And With That I Continued On The Road. ...actually I Guess It Was More The Official Start Of It. But

Raw Rabbit

Distant Horizons

My stomach was rumbling Nothing edible in sight --- at least nothing I know is edible. I hope that I find another town soon. Else I'll starve in this forest.

I noticed that there where many animals around now. Although I only saw that beaver in the days before. Maybe if I somehow manage to catch a rabbit --- no, I wouldn't be able to make a fire here and raw rabbit doesn't sound very good.

Continuing through the forest I thought about what I could find here that was edible.

Picture Deer by IntroducingEmy

Music Distant Horizons by Jeremy Soule

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Wâtchã døìñg bûddy? Hüntîñg?

Why would you care? Just fuck off again, go wherever you hid all this time.

Lêmmë güês$s, yøû åré döwn fôr zæt $ståg zêrë? Î'll gïvè yøü å hænd...

No-

WAAAAAAAHHH!!!

The stag looked around shortly, with terror in it's eyes, and fled immediately.

How did you...? Why did you...? WHAT do you want!?

Jüs$t wâñnå hævê sømê fún Ha Ha Ha Ha

“What happened there? Besides us there's nothing around, but still it fled.”

I nearly jumped up as she suddenly appeared behind me.

“I... I... I don't know... I... I was just about to take an arrow... then it ran”

“Why so on edge? Thought it ran from a wolf who was creeping up on you?”She laughed

If she only knew what it really ran from... If she'd know there are worse things than wolves around... But I can't tell her... Or can I?... No. For her sake I won't tell her.

Wo-ow Whö'$ zât cütîé?

Just. Shut. Up.

“Hey. You still with me? Why so tense all of sudden?”

“What... oh... eh... it's nothing. Really.”

“Doesn't sound like nothing to me. What are you so worried about? Tell me, I can see it in your eyes.”

“No... I can't. Please trust me on this one... I can't... I won't. And there's no persuading me”

“But-”

“No!” Damn, that came out harsher than I meant to. Come on, apologize“I'm sorry Ingrid... it's just... I'm unsure myself what actually is up. Please, trust me, you don't want to know.”

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

The Attack - Bjorn

Prepare for the Onslaught

One morning I woke up to the smell of smoke and burning flesh. To screams of pain and agony. To the sounds of clinging metal. At first I thought it was a bandit attack. They must be after the gold father got for that jewel he sold to the king I thought. But I was wrong.

Mother tried to stay calm. Father took his pickaxe and was on his way out the front door. Suddenly the door burst open and someone came through it. It felt like time was frozen. I looked at him and saw every detail on his armour. This is no bandit. This is a mercenary. Time unfroze again as father rammed his axe into the intruders head. He fell onto the floor and father went over him and out.

Mother didn't look. She did her best not to. To keep her calm. But I knew she wasn't calm. I could see the fright in her eyes. She took of her necklace and put it around my neck. Then she mumbled something I didn't understand and kissed me on my forehead. 'Run!' She said. 'Run out the backdoor. Get away from here. Survive.'

Picture Nibelheim by jordangrimmer

Music Prepare for the Onslaught by Epic Score

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

It had become dark already but I still hadn't decided what to do... or... I had... in a way. But I didn't want to... tell myself... I guess, so I just stayed there, watching the glowing embers, that the fire left behind.

I had eaten both hares some time ago already, but still I was just lying there, watching the embers and... kinda enjoying the... emptiness in my head.

I was woken by a weird sound in the distance. The first thing I noticed was how numb my left arm was... or at first I was worried if I still had it, but I think that would have been painful instead of numb.

I got up and looked around.

Nothing... lucky I guess

Although my arm was still numb I was back in hunting mode.

There... that sound again... but... it's different... and from another direction... or did I just mishear the first time?

I had never heard that sound before, nothing like it either. It was a long, dull sound.

Another...! over there this time... two short ones this time...?

I wasn't sure what to make of those sounds. What animal could make this sound? My imagination ran wild... maybe something human-like, but bigger, fur all over, with the head like a bull? I wouldn't wanna meet that in person

I got scared by this thought, wanted to climb high into a tree, but my arm was still numb. I found a bush instead, hid inside and inspected my arms.

No scars... just like usual... I tried to move my fingers. Didn't work as good as expected. I helped with my other hand, bending each finger by itself, moving the hand around a bit, bending the elbow, moving the whole arm.

The numbness left my arm again.

Suddenly my arm was filled with another weird feeling... like ants were crawling all over it. Out of panic I frantically shaked my arm, I didn't see any ants but it came out of reflex “Get them away, get them away” I thought, tho there was nothing on my arm.

The feeling vanished, my arm was back to normal

I looked at it in wonder... What was that?

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

“What was it you wanted to talk about earlier? Had enough time to sort your mind?”

“Well... I've sorted my mind but... I still have no idea how I should ask this”

“Then work around it, what is it you wanna ask me about?”

“It's... it's this... well my, or rather our, 'contract' “

“Oh you mean the staying for winter? You're right, winter is over but... if you wanna stay for longer do so”

“That's... not really it, tho I'm thankful for your offer, but... hmmm”

“What are you worried about?”

