Along the dunes, where sand mixed with toxic chemicals to form distorted and discolored glass, Noland and Jade walked. On one side were endless sand dunes, completely devoid of life. On the other the Chemical Sea bubbled and hissed while behind them, two pairs of footsteps trailed off along the slope of a dune.
Soaked in sweat, Noland threw his jacket into the sands after glancing up at the scorching sun.
"Come on, Jade! We need to move and see if we can find shelter- anything!"
"There has to be a boat," Jade's voice croaked from ahead of him. He could see she was also suffering from the heat, but her mental state forced her forward. "There's no way there isn't a boat."
"It wouldn't be called banishment if there was a boat! We need to move and-"
Abruptly, Jade turned and shoved Noland backward into the sand. She glared at him angrily, the once dried, crusted blood now smearing again from the mixture of heat and sweat.
"Why did you two- no, you THREE- have to insist on all that stuff!" Jade yelled. "Now we're going to die and Lucky's dead!"
"You were in on it too!" Noland rose to his feet, raising his voice back in frustration. "You could've stopped and walked away!"
"And leave the two of you alone to be arrested? Then for me to be left alone in that forsaken city?!"
Scowling, Noland gestured wildly. "Not our fault you don't have a backbone to say no. We- I was just trying to get us a little more in life!"
"Bravo," Jade sniffed, her voice shaking with emotion. "Fenrik was on board too. But both of you destroyed this family."
Noland was about to mention Lucky but clenched his teeth, his expression darkening. He knew without even needing to say it that Lucky did nothing wrong. But Jade couldn't help but eye him and scoff.
"Wow, not bringing up Lucky this time when you fuck up. Changed a little too late."
"I would've called him a lucky little bastard," Noland muttered, his gaze falling as guilt began to crush his spirit. "But I can't say that this time... or ever again."
'All of this really was my fault. I caused it all because I wanted to...'
Noland's expression tightened further, biting his inner cheek to the point it bled as he fought back tears. He turned away, knowing Jade was still there and probably had her own tears she wanted to shed again outside the waves of 'it's your fault' he felt from her, and croaked weakly:
"We need to move or we'll die."
It was bitter. Bitter expressions and torn hearts, as Noland stepped up the sand dune to venture into the wastelands. Behind him he heard the soft patter of footsteps in sand. It was his only consolation- that he wasn't going to be bereft when he died a pitiful death.
'But she doesn't want to be with me... she just doesn't want to be alone either.'
-----------------
"Wake up."
A voice reverberated as if underwater. Lucky groaned. The pain was gone, but he still felt the straps restricting his movement.
"Wake up, Lucky."
Instinctively, Lucky flinched, recognizing that dreadful voice from his screams of agony. His eyes shot open, terror gripping him, and his body tensed. The restraints jerked angrily with a loud metallic clink and once more, the doctor loomed over him with an intrigued expression.
"Let me go..." Lucky croaked, his eyes darting around fearfully, trying to find the next utensil that would be used.
"Hm... your eye appears to be working," the doctor observed. "Unfortunately, I was not given permission to dissect you fully. Your body has been stitched back together- for now."
"What did you- what's going to happen to me?"
"Nothing, so long as you cooperate," a foreign voice invaded his ears- deep and raspy voice. Heavy footsteps followed and a new face appeared above his restricted view.
White eye. Bald. Golden-trimmed uniform.
"I am Commander Zenith. I've convinced the Custodian of the city to spare your life if you are willing to cooperate."
"Why the FUCK would I cooperate with either of you?! You've tortured me for hours... days?!"
"Your friends are locked up in our prison," Zenith stated. "If you refuse to cooperate then you will be executed and they will be turned into feed. It requires only a single word."
Tapping at his milky eye, which squelched each time, Zenith continued, "The doctor implanted a device so that in the event of your rebellion- termination."
"You're enslaving me?" Lucky croaked.
"Not quite."
Turning away, the doctor began to speak with a displeased tone. "This is a waste of time. I could learn more if you allowed me to fully dissect him."
"A lab rat..." Lucky muttered.
"The doctor explained to you one of this city's products," Commander Zenith said. "A second we hope to achieve with the few resources we have are people."
"What you consumed made you our lab rat," Zenith nodded. "But also a living experiment- whether we can export people: soldiers, workers- away from this shithole. You life holds the key to the freedom of future generations."
"Y-you're lying. A second product? If you could do that then it won't stop. Someone's profiting."
"Correct. There will never be freedom here for the majority of people. Only a select few every year."
Zenith added, "It's better than nothing."
A sharpening sound made Lucky flinch, understanding without needing to see it, and he immediately nodded.
"Glad we have an understanding." Zenith's head swayed out of view as the sound of metal clinking and being sharpened grew louder again.
Lucky, beginning to thrash around, started to yell in a panic.
"I'll do it! I'll do it! Don't- stop!"
"There are a few more experiments I am going to run before you are set free to the high-city," the doctor's gleeful voice slithered into his ears as the sound came closer. "You truly are lucky as your name describes, Lucky."
"AAAA!"