3. Hazard: Event horizon

“Where the fuck is Flux!? You seen him Hazard!?” Bishop cried out. Strider not responding as he focussed on keeping the machine guns suppressed. The sudden fire had scattered us to hell but we managed to regroup somehow amongst all the chaos except for Flux.

“No I didn’t! I think he’s closer to the edge if we run along there we should find him!”

Quickly ditching our packs and weapons with Strider we charged ahead through the trees. Bishop darted around branches and outcroppings from trees while I used my sheer size to plow through most of the obstacles to maintain my speed in our search. It wasn’t long until we came across a blooded body face down, Bishop diving into the dirt next to it to inspect the damage.

“Aw fuck… FUCK! He’s been torn to shreds... Fuckers got him…” The body wore the same trench coat which had been completely shredded, as if it were torn apart by a beast rather than firearms. The arms appeared to have been shattered as well, the hands clasped tight around a rifle in his last moments… Wait… a rifle… Rolling the body over effortlessly displayed the corpses decrepit face. This body had been here for awhile and didn’t have Fluxs equipment.

From the prone position lifting my head above the grass scanning desperately for our friend until a blaze that had taken hold in the undergrowth shone light over another body. Quickly advancing over and inspecting it we found our friend injured and bleeding but alive. Helping him to his feet he quickly collapsed again concussed and somehow barely holding onto consciousness. Extending an arm taking hold and mostly dragging him forward we retreated back towards Strider who had managed to silence the other gun as the mortar fire intensified on his position. Skirting around the barrage we ran into a breathless Strider once more.

“Packs are gone, blown to hell. We need to get out of here before we get caught in that as well.”

With a scowl Bishop led the front followed by Strider as I brought up the rear throwing Flux over my shoulders. The fire became more distant and the mortars less frequent which ceased after covering what we thought was a kilometer and a half away from the checkpoint. We took comfort in that we knew we were out of effective firing range however vehicle headlights could be spotted leaving the gate preparing to hunt us down.

Running into the depths of the forest we disappeared into the darkness as the checkpoint guards arrived at the edge grinding to a halt. Engines dying down and doors slamming shut we immediately prepared for more fire as we ran deeper into the forest. They never fired a shot or even attempted pursuit much to our confusion but ultimate relief. After another few minutes we took a knee to catch our breath and inspect Flux who seemed to be able to stand on his own at this point at least.

“Head wound isn’t that bad. Could’ve been alot worse.”

Flux sighed as Strider used a bandage from what gear we had left to wrap around his head into what formed a balaclava almost only showing his eyes and hair. It wasn’t necessary wrapping it round his face he most likely did it simply to irk him. Proven by a final disgruntled groan as Flux pulled down the bandages to take a drink from the canteen at his hip before breaking the silence once more.

“Food is going to be interesting. Should be some unusual game to hunt down in the area.” Strider not quite paying attention continued scanning the forest as best as he could in the darkness his focus now elsewhere.

“Shouldn’t be too difficult…”

Moral seemed to have already taken a hit with the loss of our clean supplies and excess ammunition. All we had now were our knives, PDA’s, pistols, Striders rifle, water canteens, first aid kits and basic repair tools which brought about Bishop’s alarmed realisation.

“Fuck! My rifle! Left it with Strider to find Flux. Strider you pick up my or Hazard’s gun when you took off?”

His face fell with a glum look as he stopped scanning for a moment bringing to light the realisation that Strider was the only one with a weapon that wasn’t just a pistol. We were at a disadvantage but it wasn’t over, not entirely, we were still armed if only poorly. Moral might be low for now but we’d make a comeback that was for sure.

“Wouldn’t worry about only having pistols. I’ll scare off anyone tempted to hold you guys up. Seriously who's stupid enough to take on a mountain of muscle. That and a whole boar to yourselves should bring up the mood if you're still worried about food.”

Bishop, Strider and Flux all shared a light chuckle likely at the thought of some poor idiot trying to shake down one of us only to be tossed around like a ragdoll. The thought of a plentiful hot meal also took their mind off the current situation.

Shortly after we began to march through the forest once we were certain we weren’t being followed by the checkpoint guards. Maybe they thought we had already taken off. Eventually a helicopter could be heard in the distance approaching the forest and at one point passing nearby but not threatening us in any way. The canopy was far too thick for it’s spot light as it presumably searched in vain for any trace of us until it left only minutes after it had arrived.

The slow march had almost turned leisurely now that nothing threatening could be heard. The silence was welcome for a moment. Then became concerning. It wasn’t the silence of an ambient forest. It was the complete and utter silence of a void. Only our footsteps emitted a sound as we continued until even that dissipated. Pistols now raised as the silence continued.

