Chapters The Doorway Into The Unknown
During a long day on Earth, a military patrol was slowly progressing in the desert wastes of Iran. There where just 2 members Jake Smith and Blake Sherman. Blake is the calm and decisive type in combat, he always tries to be a trickster or a sneaker. While his combat partner Jake is a leader. Jake is very specific with every order he yells out. Both on the other hand are specialists in arms and melee combat.
Jake and Blake are patrolling away from their base. Hoping to find something to do, Blake decides to "explore" a canyon they found on a recent trip.
When the two arrive at their deserted destination that is filled with shrubs and fallen boulders, the military partners start examining everything that didn't fit in including strange rocks, broken branches, and pieces of medal.
Blake's attention was caught by a sudden movement which hid behind a boulder a few feet away from him. "Psst!" Blake hissed quietly towards Jake while making the hand signal for "Come". Jake readied his sidearm while Blake clicked the safety off his rifle. The two slowly moved towards the boulder that hid the sudden movement. Blake was focused only on trying to make the least noise possible, but the crunching of sand and small rocks were impossible to cover up. Blake was point-blank with the boulder slowly moving around its circumference. He quickly jerked around the boulder and started to hear a sharp aggressive hiss. He looked down and found that a rattlesnake was curled up rattling its warning sound.
Blake turned sharply to a loud noise of scrunching rocks and sand. He was shocked to see that Jake either fell or was knocked out. Before Blake could walk over to see what happened he felt 2 sharp fangs piercing his leg. He collapsed in pain, hollering loudly in agony as if he had been stabbed and was bleeding out, but this was worse... Venom. To his surprise he started to hear loud scrunching once again. A squad of military forces repelled downwards towards him and his unconscious partner. The soldiers where not american. Blake didn't know who's side they where on so he pulled out his combat knife and cut the snakes head off. He was ageist the wall of the tight canyon. In a jolt Blake tried to stand up with his semi-automatic ready to fire. The pain was to great and once again fell to the ground sliding on the wall of the canyon. The figures where closing in on him from both directions. He fired 2 warning shots off on both sides of the canyon.
A cylinder looking medal object flew into view and landed just a foot away from Blake. Flashbang! He jolted to grasp it. He successfully managed to grab it and tried to throw it away. It was too late, the flashbang exploded in a burst of sound and light. He felt sharp pain in his hand as he realized that the shrapnel of the grenade cut his hand up. The second he was able to see, he saw a squad hovering above him. He jolted into grabbing his sidearm. One the the solders shot the sidearm straight from his good hand. Another reached into a bag he had and pulled out a sharp needle and approached the dazed American. The same one to have shot his pistol walked up to him with his AK-47 and butted Blake in the head, rendering him unconscious.
The Doorway Into The Unknown
Jake woke up. He was in a narrow dark silverish metal hallway. The walls where in constant movement as his legs where in a sitting position. Then a sudden shock of realization traveled around his body. He realized the walls weren't moving, he was being dragged. His arms where behind him and his military boot's rubber were squeaking loudly. He struggled but he could't move his arms or legs. Another wave of panic flew across his body. Am I paralyzed? The panic of his mental state triggered an adrenalin burst. He was able to fling himself out of the arms of the kidnappers, dashing he ran as fast as he could. He ran 10 feet before collapsing in a agonized realization. He finally saw that the hallway looked like an endless tunnel reaching to infinity.
Jake was puzzled. As Jake tried to figure out where he was currently at, a stunning shock of electricity zapped his leg until he was near death. He was still conscious as he felt himself getting dragged more.
"Calm down, it won't be long," A deep strong voice said in a monotone voice. "You won't be here for long."
A cool slow metal sigh of relief filled his body. Jake was glad of the though to go home again. As the 2 "escorts" slowed to turn Jake around a corner. One of them let go, Shortly after Jake could here a very fast repetitive Click sound which made a spark in Jake's memory. A prison cell door. Jake's body flared up again attempting to stand up. It was too late he was thrown into the cell and locked before he was able to move his legs. The cell had no windows, only a metal bed and a toilet.
"How are you feeling today," A familiar voice said. "Because mine has been shit."
Jake turned towards the voice and found the most familiar face he had ever seen. "BLAKE!" Jake exclaimed in excitement. "what happened to us?"
"To be short you where knocked out, while i was bit by a rattlesnake, flashed, and gun butted."
"Ouch..." Jake said softly.
"I tried my best but they got me." Blake said showing his scared hand with removed shrapnel marks.
