The Purge
Chapter 41: Bri - Act 2

“Whatever is in me is stronger than what is out there to defeat me.”

Caroline Myss

When I took shelter in Battle Camp I was told that they won’t hurt me. As a child, I believed them. That was what they always tell me. I thought I was safe. But then they took me to the lab or some Inception where I get tortured and tested. I felt like a lab rat trapped in a cage. Still am. I should have known what they want from us. It’s that thing; the stigma that they were after. It’s that one source inside us, a part of the comet that somehow made its way into an Addonexus body and took shelter from it. We became hosts of it for generations and with it inside of us came with a glitch that made Addonexus so special. Our powers.

Addonexus can rein the elements including light and shadow. We can be unstoppable if we want to. That’s why the Zenith took over and ordered the decree to harvest all Addonexus so they could control them while they harness their powers. How do they control us? It’s with this microchip they implanted inside an Addonexus head upon arrival in Battle Camp. This is how they monitor every move and every development an Addonexus does. In that way, they can control every muscle, every frequency, every development and every outbreak an Addonexus can do.

The Zenith tried to implant these chips on me but all three tests failed. My mind can burn them into ashes and they stopped. Not until I showed signs of weaknesses, a boy named Noah Mori was successfully, by sheer damn luck was able to implant it in my head and now I am a cyborg walking in two legs and looking at everything like it’s so weird.

It took me about a few minutes to actually control and manage it. I was able to locate my soldiers and send messages to them without even using my hands or sitting in front of a computer. I’d just think of a message and the mechanics in my head would just send the message to the chips and to my soldiers. It was fascinating but also irritating. Walking with virtual letters floating around your vision, informing you of everything wasn’t so fun. I almost bumped into five or six soldiers along the way. It would have been fun if I wasn’t badly monitored.

And as the time flies and our lives being numbered in the clock, I could not help but worry what’s outside there to take us. But still, I have to fight. I’d rather die on my feet than live forever on my knees.

I met my soldiers at the Dome where everyone was waiting for the soldiers to be ushered into the pit. I think I read about this one, the same story in one of my dad’s books. It’s a myth about a monster that lives inside a labyrinth eating children. I felt like we’re the children being led into the maze to be sacrificed so that the world may live in peace. But then myths are legends, they bring lessons and they ring with truth.

Our uniforms were changed into coal black material outlined with red and with the insignia of the Wyvern Army on our chest. I felt Con’s mood ring around my neck. Even though it hides beneath my uniform, it managed to send a tingling sensation in me like falling snowflakes whenever it hits my vulnerable skin. I looked at my soldiers one last time before we get thrown out into our deaths. They plastered their own fear with a mask of bravery. But I can see it in their eyes, it mirrors just like my own: fear. I was deafened by the cacophony and the warmongering. I can only feel my heartbeat and my heavy breathing. Once more, a soldier ushered us to a waiting railjet to take us to the Gates. Soldiers lined up and in unison saluted at us as we make our way to our doom.

I put on my helmet to shield myself away from these people. Even through blank faces I can see different kinds of emotions. Some people may pretend to care just so they can get a better seat to watch your struggle. I don’t want anyone to see how scared I am. Besides, I have learned that every helping hand isn’t always there to help. I have been prepared for this but still the human part of me is weak enough to wake up from this nightmare.

Noah Mori stood near the doors of the jet; a wolf under a sheep’s skin. He smiled at me through Colonel Black’s face and from there I was ushered back into his office manipulating how to usher everybody to their own miserable deaths.

Remember, Bri: I can see through your eyes now. I can hear what you hear. I will know what you have in mind. Turn against me and that stupid squad of yours and the boy you love will explode into bits and pieces of blood and flesh.

Through my helmet I tried as hard as I can to hide away my grudge. I just need to think of a better way to survive this. Now is not the time to be weak. I need to find another strategy. I put in mind that Noah Mori is just another nuisance that needs to be eliminated inside my head. It all begins and ends in the mind. What you give power to have power over you, if you allow it. I just need to get the right timing and opportunity to outsmart him.

And so, I stepped into battle.

It was so quiet. The tunnels were dark. The walls were so cold. I felt my heartbeat in my throat. My eyes scanned for my soldiers. We all took a seat a part. It seems to me that we’re all feeling different kinds of emotions all at once and were locked up in a jet to be thrown into battle. I don’t know. I just feel so strange thinking that all these years training, fear was never an option. You just feel it in times you get into trouble or in times where you are thrown in a plate of danger. And no matter how hard I try to be brave, it doesn’t help when both of my hands trembled.

