I Went Back To The Stream To Wash Off My Blood And See How Big The Wound Really Was. It Cost Some Time

In lonely admiration

I waited there. Exactly at the same spot. All day long. Hoping someone would come to end this.

No one came.

I'll probably have to wait till some "brave hero" comes by who is daring enough to kill me. I began to wander around the forest. I moved surprisingly fast. Might come from this... form. I'll have to get used to it -- for now.

My "walk" probably took hours. It was already getting bright again as I found a cave. Carefully I took a look into it. No one here I went inside. The cave was large, larger than it looked from the outside. And before I knew it, that cave became my new... place to stay.

Picture Cave by oceancradled

Music In lonely admiration by MIDERA

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

The Gate Keeper

At first I was scared, but my curiosity took over.

What or who is that? And how did it get here?

I carefully went closer. Carefully. Closer and closer.

Mwuahahuahahua

What? Why? Wait… I know that laugh.

The other stood still. Not moving from his position.

A snap from his fingers.

Then I remembered. I remembered it all. That maniac back then. The one who killed my father. My mother. The one who burned down the whole town. And all in the name of the king.

Ah… So finally you remember me.

But how can you be here? These are my dreams. There’s no way you could get here… or is there?

Oh, no worries. You brought me here yourself. Kind of.

He snapped his fingers again.

This time columns of flames arose all around us. For the first time there was light in this Nothingness. But it all got eaten by the darkness all around us. It only reflected on him. And on me.

How did I bring YOU here?!

It’s easy boy. I’m in your memories. Deep down there somewhere. You could say, I’m burnt into your memory Mwuahahuaha

And what do YOU want here?! Do you know what this… wall or whatever is?

I do lad. I do. But I won’t tell. And you wanna know what I want here?

I am the gatekeeper.

Picture Gatekeeper (WIP 2) by JonathanGragg

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I woke up in the forest. The clearing was familiar, the sun was shining.

For a moment there I believed it was all just a bad dream. That I still was the little boy from back then who had just lost his parents. Who just escaped from that maniac.

But as I looked down on me, looked at my hands, I noticed; I wasn't. It hadn't been just a bad dream, I wasn't that young boy again who just had lost his parents. Hadn't just escaped from that maniac. I was still this... monster. Abomination. IT. I screamed.

I expected that even the people in town heard that screech, but I didn't care. My life as Bjorn was over, now I was this... thing. May they come and end my life, if you could call it that.

Picture Master Study: Forest Sunrise by Illustrum

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

And less than the blink of an eye later I was standing on solid ground.

I took a quick look around Nothing nearby and stretched my body. Loosening up those stiff muscles felt great.

There were some berries right nearby. Small, kinda round, orange-red-ish berries. I pondered over whether I should try some or not. I inspected the bush a bit. It took a while but I found traces of animals eating those berries... or some leaves.

After a bit of thinking I concluded that it must have been some berries. I was quite sure of it.

For safety sake I took one and pressed it in my hands. They were rather juicy, had a few seeds inside too. Didn't smell foul either. So I took the chance and tasted a bit of the juice on my hand.

It was quite tasty.

So I gathered what I could find on that bush in my bag. Wasn't much but it was a change to eating just roasted rabbit. And as I found out a great addition to it too.

Picture Rosehips. Bacche di rosa canina. by Giovanni

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Note from the Author

Sorry for the delay. Really messed up with the queue date on this one :D

I went on. Waited again after a while.

Frogs... not edib... or are they? Anyway, would take- my head turned in reflex ... in the bushes... irregular... not the wind... no waiting this time.

I went into the direction where the sound came from without hesitating. On hands and feet, was easier to be silent that way.

From here... it must've been round here somewh- suddenly there was no ground beneath where I wanted to place my hand, I fell, hit my face on the ground

Ouch... What's this? A hole... rabbit hole maybe... wanna take the chance...? Yeah, should.

I stuck my hand in the hole, all the way up to my shoulder must be something inside, that rushling could have been from a rabbit, and it could hav-

“AAH!! Fucking Hell!”

I quickly pulled out my hand Great, it bit me... at least I now know that there's something inside

“I'll repay you for this, asshat!!”

I stuck my bleeding hand into the hole again, but only up to my elbow. Ok, touch, only touch... I focused for a moment, luckily didn't get attacked again

Come on! Bite me again! I dare you!

I sat there for a while. Stood still in that position, on my knees, one hand on the ground and the other in a rabbit hole. Could see it in my head.

Away with that, focus!

...for how long have I been waiting for this rabbit now? Fuck I know. Feels like an eternity, could've been only a few mo- ...mrrrm!! gotcha!!

I pulled it out of it's hole “Ha, didn't think I'd snatch ya when you bite me again?”

Ze grræt hûntérr, tålkïn tø ä rræbbît

What is it you want now?!

Øh, nûfín, jùs$t cømmêntïng ón zë h@ppênîng, måybæ dîsstråct yøu å bít ssø tìmé pässêss by, yøû knöw, zê üsµâl

O-no! I won't join in on your games now, go talk to yourself or somethin'

Ha ha ha haa fûnny... fïnê, håvé fûn Mï$stêrr Rræbbît Ss$nætch€rr

I was back with the rabbit in my hand, holding it at eyes height, my blood all over it.

