literature

Instinct

Deviation Actions

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“Do your best to survive. Good luck.”

That sentence, broadcasted in a metallic voice through some hidden speakers, had shattered what little confidence I’d been holding onto.

I shook my head, trying to dismiss the thoughts and emotions, but couldn’t. Ever since I was cast to this place, I’ve been in constant danger of losing my life. This place was once a research facility, I’m assuming. You couldn’t tell anything for sure from the caved in concrete and devastated surroundings. But the entire building was concrete and metal, underground somewhere. Among the mountains of metallic and other synthetic litter, scientific machinery could be found. What appeared to have once been top of the line high tech equipment, now reduced to clumps and shards that I struggled not to cut myself on, as I climbed through one destroyed room to another.

I didn’t know what was required of me. The only thing we were told was to survive, as if we wouldn’t on our own. We were a group of people from a variety of origins and social status. I had no recollection of anything prior to being in this place, if anyone else did, they hadn’t let on. I was dressed in a halter top, cargo pants and heavy combat boots. The only item on my person was the highly technological watch strapped to my right wrist, which I’d woken with on. However it wasn’t functioning, not once had the liquid crystal screen lit. Pressing the buttons didn’t do anything either. A even a skinny technical savvy guy couldn’t make heads or tails from the item, and had muttered something of possibly finding something to aid him in the rubble.

I sighed, pressing my back against the cold concrete. I looked around at the half room I was in; most of the walls had caved in, and it was nearly impossible to distinguish anything from the mount of debris on the ground. I closed my eyes for a few moments before they snapped open again, my chest heaving. My heart hadn’t stopped beating rapidly since the start of events. The group had split up into smaller groups to search the grounds. I was with two other girls, Rachel and Ann, and one strongly built guy, who identified himself as Mar. I’d separated from them some time ago, and have been waiting for them to return since. I was exhausted from walking in circles for hours on end, and felt I was ready to collapse from the pressure at any given moment. 

My heart was beating out of my chest, and my extremities felt cold, numb, and weak. Beads of cold sweat trickled down my temples, and caused my thin top to stick to my back. I just wanted it all to go away, and to feel safe again. I woke from my thoughts at the realization that I’d been there for a long while and no one had returned for me. My heart sank, frightened for being left behind, but on some level relieved by it.  I didn’t know for sure that that’s what happened, but I couldn’t wait around any longer lest something comes for me. I’d abandon them.

Even with that resolve I realized it made no difference, I still didn’t know where to go, or what to do. Pushing those thoughts aside, I took a weary step forward. My knees nearly buckled and I felt my legs shake, doubt and fear rushed through my mind, and I could barely fight them back. However, with every passing step and droplet of cold sweat, I found I was losing myself more and more to my basic survival instincts.

Just keep moving forward, that’s it. I repeatedly told myself, climbing over one heap of metal after another. Mentally congratulating myself for overcoming minor hurdles. Funny how a mind copes, I noted, as I caught myself turning it in some sort of small game to keep my thoughts preoccupied. 5 points for not getting tangled in a web of wires, 5 points for successfully making it through a maze of shards of glass without getting scratched, minus 2 points for knocking over a heap of metal cans and making a lot of noise. I was nearing half way to the triple digits, when I realized the futility of the matter. This place was a complete maze, I was no closer to getting out than I was.. what was it, half an hour? 3 hours? I couldn’t tell anymore.

I cast an angry glare at a dented metal plate near me, its surface scuffed but I could make out the print it once bore. A sign I’d been coming across every so often but taking little notice to; “InfinitI” it spelled with large black letters pasted over a regular infinity symbol. I cursed InfinitI, surely one way or another they were responsible for the predicament I was in. Hopelessness suddenly washed over me like a cold wave, I hadn’t realized how tired I was until my knees caved in under me, letting me crumble to the ground. My thin arms shook along with the rest of my sickly thin body, just barely holding my torso off the ground. Was I crying? Perhaps laughing hysterically? I didn’t care.

