Chapter one
“John come back here, right fucking now!”
Black scorched soil creaked under his worn thin boots. He turned head to be sure she will not follow him anymore. Violet light of bright sun reflected in saw shaped item held in strong arm. Arm trained for years on his body every time he done something wrong. Or be wrong in this sick woman’s mind. With every step she was disappearing in the distance. Small pieces of floating debris helped him to vanish from her sight.
Lone dead stem was perfect place to take a little break. Placing his skinny butt on most firm place of wood and glowing green tiny canister on the ground just before him. Inside it, within transparent fluid, lively green clover floated undisturbed. Sharp little rocks easily pierced soles and drips of blood washed thirsty for any liquid ground. The sun rays mercilessly attacked his pale and bruised skin. He was accustomed to much more intense pain and felt nearly nothing. He counted every piece putting in tidy hillock.
“Seven, eight and nine.”
He ripped piece of his stained shirt and wrapped around injured feet. Boots were good for nothing but he put them anyways. His eyes stopped for a short while on shining tank with precious insides and hid it inside trousers pocket. Safest place he could imagine, excluding his computer hiding place just below sink in ma’s kitchen.
Nine blood stained rock pieces had something tempting in them, ubiquitous violet light created vivid light effects. With couple of moves fluorescent rocks created inclined letter H. Ironically enough exactly shaped, with exact colors station floated above planet, shining brightly. Merciless red eye watched surface, silent and hostile. Hyperion.
He was sure that fate didn’t placed him in this hell without a purpose. These times were to strengthen him to do great things. He knew that out there are other planets like this waiting for its savior. Fighting was not his best one but machines obeyed his every command either he wrote them or spoke, after couple of code lines of course. Ma still don’t know why her telly is so fitful from time to time. Hyperion is full of itself but he can make it good and help everyone trough the galaxies. John the Hero or whatever people want to call their savior.
He once more draw little container and awaited for answer from green plant.
“Jackie! Where are you sweetie?” Echoed through dusty space “It is not safe for little ones like you! Come back to me! I have yummy soup for ya!”
He lingered no more and run in opposite direction now taking more attention to the surroundings. It was no use, piercing voice was approaching him mercilessly. Every breath weakened him and strength vanished as quickly. Clearer air meant that he was approaching Claw Lake. Last known for him place where you could drink water and not immediately die or get sick. Every nearby animal species knew that too, marking it as not hostile place. Deadliest skags turn into pet doggies drinking it without bloodshed right next to big kalars, as he observed them from right safe distance. He tried to befriend skag once. Once. Now he was a lot more cautious about this sort of things.
Doner keban, his favorite watching and hiding spot, was very near. Another lone dead tree with narrow hole shaped just for him. On top of it he was nearly not visible for others and he could observe everything else. Moving or not. Short after making himself comfortable, his grandmother bursted from the gray mist. She stopped for a moment looking around like sensing that her grandson was here nearby. He was not the cause. Brown haired lady was encircled by pack of skags.
His grandmother might be the most insane woman on this planet but she wasn’t dumb. Metal of buzz axe ringed once and with dull knock skag’s head rolled on the ground.
“Awwww, yeah! Come on sons of bitches! I want to see insides of your tummies right now!”
Kick and swing and another kick and swing done the party. After confirming that her precious grandson was not their supper she shouted!
“I go back to home sweetie! Your soup will be waiting, we can talk! You know that, precious!”
She grabbed biggest one and dragged corpse with her in house direction. Flies picked up scent seconds after and started to devour remains with squeaky noises. He curled up and closed eyes all the time just waiting patiently when everything will end. Green hollow light coming from closed eyelids helped him to be conscious. Scratches coming from the trunk pulled him out of reverie. Odd color was not interesting only for John.
He was looking inside skag mouth, widely open jaws were dripping with saliva. He was looking at his end. Everything he could do, just looking inside endless darkness.
“Grandma! Help!”
Branches of the tree stopped it to close jaws and eat him with one bite. Wood cracked in many places, sealing his fate.
“Grandma, please! Help!”
There was no answer, yet weight of monster’s flesh and armor won against wood. Doner keban fell on the ground twisting skag around its lumbar. John writhed in pain as log pinned his left leg against hard rocks. He dropped container and he couldn’t reach it, just look at the peaceful clover shining between his fingers. Monster freed itself from rock hardened wood and once more faced to the boy. Claws ripped the ground and monstrosity crawled closer and closer. Wasps and flies just waited for right moment to join feast after everything was done.
“Grandma, I love you! Help me, please!”