“Don’t be scared.” I found myself saying. “We’re going to be fine.” I retracted my helmet so that they can see my face. I wanted to talk to them eye to eye and let them see not just a leader but a friend-a comrade.

“You know, Bri, it’s not really an awesome time to actually promise on something when we all know we’ll either gonna live or die.” Athren looked up from the floor to me. He sighed and shrugged. “I know you are trying to lift all our spirits up. I appreciate that. But maybe we should at least take this time to be scared for once in our lives. We don’t know what’s going to be out there. Wish that we all knew what the devil it is. But we’re gonna need all the courage that we can get. For now, let us just… you know… feel everything that is to feel.”

I tried to smile back at him but I failed. I knew he was right. We were all wrapped in a big blanket of fear no matter how we try to hide it. But I don’t wanna sit around and have my knees buckling while waiting for the jet to stop and have us all get killed. I know beyond this cabin, a set of soldiers are guarding us as well. Still, I feel responsible to keep everyone in shape and somehow brave.

“Monsters prey on the weak.” I say as I search for something out of the window. Probably a green field or a bog. But none. Only grey and endless tunnels. Exhausted, I tapped my knees, took a deep strong breath, and pushed myself out of my seat.

“This life of ours, it’s always a gambit. We always play their game while they hold the cards. Well, I don’t want to sit here and be scared for what is to come.” I turned to Athren who looked away as soon as our eyes met. “If I’m gonna die in the end, then so be it. But I’m not gonna suck in my last breath running or cowering. If I’m gonna die later, I’m gonna stand out there, hold my gun, and point it to the motherfucker’s face and fight right until the end.” That earned me a smile from Athren and a snort from Sigourney. “We all knew this day would come. We’ve been prepared for it. And if we have survived the Inception Trials, together we can get through this. We’re gonna show those assholes who we are.” I turned to Halley who still has been silent on her own. “So don’t be scared. This world is so fucked up. It remains that way only because we allow it. Change will only happen, when we first change ourselves. So I ask you now,” I faced all of them. “as your commander, I am asking you, not in command but as a friend to fight alongside with me. Be brave! If you wish to be a soldier then prepare to be broken. But learn to stand back on your feet and fight again. Live with no fear and anything is possible. Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can to survive.” I placed my hands on my waist and raised an eyebrow at them. “So Wyvern, tell me, would you rather die running or would you die fighting?”

Athren stood up with a smirk. “I’m with you, chief.” He outstretched his arm with his hand on bro fist. “’Til the end.”

Sigourney followed too, bumping his fist. “To my grave.”

I narrowed my eyes playfully at her. We all turned to Halley who tentatively stepped out of her cage and went to us.

“Come on, Halley. Are you a girl or are you a soldier?” I asked her.

Her face was so pale and she looked like she was in the verge of tears. “I am both.”

I smiled back at her. “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.” I outstretched my hand towards her. She smiled and grabbed it. Our fists made a circle of unity. A circle of friendship. A circle of bravery. A team. Our fear vanished with the trust we gave each other. The world seems dark and ugly-catastrophic even sometimes. But there are still good things in it, and good people who will stand by you no matter what.

Squad means family.

Squad means no one gets left behind or forgotten.

The jet slowed into a halt.

The doors opened into smoke. We couldn’t see anything from out there. But one thing is for sure.

We have arrived.

“There are hundreds of doors, all of which will kill you. Save one. You see, I designed it to play tricks with the mind. After all, the mind is the greatest trap of all. So you’ve got to control your fears so you don’t turn on yourself or each other.”

~Hephaestus; Wrath of the Titans

I always thought of what it would feel like stepping in the Purge. Cold, dark, and lethal. The doors creaked and opened. I slowly moved my hand to hold on to Halley. She did the same by holding Athren’s hand and he held Sigourney’s. The soldiers went out first to check. Probably of drones roaming or Sentinels on watch. So we waited with our fear locked up in our throats. I hated the silence that followed. My hands sweat inside my black leather gloves. If it’s possible not to move or even breathe, we would have done it too. But then a shout from the men outside was enough to wake us up.

