The bunk was quiet, and for a moment it seemed as if nobody was there. There was a small movement out of the corner of her eyes, however, and Cass looked towards it with a small frown. For a moment it looked like someone had been walking by the bunks. But the only people were the ones who were sleeping at that time. A few other bodies stirred in their slumber, however it seemed to Cass that she and Marcus were the only ones who were awake.
Marcus ran a hand through her hair. “What are you looking at, babe?” he asked, kissing her neck. Cass sighed. “It was nothing. Thought I saw someone leaving and wanted to know who it was.” She explained. Marcus sighed. “So we have to get up and brave a big new day then, huh?” he seemed slightly upset about this, but Cass kissed him again before wiggling out of his arms. “Sadly, yes. As nice as it is now, we do have to get up and have lives.” She sighed as she sat up, stretching her arms out. “I’m going to go take a shower, babe, but I’ll be back after.” She felt kind of bad she had to let him know she wasn’t leaving forever, but still she leaned over and gave him one more kiss before she got up and headed off for the showers.
Showers in Deus ex Machina had never been glorious things, and so the communal arrangement hadn’t been too much of a downgrade in Cass’s opinion. The water was still cold and there might have still been something festering on the floors that she didn’t want to know about. In fact, she didn’t even think to question that at all and instead had put it out of her mind and took extra care to soap off the bottoms of her feet to keep them as clean as they were ever going to get. As she scrubbed at the soles of her feet, another flash of grey moved out of the corner of her eyes, and she looked towards it. Brows furrowing together, it felt like she’d seen someone who she could only vaguely recall….
Here, Cass. Have a glass of water. she heard a voice roughly whisper to her and she shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. It felt like there was a cool touch on her, whispering in her here. Its alright, it will calm your nerves before the ghosts come. she whispered, before they all come to get you…. the hands wrapped slowly around her neck and began to squeeze. Cass scratched at the hands, slowly dropping to her knees as she began to wheeze, struggling to breathe. That voice, she knew that voice. These hands. Her eyes darted to the mirrors, trying to catch a glimpse of her assailant – to know who it was for sure. In the mirror she could see her – tall with dark curly hair that had once been brown, wearing nothing but a button up plaid shirt that was rolled up to her elbows and scuffed jeans. The water from the shower dripped off of her as though she couldn’t even feel it. Instead, her hands just squeezed tighter.
Little Cass, I’ve come to take you home. she whispered.
Cass gasped for air. Nelson…. Nelson, why…..? tears vanished into the water that dripped down her face, and everything went dark……
“Cass? Cass!” Marcus had come looking for her when she had been gone for what he had been far too long, just to find her collapsed on the bottom of the shower, curled up in a fetal position. It took a few minutes, but she did stir after a few shakes, reaching out to grab his shoulder before breaking down into tears against him. Marcus took off his coat, wrapping it around her shoulders. “What happened?” he asked, concern in his voice. A few of the girls had come in the shower, frowning at Marcus in disapproval for being in there, but it was left unvoiced as the cause for his presence was obvious in her terror.
She couldn’t even put together a proper sentence of what had just happened, jut that something had. He kissed her, reassured her that everything was alright, and even stayed nearby as she got dressed in her uniform again – it had taken longer than she’d like with how badly her hands were shaking. Giant tentacles? No problem. Giant Chimera? No problem. Horsemen? Kind of a problem. Ghosts? All bets were off. Never the less, it was nice to just slip back into his arms when she stepped back out of the showers, his hand stroking over the back of her head.
“Are you alright?” he asked. Cass gave him a grim look. “I…I don’t know. I might just need some fresh air.” She confessed hopefully. Still, she pulled away from him, kneading her hands together a bit before she headed for the portals. “I’m…I’m going to go clear out some monsters, I think.” She nodded. Marcus didn’t seem too keen to let her go on her own, so he headed up with her, his arm slipping around her waist in an attempt at reassurance, in his other hand a text going out to several other hunters he knew who would likely tag along with them: Leon, Bix, and Candace. If only because they were close with his little lady.
On the topside, Cass took a deep breath of the air – which was slightly rancid from the small amounts of destruction happening due to monsters – or something that had once been on their side. On her side. Cass shivered and her hand went to her neck, a frown coming over her face.
When the other three came topside, they would be greeted by Cass giving Marcus a frantic look as she clutched her own neck, shaking. Bix frowned at the sight. “What did you do to her?” he half-teased Marcus with a light elbow to the side, before looking to Cass, brushing his hand over her hair. “You alright, Cass?” he asked. Cass turned the look on him for a moment before she nodded. “Yeah, just…..had…..a…..umm…yeah…” It wasn’t like her to trail off and not actually answer a question in full, but he didn’t press it. Her nerves had been frantic lately, she just needed to work it out of her system.
