Chapter 3: The Escape of the Machine

here is chapter 3 of the other story, i plan to have botched posted in the next few days, the chapter is a bit longer then expected, i am also taking organic chemestery this samester and that is a job in it self,

 

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“Shadow…” I called hoping for a response from my lost friend but none came; only silence was the response. My anger flared hot over my lost friend and I walked out of the room, deciding that I had enough of this place and wanted out, to be anywhere but here.  I walked out of the room to the black door in the hallway and making up my mind to deal with this in a violent fashion, I slammed my fist into the center of the door, and with a groan I could see a dent in the large black door and looking at the frame of the door I could see small cracks. Hitting the door again, I could see the door bending in its broken frame. After a few more hit on the object that I had decided to take my rage and sorrow out on, the door made a loud cracking noise, followed by a loud groan as it fell out of its frame. Now, I was able to move further down the hallway.

Walking down a short hall, made of the same green metal as all the others, hoped to find a way that opened up to the outside. Walking out of the hallway into a large dome I looked up.  It was not the blue sky that I was expecting above me, but a dark blue roof of water. It was at that moment that I was noticed, that I was not alone.

“O crap!” someone yelled, “He’s loose in the main dome”

With that shout, loud noises started to blare around me. Commands, in a language I did not know, were being shouted and I could hear the boots of many people moving toward me. I decided that the second note might be the more reliable one and I headed back the way. Running down the hall I reached to my side to get the sheet of paper from under my new metallic skin. Pressing against it, the metal flowed to create a small opening. Reaching in, I grabbed the sheet of paper. Quickly glancing over note I got to the blue door. With a running start I rammed myself into the door, but the door proved to be the stronger. Reeling back at the failed attempt at going through the door, I thought to myself, “What does this guy think I can do?” calming myself down, I pulled back my black and blue fist and rammed it into the door. The walls seemed to rattle and water started to flow through the cracks in the door. Right before I can get in my second hit I hear a voice.

“Stop what you are doing Therin, you will kill us all if you do that” the voice said from the walls.

Swinging around, I shouted, “Where are you? What am I doing here?”

“I am in the control center in the second dome, and you are here to host a suit. Come here and all will be explained.”

“No, you might kill me if I go there, like you tried with the door.”  I yelled.

“What do you mean try to kill you, we need your help.”

“I don’t believe you; I am leaving in three minutes and figuring things out myself. Do what you must to not to be killed, if that is the truth.” With that I started counting. Upon reaching 180 I slammed my fist into the door and water started to flow through the large cracks in the door. Slamming into the wall once again the door made a large screeching noise and the frame broke and water started to stream in flooding the halls around me.  The metal skin surrounding my form protected me from the relentless assault of flowing water but it could only do so much to protect me from the biting cold of the water. After a few moments the water’s assault lessened as the hallway was completely flooded and the feeling of warmth suffused my body driving away the cold of the deep ocean. Going to the hole I made in the door, I tried to swim out but found I was unable to swim in this heavy metal form. So I decided to walk following the second note, I set out into the cold dark outside the door.

 

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After walking for a while in the cold sandy depths of the sea, I felt the pressure on me start to lessen on my shoulder. Continuing further I noticed that the water surrounding me was slightly warmer. After hours of walking in the dark depths, another lancing pain occurred, that forced me to my knees. I felt just exactly the same as at the base, with the pain receding I heard Shadow,

“What happened…? Where are we?”

“Shadow you’re alive! I thought you had been destroyed with the new suit’s creation.” I shouted joyfully, as bubbles streamed all around me.

“I don’t know what happened but, I’m back. So, again, where are we?”

“Well, after you did not respond, I waited for a few hours. Then getting tired of waiting I broke through the door and found myself in a big dome underwater, just like the second note had said. It was at that time the people holding us noticed that I had gotten out.  Noticing me they sounded an alarm. So deciding that the second note had proved more reliable, I went and found the blue door. Breaking it down I started walking into the cold ocean depths and here we are now.” I explained.

“So let me get this straight. After I blacked, you broke through a few walls including the water lock and walked outside the door. And now we are under water somewhere, and have no idea where we are going.”

“No I know where I am going, the note said just keep going forward, otherwise that about sums it up.” I snapped.

