Awaken Into a New World

Chapter 18: Her Rage

Alecia stared blankly at the wall, still lying on the bed. Her eyes started to look pink, her pupils bluer than usual. Thoughts circled in her mind, so many questions.

Why didn't they come for her after so many years? Did her mother even care, or did she think that she was dead?

All her sorrow, sadness, mixed itself into a fit of building anger. Anger at herself for losing her memory, anger at this world full of evil people, and anger at them who left her to die on this planet all those years ago. 

A tear cascaded down her cheeks, no longer a tear that indicated weakness, but a tear of a bursting rage. She closed her eyes and waited till darkness swallowed her.

-

"Alecia!" A familiar voice woke her up. 

She turned on her back and spotted Virgil sitting at the edge of the bed, grinning.

"Good to see you awake."

"How long have I been sleeping?" she asked, sitting against the frame of the bed.

"Couple of hours. How do you feel?"

"A lot better," she said. "I feel more relaxed now."

He nodded. "That's good. Listen, are you hungry?" 

"Actually." She smiled. "Yes, yes I'm hungry."

"Well then, let's go." He reached his hand out to her. 

Alecia gazed at his hand for a moment and back at him.

"Sure." She nodded and took his hand.

-

"After you." Virgil gestured for her to walk inside Joel's room. 

Alecia walked in. Diana, Joel, and Kellan sat at the table. 

"There's the kid," Joel said, standing up from his seat. "I hear that you've been resting the whole day. How are you feeling?"

"Other than being a bit drowsy, I'm good."

"Take a seat next to Kellan." He gestured towards the table.

Alecia took her seat next to her without hesitation, while Joel sat himself down. 

"At the moment, Kellan has food cooking still."

"I should check it." Kellan moved out her and walks towards the stove at the end of the room. 

Joel watched Kellan for a moment and turned to the three of them, clearing his throat. 

"So where are you three from?"

"It doesn't matter," Diana said with a serious tone. 

Joel raised his brows at her. "I guess it doesn't."

He looked at her for a long time before turning to Kellan who was busy stirring the one pot on the stove. 

"Listen. I wouldn't have you guys here, just for the sake of it, and if you guys leave now, they'll. . . those hunters, those psychopaths will surely pick up on the trail." 

"Okay, man," Virgil said sternly. "We can look after ourselves just fine. We'll handle whatever may come for us."

"Do you think I care about what happens to you?" Joel said, eyebrows raised.

"I get it. Really, I do. But what I care about is my daughter and everyone else here, and having those murderers out there. If they see where you came from, they'll surely come to kill us all."

"But surely you have enough firepower?" Diana asked. 

"We've got a chance." He shook his head. "But it'll put these people in danger."

"I won't let anyone here die." He flicked his eyes at Virgil, Alecia, and Diana. 

Alecia turned to Virgil, flickering her eyes thoughtfully.

"Virgil," she muttered, "our journey can wait. It won't hurt us to stay here for a bit."

Virgil gazed at her for a moment and wetted his lips.

"Alright, fine." Virgil leaned forward on the table. "We'll stay here for a little while until everything clears up. As you said so yourself."

Joel nodded with a slight smile. "Thank you." 

"Alright," Kellan said from the stove, knocking the spoon on the rim of the pot. "I'm just about done."

-

The five of them finished their meals.

"Wow, your daughter can definitely cook," Virgil said, eating a small chunk of meat from the fork, and chews down. 

Joel nodded. "She does."

"I'm right here," Kellan said irritably.

"Of course you are." Virgil winked. "It was delicious. Thank you."

Kellan shook her head, looking away. Alecia looked at Kellan calmly and turned to Joel.

"So we'll be staying here for a night?" 

"Yes," replied he, slowly blinking his eyes. 

"Sir, I have a question if I may ask you?" Diana said, looking at Joel.

"It wouldn't hurt."

"How old is this place and when was it first established?"

"As far as I know, this has been a home for people about. . ." Joel leaned back, thoughtful, "Twenty-eight years."

Diane's eyes widened. "Twenty-eight?" 

Joel nodded slowly. 

