Chapter 6 My Heart Felt Broken
790 Words
The corpse disposal zone was the darkest hell within Ark Bunker.
A thick wave of rot hung heavy in the air, stinging the eyes so badly you could barely keep them open. Mountains of twisted, infected bodies lay piled everywhere—some with skin rotting and oozing pus, others with limbs bent out of shape.
When the harsh corrosive disinfectant was poured over the remains, sharp white smoke billowed up at once. Splashes landed on my bare skin, leaving burning red marks that made me convulse in agony.
I had been sheltered and coddled my whole life. I never even dared touch a bug, let alone witness such a gruesome, horrifying scene.
I clung to my small shovel, my hands shaking too hard to grip the handle. Every time I moved a cold, stiff corpse, my body went weak with fear. Tears streamed nonstop down my cheeks as I choked and sobbed, gasping for breath until I felt lightheaded.
"Quit your crying. Stop playing the helpless victim." Someone kicked hard behind my knees.
I dropped to my knees with a heavy splash, landing in muddy water mixed with bodily fluids. Sharp gravel cut into my knees, and fresh blood seeped out right away.
"Everyone suffers in the end times. What makes you so special?"
"Exactly. You're being overly dramatic and gross. It's just burying a few corpses—no need to sob like that."
I lay sprawled in the muck, soaked to the bone as filth soaked through my clothes. Tears mixed with mud and the stench of decay smeared all over my face.
I tried to push myself up, but my limbs felt weak and numb. Every small movement brought piercing pain. The last bit of purity and gentleness left in me slowly crumbled away, swallowed whole by endless darkness and cruelty.
Megan stood far off, watching me with cold indifference. Seeing that I still refused to admit fault, she waved her hand sharply. "You still dare to be stubborn? Clearly, the punishment hasn't been enough—our little princess has had it too easy for far too long. Grab her and throw her into the corpse pit to think about what she's done."
I struggled with all my strength. "No... Randall, save me. Roderick, please save me."
The next second, a reeking burial cloth was forced into my mouth. I was tossed straight into a corpse pit several feet deep.
Rotting bodies crashed down on top of me. Cold, slimy bodily fluids flooded my mouth and nose. I thrashed around desperately, only to be crushed further under the weight, suffocating as my consciousness began to fade.
Megan watched my miserable state, a flicker of triumph flashing in her eyes. "You're far too delicate for this life. Stay down there and toughen up. Don't come back until you drop this silly act."
I curled into a tight ball at the bottom of the pit, completely surrounded by death and putrid stench. I sank into such deep despair that I could no longer shed a single tear.
Once, people had pressed the freshest canned food straight into my hands.
Once, they had plucked the only blooming flower in Ark Bunker just for me.
Once, they had smiled and said, "We're safe as long as Natasha is here."
Now they only saw me as a liar, a shameless woman, a worthless leech.
They threw me into a corpse pit, called me dramatic and repulsive, and determined to crush every last bit of my dignity into the mud.
After what felt like forever, a pair of gentle arms lifted me carefully from the pile of bodies.
It was Roderick. The old man was covered in wounds, clearly beaten and abused, his gray hair stained with dried blood.
I learned later what he'd done to save me. Despite his old age, he'd dug through layers of corpses with his bare hands for an entire day and night. Corpse toxin blistered and festered all over his body, yet he never stopped digging for a single moment.
He held me tightly in his arms, tears streaming down his aged face. "Natasha, I'm so sorry. I failed to raise my daughter right, and I've let you suffer through all this pain."
I buried my face in his chest, crying until my heart felt broken. "Roderick, I'm so dirty. I want to bathe. I want my dresses back. I can feel my power growing weaker and weaker. The monsters outside are growing restless."
My dresses were gone, my once clean body covered in filth, and my special power fading little by little. The last traces of tenderness and kindness inside me were slowly worn away and broken by the hatred and cruelty of the people around me.
- Writer
