Reading: "Arktalus" from EVENFALL OF THE HELICAL (A.Glass 2022)

 

“Have a look,” he says, his complexion now a pallid tone. As Tadri tilts her head into the dimly lit room, dark and devoid of all furniture, she then straightens her composure, whilst feeling her heart rate increase. Without entering the room, she looks around into the aphotic space, to what appears as an empty area, strewn with some rubbish, the only illumination from the emergency lights that line the hallway of this abandoned apartment block.

“He is sitting there...”

“Who? No one is there.”

“...I know him...he's familiar, I've seen pictures...”

“Derrik!...” Tadri, with both of her hands grasps onto either side of his upper arms, in attempt to snap him out of what appears to be a hypnotic trance. “...There is no one there. Look at me!”

He looks at Tadri, shutting his eyes, exhaling, he then opens them, looking back into the room again, viewing what Tadri can see, which is a dimly lit and empty room. Feeling woozy, he bows his head, holding his forehead with his left palm.

“I don't feel too good.”

“Alright let's go, can you walk?”

“Yeah...” Bayrol replies, as Tadri walks beside him, her right hand arm assisting him to regain his composure. As she eyes the corridor in front where the emergency lifts are located, which will take them back below the sub-levels.

“...I don't know what happened...I...” He turns and looks in the direction of the apartment room again.

“Keep walking, don't look back. We're returning to base...I'll manually check your blood pressure and pulse once we are in the lift...” Entering the elevator, Bayrol stares blankly into the small area. “...Look at me Derrik...” Tadri says, as the lift doors shut, thinking to herself fortunately that the emergency power is still operational in this building sans the data-sync networks. “...Breath, through the nose, slowly, exhale through the mouth….” She removes his mask, placing her hand onto his right side of his chest. “...Your heart is racing...” She looks into his eyes that are now expressionless, noting that he maybe going into shock. “...Stay with me, we're going back. Ok?”

Bayrol nods.

Checking her data-sync seeing that it back on line as the elevator descends towards the sub-levels of the city.

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Reading:  "Arktalus"  from EVENFALL OF THE HELICAL (A.Glass 2022)