Preview 2: Destroyed Lives

Matakh returned with a jolt to the land of the living, the pain still present, now as a headache that felt like someone whacking away at his skull from inside, and a sore, compressed chest. He opened his eyes to see the ceiling of his basement, or what was left of it. Large areas had collapsed, and he guessed that the rubble was what was pressing down on his chest and, in fact, his entire body. Reaching a hand up, he could feel dried blood caking one side of his face, which would explain why his fur there felt so odd. He must have gotten a cut from the debris.

He suddenly remembered how he had gotten under the rubble, and he felt fear shoot through him. Oh my gosh! Mom! Dad! Meea! Oh…

He groaned and lifted a hand to push the offending debris from his body, only to hear a sudden clatter and a familiar, feminine moan. “Meea?” he croaked, his voice rasping from his dry throat. He coughed, clearing dust from his airways, a small puff of it coming up from his nose. “Mee?” he called again, more clearly this time.

He heard a groggy-sounding moan, and then a soft, “Matakh?” He sighed in relief. At least his sister was safe.

“Yes, Meea. I’m here… I hope all of me.”

He heard his sister giggle softly and he smiled, glad he could make her laugh, in spite of what had happened. But his smile died when he heard the next thing she said.

“Mom and Dad… Have you heard them at all?”

Matakh felt a cold pit settle in his stomach, and he didn’t respond, afraid of his sister’s reaction should she learn the truth. But his silence spoke volumes, and he heard her start to breathe faster and more erratically.

“No…” she said softly. “No… No they can’t be… They can’t have…”

“Mee…” he started to say softly, but suddenly he heard Meea give a pained cry. A loud clatter filled the air as she started to shove the debris off of her, trying to free herself. He heard her start to sob, and his heart broke. He sighed and started to heft off some of the beams lying across his body. When he had lifted away most of them, he sat up and looked over at his sister.

Meea had fought her way free of most of the rubble that had covered her, and was now struggling to get up. She was covered in dust, and her normally blonde was gray with ash, and hung in a tangled mass. She managed to get to her feet and tried to head for the door, but her foot caught on a wooden beam. She fell to her knees, her hands slapping against the stone floor. She didn’t get up, but just stayed there, sobbing uncontrollably, her body shaking as she cried. Tears fell from her eyes, wetting the cold floor beneath her.

Matakh stood, wincing as his chest gave a twinge in protest. He was sure he had bruised some ribs, and he could feel what seemed to be a large scab running down his face. He could only imagine how awful he must have looked, as he was certain that he also had at least one black eye, and he felt like his tail was bent in several places. He looked behind him to see to his great surprise that the appendage in question was in fact perfectly whole, and was twitching in response to his fear and anxiety.

He shook his head and walked over to his sister, his spirit feeling as though it was bleeding from grievous wounds. When he reached her side, he knelt down and draped an arm around her shoulders, silently trying to comfort her. He could hear her whispering, “No… no… no…” repeatedly, trying to deny what had happened, but powerless to change reality.

Matakh felt Meea lean into him, resting her head on his chest, her tears wetting his shirt. He wrapped his arms around her, cradling her as she sobbed, starting to cry himself with the pain of their loss. He held his sister as they both mourned the loss of their parents, gaining some comfort in each other’s presence.

For a long while, they just sat together, letting their sorrow go in the form of tears. It seemed like their whole world had died along with their parents. They felt broken, defeated, shattered, and bereft of willpower. Everything that they knew was scattered around them in ruin, and the most important people in their lives were most likely gone.

Finally, Meea’s sobs quieted down, becoming sniffles and whimpers as she held tightly to Matakh’s shirt. Slowly, she pulled away from her brother, wiping her eyes on her sleeve to dry away the tears. When she looked up at Matakh, her face was stained with wet tracts running from her eyes down her cheeks, and Matakh gave a weak smile as he reached out to brush away the dust from his sister’s face.

Meea sniffled one final time and looked towards the door leading up to the house. “Shouldn’t we try to get out? I mean, we need to see how bad the house is damaged.”

Matakh nodded. “Yeah. Maybe we can still salvage some of our stuff, if it wasn’t all destroyed.” Together, they made their way through the ruins of their basement, wary of sharp pieces of metal and broken glass.

“We were lucky,” Matakh observed as he looked around him at the destruction. “We could’ve been crushed or buried alive.”

Meea nodded. “Your right… I guess.” She sighed. “But Mom…”

Matakh lightly tapped her muzzle to shush her. “Don’t focus on it. Let’s just worry about getting out of here.” Meea nodded once more, sniffling a little but otherwise remaining silent.

As they neared the door, they suddenly heard a clutter from overhead, as if someone – or something – were moving around. They stopped short, and for a moment they felt hope rise in their hearts. “Mom?” Meea called. “Dad? Is that you?” They waited in silence, but there was no response. Even the faint sound of activity had grown still.

