Freewrite Day: 1293 - "Rucksack" - 'Caleb's Survival'

Source

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I might turn the following into a short story. What do you think? Love a little bit of sci-fi.

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Thanks go to @mariannewest for her continued brilliance and service to this community. Please see the link for today's prompt: Rucksack

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The following is a work written by Simon Tonkin, all rights reserved

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A jolt knocked Caleb from his stupor. He was in shock and fought to calm his heart beat and catch his breath. Outside the landscape was racing by at a frightening speed. He could feel the engines red-lining beneath him as they cut through the air a few feet above ground like a bullet. Streams of air blasted him through a dozen tears in the craft's hull. My God it was destroyed. Light and wind entered the cabin through hundreds of bullet holes. Great gouges were torn in the sides and ceiling by those creatures. Those things they were riding whatever they were. Those great unstoppable talons cut through man and metal with ease. The sight scarred Caleb forever.

"Please tell me you're back."

Jordan was sitting beside him, his face as pale as Caleb's own, his eyes just as haunted.

"What the fuck, Caleb?"

Silence, as if Caleb would be able to answer that. Jordan's voice was shaking in horror.

"Well I'll be ready. You should to."

Jordan began frantically inspecting his rifle, the whites of his eyes showing. Sweat soaked through his uniform and his breathing was erratic. He was fighting to keep himself together. Jordan was having a hard time fathoming what he just witnessed. Caleb didn't blame him. Men being pulled away or cut down in their seats like defenseless cattle. It seemed to happen in an instant. The screams and gunfire still rang in their minds. The sounds of ripping metal and his friends dying brutal painful deaths. Though some were taken; snatched up in nets and taken away on the backs of those beasts.

Caleb saw into the eyes of one of the beast's riders. Five perfectly spherical orbs on a face with what looked like a nose and no mouth. It was oddly human.

"Can you pass me your cleaning kit?." Jordan said. He wasn't ready to see the carnage just yet.

"Its in my rucksack, feel free to grab it."

Caleb went to stand and Jordan pulled at him with pleading eyes.

"Where are you going?"

"We don't even know if this thing has a pilot. I'm just going up front to check."

As Caleb made his way through the cabin of the dead the speeder pitched downward in a lurch that nearly made him vomit. That had never happened before. A moment later it made sense to him. He was standing by the dismembered body of his cousin Samuel. His youthful face was bloodied and twisted in the horror of his final moments. That was the same horror that Caleb felt not moments ago, though he had been spared.

Caleb stared into a pair of dead eyes the same color as his. A wave of guilt flooded him. This would be aunt Fern's third lost son. Her two remaining sons would now be recalled as per the edicts. They would cease their military service and be sent home to prioritize their estates. It suddenly dawned on Caleb that he was the last member of his once vast family serving in this war. He would be their last chance at attaining status and prestige and to escape a fate of poverty.

Another lurch downward caused him to stumble and banish all thought. He had to get the controls. He pushed his way past the corpses and toward the pilot seat which sat empty.

"Holy shit!" Caleb screamed as he dove for the control sticks.

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Let me know if you like it and want to see it continue.

Thank you and take care. Much love.

Simon Tonkin.