My eyes landed on the cursed watch that hadn’t aided me once. It mocked me, I was sure of it, sitting over my ghostly white clamped fists, shiny and new. I picked up a fist sized chunk of concrete, addressing the watch threateningly as I lifted the piece in my left, “Go to hell you son of a…”

But just as I was bringing down my left to smash the watch –ignoring the fact that it was still attached to my right, the screen flickered twice dimly. I jumped back fearfully, just like any other frightening animal faced with something it didn’t understand. Naturally the watch on my wrist followed, the screen slowly booting up with a neon green color. Regaining my senses I hesitantly faced the tiny screen. A bright green floor plan appeared on a black background, many rooms, like some mad maze. There was no doubt in my mind that this was the floor plan to the place I was in. After all, anything else would be utterly useless. The original plan, it seemed, before all this devastation happened.

I squinted at the screen, but there was no indication of where I was, or where I should be headed. No matter, really, I’d been wandering around aimlessly anyway, now I had some form of guidance. I got up, filled with some form of excitement or hope. I started moving in a random direction, trying to match the links to the other room to the map I held on my wrist. I began naming the rooms to remember, red rubber room, burnt metal room, wires and monitors. The maps were matching up more and more, driving me to move faster, and earning me no small amount of scrapes and abrasions.

It wasn’t that I didn’t notice that the map had no indication of any way out; my mind merely chose to ignore that fact completely to maintain some degree of sanity. But I was being forced to face that fact when I crossed the same rooms repeatedly, I was moving in circles. I was in concrete ect for the third time when I declared to myself that it was useless. I was just wearing myself out, and getting nowhere. I started breathing quick and shallow, feeling my chest constricting on the verge of a panic attack.

Where was everyone else? I questioned, trying to get my mind off the bitter truth. I’d been wandering with this map for no less than an hour, and yet I hadn’t encountered a soul. Had they been guided into different sections? Was that what this was about? Had Rachel, Ann, and Mar gotten lost, and that’s why they didn’t come back for me?

As if to answer these unuttered questions, I heard the low clicking sound of bouncing debris. I turned around sharply, my hand searching blindly for something to defend myself and picking up a broken plastic tube. It was sturdy and the jagged edges sharp, but it would never hold up in a real battle. My bony chest heaved and my voice was no more than a frightened tremble as I called out, “Who’s there?”

A few moments passed, almost longer than I could bear, then the footsteps resumed, and with them someone stepped out of the shadows.

“Mar!” I called with sudden relief, rising to my feet quickly, “I’m so glad you found me. Where’s.. Rachel.. And.. Ann..”

I trialed off, my eyes locked on his blood stained shirt, slowly trailing down to his hands, one holding a bloodied knife, the other gripping a fistful of hair, attached to who I assumed once was Rachel. The only thought I could have at that moment, was where did he get the knife from. Perhaps there was a kitchen somewhere I’d missed. He stepped towards me slowly, as if he had all the time in the world. He grinned menacingly, unthreatened by the pipe I held to my chest.

Mar suddenly let out an unintelligible shout, lunging at me full force.

I shrieked fearfully, my mind going completely blank. I froze in my place, dropping my weapon to the ground and lifting my arms defensively.

Closing the gap between us quickly he body slammed me to the ground. His hands wrapped around my throat, and squeezed hard. The whites of his eyes were a mix of a sickly yellow and blood red.

I chocked, my face starting to swell. I clawed at his face, my hand searching for something to defend myself with. As I wheezed out the last breaths of air, I felt the tips of my fingers cut open against some shards of glass. Without thinking I grabbed the base of the broken light bulb and smashed it against the side of Mar’s face.

The man shouted out with pain, crumpling off me, and cupping his wounded face.

