Diapers. Milk. Rocking. Burping.
I've only had a single day of fatherhood thrust upon me -- but it's already more than enough.
Whoever had led me to the baby had been kind enough to provide a second bag for me to carry back. A little zipped-up satchel, insulated with silver foil. Basic baby supplies inside: bottles of milk, a pink-striped onesie (that she's now wearing), a blue striped-onesie (as if whoever packed it wasn't even sure about her gender), a towel, and noticeably, not one fucking pacifier.
Rum. Whores.
Rocking. Burping.
"What is it now? You want milk?"
I get up, grab a bottle, and jab it into her mouth -- but she pulls her head back and wails.
"Fine," I shout over her cryin'. "Go hungry. Think I care? Cause I got meat here, and I got teeth, and I ain't going hungry myself."
My legs are burning and my ribs screaming. Lugging one huge bag had been bad enough, but a day's trek with a baby in my arms, propped up against my shoulder, and an extra bag hanging off my rucksack, and I'm all but ready to lay down and never get up again.
The thick mist followed us for a while, but it started to ease up a little as we walked. As I walked, that is -- and she kicked at my ribs and wailed in my ears.
And all the while, that electric feeling in the air had been intensifying. Becoming more violent. Her skin against mine would send out sporadic shocks like static; little jolts of air that would singe and smoke me.
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And my own skin... That was changing, too, since I'd found her. The yellow that it had been turning, was now darkening, becoming brown... a burnt-orange and... it was starting to look like the leaves on the dead trees.
If you let them take her, she'll die.
That scrawled note in the dirt was meant for me, I'm sure of it. Someone knew that I would be sent into the poisoned zone. Knew that I'd find the child and see their message. Then, there had been the two beaks: one hung by my tent, the other by her side.
No doubt about it. I was meant to find her.
If you let them take her, she'll die.
If I let who take her? Right now, as her wailing thumps away at my tired brain, I'm willing to let anyone have her, just as long as I get some peace.
I really didn't appreciate the journey into the forest enough. Heck, the elk was almost better company.
If you let them take her, she'll die.
Does it mean... Nah, can't mean the bureau. Half the reason they exist it to find Storm Borns. To recruit them and train them and--
"How are you getting louder?!" I say to her, angrier than I'm proud of.
She stops crying for a moment, but it's only from surprise, as she's ballin' as loud as ever again straight after.
I let out a long breath, then pick her up and rock her against my shoulder. "Okay, shh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled. I'm just not used to this, you know?" I tap her head gently, her short quiff of blonde hair. "Usually there are a whole damn host of specialists to look after Storm Borns like you. Or else, a mother to look after a baby. And I'm not neither."
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I think back to my own childhood, trying to remember nursery-rhymes used to lull me. But my childhood was cold and clinical and I didn't get much of that stuff.
"Hush little baby don't you cry, Sammy gonna sing you a lullaby. La la la, la dadada, Sammy gonna sing you a lulla-byy."
She's still crying, but maybe not as loud. I put her back down next to the tent flap and grab the bottle of milk again. It's cold, and I remember something about babies liking it warm, so I hold it above the fire for a little. High above it, so my hand doesn't burn too bad.
There had been no marble in the second beak, but it had burned up just as well as the first.
If you let them take her, she'll die.
No. She might have a life like mine... Might not know many nursery-rhymes by the time she's my age, but that's the worst that will happen. Heck, best place for her is with them. So, does the message mean someone else is going to try to take her?
I eye the trees uneasily, but there's nothing much to see. Just the same shrubs and shadows and rotting land as I've had stare at me the last handful of days.
The plastic bottle feels warm against my face. Not too hot, I don't think. But I also don't know for sure.
The baby sucks at the milk all the same, and I find I'm actually kinda proud of myself. First time in years, maybe, that I've felt like this.
"So what do you do?" I ask her. "You create these clouds, or were you just born in them? You the one bringing dead animals back into the world? Cause that's a pretty morbid gift to have."
She drinks the milk, content, her blue eyes wandering up to mine, then back down to the bottle.
"Who's been looking after you, huh? Huh? Answer me! You're gonna give me a name or you're gonna face my wrath. Understand??"
I find myself tickling her and she's laughing and spitting out milk, then I'm laughing too. And I'm wonderin' if maybe me and Susie had argued about nothin' all that time ago.
Then, a deafening explosion.
Somewhere north of here. Fire and smoke tangle together and stream high into the sky, bright and thick enough to see even through the fog.
The baby is crying again. She's scared, and I guess I am too, but I take her and rock her, and eventually, she's quiet and I'm just standing and watching something distant burning away.
It's not the direction I'm going, so I feel good about that.
But it's the way I had been going. Somewhere pretty near where I'd just been.
Where she'd just been.
