Second Chance 2

Once back in the main room, I see Thau Guan, still messing with Willy and Diva. It will serve him right if Diva does actually bite him and take off a finger. I noticed my rifle on the large table, I forgot that I was actually looking for it. I guess the shock of seeing these guys still around, made me forget about it. I was happy to see it still around, after all I liked this rifle it was my favorite weapon. Then it hit, I had absolutely no idea how I had gotten the damn thing in the first place. It seems like I always had it, almost as if it was a part of me.  But certainly I must know how I required such a weapon, did I find it? Did someone give it to me? Damn it! Why can't I remember? I lit another cigarette, and inhale deeply before exhaling the cloud of smoke.  Yeyinde seemed to have join Thau Guan over by Diva and Willy, I suppose they could be interesting to someone who never seen them before.
"What are these creatures for?" Yeyinde asked plucking me from my thoughts once more.
"...What do you mean what are they for?...They're my companions!!" I said.
"...I told you, she wasn't going to eat them." Thau Guan said.
"No! Willy and Diva are most certainly not food! If you are hungry there is plenty of food here."  I said as I stormed over to one of my various bins and pulled out some various fruits that were stored there, I had no idea what they ate or considered food, but they were gonna have to deal with whatever I had.
"The apples are the freshest, I only just picked them the other day. Now if you excuse me, I'll be back, and I expect to return to find Willy and Diva UNHARMED." I said firmly as I went down another cave path to the small cavern where I could take a bath. This cavern contained a branch off of the underground river that gave me fresh water, I didn't have to worry about contaminating my water supply. Thankfully I have a bunch of clean clothes in here as well, I had done my laundry and it was finally dry enough to wear. Before I undressed, I slide the bit of sheet metal that served as a door and then locked it in place with various locks I created. I don't know why I went through all the trouble when I made the door, after all I was alone. But, I'm glad I did. I undressed and tossed the dark clothes into a heap in the corner. I slip into the water, it was somewhat warm, not too warm, but not to cold either. I look at my peach colored hands. I'm so different from them, I wonder if they find me to be strange looking and bizarre.  I wondered what they thought of me, how did I compare to women from their world? Was I vastly different? Through they were different from me, I found them attractive, did they think the same of me? Probably not, I think I'm strange looking by even human standards,  a lot of red hair, bright green eyes, sunburned skin, and probably too skinny for my own good. In the pictures and forgotten signs that depict people,from a time before I was born, I looked nothing like them. They were all dark haired with creamy white skin and woman always had huge breasts. I wondered why woman of my species needed such big breasts, I guess it was to attract men.
I sat up on the edge and let my legs dangle into the water. I used the green bar of soap to wash up.  I work quickly due to the fact I was a bit worried that one of them would come along and see me naked. I realized that I had forgotten to take off the two necklaces I was wearing. I often forgot I was wearing them, I had just gotten so use to having them. The first was was some kind of wheel imprinted into a golden coin, it hung on a simple black cord that was strung through the hole in the middle of the coin and then looped over one of the spokes of the wheel, the rest of the cord was pulled through the loop, which held the coin in place. The other necklace was also on a black cord, it was similar to the necklace the guys wore. It was some kind of large animal tooth and a few beads.  Could someone like them had come to this planet before and given me this necklace? But did I not remember, and the other one, how did I get it? Both necklaces were much to long for me to wear, they both ended up sitting between my breasts. I kept them inside my shirts, for fear of losing them. Why was a so protective of these items if I had no idea how I got them? Did part of me remember where I got them? Could something have happened to me that made me forget? I drove under the water to shake these thoughts from my mind, I was afraid to remember what I had clearly forgotten. What if it was forgotten for a reason? What if it was too painful to remember? When I came back up, I washed my hair, dried myself off, dressed I put on light colored and torn jeans and a blue shirt with snake graphic on it. I finally left, I realized that I didn't tell any of those guys about this room. I should tell them, in case any of them want to take a bath.  When I got back only Yeyinde was in the main area, the other two were no where in sight. He was using a small knife to cut up an apple for himself, he looked up at me and said nothing, at I looked over to Willy and Diva's enclosure, they were both still there.