Meea’s ears drooped. “Maybe it was just a mouse…”

Matakh gently stroked her head, feeling his own hope die with his sister’s. “You’re probably right.”

They took another few steps towards the door… only for it to suddenly swing open, admitting a stream of light. The siblings raised their arms to shield their eyes from the radiance as they adjusted. When they could finally see again, they looked up towards the door to see… no-one.

“What…” Meea stuttered. “How? Who?”

Matakh looked at her, feeling just as confused. “I’m not sure. But we’re gonna find out. Come on.” He made to move for the door, but Meea stepped back a bit. He turned to look at his sister, seeing that she had suddenly grown nervous.

“You go first,” she said softly.

 Matakh nodded in understanding, and then moved towards the stairs. Reaching the foot of the stairwell, Matakh looked up towards the door, now seeming so far away. Taking a deep breath, he placed a foot on the first stair, wincing as it creaked. For a moment, he feared that it would break, but the wood held. He moved to the next step, and the next, holding his breath as the wood continued creaking. Halfway up the steps, he was sure it would break, but by some miracle the stairs held, and after what seemed like an eternity he was finally stepping out into the ruins of what had been their home.

Looking around him, he was at once appalled and grateful at what had happened. The bomb seemed to have hit just in front of the house, judging by the massive impact crater in the front lawn, and the blast had obliterated most of the dwelling’s front-most end. The kitchen was gone, along with a part of the living room and a good portion of the upstairs. Broken plates, furniture, and decorative accents were scattered everywhere, and Matakh had to step carefully to avoid cutting himself on any glass. The fortunate thing was that much of the rear of the house had been spared the force of the explosion, and his and Meea’s rooms appeared to be still intact.

“Well?” Meea called from the basement. “How bad is it? Anything left, or is it all just junked?”

Matakh turned towards the stairwell. “It’s actually not too bad. The front’s gone, but the back’s still pretty much whole. Our rooms look like they’ll still be fine. If we can just…”

His voice trailed off as he noticed something he had missed when he first came up from the basement, something that hit him like a fist to the gut. He felt his blood run cold as a wave of fear and sadness hit him.

“What’s wrong?” he heard his sister yell.

Matakh thought quickly. “Don’t… Don’t come up here,” he said loud enough for her to hear. “Just… stay down for now.” He looked around him, desperately trying to find something with which to hide the truth from his sister.

His thoughts were interrupted by the creaking of wood. “I’m coming up, Mat.”

Matakh opened his mouth to protest, to reassert that she should stay down, but he had gone mute. All he could do was watch as Meea came out of the door and into the ruins of their kitchen. “Now what was so bad that…” Her comment died away into a strangled whine as she saw the blanket beside the basement door… and the two bodies it was draped over.

They were lying against each other, the larger, Kotaho, with his chest against the back of the smaller, Linalia. Their faces were surprisingly peaceful, with no signs of pain or suffering, just serenity, as if they had died happy. Kotaho’s arm was draped around Linalia’s shoulders in a final embrace, and her hair was brushed away from her face. They look so peaceful, Matakh thought. It’s almost like they’re just sleeping. But he knew instinctively that they would not wake up.

Meea’s eyes went wide, tears welling up once more in them. She swallowed and walked a few steps closer to her parents, moving as if she were half-asleep. She reached out a hand toward the bodies, only to stop and pull it back. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but only got out a soft whine.

“Matakh,” she finally managed to force out, “are… are you sure that… they’re…”

Matakh nodded. “Yes, Mee. They’re gone. I’m sorry.”

Meea just stood still for a few moments, shock written on her face. Then, she broke down, falling to her knees, sobbing loudly. Her shoulders shook as she cried, and she covered her face with her hands, rocking forward and back. Tears fell from in between her fingers, staining the ground.

Matakh sighed and walked over to his sister, draping an arm around her shoulder. “I told you to stay down, Mee,” he said softly, holding her close to comfort her. She leaned into him, resting her head on his chest and clutching his shoulder for support. Her tears dampened his shirt again as she wept, and he found himself crying along with her, unable to keep his composure any longer.

For several long minutes, the two siblings wept and mourned over the loss of their parents, their home… and the lives they had once enjoyed. The ideals of their world were now in tatters, the promises its leaders had made broken, and the lives of its people tossed about like leaves in a gale. Their hearts were bleeding, their souls wracked with agony from the injustice and violence of it all...

Prologue: Through Darkened Halls

“When day is night, when wrong is right

When joy is pain, when loss is gain

When die is live, when take is give

When soft is loud, when meek is proud

When out is in, when lose is win

When start is cease, when war is peace

When sick is well, when heaven is hell

When amoral is just, in God may we trust.”

