Chapter 1: The Element of Life - 1.3

1.3

As muffled yells mixed with the pouring rain underneath a dark, murky sky, I had the sensation that I was at the bottom of a deep lake. Thunderous cracks split the air one after another in perfect rhythm.

Eliminated. Eliminated. Eliminated.

It sounded like the mountain was splitting apart.

As I stood amidst the chaos, I suddenly felt a twinge in the palm of my left hand.

I shivered and turned on my heel, sprinting horizontally along the mountain’s face. Pine needles stung my face and I ran as fast as I could, weaving between trees as I turned and headed up the mountain. My heart thudded in my ribcage, and my lungs burned for oxygen, but I willed myself onward.

Hang on, I thought, my pace slowing. What am I doing? I could be running for my life, or hiding out in a ditch. Instead, I was hunting the sound.

I took a quick glance at the scene beneath me. The trees were spread just thinly enough that I could clearly see the mass of incompetence below. My company was a mess.

The few that hadn’t fled or been pierced by bullets–the few that actually stood their ground–were dwindling in number as they got taken down, one by one. They shot blindly into the mist, their bullets hitting nothing but wood and air. I think I even saw one guy fire straight into a comrade’s back.

Kids in soldier costumes, was the first thought that entered my mind. Their carbines looked like plastic toys.

They can’t really be blamed, though, I thought as I watched them fall victim to their own fear and panic. There was no reason to think they could handle something like this.

As I turned back up the mountain, one last booming shot echoed out its final reverberations. The forest grew still; the only audible sound was the heavy plop of raindrops against needles and rocks. I felt another sharp pain in my hand, and, despite the lingering burn in my legs and chest, I reluctantly accelerated into a run.

I recreated the sound of the cracking shots in my mind–where were they coming from? Following my instincts, I forged ahead through the vegetation. I was getting close–I was sure of it.

I gripped my tan and army green carbine so tightly that my knuckles turned white. My moist collar felt hot and humid around my neck, and I could feel the pressure building.

There.

A tight cluster of rocks–the perfect spot. I circled wide around the area, my boots hardly making a noise on the soaking wet moss as I flanked the shooter.

I could picture them clearly. They were right there. I was going to–

“Don’t shoot. This one might have potential.”

The horrifyingly casual voice hadn’t come from the rocks ahead. It was directly behind me.

The atmosphere grew heavy, and the dim light from the sky was being sucked away.

I slowly, agonizingly turned my head. A thick blackness seeped into my vision, like ink permeating a glass of water. Before I could flee, fight, or even freeze, the darkness consumed me whole.

– – – – –

Well, the mission was a massive failure in the end–at least for our company–and I’d been abducted by a squad of rebels.

As I sat there with my arms tied behind my back and a blindfold over my eyes, I smiled in spite of myself. I was certain that I had given up on trying in life, yet I’d searched for the enemy. I got carried away, made one mistake, and was probably going to lose my life because of it. I could have escaped, but I didn’t. I could have hidden, but I didn’t.

Oh well, I conceded, sighing. It’s not like I was going to live an interesting life anyway.

I had no view for the future. Maybe a faint glimmer of hope remained within me–a hope that I could find a solution and turn my circumstances around. But, to be honest, there was no longer any meaning in my life. My death probably wouldn’t even be recorded.

But something inside me twinged with regret. I would never find out the answers to the mysteries of this world. Ever since coming to Hoodsdale, I’d given up on my search, but now, I wondered if I’d let go too easily.

It’s funny how we like to form our regrets the moment it’s too late.

It had been around 30 minutes since I’d woken up, blindfold on and arms bound. I didn’t know why I hadn’t been killed, but I had a growing concern that something even worse was in store for me.

As I sat there, I tried to gauge my environment. The first thing I noticed was the flatness of the ground; it felt like a tabletop compared to the sheer rock wall from before. Then, I heard the crackle and felt the heat of a fire. Under normal circumstances, this might have been a cozy campsite.

I heard a zipping sound behind me.

Probably a tent, I concluded after puzzling over it for a second. It really completed the campsite vibe. The zipper sounded again, followed by soft, muffled voices coming from inside the tent.

Are they all in there? I wondered.

As the low murmur of their voices drifted over the crackling of the fire, I waited patiently, trying to discern whether or not I had indeed been left unattended.

What are they doing? I wondered. I’ll just go ahead and escape.

I had nothing to lose, so I struggled to my feet and began waddling away from the heat of the fire, carefully pawing at the ground in front of me with each step as I blindly proceeded into the vast forest.

After a few slow, deliberate strides, I felt a soft tickle on my shoulder.

A tree, I thought. I’ll be out of sight soon.

Why would they tie me up and then just let me escape? I didn’t know, but I also didn’t care. All I needed to do was put some distance and cover between myself and their campsite, and then I could work on removing the ropes and blindfold.

I changed my direction slightly to avoid walking into the tree that had just brushed against me, but something wasn’t quite right. The branch was still on my uniform, pressing into my skin with a little too much weight. I took another step forward, because what else was I going to do?

The hand’s grip tightened, digging into my flesh and holding me rooted to the spot.

I pursed my lips.

“My, what a big hand you have.” I decided to crack a joke, hoping that might lighten the mood.

The hand, which was, in fact, extremely large, steered me around and dragged me back to the campfire. I understood what was expected of me, so I sat down obediently and kept quiet.

Ahh, damn. I sighed, resigning myself to my fate.

And so I proceeded to sit in complete silence for hours on end–plenty of time to reconsider my choices in life. The ropes dug deeper and deeper into my cramping arms, which had been pinned awkwardly behind my back from the very beginning.

