Into the Darkness: Chapter two
#2 of Into the Darkness
After another 10 miles had been put between me and the camp, I pulled off the highway onto an abandoned rest area, which was hidden behind some trees. The truck lurched to a halt, and I turned it off, and prayed for a second that the dragon had just managed to get off the truck on its own. That hope quickly flattened as I got out of the truck to see two glowing eyes fixed on me. I walked over to the cage door, and the feral backed up. I looked up at him, and my heart sank even more. "You have to be fucking kidding me." I muttered. On the dragon was a metal muzzle. I was going to have to get that off before I felt happy that I had saved all of the dragons safely, and fulfilled my promise to Hrothgar. "Look, I know you can communicate with us, and you choose not to. But you are going to have to work with me to get that muzzle off you, okay?" I asked, resting my hands on the bars of his cage. But he said nothing, just stared at me. I grumbled to myself, but smashed open the cage, growing irritated. I flung the door open and backed up. "There! BY all means, go running about with that muzzle on! I am not stopping you, but hunger will. Being able to drink will!" I yelled. I then stormed over to the cab of the truck, and flung open that door too, and laid down on the seat, not bothering to close the door. I was just trying to keep sane after all of what happened. I slipped off my helmet, and the tears started to flow. I quickly wiped them away, and tossed my helmet in the back of the cab. I sat there staring at the ceiling for a good 5 minutes, before I felt a nudging at my feet. I sat up, and saw the feral staring in at me, his eyes soft. "I was a fool human. Please forgive me?" He asked, with pleading eyes. "I have no need to forgive you, because you did nothing worth apologizing for. I am... a little off right now. But that is besides the point, let's get that filthy thing off your face." I said, and hopped out of the cab, landing heavily. "Why do you humans wear so much?" He asked, as I examined the muzzle on him. It had a much smaller lock on it, but would easily be able to be cut off. "We wear clothing to keep warm, and because I am in the army, I wear this camo. The vest I wear can stop bullets and fragments. The helmet does similar to the vest." I said, reaching into my assault pack for my pair of short bolt cutters. They weren't army issued, but they had come in handy more than once. "How old are you human?" He asked. "I am 17. And would you stop calling me human? Just call me Russo." I said, and snapped the bolt, and undid the hinge on the muzzle. I gently pulled it off his muzzle, checking to see if it would be caught on anything, but he was clear. He backed up from me, and shook his head, and turned his muzzle skyward, and let loose with a jet of blue flames. I ducked down out of habit and then stood back up, slightly embarrassed at jumping, and looked at him. He looked at me one more time, and took off into the sky, and I watched him till he was out of sight. "You're welcome bud." I said, and walked back over to the cab of the truck, and closed the door, starting it up and getting back on the road, still wary of the sky.
After another hour of driving, I saw that there was something blocking the road, and I squinted to see what it was. "What the hell is that thing?" I asked, trying to find out what the black object was as I approached. I was about half a mile out when it moved, the feral's head perking up, and raising off the ground. "SHIT!" I yelled inside the cab, and locked up the brakes, the whole truck shuttering to slow down, but as I was going close to 80 when I had started to stop, I knew I didn't have nearly enough room to stop before I was within range. "Here goes nothing." I said between gritted teeth, and pulled the wheel hard to the left, the truck leaving the road and coming to an abrupt stop in the ditch on the side of the freeway. I started to black out, but shook myself out of it. The truck had flipped onto its side, with the driver's side door pinned to the ground. I tried to free my legs to get out through the busted front windshield, but my left leg was pinned in the wreckage. I felt something drip into my eye, and instinctively I reached up and brushed it away, and looking down at my hand saw it was blood. I wiped away more of the blood, and looked out on the road to see the dragon slowly getting up, looking at the truck with curiosity. I was out of time! I took my knife out, and cut the seatbelt, which had probably saved my life, and then tried to free my leg again, this time with relief filled success. I stood up, my feet resting on the door, and with a quick push the windshield fell out. I grabbed my SAW and assault pack, and did a quick look for my helmet, but with no avail. I looked up to see the feral moving slowly toward me, and he was a little more than a football field away from me. I hobbled over to the tree line as fast as I could, looking over my shoulder nervously to see if the feral would take after me, but he seemed more intrigued by the cage on the back of the semi.
I ran as best as I could for 5 minutes before finally collapsing against the trunk of a large pine tree. I looked up, the world spinning and becoming dark. I wrapped my knuckles against my head, trying to keep myself awake. I dug into my assault pack, and pulled out a first aid kit. I wrapped my head in bandages, which thankfully stopped the bleeding on the cut above my eye. I also had a decent sized gash on my left leg, which I patched up as well. After this I drank some of the water in my canteen, and after wrapping myself up in my waterproof jacket and donned my mask to keep me warm, decided to see if I could rest as the day grew dark. I slipped into a wary sleep, hoping soon to see my family and finally be safe in the zone.
I woke up the next morning to the sound of children's laughter, and the breaking of branches. I jumped up, stuffing my jacket into my pack and slung it on my back, my weapon at the ready as I looked around. It grew quiet, and I scanned the perimeter with narrowed eyes, looking for signs of the noises. "Gotcha Nathan!" I heard called from my 3 o'clock, and I ducked behind cover, my weapon pointed at a little girl no older than 9, with her brother, who seemed about my age. "Haha, yea you did. Now come here!" He growled playfully, chasing her. She squealed and ran directly at me, and I pointed my weapon at her and she screamed and stumbled, falling on her hands and knees. "CINDY!" The Nathan yelled, running over to her, wrapping his arm around her protectively. He looked up at me in fright. "If you have any weapons, I suggest you get rid of them real quick. And do it slowly." I said quietly, not moving my weapon from my shoulder, which was aimed at both of their midsections. He slowly pulled out a pocket knife from his back pocket, and tossed it to the side. "Anything else?" I asked, and he shook his head. "Good. Anybody else with you?" I asked, and he nodded no. "Please don't lie to me, there are unfortunate consequences for that." He hesitated, and then nodded yes. "Just our parents. Look, if its money you want, I have like, $50. You can keep the pocket knife, just don't hurt my sister." He said in a wavering voice. "How old are you?" I asked. "I'm 16 sir." He said. I was about to say something when I heard a gasp, and swung my weapon over to the sound, where I saw a middle aged woman, maybe in her 40's, standing. A man in the same age range stood next to her, a hunting rifle in his hands. "DROP THE WEAPON!" I yelled, pointing the SAW at him. He looked confused for half a second, before he started to drop the weapon. The boy leaped at me, with the intent to grab my weapon. I saw that coming, and quickly stepped back and using my free hand, slammed him into the ground, and then placed my boot on the back of his neck, and pointed the SAW at his head. "I will not ask again. Drop it." I demanded, and the gentleman nodded, and dropped the rifle on the ground, and then stepped over it, walking toward me. "Please, take it, take whatever you want, just please let my son go. Please, if you really are a soldier, you will let him go." He pleaded.
Whoo! Seconds part!