A bullet drilled into the wall inches from Matakh’s head, making his hair tingle. Too close, he thought to himself, looking behind to see a figure coming around the wall. He let loose a pulse from his simple stun pistol, the bolt of cerulean energy just missing the soldier, sending him scurrying back behind the corner.

He continued running, trying to keep up with Meea and Jenzo. The floor was littered with rubble; smashed shelves, fragments of craft boards, and chunks of plaster were all among the mix that slowed his progress. Another bullet flew past his head, the corona of destructive energy coating it giving off a harsh yellow light. It was so close that he could feel the kiss of disturbed air against the fur on his ears. He turned again and fired. The shot was off, but it was close enough to cause the assailant to double back.

Not for long, though. He continued battling his way through the rubble of what had once been an elementary schoolhouse. He was sure that several months ago it had been a cheery, vibrant place. Patches of the original golden paint still existed. But now the walls were blackened by fire, smoke lingered in the air, and faint glowing patches hinted at the presence of smoldering embers. Most of the windows were broken as well, shattered by explosions or fallen debris, and Matakh was glad that he was wearing shoes, or his feet would have been a bloody mess. Already, his normally tawny fur was blackened with soot and he was bleeding slightly from various cuts. Meea and Jenzo weren’t much better off. His sister’s creamy fur appeared gray from both the gloom and dirt, while Jenzo’s sandy coat looked more like dirty gold.

The sound of an explosion suddenly came from outside, and the whole building shook. A huge chunk of the ceiling broke free and tumbled down, blocking the hallway that Meea had been about to take. Jenzo yipped in fear as the rubble crashed to the floor, and covered his mouth to keep out the dust that billowed out to engulf them.

Meea didn’t even slow down. She turned to the other passageway, blocked only by a flimsy cork panel. It fell to pieces when she gave it a good punch, revealing another avenue of escape.

“This way!” Meea called, grabbing Jenzo’s hand and pulling him behind her. The young fennec fox yipped in surprise, his feet frantically struggling to keep him upright. They barely succeeded as he was dragged behind the nimble lioness.

Matakh trailed behind the two, glancing over his shoulder to look for any signs of their pursuers. He was just in time to see another black-garbed soldier come around the corner. He lifted his weapon, sighted briefly, and loosed a single shot. The blue pulse flew down the hall and struck the soldier in the chest. A wave of electrostatic energy flew across the feline’s body, shorting out his nervous system with the sudden burst of electrical impulses. He toppled to the ground without a cry.

Matakh, Meea, and Jenzo kept running, zigzagging through the halls of the abandoned schoolhouse. Another sudden explosion rocked the building, sending Jenzo toppling to the ground. The fox yelped as he was dragged a few feet before Meea stopped to help him up. He rubbed his scraped elbow, wiping away a little blood, but otherwise gave no indication he was hurt. Meea nodded encouragingly, and they began to run again.

They turned several times, trying to lose their pursuers, but the pounding of heavy footsteps told them their efforts were in vain. They were only just managing to stay ahead of the soldiers chasing them, and couldn’t keep up their speed much longer. Jenzo in particular was feeling the strain, panting hard with the effort of keeping pace with Meea.

Suddenly, they were forced to stop when they turned a corner to find themselves facing a locked door. They looked around furtively for another means of escape, a window, another door, anything. There was none to be found.

 “A dead end!” Jenzo moaned, ears drooping in defeat. “This is it. It’s over. They’ll catch us, and do horrible things… And the others…” He buried his face in his hands, whimpering in fear.

“It isn’t over,” Meea said firmly, and lashed out with a roundhouse kick that splintered the already-weakened door. A large portion fell away, leaving a hole just big enough to squeeze through.

Matakh nodded. “Good. Jenzo, you go first, then Meea. I’ll be right behind you.” The fox nodded and slipped through the hole, his tail the last thing to disappear. Meea followed suit, using her feline grace to elegantly slide into the opening.

Matakh took one last look behind them to check for incoming foes. None were visible, but the footsteps were getting closer. He tucked his stun gun into his belt and squeezed through the hole in the door, ignoring the scratches he received from sharp splinters of wood. There would be time enough to worry about that later.

He found himself in what appeared to be a kindergarten schoolroom, with the charred remnants of children’s projects scattered everywhere. The shattered glass of a terrarium littered the floor, glinting in the harsh light of the fires burning outside. He was sure the room had once been beautiful, but now it was in total ruin, all traces of happiness and cheer burnt to ashes. He quickly began scanning his surroundings for a way to block the door and a way out of the school.

Seeing an imported oak shelving unit, he rushed over and began to push, only to find that it was too heavy for him to move alone. “Help me with this,” he called to Meea, putting all his weight behind his efforts. His sister ran to his side and together they toppled the shelf over in front of the door, blocking the hole and barricading the way.