Sabre sharp talon pierced his leg just below knee. Flies started to buzz and came even closer than before as fresh human blood emerged from wound. This pain was something new, far more real than the blows grandma was giving with the end of axe. Vision blurred instantly, talon remained in wound just making it bigger, shattering bone. Monster just changed position to get him in one bite.
He still couldn’t reach the tank, green light mixing with coming darkness and cold.
“Mommy. Why did you leave me? What have I done wrong?”
“Nothing.”
Familiar sweet voice sounded in his head and skag withdrew instantly, in flash of green light. Freed from talon and wooden log he could move once more.
“Hold onto me tight, kiddo.”
For second he hovered in the air pulled by collar, ended up on soft and warm surface. Instinctively embraced it with hands and healthy leg. He could not concentrate and blacked out couple of times in this insane ride. When everything finally stopped John found himself lying on big dirty pillow in brightly illuminated cave. In brightest corner, gazing curiously at him, emerald green horse opened its mouth and asked.
“Everything all right, handsome?”
He blacked out once more.
Slit in ceiling allowed light to slip into cavern. With every dropped water drop stalactites sung charming song. Hundreds of years passed and created one just above his head. Cold water snatched him from deep sleep. Wound, now tidily wrapped in pearl white cloth, ached a little. Color contrasted greatly with rich yellows of the walls and dirty cushion. Couple of water drops differed greatly from every morning bucket of wash.
Step after step he made his way to exit. Whole area was abandoned, also there was no sign of his savior. Eventually green hollow light caught his eye. One of the calcium broken pillars created ideal standing place for his treasure. He swiftly approached the place and closed his fingers tightly on tiny cylinder. Familiar cold attacked his skin and small needle of sentiment pierced his young heart. Vastly bigger steel needle just pierced his arm and whole portion of red liquid in syringe vanished. He screamed as hard as he could and toppled. Anticipation for unpleasant and painful landfall vanished giving place for soft and pleasant surface. Bit different than first time, wet and smelly yet still unmatched to anything he could imagine.
“You really are prone to huggin’ don’t you?”
He couldn’t answer for this simple question coming from just above head. Warm air scattered his brown hair, enough to once more stand on his own legs. He turned around to see empty cave space. Unnerving occurrence was present, granny bucket of wash was imminent, because it was a dream. Really neat one if someone could ask him now.
Potion took its effect, leg was healed leaving small pink mark. Nevertheless feeling of being observed remained. He turned around and previous pillar like rock served purpose of dining table. Wet black cloth covered it completely, wide opened canned goods released white mist because of difference in the temperature. Creature curiously twisted its head and waved its hoof to come closer. Step by step, closely watched, he approached the place. Burned log of wood was pretty comfortable since it was softest surface in this forsaken cave.
“You are not great talker, handsome.”
“Stop calling me like that” there was something annoying in the pony voice. Certain amount of pure amusement. Green coated hoof moved furthest can to him. It was full of fresh corn, gold and promising good feed time.
“Will you eat it or I have to help myself?” he slowly realized that other four cans were empty, pony was hardly bigger than him, that was some appetite. Last one was emptied in seconds.
That was awkward, both of them staring in the eyes, trying to read something about another one. He couldn’t read a single thing. Big blue eyes were vivid and lively yet there was nothing in them, empty. The old saying about to trust your savior in these lands was expired, also exception to it was sitting right in front of him.
“This will get us nowhere!” two swift moves and remains ended up in tightly wrapped cloth behind the pony “Now we will just exchange. Info for an info, OK?”
He nodded slowly without losing eye contact.
“I will start” equine loudly cleared throat “My name is Warrior.” She launched a hoof in his direction. There was no other way.
“John”
“Good. I am looking for my home. It is somewhere on this planet but I don’t know where.”
“I am looking for nothing, cuz’ I have nothing.” He replied sickly.
Warrior goggled her eyes and energetically swept floor with short tail. He was waiting for her answer but there was just silence and same still look. Echo of falling water drops filled whole cavern.
In blink of an eye he once more ended up on pony back. He couldn't do anything about it just tighten his grip. She was extremely fast and agile, hoofs loudly pommeled the ground crushing small rocks. Maze of calcium pillars had no secret to Warrior, she passed them with amazing grace and certainty where she was going. Eventually they found an exit. They were many walk days away from grandma house. Entrance to the cave was placed above cloud level in one of the silver, from plasma bombardment, mountains.
Mane and tail waved in chaos scattered by strong cold wind.
“Then, by the Vault law, I have to give you purpose to start looking for something. Love would be nice.”
