Ahhh!
A woman yelled. She woke up in a haze. The first thing she experienced was excruciating pain from one of her legs. Wrinkles were an unwelcome sight as she glanced down in shock at her unrecognizable limb. It’s as if someone sucked the life from it.
The moist grassland squished beneath her forearms as she desperately tried to crawl to safety. Particles of dirt created a thin mist in the air as she observed her surroundings. Slow, quiet breathing, nearly hushed, could be heard in multiple directions from where she was. People were lying on the ground in agony. If it weren’t for their steady breathing, the place could be seen as a massacre site.
“Sergeant! Do you copy? Over.” A panicked voice shouted through a nearby walkie talkie. She crawled over, hoping to respond, but it died out before she could get to it. She let out continuous short pants, looking down in disappointment. A strange face stared up at her while she took a quick break. She scurried back, startled. It was a gas mask abandoned on the soft dirt.
Strapping it on, her eyes caught a glimpse of an invisible force moving the very earth she was crawling on. Knowing the source of it, she used her last bit of strength to follow the trail. As she snailed along the moving path, a mother could be seen holding her son for dear life as they tried desperately to cling to it. Policemen were barely conscious on the ground. Reporters fell like helpless victims to the onslaught.
A bright shine could be seen in the distance not too far away from a news van. She deviated from her path for a moment to check out what it was. She found a lens reflecting light from a television camera.
Thank God, she whispered beneath her breath.
She reached the tip of her finger towards the soft surface a button. A light came on as she pressed it and turned the focus to her.
“If anyone can help, my name is Anisa Walker. As you can tell from this mask, our situation is dire. Please send any assistance you can!” Anisa said anxiously.
Just then, a tremor shook the ground beneath her as the one trail of moving dirt she was following turned into multiple ones. She took the camera and pointed it towards the source. What looked to be a man with earth-like armor covering his body from head to toe was pinned to a tree by a lady. Her skin was violet and toxic air could be seen exuding from her body. The trails of dirt seemed to be aiding him as it made layers of protection around him.
“I see,” the lady said. “You’re using the last of your strength to protect yourself and to somewhat dissipate the toxins in the air to shield these people.” She pauses momentarily while she has the man pinned to a tree; her hand wrapped around his throat in glee. “You know Mantle, you’re much smarter than I give you credit for.”
“Thanks, I think.” Mantle said sarcastically. He used his hands to try to loosen her grip. “You don’t have to do this Toxin. I know you can do better. I’ve seen you do better.”
Toxin rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh.
Anisa watched on with viewers around the world in the grip of her hand as the tragic site unfolded before her very eyes. Surrounding branches and trees were scattered around. Cars were flipped over on the street. People in peril before her at arm’s length and so on on the ground. She knew she was witnessing the aftermath of a never ending war between good and evil. Life was always its casualty caught in the crossfire.
“How long must we do this dance?” Toxin continued. “I can’t change. It’s strange, really. I’d imagine in another lifetime under different circumstances, maybe we could’ve been more to each other than just enemies.”
The grip around his neck tightened as she opened her mouth wide to let out sickening fumes. As soon as Anisa realized what Toxin was doing, she dropped the camera to run over to Mantle, but forgot about her leg as she collapsed on the ground. As she raised her head to see her love, she caught a glimpse of him smiling at her with assurance. In that brief moment, it’s like time stood still. She didn’t know whether he accepted his fate or had some sort of plan. Her mind didn’t have time to process a bit of it as deadly fumes from Toxin’s mouth spewed all over him. The image she saw was of the earth, which protected him, disintegrate into ash; blowing past her tearful face.
Reginald andah 