Samie Sands - Through Space and Time

“Okay, let’s do this.”

She felt her body gearing up, the adrenaline pumping through her veins. The alien beasts didn’t bother her too much really, in the grand scale of things, they weren’t anywhere near as strong as things she’d had to face in the past. As long as she could kill them when they were alone, she was fine. The only thought that bothered her was getting surrounded. More than a couple at a time would become a problem.

It raced through the trees with its ugly, bumpy tail dragging behind it. Raegan raced too, knowing she’d have the best chance of catching it off-guard if she ran at it full force. She jumped up, pushing her strong thighs as high as they could carry her. She landed on its arm and swung out her fist to punch it.

As she threw her hands around and kicked with all her might, doing her best to harm the beast in any way possible, she spotted something. It was nothing of real significance on this planet, yet it was everything at the same time. She couldn’t believe that she’d missed it. She couldn’t believe that she’d finally found it and she was in the middle of a fight with this damn thing.

That glow… that energy. It could only mean one thing. Her heart raced faster, her breaths became ragged, she could hardly contain herself. Desperation to end this now became all of her.

“Ugh,” she grunted, kicking harder. Miguel . She needed him to wake up too. She couldn’t just leave him here in this hell, he’d never survive.

Damn it, this is why she hated having people with her, relying on her, leaving her in danger.

She turned to look at his body, still lying there frozen on the ground, and that was the action which gave the monster the opportunity lay his teeth into her shoulder, tearing some of her skin from her body. Hot blood trickled down her back, making the pain even worse. Raegan was okay with blood, but it was always problematic. There weren’t exactly hospitals with easy access in these universes.

“Argh, no!” she screamed, agony tearing through her.

Raegan had never been hurt before. Not like this, and it destroyed her, knocked her confidence and allowed the pain to consume her. She started to feel herself go woozy. Her kicks felt less powerful, her hands barely connecting. How had this happened? Damn Miguel! This was his fault.

She felt the beast drop her body to the ground. She even felt her leg being pulled and her body drag along the muddy floor. Was this it? Was this the end for her? After she’d just learned about her father, she was being taken to be killed.

Her dad .

If she let this happen to her now, then she sacrificed any chance to ever see him. She couldn’t let that happen. She’d spent the last ten years surviving on the hope that she’d get to be with him once more. Now, this was her chance and she couldn’t throw it away. Not over some injury that was probably really minor anyway. A surge of something burst through her and she started to shake, to try and push the thing off once more.

“Raegan?” She heard a weak voice call out. She grunted but couldn’t call out to reply. She desperately wished that Miguel would gather up enough strength to find her, but she didn’t hold out much hope. The passing out suggested a weakness that wouldn’t save the day.

She thrashed harder, she really fought for her life with everything within her. Harder than she’d ever done before. Now she felt a little like her life had meaning. This was overwhelming, yet exciting at the same time. It was a deep thrill that she hoped would get her through anything, including this.

Raegan finally had a chance to get something real in this crazy life that felt like a nightmare.

Suddenly something crashed into the beast, knocking it to the ground. As it fell, it released Raegan’s leg. Fearing that it was something worse than she’d already been fighting, rather than Miguel magically rising to his feet and saving the day, she took the opportunity and ran like hell.

“Miguel!” she screamed. She didn’t want to hang around on this damn horrible planet any longer than she had to. She wanted to get the hell off it now she knew that she could. Especially since she was injured. She didn’t need any of this. “Miguel I’ve found the exit hole.”

As she neared it, she feared she was going to have to make a decision she wasn’t ready for. She was going to have to choose between what she wanted to do, and what she felt was right.

Did she save herself and leave Miguel? Or did she remain and continue to fight for him outing them both at risk? Heart over head. Moral fiber over survival instinct. Which one would win out?

Luckily a human-shaped shadow appeared in the distance and relief flooded through her. She didn’t have to choose, he was here. He’d made it.

“The exit hole,” she panted. “It’s… it’s there.”

The sensation of moving between dimensions was weird. It felt like all Raegan’s insides were being torn from her body. When she first experienced this, she’d been convinced she was dying, but over time she became more adjusted to the feeling. Not that she’d ever fully get used to it. What she wasn’t expecting was the warmth that came from the strange hand slipping into hers.

She’d not had any human physical contact since all of this began and she didn’t know what to do. It made her cringe and clam up, yet it ignited something brand new from the depth of her at the same time. She wanted to shake Miguel off, but at the same time, she couldn’t. She didn’t know why.

She knew she should when she felt them ending their journey, but she clutched tighter to him instead. It wasn’t until their bodies hit the ground with a thump, that their hands fell apart leaving Raegan cold and alone.

Miguel lay spread across the ground, calmly relaxing for a few seconds, but Raegan instantly jumped up to scout the area. She didn’t want to be caught out unaware. She liked to know as much as she could right away, as soon as she landed. It was the only way she could assure safety.

Exit and entrance holes tended to be avoided by the inhabitants of the planet, but she couldn’t cope without utter certainty.

“It’s so… white!” she muttered to herself. Never had she been anywhere that was so one dimensional before. Normally she was faced with all kinds of weird and wonderful sights. This was just all… plain.

“What the…?” Miguel also looked shocked as he rose to his feet. This showed Raegan he’d never been anywhere like this either. “This is just blank. It’s nuts.”

“Okay,” Raegan breathed decidedly. “Let’s find the exit hole.”

“Can we just… rest for a moment?” Miguel asked, looking guilty. He just wanted a second to take stock and this seemed like a safe enough place to make that happen. Strange, but with no immediate danger.

“Erm…” This notion was odd to Raegan. She’d spent her entire existence on the move, but to be honest, she could see no reason why not. “Sure.”

They both lowered their bodies onto the white ground, looking around them.

“It’s weird isn’t it?” asked Miguel. “When I was a kid, this is how I used to imagine the end of the universe would look. All nothingness .”

“Curious… and now you’re actually living in that.”

“With only one difference. I always imagined each person suffering through the end of the universe alone.”