0:00

What would your life look like if fear

0:02

was not an option? Find

0:05

out in the new series, Them, The Scare. It's

0:09

an all-new installment of the horror

0:11

anthology now streaming only on Prime

0:14

Video. The series takes

0:16

place in Los Angeles in the early

0:18

90s, with the city on the edge

0:20

of complete chaos. Deborah

0:23

Iorinde returns this season

0:25

as LAPD homicide detective

0:27

Don Reeve, who's been

0:29

assigned to solve a new case that has

0:31

left even the most hardened detectives shaken, to

0:34

find the South Side Slayer. As

0:37

she gives everything to uncover the

0:40

truth, something horrific and supernatural begins

0:42

to haunt her and her family.

0:45

Them, The Scare, features the

0:47

legendary Pam Grier, Luke

0:49

James, Wayne Knight, plus many more

0:51

and is sure to keep you

0:53

guessing at every turn. For

0:56

fans, get ready for your new

0:59

obsession. This is something you

1:01

do not want to miss. And

1:03

remember, fear is

1:05

not an option. Watch

1:09

Them, The Scare on Prime

1:11

Video now streaming.

1:16

It may sound dull, maybe

1:19

even monotonous, but

1:21

this is what miracles sound like. This

1:24

is the sound of a child's surgery being

1:26

performed by a robot. Our

1:29

personalized care leads to miraculous things,

1:34

like innovative procedures with less pain

1:37

and faster recovery. Children's

1:40

Hospital Colorado, here it's

1:42

different. My

1:47

fascination with traveling to the stars began

1:49

the night my sister died. It

1:52

was a cold night. We were up

1:54

in the treehouse using the telescope Grandpa had gifted

1:56

me for my 7th birthday, when she jabbed a

1:58

finger toward the sky. pointing at

2:00

a shooting star and shouting, We should

2:02

make a wish, Quentin. I remember

2:04

thinking it was a lot larger than any I'd

2:06

seen before, and a few moments

2:09

later, it got so big that it plotted out

2:11

the moon. With deafening speed,

2:13

it zoomed overhead and smashed into the

2:15

forest right behind our house, toppling

2:17

massive trees like they were matchsticks and scorching

2:20

a trail of dead earth to an impact

2:22

site the size of a small car. My

2:25

sister and I didn't even have to exchange words

2:28

before we were bounding down the rope ladder and

2:30

rushing into the woods. It

2:32

was smaller than I expected, perhaps the

2:34

size of a bowling ball, but it

2:36

was unlike anything I'd ever seen. Dark

2:38

orange and glowing with the light of a

2:40

thousand stars. What is it? Renee

2:43

asked as she reached out to touch the stone.

2:46

A moment later, she was screaming and flailing on

2:48

the ground as she clutched her wrist with her

2:50

legs buckled. I ran to her

2:52

side and looked at her palm, both frightened

2:55

and fascinated to see that every bit of

2:57

her skin had been scorched off. I

2:59

carried her to the house, shouting to my

3:01

parents for help as she kept screaming. As

3:04

I looked down at her, I saw that the burns

3:06

were beginning to spread down her arm, scalding

3:08

her body like a spreading disease. She

3:11

didn't stop her whales until we made it to the hospital.

3:14

Once in the emergency room, several well-dressed

3:16

men pulled my dad aside and talked

3:18

in hushed tones about what was happening.

3:21

I didn't understand many of the words, but none

3:23

of it sounded good. Certain

3:26

phrases like quarantine and special treatment rang

3:28

in my ears as I tugged at

3:30

dad's coat. Is Renee going to

3:32

be okay? Are they going to make her better? I asked.

3:36

He brushed me away and tried to remain

3:38

calm, listening as the men told him they

3:41

would need to take Renee immediately before her

3:43

condition got any worse. What's

3:45

wrong with her? Where are you taking her? I

3:47

asked frantically. Dad signed paperwork,

3:49

and in a flash, they were wheeling

3:51

my sister toward a private ambulance. She

3:56

shouted as she passed me by. I will

3:58

never forget the panic in my life. her eyes, the

4:01

flesh melting that was deforming every part of

4:03

her body. She grabbed a

4:05

hold of my left arm, begging me to save her.

4:08

Her touch was like fire and I instinctively

4:10

pulled away, feeling my own flesh turn a

4:13

dark black as she was taken away. We

4:16

were told they would update us in 48 hours

4:18

about her condition, but we never got

4:20

a single phone call. The

4:22

stars did this to her, Papa, and I'm

4:24

going to find out why. I remember

4:26

telling her what had happened. In

4:28

his bitterness and rage, he blamed what happened to

4:30

her on me. If you

4:33

hadn't filled her head with fantasies of spacemen, she

4:35

would still be here. No one

4:37

cares about the moon anymore, Quint. You

4:39

need to wake up and forget about it. He

4:42

spat as he dismantled my telescope. I

4:45

promised him I would never bring it up again, and

4:47

for the next twenty years, I stayed true to

4:49

my word. Then I

4:51

met Isaac. It was spring of 2012.

4:54

I was busy frittering away my inheritance

4:57

on college courses that any sane person

4:59

would avoid like fringe science and parapsychology

5:01

when we bumped into each other, trying

5:03

to check out the same book from

5:05

the university's library. Let's just study together

5:07

and kill two birds with one stone,

5:10

Isaac suggested once we made introductions.

5:13

Before I knew it, I found myself

5:15

admiring everything about him, from his decisive

5:17

attitude to his calming eyes. I

5:20

soon learned that, like me, Isaac dreamed

5:22

of seeing the stars. Pretty

5:24

crazy, huh? No, not at all.

5:27

I've wanted to be an astronaut since I was a kid,

5:29

but my dad told me it was just a stupid dream.

5:32

Yeah, I guess he isn't wrong, huh? I

5:35

mean, it's not like the space program is going around

5:37

recruiting anymore. That's not entirely

5:39

true. NASA still trains men and women

5:41

every year for lunar missions, and

5:43

most of the ones selected wind up stationed on

5:45

the ISS. Huh. Sounds

5:48

like you didn't give up on that dream after all, Isaac

5:51

teased. Well then, let's

5:53

do it. Let's go to the moon.

5:56

What? How? By Studying

5:58

and putting ourselves out there. Every kid's

6:00

began will blow them away, prove our

6:02

dads wrong, and make our own issues.

6:05

He. Said. Oh, that's

6:07

what we did for the next year. We

6:10

took on courses in astronomy and physics,

6:12

engineering and geology and went to every

6:14

seminar, every rally and signed up for

6:16

every conference on the space program. So.

6:19

He volunteered campaigns and represented ourselves

6:21

as much as possible for the

6:23

university and even started on club

6:25

to get the heard. One

6:28

week ago, all of our efforts finally paid

6:30

off. The headmaster pulled aside

6:32

with urgent news. A recruiter from Florida

6:34

had come to speak to us. Isaac

6:37

and I can hardly contain are excitement

6:39

as we were ushered into a private

6:41

room and suddenly found ourselves standing face

6:43

to face with a decorated officer of

6:45

the Space Program. Gentlemen, I'm

6:48

Commander Alexa says. Please.

6:50

Take a seat, The. Dark haired woman

6:52

said formerly has we shook hands As

6:54

you may have assumed, my presence here

6:57

is to determine whether or not you

6:59

meet the criteria to be approved as

7:01

a candidate for an upcoming Lunar mission.

7:04

Both of you have demonstrated over the

7:06

past twelve months you determination and skills

7:08

when it comes to such an assignment.

7:10

So. None of those abilities of in question

7:13

here. What you need to

7:15

be aware as. Is a

7:17

delicacy at the deletion. Finding

7:20

of is tantamount to cast year

7:22

old south along everything anything and

7:24

everyone knew other new will be

7:26

a thing of the past. You.

7:29

Will become a part of a classified

7:31

group that is not acknowledged by any

7:33

government on Earth. And we

7:36

will be disavow by all associates. And

7:38

enterprises. In short,

7:41

If. You become a part of. Our team. You will

7:43

be ghosts. She gave us

7:45

a curt smile and encouraged us to

7:48

discuss amongst ourselves the implications here. You

7:50

haven't even told us what we're getting involved with. How do

7:53

you expect us to be on board with it? I

7:55

wasn't quite as critical, but I did have a

7:57

few questions on my own. What?

7:59

was the dead line for departure. Would we

8:01

be given the chance to change our mind in

8:03

the future, and most importantly, what would

8:05

we be doing? Alexa offered

8:08

what little information she could but stressed that

8:10

any details would only be given once we

8:12

signed on the dotted line. I

8:14

understood her need for discretion, but Isaac

8:17

did not. Isaac feels wrong. Could

8:20

you give us a moment? I said, pulling him

8:22

out to the hull. What's going on with

8:24

you? Isn't this everything we've worked for? I

8:27

asked in a hushed tone. I was about

8:29

to ask you the same thing, Quentin. I

8:31

thought we wanted to go to the moon, not

8:33

become a part of some clandestine project. We

8:35

don't know anything to base our statements on, or

8:38

even a way to verify who this woman is. It

8:41

all seems rather sketchy. Don't flake on

8:43

this now. What if this is the only chance

8:45

we get? Shouldn't we take a leap of

8:47

faith? It's just... it's

8:49

all happening so suddenly, and without

8:51

notice. I know we said

8:54

we wanted this, but can't we do the

8:56

same initiatives we've always fought for? Right here?

