A Machine Called Earth
Chapter 11- From Bad To Worse

In all the excitement, Hector didn’t realize, but he’s suit was taking in water, as his suit had been ripped when he was attacked by one of the manta rays. Hector quickly felt his way around and noticed that he was in a small room. As he continued feeling his way around the pitch black of the room, he felt a leaver of sorts. In great haste, as his suit was now filled chest high with water, he pulled the leaver, unsure of what might happen. Then suddenly a light was switched on, and the water began to drain. As the water level was slowly lowering, Hector’s suit was almost full of water, and that was when he noticed the tear in the suit on his leg around his left shin.

The water level of the room was now at about knee level, and Hector began feeling around his helmet, for a way to take it off. Thing is, these things aren't designed to come off easy. There was so many straps, buttons and zips, Hector didn’t have time to take off the suit properly. He looked around the room, of metal walls and opposing pressure-sealed doors, for something to release the water, as he was now holding his breath, for the suit was now completely full of water, as the break in the suit was still under the water level of the room.

Hector then felt the rip on the leg of the suit, and found a sharp barb. ‘It must have come from one of the manta rays.’ It seemed to be one of their teeth. ‘These are not ordinary manta rays, I don’t believe that your usual rays have huge teeth like these.’ Hector thought. Hector grabbed the tooth, and stabbed it through thechest of the suit, and ripped it across to the other side of his chest, releasing all thewater. He could finally breathe again.

By the time the water had receded, Hector had removed the suit. It felt quite liberating, finally being out of that heavy, encumbering deep-sea diving suit. Hector just hoped that he wasn’t going to need the suit again.

Now that the water had drained, the door could be opened. As Hector opened the heavy door, and peaked through, he saw the room that the mayor of the underwater city spoke of. It looked as though it was designed in another time. With all the shiny metal, intricate pieces, and gears, it looked as though no man had made this. This place was huge, and it was full of devices and levers. As he walked through a narrow corridor of machines, Hector heard some voices. He couldn’t see how many there were, but he could hear them chanting, “We need no one, We need nothing, We are kings.”

They kept repeating those words over and over again. ‘These were the men. The remaining men who, in their puffed up, arrogant, egotism, have cursed the land. This was it, I was now in their presents, and I could now finish them off, and end this curse.’ Thought Hector.

Going off what the mayor of the underwater city said, Hector figured there should only be three of them. So he snuck through the machines, following their voices, as they were still chanting the words, “We need no one, we need nothing, we are kings.”

Hector came to a doorway, ‘They must be in that room.’ Hector thought to himself. He readied his twin-barrel pistol, capable of making two shots, leaving the last man for his sword. He stood, back to the warm, metal wall, by the side of the door, getting himself mentally ready for what was about to transpire.

Then with all the swiftness he could rally, Hector burst through the doorway. There they were, sitting at a huge table, stuffing themselves with the most royal of foods. They quickly looked at him, with stunned faces. Horrifying, grotesque, mutated faces, but stunned nevertheless. Hector aimed his pistol at one of them, and without hesitation, he pulled the trigger. And at that moment, what happened? Nothing. His pistol was waterlogged, and the gunpowder soaked.

Hector overlooked that after his suit filled with water. They kept staring at him, and when Hector looked down the table, he could only see two men (If you can even call them men) sitting at the table.

Hector stood there, frozen in bewilderment, and at that moment he felt a huge crack along the back of his head, and he fell to the ground, blacked-out and unconscious. That must have been the third.

Although you have been following Hector’s story, many other things were happening all over the land, due to this curse, and the five responsible. Things were getting worse at an accelerating rate. At the time Hector left Tammerville, things went very bad, very fast. The curse spread, and the majority were affected.

As Hector had found out, this curse didn’t just affect people physically, when they had moments of moral weakness. It also affected them mentally, causing their minds to become jaded and corrupt, causing more and more moral downfall.

A strange, unseasonable cold, swept over Tammerville. Autumn had just fell, and the leaves had not yet dropped from the forests of deciduous trees, that encircled the town. Yet a harsh, biting cold came from the west, freezing the already cursed land of Tammerville.

The town went to wreck and ruin within days, the curse spread like wildfire. Within days the mayor was killed. His body ripped in half and left to rot in the middle of the town, underneath the watchful eyes of the lionhearted copper eagle, which sat on a pedestal in the center of town. Why did they kill him, you may ask?

Well, not long after the curse overtook the town, a convoy of men from Violet Town arrived. They came on a large, royally crafted airship. Much more superb then any of the people of Tammerville, the world even, had ever seen. They came selling the antidote. The antidote was an elixir of sorts, which subdued the physical mutations of the curse. However the mayor was the only person with enough money to buy the elixir, and the additional contraption, and only enough for himself.

