Throughout her life, she had heard and read that the Dead World was the source of disease and toxicity so hideous that it could destroy the very life of her world. It was believed that the creatures in the dead world were badly mutated, more so than those in her world, by the effects of nuclear radiation. The poisons of the previous wars also brought about infirmity, deformation, and madness in the animals. It was not uncommon to see coyotes with contorted bodies or an abnormal number of limbs. Their temperament was usually one of aggression and erratic attack. The flight migration of certain species of birds brought about the realization that new, unnatural species roamed the other world; that the other world was not totally devoid of life but rather, inhabited by creatures some would term ‘monsters.’
Now, one such monster was nearby, and she would destroy it. For a moment, she felt happiness. She was doing the Earth a profound favor by ridding the abnormalities from life; she was protecting it from monsters.
Though her mind was racing and considering the various meanings of her task at hand, she managed to regroup her thoughts. She pulled out her flashlight, as it was still dark, and made sure her gun was fully loaded. Then, she walked eastward in the direction of the encroacher.
For the most part, the land was bare. She mostly walked on hard, red granite rock, hardened by the compression of a million years. It had been a little over an hour since she had been awakened from her deep sleep. Now she was briskly walking towards a deadly creature in a forbidden and decrepit place. So much can change in a moment, she was thinking.
She looked up into the sky; the moon was yellow. The light of overhead stars added to the much—appreciated illumination.
She reached the original site where she saw the animal. She saw her bike sitting safely on the other side. The view seemed like a testament that there existed a real—world somewhere close beyond her.
She approached the fence and asked the bike computer on the other side, “Any surrounding activity?”
“Yes,” it responded.
She felt a cold shiver going up to her spine. “Explain,” she said, trying to sound resolute.
“While you were gone, a small to medium—sized bear skirted around the periphery of this boundary.”
“Where is it now?” She asked while holding firm to her gun with one hand and shining her flashlight in a slow sweeping motion around the area with the other, peering intently.
“Unknown. The sensors work only a few meters beyond the fence.”
Her sweep of light showed bushes, solid rock, and a few pine trees but nothing of the animal.
She took a few shots in some bushes that had stirred in the autumn breeze, but there was no further movement. She walked very slowly towards them. Seeing they were vacant, she walked through them and stepped out onto the other side. No sign of the animal. Shining the light on the ground, she saw some scattered pine needles, displaced leaves, and disheveled dirt. She followed the trail. It seemed to be going into a nearby cave that was situated up the cliff.
She arrived at the cave in a stride that was steady and measured. It was still dark outside but not pitch black like the inside of the cave. She took a deep breath at the cave’s mouth and entered. Her gun was drawn.
She walked slowly inwards but stayed close to the entrance, using the flashlight to guide her. There was no sound or movement. She visually scanned the depth of the cave. The cave had a high ceiling, and she could see that it was fairly deep, but it was only a single compartment, as far as her eyes went. There were plenty of rocks and boulders that it could hide behind, she reasoned. Each one appeared to be the possible outline of its body. She decided to wait until it moved. It did not. She waited but still, no sign. She kicked at the dirt. Again, nothing. Then, she took a few shots at some boulders within. There was no movement.
Maybe it had left the cave, she concluded. As she moved towards the opening, her eyes fell on the bodily outline of the beast. It had been still, a single stride to the right of the opening inside of the cave, and it had been silent. Her surprise caused the gun to accidentally go off in her hands. She quickly stepped out of the cave, not without hearing a grunt and the sound of a carcass falling to the ground.
She did not look back. She waited to be several meters away from the cave before she caught her breath and wits. If she had killed it, she would be safe, but she would have to go back to the cave to decapitate its head.
After some time–she did not know how long–she moved in the direction of the cave. Her legs were trembling. The animal was dead or badly wounded, she reasoned. It had not come out to attack.
As she approached the cave, she heard it. It was breathing. Approaching the entrance, she was able to see its body moving due to quick, short breaths. She steadied the gun and pointed the light into the beast’s eyes, planning to blow off its head. However, what she saw frightened her tremendously. It completely shook her foundations.
In the beam of light, there was a face trembling in a high sustaining rhythm. She cast the light onto the length of the body, which was positioned horizontally on all four limbs, then back to its face.
In a trembling staccato, from a body supporting itself up from the ground by its arms, a sound emanated that clearly was discerning in the saying of one word. That word was “Please.”
And then the body collapsed onto the floor. She did not know if it happened from fainting, exhaustion, fear, or death.