The Lost Cubes

I could feel the nervous sweat over my brow, but couldn’t wipe it away thanks to my hazard suit. This was the first deactivated Cube we had stumbled across. It was a bleak reminder of what future likely lay ahead of us, unless we conquered the Dwellers and took the underground.

The walk across the surface towards the abandoned Cube was a short one. It was a sight to behold. To see such a massive technological development, something that could house 10,000 people, half buried under the sand, it left me without words. There was something chilling about seeing an exact replica of your home, left for dead in the sand. What happened to them? And could it happen to us?

“Alright everyone,” Garnet’s voice broke over the communication system. “Search around the perimeter of the Cube for an entry point. If we don’t find one, we’ll have to cut our way inside. Report over the open communication channel if you find an entry point, we have two squads out here supporting this mission.”

The communication system deployed in each hazard suit was highly specialized. There was direct suit to suit communication, to talk to just one person, a squad level channel, for communicating with your squad, and an open communication channel, to speak with all deployed squads.

Without wasting any time, the two squads quickly dispersed around the Cube. As I noticed when we first arrived, from the exterior, the design was identical to our own. That made sense, if all Cubes were built before the end of the world to be part of a fleet. Having a common design would make maintenance much simpler. To our benefit, an identical design meant identical entry points. Now all we needed to do was find said entry points.

The open communication line buzzed, indicating an incoming transmission. “Hey everyone, this is Pearl, from Squad Delta. I found an entry point on the west side of the cube. It’s a bit up, so we’ll have to scale the side of the cube. About 30 meters. Pinging my location now.”

The small arrow popped up on my HUD, pointing towards Pearl’s direction. I, alongside other members of Squad Delta and Theta, convened on her location.

“It’s up there.” Pearl pointed up the west side of the Cube. The Cube was resting in the sand at an angle. Getting to the entry point would take some effort, but it was easily manageable, especially with our thrusters. Slowly but surely, all 59 of us filed our way up to the entry point. Garnet gave the door a solid kick, jarring it loose.

“Let’s get this show on the road.”

Garnet jumped down through the opening.

“All clear. Come on down.”

That was our cue. Following orders, I hopped down into the darkness.

"This is incredible.”

The scene inside the Cube was haunting. Darkness and destruction. It was an insight into our potential future. Catwalks collapsed, dangling in the air. Food stands overturned, benches and tables left deserted, it was a graveyard. If our Cube were to go down, there was no doubt ours would paint the same picture.

Squad Delta and Theta split upon entering the Cube to cover more ground. Our first task was to investigate the entire interior of the Cube. Scavenging here would be pointless if it weren’t safe to be in here at all. While the interior was wrecked and the air filtration system was non-functional, there appeared to be no outstanding dangers. With our hazard suits on, the lack of air filtration was not a problem. By treading carefully, we were safe.

The Cube was a goldmine. As Garnet led our squad through the Cube, we stumbled upon countless useful items to bring back. Still sealed fuel tanks, extra hazard suits, medical supplies, you name it. At this rate, everyone from both squads would be walking out of here with a full carrier.

Navigating through the darkness of the Cube, I couldn’t shake this looming sense of uneasiness. If this Cube lost power, fell off the grid, and crashed, where were the bodies? I had no desire to see decomposing corpses, but logically it made no sense.

I connected to Amber’s communication system through a private channel. “Hey, Amber, I have a question for you.”

“What’s up?”

“Clearly when this Cube crashed, there were no survivors. No human could survive without a hazard suit or the Cube’s atmospheric filtration system.”

“Sure, that makes sense to me.”

I hesitated before speaking again. “So, where are the bodies?”

“The bodies?” Her higher pitch reflected the confusion in her question.

“If 10,000 people lived here, there should be 10,000 bodies. Have we seen a single corpse in this entire thing?” Amber paused. She was finally picking up what I was suggesting. “Dead bodies don’t move or disappear on their own. I’m switching to the open channel.”

I pressed the communication button on my wrist controller to switch to the open communication channel. “Everyone, this is Ray Alder, Squad Delta. Keep on your toes, I don’t think we’re alone he-”

“Someone help me!”

A horrified scream cut me off. I did not recognize the voice, it must have been someone from Squad Theta.

“Everyone run!” That voice was unmistakable. It belonged to Sapphire, leader of Squad Theta.

All of Squad Delta stood around in confusion. The sound of a loud crash echoed down the catwalk we were all standing on. I felt my heart stop. I watched in horror as the body of Pearl, one of my squadmates, flew through the air like a ragdoll, falling to the depths below. A giant mass, shrouded in the darkness, made its way forward on the catwalk.

Garnet’s voice came through on the communication system again. “Jump off the catwalk! Now!”