My display started to show signs of death. It appeared in red heartbeat rates and they disappeared one by one right before my virtual eyes. I felt Halley’s hand shaking. I gripped hard as I could to steady her. She looked back at me with tears in her eyes. I shook my head.

“They’re here.” She choked out.

I released her hand and slowly, I went for the open door. The fog was thick and dark. I was about to step out of the railjet when the last surviving soldier leaped in front of me, blood splattered on his face, shouting. His blood filled hands grabbed both of my arms as he shook me. I found myself gasping. He opened his mouth to say something but slender like tentacles with the color of rotting human flesh grabbed him by the neck and pulled him back in the shadows.

My heart raced inside my chest.

“What the devil was that thing?” Athren exclaimed.

I forced the door close and took a step back. “I’d rather know the devil than not know the devil at all.”

“It killed them all.” Sig said as she scoots beside Athren who wrapped a protective arm around her. I looked away to Halley who felt like she’s going to vomit.

“Do you know how many are they?”

She shook her head. “There’s too many of them. They-they’re scattered all over this place. It’s too late. The First Gate has been breached.”

“Then why didn’t you say so?” Athren snapped and Halley flinched.

“Hey,” I chided. “It’s not Halley’s fault.” Of course it isn’t. Noah Mori had it all planned already and now here we are; the first group of Addonexus to die and we have a stupid railjet to make our substitute coffin. Should be fine but I would have rather die and be buried in a proper tombstone.

“All of them are dead. You should have felt them by some chance.” Athren started with Halley again.

“But I didn’t feel them.” Her cheeks flamed. Tears started to fall down her eyes. “I didn’t. I’m sorry.” Athren softened a bit and retreated at the back of the room. He opened the cabinet where our weapons should be only to find it empty. He cursed out loud.

“Is this some sort of a joke?”

I held both of Halley’s trembling hand. “Calm yourself down, Hal. As much as I want to punch your face right now, I need you to focus.”

“I thought I was only scared, maybe that was why I felt so nauseous. I’m so sorry, Bri. Now we’re gonna die because of me.” she sobbed.

I rolled my eyes skyward on purpose. I stood up and waved my exhaustion out.

“No one’s gonna die, Halley.”

“No weapons. No guards. Whatever the hell is out there… she’s right you know.” Sig added.

“Thanks. That’s very helpful, Sig.” I shook my head at them in disappointment. “Come on! Am I gonna repeat myself again to you? We’re all gonna die if we stay here.”

That’s right, Bri. Step into the light. Lead them on. Lead them on. Lead them on to their deaths.

I squeezed my eyes shut and I forced Noah Mori’s voice out of my head.

“Bri,” Athren brought me out of my delusion. “What should we do now?”

I swallowed hard. “We stay here.”

All of them frowned at me.

“I thought you said we should get out of here.” Athren prompted.

“Well I’ve changed my mind. We’ll be safe here.” I snapped and I sat at the back seat ignoring them.

Hickory dickory dock. The mouse went up the clock. The clock strikes one… the mouse went down… Hickory…. Dickory… Dock…

My heart faltered every time Noah gets into my head. I tried to get my focus back to my team but he keeps coming back to me like a tidal wave.

I closed my eyes shut for a moment and when I opened them, Athren was already opening the door. My heart raced and so as my feet.

“What are you doing?” I shouted at him.

“Doing exactly what we came for.” He said as he faces the nothingness and danger before him.

“Are you insane? Get back here, Athren or I’ll-“

He snorted. “We’re gonna die out here anyway.” He shrugged cockily. “Well,” he turned to me and smirked. “Addonexus don’t die.” He raised his hands and slowly, the fog parted. Twisting in a whirling formation before everything went down into the dust and all was left for us to see was death and destruction.

“Holy shit.” Athren deadpanned.

Huge metal walls towered before us. Beside it were Sentinels, they were rusted and old enough to be operated. Blood scattered like red paint everywhere. From where we were standing would have been an abandoned station. Stretched both east and west were the unknown.

“This is weird.” I found myself saying. “Where are the bodies?”

Athren started toward the wall and touched it. “The Barriers are so screwed.” He turned to Sigourney. “You think you can bring these back to life so we can go home and be happy again?”

Sig blushed but smiled. “I can try.” She took off her glove and placed her palm on the wall beside Athren’s.

“How are you feeling, Halley?” I asked her. She was still there inside the railjet.

