The Silent Scream
Posted on Sat Oct 5th, 2024 @ 2:57pm by Lieutenant Narin Valen
Edited on on Mon Oct 7th, 2024 @ 6:18pm
0 words; about a 1 minute read
Mission:
Episode 16 - Silent Cries
Location: Quarters of Narin Valen - Deck 3 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD002 0100 hrs
Narin had fallen asleep peacefully, the cool air of the darkened room provided a comfortable environment in which one could sleep. His beathing was steady, and his body relaxed. Yet, as the minutes passed, the calm began to fade. His eyes darted between closed lids, moving rapidly, betraying the onset of a dream. His fingers twitched slightly, then his entire body shifted as though responding to something unseen. The stillness of the room contrasted sharply with the unrest playing out in his mind.
“Take your sister and go to the shelter,” his father commanded, his voice tense as the ground shook beneath them. The sound of an explosion echoed nearly, causing Narin and Liora to freeze in place. “Go now! We’ll be right behind you,” his father urged, his eyes daring toward the stairs.” Elara, we need to go, NOW!” he shouted.
Liora squeezed Narin’s hand, but neither of them moved. Another explosion roared in the distance. Their father’s attention snapped back to them. “Go now!” he yelled, more forcefully this time.
“Come on,” Liora whispered, tugging at Narin’s hand. He turned to her, expecting to see his sister’s familiar face, but instead, what started back at him wasn’t Liora. It was gray skinned, hairless, head shaped as an oval, and its dark eyes bore into his soul.
It whispered “Help.”
Narin pulled away, closing his eyes for moment. When he opened them again, it was Liora starting back at him. His expression filled with surprise at his sudden movement. Before he could say anything, another explosion rocked the house. This one so close it felt as if it had erupted just outside.
"Narin!" his father shouted again, more urgently this time. Narin’s eyes snapped to his father before darting back to where Liora had just been. She was already moving, sprinting toward the door at the back of the house. Finally, he found strength. His legs obeyed, and he took off following close behind her.
As they stepped out of the house and into the backyard, the city was ablaze. The bombardment from above fell like fiery rain, turning the once-familiar streets into a landscape of rubble and devastation.
Thick smoke from the nearby fires choked the air, making it difficult to see. It filled their lungs, causing them to cough as they stumbled toward the underground bunker, struggling with each step.
After several a minute of struggling, they finally reached the door and pushed it open. Just as they did, another explosion erupted, this time directly above them. The blast hurled them across the yard, slamming them against a nearby wall. Part of the wall crumbled, and Narin felt the crushing weight as it fell onto his lower body.
Pain shot through him, and he screamed out, unable to move, trapped beneath the debris. Gasping for breath, he looked around for Liora. He stopped what he thought was Liora, but as his vision cleared, he realized it wasn’t’ her. It was the same figure he had seen before. They laid there, motionless
Suddenly, the explosions ceased. An eerie calm settled over the area. The smoke lingered in the air. It obscured his vision, but he thought he could make out three figured approaching him. Two were adult-sized, and between them walked a smaller, child-sized figure.
Narin reached out a hand toward the approaching group, trying to call out, but no sound came. In his mind, he screamed “Help me!” The figures halted at the edge of the smoke, just beyond his sight, appearing as little more than shadows. Then, the child-like figure stepped forward, kneeled in front of him.
Narin thought he could make out the face of the kneeling figure. It resembled his younger brother, Kaelan. But that was impossible—Kaelan had died. Just as the realization struck him, a sharp pain shot through his head, and everything went dark.
Narin sat upright in his bed, screaming loudly. Disoriented, he blinked, and realized he as in his room, drenched in sweat, heart racing, and body trembling. He had no idea why he had screamed. It felt like he’d just woken from a dream, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t remember a single detail.
Frustrated, he threw the covers aside and headed to the shower, knowing sleep wouldn’t come to him again anytime soon.
Lieutenant Narin Valen
Assistant Chief Science Officer, USS Pioneer
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