Post by esmemcgill on Sept 15, 2014 19:20:07 GMT
The Visitors
White walls greeted Kyra as her eyes abruptly broke free from the gripping barrier of sleep that had her captured only moments ago. Blinking rapidly her eyes attempted to adjust to the blank, sterile cell ; devoid of any personal belongings or embellishments. Sighing deeply, a frown graced her forehead as the effulgence of the stark room stilled her - the dazzling contrast of the darkness that was sleep and the blinding light of the small boxed room was disconcerting. Rolling over reluctantly, a few moments were spent studying the words carved behind her bed.
"He who is brave is free - Lucias Annaeus Senaca."
She repeated over and over in her mind as she absentmindedly allowed her fingers to dance longingly over the words as her thoughts wandered to her father. The man who had placed the words of encouragement above a young Kyra's bed.
"It's important you remember courage Ky, even in the most trying of times." He had told her very seriously when she was younger, though she hadn't paid much attention then. Confused by his sober tone, she had been oblivious to what these words would mean to her in the future. How much she would think of them when trying to depict his motives.
Bringing herself back to the present, Kyra inhaled sharply and ignoring the tight knot in her throat dashed to the very small mirror that was tucked into the corner of the sparsely decorated room. Glancing fleetingly into the mirror Kyra's eyes were drawn to the faded charcoal ink that had been forcibly shot into her flesh upon her capture, reducing her identity to nothing more than a few numbers. A mist of memories swiftly settled over the two emeralds on either side of her nose. Memories of the times before this wretched existence. Kyra's mother always scolded her for living in the past, saying it was a waste of the present. But this present was created to be wasted. How could she enjoy living in this trapped environment? Kept in these caged rooms for the entertainment of the Others. Poked and prodded by their children or spawn or whatever they were called. It was infuriating and degrading and no way for animals to live let alone humans. Anger coursed like fire through Kyra's veins, making her scream in frustration and rage. Breaking through her red tainted vision, she attempted to composed herself. Her mind recalling the consequences of disobedience, one of such certainty it was frightening. Kyra refused to have her family pay it again.
Tiny droplets of perspiration began to gather along her hairline as Kyra took part in the manual labour that was part of the daily routine forced upon her. She didn't mind. Anything that kept her out of the tight cell was a god send. Roughly wiping her brow and standing upright to ease her cramping back, Kyra watched her mother from the corner of her eye. Mrs Mason was what most people would class as mentally unstable. Since the demise of her husband a permanent grey fog had clouded her life and vision, grief had engulfed her. She hardly spoke and when she did it was in a either a whining or scolding tone, each accompanied with a sad smile. Kyra worried about her mum but she struggled to look at her without feeling the burn of resentment that had rooted itself into her heart like the beginnings of a tree and grown and grown until it was impossible to get rid of.
"You okay mum?" Kyra asked warily, cautious of her mum's mood swings.
"Mhm very good, very good very good." She muttered over and over, nodding her head frantically.
Kyra shrugged slightly in response.
"Want some help with your patch?" She offered after a few moments, observing that Mrs Mason looked as though she were about to keel over from the heat and hard work. Just as her mum was about to reply, a booming voice startled them.
"And over here, we have a large group of carnivorous homo sapiens hard at work." A sickeningly enthusiastic voice introduced the members of the compound to the Others.
"Feel free to get a closer look but remember the rules!" The voice added last minute, almost threateningly.
Kyra felt her stomach churn. Clenching her fists, she instinctively allowed her feet to carry her even closer to her mother, where she stood in front of her like a guard dog; protecting her from the cruel stares of the visitors.
Most stayed a safe distance away, cautious of the unpredictable species they were told had been captured. Some weren't as wary or worried. They dragged sticks noisily across the fence, they shouted abuse and chanted, teasing them with luxuries it was obvious they could not have. Everyone within the compound was silent, Kyra rolled her eyes. Used to the abuse, she had learned not to let it get to her. In the past, people had tried to stand up from themselves against these Visitors, but over time all had learned the punishment. Extermination.