I felt weightless as I fell through the air. Fumbling at the controls of my thrusters, I needed to activate them fast. The catwalk was at least 30 feet above the next level of the Cube. At best, I’d be getting away with broken legs. At worst, I’d be the next free meal for the mutants around us. In the nick of time, I activated my thruster controls and watched my boots spark to life. My free fall slowed rapidly until I reached the level below at a gracious pace. Spinel was in the grasp of the mutant's claws on the catwalk. He didn’t make it in time. His screams rang through my head as his legs were eaten first. He left his communication line open, and it was far too late to close it now. We all heard him take his final, panicked breaths, as he was devoured.

The entire squad was in disarray. After jumping off the catwalk, there was no sense of order or formation. This was my first time seeing a mutant in person, and no amount of training could have prepared me for this moment.

We had to get out. I started running towards the nearest set of buildings I could find. Mutants thrived in open space, where humans had little room to hide or maneuver. My best chance of survival was amongst buildings and rubble.

I ducked behind one of the few standing buildings to catch my breath. I scanned my heads-up display for all my vitals. Filter at 63%, thrusters at 88%. My heavy, panicked breathing was doing me no favors. We hadn’t even been in the Cube for half an hour and yet my filter was already down to 63% capability. Even if a mutant didn’t kill me, the lack of breathable air would soon enough.

A mutilated claw gripped the edge of the building, crushing the metal beneath its grip. Slowly, a vile head peered around the corner. I was face to face with a mutant. A massive one. I slammed the controls to my thruster, launching backwards through the air. The sound of the mutant snapping its jaw shut bounced off the building walls. That was one powerful bite, and I was mere inches from it.

Out of control I slammed into the wall of another building. I needed to calm my nerves, and fast. The mutant let out a piercing screech and darted straight for me. With my thruster controls still active, I possessed mobility a normal human did not. I ran two steps up the wall before leaping upward. The metal siding of the building clanged as the mutant crashed into it. My intuition was right. Mutants struggled to move in tight spaces. Especially this one, which was particularly massive. Defeating it was a completely different story.

Out of the corner of my eye I spotted someone by the outskirts of the buildings. Someone in a hazard suit. My communication system beeped back to life.

“Ray, are you in there!”

Amber. The mutant snapped its head in her direction. It was done chasing after me, it had a new target.

“Amber, run away!”

In the blink of an eye, the mutant made a beeline straight for her. There was nothing between her and the mutant. No building to hide behind, no walls to leap off of. In an open space, there could only be one winner of this face off.

Time seemed to go in slow motion as the mutant leaped through the air, ready to pounce on its prey. I watched on in horror, helpless.

Amber dropped to her back and pointed her legs in the air. The mutant was mere inches from pouncing on her. Her thrusters engaged. Met by the full repulsive force of the thrusters, the mutant was launched beyond Amber, like it bounced off an elastic wall. It was ingenious. She used her thrusters not for mobility, but as a weapon. She hopped to her feet and ran to meet me.

“Are you okay?” There was a distinct panic in my voice.

“Just fine! That stunt there used most of my thruster capacity, though!”

Between the jump from the catwalk and the little maneuver she just pulled, her thrusters couldn’t have more than 30% capacity. I needed to stay by her side, in case she burned through her thrusters.

“Have you seen anyone else? Is everyone okay?”

She shook her head. “They’re all over the place! There must be hundreds of them in here! Some of them are huge!”

I looked past her towards the mutant she just propelled away. It was back on all fours, ready to pounce.

“We need to kill that thing!” I unholstered my pistol. Despite its diminutive size, this state of the art pistol could pack a punch. Enough of a punch to kill this giant mutant? I had no idea.

Amber drew her pistol as well. We both had our guns trained on the mutant as it barrelled towards us.

Bang. Bang. Bang. Amber fired three shots in rapid succession. The mutant continued charging towards us completely unfazed, even though all three shots hit their mark.

“Bail out!”

I engaged my thrusters and dove into Amber, launching us both through the window of a building with force. The glass shattered around us as our bodies tumbled to the floor. The mutant stormed past, taking out a large chunk of the building with it. We stood no chance in this fight, and we couldn’t out maneuver it forever.

“I’ll create an opening for you to get out of here!”

“I’m not leaving you behind, Ray!”

“I still have 75% thruster capacity! I know you’re running low. You need the head start!” I grabbed both of Amber’s shoulders and pulled her face close to mine. Our eyes met through the glass of our visors. “I’ll be fine, trust me.”

Amber’s lip quivered as she looked at me. A small tear welled up in the corner of her eye. This hurt her, but it was a necessity.

“Fine. You better make it back so I can get mad at you.”

Amber stood up and readied her thrusters. I ran into the street. My eyes darted back and forth as my heart raced. Where was the mutant? Found it. Perched atop one of the buildings, the mutant let out a deafening screech. I sprinted down the street deeper into the thick of buildings, firing pot shots at the mutant in an attempt to draw its attention. It leapt from the top of the building and landed right in front of me.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw Amber fleeing from the area. Even if I died here, at the very least I helped Amber escape. That was enough.

The mutant swung its front left claw towards me. I ducked the attack just in time. I fired a return shot, hitting it square between the eyes. Another screech. This one had a sense of agony behind it. I hurt it.

