Graves (Lifeline One-shot)
It's a lifeline one-shot I wrote back on 11th of december in 2017 and posted on Amino. Please, don't steal it.
White, almost everlasting fog wrapped a man like it was just a big, comfy blanket. Most of people were scared by the fog which seemed to be a frequent visitor of this little graveyard, scared of what it could hide; but he found something peaceful in it.
Probably, after seeing all of this, everything except 'the thing' seems too peaceful for me,
He thought, sighing as he walked through a valley, surrounded by graves which belonged to different people- ones died because of an illness a long time ago, some died just a few weeks ago, in that big car accident. Every person met their own fate, sometimes twisted and odd. But one who was in the grave the man seeked, met fate thousand times worse than just death before.
The man closed his eyes, rubbing them and trying to make out the way. It looked like everything was trying to stop him from digging up 'old' wounds- the wind, by howling and trying to mess up with his coat and his rather black hair, even the fog became more dense, still wrapping him peacefully, as if trying to make him stop. But he knew he couldn't stop, at least he needed to visit the grave one time, pay some respects, and try to get over it. Although, some piercing feeling made him realize that he could never get over. Not after everything he has seen.
Gabriel gasped, bumping suddenly into a big stone as he was dragged from deep thoughts to real world. He jumped away instinctively, but peeked at the tombstone anyway, seeing the writing on it.
A man who never deserved for his life to be ended like this.
Gabriel exhaled deeply, trying to calm down as he was making attempts not to drown in an ocean of memories, lot of which were quite bad.
He remembered everything like it was yesterday- he, Gabriel Brown, along with his brother, Sam, arrived to New York in search for a new life. They were astonished by the city, by its busy, light, enormous life. Brothers settled up- even found a work, but... They weren't accepted into any place they applied to. But they knew they had to survive, somehow pay off all the bills, and one day, Sam woke Gabriel early in the morning, showing him a piece of newspaper with an important announce- almost the biggest and most popular corporation was seeking for new employees.
"We always need new workers, and everyone can be a part of something greater.",
Sam, the extrovert he was, got inspired by just some words which formed weird slogan, and dragged Gabriel along to the main building of Pearson Corporation. They both were stunned by huge, high-tech skyscraper which looked even more futuristic on the inside. Almost all of people they managed to see at the entrance were kind and understanding; so were the employers, or as brothers thought. They were accepted momentarily- and began working after some time have passed.
Until one thing happened.
That day Sam came to Gabe's cabin in the time of work, looking slightly worried and even afraid. He told Gabriel that he needed to take something from archives which were on the last floor, and there Sam noticed a box, and a strange green creature. Gabriel, of course, back then didn't believe any word Sam said and just advised him to take a break. Oh, how Gabriel regretted this. Even at the moment he was sitting behind a tombstone, he felt numb, and as if his whole body was being stabbed by millions of tiny needles.
Sam went to ask authorities to let him visit a doctor, but Gabriel didn't expect him to be out that long. Sam didn't response to any of Gabriel's calls. And Gabriel himself decided to go and ask authorities if Sam was fine.
He found Sam alone, standing near a window which was behind an elevator. It looked like Sam was smiling.
"Uh, Sam? Do you feel okay?" , Gabriel asked. He knew that something was off.
Sam turned around, still smiling at Gabriel. That was the time Gabe noticed two odd things.
Sam was holding a pack of coloured eye-lenses in his left arm. And his eyes were green, some unnatural, neon colour, which could only be seen in some sci-fi films.
"Yes, I do, brother. I feel much better now. Thanks for sending me there."
Gabriel just kept gaping at Sam, unable to say something, unable to think of something- the whole situation was so terrifying,so unreal, so fictional. That's when his instincts kicked in and Gabriel just started running away, to staircase. He knew that whatever the hell this was, it took Sam because he saw something he should not have been able to see. He ran, screaming at Sam to resist whatever kind of hypnosis they used on him, but Sam didn't listen. He just kept following, kept saying that Gabriel didn't even understand.
Of course, Gabe was able to run away- but when he returned, he just curled up in a bed, noticing how empty he felt. How empty everything felt. It was as if his heart was being ripped apart, piece by piece. He didn't quite realize what was going on back then, but he was sure that both of them were tricked, seduced by this corporation. He was sure nothing could have been a joke- besides, eye lenses his brother had acquired were blue-coloured. Just like Sam's normal eyes were.
Gabriel leaned to the tombstone as if the piece of stone still had a part of his brother inside, as if it could turn into Sam, real Sam, who would hug him again, saying that Gabriel was mistaken and none of this happened. Even if Gabe close his eyes, he could still feel the emptiness inside. When he lost his brother, he lost a big and important part of himself.
Gabriel could also remember the day he got prepared to meet Sam. He still didn't know if he could shoot at him- no, whatever 'they' made him into, Gabriel by that time already knew what these green creatures were. But he did it, instinctively. He killed whatever greens made his brother into. And then, he stomped on a green creature which had crawled out of his brother's body, with all his might.
He tried to think of it as freeing; but he knew it was a murder anyway. Gabriel only started feeling more empty, even if tears were rolling down his cheeks. Soon, police found the body and thought that Sam was killed by one of criminals here, so they just buried him properly and forgot about it. Gabriel sometimes felt angry about this- he knew aliens were roaming on the Earth 'freely', destroying lives of many humans. He, at the same time, realized that no one would believe in it- after all the science fiction...
Gabe sighed, getting up slowly and embracing the fog again, which started to fade gradually.
What some people used to say? That one man army cannot be real?
Gabriel decided to make some people rethink these words.
He was going to stop the greens by any means possible, even if it meant dying in the end of this. He was alone, but image, memory of his own brother was following him, reminding that these aliens should be stopped once and for all, before they'll make anyone else suffer.
