Happy (almost) Halloween, everyone!
The occasion called for a spooky image–so here you go đ
As we were right in the middle of a situation last time, let’s skip the intro today and jump right in, shall we?
Though, if you are new to my story, please consider starting with Chapter 1 đ

Worlds Rising: Rebellion
Chapter 11, Part 1
Abbida hated waiting. Hated it in any situation, but sheâd never felt as miserable as right about now. Hunkered in the shadows under the belly of the wreck, she watched Rona and Tarek closing in. They were walking brazenly out in the open as if to demonstrate theyâd already won. Only this wasnât a game. Lian might be dying this very moment from loss of blood or shock.
If only the moon stayed hidden behind the clouds!
No sooner than Abbida had thought it, Rona lit a torch. The bright shine actually plunged their hiding spot into deeper shadows, and Abbidaâs hopes reared upâthen Tarek recovered Lianâs fallen hand lamp. âThere we go,â he grunted, sweeping the trees and shrubs. The blinding light turned the site into a well-lit stage.
Abbida cringed. She envisioned herself getting caught in that cone of light, blinded, like a mouse cornered by the snake. Lians naturally fair skin had paled even more from pain, and might be spotted easily in the otherwise dark undergrowth. Slipping off her own treacherously bright jacket Abbida stooped, black curls spilling over Lianâs face. She held perfectly still. Wishing Lian to remain unconscious just a bit longer, and feeling guilty about it.
âHere, hold this for me,â Tarek said, much too close, âIâm going up.â
âWhatânow?!â Rona said.
âYou want that damned signaling device, donât you?â
âYes, butâ. All right, go for it. Iâll light the rope for you.â Rona sighed.
Tarek grumbled something unintelligible. Next, Abbida heard him clambering about. No, no, no! From up there he was bound to see them no matter what! Should she try and back away, deeper into the wreckâs shadow? But wouldnât the rustling of leaves alert the murderous couple even more? Lian was in no condition to move anyway.
Tarek must have reached the body of the ship for she heard him grunting, pulling himself over the ledge. He rummaged around the wreck, almost right above her head now. He might spot them any minute! What to do?! She strained her ears, cold sweat trickling down her spine.
âThere!â he cried, and Abbidaâs heart skipped a beat.
âI found one of our hunting signs!â Metallic scratching and grinding noises rang through the night as Tarek was jiggling something. âI think this is it. The thing we were looking for!â
âThe communication device? Are you sure?â
âItâs already been loosened. Cole must have found it before that woman showed up. Smart man, never said a word.â
âToo smart, if you know what I mean,â Rona huffed, edging closer. âHow do we get it down here?â
âLet me handle this.â
Abbida heard him fiddling with the rope and guessed he was going to lower the device to the ground. Had it ever occurred to him that Rona might shoot him as well and make a run for it? Then again, she might not. Those two must have been in bed together for years. Not just figuratively. She grimaced.
On the bright side, the pair seemed to have forgotten all about them. She heard Tarek mutter and grumble under his breath as the device wouldnât wield. Rona called up, urging him to be careful not to drop it which only caused Tarek to swear louder.
Abbida risked a peek, just as Rona said, âOkay, fine, Iâve got it!â She grunted, lifting a bulky casing off the ground, carrying it a few steps and setting it down with a thud. âDear me, it is heavy.â
Tarek grumbled something, climbing down. A moment later he jumped and landed on his feet bending his knees. He dusted his clothes off. âLetâs get out of here. Iâm sick of this ship.â
He picked up the device and made for the path towards the camp, Rona close on his heels. They never even looked back. Let them have it, Abbida thought. She couldnât care less about any alien devices. All they ever meant was trouble and pain.
After the last of their footsteps had faded away in the distance Abbida sighed and flopped on her back rubbing her face with both hands. She felt Lian stir beside her and squinted over. With the artificial lights gone, her eyes needed to adjust to the shimmer of moonlight again. âYou all right?â
Lian huffed and made as if to sit up. Instead, she stiffened, grimaced and hissed between her teeth. âIâm⊠gonna need your help.â
âWhat can I do?â
âMy medi-kit. Get it out for me. Please.â
âMedi-what? Dressing bandages, you mean?â
âAnd an injector⊠with color-coded⊠vials.â
âWhere?â
âJacket. Pocket.â She padded under her chest, near her side, but her hand trembled violently and she slumped back to the ground. A glance at her face confirmed she had lost consciousness again. Better hurry!
Nervously, Abbida searched the pockets for anything that resembled medical supplies at all. Would she even recognize them? She only had a vague idea of what this injector might look like. Probably some sort of syringe.