I stood taller, my breathing slowed. Each swing of the mutant’s claws was quick, but not quick enough. For its massive size, it was lumbering. My return shots each hit the mutant, though none with the precision of my first shot. At close range, the strength of the pistol was more apparent. Black blood oozed from the mutant’s wounds. Still, it fought.

My vitals were deteriorating quickly. Even as I settled into the fight, my heart was still racing and I utilized my thrusters to avoid a few close calls. 46% thruster capacity and 41% filter capability. If I wanted to make it out alive, I needed to make a break for it soon.

I ran inside one of the still standing buildings. Getting to cover provided me and Amber time to catch our breath previously, and yielded the same result this time.

The sound of rubble and debris flying continued on as the mutant thrashed at random buildings. After a minute, the sound of chaos stopped. I peered outside quickly to scan the area. The mutant was once again nowhere to be seen. Had it gone to a higher vantage point again?

I gazed upward, still trying to spot the mutant. It was not perched atop any building. I lost sight of it entirely. Amber must have escaped by now. This fight felt as though it had gone on for ages. In reality, it had only been a few minutes, but that was more than enough time for Amber to get away from here. I waited another moment. The ominous silence continued. The coast was clear.

With my thrusters ready to fire, I emerged from the building. I quickly ran through the district street toward the catwalk Amber used to escape. I was going to make it.

Boom. In the blink of an eye, my path was cut off. The mutant landed right in front of me, blocking my path to the catwalk. Where did it come from?

My body crumpled. With all its might, the mutant swung its claw toward me, making full contact with the side of my body. My feet left the ground and I was airborne, launched into the air.

The side of the building dented as my body crashed into it with full force. While the building was dented, my body came out worse for wear. If I had more intact ribs at this point than broken ones, I would consider that a miracle. Struggling, I picked myself up off the ground. And there was the mutant, barrelling towards me with reckless abandon again.

With 46% thruster capacity, I had just enough left in my tank to pull off a wild maneuver. I sprinted back towards the wall. I took two whole steps up the wall as the mutant arrived. I had my thrusters set to maximum strength. I was ready to launch, like a bullet leaving the barrel of a gun. Thrusters activated.

Using all the strength I could muster I pushed off from the wall. My thrusters fired at full strength, sending me flying. Almost 50 feet away I rolled to the ground. That 50 foot jump gave me just enough breathing room. Adrenaline pumping, I ran from the mutant as fast as I could.

Before arriving at the exit point, I passed by countless mutants, and a sea of massacre. Mutants were feeding on the still warm corpses of my comrades, ripping the flesh from their bones. As pitiful as it was, the feeding frenzy afforded me the opportunity to escape.

“My thrusters are empty!” I shouted over the communication system. There were two people waiting by the exit, arms extended. Two mutants were hot on my tail. They were small, but fast. Without thruster fuel, I’d need to jump to grab my comrades’ arms, and hope they’d have the strength to pull me up. Otherwise, I’d be the next mutant meal.

I leaped through the air, reaching my hands out towards the two Scavengers waiting by the exit. A sharp, excruciating pain surged through my leg as I was airborne. I had to push through and ignore the pain.

With all my strength, I latched onto the wrists of the two Scavengers waiting by the exit. Using my forward momentum as an aide, they swung me up and through the exit. They rattled off a few shots at the small mutants below, driving them away from the exit, before slamming the door shut.

“That was a close call.”

“Look at his leg!” The panic in the man’s voice was apparent. “We need to get him back to the Cube for treatment, stat!”

I glanced down at my leg, adrenaline still pumping through my system as my heart rate went through the roof. My hazard suit was torn, and my leg was gushing blood. A mutant took a good swipe at my leg as I leaped for the exit, and it showed. The longer I looked at the wound the more pain I felt. The skin around the open wound already showed signs of decay. Exposed to the elements without hazard suit protection, it could not survive.

“Take this!” One of the men threw me two pieces of rope. “Tie these around your leg, above and below the wound! Tie it tight! You need to seal your hazard suit back up as much as possible!”

Gritting my teeth, I wrapped the ropes around my leg as tightly as humanly possible. The pain surged as I tightened down around the wound, but it had to be done. If I could limit the decay of my skin to this concentrated area, perhaps I wouldn’t need to get my leg amputated. It would leave a permanent scar on my leg, but that was better than the alternative.

“Ray, are you okay!” Amber’s clear, distinct voice came over my headset. From the crowd of survivors at the base of the Cube, one person made a beeline straight for me. No doubt that was her.

“I’m fine, Amber,” I replied as I gave a final pull on the rope around my leg. I was in excruciating pain, but there was no chance I would let Amber know that.

“Your leg! We need to get you to the hospital!”

I struggled to stand up. Amber, and one of the other survivors helped me to my feet. Amber moved herself under my arm to act as my support.

On that day, we were served a grim reminder that humanity no longer stood atop the predatory hierarchy.