The Knowing

The Knowing.

The loud creak and clang of metal shocked me to life. The jolt

firing all my nerve endings at once. I am blind, floating dissociated

from my body and life. A klaxon like a screaming beast roars into my mind. Gurgling, Swallowing? I will be devoured. No its draining. I am sinking, I was floating.

Snakes wrap around me and slither across my skin, trying to encompass my being and crush me in their death grip. Still blind no sight only feel and fear. Blurry, I gasp as my eyes try to focus, the pain is blinding. Suffocation, no breath, panic. Blinking demon eyes play across my vision, its coming to get me. No just lights flashing. Faces, the dead surround me. In steel coffins they stare their judgment of me, accusing. I try to scream them to silence but they

stare unmoving, no sound is released from my long dormant

throat only dead air. Pain, I slam to the floor. Metal grates gouge my knees and hands, warm blood runs freely. I try to move, limbs wont work too weak. Like I haven't moved in years.

"Unexpected Activity"

I gasp choking, a snake wraps around my arm and bites deep

into my flesh pulling me backwards. With a cry of force, I rip it free, more blood. It seems dead now limp and feeble unthreatening, an IV not a snake. The dead faces mock my panic and fear. Who are they?

Who am I?

Again, I try to stand, falling. That face it moved. Laughed, smirking at me. It thinks I am weak and pathetic, I rage at it. Anger. No not real, relax. I rise, more tentacles grasp for me wet and cold. A beast is behind me. I jump almost fall, more tubes nothing more. They hang limp and lifeless in this dead place.

Hibernation.

A loud popping clang lets out running down the length of the vessel, screaming at the silence of the dead who seem to close in on me. I am in a metal leviathan, sinking? floating? where? The metal grate bites into my soft feet cutting the fresh skin that has never walked. I look for a bench, its dark, can't see.

Should there be lights? Should there be people? I look to the

faces of the dead as if to ask for answers to my muddled brain. In coffins of steel and electronics they stare. No capsules. The word troubles my brain a fear deep within. I was dead like them, trapped, imprisoned for eternity. Prison.

Did I die?

I fall again, hadn't noticed my swaying. Crawling now, the floor of metal burns at my tender skin.

"Unexpected Activity"

It's me, the ship didn’t expect me. I am on a ship, what ship. This

is wrong. I didn’t expect me. I don't know me.

My head collides with something hard, sharp. Warm liquid coats my face, metallic, comforting.

Blood?

The corner hard and sharp, a bench. I pull myself up.

Soft cloth, towels? I am cold and wet it is as if I was expected. I wipe myself, if I could see I am just rubbing blood from my head and arm around my body. Like a serial killer bathed in his victims.

Am I the victim? I don't know.

I hit the floor, it wakes me. I fell asleep or unconscious, is there a

difference? A door, I see it now as I lay prostate, naked and

feeble. Its easier to stand this time, is the floor moving or is it

me. I am swaying again. I can't walk straight, everything hurts. I feel liquid run down my face and legs. Blood, Urine I don't know or care.

"Unexpected Activity"

The sudden destruction of my silent tomb makes my heart leap

into my throat. I grip it and attempt to push it back down holding

my chest I force it to relax. My flesh is cold I shiver, feels like something running down my spine.

"Its me, I am the life form!"

I scream at the impassive electronic voice.

"Crew detected, emergency lights on"

It recognises me I think. Maybe. My eyes burn then focus, its not that bright but I can see. Shadows dance in the corners I spin, Movement? No just shadows. I am alone. Emergency. What emergency, my skin crawls as I feel the eyes upon me from the shadows. I rush for the door, a lumbering husk of animal instinct. I have to get out. The door opens with a hiss revealing an endless dark hall of twisted metal. Two directions, which way? Think.

A ship, a transport the void I feel it all around. Nothingness

creeping in, surrounding me, trapped alone. My breath races but

none comes to me, I am suffocating. My heart races and vision

blurs. I am dizzy, I am going to fall, pain like an ice pick in my

brain. I claw at my head trying to dig the memories out. Warmth, I freeze, a hand drops onto my shoulder, It's strong. I am brutally aware I am naked, vulnerable.

"Its ok don't worry. Hypersleep messes with the mind. You are

safe."

The voice is strong, calm. I remember.

I turn, surprise in the stranger’s eyes. Not a stranger, recognition

he knows me. I him. I know me. Silent seconds stretch out we

look down together. I am drenched in blood. A red nightmare, his

nightmare, nude and primal. My hand grips the steel in his belly. I don't remember when I found the weapon.

I smile.

I remember.

I like this.

Warm blood spurts from his mouth into my face. It refreshes me,

warm and exiting. I am hard. I lick my lips tasing his death. I pull free of him as he falls lifeless sliding down my naked body. Its over too fast, I think of drug addicts. I need more, a better fix but this will keep me. For a while. I turn back to the faces, trapped, alone, unknowing. I will feed and play and kill. I see it, eyes watching me, one is waking. I approach, my face red and dripping I smile.

Your eyes bulge, you understand, you are next.