“Gate Keeper? Of What Gate?”

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

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

A Survivor Born?

Panic Man

I woke up in the middle of the forest. What was that dream? It felt so real, like I was standing right there. I could feel the heat. I looked around. Where am I? Why am I sitting on the ground, in the forest? Why is my back so stiff? How long have I already been here?

Ssø mãny küêsstîønss, ssø fêw åñsswêrss ha ha ha ha ha

What? Where did that come from? 'Hello? Is someone there?'

No one. I was all alone. But where did that voice come from then?

Picture Forest by aJVL

Music Panic Man by FesliyanStudios

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

“Ingrid-”She broke me off aggressively

“No, I won't give you a chance to refuse. You know, my father, he was a bastard. He was once a hunter of this small village. But you know what? He was the worst hunter you could imagine. And know what he did when he came back without any game? He beat me. To a pulp. But the worst part hasn't come yet, everyone knew, Ernest too, but no one gave a shit. And one day, I went with him on the hunt. I persuaded him somehow to let me join. Wanna know what I did?”

“I-”

“No, I told you, no chance to refuse. That day, I took a knife with me and... and...” She paused for a moment, got calmer “He didn't come back with me that day, and neither any time later.

As I came back alone... at first some people asked where he was. As soon as I looked into their eyes they knew, but still I... sarcastically... I told them that he... that he saved me from a boar and didn't get up from that. They all knew he wasn't that kind of person. He had never done that... not for me.”

At that point she was overflowing with hatred and sadness. Tears were running down her cheeks. She dropped down to her knees. And nearly out of reflex, since it just felt like the right thing to do, I held her in my arms.

We sat there like that for a moment.

Still sobbing she said “Now it's your turn...”

“I... I...” I sighed “Where should I start? My village got burnt down. Everyone got killed, except me. I don't know who it was, but this one guy was shouting 'Hail to the king' all the time.”

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I woke up just after sunrise. Birds were chirping all around, the sun was behind me and I had some breakfast with me. I had left over some smaller pieces of the horse meat from my last meal. And even tho cold, they were still tasty.

Getting down from the tree was, just like getting up, not very difficult. I took a look around, to see if anyone or anything was nearby. Nothing.

“Lets see... plan for today... drench thirst, wash blood of my... the stuff I found... hmm... lets see how long that takes. After that maybe try to find my bow and arrows again. Sun will surely be down by that time.”

So I set out to follow that plan.

Went to the nearby beck and drank some water. As I wanted to begin washing of the blood from the stuff I found, I realized that I had no idea how to go about it. The water was shallow, the current was weak, so I decided to just put everything in the water. Except my pants. Then I ripped a piece of cloth out of my pants and used that for cleaning the stuff.

Getting the blood off the Flint & Iron was easy enough. Cleaning it off the whetstone wasn't difficult either. After that I cleaned the knife and the arrow quiver. Cleaning the bow was more difficult. The crust of dried blood came of easily enough, but below that some blood had drawn into the wood. It seemed like my scrubbing had no effect, no matter how long I tried to.

“Guess I'll have to hide that somehow... maybe with more blood on the bow”

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Thoughts

But what now? I had learned to transform by will, had gained back my human self.

There was something I still had to do but... I was much to scared of that scared of going back to my dreams scared of continuing on that path wherever it leads.

So what else do I have left? Living out here would be an option, no one has come yet to solve this monster problem I guess it's true what they say; Out of sight, out of mind

But then again, it would be quite lonely out here peaceful, at least at peaceful as it can be with IT around but very lonely

And I could walk around without problem I got this transforming thing under control But how to continue out there? I can't stay with Martin & Ruth, I'm unsure how much they did notice, and I don't want them to live in fear

But I should at least them tell what happened or at least bits of it, maybe just that I'm alive They should know at least that

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

“What was it you wanted to talk about earlier? Had enough time to sort your mind?”

“Well... I've sorted my mind but... I still have no idea how I should ask this”

“Then work around it, what is it you wanna ask me about?”

“It's... it's this... well my, or rather our, 'contract' “

“Oh you mean the staying for winter? You're right, winter is over but... if you wanna stay for longer do so”

“That's... not really it, tho I'm thankful for your offer, but... hmmm”

“What are you worried about?”

“I... I'm... … I'm worried I leave you without giving you anything back for what you showed me. That I leave without repaying you properly”

She put a hand on my shoulder and looked into my eyes“Do you really think I did this with the plan to get some compensation for it? I did this because I wanted to, because I had a feel you could use it in the future. Compensation neither needed nor wanted.”

“r... really? You sure?”

“Yes, and besides, you gave me lots of fun memories” she smiled

“...but-”

“No buts! It was fun for me, that's more than enough pay”

She hugged me suddenly, the first time since IT forced its way out. At first I was scared, worried, but I didn't wanna take this hug from her... and didn't wanna let it slide myself. We both needed it.

“Thank you Ingrid, a thousand times and infinitely more”

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Note from the Author

Sorry to say this but atm I've got some privat stuff going on so I probably won't be able to post anything for a week or two... maybe three, will see how everything works out.

Thanks for reading

Nice week to all of ya :)

Burning Flesh

Horoathea Mass of Aegorath

I dreamt of the Attack again. The screams, the smell, it was all there. I just stood at the edge of the forest. Looking at the sea of flames. But still I heard the screams like I was standing right there. Smelled the burning flesh as if it was my own.

In the middle of it, were the screams of my mother. Those screams filled with pain & agony. Although they were mixed with all those other screaming people, you could hear her pain clearly.

I wanted to run into the forest, to make it stop, but I couldn't move. I was frozen in place. And then I saw a light moving away from the village. Towards me. As it came closer I saw who it was. It was that guy who set my mother on fire. He grinned at me from a distance & shouted 'All Hail the King!'

Picture Inner Flames by JudgePikachu [EDITED]

Music Horoathea Mass of Aegorath by Halgrath

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Sunrise

Explore 01

I woke up. It was already morning. I was still on that branch.

It was just a nightmare. I was very relieved. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. But I had something wet on my hands. I opened my eyes again and looked at my hands.

I was so scared I fell of the tree. For a moment there I forgot what I just saw. The pain from falling down did cleanse my thoughts for a second.

Picture Master Study: Forest Sunrise by Illustrum

Music Explore 01 from Fallout 3

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016