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Deadlier of the Species - Book 2 of Descendants of a Dead Earth
(The second book in the Descendants of a Dead Earth series, taking place immediately after the events of A Tinker's Damn, which can be found here: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/30309/a-tinkers-damn-book-1-of-descendants-of-a-dead) Deadlier of the Species turns its attention to Samara, of the Protean Clan. Recruited and trained by the clandestine Wetworks organization, Samara has left a long and bloody trail of bodies in her wake. But natural born killers are rare, rather they are created, molded by powerful entities to do their bidding in a shadow war where there are no borders, and everything comes with a price...including your soul. But now that she has been freed from her chains, Samara has a few old scores of her own to settle...and perhaps a new cause to fight for as well.
8 171The Final Siege Crisis
In year 2041 the Modern country of the Philippines has been transported in an unknown new world where a medieval era Magic and fantasy exist. How the Philippines would survive on this new hostile world and searching for Agricultural food supplies and other resources for the use of the modern era Philippines.Is the Diplomatic relationship with the other countries will saved them or it will just reign chaos in the other countries? The battle where Supersonic Fighter Jets vs a Wyvern and a Dragon, A Modern missile guided frigates vs a wooden Cannon and ballista equipped warship. A Main battle tank (MBT) vs a 10 feet high hard scale fire breathing Tortoise and other unknown entities in this new world.The Battle for survival in unknown new hostile world.
8 185Piece By Piece
Y/n Maximoff- One of the triplets. Experimented on by Hydra along with her brother and sister, she gained incredible and dangerous powers. Pietro's death in the battle against Ultron crushed Y/n and her sister, but while everyone comforted Wanda, Y/n was blamed for his death. She had watched, as a her big brother by 31 minutes ran to save Clint and a child, knowing he would be filled with bullets. As her brother was being a hero and sacrificing himself, Y/n watched, frozen in fear, as he died. It didn't even cross her mind to use her powers to protect him. Now, six months later, Bucky joins the group, and to Y/n's surprise, actually speaks to her. Against the Avenger's advice and warnings of Y/n being a traitor and coward, Bucky grows close to her. They grow to comfort each other and slowly, heal each other. However, as Y/n's mental state slowly unravels itself, it begins to look like not even Bucky can save her from herself.
8 130Finding them
Daniel has 4 sons with his ex wife and things have never been great. He got a girl pregnant when he was young and married her to do the right thing. They never really loved each other but stayed together for there children. When the youngest child turned 4 his wife decides to leave and signs away her children. Daniel devotes his life to his sons, Mitchell the eldest is now 22, then there is Jamie who is 20, Hunter is 18 and his youngest Edward is 17. Daniel has had many one night stands and hook ups but never wanted to be married again, women couldn't be trusted after what his wife did to him and his boys. He travels overseas for business often and has different women he meets while over there for a casual thing but nothing serious. Daniel is a business man and owns an import and export business which is doing very well. His eldest son has started to help with the business and the others will too when they finish at university. Daniel gets a call from a detective late one night asking him to take his two children in. He had no idea he fathered another two children at all but is forced to prove that by providing a DNA sample. Dakota and Darcy are 3 year old twins, they have been bounced around foster care homes since birth. After they are found during a police raid a detective takes on the case of finding them a home. Dakota is the eldest by 25 minutes and a little protective of his baby sister Darcy. How will he react when 5 other males want to help care for Darcy?⚠️ brief mentions of drugs and abuse⚠️This story is unedited
8 124Paint Me a Poetry
From here on out, paint me a poetry,That which to my life is symmetry. Let my despair bleed on its tree,Let myself to greed and hatred be free. A collection of random poetries this will be, Reflecting the withered happiness in me.Take heed then of what you'll see,For its my darkness trying to spree.Cover crafted by Dane Knight
8 1013 Twin Demonic Brothers || MXTX Crossover AU
an crossover au of what if...Hua Cheng, also known as Crimson Rain Flower Sought, just happened to bump into someone in black and red, hair tied in ponytail as he took a walk at somewhere alone, waiting for his beloved highness, The Flower Crown Martial God, Xie Lian to finish his job at Heavenly Realm. He sensed the said latter's soul was not belong to that body, but somehow his mind, more like a memory, triggered him that it reminded him that the said latter 'was' one of his family... Brother?He tired to shake off his mind by helping the latter. As that latter looked up, that hit him. No wonder why he still want his highness call him 'San Lang', he actually has a brother! He knew his made-up story was something else as he just said it out of his mind without him realising. The soul's appearance was indeed look familiar to his. This is indeed his biogical family.Yes, an crossover au of Luo BingHe, being the oldest twin, Wei WuXian, the middle twin and Hua Cheng, the youngest twin!All the characters are not mine, all the characters belong Mo Xiang Tong Xiu! (making ocs in the future just incase) Art belongs to do6skun (i forgot which platfrom, pls forgive this lowly author) a/n:yes, this is my very first fanfic and hope you guys dont mind my grammar and the mistake :). this fanfic is inspired by Waffle_Lulu-chen :)and yes the very main ship here are bingqiu, wangxian and hualian as i barely ship the other (especially like fengqing and xicheng but i actually love beefleaf). will put tw on top of any chapter and may contain disturbing. and no smut bc, just bc.[ started : 31st Jan ] [ ended : 17th Feb ]
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