Army Dreamers

Link to article: Army Dreamers.

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⚠️ **Content warning:** This story contains mild mentions of gore, blood and death.
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[[include component:preview text=My friend told me we'd be the saviors if the galaxy. Now his body withers away on the ground.]]

Screams, these are the sounds that remain within my mind as I look over the rocks I'm behind. Legs and arms lay all over the place, blood plastering the ground and dirt entering my mouth. I try my best not to cough it out, as anything could show the enemy that I exist. My weapon sticks close to me as I hide. It's loaded, but I dare not use it. My body trembles and shakes as I feel how my body gets dragged down by the weight of everything, immobilizing me. The sound and thuds of the barrage that only happened a moment ago still deafen me.


"HELP ME!" A faint voice lets out as claws tear up a fellow soldier, sharp limbs covered in a rough exoskeleton. Another jumps onto a friend of mine, jaws gnashing upon them, tearing them apart. He pleads as the dissonant and piercing screeches of the bug run into my ears. I have to help my friend. I need to help them. But it's like my legs have been frozen, like I have been shut off. Why can't I help them?


I look towards my other friends as they run away, only for the bugs to leap onto them, grabbing them and clawing them down. We shared laughter only a few hours ago. I spread my melodies to them as we had our last moment of calm before the storm. The melody comes back to me for a moment as I try to think of something else, just for it to leave my grasp and turn into something that I can't reach. Now they lie on the ground, their bodies limp. If only I could've stopped it. If only for a moment, I could have saved at least one of them. But I didn't. A few days ago, we were traveling around in an ecumenopolis, taking in the monuments of important figures in our society. We were gasping at the buildings that leapt over us for hundreds of meters and eating out in the most beautiful scenery that we could afford. The war was still looming in our minds, though. We knew that we couldn't avoid it. But a few days ago I wasn't worried about the war. A few days ago, I was happy. My body can't stand the pain as I have to look at the others helplessly. Right before we were dropped, my buddy told me we'd be the saviors of the galaxy. Now his body withers away on the ground, only a few meters away from me.

I stand up and aim at the bug scratching at every piece of my friend's body as they let out sounds of cries and screams. The weapon releases a wide, pale light and a very high-pitched and loud sound as it flies into the creature, scorching into it as it falls. My body quickly eases up, but shrieks can be heard from elsewhere. A disoriented rhythm closes in on me, and my eyes witness a large grouping of the insects as they gather around the dead bug. They stand still, staring at it as they screech. I feel frozen and as if I can't move, and so I can only stand my ground, whether I want to or not. Every stale blink feels slower and slower, testing my focus.

The ground beneath me rumbles, and the sky quickly turns dark. The insectoids turn their heads towards the sky. I do not care what flies above us as long as I can ensure that I won't be turned into meat and bones. I have no choice. My heart beats in a steady rhythm as I feel myself slowly accept what my fate will become. A slow minute of staring, my legs shaking and my hands faltering, passes until they react, sprinting away as fast as they can. I breathe out, letting my gun fall to the ground. My legs falter and they fall towards the ground, my heart beating fast and in an uncertain rhythm, every other beat making me feel as if my heart will fly out of me. The dark sky remains above me, and it's stretching out for miles and miles. A strong whir can be heard from above, and a blaring horn heeds a warning. I look over at everything around me, and I can't help but silently sob. Bodies piled up on each other, my friends and the bugs that are called "Kins." My squad is dead. There is total silence through the radio, and only a slight crackle can be heard as I hope to hear someone sing through the radio. There is no one alive as far as I can see. None of these people will ever see the light of day again; no more life for them to cherish. Why'd this have to happen? I never wanted to be here in the first place. 

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I didn't sign up for this.
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The whir becomes quieter, and it sounds as if it has left, but the ground remains shrouded in darkness. I turn my head up and look above to see a large orb. It's opaque, and the only special feature about it is a carving that is pointed towards the ground, though it's barely discernible as the clouds wander below it. The whir is weak, and it fills me with a sense of unease. It stays still above me, above the atmosphere, as it looks at the world below. A noise is heard faintly from it, and the carving slowly opens up. The whirring is at its peak, screaming in the background.

Further away, I hear chatter and the shuffling of the dirt on the ground. My eyes focus upon the bug laid dead. It stares at me, with its eyes weakly shining through the membrane covering them. Every step takes it closer to me, and I desperately grab onto my weapon again. It walks at a pace only in which an animal would pounce and kill its prey. I aim at it with an intense focus. The gun's hum turns stronger until a shot releases, and it winces. It doesn't stop and only seems more angered. It shrieks at me and jumps towards me, tackling my weapon off me. I fall to the ground, staring into it as it stands above me, its head tilting down at me. The horn blares a third time and turns deafening for the moment. I can't move. Its skeletal limbs immobilize my arms, and I scream out in pain as I feel them trying to penetrate me. It chatters and screeches as it continues. I can feel how the limbs get closer, putting more and more pressure on my arms and squeezing my skin and bones, shattering some in the moment. I try to move my arms away in a desperate attempt to grab onto my weapon, but the hold is too strong. I cry out as I feel a piercing pain go into my arms and more dirt enters into my mouth and eyes. My brain can't focus on anything; all I can hear is a voice screaming.

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**I NEVER WANTED THIS**
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The machine screeches out at its loudest, and a new sound enters, but I can barely focus. My arms can't move, and I can only lie there and scream—scream for mercy, scream for release. The strong hum from the machine increases in intensity, and a bright light starts shining from above. I try to kick the back of the bug as I feel my desperation grow stronger and stronger. The light turns brighter, and I feel as if my arms are about to split due to the pressure and pain. The bug looks up, releasing me as its focus shifts. I try to grab my weapon, but I can't move my arm anymore. The machine's hum roars, and finally, freezing light strikes the ground, and I feel myself freeze up before I can do anything. I want to go home.