One hour of boring cell time, a prison guard walked up to the cell with an assault rifle and said with a commanding voice "Step back, or I wont hesitate to shoot you." Jake and Blake had no reason not to listen, they stepped back until the steel wall was in the way. The guard unlocked the cell walked back into the hall and yelled "Now get out here or i'll come back in there!" Jake and Blake complied. The two walked out side and Jake was amazed to see that the endless hallway was really only endless in one direction, which was the one he came from, and where the officer was standing.
"Which way, officer ?" Blake asked in a kind role-playing tone.
"That way," The officer said gesturing his gun in the other direction. "Then take the elevator up."
"Gotcha." Jake said understandingly.
The two moved down the hallway aware of the guard following them about 15 feet apart. Then ahead there was another figure with a military suit, a sidearm, and a combat knife. The knife was holstered near his thy while he was messing with his loaded sidearm. He was leaning on the wall unaware of the 2 people with camo jeans and blank gray shirts. The guard was about 100 feet from the end of the hall while nearly 50 feet from Blake and Jake. As they passed the guard, there was a swift and silent sound of sliding metal. The guard was cocking the sidearm, or so Jake thought. He looked around slowly to notice that Blake had pick pocketed the guard of his knife. The guard behind them didn't seem to notice.
As the two closed in on the elevator in the end of the hall, Blake instinctively pressed the "^" button on the elevator wall. The elevator door closed slowly as the guard that was following them stopped out side and lowered his rifle to put his radio up to his mouth. Then the elevator made a small thud and started moving down.
"We're moving down?" Jake whispered.
"Yes we are. What can you expect form the people who kidnapped up and locked us up?" Blake responded in a sighing voice.
The elevator stopped. The door slowly opened and Jake peered into the 3 story room with a lot of computer consoles on floor 1, and 2. It was filled with white lab coat scientists. The room had a stairway which lead to a blindingly white light the size of 2 double doorway. 2 armed guards approached Jake and Blake with their rifles ready, aiming at the guests heads.
"Walk towards the light." One said quietly but seriously. The other one chuckled.
The "prisoners" walked up to the blinding light. The guards followed at pointblank with their guns still pointing at their heads.
Blake tapped Jake on the shoulder twice and winked.
Blake throw his body at the guard next to him with the knife he acquired from the hallway guard. The guard breathed in hard and dropped his weapon. Then Jake flung at his guard pushing the gun away from his head with one hand while the other one flattened and aimed for the neck. The guard reacted swiftly kneeing Jake in the stomach. Jake fell to the ground as Blake flew into the same guard. The guard made a move again by throwing his gun into Blake. Blake dropped his knife and fell to the ground. The guard readied his weapon and took aim for Blake. Jake exploded into action. He kicked the guard right in the knee cap forcing him to fall backwards. Then Blake flew for the fallen knife and grabbed it, and jumped up with amazing speeds. The guard pulled out his knife and tried to get back up. Blake throw his knife into the guard sternum forcing the guard to give up.
"LETS GO! NOW!" Blake hollered
"WAIT!" Jake yelled back as the elevator door opened slowly with 3 guards inside.
One of the guards quickly took aim and shot imminently at Blake. The bullet drilled its way though Blake's left shoulder. Jake took hold of Blake's right arm as Blake began to fall. Blake took 2 steps backwards and fell into the blinding white. Jake's body felt like it had been thrown a million miles per hour. The minute long trip ended with silence. His vision turned 100% black. Jake felt his body slow to a complete stop. Jake didn't feel however was ground. He started accelerating downwards. He his the ground back first, hitting his head hard. Jake went unconscious from the fall.
The Doorway Into The Unknown
Jake woke up to a loud blood-hurdling scream of a familiar friend. The place Jake found himself in a very dark place. As if light had never touched the dirt here. Not even moonlight could get in. He couldn't tell where he was. Jake got up in an attempt to find Blake. Jake blindly traversed the dark place when suddenly something bushed ageist his arm. Jake flung himself in the other direction. WHACK! Jake ran into a bark like pillar.
"Stupid trees.." He muttered to himself. Jake took a few dazed steps back just to get tripped by a large root. "AHH!" Jake hollered tumbling to the ground. Jake instinctively flung his arms around in a desperate attempt to latch onto something, but nothing was there to stop his inedible ground hitting demise. He hit the ground in an arch, lower back first. The lightless dirt was very resilient to Jake's fall. Jake let out a loud growl. Then the sound of stepped on leaves appeared behind him heading around him in a straight line. He froze in shock as he was confused if it was hunting him or curious of what he is. The sound of crushing leaves appeared directly in front of him. Scared, Jake's body exploded with goose bumps and he laid perfectly still in attempt to make the thing wonder off. Adrenaline kicked into his body getting ready for any situation.
