Nathanial had started to count when he began running, he knew that time was hard to keep track of in this, wherever he was, and he was determined to stay on track. 451...452...453... the world was still just a dark blob with light at the edges of his vision, the only thing that had changed was the lack of a bench where he had sat. He continued to run and count, it became an experiment for him, a scientific puzzle that he needed to crack, the motivation it spurred on inside him was all he needed to keep him running.
7152...7153...7154 He had been running for just on two hours, and still nothing had changed, infact it was only then that Nathanial noticed nothing at all had changed, his heart rate was still the same it was two hours ago, the darkness was still the same shade of black it was two hours ago, even his muscles were the in the same state they were two hours ago, if he had not been counting he could have sworn that he had only just started running.
The figure watched Nathanial, it listened to Nathanial's thought process. It was time to show Nate who was in charge again.
Nathanial's stumbled and fell. His body seized up, the pain shot throughout his entire body, a deep throbbing that reminded him of over exhausted muscles. He curled into a foetal position, attempting to lessen the strain on as many muscles as he could. it felt like his body had run for a full week non stop, motor functions began to freeze up, his legs and arms started to feel like jelly. 7343...7344...7345...
Nathanial looked up, next to him was the bench and the figure, it looked down on him, feeling ok Nate? it asked. You look a bit exhausted there, did you want to rest for a bit?
Nathanial didn't reply, instead he continued to count. 7371...7372...7373...
Answer me Nate. The figure demanded, but was greeted with no reply, instead just a series of consecutive escalating numbers continued to pour through Nathanial's head. I said, ANSWER ME! the figure screamed. Newfound pain shot through Nathanial's body, causing it to convulse and contort into seemingly impossible positions. 740..1... 7..4..0..2... Nathanial struggled to continue counting in-between the excruciating pain that was being delivered by the figures rage. 7403...7404.
The pain stopped. The figure looked down at the resolve ridden body of Nathanial and smiled. Very good Nate, very good. It said.
7409...7410...7411 Nathanial continued to count in his head while the figure spoke.
So I was thinking it started.
'5464' the number rang through Nathanial's head, the figure! it was injecting numbers into his mind while it was talking!
That you and I might 7415 be able '3423' to work something out, 7415 after all, '7112' I have taken care 7416 of you for so '4167' long, it would 7417 be such a '7147' waste to stop 741..8 now, wouldn't '7418' you agree? 74...19 And expecting that '3719' you wouldn't answer 7420 I have prepared '4720' an answer for you. The figures voice changed, and began to sound like Nathanial.
"Well as 7421 you know, '7421' I am quite frail, and as 4723' such would 7422 require that you keep assisting '7423' me to help me 7423 achieve all '7426' the things 7427...shit! I am striving for!" The figure impersonated.
Nathanial stopped counting, his place lost. The figure chuckled. Nathanial felt weak, not physically even though his present state expressed so, but mentally, he knew that a battle had been fought, and a loss had been garnered, pangs of sorrow strummed through his thoughts, unsure if they were his thoughts or the figures he accepted them anyhow.
Oh I didn't realize how much you missed the counting! Here let me help. Random numbers began to flood Nathanial's mind, he tried to block them out, but his attempt was met with futility. 6453, 12, 392, 1349287, 495, 99999, 5402. The figure laughed manically.
[To be continued]
Lieutenant Nathanial Doyle
Chief Science Officer
USS Charon