“Worse.” she whispered. She made a tentative step out of the jet. I turned back to Athren and Sig. She has her brows creased in a growing tantrum kind of way.

“I don’t understand.” Sig said. She looked at her hand as if something had gone wrong with it.

“Maybe you just need a little push, that’s all.” Athren said and Sig scowled at him.

“I am trying my best, okay? And look!” she showed him her hand covered in rust. “I got my hand dirty already!” she whined.

He hushed her. “Shut up. Who knows, those monsters could still be here.”

Sig groaned. “What is wrong with this wall?” she kicked it. I wanted to tell her: what is wrong is that the Barrier wasn’t even on at all. The way I see it, it was a decoy. It wasn’t the real Gate. It was just a stupid, rusty wall. They were trying to fool us. Realizing this, I am imagining Noah laughing with popcorns lunging on the floor.

Athren grabbed her arm. “Stop it, Sig. It’s just pointless.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Well, you should have told me that in the first place before I had my hand dirty!”

I started to look around. The broken Sentinels still on watch. The untouched walls. The abandoned station. The blood on the floor. My eyes followed them.

And then I hear Halley gasped. I looked at her and she was looking at me, so terrified that I can see her knees buckle. I felt something wet fall unto my forehead. I touched it with my finger and found blood in it. I hear a slow guttural growl.

WARNING!!!

Argh! I wanted to roll my eyes for having my display too slow to warn me about possible danger ahead of time. But then of course, our displays were mostly controlled by the Zenith. So…

I lashed out my hand and blood splintered out of the creature’s neck. It made a wimping sound as it hit the floor. I looked back at my melting hands. What kind of hell creature can have acid for blood?

SANGUINARIAN

EXTRATERRESTRIAL BEING

CLASS 10

I should have known! But distinctively CLASS 10, these are hybrids. They are much taller, slimmer, and expose more extension of rotten flesh. It carried the half part of the last guard it murdered. It still has its head lolling on the ground with its mouth open in a horrifying scream of pure terror. Slowly the thing merged its victim with its own body like molding chemical substances into one.

I healed myself fast enough before it lunged at me. I created a gun out of thin air. I pictured it perfectly right getting through an Inception. I felt the handle, turned the safety off, and I fire right into its goddamn head. It fell lump on the ground. Smoke filled the head of my gun with satisfaction.

“Show off.” Athren deadpanned. “How the hell did you get a weapon?”

“Innovate, sourpuss.” I placed the gun on my belt. “You’re not the only Addonexus out here.”

“Bri,” Halley’s alarming tone made me turn and look back at the Sanguinarian I killed. Smoke filled its head and slowly, it regenerated.

“What now, chief?” Athren turned to me.

I felt like I’ve lost my ability to breathe.

“Run.”

Well, this is the part where we run for our lives. So much of being a tough commander. I pulled Halley out of her petrified state. The beast regenerated nearly as fast as I could. It ran after at us as if I hadn’t hit its head at all. Once it climbed the wall and bared its fangs at us, it was enough to make us all scream-even Athren.

“It doesn’t have eyes but it can sure see us!” Sig shouted.

“It has sensitive sense of smell for power! So certainly we’re the number one target!” Athren said.

“Will you just run or I swear I’ll cut off your mouths if we survive this!” I yelled at them.

We made our way east. But once we got out of the station, it was another story. Walls met us upon arrival. It was as tall as the Barriers we ran into. Each fashioned to form a maze of doom. I was beginning to think that the story about the Minotaur and the sacrificial children were actually real.

“Just go straight ahead!” I commanded.

The beast leaped right in front of us and we ran unto the other direction. The walls started to move and all we could do is find another way out of the maze and out of the Sanguinarian’s fangs. Then the maze walls decided to slice itself into half-horizontally. Blades of fine infernal metal walls ready to slice us open like meat. Athren, who was running for vanguard slipped so he’d avoid himself getting sliced into half. We all slid down, got back on our feet, and ran once more. The beast lunged itself at us just in time the maze moved back vertically slicing it into half.

“I hope that’s the end.” Athren filled his lungs with air. “This is quite a place. Designed definitely to kill monsters.”

Yeah. Absolutely. Monsters, just like us.

“We have to get back.” Sig said.

“Excellent suggestion. Best I’ve ever heard today.” Athren teased. “Anyone else?”

“How?” Halley asked.

“An excellent question I don’t have an answer.” He groaned.