Leon, on the other hand, punched her lightly in the shoulder. “Let’s go kill some stuff. A good workout’ll pick you right up.” He passed a small grin to the much smaller trainee and she nodded weakly. “Yeah, okay.” She agreed, before looking back to Candace with a small smile. Candace walked over and half cradled the shorter girl into her chest endearingly, and Cass smiled more. “How about we show these boys how we roll, hmm?” Mist pride was turning into a big radiating sun between the pair.
Cass smiled before she moved to head off the herd towards the pod room. They needed to clear things out for Sleeping Beauty to wake up. Even as they descended into the labs, it seemed like they weren’t the first ones to have gone there. There were some hunters who would never wake up from being Sleeping Beauty ever again, and the mist trainee looked at them warily.
See, they’ll sleep forever with me and you. It won’t be so bad. the voice whispered into her ear again as the hands came back around her neck and began to squeeze. Cass reeled, suddenly pushing back and toppling into Leon’s chest, shrieking. “STOP IT!” she yelped. Leon suddenly grabbed her shoulders, passing a look to the other three assembled before looking down at Cass. “We haven’t done anything.”
“Are you sure you’re alright?” Marcus asked. Cass looked at all of them before wrapping her arms around herself. “Something attacked me in the shower earlier and just now it…” her hands went to her neck again with a small frown. Candace frowned as well. “Hon, I didn’t see anything.” She said, “Are you sure you’ve been getting enough sleep? You’ve been a bit off lately.” Bix seemed to agree. “Yeah, maybe you should head back to the infirmary.” He suggested. “Get some good rest in and the like.”
Cass frowned. “No, I’ve been sleeping fine. I just…” she rubbed her neck again for a moment before stepping away from them to head further into the labs to do some clearing out. In the back, however, Candace was the first one to make a noise that sounded like choking. Everybody else whirled around to look towards her. Cass could see Nelson, her hands wrapped around Candace’s neck as she dug her nails into the trainee’s shield, pulling her back into a very uncomfortable looking position.
“Stop it! I said stop it!” Cass shrieked, and for the first time the other three seemed to recognize that Cass was seeing something they weren’t – but it only lasted a moment. A moment in which Nelson snapped Candace’s spine and then reached out to grab Bix as well, her hands seeming to pass through him, to some extent, and delve into his chest, his ribs beginning to make another crunching noise before he also collapsed onto his knees and then flat onto his stomach, blood seeping from his mouth.
“Where is it, Cass?” Marcus asked even as Cass moved forward, summoning Nicodemus and forcing it into Nelson’s body. Nelson seemed to dissipate around the weapon before reforming, trapping the blade inside of her. Nicodemus would never hurt me. He loves me. She thrummed. He can come join us too. Nelson chimed as cracks began to form in the weapon.
<
Ca….ss….an…dra………
The weapon collapsed into pieces, which reformed into a broken tablet. No. No no nonono. No no nonononononononono. She looked to Leon and Marcus in terror. She’d destroyed her weapon without even a half of a thought. Cass was exposed. Shieldless. She was a goner after this for sure.
Leon pulled Cass back and shoved her towards the far door. “Run. Don’t encounter anything. Go back to the base and tell them what is happening.” He instructed. Marcus gave her a small look, pulling her in for a kiss before pushing her along as well. “Go. We’ll hold this o-“ Marcus’s thought was cut off as Nelson reached through him as well, her hand right through his neck, pulling away and leaving Marcus bleeding on the floor with a hole in his neck which bled profusely.
Cass wasn’t sure if she screamed or stared in horror, dropping to her knees. No. No no no nonono. He wasn’t going to leave her like this. This wasn’t what was supposed to happen. No. Nonononononono. “Marcus. Marcus get up. Marcus! MARCUS?” tears were already rolling down her cheeks before she actually realized what she was feeling – that gut acceptance of what had just come to pass, while still being in full denial it was real. Leon swore, taking up his weapon and moving to try and slice through the air that was perhaps where this specter he couldn’t see was.
However, like the other three, he went down as well, blood coming out of his nose and mouth before he hit the floor.
Nelson turned to Cass at last, the red blood of her friends the only color to her form as she walked over to Cass and again wrapped her hands around her neck. Now we’ll all be together. All of us. We’ll be a real family, won’t that be nice? Nelson’s rough voice was almost like music to her ears, and yet it was a funeral dirge she was playing, even as she began to squeeze.
All of us.
Forever, Cass.
There was no malice in her smile, even as the world grew hazy and then dark – the last thing she would see…..
Cass suddenly jolted awake with a cold sweat,wrapping her arms around herself and making a weak panting noise. Marcus stirred next to her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. “Mmmmm, Morning.” Cass frowned, but seemed to sigh in relief as she settled in next to him. “Morning, Handsome. Time to get up….” She mumbled, before turning to look towards the movement of someone leaving the room.
But everybody was still in bed……..