8:58

I could see in his eyes that he had already made

9:00

up his mind, and it broke my heart. I

9:03

thought we were in this together. His

9:05

stature stiffened, and his expression grew cold.

9:08

Hmm. I thought so too. Looks

9:11

like I didn't realize what really mattered most.

9:15

That was the last time we ever saw one another. I

9:18

watched as he left without even so much as a

9:20

goodbye, and then turned to see

9:22

Alexa was standing there, waiting for my own

9:24

decision. I remembered thinking of

9:26

all the people I wanted to prove wrong. Now

9:29

I was adding the man I loved to that list.

9:32

Over the next twenty-four hours, Alexa transported

9:34

me and two other candidates to an

9:36

undisclosed location. Even stepping foot on

9:39

the freighter was considered classified, and we were

9:41

treated the way I imagined slaves were. Pushed

9:44

down to cargo holds and then quickly sedated.

9:47

When we woke up, all I could sense was a

9:49

rush of cold air, our surroundings

9:51

resembling something akin to a dormant

9:53

volcano. After being given a

9:56

chance to eat and shower, Alexa took us

9:58

to a conference room, where an old-school projector

10:00

was hooked up. What you are about

10:02

to hear will change your perception of the world you

10:04

are about to leave. At first I

10:06

thought that it was all just for show, to instill

10:08

a sense of awe in our mission. But

10:11

that all changed moments later, when the light

10:13

stemmed and an image of a massive lunar

10:15

outpost appeared on screen. It

10:17

looked to be the size of a small city hidden

10:20

among the craters. The structure

10:22

you are looking at is Fort Alsbury. It

10:24

is the largest man-made building off-planet

10:27

next only to the ISS itself.

10:30

As you may have guessed much like the program you

10:32

have enlisted in, the very

10:34

existence of Alsbury is considered

10:36

top secret. She began,

10:38

the next few slides showed us pictures of

10:41

the facilities in her corridors, which

10:43

included everything from a swimming pool to a

10:45

greenhouse. It was impressive

10:47

to see, and I wondered how long it had

10:49

taken to build a place like this. Next

10:52

came the meat of our discussion, the reason

10:54

we were chosen. With already sixteen

10:57

staff members aboard, your mission will be

10:59

to assist and provide support for our

11:01

current project. That

11:03

of colonization. Sorry to

11:05

interrupt, but did you just say

11:08

colonization? As in, people

11:10

living on the moon? It's

11:12

Owen, correct? Yes

11:14

ma'am, Owen Sanders. I'm

11:17

going to have to ask you to please hold off all questions

11:19

until the end, Mr. Sanders. There

11:22

is the most precious resource on the moon. For

11:25

the past six months, the team has been

11:27

focusing on attempting to breach this pocket of

11:29

the lunar subterranean area we call Lake Severn.

11:33

It's about 4,700 feet in diameter,

11:35

and from our scans, has a 77% liquid base amid the

11:39

other materials. Our

11:41

goal is to successfully mine this

11:44

lake, along with other locations on

11:46

the moon's surface over the next ten years.

11:50

And you will be a part of that. I

11:52

snapped back as the next slide showed a

11:54

large area beneath the lunar base that was

11:57

being mined. I couldn't believe

11:59

my ears. but the excitement only grew

12:01

from this moment. We

12:03

signed a lot of NDAs, went through weeks

12:05

of extensive training and even more to withstand

12:08

the launch, and finally we

12:10

departed from Earth around mid-morning. I

12:12

remember watching the globe fade away amid the stars

12:14

and thinking how lucky I was to be doing

12:17

exactly what I always wanted to do with my

12:19

life. Little did I know,

12:21

but the secrets that the moon had to offer

12:23

would haunt me forever. Landing

12:25

and debriefing with the station's chief happened around

12:27

1700 hours, and

12:30

we were given necessary immunizations by the

12:32

staff's physician. I did my

12:34

best to memorize all of the names of the senior staff.

12:37

Cyrus Gordon, Chief of Operations, Dr.

12:40

Clara Roland, Chief of Medicine, Alexa

12:43

Ferris, Chief of Security, Professor

12:46

Francine Landry, Chief

12:48

Astrophysicist, Caleb Littel,

12:51

Chief of Maintenance, TJ

12:53

Armitage, Chief of Engineering, and

12:56

then my direct supervisor, Tyler White,

12:58

Chief Science Officer. Owen

13:00

and I would be working directly underneath him in the

13:02

weeks to come. There's a lot

13:05

to take in, and I'm sure you'll adjust

13:07

your surroundings soon enough, but as it stands,

13:09

we're going to need all staff to be

13:11

on high alert as we enter the subterranean

13:13

pocket at 0700 hours tomorrow.

13:16

Our goal is to stabilize the area,

13:18

determine whether or not it's a viable

13:20

location for creating an artificial ocean, and

13:23

also to excavate all resources and determine

13:25

their usefulness to our primary mission. I

13:28

felt like I was on a roller coaster with all

13:30

the sudden revelations. That evening, I

13:33

went to the observation tower, which faced east

13:35

toward the shadow of the moon, and

13:37

spent the night watching the stars and thinking about

13:39

the choices that had led me here. They look

13:41

different from this point of view, don't they? Professor

13:45

Landry smiled at me softly as she joined

13:47

me to peer up at the expense. It's

13:50

amazing. All these years of

13:52

discovery to come to the stars, and

13:54

the answers to our future might just be

13:57

beneath our feet this entire time. I guess

13:59

that makes us place a little lonely when

14:01

everyone else is so focused on the lake. Oh,

14:04

I don't know about that. I like

14:06

to think of the pike as my fortress of solitude,"

14:09

she said with a smirk, and when I

14:11

inquired about the nickname she gestured to the

14:14

angles of the tower and explained, "'Surely you

14:16

noticed on your descent it's peculiar design?' I

14:19

didn't want to admit I hadn't paid

14:21

that much attention, but thankfully Landry brushed

14:23

it off and said, "'Either way, even

14:26

with all the water in the world we're still

14:28

going to need study these constellations. Understanding

14:31

the cycles on the moon and even cataloging

14:34

them is something that will take years.'" I

14:37

heard a hint of uncertainty in her voice, but

14:39

didn't touch on it. I

14:41

knew what it was like to have something you wanted

14:43

for so long be pushed aside. I

14:45

figured the moon was big enough for all of us to dream.

14:49

Oh, 500 hours. I

14:52

got up early, the excitement of getting

14:54

to work or the disorientation of my

14:56

new surroundings making it impossible to sleep.

14:59

After a short jog, shower, and breakfast, I

15:01

met Tyler at the main elevator that descends

15:03

to the core of our dig site. Owen

15:06

was already there, seemingly just as wide-eyed

15:08

and eager as me. "'Let's go

15:11

make history,' he told

15:13

me as the elevator shook and rattled through the

15:15

lunar crust. During the

15:17

interim, we all donned our spacesuits, checking

15:19

our internal systems and activated our comms.

15:22

It was nearly 0600 by the time we arrived

15:24

at the tunnel Tyler and the others had been

15:27

digging for the past several years. The

15:29

massive drills they used looked to be the size

15:31

of small cruise ships, and I marveled

15:33

at the prospect of being able to keep all

15:36

this secret from society. Sanders

15:38

whistled softly, as Caleb and Professor Landry

15:40

set up everything needed to break the

15:42

final bit of crust, which separated us

15:45

from the mysterious subterranean pocket. I

15:47

was given the assignment to monitor the

15:50

pressure and geological activity on the small

15:52

substation that resembled something like an over-decorated

15:54

toll booth. The different monitors

15:56

streamed an array of data a mile long,

15:58

showing how all of the different machines worked

16:01

together to break through the wall of rock.

16:04

As soon as Caleb got the drill activated,

16:06

the pressure valves and other readouts immediately spiked,

16:08

pushing through the lunar surface like it was

16:10

made of putty. The huge machines

16:13

used the energy of at least a dozen

16:15

tanks, blasting and destroying anything that stood in

16:17

its path. Landry

16:19

was there at my side, jotting down the readings as

16:21

quickly as they came in. And

16:23

then, all before our eyes, the final

16:25

segment of the wall gave way and

16:27

collapsed into nothingness. Owen

16:30

shut off the machine and we all held

16:32

our breath, watching as the cloud of dust

16:34

and particles revealed what laid behind the seal.

16:37

What I saw was an impossibility, a

16:40

city of lights and angles unlike any made

16:42

by man. Twisting and

16:44

smooth architecture mixed together to

16:47

form a sprawling metropolitan maze

16:49

of grey ziggurat, crystalline walkways,

16:51

and amalgamated structures. With

16:54

the limited artificial light, our drill, and headgear

16:56

supplied, it was difficult to even be sure

16:58

which side was up and which was down.

17:01

Wordlessly, we stepped through the broken gate

17:03

to the alien city, marveling

17:05

at its beauty and silence. What

17:08

is this place? Caleb finally

17:10

asked, his voice filled with anxiety

17:12

and fear. Landry on

17:14

the other hand offered hope and excitement to the

17:16

discovery. This is the single

17:19

largest discovery in the past hundred years.

17:21

Ugh, imagine it. This

17:23

civilization is proof of life outside

17:25

our earth, possibly even our solar

17:27

system. These buildings are perhaps

17:30

a million years old or more. Tyler

17:32

said nothing, taking it all in. A

17:35

group of us keeping close to one another as we

17:37

explored. What would

17:39

your life look like if fear was not

17:41

an option? Find

17:44

out in the new series Dem, The

17:46

Scare. It's an

17:48

all new installment of the horror

17:50

anthology now streaming only on Prime

17:52

Video. The series takes

17:54

place in Los Angeles in the early 90s,

17:57

with the city on the edge of complete

18:00

chaos. Deborah

18:02

Iorinde returns this season

18:04

as LAPD homicide detective

18:06

Don Reeve, who's been assigned

18:08

to solve a new case that has left

18:10

even the most hardened detectives shaken to

18:13

find the Southside Slayer. As

18:16

she gives everything to uncover the

18:18

truth, something horrific and supernatural begins

18:21

to haunt her and her family.

18:24

Them, the scare features the

18:26

legendary Pam Grier, Luke

18:28

James, Wayne Knight, plus many more

18:30

and is sure to keep you

18:32

guessing at every turn. Horror

18:35

fans, get ready for your

18:37

new obsession. This is something you

18:40

do not want to miss. And

18:42

remember, fear is

18:44

not an option. Watch

18:47

Them, the Scare on Prime

18:50

Video, now streaming.

18:56

Something like a whisper of wind filled the comms

18:58

for the briefest of moments as

19:00

I saw strange carvings upon some of the

19:02

buildings. An entire language of

19:04

glyph and arithmetic, Landry

19:08

said, reaching out to press her glove against the

19:10

stone. A flash of

19:12

memory danced across my mind. The

19:15

whisper grew louder and I heard Renee scream

19:17

out. Instinctively, I grabbed

19:19

Landry's wrist before she could feel the

19:21

structure and I muttered, perhaps we

19:23

should perform some tests using the machines first. For

19:26

a tense moment, I thought the whispers would

19:28

drown out any sane thought I had. Then

19:31

Landry relaxed and nodded, motioning for Caleb

19:33

to get the scanning equipment. I

19:36

thought my premonition had averted a crisis, but

19:39

one was only just beginning. Behind

19:41

us, the beacons on the drill suddenly activated

19:44

and the massive vehicle tumbled forward without a

19:46

driver. What the hell? I shouted in surprise

19:48

as the treads of the drill pushed apart

19:50

more of the wall, giving the vehicle ample

19:53

room to move forward. But Owen

19:55

didn't even get a chance to climb aboard the

19:57

lumbering vehicle as it picked up speed. The only

19:59

chance... we had was to get out of

20:01

the way as it pushed down segments of the

20:03

ancient city and rolled straight over Owen without even

20:06

as much as slowing down. The

20:08

sounds of the tread smashing and crushing body

20:10

like tinfoil is something that I'll never get

20:12

out of my head, mixed

20:14

with his screams as his lungs and spine

20:16

were torn apart. It

20:18

only lasted a few seconds, but for the rest

20:20

of us it seemed like an eternity. The

20:23

machine continued forward until it smashed into one

20:26

of the massive structures and shut down with

20:28

a flash of smoke. As

20:30

it collided with the stone pylon, the

20:32

entire city groaned and shook as though

20:34

the collective souls of the dead civilization

20:37

were unquieted with the arrival of our

20:39

technology. A moment later, we

20:41

realized it was not an ordinary impact

20:43

at all, but some sort of subterranean

20:45

quake. Tyler shouted to Caleb

20:47

and I as we were forced to leave

20:50

Owen's mutilated body behind, and a rain of

20:52

stones fell from the top of the dome. Back

20:54

on the outskirts of the underground ruin, we

20:57

watched in horror as our chances of exploring

20:59

and learning more about it were dashed to

21:01

pieces. Piles of stone and

21:03

dirt blocked a path, and the three of

21:05

us were fortunate to even still be standing.

21:08

As the quake finally ended, our calms filled

21:10

with static again. At first, I

21:13

thought it was the mystic whispers from the city,

21:16

but soon we heard the distinctive voice

21:18

of armotage. Professor Landry, are

21:20

you alright down there? We're a man

21:22

down, and we've lost access to the

21:25

tunnels. There was a long

21:27

silence as those above let that statement sink in.

21:30

Then at last, armotage gave an order. Well,

21:33

you better head up top. I

21:35

think shit's just got a lot worse. Oh,

21:40

800 hours, day two. The

21:42

ride back to the lunar surface was one

21:44

filled with silent horror and regret over what

21:46

had happened to Officer Sanders. None

21:49

of us dared to even comprehend the experience

21:51

of finding the city or the strange things

21:53

that had happened here, and the stillness in

21:55

the air made me feel at ease. It

21:58

Didn't let up when we arrived at the observation. The

22:00

deck. Army. Ties and Commander Cyrus

22:02

were waiting. Both. Checking every system

22:04

over and over again before finally making

22:06

the announcement that somehow I had anticipated.

22:09

We've lost communication with Earth. That.

22:12

Quake managed to disrupt our signals. Will probably

22:14

be on a room for the next forty

22:16

eight hours. Army ties Had other

22:18

bad news for several of the sectors of

22:20

the moon. base would need to be sealed.

22:22

asked you to rolling blackouts and maintenance would

22:24

need to ensure that resources were properly distributed.

22:27

Service. Gave us assignments and before

22:29

dismissal Caleb insisted we give a

22:32

small service roster. Sanders. I.

22:34

Was surprised that I had the least say about him.

22:37

Despite. The fact that I like knew him longer than

22:39

any of them. My mind

22:41

was to fractured by everything else we'd seen

22:43

and heard. With. A brief

22:45

eulogy given Tyler ordered me to join

22:47

Doctor Roman in making sure that all

22:49

of the korea were properly treated, starting

22:51

with your cells, the added giving me

22:53

a cold look of disdain. Was.

22:56

He disappointed that I hadn't been able to save

22:58

our when or did he think that my abilities

23:00

as an officer we're lacking in some area. I

23:03

never knew. Ten. Hundred

23:05

hours. Maintenance. Sweeps and health

23:07

checks were nearly done by this time as roads

23:10

and I moved to the staff. The Pike itself.

23:12

providing. Them with needed medications. Someone.

23:15

Must have my data. I remember Klar

23:17

Sang has we gathered supplies. The

23:20

changes are made without consultation. What

23:22

happens? See. For yourself. Rohan.

23:25

Said as she stepped size and looked at

23:27

the glitz and screens. Occasionally

23:29

it would show strange markings and symbols

23:31

that reminded me of the glyphs we

23:33

had seen in the subterranean city, and

23:35

that alone gave me a show. Was.

23:38

It possible that some curse had been placed

23:40

upon us simply for opening the chasm. Are

23:43

you think it means. The.

23:45

Doctor said. I didn't

23:47

think it would be proper for me to

23:49

speculate so I quietly followed her towards the

23:52

elevator and shuffled my see and comfortably. On.

23:57

i don't even know if i could explain

23:59

it admitted we made it to the observation deck.

24:02

I was hoping to find some sense of

24:04

normalcy here amid my fellow scientists, but

24:06

once I saw the disarray of the equipment

24:09

that quickly faded away, the

24:11

power was only functioning at 13% with

24:13

only a few key lights even glowing in the dark

24:15

room. In the middle I

24:18

spotted Professor Landry staring up at the

24:20

massive telescope she used likely on a

24:22

daily basis. She seemed

24:24

to have a distant and confused look on her

24:26

face as Roland and I approached her. Talk

24:29

to Roland. What brings you here?

24:32

Landry asked as we checked her vitals. Commander

24:34

wants to make sure everything is alright after the quake.

24:37

Looks like you hit it pretty hard in here. Roland

24:40

answered as I was putting the pressure cuff on. Landry

24:43

looked down at the blackened skin on my wrist,

24:45

her eyes widening as she pulled away. How

24:47

did you get that? It's nothing. It's

24:50

a birthmark, I said reflexively tugging my sleeve

24:52

down to hide the scar. That

24:55

doesn't look like any birthmark I've ever seen.

24:58

Landry pointed out as she too had a look. Something

25:01

clicked for Landry as she stood up and had a

25:03

frightened look on her face. The

25:05

stones. You knew I

25:07

shouldn't touch them. You've seen

25:09

them before. I grimaced

25:12

and explained. Not exactly. It

25:14

was just a feeling. When I

25:16

was young my sister died from touching a meteorite.

25:19

The two women silently considered what I was

25:21

telling them before Landry turned to the telescope

25:24

and remarked, Perhaps that is

25:26

also what is happening here. Maybe

25:28

we are all dying for desecration of a

25:30

tomb. What are you two talking

25:33

about? Does this have to do with

25:35

what happened to Sanders? Cyrus

25:37

is still not telling the crew. Landry

25:40

said with a laugh as she pressed her eyes against

25:42

the telescope. Does he think he's

25:44

an ostrich sticking his head in the sand to

25:46

hide from his problems? I think we're all just

25:48

a little on edge, I admitted. A

25:51

moment later, as though to echo my

25:53

sentiment, another loud alarm blared across the

25:55

moon base. the

26:00

northern sector of the base. All

26:02

personnel are advised to seek shelter." Alexa

26:08

said over the PA system, A mere

26:10

shower? Now? Roman

26:12

whispered as we helped Professor Landry toward

26:14

the elevator. This is no

26:16

coincidence. Something down on

26:18

that chasm awakened a terrible evil.

26:21

It's going to destroy us all. Landry

26:24

said frantically as all of us took the

26:26

transport down from the observatory. I

26:28

think you might be overreacting. I

26:31

told her as I looked across the quiet

26:33

lunar landscape toward the northern valley. I could

26:36

see at least six massive stones from the

26:38

sky careening toward us and my mind flashed

26:40

back to those final moments Renee was alive.

26:43

What if the same thing happened here? One

26:46

of the stones smashed into the eastern zone of

26:48

the outspers, sending up clouds of

26:50

dust as our elevator shook and then froze

26:52

on its descent. The sudden

26:54

loss of power sent Professor Landry into a

26:57

full panic and she clung to my shirt.

26:59

Quentin, do you hear that? All

27:01

of us got deathly silent as we listened and

27:03

I thought I heard the strange whispers again but

27:06

this time they were far more faint. Roland

27:09

interrupted the quiet as she tried the calm

27:11

and remarked, I can't get anyone

27:14

to respond. We'll have to climb down.

27:16

I realized. Most

27:18

of us were already wearing the needed gear

27:20

but Professor Landry seemed against the idea entirely.

27:23

We go out there and we could die. Whatever

27:26

this entity is seems to have some control over

27:29

our machinery. Clara and

27:31

I ignored her concerns and started to gear up.

27:34

We could see that another meteor was spiraling

27:36

towards us already so waiting for

27:38

another solution wasn't an option. With

27:40

a sense of urgency I activated my oxygen

27:42

supply and told Landry to do the same.

27:45

You stay here and you'll die with or

27:47

without the help of any cosmic creature. I

27:50

warned her. That seemed to jolt

27:52

her back to her senses and as we prepared

27:54

for the cold terrain of the exterior, Roland used

27:57

one of the tools on her suit to unlatch

27:59

the emergency hats. The bottom of the

28:01

Transport as the metallic frame floated toward

28:03

the void of space. Roland gave

28:05

silent countdown. And then went

28:07

first. Slowly. Drifting down the side of

28:10

the tower to the main roof of the base. I

28:12

insisted Landry go next, and thankfully

28:15

the scatterbrained professor didn't object. The

28:17

media was almost on top of

28:19

us, Swear to it sounded like

28:21

it was screaming. In fact, as

28:23

I followed the others down the one fall,

28:25

it again impossible to hear anything else except

28:27

that, mind the shriek. Then the

28:30

media smash directly into the side of

28:32

the elevator. We had just been standing

28:34

inside just as I magnetic boots latched

28:36

onto the roof fits of debris. Rest

28:38

down, opponents. Even with low gravity,

28:40

the force of the meteor hitting the tower

28:42

had caused the showers metal to be deadly.

28:45

Thankfully. Most of it's scattered across the roof

28:48

of the base without scratching. As much as we

28:50

all that back up to see what else had

28:52

been damaged, I discovered we were hardly out of

28:54

the woods yet. The. Collision had

28:56

split apart the meteor on it's side,

28:58

revealing something emerging as though from an

29:01

egg. I heard Lancers scream

29:03

out in tears as it pushed apart

29:05

the rock to Mediterranean taste and for

29:07

perhaps a millennia. And. The strange

29:09

amorphous creature pure down at us with

29:11

a hundred eyes inside so and said

29:14

as we struggles open the hatch to

29:16

the Pikes Substation. To Suck

29:18

Assistant sexist against I said in that

29:20

short time monster have managed to crawl

29:22

down the expanse of the tallest. My

29:25

interested paralyzed staring at the aliens like it

29:27

was a god to be revered and I

29:30

grabbed a hold of her body, forcing her

29:32

through the airlock as we protect ourselves from

29:34

the invader. Is

29:36

that Roman muttered? Has the creature started

29:38

to clot the says a roof before

29:41

any of us got a chance Speculate

29:43

We saw the strange being form another

29:45

impossible feat. It seem to examine the

29:48

structure as though searching for weakness. then

29:51

before our eyes it appeared to melt and

29:53

flat and it's body pushing through the same

29:55

cracks of them as house mincing to reach

29:57

us slender screams again as we hurry down

29:59

the stairs and the doctor tried the comms

30:02

again. Shut down this entire

30:04

sector! Seal it off! Do

30:06

it now! The doctor ordered. We

30:08

were just barely past the first barrier when

30:10

the creature broke through, dropping onto the floor

30:12

behind us with a resounding fud. The

30:15

doctor made the mistake of looking back. Like

30:18

the wife of Lot, it proved to be her

30:20

undoing. Something caught a hold

30:22

of her foot and she fell. Landry

30:24

hesitated to help, but I pulled us along.

30:27

The monster was nearly on top of us and the

30:29

seal was closing. On the other

30:31

side, as Landry started to have a

30:33

panic attack, I activated the secondary seal,

30:35

listening as Dr. Roland was the monster's

30:37

first victim. Quentin! What's

30:40

happened? Alexa asked over the

30:42

comms once both seals were in place. I

30:45

knew it wouldn't hold off the creature forever, but

30:47

it would give us time to make it to the forward

30:49

command center. We're on our way to

30:51

you. We'll explain what's there. I said as

30:53

I helped Landry to her feet. Snap out

30:55

of it! I said as I shook her.

30:59

Her puffy eyes darted toward the door as we

31:01

heard the creature let out a howl and then

31:03

suddenly grew silent. We

31:05

didn't stay around long enough to see if it was going to

31:07

do more than that. 1100

31:09

hours. Tyler

31:11

gave Professor Landry a mild sedative as I

31:14

debriefed the commander and Alexa about the creature

31:16

and the incident on the pike. Both

31:19

of them listened quietly without saying a word

31:21

as I finished the astonishing tale and then

31:23

at last Alexa made the first

31:25

inquiry. And you said you lost

31:27

all functions to the systems? It

31:29

was like the creature managed to take them over. I

31:32

told them. She gestured for me

31:34

to follow her over to one of the

31:36

monitors where Armitage was reviewing security footage of

31:38

the incident. I watched as

31:40

Roland, Landry, and I descended after the

31:42

meteor struck and scrambled into the base,

31:45

but there was no sign of the creature anywhere. No

31:48

indication that it had ever killed the doctor. As

31:51

the Professor and I closed the door on the feed,

31:53

all that we had locked out was the doctor herself.

31:56

I don't understand. That isn't what happened. I

31:59

stuttered as I saw it. I stepped away from the screen. We're

32:02

considering unsealing the sector to have my security

32:04

team take a second look, Commander

32:07

Cyrus proclaimed. No, you

32:09

do that and the creature will kill you. I

32:11

told them, but all of them gave me a

32:13

skeptical look. Alexa placed her

32:15

hand on my shoulder and gave me a comforting

32:17

squeeze. What we experienced down

32:20

below with Sanders was terrifying. No

32:22

one is denying that, and

32:24

the meteor storm has likely also caused

32:27

you undue stress. I

32:29

stepped away from her, realizing what she was

32:31

implying. You think that Landry and I

32:33

made it up? Certainly not.

32:35

In your mind, the creature was quite real, and

32:37

that's all it was. A hallucination

32:40

of your anxiety. Commander

32:42

Cyrus responded. Then how

32:44

do you account for Dr. Roman's disappearance? Surely

32:47

I'm not hallucinating that. I snapped back.

32:50

Alexa let out a sigh as she glanced over

32:52

to where Landry was finally calming down and remarked.

32:57

Don't make me sedate you too, Quentin. The

32:59

crew has been through enough. I

33:01

couldn't believe what I was hearing. Fine,

33:03

open the seal. You'll see for yourself what

33:05

the beast did to Roland. I told them

33:07

both. Cyrus and the

33:10

security chief exchanged a worried glance and then gave

33:12

the orders. I don't know

33:14

what I was expecting to happen. Of

33:16

course, nothing was there, not even the

33:18

fragments of Roland's body. Let's

33:20

try and find Dr. Roland immediately. It's

33:23

quite likely she also may be experiencing

33:25

these vivid hallucinations. I'm coming with

33:27

you. I told her as I snuck

33:29

a small surgical blade into my pocket. I

33:32

don't know what I hoped to accomplish with this

33:34

miniscule weapon, but I didn't want them

33:36

to find whatever was controlling Roland's body, and

33:38

then it have the element of surprise. Alongside

33:41

Alexa and Tyler, we marched to the base of

33:44

the pike. I scanned the

33:46

corridor for the claw marks the strange monster had

33:48

made, only to see nothing at all. No

33:51

twisted metal was bent out of shape, not

33:53

even a single drop of blood from where Roland had

33:55

tripped. It didn't make sense, but

33:58

I had seen felt real. I

34:01

puzzled over at a moment longer as we

34:03

turned the corridor and I saw Dr. Roland lying

34:05

still on the cold floor. Alexa

34:08

called for two nurses to arrive with the stretcher

34:10

as she checked to see if Roland had sustained

34:12

any injuries. He can't even be sure

34:14

this thing is Clara, I whispered. Tyler

34:17

glared at me, pushing me back as he helped lift

34:19

the physician off the floor. Vitals appear

34:22

stable. She's going to be alright,

34:24

Captain Alexa said with a nod. I

34:27

saw a moment of opportunity to test my

34:29

theory and scratch Clara's left wrist. The

34:32

two officers next to me made a soft huff

34:34

and surprise as I nicked an artery, but

34:36

Roland didn't awaken and red

34:38

blood dripped from the cut. Officer, I'm

34:41

going to have to quarantine you if you pull another stunt

34:43

like that. Alexa snarled as she

34:45

grabbed the surgical tool out of my hand. I

34:48

was so sure it wasn't her, I whispered.

34:52

I watched as the medical team took her away

34:54

and then stared down at the small drop of

34:56

blood that now stained the tile floor. What

34:59

had happened here to make my nightmares seem so real?

35:02

1400 hours. Commander

35:05

Cyrus ordered Officer Armitage and the other maintenance

35:07

staff to begin making repairs to the Pike's

35:09

elevator and to the other segments of the

35:11

base that were affected by the meteor shower.

35:14

I also learned that Dr. Clara made a

35:16

quick recovery and has been assisting Landry and

35:18

others on board the Alsberry to cope with

35:20

the recent string of traumatic events. Everyone

35:23

that I too was affected by this have chosen

35:25

to see the doctor and to apologize for my

35:27

actions against her. 1500 hours. Roland

35:31

arranged to see me and to run an EKG

35:33

to see if I may be suffering from PTSD

35:36

from Sanders' death, but I am afraid

35:38

I no longer feel certain of her trustworthiness. She

35:41

performed the test perfectly, just like I thought she

35:43

would, but one thing I noted as she was

35:45

messing with her equipment in her lab, the

35:48

woman cast no shadow upon the floor or

35:50

any of her surroundings. I

35:52

double checked as I stood up and noticed

35:54

that I could see everyone else's shadows, just

35:56

not hers. Whoever or whatever

35:58

this was, I was not sure. Whoever or whatever

36:01

this is, it isn't Dr. Clara Roland.

36:04

Until I can find out the truth, I will be

36:06

sealing myself in my quarters. Day

36:08

4, 2100 hours. Sleep

36:11

is something that takes some time getting used to

36:13

in limited gravity of the moon, even

36:16

under normal circumstances. The

36:18

last 24 hours have been anything except,

36:21

and I was bordering on hallucinations. I

36:24

insisted that I did not need a

36:26

sedative, especially not coming from Dr. Roland,

36:28

whom I was still convinced was not

36:30

entirely human. So instead, I

36:32

sealed myself in my room and forced exhaustion

36:35

to take hold of my body the old-fashioned

36:37

way. To think, I came

36:39

all the way to the moon to explore, only to

36:41

feel the safest in a room no wider than a

36:43

small car. The familiar

36:45

angles and soothing colors made me feel

36:48

at ease, and eventually I drifted off.

36:51

Although, after the experience I had amid

36:53

my dreams, I am quick

36:55

to recognize that perhaps insomnia is a safer

36:57

route. I was being

36:59

hunted by faceless creatures in the forest of

37:01

my childhood, trying desperately to hide in the

37:04

darkness that the woods offered, but

37:06

the monster knew my every move. I

37:09

paused to catch my breath, trying not to let

37:11

the scent linger for too long. To

37:13

remind my addled brain it was only a nightmare that

37:15

I needed to wake up from. But

37:18

the incessant shrill cries of the beast made

37:20

instinct take over, and I kept learning. I

37:23

could see my old home, the one Renee

37:25

and I grew up in, and I told myself that

37:27

if I reached that place, I would be safe. As

37:30

though emulating this, the screams from the alien

37:33

grew fainter as I got closer and closer.

37:36

I was going to make it, but another voice

37:38

rang clear in my head, telling me to stop.

37:41

My sister Renee kept repeating,

37:43

crying out to me. I

37:48

froze in the dream and saw the monster right on top of

37:50

me. It raised its flailing

37:52

body to crush me completely, and it was

37:54

only in those last faint seconds of sanity

37:56

I managed to take over my body and

37:58

awaken. Then I jilted

38:00

from my bed. I. Saw strange yet

38:02

familiar scratches on my body. The

38:06

nightmare had some connection to reality. Even

38:08

if it was a tethering, I didn't fully

38:10

understand. I needed to was. The.

38:13

Anxious restlessness of my mind telling me that

38:15

any more sleep could kill me. So.

38:18

I began to wonder The halls of the Ausberry.

38:20

Searching. Aimlessly almost for a sense

38:23

of normality. I. Soon found

38:25

that none existed any longer here among

38:27

the stars. Alexei security detail

38:29

were doing their best to keep everyone

38:32

working. There. Appears to be eastern

38:34

section where the meteor had done the

38:36

most damage. Would likely take weeks to

38:38

finish and the pike itself was closed

38:40

down until further notice. I thought you were

38:42

given orders sir us. Tyler. Said

38:44

as I approached where he and the remaining science

38:46

officers were setting by a Lunar drone to go

38:48

up into the wreckage of the tower and take

38:50

footage of it. I figured I could see what

38:52

you were screwing up and it might low me

38:55

to sleep. I counted as I saw them

38:57

finish up the camera feed. Now

38:59

they would see everything it did when it

39:01

traveled into that broken structure. You. Set

39:03

it up on a remotely controlled server. I

39:06

asked as I check the specs. Just.

39:08

In case where you said above, the city

39:10

below is correct. I felt a sigh of

39:12

relief wash over me to think that at

39:15

least he was considering the possibility that I

39:17

wasn't crazy. But. That only reminded

39:19

me that everyone on the base was still on

39:21

edge and nothing was being given as far as

39:23

answers. What you think happened. I

39:26

whispered to him. As sick as had

39:28

his eyes showing us into. That.

39:30

place as handsome, I

39:33

know we're meant to be scientists, but. There.

39:35

Is little on a conventional textbooks

39:37

that can explain what we saw

39:40

their with our own eyes. Physics

39:42

cannot solve this and I'm afraid

39:44

or commanding staff doesn't quite understand

39:46

that. He told me somberly. Are

39:50

you saying that we should try less

39:52

conventional methods? Something connected to fringe science

39:54

or the paranormal? Commander. Gordon

39:56

hired as far as you the study. maybe

39:59

was meant be that yours included such…

40:02

unorthodox ideas." I

40:05

shrugged it off and remarked, even if that

40:07

is true, how would we go about giving something like

40:09

that a try? He didn't

40:11

offer a theory and returned to work, almost

40:13

as though he thought the continuing our discussion

40:16

was dangerous. Were Cyrus and

40:18

the other senior staff listening in on us? I

40:21

decided my new task would be to find Professor

40:23

Landry and make sure she was alright, so

40:25

I left Tyler to his work and wandered the

40:28

Southern Quarters. I was midway

40:30

down the flight of stairs to the base

40:32

gymnasium when I heard what sounded like scratching

40:34

coming from inside the walls. Given

40:37

that I had been prone to hearing things in

40:39

the last 48 hours that amounted to nothing, I

40:41

ignored it at first. But

40:43

the more I tried to quiet the noise, the louder

40:45

it seemed to grow. A constant,

40:47

incessant frustration of nails and claws digging

40:50

their way out of the walls. Where

40:53

was it coming from? Suddenly

40:55

all that mattered was figuring it out. I

40:58

imagined that if someone else were there in those

41:00

corridors and saw me wandering about, I would have

41:02

looked like a madman. And maybe

41:04

that was the correct assumption to make. The

41:07

hours were racing by in the twilight as

41:09

I scrambled to find the noise leading me

41:11

back toward the library, and a quiet, soothing

41:14

voice told me this is where I needed

41:16

to go. Stepping

41:18

inside, I found myself amid a disarray of

41:20

books, some piled all the way up to

41:22

the ceiling of the room. But

41:25

also the scratching, it was louder

41:27

here and more persistent, like claws on

41:29

a chalkboard. It didn't take me

41:31

long to find the source. Professor

41:33

Landry was standing alone near the west

41:35

wall, having cleared the shelves and pushed

41:37

the case itself aside. She

41:40

was squawling strange runic markings on the

41:42

metallic plating itself. I

41:44

recognized the symbols instantly as the glyphs from

41:46

the city below. How had she

41:49

memorized them so quickly? I wondered

41:51

as I slowly stepped toward her, trying to

41:53

break her from her methodical task of scribbling.

41:57

When she turned her eyes to me, all I saw

41:59

was a blank fold. The professor

42:01

was caught in a trance that was beyond

42:03

her control. She pushed me

42:05

away and continued the writing, muttering to herself

42:07

the need to finish it as though it

42:09

were some elaborate puzzle. I

42:12

focused on the language as well, trying my best

42:14

to see if there were patterns to the madness.

42:17

Surely, there were secrets beyond our comprehension, if

42:19

only we could make sense to it. How

42:22

could this possibly be? I

42:24

whispered. To my surprise, Landry

42:27

broke free from her hypnotic state and

42:29

offered a guess. A prophecy of blust.

42:32

A war to be raged between two

42:34

gods, both of discord and chaos. And

42:37

our world, the battleground. Their

42:40

bones tell us how it will end. The

42:43

angles, the intricate shapes that go beyond

42:45

the dimensions we understand. They

42:48

are telling us a story, Quentin. All

42:51

we need to do is open our minds and

42:54

accept their call. She

42:57

hissed as she placed my hand upon the cold

42:59

metal surface. In that

43:01

bizarre moment, I had a vision. I

43:03

was suddenly back on Earth, standing on a

43:06

mountaintop. Landry was gone as

43:08

well, replaced by my dear sister. Renee

43:11

looked scared. Her eyes wandered

43:13

across the countryside as she gestured for me

43:15

to follow. The air thick

43:17

as I hesitated to follow. Suddenly

43:20

this wasn't real. My sister

43:22

looked as though she had aged far more than

43:24

I remembered when she was alive, and

43:26

the world around us felt almost primordial.

43:29

A place of ghosts and spirits. But

43:32

I saw no path to take me back to where I

43:34

came, so I did walk with

43:36

her down a winding trail toward a deep

43:38

valley. The dark

43:40

consumed everything here, and amid

43:42

the shadows I saw a congregation of people

43:44

that were waiting for us. Yes.

43:48

It felt as if they were intentionally holding off

43:50

whatever their intentions were because of our presence. A

43:53

massive bonfire flickered and hypnotized them as we

43:56

drew closer, but I could not determine from

43:58

where it burned. They turned

44:00

their attention to us, eyes as

44:02

placid as the swirling ocean, and gave me

44:04

a set of instructions. The

44:07

shadowless spread and rise to consume that

44:09

which belongs to the Undying. Your

44:12

blood must be offered to stop the infection. Take

44:15

the blade of unholy sacrifice. I

44:18

didn't understand why I willingly obeyed, but

44:20

I reached toward the fire. Amid

44:22

the scorching pain I felt something sharp and

44:25

deadly. When I pulled

44:27

out my hand, I saw that I had

44:29

retrieved a dark, vile blade. Somehow

44:32

I knew it had killed many before me,

44:34

and it would again strike down hundreds after

44:36

I was gone. I heard

44:38

Renee beg for death. She was

44:40

burning again before my eyes as a child, desperate

44:43

to be free of the pain. The

44:45

blade could offer her that. I could

44:48

be her salvation. I grabbed

44:50

her and pinned her to the ground, holding the

44:52

blade near her chest. She had

44:54

fear in her eyes, but I whispered that it would be okay.

44:57

Let me help you, I said. She

45:00

didn't resist, and I plunged the knife into her

45:02

chest over and over. I had

45:04

to finish it. I had to help my

45:06

sister from the pain she was enduring. Then

45:09

my sister started to fade away. She

45:12

was replaced with the professor that I had been speaking

45:14

with only moments earlier, except

45:16

the wounds were still the same. Landry

45:18

was choking on her own blood, and somehow

45:20

or another, the knife I thought which was

45:22

only my imagination was there in my hand.

45:25

I dropped it and stood up, my

45:28

own clothes covered in blood as I called out for help.

45:31

The archives were empty, safe from me. Then

45:34

I saw something beyond a nightmare. It

45:36

stretched and pushed its way out of Landry's

45:38

throat, pushing her skin out of the way

45:40

a puffer fish could. But it

45:43

was like a waft of smoke that somehow had a

45:45

form of its own. It occurred

45:47

to me this being was reminiscent of the one

45:49

that crawled out of the meteor, the

45:51

one Alexa and the commander said did not exist.

45:54

As it oozed and melted and destroyed

45:56

Landry's body, I rose and found the

45:58

security alarm, get help as

46:00

fast as I could. I didn't want

46:02

my own sanity tested again if this creature

46:04

could somehow slip away into whatever dream had

46:07

been born from. The

46:09

creature slithered and pushed across the tile floor

46:11

trying to find me, shrieking into the air

46:13

and hungry for my blood. It

46:15

reminded me of what the vision had told me about

46:17

these creatures. They were seeking

46:19

vessels, corporeal forms to control

46:22

and guide as puppets. At

46:24

my side, TJ appeared, pushing his way toward

46:27

Landry and calling out for more help. I

46:30

heard the creature snarl and began to hunt him,

46:32

and I held my ground, trying to tell myself

46:34

this wasn't real. Armitage

46:36

reached down to touch Landry and tried to give

46:39

her aid, the monster stretching its body on top

46:41

of him. Quensin, what have you

46:43

done? He asked, turning toward me,

46:45

yet he didn't react with the creature. Was

46:48

it not there at all, or was I

46:50

the only one seeing its wicked power? I

46:53

moved toward it, determined to save Armitage, even

46:55

if it was only from my own broken

46:58

mind. I slammed toward

47:00

the faceless monster and pushed it against the wall.

47:02

I heard TJ cuss and exclaimed something. He

47:06

was pinned as well. Would I

47:08

harm him the same way I had Landry? I

47:10

could see myself doing it easily. Then

47:13

the creature began to melt and ooze into him,

47:15

his eyes and mouth meshing with it as I

47:17

entered his body. I told

47:19

myself I wouldn't let it happen, but I was powerless

47:22

to stop it. Others

47:24

rushed into the room, seeing the violence and took

47:26

us apart. I kept

47:28

kicking and screaming until at last Tyler

47:30

plunged a syringe into my neck. Darkness

47:33

was far more welcoming this time. No

47:36

nightmares were going to harm me in this cold,

47:38

dense fog. It was the

47:40

waking I feared. Oh, 900

47:42

hours, day five. When

47:45

Captain Alexa reviewed the tapes, this

47:47

time I knew what to expect. My

47:49

fractured mind was showing the monsters that only I

47:51

could see, driving me to the point of insanity

47:53

where I was harming my teammates. She

47:57

was dead, the loss of blood proving

47:59

too fatal for her. her, and Armitage was

48:01

in critical condition, festering some

48:03

infection that Dr. Rowland claimed she didn't

48:05

comprehend. There is one thing that does

48:07

fit with your story, though. These

48:11

symbols. We don't know

48:13

what they are, and yet they seem to possess

48:15

you and Francine. Alexa

48:18

commented as she examined the still screens again.

48:21

What does it all mean? I whispered. I

48:24

saw a glint of doubt in her eye as I

48:26

sat up and realized something. You've seen

48:28

these symbols before. Tell me where. Was

48:31

it on Earth? The captain nodded and

48:33

admitted. It's like a half-remembered dream. It

48:36

was an ancient book of witchcraft

48:39

and prophecy. I

48:41

hardly can believe I forgot it. In

48:43

college the thing gave me nightmares. She turned to

48:46

where Armitage was slowly coming back around and ordered

48:48

me to stay put, checking on his

48:50

vitals. I hated to be

48:52

on the sidelines, but what else could I do? I

48:55

was lucky that I hadn't been locked away like a

48:57

feral animal. I watched from

48:59

the soundproof glass to see Ferris' reaction

49:01

as Dr. Rowland gave them some results

49:03

from the lab. The

49:05

way the captain became animated and irate told me

49:07

all I needed to know. Something

49:10

happened in the archives that couldn't be accounted for.

49:13

Perhaps the alien lifeform I had imagined was

49:15

in fact detectable after all. For

49:18

some reason this terrible revelation was comforting

49:20

to me. Fifteen

49:22

hundred hours, day five. That

49:25

comfort didn't last long though, for

49:27

soon the madness we had confirmed as being

49:29

real finally took hold of Armitage. I

49:32

was in and out of sleep, trying to rest

49:34

and recover when I felt something move in the

49:37

room, and suddenly I was fully awake. I

49:39

turned to look around the room. Most

49:41

of the technicians were busy doing lab work,

49:43

but I saw that something was happening over

49:45

in the makeshift room they had given Armitage.

49:48

Late readings were off the chart and his body

49:50

was beginning to convulse. Hey,

49:52

hey, someone help! I called out,

49:55

but the others didn't seem to hear or care. TJ

49:58

sat up and looked straight toward me. me. He

50:01

took off his cardiac equipment and started to

50:03

limp toward me, and I panicked. Would

50:06

he be angry at me for trying to save him earlier? His

50:09

eyes looked wild and full of fear. We

50:12

are Edmese. Not

50:14

in the forms we are familiar with now.

50:18

But one day we will. Across

50:21

the stars, our

50:23

battle will rage.

50:28

He whispered. There was something foaming from

50:30

his mouth. When he turned

50:32

toward one of the emergency seals and I called

50:34

for help again, the techs were moving toward us,

50:36

but I was already too late. In

50:39

a short moment, Armitage had pressed the security

50:41

code and the seal began to decompress. The

50:44

vacuum of space suddenly took hold of everything

50:46

in a room, papers and glass pushing toward

50:49

the open airlock as TJ screamed into the

50:51

void. His body was

50:53

broken and twisted into the seal, hitting the

50:55

walls along with several other technicians as they

50:57

were all taken out across the stars like

51:00

garbage. Only the latches that

51:02

I had on my medical table kept me from

51:04

experiencing the same fate. The

51:06

vacuum continued for another few moments until at

51:09

last emergency systems took over when I was

51:11

alone. The room devoid of

51:13

life from Armitage's suicide. There

51:16

was one thing I did not understand though. Whether

51:18

this was an action of the monster that had

51:20

taken control of his mind or his last desperate

51:23

act of free will. I

51:25

came to the stars in search of purpose, to

51:27

be a part of something greater. I am

51:29

regretting that ambition now. I

51:32

am forced to say goodbye to another comrade. I've

51:35

hardly had time to comprehend why this place has

51:37

turned on us and now so many

51:39

have perished. Worst of all, I

51:41

can't help but feel that I am personally responsible

51:43

for what's going on. There

51:46

is something inside me, festering

51:48

and screaming to control my will. I

51:51

have felt it ever since we discovered the

51:53

subterranean city and now as we are struggling

51:55

to understand what is happening here, it is

51:58

refusing to stay quiet. It

52:00

has killed many of the colleagues that I

52:02

have only begun to meet, and I think, if

52:04

left unchecked, it could destroy us all. Because

52:07

as I found out from the suicide of our

52:09

chief engineer, it is a call

52:12

that can't be ignored forever. 1700 hours,

52:14

day five. Captain

52:17

Ferris, Commander Cyrus, and my direct supervisor,

52:19

Tyler White, were checking the systems to

52:21

make sure that what our montage had

52:24

just accomplished couldn't happen again. All

52:27

airlock seals require two-person authorization now.

52:30

Cyrus said as they offered me a respirator,

52:32

but I didn't need to catch my breath. I

52:35

needed answers. Surely, you see

52:37

now that we are under attack. Cyrus

52:39

sighed. He was tired and

52:41

scared, but I could see he wasn't sure

52:44

what to make of the incidents on the Alsbury thus

52:46

far. What matters is that the

52:48

generators will be back up in six hours and

52:50

we can contact the surface. We

52:52

should all consider heading back for reconnaissance. If

52:55

we aren't all dead by then, you mean? Don't

52:58

test me, Quinton. I

53:01

could have you thrown in the brig for what you did

53:03

to Landry. Heaven knows I tried

53:05

to convince him to let me at you. Alexis

53:07

said, sticking a finger in my face. Cyrus

53:10

gave a gruff bark and the security chief stood

53:12

back. Then Cyrus made

53:14

a short summary of the events as though

53:17

it were all logically explainable. And

53:19

Sanders were tragic accidents. The

53:21

other accidents are a result of mass

53:23

hysteria. From what we know we uncovered

53:25

below our feet, it's a wonder that

53:27

any of us are maintaining sanity. We

53:30

have shaken the very foundations of our understanding

53:33

of the universe. I

53:35

knew arguing would get me nowhere, so

53:37

I merely saluted and asked where I

53:39

could be of service. Dr. Roland hasn't

53:41

said you're fit for duty. Tyler reminded

53:43

me. I huffed at that, but then

53:45

I gave an idea. I can

53:47

go see her first thing in the morning if that's alright with

53:49

you, Commander. Cyrus pursed his lips

53:52

as though he were going to deny the request,

53:54

but I added, I just want

53:56

to be useful. That's why I was recruited,

53:58

wasn't I? Cyrus nodded. and

54:00

gave the approval. Now all I

54:02

had to do was make sure I didn't screw up

54:04

my plan, considering how crazy it was. I

54:07

didn't hold my breath. Oh, eight

54:09

hundred hours, day six. Tyler

54:11

came to take me to Roland in the morning. Since

54:14

the main medical bay was no longer in use, the

54:16

doctor was now using the command center at the base

54:18

of the pike, assisting with the

54:20

study of the meteorite that had struck the

54:22

tower. I thought you said you didn't trust

54:24

her, Tyler whispered as he walked down the

54:26

south corridor. I don't, but

54:29

I need you to trust me, please,"

54:31

I said as we got closer.

54:34

I can't unless I know what you were planning.

54:36

I need to get a sample of the doctor's

54:38

blood. If I'm right and the

54:40

alien host is thriving inside her body, there

54:42

has to be some evidence of that. Jesus!

54:45

Well, I guess I should have known it

54:47

would be nuts. Tyler said dryly as we

54:49

entered the small makeshift clinic. Roland

54:52

was nowhere to be found, so while

54:54

we had a few extra moments, Tyler forced

54:56

me to look at him. This could go

54:58

very wrong, you know. And

55:01

if it does, I know you have

55:03

to look out for yourself, I understand. I'm

55:05

on your side, but this

55:08

whole mess has gotten out of hand. Quinton,

55:11

I was wondering when you might show your face here.

55:14

Tyler made a short cough into his fist and

55:16

remarked, That's my cue to

55:18

get back to maintenance. As I was

55:20

left alone with the doctor, she gestured for me to

55:22

sit and remarked, I hear you

55:24

have had quite a few brushes with death since the

55:26

last time we talked. Sadly,

55:29

it's always someone else that pays the price.

55:31

Roland nodded and said, Gordon tells me

55:34

you want to be fit to help with the repairs and I

55:37

can't see any issues with your physical condition.

55:40

I am concerned about the decline in your

55:42

mental health. I told you already,

55:44

I haven't been sleeping well. I

55:46

said trying to brush it off. I

55:48

needed her to be distracted, so I muttered. How

55:51

many of your staff are left now? We both

55:53

know that you didn't come here for such idle

55:55

banter. Roland said as she idly

55:57

turned the tools on her surgical tray and and

56:00

remarked, You've become convinced that

56:02

I am not fully human, ever

56:04

since you've caught sight of those relics in the cave

56:06

below. That speaks a

56:08

lot to your psychological profile, you know. And

56:11

what does it mean in your professional opinion? I

56:14

wondered as I took a step closer toward the doctor.

56:17

It's only a natural instinctive reaction to

56:19

something you can't fundamentally understand

56:21

yet. I was scared

56:23

too, but I've seen that what

56:26

is being offered here is too great

56:28

to pass up, knowledge

56:30

beyond the tangible existence we

56:32

ever thought possible. Why

56:34

are you telling me this? I asked

56:37

nervously. Suddenly the perfect plan

56:39

I had outlined didn't seem like it was going to

56:41

work. Was it possible that

56:43

the creature that was controlling her could read my mind?

56:46

We are connected. Ever

56:48

since we came here, you can't

56:50

deny that. We both have

56:52

seen and experienced more than our colleagues

56:54

could give us credit for. If

56:57

so, why did you not vouch for my credibility?

57:00

You've had ample opportunities to do so. This

57:03

was getting out of hand, an outcome

57:05

I hadn't expected, and yet somehow Roland

57:07

was taking control of the situation. You've

57:10

become convinced I am the

57:12

enemy here, Quentin. I'm

57:14

not. I can

57:16

show you what you lack. You

57:19

just have to trust me. She

57:22

said with gleaming eyes. I

57:24

saw an opening and I struck, grabbing

57:26

a hold of the scalpel and slashing at her throat.

57:29

Immediately I saw the fungus spread out of her

57:31

open wound and spit in the alien's face. I

57:34

will never trust an abomination like you, I

57:36

said. As it kept

57:38

on attacking, I thought blood and light streak from

57:41

her face. But to

57:43

my surprise, throughout the entire ordeal, Roland

57:45

was laughing. You will never

57:47

stop it. Never. Behind

57:50

me, the doors to the command center burst open

57:52

and Alexa ran in with the guards. I

57:54

didn't even get a chance to explain before a series

57:57

of electrodes was sent through my body and I tumbled

57:59

to the floor. When I

58:01

woke up, I was in the brig, just as

58:03

Alexa had been promising for days. The

58:06

voices inside my head were finally quiet, though, and

58:08

I wondered if I had succeeded in stopping the

58:10

monsters that were attacking us. It's

58:13

not over, a

58:15

whisper came from the shadows. I jolted

58:17

up, to my surprise, seeing Clara's

58:20

features grafted on the wall, her

58:22

ghostly visage taunting me from beyond the grave.

58:25

He wanted me to attack. Death

58:28

is nothing for these creatures, would

58:30

you? Surely what happened

58:32

at the pipe should have told you

58:34

that. I am merely

58:36

a vessel, as you too

58:38

soon will be. A

58:41

glorious battle is about to occur, and

58:43

the Earth will be theirs with us

58:45

and on the wise Earth. The spirit

58:48

said as it shifted and swam through

58:50

the metal. No, I

58:52

will fight it. You may think

58:54

whatever you please. The

58:57

beauty of it is that you will believe

58:59

you are in control. I

59:02

turned away from her mockery, frustrated that my

59:04

attempts to save us still seemed to go

59:06

nowhere. I could only think

59:08

of one final solution. To get

59:10

back to Earth and warn them, I

59:12

had to assume that everyone on Alsberry was

59:14

now infected. So, asking for help

59:16

was out of the question. I

59:18

was on my own. I slumped

59:20

down to the cot in the middle of the brig

59:23

to try and concoct a plan as I slipped my

59:25

hands into my pockets and felt something there. Pulling

59:28

it out, I found myself smiling. It

59:30

was the remote control from the pipe drone. Tyler

59:33

had slipped it into my pocket before I met with

59:35

the doctor. I sat down and

59:37

studied the controls, thinking of how I could use

59:39

the drone to my advantage. My

59:42

recollection told me that the machine was tied into

59:44

the network of the moon base, so if I

59:46

could access the control panel outside the brig, it

59:49

was possible it could get me out of here. I

59:51

needed to act without hesitation. It

59:54

took me a while to get the hang of the controls

59:56

and begin to pilot the craft, smiling

59:58

to see that Tyler had wisely kept it

1:00:00

close to my current location in the base of the

1:00:02

pike. All I needed to do was

1:00:04

move it close enough to access the exterior of the

1:00:06

room I was fitted inside and I could be free.

1:00:10

Moving the machine proved a little bit trickier

1:00:12

than I imagined it would be. It reminded

1:00:14

me of the small RVs Dad would get me

1:00:16

for Christmas. I could even hear

1:00:18

Renee giggle as I bumped into every wall along the

1:00:20

way and narrowly avoided being stepped

1:00:23

on. No one would pay attention

1:00:25

to the drone and I would use that

1:00:27

to my advantage. The remote control

1:00:29

that Tyler had given me came with a tiny

1:00:31

screen to see what the drone saw and it

1:00:33

made me reconsider the way I had been treating

1:00:35

this place. I imagined

1:00:37

the moon being full of opportunities,

1:00:40

possibilities, and structure. But

1:00:42

the halls were empty, the corridors devoid

1:00:44

of any life. Was

1:00:46

this even meant to be a colonization project at

1:00:48

all? It didn't seem likely. I

1:00:51

shrugged away the odd sense of foreboding and finally

1:00:53

got the drone to the outside of my door.

1:00:56

In a few short moments I had gained access to

1:00:58

the network to set me free, but I

1:01:00

knew my struggle wouldn't be over if I simply walked

1:01:03

out. Alex and the others will

1:01:05

just lock me in a tighter cell once they've

1:01:07

realized what happened. I thought as

1:01:09

I stepped out and checked the network. I

1:01:11

began to formulate a plan in my head. I set

1:01:14

things in motion by keeping the drone at my

1:01:16

side and sneaking into a nearby locker room. Before

1:01:19

I could begin I would need to be certain I

1:01:21

had the proper equipment to make it to an escape

1:01:23

pod. I made it

1:01:25

to TJ's old locker, saw his suit still

1:01:28

hanging there, and got changed. It

1:01:30

was a bit disconcerting to wear clothes that belonged

1:01:32

to a man that had just died, but I

1:01:34

needed to leave this place without interruption. Once

1:01:37

the spacesuit was securely on my body,

1:01:39

I checked the drone again and finished

1:01:41

the shutdown operations. With luck

1:01:43

I would be able to walk through Alsbury

1:01:45

unobstructed. As I input

1:01:48

the authorization and the voices

1:01:50

that have guided me here on the moon this entire

1:01:52

time grew like a hornet's nest being knocked over. Someone

1:01:55

was coming. Alarms blared

1:01:57

as I activated the suit's magnetic boots

1:01:59

and began to move to the east corridor. The

1:02:02

intercom announced that it would take seventeen

1:02:04

minutes for emergency systems to recalibrate. I

1:02:07

would only need half that much to make it to the escape

1:02:09

pod. The noise of the

1:02:11

intercom and the screams in my head became so

1:02:13

loud that I almost became disoriented as I made

1:02:16

it to the hangar bay, pleased

1:02:18

that my bizarre escape plan had somehow

1:02:20

been successful. Don't move another

1:02:22

muscle, Quinton, a voice said as I

1:02:24

made my way down the steps to

1:02:26

the head. I raised my

1:02:28

hands defensively, turning to see Captain Alexa standing

1:02:30

there in her own suit with a pistol

1:02:32

aimed at my head. This has

1:02:34

gone on too long, Alexa said as

1:02:36

the alarms grew louder in my ears. The

1:02:39

shrieks were telling me to finish her, to get

1:02:42

out of here before she too tried to stop me, so before

1:02:44

she had a chance to act, I was rushing towards

1:02:46

her. She led a single shot

1:02:49

fire, but the limited gravity did nothing to stop

1:02:51

me. I pushed the gun

1:02:53

out of her hand and pressed her against the

1:02:55

wall of the hangar. Captain, you may think I'm

1:02:57

insane, but this is how I plan to save

1:02:59

our species, I said as I

1:03:01

pressed a few key buttons on her suit and watched

1:03:03

her lose oxygen. Alexa's

1:03:05

eyes widened in shock until her skin

1:03:07

became crystallized. Her skin

1:03:10

as brittle as glass. She

1:03:12

was a frozen statue of pristine beauty

1:03:14

and stark destruction. My

1:03:16

hands trembled as I used them to access the

1:03:18

escape pod and tried not to focus on the

1:03:20

vile deed I had just committed. My

1:03:23

resolve had never been stronger and as I stepped

1:03:25

into the pod, I realized that I had made

1:03:27

it. My resolve had helped me escape

1:03:29

this hell. A few

1:03:31

systems came online as the noise in the

1:03:33

background faded away. According to the online display,

1:03:35

I would be back on Earth in a

1:03:37

little over three days. The

1:03:40

door to the hangar opened slowly and

1:03:42

purposefully as I looked out towards Ferris'

1:03:44

floating corpse, an immediate feeling

1:03:46

of remorse overcoming me. They

1:03:48

were all infected, all a threat

1:03:51

to our survival, I told myself. As

1:03:53

the doors finished opening, the pod asked

1:03:56

one final time if the sequences were

1:03:58

correct and I pressed for confirmation. I

1:04:01

was jettisoned into the stars a few short seconds

1:04:03

later. My eyes drifted

1:04:05

toward the pike, reflecting on the strange discoveries

1:04:07

we had made there. Our

1:04:10

species is not alone in the universe, but

1:04:12

it is also ill-equipped to prepare for what is to

1:04:14

come. The strange angles of

1:04:17

the pike faded as my pod got further

1:04:19

and further away, and I saw the

1:04:21

tower in a new light. Now

1:04:23

it looked dark and foreboding, an

1:04:25

invitation to the darkness that was spreading out

1:04:28

across the entire base. Had

1:04:30

we ever had a chance to escape, or

1:04:32

was this cosmic invasion something that we were

1:04:34

only delaying? I pressed my

1:04:37

hand against the glass as the moon faded into

1:04:39

the stars, and sighed in frustration,

1:04:42

wishing I knew the answers. Zero

1:04:44

hundred hours, day ten. My

1:04:47

pod slammed into the calm waters of the northern

1:04:49

Atlantic right at the midnight hour, a

1:04:52

fresh slate to be written on the history of our

1:04:54

species. The last few days

1:04:56

on the moon already fading to nothing but a

1:04:58

memory. I sent out a

1:05:00

distress signal, hoping that someone would come, but my

1:05:03

equipment told me there was a chance I

1:05:05

might not survive that long. Some

1:05:07

inner strength told me to push forward, to

1:05:10

warm others of the evil I had seen, and it

1:05:13

was that untapped potential that kept me alive

1:05:15

until rescue came. Zero

1:05:17

one thirty hours. I

1:05:19

was tested, given food and new clothing as I

1:05:22

explained to the crew of the ship that had

1:05:24

found me, who I was, and why they needed

1:05:26

to take me to America immediately. I

1:05:28

had to get the information I now retained to

1:05:30

the highest office possible as quickly as I could.

1:05:33

You won't be going anywhere, officer. Not

1:05:36

until we determine exactly what happened up here. The

1:05:38

commander told me. I know you

1:05:40

are frightened by my words, but I'm telling the truth. We

1:05:43

know that you think you are, but we've been

1:05:45

monitoring events on the Owlsbury for some time, soldier.

1:05:48

As far as we can tell, the only threat that faced

1:05:50

the crew was you. You

1:05:52

went on a rampage, concocted an alien

1:05:54

invasion inside your head, and killed the

1:05:56

majority of the team. The commander snarled.

1:06:00

I was at a loss for words as they left me

1:06:02

alone. A few key moments of

1:06:04

my lunar journey played out in my mind. Sanders,

1:06:07

Landry, even Armitage, they were

1:06:09

all scared of me. I

1:06:11

was the monster. It had infected

1:06:13

me and used me, not them. The

1:06:17

whispers wriggled their way into my brain again and

1:06:19

I realized what a fool I had been. I

1:06:21

had given this creature exactly what it wanted, to

1:06:24

be on Earth. I was

1:06:26

the puppet all along. I

1:06:28

looked toward the walls and saw the writhing

1:06:30

mass of ghosts and spirits. And

1:06:32

just barely out of my view, Renee was

1:06:34

there, right on the edge of my vision,

1:06:37

smiling. Now we are together.