The creature wandered off as planned the leaves where crunching elsewhere and slowly fading. Jake stayed still for another 2 minutes just in-case. Jake was sure it was gone, but knew it would be back if he stepped on leaves. Jake got back up and took a step on the root that had tripped him. Using his foot, he stepped only on roots and trunks while using large branches as safety bars. He repeated this process for about 3 minutes. Jake stopped to look around. He looked to his left. He squinted at what he thought to be a light. The light he was real. Exited he began his journey towards the light, disregarding the rule he made, he walked slowly towards the light.
Crunnchhh . Jake paused to hear that he had stepped on leaves. Then he heard 3 more crunching form 3 directions, all closing in on him. He glimpsed at the light, noticing it was rapidly getting bigger and brighter. Jake reacted by jumping onto a tree trunk. The tree he leaped on had a big branch that was half a foot in diameter. Jake grabbed it and pulled himself up.
The three crunchy sounds as well as the light ended up right below him. Jake put his arms behind him to latch onto the tree and hope the light doesn't give him away. The light gave away a figure that resymboled a horse and held a lantern in its mouth. It looked light brown with a black main and tail. That was all Jake could see from his current standing.
"Did you find it yet?" A shadowed figure said.
The one in the light slowly shook his head. Then stopped, looking in the direction of Jake. Jake noticed that his arms where lit up by the lantern. Jake wasn't willing to just give up. The lantern gave way to another branch on the same level as the one he was standing on. Jake leaped towards it and jumped off it. After landing he bursted into a adrenaline filled sprint. Judging by the sound only 2 of them gave chase. Jake's reflexes where heightened, he used his hands as a pressure plate. When he so much as touch something his whole body jerked another direction. He dodged tree after tree. The sounds behind him became fainter and fainter. He was able to make a sharp right and stop to breath. The two sources of sound gave up as they moved at a walking pace towards Jake but unaware of where he is. They walked near the tree but not too close. Jake hear them say:
"Damn! Its too fast!."
"If it made it far, Skytrack will catch it."
After that it was all nonintellageable. The voices kept talking but the leaf sounds stopped. There was a quick shake of the leaves that were on the trees as if a big bird had flown in. whispering halted. Jake thought they had just stopped talking and sat down. Jake started to walk on the roots again. He now knew that anything and everything in the forest he was in was hunting him down. Why? He didn't know. Jake was still puzzled on where he was. Jake didn't know of any forest where the trees are tight enough that not even moonlight can shine though. With that how would he know if it was day or not?
There was another strange sound. It was as if there was a light wind pushing the leaves around. Jake didn't feel any wind. The light sound came closer and closer very slowly. He stood perfectly still hugging the tree while still facing outward. he waited tell the sound was right next to him. His heart was racing in fear. He mentally started to sweat unknowing of what to do in-case the thing finds him.
A light feather brushed agents his face. He went into a panic, going into another full sprint somewhere away. Before he got far he felt himself being tackled into the ground by a strong force. He soon got pinned by the creature. His arms and legs where being stepped on.
"Why are you trying to KILL US?" The creature said with a loud female voice as Jake's arms became painfully numb.
Jake tried to talk but it all came out gibberish and muffled since he was in shock and being held ageist the ground.
It repeated "TELL US W--"
Jake felt his left arm and leg being unpinned. The creature yelped and growled as it quickly unpinned him as if it was getting rammed.
"JAKE!?" Blake's familiar voice yelled in blind confusion. Jake tried to get up and help Blake but his arms where too injured and numb. He was also too far into shock to even say a word.
"Sharpsight! Nighthunt!" The creature hollered in an angry tone.
The light that had caught Jake had appeared into view again. He was still on the ground in pain.
"He better not be dead, or you'll soon join him." Blake's sharp voice echoed across the trees.
"Sharpsight, take the injured one." The same angry voice said as calm as it could be while angry.
Jake felt something bit him on the ankle and started toughing. The toughing started to drag Jake faster at a low pace.
Jake heard a lot of growling and barking as the creature and Blake yelled at each other back and forth. The dragging stopped and the pressure on his ankle let loose. He soon got bit again on the right arm and tossed over forcefully. Jake closed his eyes to play dead to avoid further pain and suffering. He felt a rope being tied around the opposite ankle that was bit. The dragging continued away from the light and into the darkness of the lightproof forest.
The path of dragging was a very bumpy drag. The large roots of the trees were bumping his head to the ground. Eventually the roots knocked Jake unconscious once again.