Chapter Text
The first breath I took after hearing the crunches of my own bones and the scrapping of metal around me was painful, but no liquid spilled into my lungs as it would prior. The sudden realization made me try to open my eyes, to no avail. I screamed, but heard no sound. I assumed I was dead. I had to be, the creature had killed me. I was to be in this dark, empty purgatory to pay for whatever crimes my mortal self had committed, to think about them for all eternity without ever seeing what it looked like. Maybe my eyes are already open, but it’s all black so it wouldn’t matter.
I take another try to take a deep breath, and another, then another. This is stupid, I confided to myself. This entire thing was stupid, I deserved to die in their eyes. Even if all I wanted was to live.
“You deserve your freedom, I’m sorry I cannot give you that.” The words echo inside my mind. I suppose she was right, she couldn’t give me my freedom. But I can’t help the selfish plague in my mind that wishes I would haven’t remembered anything specific about the event in this purgatory. Maybe, if I was honest. I wished it was a silent peace. A forever sleep. Maybe a dreamful one, where I could see the tree of Eden one last time. Subconsciously, I went to grab the locket of the leaf that I hoped was still hung around my neck. To my utter surprise, it was there. I went to open my eyes again. I couldn’t. I brought a hand to my face, but only one. I could swear I was lifting the other. I didn’t dwell on it, frantically wiping my eyes, hearing things crack, and silently praying it wasn’t my bones. I pry at my mouth, I cough. I could taste the familiar metallic taste of blood on my lips. I try not to think about it as the bile coats my throat. Choking back a cough, knowing it won’t go well. I open my mouth, taking a gasping breath for something real. It’s quick and pungent, the taste of blood, but air. Breathable, real, oxygen.
I feel my eyes well up, I thought it was from emotion at first until I realized just how much my eyes... Eye hurts. Why can’t I feel my other eye? The same with my arm, I can’t feel my arm. But now that I mention it, everything hurts. I try to push down the feeling, but nausea fills every one of my senses, mixed with the smell of metallic blood, it was terrible.
“-llo?” A melodic voice cracks through the radio system I had assumed I’d broken awhile ago. Who knows how long I’ve been down here. I feel the nausea over throw my self control. I throw up. I don’t know where. I still haven’t opened my eyes. It hurts to move, but I’m pretty sure I’m throwing up pure stomach acid, maybe blood. But I’m sure it’s not mine. I cough a few times, wiping my mouth. It hardly registered in my mind that something, or well, someone, had called over the radio.
I sucked in a deep breath, before forcing my eyes open. The weird vine coated, blood soaked submarine had no holes anymore. No teeth marks. I looked over to the oxygen meter, 3 bars. I’d be fine for a day or two. Maybe more, I’m not quite sure how it works. Or how I suddenly have more air. The blood had mostly drained, just a slick coating on the floor. I go to lift my foot up.
Where’s my arm. I feel the bile rise up again, but there’s nothing left to throw up so it ends there. I grab at the space where my arm should be.
Holy shit.
Shit shit. WHAT THE FUCK WHERE IS MY ARM ?!?
I’m well aware I’m hyperventilating, not quite like anyone is listening. I’ve likely been announced dead days, or weeks, maybe months ago. I’m not sure. Time doesn’t exist when you have no access to a clock or a calendar. I cough, looking away from my arm. The memory hits like a freight train. I ripped off my own arm in a fit of desperation. That is. Holy shit. I close my eyes, I reach up to my face, it’s…
Smooth? Not quite. But also not what I expected. I had expected burn marks, scars and maybe sticky blood. But it's mostly smooth. There's a small mouth on the side of my cheek, but not as big as I remember it. I sigh. I want to punch something, I want to cry, how am I alive! Am I even alive? I take a seat on the stool. I look at the control panel—
“Hello, is anyone there? Why- Rocky, why is our radio picking up a signal?” That melodic voice filled my ears again, my attention pulled away from the control panel.
