Her Voice: Chapter Three
Enter the Ascended
This series is dedicated to Sarah. May your voice always guide me home.
Table of Contents:
Day 386
The sunrise pulled me out of a restless slumber. I packed my things and went down the creaking metal tower. No one knew exactly why, but the Hushed hid in darkness during the day. They would take shelter in caves, ruined buildings, anything they could find.
There was no biological reason for this, and even if there was, the Lingua disease spread far too quickly for them to ever study its intricacies. It made traveling easier, but they were more than happy to come out of hiding if they heard prey nearby.
I reached the bottom of the tower and pulled out my compass to check my bearing. I started due east, staying on what was left of the road to ensure I wouldn't stray too close to any potential Hushed nests.
One would think that it would be relatively silent, and therefore safe, during the day, but that wasn't the case. During the day, the Hushed sobbed from within their chosen hiding places. All it took was a split-second of hearing their cries, and a switch would flip in your brain.
Not even enough time for last words.
I kept walking at a steady pace. My head was on a swivel. A few hours into my walk, the sun began to rise overhead and the summer heat came with it.
I passed an abandoned grocery store. Shopping carts were strewn about the parking lot. The sign out front was cracked, but half of the logo still reflected the sunlight like a beacon of temptation.
My eyes wandered over to the sliding glass doors at the entrance. I thought about what treasures lay within. My stomach growled as if it were playing devil's advocate.
I knew better than to push my luck, but my body ached and my stomach begged for sustenance. Every step I took was a calculated risk. Why not a few more?
I stepped up to the doors and cupped my hands over the glass to peer inside.
I didn't see any Hushed hiding in the front area, but I did see several shelves with supplies still scattered across them. Reason departed as I thought about the prospect of a good meal or some clean water.
I pried my fingers between the doors and pulled them open as slowly as I could. Musty, cool air poured out from within. I stepped inside and let out a long sigh as a smile crossed my face.
I wasted no time in moving down the aisles, looking for anything I could use. My bag couldn't hold much, so I had to prioritize things I could carry.
That, of course, didn't stop me from grabbing a box of crackers and tearing them open. They were well past their expiration date, but they tasted like a gourmet meal after so long without food.
I grinned as I found a can of beef ravioli and slid it into my bag. As I turned down the beverage aisle, I found a dusty bottle of soda still sitting on the shelf. Water would have been better, but beggars can't be choosers.
I twisted the cap and let the pressure release before cracking it open and taking a sip. The sweetness, the carbonation, both were strange sensations to me, but I missed them dearly.
"You sure you saw him come this way?" A voice asked.
I couldn't remember the last time I heard a voice besides Summer on the radio each night. My entire body froze. I was paralyzed as the possibilities ran rampant in my mind.
"I'm positive. He's here somewhere," another voice replied.
Could they be talking about me?
It was hard to imagine why anyone would want anything to do with me, but the thought sent a spike of adrenaline through my body.
I crouched low and moved to the edge of the aisle. Their footsteps were methodical, almost robotic. I climbed onto one of the shelves and tried to look over the top for a better view.
I spotted two figures of identical height and build. Their movements were stiff, like their footsteps. One of them turned to look in my direction. I ducked back down behind the shelves.
I caught enough of a glimpse to see the low red glow of their eyes. These weren't people, at least not in the traditional sense. They were Ascended.
Humanity must shed our mortal coil if we hope to survive.
The Ascended upload their minds into robotic bodies. It was smart, after all, androids can’t be infected since they don't have a human brain, but the process isn’t perfect. Many of the early models went insane trying to adapt to their new bodies.
All must evolve or die.
They believed their solution was the next phase of human evolution. Stories quickly spread in those early days about how they would kidnap lone travelers and forcibly transfer their minds into a shiny new android body.
Not me, not today.
I kept low and moved across the aisle without a sound. I made my way past dusty packages of paper towels, air fresheners, and other things that became paper weights when the world ended.