"My father and I were surviving in a small group. He decided that we all settle here until everything blows over, sometime later. Years passed, it was all quiet. We all thought it'd be safe to go up to the surface." He gave a downcast look and sighed.

"Unfortunately, we were wrong, and of course, her mother didn't make it." He shook his head with a blank stare at the table. 

"Killers come from another world, and whatever happened, it didn't unite us. It only made us kill each other."

Kellan looked down for a moment. "So I knew it was best for us to stay down here."

Kellan stood from her seat. "Excuse me."

"Of course, dear," Joel said locking his eyes on her. 

"Why was she outside?" Virgil asked.

Joel looked at him. "She's good at finding food and the things we need."

He stood, plate in his hand, and collected the other plates on the table, walking to the one shelf and placing them in. 

"Don't you get worried for her?" Alecia said, looking at him over her shoulder and watching while he walked around the table and took his seat. 

Joel narrowed his eyes. "Of course, I do. I'm her father, and I think she should be strong to survive in a world like this."

"Make sense." Virgil nodded.

"Thank you. Now since you don't have any other reason to be here, you can go back to your room."

"Sure."

Just then, sounds of people screaming and gunshots were heard outside of the room. Alecia widened her eyes and quickly stood.

"Dammit, Kellan!" Joel dashed towards the door. Virgil stopped him.

"What are you doing? Let me go!"

Virgil shook his head, hand resting on Joel's shoulder. "Not a good idea."

"That's my daughter out there and she needs my help!" He stepped forward, but Virgil stepped back with him.

"We'll find her ourselves, but right now, you need to stay here and we'll sort this out somehow."

Joel nodded.

"Remember, she's strong, you said it yourself." Virgil turned around and opened the door slowly to peek out.

"What's happening?" Alecia muttered, panic in her speech. 

"I don't see anyone." He peeked through the door once more. "Come. Let's go."

He gingerly opened the door slowly and stepped out. Alecia followed.

"We'll find her, okay?" Diana placed her hand on Joel's shoulder, an attempt of reassurance, smiling gently.

Joel nodded, a sorrowful look etched in his expression.

Alecia, Diana, and Virgil walked down the narrowed passage, the wet ground reflected the lights along the walls.

"Why's it so quiet?" Alecia murmurs as she took steps carefully.

"Such question makes me nervous."

When they exited the passage, and into the room where the tables were, what assaulted them were scattered dead bodies and the putrid smell of blood seeping underneath the tables. Virgil stepped past a deceased man.

"Poor guy. Didn't see it coming." 

Diana's lips twisted into a frown. "No one here could."

Virgil knelt down near the spot of the dead body of the man who took his weapon. 

"So much for protecting everyone."

He grabbed the weapon from the dead man, taking a moment to have a look at the magazine, and slotted it back in the gun. 

"Let's keep moving." He aimed his weapon at the entrance of the passage, stepping towards it. 

Alecia locked her eyes on the bodies as she followed Virgil. Slowly, they tiptoed towards the end of the passage, only to see Kellan on her knees, her hands up, along with other women and children. 

"Kellan," Virgil muttered, relieved, as he stepped faster towards her, his weapon by his side. 

Just then, Virgil got knocked out by a weapon's handle, coming from the side of the passage. 

"No!"

Alecia ran and knelt beside him. A barrel of a gun lowered to her head. She stopped trying to wake him, turning her gaze to the barrel. She looked up, and a middle-aged man with the same clothing as the men and women who killed with no remorse snarled at her.

"Don't even think about doing anything, girl."

Alecia slowly raised her hands and looked behind herself, finding Diana in a situation-kneeling and hands raised. Caught.

"That's all of them." A young man's voice echoed behind the hostages who were kneeling in front of Alecia. 

"I found three more," the middle-aged man said, with a gruff voice. 

"Wow, she's rather the odd one of the bunch," the young man said, his eyes looking over at Alecia. 

An armed man and a woman walked out from the one passage. They leaned their weapons over their shoulders and watched.

"She is, isn't she?" The middle-aged man smirked, grabbing Alecia's arm and lifting her to her feet. 