I scramble over to the radio, I cough at the sudden movement but I couldn’t care less.
“Hello? Hello?!” I call back out. If I’m dead, then I’d like to have a conversation with this person. An angel, maybe. Certainly sounds like one. If I’m not dead, I’ll have someone to talk to before I die. I hear crashing of something, metal, on the other side. Before a gasping man’s voice is overhead again, that same sweet melody.
“Oh! Holy moly! You- whoever you are- You speak English? Wait, that's a weird question. Uhh… where are you? Why is my radio picking up yours?” My head spun for a second, this man was quite enthusiastic. But each word off his tongue convinced me more that I must be dead and this must be an angel. Strange questions for an angel to ask. I don’t dwell on it. I might aswell answer, im too die anyways.
“My.. radio?” the thought lingers, why is their radio picking up mine…
“Yes! Yes, your radio, how is it hooked to mine?” The man's voice was cheerful, it somehow warmed my heart. I'm not sure how, but I think I was hooked on just the voice of this man. Maybe it is an angel, luring me away. I wouldn't be opposed, it is so soft.
“Hello?” the voice calls back out, concern dipped on his tongue.
“Huh? Oh yeah sorry. I'm not sure.” I muttered, I felt so tired. I looked back at the oxygen meter, still 3 bars. I hear the man converse with someone else, it's dulled and I couldn't make out the words. But the other person oddly sounded very robotic. I hear another crackle of the radio.
“Uhm, where are you?” the man asks, I feel tears stinging my eyes. I'm not sure why, the amount of care I could hear made me hate this man. I don't. I don't hate him, but why is he talking to me like this? Doesn't he know who I am?
“Im..” I start. If he's an angel, wouldn't he already know where I am? If he was part of COI he would know too. Who is this man? I swallow, I sit back down on the stool, my voice should reach far enough if i talk at a volume slightly above my average.
“Im in the blood moon.” I finished with a series of curses. This is stupid. Really fucking stupid. Sighing, hoping he didn't hear it. I heard another clash, it made me worried. Even though it shouldn't. I don't know this guy. Why do I care? I don't even know his name.
“Theres… no such thing as a blood moon. Hold up my ship is picking up a signal.”
Ship? No blood moons? This sent me for a trip. He's a liar. He has to be. I stand up, ready to tear apart the radio a second time.
“I got it! Your cords– why are you in a sub? That's.. Not gonna survive in this atmosphere for long.” i stop. The man's voice rang in my ears. What atmosphere? I hold my breath.
“How is a sub in space anyways?”
Holy shit.
I'm in space.
I coughed a few times, the remaining choky blood on my throat wasn't making this very easy.
“Hey, are, are you okay?” I heard the voice call out,he sounded worried. Really worried. For some reason, it made my heart beat just a bit faster.
“Uhuh.” I reply absentmindedly, looking at the control panel. My coordinates should show where I was last in the blood ocean, where I was supposed to die. My heart drops to my stomach when they don't. They aren't registered, it's all 0s. I'm not in the blood moon anymore. I really am in space, this man isn't lying. Which means, he's in space too.
“What.. What am I gonna do?” I muttered to the man, half expecting the radio not to pick up my voice at all. I hear the man conversing with the slightly robotic voice again. This time, I can hear it.
“Grace, why human in submarine in space, Question?”
“Im not sure. But i don't think–”
“Why grace stop talking, question?”
There's a long pause, my heart picks up. So the man's name is Grace. But why did he stop talking? I swallow. Is something wrong? I hate to admit it. But i had started to feel something along the lines of hope. Silly me. I don't get to live, I don't get to hope. This man will leave me to die like everyone else would have.
“Holy moly..” the man's voice starts up again, I want to ask if he's okay. But I don't.
“What grace see, question?”
“That's a worm hole.” His voice is breathless. A worm hole? Those don't exist.but then again. It might. Much of this doesn't make sense. Someone once told me that Worm holes were gateways into other universes. They were probably drunk.
