literature

CC Round Four Pg.8

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Literature Text

Erx stood atop the cold roof, shivering as a frigid gale whipped through his tangled fur. All sound deferred to the whistling fingers of the unrelenting wind. He stared down at the street below, where the limp body of the wolf lay as if in a deep slumber. Blood leaked from its jaws, which had smashed directly into the pavement and partially torn off. Its legs lay splayed out at awkward angles, shattered by the crushing force of the impact.

He couldn't look away.

Finally, the collie let out a bleak sigh and plodded down the stairwell, hurriedly making his way back through the twisted to seek out his wounded foe. He heard the voices of her two companions well before he saw them.

"Untoten!" cried a desperate voice. "Untoten, can you hear me? UNTOTEN!"

Erx raced around a final corner and caught sight of the two. They glanced up briefly before returning their attentions to the bleeding cur lying at their feet. Untoten whimpered and tried to reach out to touch their paws. She shuddered and lost her strength. Oddly, her left hind leg seemed to be missing, but no blood issued from the gash. Far more pressing were the ragged punctures around her neck.

"You've got to take her back," Erx spoke breathlessly. "She isn't going to live if you stay here."
"Take her back to what?" snapped Greg. "Take her back to the hellhole we're trying to help her escape?"
"A chance to live is better than none at all. She'll- she'll freeze if you take her away."
"…Fine. One last chance. Stief, you should carry her. We'll go back."

Stief nodded and gingerly picked up Untoten's limp form in her jaws. Sheallowed Erx to lead the way, following closely for fear of losing the trail. Greg followed a short distance behind, trying his best to contain his anger and his grief.

"This shouldn't have happened," he moaned. "Not her. Not to her. Why couldn't things be simple? We could've just brought her right out…"
"Nothing is simple in the mire of rust," said Erx. "Nothing at all."
"But why her? Why couldn't it be another dog that got hurt?"
"Nobody is safe here."
"There must be something that's sacred! Something that's above this madness!"
"Only the rust."
"You're fascinated with that, aren't you?"

Erx gave no reply as they stepped out into the alley. Greg muttered something and darted off, leaving Stief and Erx to forge ahead through musty building after musty building. They picked their way through scattered debris, shrouded in silence. The faint rasping of Untoten's breath kept their spirits high. For as long as she lived, they had something to live for.

Greg returned a minute later. Dark blood dripped from his bared fangs.

"The beast wasn't dead yet," he spat.

Erx shuddered at the thought of lying paralyzed on the cold, unforgiving ground.

They continued along, shuffling closer and closer to the gymnasium. The temperature had dropped several notches since early evening, sending a fresh chill down Erx's spine. Block after block passed by, each and every one as desolate and empty as could be. He held a glimmer of hope in his heart all the while. Zasha had lived. Untoten would live, too. The rust would not claim her.

"Almost there," he said. "Just a few more blocks."

The last moments seemed the longest. Time passed by with painful slowness as Erx approached the gymnasium's broad expanses. He stepped wearily over the threshold. Stief followed, carefully placing Untoten on the floor and staring down at her helplessly. She gradually became aware of Beyra, who glared at her from across the room.

"Well?" she demanded. "What the hell are you two doing in here?"
"They're just trying to save her," stammered Erx. "They don't mean to-"
"She's dead," Stief whined. "She's dead."

Greg hurried to her side in disbelief.

"Dead," he whispered.

Every pair of tired, ragged, bloodshot eyes in the room focused upon Erx, Greg, and Stief.

Not a word was uttered, not a sound was made.

For when the innocent perish, all share in the dreadful suffering.

"She's- no, this can't be-" said Erx. "It- it can't be…"
"What the hell happened to her, anyways?" asked Beyra.
"Th'- the rust got her."
"Is that so? You seem to have a knack for that."
"I don't try to do this!"
"Right, pup. Now, what are these two doing here? I chased them off this morning, and now they're back again."
"What," Greg snapped, "so we cannot grieve? We cannot weep? We cannot feel PAIN? Are we dogs, or are we DEMONS?!"

He stormed out of the room, leaving Stief standing alone. She followed hastily, bringing Untoten's limp corpse with her. Beyra groaned and turned to face Erx.

"Well, seems that you've made it again. That poor creature…"

She shook her head and growled.

"This city's going to pieces, and we're trapped right in the middle of it all."
:pointl:Previous Page-----The End:pointr:
:iconchernobyl-curs:

Sometimes, we just have
to say
goodbye.
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Songdogx's avatar
Chernobyl Curs: Our death count is probably more than your competitor count :tea: