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Episode VI
Burial
“Vel....wait!” Kevin called out as he ran after him, doing his best to keep up. He was still a little unsteady on his feet and woozy from the gash on his forehead, and despite the fact that Velociryx was carrying Gayle, Kevin found himself unable to close the distance between them. He could keep pace, but just barely. He was a researcher, not an athlete, and his lungs already felt like they were on fire, but he kept running anyway. He had to.
Gayle.
He’d seen her slump in Vel’s arms, and feared the worst, but he didn’t know. Not for sure.
So he ran.
Velociryx didn’t stop when he reached the edge of the City. Didn’t even slow down. Panting and groaning with effort, Kevin reached down deep and raced on, trying to at least keep him in sight.
He ran for what seemed and felt like forever, and Kevin was certain he would die trying to keep pace, but he tried not to think about it. He shut the rest of the world out and focused on Velociryx’s receding form. Closing his mind off from the pain in his head, his tortured lungs and aching legs. Isolated himself from all of it so he could continue.
Eventually, he realized he was beginning to gain ground, and a few moments after that, he realized why. Velociryx had stopped.
Slowly, almost tentatively, he began to allow the world to enter back into his senses.
That was when he realized they were somewhere in the depths of a Fungal Bed.
His heart skipped a beat.
Why? Why would he bring her here?
As he drew closer, he began to make out other details, like the Monolith, more than half buried by the thick reddish vines.
He closed the last of the distance and fell to his knees a few feet from Velociryx, panting breathlessly. If he noticed Kevin’s presence behind him, he made no sign of it. Nothing in his posture changed. He just stood there like a statue, holding Gayle in his arms and staring up at the Monolith.
“Vel, what.....why are you....”
“Shhh.” Velociryx cut him off sharply. He did not move for a long moment, but at last he turned to face Kevin. “You should not have come.”
“I....I had to....” He looked at Gayle. “I had to know....I loved her too.”
Velociryx studied his face for a long moment, then nodded. When he spoke again, his voice was thick and filled up with emotion. “She died in my arms....there was no time....no hope of getting any help for her....I couldn’t save her....” He broke then, sobbing silently for a moment, turning from Kevin as he did.
In a moment, he regained his composure.
“Vel....why are we here?”
He drew in a deep breath. “I brought her to the safest place I know....she’ll be at rest here....at peace.”
Kevin was about to say something else when Velociryx silenced him with a look. “Stay close....they’re coming.”
Kevin moved closer. He had a good idea who *They* were and didn’t want any part of them.
In a moment, he heard a curious rustling noise in the Fungus. It seemed to come from everywhere at once, and it sent a shiver down Kevin’s spine.
It grew louder, heading right for them.
Then he saw them.
Worm Boils.
Chittering to each other as they rose up from the Fungal bed and began moving closer.
There must have been dozens of them, coming in from all directions. Perhaps even scores of them. Converging on Velociryx and the Monolith.
“Oh my God....” Kevin whispered softly.
Velociryx was silent. Waiting.
The Worm Boils gathered around them in a circle perhaps ten feet from them, and stopped. Kevin watched, fascinated. He had never been this close to them before, and the researcher in him took over instinctively. They were clearly in communication with one another, and perhaps with Velociryx as well, chittering and shifting. They almost seemed to have some kind of body language, though Kevin was mystified as to what it might mean.
Slowly, and with an amazing tenderness and reverence, Velociryx gently lay Gayle down on the Fungus at the base of the Monolith. He took a moment to arrange her hair and kiss her forehead. “Goodbye, my Beauty.”
He stood and looked over at Kevin. “If you want to say goodbye to her....do it now.”
Kevin nodded and approached her. Velociryx retreated several steps to give him space and a moment alone.
He knelt beside her and caressed her cheek. It was cold and lifeless. Not at all as he remembered her. He tried to blink away his tears, but there was simply no stopping them. They fell, fat and plentiful, cascading down his cheeks and dripping onto hers. “Oh Gayle....I’m so sorry....this....this never should have happened.....”
He held her hand for a moment. Brought it to his lips. Kissed it. Then let it go.
He stood.
Then he remembered that they were completely surrounded by Mind Worms, and stepped back beside Velociryx.
Velociryx bowed his head for a long moment, and then began to speak. “Watch over her, my brothers....let no one near this place....keep her safe....safer than I could....”
He said a few more words, but they were too soft for Kevin to make out.
They stood there for several long moments, unmoving. Finally, Velociryx wiped the tears from his eyes and looked over at Kevin. “Stay close to me while we’re leaving.” He didn’t have to say why, and Kevin nodded in understanding.
They moved out, and the Mind Worms parted for them as they approached. The researcher in him took over again, and Kevin noted something interesting in their posture.
***Almost looks like an Honor Guard*** He thought to himself. And then he realized that’s exactly what they were. He sensed a powerful intelligence from them, and was close enough to see details. Actually, in a strange way, they were quite beautiful.
Time seemed to stand still for them as they made their way back out of the Fungal Bed. He was aware of the passage of time, but had no idea how much time was going by. He was shocked when they made the edge of the Fungus just moments before Alpha Centauri A broke up over the horizon.
He opened his mouth to speak, but could find no words to phrase his question, and he got the distinct impression that Velociryx would not answer him in any case. So he kept silent, and they returned to the city. He cringed as he considered what they might find.
Burial
“Vel....wait!” Kevin called out as he ran after him, doing his best to keep up. He was still a little unsteady on his feet and woozy from the gash on his forehead, and despite the fact that Velociryx was carrying Gayle, Kevin found himself unable to close the distance between them. He could keep pace, but just barely. He was a researcher, not an athlete, and his lungs already felt like they were on fire, but he kept running anyway. He had to.
Gayle.
He’d seen her slump in Vel’s arms, and feared the worst, but he didn’t know. Not for sure.
So he ran.
Velociryx didn’t stop when he reached the edge of the City. Didn’t even slow down. Panting and groaning with effort, Kevin reached down deep and raced on, trying to at least keep him in sight.
He ran for what seemed and felt like forever, and Kevin was certain he would die trying to keep pace, but he tried not to think about it. He shut the rest of the world out and focused on Velociryx’s receding form. Closing his mind off from the pain in his head, his tortured lungs and aching legs. Isolated himself from all of it so he could continue.
Eventually, he realized he was beginning to gain ground, and a few moments after that, he realized why. Velociryx had stopped.
Slowly, almost tentatively, he began to allow the world to enter back into his senses.
That was when he realized they were somewhere in the depths of a Fungal Bed.
His heart skipped a beat.
Why? Why would he bring her here?
As he drew closer, he began to make out other details, like the Monolith, more than half buried by the thick reddish vines.
He closed the last of the distance and fell to his knees a few feet from Velociryx, panting breathlessly. If he noticed Kevin’s presence behind him, he made no sign of it. Nothing in his posture changed. He just stood there like a statue, holding Gayle in his arms and staring up at the Monolith.
“Vel, what.....why are you....”
“Shhh.” Velociryx cut him off sharply. He did not move for a long moment, but at last he turned to face Kevin. “You should not have come.”
“I....I had to....” He looked at Gayle. “I had to know....I loved her too.”
Velociryx studied his face for a long moment, then nodded. When he spoke again, his voice was thick and filled up with emotion. “She died in my arms....there was no time....no hope of getting any help for her....I couldn’t save her....” He broke then, sobbing silently for a moment, turning from Kevin as he did.
In a moment, he regained his composure.
“Vel....why are we here?”
He drew in a deep breath. “I brought her to the safest place I know....she’ll be at rest here....at peace.”
Kevin was about to say something else when Velociryx silenced him with a look. “Stay close....they’re coming.”
Kevin moved closer. He had a good idea who *They* were and didn’t want any part of them.
In a moment, he heard a curious rustling noise in the Fungus. It seemed to come from everywhere at once, and it sent a shiver down Kevin’s spine.
It grew louder, heading right for them.
Then he saw them.
Worm Boils.
Chittering to each other as they rose up from the Fungal bed and began moving closer.
There must have been dozens of them, coming in from all directions. Perhaps even scores of them. Converging on Velociryx and the Monolith.
“Oh my God....” Kevin whispered softly.
Velociryx was silent. Waiting.
The Worm Boils gathered around them in a circle perhaps ten feet from them, and stopped. Kevin watched, fascinated. He had never been this close to them before, and the researcher in him took over instinctively. They were clearly in communication with one another, and perhaps with Velociryx as well, chittering and shifting. They almost seemed to have some kind of body language, though Kevin was mystified as to what it might mean.
Slowly, and with an amazing tenderness and reverence, Velociryx gently lay Gayle down on the Fungus at the base of the Monolith. He took a moment to arrange her hair and kiss her forehead. “Goodbye, my Beauty.”
He stood and looked over at Kevin. “If you want to say goodbye to her....do it now.”
Kevin nodded and approached her. Velociryx retreated several steps to give him space and a moment alone.
He knelt beside her and caressed her cheek. It was cold and lifeless. Not at all as he remembered her. He tried to blink away his tears, but there was simply no stopping them. They fell, fat and plentiful, cascading down his cheeks and dripping onto hers. “Oh Gayle....I’m so sorry....this....this never should have happened.....”
He held her hand for a moment. Brought it to his lips. Kissed it. Then let it go.
He stood.
Then he remembered that they were completely surrounded by Mind Worms, and stepped back beside Velociryx.
Velociryx bowed his head for a long moment, and then began to speak. “Watch over her, my brothers....let no one near this place....keep her safe....safer than I could....”
He said a few more words, but they were too soft for Kevin to make out.
They stood there for several long moments, unmoving. Finally, Velociryx wiped the tears from his eyes and looked over at Kevin. “Stay close to me while we’re leaving.” He didn’t have to say why, and Kevin nodded in understanding.
They moved out, and the Mind Worms parted for them as they approached. The researcher in him took over again, and Kevin noted something interesting in their posture.
***Almost looks like an Honor Guard*** He thought to himself. And then he realized that’s exactly what they were. He sensed a powerful intelligence from them, and was close enough to see details. Actually, in a strange way, they were quite beautiful.
Time seemed to stand still for them as they made their way back out of the Fungal Bed. He was aware of the passage of time, but had no idea how much time was going by. He was shocked when they made the edge of the Fungus just moments before Alpha Centauri A broke up over the horizon.
He opened his mouth to speak, but could find no words to phrase his question, and he got the distinct impression that Velociryx would not answer him in any case. So he kept silent, and they returned to the city. He cringed as he considered what they might find.