“Sorry I called you asshat, but it was in the heat of the moment, and you bit me”

The rabbit just continued staring at me well what did I expect to happen? It going all like 'yeah totally understand that man, hope I taste good'

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Note from the Author

Kinda sorry for this long episode... or rather for leaving out one on Tuesday. Had no way of getting' to my PC so I couldn't write anything, hope you understand ^_^

Anyway, thanks for following, thanks for reading and a good weekend to all of you. Especially you :D

Nightmare

Sam Rosenthal: six: thirteen (stretch mix 1)

It’s so dark already. I’m sure it will be night soon. I should find some tree I can sleep on.

I found a nice tree fast. It was climbable and probably high enough so wolves couldn’t get me. After finding a ‘comfy’ position on a branch I fell asleep fast.

Prepare for the Onslaught

’…Survive’ I yelled. Someone came in the front door. It was a man. He had a wound on his face. His eyes were glowing red. I started crying. 'Leave me be, please. I don’t want to die’ He looked at me and grinned 'Like I give a shit. It’s all on the king’s orders’Hahahahaha

He snapped his fingers and suddenly I was burning. I screamed. Louder and louder. Screaming out of pain & agony.

Picture forest by fdasuarez

Music Sam Rosenthal: six: thirteen (stretch mix 1) & Prepare for the Onslaught by Epic Score

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

...Nightmare?

Underground

After that everything was black. But not the usual black like coal. It was... empty. It had this feel of... nothingness to it. Like there would never come anything afterwards. And there never did.

Suddenly I got the feeling that something was there with me. I saw it in the corner of my eye. But when I tried to look at it, it was gone.

Ssø yöû fînãlly cãmë tø mê

What? 'Who is there?'

Ha Ha Ha Ha Î'm ssûrrë yøu wânnä knøw zät

Suddenly something jumped on my back. I couldn't move so I fell. I had no idea where up and down where but I knew I fell.

Picture source unkown

Music Underground by ◄-NATURE-►

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

And again I woke up.

''GOD FUCKING DAMN IT!!! There gotta be something I can do about this Bastard.''

Annoyed at my own uselessness I went out of the cave again. I was hungry, but it was the middle of the night. ''Guess I'll have to switch to beast eyes''

I jumped through the trees, I had gotten pretty good control over this body in the past time. Using much of it's potential.

Only got a hare that night.

But on the way back, as I was inspecting my claws, I got a flash of insight.

''Why don't I use my claws? I know how to use them, I just need to bring them forth. I'm far better at using them than fighting with my hands, although I just hunted prey with them so far.''

This idea was groundbreaking to me, I just had to be able to actually turn it into action.

I needed to be able to turn by my own will.

I knew how to turn my eyes, I knew the sensation of it.

This concentration, combined with this stream of... Something.

I had just to repeat this with my arm...

Hopefully.

Picture when rabbit howls by Anklebones

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Martin

A Hard Teacher

Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder.

Looking around I was kneeling in grass. No more trees around me. The hand was a man's. It was big and scarred, but it's touch gentle.

'Wha's wi' ye wee 'un?'

I tried to say something but I couldn't bring out a word. I began to cry.

'Noo Noo, na need te blart. Ye git a name?'

'...Bjorn' I said faintly

'So Bjorn, ye hungry?'

I nodded, wiping away my tears

'Folloo me then. Name is Martin by th' wey'

Picture Male Peasant by dashinvaine

Music A Hard Teacher by Hans Zimmer

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I gently stroked through its fur “I thank you, Brother. May your spirit pass on, while your body feeds me”

Yøû ssërióùssly köntinûé wïz zât? Cøme oñ, $hê åïnt 'røùnd nømôre. Jüst kîll ít ænd bê dönê wïz ít.

I held the rabbit up at its hind legs, took a club lying nearby, and hit it in the back of the head. I tried poking an eye, to see if its really dead.

It was.

I fastened it to my belt, and continued.

Did you want anything?

Why ærê yøu sstïll dôiñg zåt? Shæ âiñt 'røûnd tö nôtïce íf yøù dön't.

What does it matter if Ingrid is 'round? She introduced me to it, but I don't do it for her. I do it to show some respect to my prey, to thank it for giving me its body, its flesh. But why do I bother to tell you, it's not like you'd listen anyway.

Büt zêræ ï$ nø ssëñssê în døing zåt, ïts nôt åwæ-

How would you know that? Can you tell? If you can, tell me how

Î... Ï... Åh fück yøû hümâñss ånd yøûr ëmótìónàl sstüff! $sînk mørë rrråtiønæl, lësss êmøtiônål. Yöúr kìnd îs zë ønly ånimæl zât døe$s zæt, zê ønly kînd zæt ssínks êmøti-

Again, how do you know? How can you be so sure?

Didn't hear any more from him after that. Did I corner him? Interesting, doesn't happen very often.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016