The foolish Mayor Johnston pranced around the town with his head held high, showing off the fact that he wasn’t a monster anymore. But the cursed townspeople became sick of being put down, and looked down upon by the arrogant man who did nothing to help them. So one day while the mayor was on an evening stroll, feeling safe, as most of the cursed citizens were usually too overcome with shame, and never ventured outside while the sun was still looming over the day, it happened. But one thing he didn’t realize on his stroll, was that the curse was getting worse, and their shame was getting less powerful. So while he was taking in the cool, evening breeze, by the center courtyard, just outside from his manor, he was ambushed and killed. They then tore his body in half, and left it on the ground to rot.

Amongst all of this, was Hector’s sister, Jane. Jane was still a child. However, in the last week or so, she had seen more than any child should ever have to. Throughout all the danger and violence, she was safe in the middle of the day. She would go out to the playground, by the school, where she would imagine herself away. She would then go to the apple fields, down the hill, by the ‘Union Creek’, (which was named Union creek on account of all the weddings that took place there, by the small chapel), where she would collect apples for her supper. She would then sneak home, as stealthy as possible, as the afternoon sun began to fall.

She would then crouch into a small compartment under the floorboards of her and Hector’s house, and stay there, silently, until the morning sun creeped over the school bell tower, giving light to the town. Causing all the beasts to hide away in the shadows, each afraid to show themselves in the light of day. This was her routine.

About four weeks after Hector left from Tammerville, Hope and Jessy arrived by boat to Tammerville. As they sailed through the noiseless lake, glassy and still, towards the Tammerville dock, Hope began to feel quite unnerved at the silence.

Jessy was wide eyed and ecstatic to see a new city, he’d never been to before. “Ok, calm down.” Hope said, trying to sooth Jessy, as he fidgeted about on the small boat, like a slay-dog caught in a cramped space. She was quite worried that he would fall overboard. Especially when he would hang over the side of the boat, trying to cut the water with his wooden sword.

There was a cold breeze that cut through, chilling Hope to the bone. However, Jessy didn’t seem to notice. It was not a strong breeze, but freezing nevertheless. Finally they reached the dock, were Hope tied the boat off, on a post. Without hesitation, Jessy leaped off the boat onto the swaying dock, of the cold, deadly-silent town.

With a sigh of relief, Hope said, “Finally, were here.” She looked at Jessy and said. “This place should be safe.” Jessy looked around then commented. “Then where is everyone?” Suddenly Hope was filled with doubt. ‘Maybe this place wasn’t safe.’ She thought. “You’d best stay close Jessy, since neither of us have ventured as far north as Tammerville before. I’m not sure of the reaction we may receive, us both being outsiders. I know that one of them wouldn’t fare so well venturing into the lands of Maplestone.”

They decided to proceed through the streets. As they walked further in, within the city, their sides became blocked by the roadside buildings, causing only one way in, and one way out. As the town was built upon one main road.

Hope’s fear began to grow, as she walked amongst the dark, broken windows of mostly burnt out shop fronts, unable to see what was lurking within, if anything. The narrow westward streets created quite the wind tunnel. Sending a shiver down Hope’s spine as the chilling wind blew through.

Then suddenly, with a shout so loud, which startled Hope, Jessy yelled, “BIRDIES!” And Jessy ran off, down the street toward a group of what looked to be ravens that were flocking around a large statue, shaped like an eagle. After they all flew away, from Jessy’s loud commotion as he dashed toward them, Jessy stopped in his tracks. ‘What was he looking at?’ Hope thought, as she ran to take a look. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the Findɴovel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

There she saw that Jessy was staring at the remains of Mayor Johnston. Torn apart from the beasts, and partly eaten by the birds. Hope quickly covered his eyes, then picked him up, to take him away from the grotesque scene that Jessy was staring at. She took a left up a side street, then put him down when they were out of sight of the body. “Stay close to me Jessy.” Hope said worryingly. “Whatever did that might still be here.”

Jessy looked up at Hope, who was leaning over him, and nodded in agreement. The street that they turned into went up a hill. And on that hill was a cemetery. It was now past midday, and the sun was at a beautiful angle, where it’s golden, afternoon light reflected an amazing shade of emerald, off the dark, olive trees that surrounded the cemetery. The cemetery was a large open area, or so Hope assumed, that would take the surprise out of an ambush. Which was ideal, considering Hope felt as though there were more souls in this town, then what they could see.

Jessy was holding tightly to Hope’s hand as they walked up the hill towards the cemetery. As they got to the entrance, they both began to hear the sound someone digging a hole. They then crept towards the sound, where they witnessed a group of people in brown cloaks digging holes.

Then suddenly Hope sneezed. The cold sea air from their travels, must have finally took its toll, and given her a cold. Quickly Hope covered her mouth, but it was too late. They heard. One of them yelled, “HEY, who's there?” As they faced the run-down, overgrown mausoleum that Hope and Jessy were hiding behind. Hope cursed under her breath, for blowing their cover, then slowly came away from her hiding place. There was about six of these hooded people whose attention were all on Hope. Hope just prayed that they weren’t hostile, at least for Jessy’s sake.

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