P.O.W.: Legacy Earth 8 by Ross Buzzell

Author:Ross Buzzell [Buzzell, Ross]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Archimedes Books
Published: 2022-12-02T16:00:00+00:00

24

IF YOU CAN DODGE A WRENCH

Images swirled through Lance’s mind. They were unintelligible, mixed together and layered on top of one another as if someone had taken scenes from eight different films and edited them all on top of each other at once.

Screams, those he heard clearly, unlike any he’d heard before. The kind that digs into the bones, that of the last of a race being snuffed from existence. A constricting feeling wrapped around his chest, making breathing difficult.

As he struggled to take a breath, his eyes shot open. He was in his cell once more. After a split second, the muscles around his chest released. He took a deep, long breath, gasping for air and coughing as it filled his lungs.

The moment of sheer panic subsided as he caught his breath. Everything was dark, save a red light in the main hall for the night shift. Lance rotated. Placing his bare feet on the cold ground, he centered himself.

“Are you okay?” Cthylla asked, their voice sounded stronger, while still soft.

“Yeah… just a nightmare,” he whispered back.

A shiver ran down his spine. He was freezing despite beads of sweat rolling over his skin, tickling him as they did. Lance went to pull on the front of his shirt to absorb the annoying drips of sweat on his back. He found he wasn’t wearing one as he touched his clammy, sweaty chest.

“No, I mean, are you okay?” his cellmate asked once more. “You’ve been unconscious for almost four days now.”

“I have?” the captain asked.

A fog rolled over his mind. He smacked his lips; they were dry. Looking around, he found his shirt, hanging on the bedframe. Grabbing it, he stood up. Every bone in his body ached, feeling as if someone was hitting them directly with a tiny hammer. The room shifted for a few seconds.

“Yeah. The Veles that took you brought you back and threw you into your bed,” Cthylla explained as he made his way to the sink. “The one you called Amy, she stayed behind and made sure you were left in a comfortable position. She took your shirt off and told me that you’d be fine as long as you woke up by today.”

Lance turned the sink on. Leaning over, he cupped his hands, filled them up and took a drink. The cool water was never more refreshing for him. He hardly noticed the metallic taste as he guzzled handful after handful in a desperate attempt to rehydrate himself.

“She seemed genuinely concerned about you.”

“I’m surprised no one’s come over here and tried to stab me in my sleep,” he said, panting as he wiped loose water from his chin.

“Dasha’Ful and his cronies did come by a few times that first day to see why you weren’t downstairs. I thought he was going to try and make his move until they shut our cell door.”

“And what about you?” Lance asked. “Have you gotten any water, or taken your meds?”

“My body water content was able to suffice while you slept.

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