"So what do they call you, huh?" He smiling, pointing the barrel of the gun under her chin. 

She closed her eyes, trying to keep herself calm, and ignored his question.

"Tell me!" He pressed the barrel harder under her chin. 

She breathed through her nose. "A-Alecia, they call me Alecia."

"What a pretty name." He chuckled. "Do you want to join our group?"

Alecia ignored him again. 

"Answer the question!" 

She glowered at him. "I won't."

"What was that?"

Alecia clenched her jaw. "The answer's no!"

"Making things difficult, always making things difficult." He withdrew the gun under her chin and threw a punch to her face, forcing her to the floor. 

He grabbed her by her hair. "You can make this easy on yourself, as this can be a very painful time for you."

She opened her eyes, locking eyes with Kellan.

"So what will it be?" 

Alecia flicked her eyes at him and remained silent. 

"Very well." He slammed her head to the ground, making her cry out in pain. 

"I can do this all day! I will let you live only if you join us."

Alecia raised her head, a stream of blood cascaded down the bridge of her nose.

"Do you reconsider my offer?"

Alecia stroked the blood off her forehead and stared at the blood on her fingertips. 

"No," replied she, anger laced in her voice, as she continued to glower at him.

"Big mistake." He turned his gaze to the young man behind the hostages and nodded.

The young man took out a blade and waved it at her. He grabbed Kellan by the hair and moved the blade to her throat. Alecia flicked her eyes at the young man and Kellan, terror in her eyes. 

"No! Leave her alone!"

"What will it be?" the middle-aged man bellowed.

Alecia gave a downcast look. She stood and turned to Kellan, her eyes telling her 'don't worry, it'll be okay.'

"Time's up." The middle-aged man nodded at the man who held Kellan.

The man pulled her head back and sliced her throat with the blade.

"No!" Alecia cried out as she ran to her, but she was halted when the woman punched her, forcing Alecia against the wall.

"Yes!" The woman gritted her teeth and grabbed Alecia by her top.

"This is because of you!" She punched her in the gut, straightening her against the wall. "Now because of your stubbornness, you're going to feel the snap of your bones!"

She threw a hard punch to her face, straightened her up once more, and threw another that forced Alecia to the ground. The woman started to kick her in the ribs and in the gut multiple times. When the woman finally stopped, she knelt down and righted Alecia through grabbing a fistful of her sleeves.

"You're nothing special. Too weak to be a part of us."

Alecia opened her eyes which now had a bright blue glow to it. The woman stepped back in fear. Alecia stood slowly, despite her battered state, as a blue glow emitted from her body until it outshone the whole passage, with lights flickering on and off. Everyone around her covered their eyes. 

The glow ceased. Alecia had her blade blade within her hand, rage in her glowing eyes, she went after the woman and stabbed her repeatedly as she dropped her to the floor. Alecia's whole hand, along with the blade, was now soaked in blood.

She walked towards a man who was still shielding his eyes and stabbed him in the throat, and as she watched his life fade from his eyes, she took out the blade and dropped him to the floor, the man's blood leaving stains on her top. 

The middle-aged man fired his gun in all directions, which hit the young man and some of the hostages. He wiped his eyes, spotting Alecia.

"You b***h!" He ran and tackled her to the ground, wrapping his hands around her throat. "Just what the hell are you?"

Alecia reached for the blade that was inches away from her. She stretched her hand for the handle and grabbed it, and in a swift motion, she stabbed him in the throat which made his blood pour all over her hair and face. She took out the blade and pushed him off herself.

Sitting up on her knees, panting, she tried to catch her breath. The lights around her continued to flicker. She looked up at Diana who was sitting against the corner, terror in her eyes. Virgil woke and slowly stood, his hand on his head.

"What happened?" He opened his eyes only to behold the m******e before him. "Alecia?"

"Virgil," Alecia mumbled, shocked, and looked at the blade in her hand. "I had no choice. I had to do it."

"Your eyes?" His eyes widened at the sight of her glowing eyes. "Where is. . .?"

He looked behind to see Diana who looked horrified and turned to Alecia. "What did you do?"

Alecia gave a downcast look as her breathing began to slow.