“Well… nothing we can do now just hope you get somewhere before we starve.” Shadow mockingly replied.

“At least I won’t die of thirst, right” he joked while walking under several kilometers of ocean.

With that brief exchange of words we went the rest of the way in silence but I was happy that Shadow had returned.

After a few more hours of trudging through sandy ground, I started to see light filter through the water. Over joyed that I had finally reached land, I ran the rest of the way to the shore. Coming out of the water I surveyed a broad beach with trees further inland. Finally reaching the shore I jumped down embracing the dry sand. I withdrew the suit back into my own body and just rested amongst the warm yellow grains. Enjoying the feeling of the warm sand, “Shadow, I am tired you won’t go away again will you?” I asked.

“No,” shadow stated, “I will always be with you.” With those words I fell asleep on the warm sand.

 

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Awakening to the angry sound of my gut, I realized that I had not eaten anything in at least 2 days. Deciding on finding something to appease my hungry gut, I set out into the forest. Going over my sparkly clothed frame I could see some of the changes that metallic skin had done to my body. Not only had it made me very pale, almost transparent. My gaunt frame exposed with broken lines of color showing on my skin almost like a spider web,  but the suit had destroyed the clothes that I had been wearing up to this point, leaving me with only a simple silvery cloth to surround my loins. Thinking on that I also needed to find something to cover myself.

After walking in the woods for some time, “Someone is coming towards us.” Shadow warned.

wondering around the dark forest I saw the faint outline of a rather large man in the distance. Quietly I moved into the trees, hoping to hide myself from this unknown person. Crouching behind a large palm tree I watched the person walk closer. After a few moments I could make out details and saw it was nothing but an old man with bleached white hair, wearing a pair of shorts and a white t-shirt and a pair of dark sunglasses. It is at that point that the soft wind that had been blow in from the sea shifted toward the old man and with that he called out, “Who is there?” i hid behind the tree and said nothing.

“I know you are there. I could smell you, so come out. I won’t harm you”, the man called.

“I mean no harm”, I called; “I was just passing through this area and will soon be on my way after I get some rest.”

“I don’t smell any fire, and you reek of the sea. Why do you not join me at my house about a mile from here and I can get you some food. I don’t get many visitors around here and would enjoy the company.”

“I think he is blind”, Shadow said in my mind.

“What gives you that idea?” I thought back.

“The language is all about smell not sight and the dark colored glasses. I think we should take up his offer.”

“I would like that.” I responded to the man, “but I am not in the best condition to be going to people’s house.”

“What do you mean?” he responded.

“I just woke up here today with only a loin cloth for covering and not much else. I have nothing to repay your kindness.”

“I own a farm and could always use workers.  I am blind so you not having any clothes on won’t bother me, but we should find you some stuff to put on.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, how do you work a farm if you are blind?”

“I have a Sight-Visor at home that allows me to see, the only problem is that it does not work in the dark. So it is useless now, but it lets me farm and be in peace.” The farmer stoically replied.

“I don’t know much about farming but if you will have me I will work.” I said.

“Well… all I need to know now is your name stranger.” he said with a laugh. “I am Kraal.”

“People call me Therin” I replied.

“Well let’s get going before some mean creature gets us.”

With that exchange of words we walked through the dark forest of palm trees and oaks for a few miles. We walked into a clearing in the woods, and in the center stood a large stone brick house. The house stood like a silent guardian over the glade, vines clinging to the solid stone reaching towards the bright moon hanging in the sky. Walking up to the house I could see several fields of trees that I could not identify but the fields seemed to stretch over the horizon. Reaching the house, Kraal placed his palm on the door and a click could be heard as the door unlocked. Stepping into the door I walked into a small blue room with round ring on hook in front of me. Kraal grabbing the ring put it on his head and turned saying, “Well it’s good to see again. We should start by getting you some cloths. Then we will cook supper; you look like you haven’t eaten in at least few weeks.” he said. Walking through his blue walled hallway, we enter into a large room with a large table and chairs with plates and silverware set as if for a high end party.  He led me down a green hallway connected to the room into the back of the house. Along the walls hung not only old photographs but had some newer holographs depicting three dimensional people that I could only guess were his relatives. We turned half way down the hall into a red colored room with only a bed, a dresser, and a closet contained within. “Something in here should fit, my nephew is about your size just not as thin.” he said. “Put these on after you take a shower it is further down the hall on the right.”