When the wind shifted directions unfavorably, and I became enveloped in a stream of smoke, I could do nothing but scoot around awkwardly, trying not to attract the attention of my captors as I choked on the polluted air.

Eventually, I couldn’t take it any longer and just flopped onto the ground, which, thankfully, wasn’t too rocky. The smoke couldn’t get me down there.

And while I was out there suffering, the rebels were chilling in their tent, chatting about whatever rebels chat about. The sounds of their voices occasionally drifted in my direction, but I was never quite able to make out what they said. Every once in a while, someone would unzip the tent and come out to tend to the fire. I guess that was courteous of them.

As time continued to drag on, I could feel my heart beat a little harder. Are they just going to leave me here to die of thirst? Maybe they really are the sadistic criminals everyone claims them to be… Am I their entertainment?

Despite the various outcomes that were flashing through my mind, I was able to find some solace in the sounds of the fire. The neverending cycle of snaps, crackles, and pops soothed the fibers of my mind, and everything else just seemed to fade away.

“Sorry for making you wait.”

I think I pulled a muscle in my neck as I jerked my head at the sudden voice. It was the same smooth tone that I’d heard on the mountainside earlier.

With my head still sideways on the ground, I squinted at the gleaming orange flames as the blindfold was peeled off of my face.

“You can turn around.” The man was still standing behind me as he said this, and I was certain I heard a hint of mockery in his voice.

How rude, I thought. It looks like I really am entertainment to him. At least I hadn’t been physically attacked yet.

I was reluctant, but my curiosity got the best of me and I began awkwardly rolling around until I was able to get back into a seated position. From there, I shifted my weight from side to side, rope-bound shoulders screaming as I tried to get a visual of my captor.

At long last, the form of a man, illuminated by the flickering glow of the fire, came into sight.

He had a kind of rugged, youthful look, but I could tell that he was probably in his mid-thirties. His stubbled jawline was sharp, and his dark, messy hair reached down over his eyebrows.

Not quite what I’d expected, but the thing about him that stood out the most was his clothing. No camo, protection, or tactical gear; instead, all he had on was a plain T-shirt and shorts. He looked like he belonged on a beach, sipping from a cold beer while a sexy, bikini-clad girl cuddled up next to him.

“Here’s the deal,” he said with a hint of a smile, the firelight giving his eyes an orange flicker. “You’ve caught my attention, and I’m interested in whether you would like to join our squad.”

Huh? As soon as I realized what he was saying–it had been a long day–I almost laughed out loud.

Was I not a part of the mass of soldiers that had just come to wipe them out? Did they not just turn the tables and utterly destroy us? What interest could we have in each other?

I frowned. “What’s the alternative?” I asked, my voice raspy from inhaling smoke.

“Death.”

“Then I’d love to join,” I responded immediately. When it came to life and death, there was no room for negotiation.

“Are you sure? We have some highly wanted members, so we can hardly ever rest. Between bounty hunters, and, of course, those military death squads, we’re popular targets.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Didn’t you just say you’d kill me if I didn’t join?”

“Great!” he responded, clasping his hands together as a satisfied smile curled onto his lips. “It sounds like you’re interested.”

“Wait a second, Blake.”

The voice came from the shadows, just out of the firelight’s reach. A girl stepped forward, her boots crunching on the dry needles. She appeared to be around my age, and she was wearing a black hoodie and camo army pants.

“You’re not just going to let this military kid join for free, right?” Her sharp gray eyes bored into me with a cold stare.

“Of course not,” the man, whose name seemed to be Blake, assured her. “I’m just getting to that part now.”

He rummaged for a while in a large pine green backpack that he’d brought out with him.

Shit, I thought. Here we go…

Blake apparently found what he was looking for and stood up. “Alright,” he began, as if kicking off a business meeting. “As Eve just implied, you’ll need to prove that you’re both trustworthy and useful before we can take you in.”

He held out something that resembled a small gemstone. It had sharp edges, a diamond-like shape, and was probably about the size of his thumb. The soft, red glow emanating from the translucent crystal drew my eyes in like a magnet.

Maybe the firelight was to blame, but I saw a strange gleam in Blake’s eyes as he said, “If you can consume this and tolerate it, you’re in.”

My tense shoulders relaxed and my eyes widened. I recognized the gleaming stone for what it really was, and I felt the impact of every heart beat thumping inside my chest.

“No way…” I muttered under my breath, hands shivering. “An element?”

Over the previous two years, I had only seen one: the element of healing I’d consumed upon joining the military. Resting innocently in this man’s palm was the very source of the mysterious power that resided in this world. The power that had captivated me for my entire life.

For a moment, I was no longer a captive in the Hoodsdale wilderness; instead, I was back in my hometown. A young, innocent boy who had a burning desire to uncover the mysteries of the world–specifically, the elements. And then, a boy who was unjustly torn from the joy and hope in his life.

It was for the best, I’d told myself.

It was for the best.

However, the sight before me ignited a fire that had been extinguished for three years. Now, more so than when our company had been attacked, my heart rate really began to rise.

badum badum badum badum…

I stared into the eyes of beauty, and my fingertips tingled.

Surely, nothing could be more fascinating than this.

I barely noticed as the girl untied my arms, which flooded with fresh, hot blood as they finally fell free of their shackles. I barely noticed the hard, cold weight of the gun that she pressed against my temple.

The world around me faded away as I slowly raised my arm and reached for what was sitting in Blake’s hand.

As my fingers closed around its sharp, clean edges, I could feel every pressure point against my skin. It was light. So light that it felt weightless as I brought it towards my mouth.

I held a dream in my hand, and with it came a surge of long forgotten sensations. Grief and joy, so powerful that they brought a stinging to my eyes.

*Official art for this scene: https://i.imgur.com/MgpYdUm.jpeg