Welcome to Nexus: Chapter 6
"Hey guys! I found some!" Cerberis called from the other side of the mess hall. Arkk and I walked over to where he stood and sat down in the seats he had found for us. Arkk looked ravenous and was beginning to devour everything he saw at the table. He grabbed some weird-looking fruit-ish looking thing, a leg of raw turkey, a large goblet of black liquid, and a shard or two of garlic bread.
"Arkk?! Where are your manners?" Cerberis asked. "You know it isn't polite to get your food before the ladies do."
He motioned for me to sit down. I giggled and then turned to Arkk.
"Yea Arkk! Where are your manners?"
"Oh indeed, Arkky-boy! Don't you know it's impolite to eat before a lady does?" a voice said from behind Arkk. He turned to see Screech standing behind him, arms crossed, smirking. "Do I have to give you ANOTHER lesson in proper etiquette?"
Arkk mumbled something and then looked down.
"What was that little buddy? Didn't quite catch that," Screech smacked him the back of the head. "Speak up!"
"Hey! Piss off, asshole," Cerberis said and stood up. "Before I make you."
"Option B please?" Screech said and laughed. "Make me."
Cerberis clenched his fist and was about to step up to Screech when Arkk spoke softly.
"Sit down Cerberis...don't bother," he said and turned to Screech, standing up. "Do your worst."
Screech chuckled a bit, and then punched Arkk in the stomach with great force. Arkk stuttered and fell to the ground coughing and gasping. Screech chirped and started walking away. He walked out the door whistling and kept walking until he couldn't be heard anymore. Cerberis and I were too stunned to move until Arkk whimpered in agony and snapped us out of our trance. We knelt down next to him and helped him to his feet.
"What the hell did you do that for? I could've knocked that little bitch back to the stone age!" Cerberis asked.
"I know...that's what I'm worried about..." Arkk gasped. "I couldn't let you hurt him."
"What the-? Why not?" I asked dramatically.
"Because...He's...-" Arkk was interrupted by a scream that came from the doors to the mess hall. We looked up to see Kyra running for us at full speed! She crashed into us and knocked all of us onto the hard stone floor, then latched onto my neck and held tight, whimpering like a frightened child. She constantly glanced back at the door as if expecting someone to come through. I held her back and wrapped her up in a strong hug. She was terrified!
Cerberis came over and ran his hand over her hair.
"Kyra? What happened? Are you ok?" he asked, concerned for her. She just shook in my arms and tried to whimper but found that impossible due to her lack of voice. Arkk stood up and knelt by her as well, clutching his stomach.
"Maybe we should take her back to the dorms?" he asked. Kyra yelped and buried her head in my shoulder.
"Guessing that's a no," I said, glancing at Arkk and Cerberis worriedly. "What are we gonna do?"
"Kyra?" Cerberis asked and handed her a piece of paper and a pen. "Kyra you have to talk to us...what happened?"
She took the pen and the paper and began to shakily scribble something onto the paper. It was gibberish, not even she could understand what she was writing! She realized this and began to draw a picture...it was morbid...
It depicted what looked like a black hole and a group of black, bug-like beasts crawling from it...a small animal, huddling in the corner...Kyra...the bugs walking to her...grabbing her...it seemed like the image came alive and moved as Kyra scribbled it up...the bug creatures touching her...
"Stop it!" Cerberis said and put his scaly hand on the paper and stopped Kyra from doing what she was doing.
"Just...stop it..."
"Who were they Kyra?" I asked and pulled her close again. She sobbed quietly, and hugged back tight.
"WHAT were they?" Arkk interjected. He rubbed Kyra's back and glanced back at Cerberis, who was looking away and breathing heavily. When he finally spoke, his voice was cold as ice and it dripped with anger and rage.
"I'm going into that room. Anyone who's following me, come along now," he started walking towards the doors. Arkk stood up and followed him, glancing at me, then back at Cerberis. Kyra just cried into my shoulder as the entire mess hall watched the drama unfold as they ate their dinners.
"Kyra? We have to go now...let's go ok?" I whispered. She nodded subtly and we both stood up and walked out of the room.
T.B.C...
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