Sad Chaneque [Part 3]

In that maddening rainstorm, one life was abruptly flung out of an unmarked vehicle. Just about a block away from Nevaeh, but still in the open area of the road, which caused other drivers to avoid the random person suddenly on the road for all to see. Eventually, the people that were closest to the poor soul ran to what appears to be a young man, boy even. Roughly the same age as Nevaeh, the helpless soul just crouched over, shirtless, with stains of dried blood on his chest and head. Clearly bewildered and in pain as he grabbed onto his head. Nevaeh remained where she stands, unsure of if she should help in some way or try to avoid the strange sight, as they might have a contagious strain of Digital Delirium. A mental disease that only affects those with cerebral cybernetics.

Nevaeh then felt a small sigh of relief as she saw the people closest to the bloodied boy, promptly helping him to the safety of the sidewalk. Suddenly everyone next to them pushed backwards, just out of Nevaeh’s vision, as she only saw people mumble in confusion and appear to move away from the boy. Without any reason, several began to scream in clear fright, building in volume as Nevaeh ran closer, while others quickly fled from the source of the screaming. Many people still blocked the path to the boy, but Nevaeh became worried of what was happening as she quickly pushed her way to the climbing screams.

Just steps away, she was pushed down to the ground as the people next to the boy desperately tried to run away from the potential horror. Nevaeh quickly covered her head for protection as the fleeing people ran, the moment she could look upward all that she was able to focus on are several meter tall spikes, mixed of rose and silver. She then saw multiple people on the ground with similarly colored smaller spikes impaled in the people that helped the boy. Thankfully they weren't too badly injured, and Nevaeh felt the instinctual need to help the injured people. She got up and quickly ran to the first person.

“Can you walk?!” Nevaeh quickly asked the injured person.

They nodded and she helped them up on their feet. Nevaeh then immediately froze once she saw what created the horrifying spikes. Writhing in strict agony is the helpless boy that was forcefully flung onto the road, terrified at the sight of their arms barely retaining structure, as if they are deteriorating into a metallic liquid, feeling closer to Crude Oil. The ground beneath the boy soon turned into deep red tar as if the oily metal was consuming it, changing it. He then attempted to stand but couldn’t get any balance, with meek screams of confusion. Ignoring the characteristic of liquids and solids, his arm began to swarm with the red tar as he desperately fought it by scraping it away with the other arm, but failed. As it quickly morphed into something horrifying—A Weapon.

“Get—! The others!” The person on Nevaeh’s shoulders struggled to direct, biting hard on their teeth, then slowly walking away.

Nevaeh quickly ran to the others to help them up, breathing fast from the abrupt rush of adrenaline. Soon others came to aid the near massacre, along with sudden screams of fear and confusion from the other bystanders. Nevaeh saw one person running directly in front of the forming weapon to help—without thinking, she leaped to the person and wrenched them away. Seconds before the boy’s weapon fired forward into the road. Hundreds, if not thousands of the small spikes razed nearly every single vehicle that drove by. Amazingly, no further incidents happened since the spikes were too small for major damage, but still caused many of the drivers to panic and slow down or slam on their brakes. Nevaeh and the person she saved are in shock as their ears recover from the screeching sound that pierced the air from the horrifying weapon.

Normally the scent of gunpowder should have filled the air from such a frighteningly fast firing weapon but only the scent of iron rich blood was present. Accompanied by the rising screams of confusion and mayhem, as people frantically fled far from the horror. The boy slowly found their footing and began to stand up. Nevaeh then helped up the person that she rescued and told them to run. She then became shocked once more as she looked at how the boy was acting. The boy was able to stand upward with the massive malformed weapon still attached to their arm. Pausing to see the fallen bystanders on the sidewalk and road; the ones that couldn’t run away fast enough. The boy’s eyes welled with tears as he understood what he had done. Confused and heartbroken that he had taken several lives, more tears fell from his face, forcefully mixing into the oily metal.

“He’s just scared.” Nevaeh whispered to herself.

Nevaeh instantly felt the sorrow that the boy was experiencing. It was clear to him that he had no choice in the matter. Whatever was happening to this unfortunate soul: He showed no will in the matter. An idea quickly formed within Nevaeh—I have to save him!—She then quickly came up with a plan of action. She instantly pulled out one of her micro EMP devices that is normally used for a hastily escapes, but is now used to distract the boy. She then runs behind him, with the intention to hack into his cerebral cyber port. Then the oily metal began to buzz in a strange reverberation, as if angered by the disruptive EMP. This startled Nevaeh, just a step away from the boy.

“HEY!” Nevaeh shouted after she leapt onto their back, pinning them down somewhat. “Can you hear me?!” She screamed as the oily metal began to crawl onto her body. “If you can, I need you to use every ounce of your strength to slow your movements while I reconfig you!!!” She shouted with passion.

She then forcefully placed her hacking device onto the boy, and promptly began hacking, even as more of the metal oil touched more of her body. The boy yelled with resistance, but not of what Nevaeh was doing. Trying to command the ungodly liquid as it started to slow slightly.

“That’s it!—Almost done!” Nevaeh encouraged, as she gained more access into the young boy’s cybernetic settings. “Keep it up!” She hollered, as the metal oil began to buzz louder with resilience. “Come on, come on.” She muttered with anticipation.

By a near miracle, the boy slowly fell to the ground. As did the oily metal, losing color with some returning into the boy’s body, reverting back to his normal self. Nevaeh fell onto her back with relief, she accomplished what she set out to do. She then looked around at the slaughter and chaos, the streets were completely cleared of any life, with the exception of some of the people glancing from the upper buildings. Still no law enforcement, but that was no surprise to Nevaeh. Now she just has to think of a new plan of what to do from this point.

“Izel? Huh?” Nevaeh spoke softly, slowly moving into an upward position, recalling what she read when she was hacking into the boy’s settings. “What the hell happened to you?” She then wondered to herself.

“Well that was quite the show.” From the opposing direction of Nevaeh an ominous voice spoke with annoyance and delight. Nevaeh quickly turned in the voice’s direction in panic. “This is going to slow some things, it wasn’t supposed to shut down this early.” The mysterious person scoffed menacingly, as Nevaeh grows with fear as she is drained of energy from saving Izel.

The mysterious person kneeled to near cowering Nevaeh and motionless Izel. “Unless that is… You tell me what you just did.”