"Look at that beast over there!" One of the Others shouted, waving his friends over and looking past Kyra and pointing at her mum in revulsion.
"Ew it's actually making me feel sick. Look at it's face!" Another managed to spit out through chortled laughter before performing an exaggerated gagging motion.
"There's definitely a reason we're separated. Imagine having to breed with that." A third added, shivering half way through for effect.
Everyone inside the fenced community had turned completely to look at Mrs Mason's face, deformed upon her arrival here as punishment for taking food from the visitors. Most people within the compound had grown used to it, they barely even noticed it never mind commented on it. Kyra whirled round and studied her mother's face, streaked with salty tears of mortification . Murky brown eyes lost in despair met vibrant green, simmering with anger. More remarks and laughter were thrown from the same group of boy's. Pushing Kyra's patience almost to the brink. Despite the bitterness she felt towards her mother she would not have any one, not even Visitors upset her like this. She spun round, preparing to defend her mum when she was interrupted by a fourth voice.
"Should of put them all down when we had the chance. Rid this planet of vermin upon invasion." This voice was female and was laced with far more venom and disgust than any of the others.
Pulling her gaze away from her mothers, she turned slowly - digesting the ignorant, heartless words of this woman who couldn't have been any more than her mothers age.
Kyra's mind mulled over the cruel words. On one hand she was completely disgusted at this visitors words, but on the whole she agreed; they should of been destroyed when the Others arrived. Obviously the Other's couldn't live in harmony with another species so why not wipe them out? Keeping people like this, caged as though they were animals in a zoo was barbaric. Forcing people into hard labour, keeping them from their families and threatening them with death if they didn't comply with orders, it was primitive and uncivilized. People here were forced into a life without meaning or purpose. Living without really living. Just existing. To Kyra that was worse than death.
It was then she realised why her dad had made the decisions he did. He decided to risk escape despite the very serious consequences because even death was an improvement for this. He decided he would either have freedom or death but not this. Not some strange form of living forced upon him. Kyra couldn't blame him for that. In that moment, she felt the exact same.
White walls greeted Kyra as her eyes abruptly broke free from the gripping barrier of sleep that had her captured only moments ago. Blinking rapidly her eyes attempted to adjust to the blank, sterile cell ; devoid of any personal belongings or embellishments. Sighing deeply, a frown graced her forehead as the effulgence of the stark room stilled her - the dazzling contrast of the darkness that was sleep and the blinding light of the small boxed room was disconcerting. Rolling over reluctantly, a few moments were spent studying the words carved behind her bed.
"He who is brave is free - Lucias Annaeus Senaca."
She repeated over and over in her mind as she absentmindedly allowed her fingers to dance longingly over the words as her thoughts wandered to her father. The man who had placed the words of encouragement above a young Kyra's bed.
"It's important you remember courage Ky, even in the most trying of times." He had told her very seriously when she was younger, though she hadn't paid much attention then. Confused by his sober tone, she had been oblivious to what these words would mean to her in the future. How much she would think of them when trying to depict his motives.
Bringing herself back to the present, Kyra inhaled sharply and ignoring the tight knot in her throat dashed to the very small mirror that was tucked into the corner of the sparsely decorated room. Glancing fleetingly into the mirror Kyra's eyes were drawn to the faded charcoal ink that had been forcibly shot into her flesh upon her capture, reducing her identity to nothing more than a few numbers. A mist of memories swiftly settled over the two emeralds on either side of her nose. Memories of the times before this wretched existence. Kyra's mother always scolded her for living in the past, saying it was a waste of the present. But this present was created to be wasted. How could she enjoy living in this trapped environment? Kept in these caged rooms for the entertainment of the Others. Poked and prodded by their children or spawn or whatever they were called. It was infuriating and degrading and no way for animals to live let alone humans. Anger coursed like fire through Kyra's veins, making her scream in frustration and rage. Breaking through her red tainted vision, she attempted to composed herself. Her mind recalling the consequences of disobedience, one of such certainty it was frightening. Kyra refused to have her family pay it again.