"We didn't harm them." He said.
"...Thank you, I'm sorry But I'm rather attached to them...They're really the only companionship I've had...So I'm a bit protective of them..." I muttered.
"Understandable." Yeyinde nodded
"...So where are your friends?" I asked
"They went back to our ship...Is it still safe for them?" Yeyinde asked
"Yes, for a few more hours at least...And as long as they didn't do something stupid...Like get lost..Are they certain they knew the way back?" I asked lighting another cigarette.
"Zazin said he knew his way back...You said to call you crazy?" Yeyinde asked
"..Or whatever, Sorry but like I said I have no name to offer, I think something happened to me and I simple don't remember..." I answered
"...Why Crazy?" He asked
"...I couldn't think of anything...I'm not sure what to call myself" I sighed
Suddenly, an unearthly roared echoed through the cave, I knew instantly what the ungodly creature was. I called it a thrasher, they were huge, with big teeth, sharp claws, and exteremely violent. They were easily the same size as Zazin and Yeyinde, I don't what these things could have been before they were infected they were just big, raging lumps of flesh now. But they slept during the day, something or someone must have woken it up.
"Damn it! Your friends woke up a thrasher!...Get down by the blockades and watch the door!" I ordered, as I ran to not only my rifle, but two hand guns, that were also very important to me. I ran outside, not sure  where to go. Then I saw the thrasher, it had Thau Guan cornered further down the outcropping. The damn idiot must have went exploring, he was shooting the creature, but Thrasher are tough, they don't go down unless you cut their heads off. I dropped my rifle and pulled out the hand guns and flipped the switch that made very sharp knives shoot out from a hidden compartment and wrap around the handle of each gun, they were gonna do the job, I just hoped Thau Guan or one of the other could help.  I ran and jumped up onto the thrasher's back, slicing into whatever I could.
"Get something Sharp!! You have to cut it's head off!!" I shouted to Thau Guan over the Thrasher's roar of pain. It managed to grab me and throw me like a rag doll. I hit the ground hard, I gasped as the force of the landing knocked the wind out of me.  I heard another roar of pain then a "thump" sound as if something heavy had just hit the ground.  Suddenly Thau Guan was standing over me, I tired to get up, but I hit the back of my head, I was still out of it.
"Are you hurt?" He asked as he helped me get up.
"..No, No...I..I just hit my head.." I answered. Trying to shake it off.
"So much for head shots.." He said
"...Wrong monster, you can kill Hunters with a head shot, Thrashers you have to cut their heads off...Their skulls are practically bullet-proof." I said.  I tried to walk back but I suddenly stumble, Thau Guan caught me, and helped me back to the cave. Yeyinde was suddenly there helping me up the ladder.
"What happen?!" He asked
"...I just hit my head..." I said. Then touched the back of my head it was sore and felt wet. I looked at my hand and saw my bright crimson blood covering my hand.
"Damn.." I muttered. That's the down side to living in a rocky area, you risking smashing your head in against a rock. I sit at the table, I just want to put my head down, I felt dizzy.  My vision was becoming blurred, I didn't want to lift my head. Suddenly I felt a veil of darkness fall over me, I welcomed it, my head hurt too much.  Suddenly I felt something wet and cold on the back of my head,I jolted back awake in response to it.
"You have to say awake, you hit your head pretty hard." Thau Guan said
"...What's on my head?" I asked
"Just a cold rag to clean the blood away." Yeyinde answered.
"...Great...Now if you excuse me, I'm gonna pass out now..." I said flatly, I just couldn't stay wake. It was too painful, and I just wanted to sleep.
"...If you pass out now, you won't hear your name." Yeyinde said
"...Something better then Crazy I hope." I answered, trying to stay awake.
"Of course,  What do you think of the name Xia." Yeyinde asked
I thought about it for a moment, I wasn't sure what the name meant, but somehow I just knew it was related to the color red. But, that was ok, I actually liked the name so I was just going to go with it.
"...It means red right?" I asked
"Yes, actually it does." Thau Guan answered.
