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Hawken - Sepulcher
Vitrose [vahy-trohs]
Noun. Pharmacology.
A powerful stimulant that affects the central nervous system. Known side effects are euphoria, increased libido, anxiety, paranoia, depression, hallucinations, neurocognitive deficit, and depersonalization.
-Nautilus Corp
You never understood…what it feels like…to have this demon living inside of you, Eva. I loved Pieter…I love you. Eva…I love you. Please…
Sebastian awoke to the cold emptiness of his bed.
“I’m sorry” Sebastian whispered to the pearl sheets that now housed his languid frame.
Situated at the edge of Andromeda lay Block 5 of the Akryd complex. Once part of a glorious expansion, much of the periphery now lay in ruin from the perpetual clashes between the multi-planetary corporations. The only inhabitants to the area were those too impoverished to relocate closer to the heart of the city.
Relinquishing the tear-stained sheets Sebastian hastily slid on a set of clothes. The steel floor felt cold on his feet. Heading to the lavatory he contemplated the disheveled, unshaven man staring back at him in the mirror.
“Frack me, you’re an ugly bastard” Sebastian muttered to himself.
Dozens of empty bottles lay scattered across the floor with a solitary bottle atop the sink. It beckoned to him as an old lover would, tracing the intricate maze of his mind, of his scars. Bringing with it a sweet release…
Abruptly a man in his early 30’s appeared behind him, placing his hands on Sebastian’s shoulders and leaning into his ear.
“Come back to bed, darling” spoke the man in a raspy voice. His face was peculiarly gnarled, with his right eye wrapped in gauze and nose severely broken. Blood dripped gently onto the floor.
“Piss off, Spaeler.”
“An alluring proposition, Sofia, although mind-fracking you would make for a smashing story, don’t you think?”
Several days after the death of his son and his wife’s exodus, Spaeler had simply appeared at Sebastian’s living quarters. Appreciating any company in the cold void he now occupied Sebastian welcomed the wanderer into his home. However, he had noticed a peculiar knack about the man; he always called Sebastian “Sofia”, the pet name given him by his ex-wife. Eva, you minx! It was soon after this Sebastian had realized that the man sharing his home and drug supply wasn’t real. Vitrose. Vitrolium. The elusive victories of Illal. Sebastian vividly recalled the bizarre exchange:
“Just what the frack are you!?“ Sebastian had cried out.
“Cool off, Sofia” Spaeler listlessly responded.
“Why do you keep calling me that?”
“I think you know why.”
“What’s wrong with me?”
“The same as everyone else with your…itch.”
“Vitrose…”
“And in the amounts you’ve taken its astonishing you haven’t seen fracking goats.”
Eventually Sebastian succumbed to his fate; an endless cycle of corrupt dreams, Spaeler’s delusions, discussions regarding how to frack a woman proper, Vitrose, and insuring the goats didn’t take over the whole of the frackng house.
“You haven’t the stones for it” replied Sebastian.
“Don’t give me any delicious ideas, Sofia.”
Quickly swallowing a few pills Sebastian proceeded to the decrepit parlor. Numerous phosphorescent bulbs hung from the overhead with chairs and paper littering the room. Suspended upon the walls were dozens of picture frames. A great number of them held photos of Eva and Sebastian, although a few once held images of their son. I miss you, Pieter.
“I’m headed for a walk, I think” Sebastian stated as he pulled on a coat and made his way to the entryway.
“Have fun, honey!” Spaeler called after him.
Outside Sebastian soaked in the pale, amber haze of day before spotting a pair of fighters roaring just above the skyline. Prosk had vastly augmented their patrols amid the seemingly endless raids by Sentium recon squads to test the weaknesses of their adversary. Every so often you could feel the resonant hum of an aerial battleship, a floating juggernaut bristling with weapons, hovering overhead.
Heading onwards Sebastian progressed around the periphery of the city, taking note of the inescapable Giga-Structure having conquered another district. Various corpses had been consumed by the inorganic shell with one in particular ensnaring Sebastian’s gaze; a boy of no more than four or five propped up by a steel support wall. The Giga-Structure had encased all but his face and neck with the boy’s eyes still desperately seeking solace.
After an hour or so Sebastian came across a crumbling plaza. The intricate stonework had been conquered by flora some time before with a cracked fountain standing as testament to years of neglect. It’s so peaceful here. Further surveying the tranquil spot he noticed a small patch of soil near where the fountain’s stonework had been broken up. Here. Sebastian then marked his way back home, back to the dark things within.
“Fracking goats! I don’t know how they got in but they’re here!” screamed Spaeler upon Sebastian’s arrival.
“Shut the frack up!” Sebastian retorted. “There aren’t any…”
And then he saw them. Five of the vile bastards just sitting in the parlor chairs. Spaeler hastily pushed Sebastian into the entryway’s coat closet.
“How the frack did they get in?” whispered Sebastian.
“I’m not quite at liberty to say” Spaeler evaded.
“What did you do? What the frack did you do!?”
“I may have inadvertently left the entryway open upon seeking…ah…fresh air.”
“You blacked…”
“Focus, man! We’ve been invaded!”
“Fine! Charge!”
Howling, Sebastian and Spaeler barreled out of the coat closet towards the invaders. However, the goats were nowhere to be seen.
“Bastards are probably hiding somewhere” proclaimed Spaeler.
“Frack it. I’m going to grab some shuteye” Sebastian exhaled.
Spaeler quickly collapsed into one of the rogue chairs and set upon re-bandaging his eye.
“Say hello to Sandy-man for me then, yeah?”
In the ensuing night Sebastian found himself unable to sleep. Checking the fridge he slapped together a turkey on rye and vigorously devoured it whole. He then took several Vitrose pills with sink water and at last found evasive slumber.
Awakening to the delusional cacophony of his psyche Sebastian quickly slipped on the coat he had worn the day before. He found Spaeler arranging the last of their Vitrose supply into an outline of a boy on the desk in the parlor.
“Give my regards to the lad, Sofia” remarked Spaeler.
A few hours later Sebastian was once again at the intricately crafted plaza. Kneeling beside the stone fountain he gently channeled a small burrow in the patch of soil. Reaching into his coat pocket he withdrew a folder and carefully slid out an old photograph of Pieter. He was smiling. Happy Birthday, Pieter.
Edited by Magnolia1038, 05 January 2016 - 10:19 AM.
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