“Now for a way out,” he said to himself. He saw that the room had a large window that spanned nearly wall-to-wall. Outside, he could see the ruins of Tuthana, once one of his world’s greatest cities, now dominated by fires, smoke, and rubble. The buildings that were still standing were in bad shape, many of them having partially collapsed or missing large sections.

He could also see just how close they were to the ground from this room. It would be easy to jump to the ground without injury, and once down they could make a break for the safety of the streets. He looked for something with which to shatter the glass, spying a metal chair frame. He lifted the twisted steel from the rubble, struggling to pull it free from the debris coating it…

Jenzo suddenly cried out and pointed out the window. Turning and looking where the fox had indicated, Matakh could see a swarm of bombers. There were at least two dozen bombing craft flying over the city, ready to drop their payload of explosives. And one was making a dive for the school.

It would be in drop range within seconds. When the bomb hit, the explosion would send glass shards everywhere, slicing whatever wasn’t incinerated in the blast to ribbons.

A sudden surge of adrenaline blasted through Matakh, wiping away any regard for his own safety. He suddenly viewed his surroundings not as a tumble of burnt wood and rusted steel, but as a Jokki player views the playing field. The world faded to a foggy gray, Jenzo and Meea seeming to glow like beacons in the night. Instinctively, he searched for a means to get them out of harm’s way, anything or anywhere he could use. The closet door to his right seemed to light up. He saw the door hanging open, saw the opportunity. He knew he could easily get the two younger ones to the storage space within moments. And with the last spark of true rationality, he put all those things together in his mind to form a rudimentary plan.

He leapt forward, grabbing Meea and Jenzo by the arms, ignoring their protests and cries of pain at the strength of his grip. Better they receive bruises from his grasp than be incinerated in an explosion. With inexorable strength, he dragged them over to the closet and tossed them inside roughly. The loud whine of an approaching bomb filled the air, as well as the smashing of the door. He turned around just in time to see the room door broken down, four soldiers entering and an explosive capsule passing the window outside.

Then there was a flash of brilliant light, a loud thunderclap, and the world turned upside-down.

Instantly, the window was shattered by the force of the explosion, sending shards of glass flying everywhere, glowing cherry-red from the heat and trailing sparks. Matakh felt dozens of cuts open up on his back by the heated glass, searing his fur, skin, and flesh as they struck, and he heard the soldiers cry out in surprise as they were struck by the lethal shrapnel. Though their armor protected them from the sharp edges of the glass, the sheer intensity of the heat burned right through their protective suits, burning the flesh beneath. At least they have armor, Matakh thought in the very back of his mind as his body was ravaged by the flying shards.

The shock wave from the blast tore through the room. Matakh felt it as a massive impact, like being hit by a freight train, that slammed into his body and lifted him like a rag doll, accompanied by a wall of unbearable heat as the flames flooded into the space. The intensity of the fire’s harsh light knifed into his eyes, and he squeezed them shut as the pain flooded his brain, but unfortunately his nerves remained perfectly active, allowing him to feel all that was happening.

The heated blast half-tore, half-burned Matakh’s shirt from his torso, completely exposing his back to the wall of fire. He cried out in agony as he felt his skin and flesh burning under the intense heat. The soldiers, who had been far closer to the window, had found their armor completely ineffective at protecting them, and were strewn across the floor, reduced to charred heaps. Matakh managed to open his eyes a tiny bit, only to see flaming chunks of rubble flying around the room, though by some miracle they all missed him. The roar of the fire was deafening, and Matakh could feel pain shoot through his ears as they were bombarded by the impossibly-loud noise. He tried to lift his hands to cover his ears, but the pain he was experiencing had rendered his body immobile.

He felt himself hit the wall – no, a door, he could feel it move. He realized that it was the entrance to the closet holding his sister and friend. Fear filled him; fear for Meea and for Jenzo. But looking at the closet, he saw that his body had been thrown against the door, shutting it tight, and the portal had held up. Amidst the incredible pain, he felt at peace knowing they were safe. That was all that mattered

He felt a wooden panel strike his chest, the air knocked from his lungs by the impact, before he crumpled to the floor, his body screaming in agony from his countless injuries. His back felt like it was being carved with hundreds of flaming daggers, his body felt completely broken, and his lungs felt scorched and dry. He gasped, barely able to breathe the hot air as it seared his throat, and his vision was swallowed by black. He knew he was passing out, maybe even dying, the injuries he had sustained being just too great for him to stay conscious through the pain.

As he lay, battered and burned, he was filled with grief as he thought of how his fate was similar to that of his world, engulfed in flames and violence, all in a war that made no sense at all. And as he lost his hold on the present, his mind turned to the past, to when life was peaceful, and before the war began…