Just a few more aisles.
"Movement detected!" one of the voices shouted.
I hadn’t considered their newfound abilities as synthetic beings. I broke into a full sprint, charging towards the entrance.
I could hear the mechanical whir of their joints behind me. I reached the doors and furiously pulled them open wide enough to slip outside.
Before I could take a breath, the glass behind me shattered. Jagged shards soared past me, almost in slow motion. I felt a cold pair of hands grab my shoulders and spin me around.
A metal face stared at me from behind glowing red eyes. Their expression was blank, stoic.
"Leave your body behind and ascend!"
"No thanks, asshole!"
I grabbed the radio hanging from my side and turned the volume knob all the way up as I ripped the headphones out of the port. Static came blasting out from the external speakers.
The android briefly let me go, and for a moment, I thought I saw panic in its eyes as it surveyed the surroundings.
I sprinted down the parking lot with the radio high over my head.
"Come on out, I know you're there!" I screamed.
I saw movement from within the nearby strip mall on the other side of the parking lot. I fumbled with the headphone jack on the radio as hundreds of Hushed poured out from the broken windows and doors.
Come on, come on!
I had to get my headphones plugged back in.
COME ON!
The metal tip of the headphone jack found its way home, and static poured into my ears as the sounds of the world faded away. I breathed a sigh of relief, but I was far from safe.
There were still some rusted cars with intact windows scattered about the parking lot and parked on the sides of the street. I went to work checking for any that were unlocked.
I pulled one of the handles.
Locked.
I checked the other doors before running to another car nearby.
I stood up briefly to glance over the roof of the vehicle. The Hushed crashed over the Ascended like a tidal wave of flesh, no doubt enraged that their prey was immune to their unknowable whispers.
I grasped the handle of another car door in front of me and pulled.
It’s unlocked!
I pulled the door open and climbed into the backseat before shutting it behind me.
I laid flat, closed my eyes, and held my breath. The inside of the car felt like an oven. I was sweating within seconds. When I couldn't hold my breath anymore, I let the air out of my lungs as slowly as I could.
As the hours went on, I saw the sun's position change as the angle of light shifted through the windows around me. The temperature inside the car also mercifully began to drop.
I mustered the courage to sit up slowly and gaze through one of the windows. The Hushed were still spread throughout the parking lot. Some of them just stood with their eyes gazing at the sky. It was a haunting sight.
I checked my radio, turning to the same station as every other night. When I heard her voice, my entire body relaxed.
"Hey there world, it's me, Summer. Another day, huh? I hope it was a good one."
I held back a laugh, but still smiled as I laid in the back of that car.
"Tonight's poem is one I've had for a while, but I was afraid to read it out loud. It's pretty personal. Promise me you won't laugh. It’s called Wild Hearts."
I closed my eyes and focused on her voice as she read.
Wild Hearts
Wild hearts aren't long for this world,
They love fast and shed many tears,
Fiercely loyal, and quick to trust
Paying no mind to their fears.
*
Half as long, twice as bright,
A supernova slowly unfolding,
Blinding light as they pass,
Shattering all the molding.
*
Wild hearts roam galaxies free,
Riding highways of stardust,
Stopping only for a time,
Offering their gift of trust.
*
My scars are a map,
Showing all my mistakes,
Now, I’m adding one more,
As my bruised heart aches.
*
I just want someone broken like me,
Someone who will be careful with my heart,
A lonely soul, the kind who can see,
That salvation lies in a fresh start.
It was another beautiful poem. After the end of the world, a fresh start sounded kind of nice.
Don’t worry, I’ll be there tomorrow.
Love the world building on this one. Very tense as well. Great chapter!
oh goodness the tears have sprung loose from their captivity! this is so good, i love the nature of the disease, how it attacks language and communication, and how those afflicted are called Hushed.
also love that the narrator’s first spoken words are calling some robots “assholes” 💀
i cannot wait to see what the next two installments are like!