She found several pouches, and laid them out before her. Most of them were made of a material similar to the uniform itself, but thinner. Sheâd have to cut them open to see what was inside. Abbida hesitated. The contents might be perishable, and she didnât want to ruin any of them by randomly tearing things up. She checked one that seemed sturdier than the others and more tightly packed. This one actually came with a clasp! Which made sense for a kit designed to be used repeatedly.
Abbida fumbled around with the clasp. A soft tearing noise made her afraid sheâd broken it after all, but the flap came open seamlessly and revealed the insides of the pouch: a gun-like device the size of her palm and some vials, neatly tucked into separate compartments. In the dark the colors were hard to discern. She leaned in and squinted. The lighter ones were yellow and red, the other two⊠maybe blue and green? Which one was she supposed to use?
Gently she nudged Lianâs shoulder. âYouâll have to help me out here. Which is which?â
Lian didnât respond. Was she even breathing? Yes, faintly, but there it was! She patted Lianâs cheeks, softly first, and when that didnât do anything, she slapped her more resolutely. âHey, wake up! Look at me! Youâre not giving up now, you hear? Iâve got the injector. Now which vial?â
Lianâs eyelids fluttered, but she didnât open her eyes. In the pale moonlight her complexion looked ashen. âRed⊠for the⊠pain.â
Abbida had inserted the vial before Lian finished speaking. âWhere?â
âNeck.â
She turned her head minutely, gasping. Abbida set the injector on the side of Lianâs neck and pulled the trigger. There was a small hissing noise, Lian moaned and relaxed visibly.
âWow, thatâs fast! Can I have some?â Abbida said, trying to make light of the situation.
Lian grimaced and finally opened her eyes. âThank you. Next is one of the yellow ones. Thatâs an antibiotic.â
âYellow it is.â
After the second injection, Lianâs head fell back again and her eyes glided shut. At first, Abbida thought she was out again, then she heard her breathing deeply. âHey, no time for sleep! I know, youâre beat, but I need to examine your injuries and Iâm gonna need your assistance!â
Also, they really needed to get out of this place. By now Abbida expected the worst from Rona and Tarekâeven being sold out to the Conquerors.
Lian sighed, but let herself be nudged up ever so slowly. Despite the painkiller she clenched her teeth stifling a moan. By the time theyâd managed to nestle her back against the trunk of a giant banyan tree her face was covered in sweat. âGive me⊠a moment,â she mumbled, catching her breath.
âYou need to take the jacket off.â
Lian nodded, barely, and bit her lips. It was clear she couldnât even lift her arms.
âLet me help you,â Abbida said. She opened the clasps in the front and leaned in to support Lian while attempting to softly pull on one sleeve, then the other. Mother Marjaâs constant admonitions came to mind, from way back when Abbida had been helping with the little ones: âTug on the clothes, not on the child!â
It seemed a lifetime ago.
Underneath, Lian wore a shirt of a soft, yet sturdy fabric. It stuck to her torso, and Abbida immediately saw why: her left side was completely clotted with blood. Abbida sucked in her breath. âThat needs to go.â
âHow bad is it? Can you see my ribs?â
âNo!â Abbida gaped at her. Truth be told, though, she couldnât actually see that much at all. âI donât know. Iâll have to cut that off first.â
Lian groaned. She was shivering now, more sweat pelting her forehead. She pointed to a pouch on her belt. âUse the knife.â
Abbida herself wasnât half as cool as she let on. Soon enough theyâd know for sure the extent of Lianâs injuries. She hitched a shoulder by way of apology and pulled out the hilt of a hunting knife. Puzzled, she looked up. âWhereâs the blade?â
âPoint it away from us. Then unlock the safety lever. Carefully! This is a nano-coated bladeâit cuts through rock.â
Ugh!
Abbida grabbed the knife like a poisonous snake: firmly, with sound respect. She unlocked the safety lever and the blade shot out, smoothly, without so much as a whisper. Earlier, she had watched Lian cut through the sturdy bindings, but this was the first time she was able to take a closer look. The blade was longer than her hand with a bluish, iridescent shine that seemed to shift and waft as it reflected the moonlight. A thrill ran through her. Sheâd love to try and see if it really cut through rocks!
If only she didnât have to use it on another human being first.
âAll right,â she breathed, âhere goes!â
Thank you for reading!
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Shine bright!
3 responses to “WR: Rebellion – Chapter 11 Part 1”
Darn, have to wait another ten days to find out how she handles the knife đ
I knoooow, it’s haunting me, too! o.O
[…] WR: Rebellion – Chapter 11 Part 1 […]