Tiny droplets of perspiration began to gather along her hairline as Kyra took part in the manual labour that was part of the daily routine forced upon her. She didn't mind. Anything that kept her out of the tight cell was a god send. Roughly wiping her brow and standing upright to ease her cramping back, Kyra watched her mother from the corner of her eye. Mrs Mason was what most people would class as mentally unstable. Since the demise of her husband a permanent grey fog had clouded her life and vision, grief had engulfed her. She hardly spoke and when she did it was in a either a whining or scolding tone, each accompanied with a sad smile. Kyra worried about her mum but she struggled to look at her without feeling the burn of resentment that had rooted itself into her heart like the beginnings of a tree and grown and grown until it was impossible to get rid of.
"You okay mum?" Kyra asked warily, cautious of her mum's mood swings.
"Mhm very good, very good very good." She muttered over and over, nodding her head frantically.
Kyra shrugged slightly in response.
"Want some help with your patch?" She offered after a few moments, observing that Mrs Mason looked as though she were about to keel over from the heat and hard work. Just as her mum was about to reply, a booming voice startled them.
"And over here, we have a large group of carnivorous homo sapiens hard at work." A sickeningly enthusiastic voice introduced the members of the compound to the Others.
"Feel free to get a closer look but remember the rules!" The voice added last minute, almost threateningly.
Kyra felt her stomach churn. Clenching her fists, she instinctively allowed her feet to carry her even closer to her mother, where she stood in front of her like a guard dog; protecting her from the cruel stares of the visitors.
Most stayed a safe distance away, cautious of the unpredictable species they were told had been captured. Some weren't as wary or worried. They dragged sticks noisily across the fence, they shouted abuse and chanted, teasing them with luxuries it was obvious they could not have. Everyone within the compound was silent, Kyra rolled her eyes. Used to the abuse, she had learned not to let it get to her. In the past, people had tried to stand up from themselves against these Visitors, but over time all had learned the punishment. Extermination.
"Look at that beast over there!" One of the Others shouted, waving his friends over and looking past Kyra and pointing at her mum in revulsion.
"Ew it's actually making me feel sick. Look at it's face!" Another managed to spit out through chortled laughter before performing an exaggerated gagging motion.
"There's definitely a reason we're separated. Imagine having to breed with that." A third added, shivering half way through for effect.
Everyone inside the fenced community had turned completely to look at Mrs Mason's face, deformed upon her arrival here as punishment for taking food from the visitors. Most people within the compound had grown used to it, they barely even noticed it never mind commented on it. Kyra whirled round and studied her mother's face, streaked with salty tears of mortification . Murky brown eyes lost in despair met vibrant green, simmering with anger. More remarks and laughter were thrown from the same group of boy's. Pushing Kyra's patience almost to the brink. Despite the bitterness she felt towards her mother she would not have any one, not even Visitors upset her like this. She spun round, preparing to defend her mum when she was interrupted by a fourth voice.
"Should of put them all down when we had the chance. Rid this planet of vermin upon invasion." This voice was female and was laced with far more venom and disgust than any of the others.
Pulling her gaze away from her mothers, she turned slowly - digesting the ignorant, heartless words of this woman who couldn't have been any more than her mothers age.
Kyra's mind mulled over the cruel words. On one hand she was completely disgusted at this visitors words, but on the whole she agreed; they should of been destroyed when the Others arrived. Obviously the Other's couldn't live in harmony with another species so why not wipe them out? Keeping people like this, caged as though they were animals in a zoo was barbaric. Forcing people into hard labour, keeping them from their families and threatening them with death if they didn't comply with orders, it was primitive and uncivilized. People here were forced into a life without meaning or purpose. Living without really living. Just existing. To Kyra that was worse than death.
It was then she realised why her dad had made the decisions he did. He decided to risk escape despite the very serious consequences because even death was an improvement for this. He decided he would either have freedom or death but not this. Not some strange form of living forced upon him. Kyra couldn't blame him for that. In that moment, she felt the exact same.