"Thought so..." I said
Zazin finally decide to show up, good I was worried that we would have to go and look for him, he looked at his two comrades, almost expecting an explanation. Which neither were to eager to offer one. I sat up as best I could and looked at Zazin, he was very different from his comrades. He was varying shades of deep gray,  the two colors meet on his chest and torso.
"...I was attacked by a thrasher...A creature as big as you, extremely violent and very hard to kill...They normally don't come out during the day...All this activity woke it...But Thau Guan managed to kill it." I explained, I didn't understand the hesitation, shit happens! You just have to pick yourself up afterwards.
"...Explains why you left this.." Zazin stated as he laid my rifle on the table.
"..Thank you I am actually attached to it..." I muttered, trying to hold back the upset of knowing that I can't even remember why the damn thing is so important to me. Trying to keep the distress of knowing that I remember nothing to myself.
"How did you kill that Thrasher?...I've never been able to kill those things...Injured them until they run away yes, kill them no..." I said to Thau Guan, needing a subject change. Then I saw it, these huge long and sharp swords that came from a contraption on his wrist. They were still stained with the thrasher's blood.  He was gonna have to clean them up quick or risk being infected with the virus that made the Thrasher.
"...You have to clean the blood off, you risk getting infected with the virus that the thrasher is carrying.." I said weakly as got up and found another rag he could clean it with and tossed it to him.
"...When you're done we're gonna have to burn that rage...I'll start a fire.." I said, but I nearly fell, Yeyinde caught me.
"...You have to take it easy you...You hit your head very hard...I'll start the fire." Yeyinde said then then over to the fire pit.
"...This Virus, you speak of what is it?" Zazin.
"...It's a disease that made every man, woman, child on this planet into the monsters...You've only seen the hunters and now one Thrasher....But there are more thousands of them, and creatures far worse then just a few hunters and that hulking mass of flesh...It's very dangerous and highly contagious, it passing from person to person through bodily fluid, blood,sweat, saliva...You get the idea, Or by a bite, Or by eating their flesh. Anyway, if you get infected, the virus will destroy your mind...making you nothing more then a mindless parasite, only out to feed and spread your disease." I said.
"Don't ask me where it came from...I don't know...Nor do I know when it happened...It always been like this as far as I know...I only figured as much as I told you by collecting scraps of the past...Journals, video clips, data logs, things like that...Hell, I only know that there were once other humans because of what was left behind..." I added, just to cover any other questions.
"How have you survived then? Are you immune to it?" Yeyinde asked getting up from the fire pit.
"...Don't think I'm immuned...Just God Damn Lucky and careful...I clean all my weapons, don't eat meat of any kind....And killing these damn monsters before they get a chance to bite me." I answered. I noticed Thau Guan by the fire, carefully wiping away the blood from them. Seeing the fire light, triggered something, a memory I think. I could suddenly see someone else, doing the same thing to a weapon almost exactly the one Thau Guan was cleaning, then it suddenly hit me that I had that exact weapon here in the cave. In a area I used for storage, it I really have such an item? No, no I just could, it wouldn't make any sense, How would I get such a thing!? Let alone even use? It looks much to big and heavy for me to even use, I decided to look later, I didn't want to risk angering them. They might assume me a thief or a killer, maybe I was...I have no idea, but hell I would like to know if I actually committed the crime before I got punished for it.
"I don't know what misfortune brought you to this planet, but I suggest we find you a way off it...Trust me...there is nothing of value here on this worthless pile of dirt." I said focusing on them.
"No misfortune brought us here we, chose to come here." Zazin said.
"...Wait, you WANTED to come here??" I asked in disbelief.
"Yes, our people have hunted on this planet before, I myself have been here before." Zazin said
"I as well have been here before..." Yeyinde added
"..I'd imagine it's nothing like your last visit." I said. My mind whirl with thoughts, They had been here before, The weapon? Could I have actually hurt one of them and stole it? Was it a gift? Along with the necklace? I didn't know, it was really starting to get to me.
"...Why?" I asked, I couldn't wrap my brain around the idea of anyone coming here.
"For the challenge." Zazin answered
"Alright then...If you want a challenge, there is plenty of it here..." I  answered, not truly understanding why they came here, but it's pointless ask why they came here, their here now and needed to get off this planet.