Continuing our walk through the forest only interrupted by crossing a main road we ended up tightening our formation until we were shoulder to shoulder advancing ever so slowly while attempting to cover every angle. Something was horribly off. Something was watching us. Something felt like it was denying our senses. Trying to replace standard sensations with its own. Preventing even the sound of our breathing or heart beats from being heard.

Moving through the forest trying to ignore the maddening effect it had as disorientation spread throughout my body. Strider stumbling into me proved I wasn’t the only one struggling at this point. After what we thought were hours had passed still trying to breach the seemingly never ending forest the appendages of mania were trying to rip apart reality to substitute it with itself. We tried to keep up conversation to fight off the desolation of sound but the silence in between words was enough to maintain its effect. Flux eventually broke under the pressure of the void and began to ramble out loud as we ventured into a clearing for powerlines.

“Entity… Entity! It’s going to fuse the souls. It’ll make everything better. That’s what has been wrong all these years they’re colliding he’s dead and so is he and together they make this vessel it can make it complete and fuse them together… but where is it… ” Bishop took Flux’s shoulder and attempted to shake some sense into him, his face ridden with anxiety and frustration.

“The fuck are you on about. We’re all strung out keep it together.”

Flux however took a wide eyed look into the air as light seeped into the corners of my eyes requiring all of my focus to fight back as not to lose my mind. It promised to take me along with them. To make me one with the lost. To teach me the secrets of the universe. An aberration of a pure white writhing pillar led to a great glowing core deep into the depths of it’s madness as Flux began to cry out.

“The pillar THE PILLAR! Our destination unknown but objective established! That’s how it’s communicating with us we’re INSIDE OF IT! It’s voice as clear now as the way is lit in front of us!”

Flux proceeded to throw his arms towards the pillar of pure white that I thought only myself able to see. Strider began to breathe heavily clutching his head falling to his knees, his eyes focused on the ground as Bishop finally confronted Flux.

“Inside of what!? There's nothing there!”

Pointing his pistol towards the area Flux was transfixed on he fired a shot into the tendril. The muzzle flash of which began to disrupt its formation until it dissipated. Slapping Flux to the ground leaving him recoiling in shock from the experience a moment of sanity seemed to seep back in. Helping Strider back up while he still held his head as if he were recovering from a bad hangover. Flux helped himself up shaken by the experience with quick shallow breaths.

“It spoke to me. This place isn’t safe. It knows we’re here we have to leave-”

“It isn’t aware and it isn’t alive. It’s just a pile of irradiated fucking dirt. Watch.”

He fired another two shots. One into the ground and another into the distance. The first shot buried itself into the dirt and did simply that. The ground didn’t cry out or react in any way. It was simply inanimate dirt. The second shot continued on for half a second and skewed wildly off course after producing a jet of blood seemingly out of thin air. Then came the scream, an ungodly screech that pierced the very soul.

Through already bloodshot eyes I saw Flux’s back suddenly arch viciously and unnaturally with droplets of blood flying from his mouth the result of his teeth clasping down into flesh and hit the ground motionless. Strider was the next to fall as the screech continued with a psychotic cry of intense pain quickly fading out as he stopped writhing as quickly as he started. Bishop put up more of a fight however the sudden spike of pain brought him to hands and knees losing consciousness in the middle of an attempt to crawl towards it while raising the pistol with teeth clenched.

Alone with the unidentified monstrosity that concealed itself within the darkness I fought desperately to remain conscious regardless of it’s unrelenting mental assault. On hands and knees the unknown creature ceased its cry and the ambience of the forest finally returned accompanied by my stuttering breaths. A mixture of complete system shock and exhaustion prevented me from getting to my feet but looking around at my fallen comrades displayed they were still breathing judging by the slow but consistent movement from their chests.

With one last effort I managed to get back on my feet and prepared to properly analyse the condition of my friends interrupted by a heavy impact to the back of my head. Falling to the ground as the world began to fade a truck could be heard approaching in the distance as a man began speaking in broken english.

“Vessel acquired collective complete great pillar irrelevant. Come brothers sisters…” Fading out I felt my body being thrown into the flatbed of a truck with other bodies that had been tossed in previously and driven off to god knows where. Before the darkness finally crept in completely once more the madness of silence took hold of what consciousness was left. They showed me the pillar and the supposed location of the core. Massive metal doors securing a tunnel with an entry building next to it. It pleaded for me to find that place in exchange for the secrets it held.