I crossed his arms. “There’s no going back. All we have to do is step forward.”

“Excellent notion, chief. But you see, I’m not trying to be a pessimist here. I’m just trying to be observant. This place is a killing machine. We step forward, we step on something, and we meet something and boom! We die. The end.”

“Don’t be such a dick, Athren.” I scowled at him. I know he’s just scared. He acts like that when he doesn’t know what else to do.

“Then what do you propose we do, commander?” he mocked.

I narrowed my eyes at him. But then I felt self loathe. I wanted to tell them. I wanted them to protect themselves but something is keeping me from doing so. Right now, all I’m thinking is my middle finger waving at Noah Mori so he could read it out loud.

“I don’t know.” I finally gave up.

“Great. It looks like we’re stuck here.” Athren scowled back at me.

I looked up at the wall wondering, finding a way out that somehow we can survive. That Sanguinarian was just the first. What more can still be out there to kill us? I need to get them out of here. Somewhere safe.

“Time is running out. They’re gonna find us.” Halley said. There’s something in her voice that made her so creepy that even the hairs on my skin wanted to come loose. “Only in a matter of time.” She looked at me as if she knew something. As if she knew it. “We’ve gotta keep moving.”

Athren started walking north.

“Where are you going?” I asked.

“To finish what we’ve started.” His blades materialized behind his back as he kept on walking. Sigourney turned, gave me a weak smile, and followed Athren. Halley sighed, squeezed her eyes shut and had gone too.

I looked back at the Barriers. They were still and silent. I looked up at the sky and they were as grey as ever. It felt like the sun would never show up neither the moon. Suddenly, I wished for my life back. But none of it would have matter. Here I am now, still trapped in their old ways.

I should tell them. They deserve to know what will happen. They deserve to fight. They deserve to defend themselves. They deserve to live.

I looked back at my team. I step forward. The ground shook. The maze started to move. We all paused. They turned back to me. I was approximately ten meters away from them. I ran as the maze moved and I was shut back to the other side.

I shouted for my soldiers but I couldn’t hear them.

Oh no you don’t, Bri.

My heart hammered inside my chest.

“Stop.” I squeezed my eyes shut. “Don’t do this to us. You are just like us. Stop!”

Like you? Am I? We had a deal.

“Stop it, Noah! Don’t hurt them!”

Who said I was gonna hurt them first?

That’s when everything crumbled.

“No. No no no no! Noah! Don’t!”

Noah Mori played a telecast of a boy on my display and that’s when I felt what it’s like to run like hell.

Conleth was inside the maze as well. He was alone. He was running. Behind him was a huge Predator almost 10 feet high. It rolled into a ball, chasing him. Con threw flames at it but it was of no use. Its protective scales were too strong for his fire. It succeeded on blocking his way. It returned back to its natural form. All scales and sharp steel. It lashed out its fangs and bared its hungry teeth at Con. He enveloped his body in flames in an attempt to protect himself. But the Predator sliced through the air-

And Conleth was gone. I couldn’t see the footage anymore.

I felt a knife in my heart. I wanted to cry but I was too weak to handle all my emotions at once. I wanted to rip Noah Mori apart.

That’s sweet of you. You want a piece of me, Bri?

“You murderer!” I shouted at him. “I’ll kill you!”

Awww. Kill me how exactly? He laughs. This is how a bargain is, Bri, and this is how I teach children who are very disappointing and very disobeying. Now, enjoy the rest of the show while I pick off your army one.by.one.

I balled my hands into fists. My nails dug hard into my skin that I barely felt the blood oozing out. My tears burned in my eyes. Obedience was never an option. Being good was never going to get you anywhere, neither to save the ones you love. There’s always darkness. I felt the hurt and I bled. My stigma got my body into shaking. My display started to go static. This is an ironic innuendo that I wanted to slap at Noah Mori that he’s not the only powerful Addonexus that is still alive here. He just made a very wrong mistake of taking a snake in.

I concentrated on my stigma. I let it flow unto my veins, my hands, my mind, and into the chip. I imagined it cracking and falling into dust inside my head. I opened my eyes to find the virtual letters gone.

But so as my team.

But so as Conleth.

Addonexus

“I came with the Halley’s Comet on 1835. It is coming again next year. And I expect to go out with it.”

-Mark Twain

Mark Twain died on April 21, 1910. 1 day after comet’s emergency from the far side of the sun.

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