“I... I'm... … I'm worried I leave you without giving you anything back for what you showed me. That I leave without repaying you properly”

She put a hand on my shoulder and looked into my eyes“Do you really think I did this with the plan to get some compensation for it? I did this because I wanted to, because I had a feel you could use it in the future. Compensation neither needed nor wanted.”

“r... really? You sure?”

“Yes, and besides, you gave me lots of fun memories” she smiled

“...but-”

“No buts! It was fun for me, that's more than enough pay”

She hugged me suddenly, the first time since IT forced its way out. At first I was scared, worried, but I didn't wanna take this hug from her... and didn't wanna let it slide myself. We both needed it.

“Thank you Ingrid, a thousand times and infinitely more”

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Kioku

There I was; No arms, No legs, lying in a pool of my own blood. And around was nothing. Again. Like the first time I was here. Just me and this... nothing-ness.

Is this how people die? What happens to them after they died? No afterlife, no great god waiting for you?

Suddenly a drop of blood fell on my face. As I turned my head IT was standing right over me. Scared the shit out of me.

$$$cärêd? Ha ha ha ha Ït's $ssûrrêlÿ mørrrê fùn tô ssséé ÝØÛ $sstrrûgglë øût thërê, sssø Ï'll gîvë cøntrrrôlè båck tø yôu Ha ha ha ha

Picture source unkown

Music Kioku from Jigoku Shoujo

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Just a Nightmare?

Underground

‘Where am I?’

Yøü? Yõü ærrê ïn mÿ tèrrrítørrý. Wåñnâ knøw whæt'ss fùñ about zãt?

Its voice was omnipresent. It came from everywhere. And it was so deep that it was soothing and horrifying alike. I was unsure if I wanted to know, but I asked. 'What?’

Zæt whílè yøû årrê hërê, Ï hâvë còñtrrøl. Ha Ha Ha

I didn’t see anything. But still I felt how devilishly that thing on my back was grinning. What does it mean by that? It has control? Control over what? And where is its territory?

Picture Blackout found on 巫女miko's blog

Music Underground by ◄-NATURE-►

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Birds... frogs... the stream in the distance... the wind in the trees... Damn it!

I opened my eyes and stood up again.

I looked at the sky, it was the first time I had done that all day. The sun is setting... lets see, two hares... had one in the morning, some berries too... guess I don't have much of a choice... either one risk, or the other... but which is the safer bet?

With every step I took I felt my energy being drained. I had to eat something, now. Even if it wasn't enough. I went back to the beck, took with me some branches on the way to make a fire.

I skinned and gutted the hares. Threw the rests into the forest on the other side of the stream. Something would surely come to eat that, but I wouldn't want that over here.

I fastened the hares to each their stick, and set both by the fire. Washed my hands in the water, drank some, and laid down besides the fire.

What should I do? I can either take the risk of hunting at night, or take the risk of sleeping while hungry and drained of strength. After having some food I should be able to get up on a tree, if I find one, but what if he... IT thinks of any shenanigans in the meantime.

Yøû kñöw Ï cån hær yôú?

… Shut up.

Yòú... Yôü... Yøµ...

I-I-I What?

He snarled at me. Didn't hear much more from him after that.

I laid on my side, watching the hares by the fire, the fire itself, how the flames danced their warm, but destructive dance on the wood...

Sleep... or Hunt?

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Don't Look Back

Great, now I even have to wash these Anyway, him fainting makes the whole thing easier, at least partially... He won't complain, but I'll have to take off his clothes myself

It was no easy feat to undress the man with these claws and transforming back would've taken too long and been too risky But I managed to get his shirt and pants, without hurting him although the clothes did look a bit butchered Holes and cuts in a few places, all made by me

I went back into the forest, to my cave

Now I do have some clothes, probably won't fit too well but far better than running around naked

Now all I had to do were some preperations I hunted myself a deer first, skinned it, cut part of it in pieces then got myself some wood, piled that up at the cave entrance now all that was left was turning back and washing those clothes

but first I went to the pond another time to get, for now, a last look at this wretched creature I was to burn it into my memories, to be motivated by it

I'll get rid of this cursed thing inside of me someday I'll be cured of this form I'll find a solution to this

Picture Forest Pond by Ruth-Tay

Music Don't Look Back by CMA

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

...Nightmare?

Underground

After that everything was black. But not the usual black like coal. It was... empty. It had this feel of... nothingness to it. Like there would never come anything afterwards. And there never did.

Suddenly I got the feeling that something was there with me. I saw it in the corner of my eye. But when I tried to look at it, it was gone.

Ssø yöû fînãlly cãmë tø mê

What? 'Who is there?'

Ha Ha Ha Ha Î'm ssûrrë yøu wânnä knøw zät

Suddenly something jumped on my back. I couldn't move so I fell. I had no idea where up and down where but I knew I fell.

Picture source unkown

Music Underground by ◄-NATURE-►

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016