Kingdom of Rust ○ Teasers

Summary:

Edward Cullen and Alice Brandon rely on each other to stay alive in a post-apocalyptic world. Scavenging for food, scouring for water and pushing back unwanted temptation, Edward fights their battles with steel, fists and guns. But when he meets a beautiful, brown-haired girl at the edge of a lake, covered in blood, he's not ready for what's to come.

Wanting to know that she's alright after she runs away from him, Edward convinces Alice to help him find her, but they are both unaware of what dangers wait for them on the trail they follow because there is no greater monster on Earth than mankind.

AH / OOC / Rated M

Teasers from March below the cut.

 March 7th Teaser

The kingdom of rust yielded plenty of opportunity to inflict violence, and this time was no different.

“We're not looking for trouble,” Alice said.

“Well, y'all've got trouble whether you want it or not,” Demetri said.

Alice met me at my side. I felt her fingers slip underneath my forearm as she spoke again. “We're just trying to get home."

“You hear what I hear, Felix?”

“Fear.” He began to eye Alice in every way fathomable. He wouldn't be able to stare at her if he was missing his eyes. The idea was intriguing. “One of my favorite things.”

His words erupted in my head. I knew the tone and gestures. It was the same the others had used before him when they wanted her. “You will not touch her.” My arm was in front of Alice, a barrier between them and her. She clung to me and breathed deeply into the back of my arm. I could barely make out her warm breath under the layers of clothes I wore, but she wasn't silent – not when she was afraid.

They chuckled, and began moving like two weak, stumbling predators. I wondered how I looked to them. Did I appear weak? I felt it, now. The pack on my back was heavier than usual. There must be some reason why they would even think to engage a heavily-armed man. I concluded that they were like everyone else; desperate. Even so, this wasn't a fair fight. Even with the lack of sleep, I would win, easily.

“Boy, I say you're pretty outnumbered. Why don't you leave her here with us. Now, we'll take awful good 

care of her,” Felix said.

“Hell, if you leave her here with us then we'll let you pass on by without a problem and forget this little incident ever occurred!” Demetri grinned for the first time since he slithered out from behind his tree. His teeth weren't any better looking than his friend's; black with rot.

If any human could snarl, I did.

I pulled my Glocks from their holsters; a gun for each man aimed at that little spot right between their eyes. My fingers tightened on the triggers, and the sudden fear on their faces made me smile. “Now,” I said, “you're outnumbered.”

○  ○  ○  ○  ○

I wasn't the man I once was. I could feel it as I lied there holding her in my arms. I wasn't as strong as I used to be. I didn't feel as agile as I once felt when I was a man with direct purpose. Time had changed everything I knew about myself and brought out my weaknesses. Perhaps the lack of food played a part in my demise, or it was the injuries I had sustained during our travels.

Regardless of the apparent changes that consumed me in every manner, I persevered, however painful.

I tried to lose myself in the darkness. There were no movements between the trees, no distant sounds to distinguish or interpret, just the dying sizzle from the charred wood a few feet from us. And behind that was an awful silence that coated the thick forest. Had the world always been so silent? Was life always so still, or was it an aftermath of war; a result of what we had done to ourselves?

My memory didn't extend back to such a time. I had lost those thoughts in gunshots and blood – mine and others.

I was glad. I didn't want to remember. Not now, or ever again.

I tugged the hem of the blanket, framing it around my neck, then pulled Alice closer. Her warm steady breath collided with mine. She was all that mattered, now. I would die for her friendship and trust. Perhaps she was the only person left that would trust me, and if that was the case then I was a fortunate man. Others should be so lucky to have such a friend.

A speck of hope, that old promise I had always held onto, lit up the dark, and caused me to smile. And when I finally closed my eyes on the world, for the slightest moment, if only for a moment, I felt at peace.

○  ○  ○  ○  ○

Our eyes met as her voice trailed off into the distance. Her footsteps followed the echo, and before she could bring herself to cease her steps she was met with my pistol pointed at her face.

She stopped then.

Seeing her hurt more than the fresh memory that played over and over in my head. Tears formed in my eyes, blurring the world around me. I blinked, and felt the tickle slide down the side of my cheek. My body was heavy, ready to dismiss what needed to be done. My extended arm faltered slightly, but I righted it, waiting for her to move towards me, waiting for her to push me over the limit. I was strong enough to stand. I couldn't show my weakness.

“Give me one good reason not to kill you,” I said, teeth clenched. 

She shuffled at my words . Did she understand my intention? Did she see the violent thoughts slide across my face?

I pushed her to answer me. “Hm?”

She said nothing! I closed the distance between us, introducing the barrel to the pale skin of her forehead. “Cat got your tongue?”

“Stop. Please."

Her heartbroken plea rattled me, stung my chest with a new pain. Why was she doing this? Why was she here after what she did?

“What do you want!?" I screamed at her, wanting to fall to the ground in agony. "What more could you possibly want from me!?”

New tears met my jaw as I doubled over, finding I didn't have the strength to endure after all. “HAVE I NOT GIVEN ENOUGH?!”

○  ○  ○  ○  ○

I was sick with anxiety. What would we find beyond this yard? Would we find her? I wanted to run across the grass and pull open the door, but Alice pulled me back before I could take that first step.

Her blank stare clearly expressed her disinterest, reinforcing her comment moments earlier, but I couldn't, for the life of me, overwhelm my desire to know who was in that house. Could it be the girl?

“It'll be fine. I won't let anything happen to you,” I said as I peeled her fingers off the arm of my uniform, and began to walk to the front porch. I readied myself for anything that might decide I'm a threat, putting a hand over my pistol at my side, and mentally tracing my hand to the M16 slung over my back.

The life that surrounded the property retracted as I stepped closer. Silence formed around us. I knew I was being watched. I could feel eyes hammering against my heart, and every movement that I made screamed at me to go back to where I came, that it was a bad idea to push on.

“Stop where you are!” A male voice echoed from inside the house. It was hostel -- an intent to injure, or possibly kill.

I was right. We should have turned back. We should have continued on; passed by this place, ignored it completely. I should have listened to Alice.