Quickly scrambling to my feet, I left his enraged shouts behind me, darting out of that room. I panted heavily, weaving around debris as fast as I could. “I’m… In terrible.. Shape..” I huffed to myself between pants.

It became clear to me; Mar became infected with something, something that drove him crazy. Did he kill Rachel before or after that? Was Ann still alive? It hardly mattered anymore. I had to survive, I had to make it through somehow. Tears streamed down my cheeks, but I ignored them as best I could. Weaving through familiar debris that blurred with the tears in my eyes. I shook my head, I have to keep a clear mind if I wanted to make it out alive. But where to now? Away from Mar, that’s all that mattered now.

I kept running till I was out of breath, slowing down a little then; only to find fear overwhelming me again and pushing me to resume. I climbed up a pile of mostly plastic debris, from there I saw that a mostly caved in room had an opened path in the back. Without hesitation I ran down the mountain of rubble, scratching myself numerous times. I slowed a bit in the caved in room, the entire back side was blocked. However, I spied a broken window I could fit through with some difficulty. Smashing the remaining glass and clearing it out of the way, I squeezed my body through the half obscured space.

I found myself stumbling around in a path unfamiliar to me. A short ramp and a few steps later I was wandering through a new wing altogether. With a low beep, my watch’s screen lit again, bearing the floor plans for the new wing. However, only the area I was currently in was displayed, the rest was dim, lighting only as I wandered into it. Just like a game. I smiled to myself bitterly and stopped bothering to watch the screen.  I continued pushing on forward aimlessly, salvation must be near, believing that was the only way I’d pull through this.

True to my new found faith, series of rundown stairs and ramps, I came into an opening. It was unclear at first what this place was, but as I travelled ahead, I realized it was some sort of subway area. My heart beat so rapidly I thought it just might burst; wheezes and jumbled laughs and cries escaped my lips as I was overwhelmed with emotion. I made it! I thought with joy, relief washing over me and nearly making me crumble to the ground. Just a little further, and surely I’d find my transportation out of here.

Suddenly, a body jumped out of a nearby doorway, concealed in darkness. I shrieked fearfully, no one could be trusted. I weaved away as the Hispanic man shouted something at me. I ignored him; was he infected? Was he trying to kill me also? Was he completely innocent? It didn’t matter, he was danger to my existence.

However, as I looked over my shoulder at him, I found a hoard of bloodied people, looking a lot like mar, chasing behind. I couldn’t find the strength in myself to scream again as I turned away and tried to run faster.

“Help me!” the man screamed, tripping and falling immediately after.

But I didn’t even flinch. I cursed him with all my heart for leading those things my way, why didn’t he run somewhere else, why did he have to do this to me. More and more screams ruptured behind me, along with tearing and growling noises. Just as I neared the stop for the train, I saw more and more of the bloodied beings pour in from all doors and openings leading there. I screamed, wanting to turn back and run but couldn’t.

They quickly closed in on me as I crouched and curled into a ball shrieking continuously.

They’re going to eat me alive. They’re going to eat me alive. They’re going to eat me alive.

They’re going to eat me alive. They’re going to eat me alive.

They’re going to eat me alive.

They’re going to eat me alive.

 



3-9-2014
An old story based on a dream I had some while back, started it but only finished it recently. 
© 2015 - 2024 Izzi1313
Comments2
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Obelis's avatar
As fast as it was mentioned that one person "indentified himself as Mar" (differently from the girls whose names were mentioned simply), I understood that it's most likely that Mar can be the turning point of events, someone who will start the action - before Mar attacked the protagonist, it was more like description of the situation.

It surely is a dream-like atmosphere, not remembering anything that was before, concentrating only on current situation and being in place which is somewhere. A place full of debris. 

I could clearly feel the protagonist's panic here. It's also interesting how this piece of writing is named Instinct. The sick people who attack each others are leaded by some strange instinct which appears only when they are affected by that mysterious something. The protagonist's fear and reactions are also based more on instinct than thinking.