Breathe

Posted on Sat Dec 28th, 2019 @ 1:38am by Lieutenant Commander S'hib

Mission: Casperia Prime - A lesson in relaxation
Location: Unknown
Timeline: MD2-3
847 words - 1.7 OF Standard Post Measure

Time seemed to have no meaning deep underground, the passage of time as slow as the trickles of water running down the bars of his cage. The dirty residue that pooled at the bottom, mirroring the dark thoughts that plagued S'hibs mind as he lay on the cold stone floor.

Maybe it would be easier to end it, he thought with clenched tear filled eyes, it would surely be better than what the Orions were planning to do with him.

The sad truth of it all was the only thing stopping him, was that he knew they would oddly enjoy finding him lifeless the next morning, the spite and anger of it all holding back another panic attack.

No, he would try to think of something else he thought, curling himself into even more of a ball as he tried to stay warm, His trail of thought rudely affronted by a loud groan from his midsection.

Now, to make matters worse, his stomach had finally started to side with his captors... Not that he could blame it, his guts had been protesting rather vocally at the lack of food, or more precisely his stubbornness to not eat what so called food they had slid under his cage. Maybe if he was lucky he'd starve before giving them the satisfaction of eating their drug filled slop, the putrid piles somehow smelling worse cold than they did when they arrived.

He turned and gave the newest tray a disdainful glance before slinking his head back between his arms in disgust, trying his best to rest for the coming fights and loses he would most certainly be forced to endure.

But while laying there amongst the repetitive pitter patter of dew drops and faint cries, S'hib heard a familiar laugh and a slight growl next to him.

"Car'tar?" S'hib said, raising his head slightly, finding himself laying amongst a field of tall grass, the sky above a vibrant blue yet still, somehow...dark, as though the whole world was under a shaded viewport.

"Car'tar!" S'hib repeated, sitting upright... confounded of his surroundings, had it all been a dream? or was this the dream, his mind wrestling with what made more sense, and what he wanted to believe in.

"Sleeping In the field again I see." Car'tar purred, creeping up behind the Sequus.

"Of course not..." S'hib snorted with a frown, feeling as though he had already had this conversation at some point.

"You say that every time I find you asleep instead of working..." Car'tar said with a teasing growl, moving up behind S'hib and sliding his arms around his chest.

"How are you here... this isn't Casperia..." S'hib said, blinking in confusion at the darkened tones and dull shadows of his surroundings, even the midday sun seemed to be little more than a flicker of candlelight in his eyes. "I..." He sighed, feeling lips against his shoulder, remembering this moment from his past.

"I'm not coming home am I," S'hib said painfully, feeling sadness washing over him. "I wish I could say goodbye to you," he added, moving his hand up to the Caitians paw running through his thick white coat. "To a lot of people."

"If death is what you seek friend, I can give it to you," Car'tar replied, his cheerful and soft spoken words replaced with a rough spiteful tongue. "Just lie still..." He added, his soft paws now skeletal and sharp, digging into S'hibs chest.

"Car'tar?" S'hib neighed in panic, clutching the spindly arm bones that were wrapped around his chest and tearing himself free from its grasp.

What he saw after he rolled away would have been enough to turn his coat white had it not already been so already, his eyes staring blankly into the dark sockets of a felinoid skull, it's mouth open in a silent scream as its skeletal form clutched another. A quick glance revealed the horrific truth, a truth that he refused to accept.

Speechless, S'hib scrambled backwards amongst the decaying grass, the deathly sun above still toying with the concepts of night and day.

"I said... Lie still...friend." Car'tar or whatever it was repeated, discarding the remains it was cradling affectionately moments ago and pouncing towards S'hib.

"No, please..." S'hib stammered, clutching his chest before falling backwards, his eyes going wide as felt the cold damp stone once more, and a deep burning pain thundering against his chest that made it difficult to breathe.

Shaking, and with tears down his face S'hib refused to move, the pain in his chest was too much and he wasn't even sure if it was a panic attack anymore until it slowly, minute by minute started to subside.

He wasn't sure how long he had been asleep, minutes or maybe hours... It made no difference really, he was still here, gasping for air and wrestling with his own inner demons. Perhaps he thought they were jealous of the demons that would play with him tomorrow and wished to keep him to themselves, maybe he thought... he should cry for them.

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