“Nice place.” Shadow said, “We were lucky that he took us in it gives us time to figure out what is going on. We should also try to hide the ridges on your skin; we don’t want to have to answer questions about the suit.”

Well I guess you are right, but I don’t think we have to worry about him asking questions. He can’t see very well as you pointed out and if things get bad we can always leave. Well… let us enjoy a shower and get all this salt off of us shall we?

Walking down the hall with the new cloths in hand I go into the small bathroom setting my new cloths on top of the sink counter. I took off the smooth silvery loin cloth that I had been wearing up to this point. Placing on the counter I stepped into the bathtub and turned on the shower.  I proceeded to wash off all the salt and sand from my trek at the bottom of the sea. “Shadow, do you remember anything from before a few days ago?” I asked.

“No I don’t. The first thing I remember was being woken up when they pulled me off a table and dragged to the cell we were put and realizing my body was not my own but yours, now ours. I figured out my body was not my own when I heard your thoughts, while you were in a dream… I know it is not that helpful, but there it is first thing I can remember. Also when did you pick up the name Therin?” Shadow asked.

“While escaping the base the commander, I guess, he yelled: ‘stop Therin you will kill us all’, I guessed he was referring to me so I took the name.”

“We will figure everything out don’t worry, but now you might want to get out of the shower and go get some food.”

Getting out of the shower I clad myself in the new cloths. Taking the silvery cloth, so I can wash it later, I left the bathroom, as I was walking down the hall, I started looking for Kraal in this big house. After 10 minutes of searching I came into the kitchen and fond Kraal leaning over a pot of what looked like some kind of stew. “Have a nice shower did ya?” he asked.

“Yes thank you very much for your hospitality; I hope to repay you with my hard work tomorrow” I replied. “What are you cooking? If I might ask it very smells good.” the moment I said that my stomach growled.

“It is venison stew. It promises to be very good if the buck it came off of is any indication, I killed the thing myself. It will be ready in a moment why don’t get us some drinks, they are down the hall in the pantry.” Walking down the hall I open the door to a mid-sized room lined with cans, dry goods and other food stuff and in the corner I grabbed two glass bottles of beer of the shelf and get back to the kitchen.

“Are you sure drinking is the best idea? If you get too drunk, I will take over to prevent you from doing anything silly.” Shadow remarked.

“It will be fine it is just fine a beer.” I replied.

“Do you even like beer?”

“I don’t know, well we will find out won’t we?”

“Hope these are fine I grabbed them off the shelf” I said to Kraal.

“That will be great; you know how to pick a brew.”

At that point a loud gong rumbled through the house. Kraal got up and started walking to a hallway. Saying “Wow two visitors in one day, just stay here I will get it and be back in a moment.

“Do you think they found us Shadow?” I asked.

I don’t know but we will find out in a few moments, won’t we ? and there is not much we can do about it. She replied.

After a few tense moments Kraal walked back into the room san said, “There were some strange people out there. They kept saying that someone in a metal suit was seen by satellite walking on to the beach this morning and wanted to know if I had seen any metal men walking around. I told them I had met a traveler today, but there was no metal on him then they left. Do you know anything about a metal man?”

Shadow took over saying “Yes, I saw a man made of metal today but he ran off into the woods as soon as tried to talk to him.”

“How and why did you do that?” I thought to shadow

“So you would not have to lie, and on ‘how?’, I have always been able but it is very hard to take over while you are awake, along with judging that if you were to lie to him you would be caught.”

“Well they will figure it out in time I guess so let’s eat.” Kraal stated.

I started eating with the thought that he did not believe me totally and commented as much to Shadow. After dinner I was showed to the guest bedroom and after I wished him a good evening and confirming the time that we will start working I got into bed.

Shadow, do you sleep? I asked.

“No I do not think I sleep but I do other thing to occupy my time while you sleep, so do not worry about me.” She replied.

Well good night and we will see how tomorrow goes. I said while falling asleep.

 

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i just realized that this is a 3k chapter… it happens

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