“Worm holes are meant to be hypothetical.” the man starts again, gaining his breath.
“Jeez lusuise. And the subs right next to it. This person isnt gonna survive long there rocky, we need to help them!” The desperation in his voice killed me. Need to help me, I think,that's the first time I've heard of that. Needing to help me. Huh.
“Grace say need help new human, Rocky Agree.” I let out a soft laugh at the robotic voice. It sure does have weird grammar.
“Let's start with, how much oxygen do you have?” the man practically sang to me, the robotic voice didn't butt in.
“Uh. about 2 days worth.” I stand up, if i sit for too long I think I might go insane.
“Okay.. okay.” he mutters to himself, the robotic voice chimes in but it's too mumbled for me to hear.
“Hey” he calls out.
“Hey” I replied, I kinda like talking to this guy. It's easy.
“Whats your name?” he says it so casually, i thought i was gonna choke. My name. He wants to know my name. I know I'm taking too long to answer. It's a simple question. I shouldn't care so much.
“Hello?” he calls out again.
“It's Simon.” I whispered, feeling foreign on my tongue, I said it to Ava. But she didn't ask for it. No one asks for the convict's name, you're just a convict. A number, a tool. I realized I whispered too low for the radio to pick up properly.
“My name, it's Simon.” I repeat, louder now.
“I like that name, Simon.” I swear I could hear the smile in his voice. I let the silence settle,hearing a few things on his side of the radio.
“Whats your name?” I ask, mostly out of courtesy, even though I had already heard someone call him grace a few minutes prior.
“Well everyone calls me Grace.” I hear him laugh,short, hardly there. but oh my. It's so perfect. I try to mentally scold myself for being like this for someone I don't even know what he looks like, but I can hardly focus when I could keep talking to him. Keep his melodic voice good and happy.
“Is that… Not your name?” I push just a bit further.
“Well it is, DR.Grace, I suppose.” he heard what was likely half a yawn. Then the robotic voice calling out.
“Grace no sleep how long? Stupid stupid, sleep now.” I heard the man groan.
“Rocky! We can't lose contact!” I smiled, this guy really did need sleep.
“Hello ♪♪♪♪♪, Rocky Grace, come get and take on ship. Okay, Question?” I heard Grace scramble to get back to the Radio but, who I assumed to be “rocky” kept in control.
“Okay, question?”
This is fucking crazy, lets collect what i know. I'm somehow alive, the submarine will last a day or two, and some two people on a space ship are on their way to collect me. And I'm next to a supposed worm hole. This is a lot. I sit down again, I feel sick. My vision is blurry. Im being fucked with, this is another trick from the monster, im still in the blood moon and im gonna di–
“Hey, Simon, is that okay? If we come get you?” graces voice calls over the radio again.
“Yeah.” I try not to throw up.
“Yeah that's okay.” I sigh, really meaning my words this time.
“And get some sleep.” I add, mostly trying to joke with the man. I could hear him groan. But I heard a chair pulled out, metal scraping and then a final comment from the man.
“Rocky, don't watch me. You make sure we get there before their oxygen runs out.”
“Grace stupid. Need sleep, statement. Rocky do both." I heard Grace mutter as he walked away. Probably to wherever he sleeps.
I sat silently at the control panel, every so often looking back at it to see if it switches back and I'm really just hallucinating. But it never does. And not a single comment from Ava, which just further proves their point. This rocky guy doesn't talk to me as much as Grace did. I miss him, I think. From his voice alone I know he's cheerful and caring. I can't tell anything about Rocky, considering he sounds like a robot. I yawn. I hadn't noticed I'd gotten so tired. If I sleep. I could wake up back in the blood moon. Or maybe I'll be one day closer to meeting the angel from the radio.
“Rocky, I'm gonna take a nap, K?” I stretched and didn't wait for a reply. The exhaustion had crept too far up. I put my hand down on the now useless control panel and lay my head on it. I think Rocky said something but I'm already asleep.