Wildspace - Chapter 1

Well, what can I say? This adventure starts a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away….

The most life altering day of my life didn't start out very life altering at all. In fact, it began like any other normal day of summer vacation. I honestly don't remember the intire day, exactly. But I do remember that life changing moment… Oh! By the way, the name's Ash. Got it memorized? Good. You'll need it later.

I was in the store with my Mom. Of course not with my mom. She was getting some makeup while I was in the electronics/videogames section, says alot about us doesn't it?

Anyway, while I was browsing and thinking about stuff, the cashier comes up to me casually, "S'cuse me, can I help you find anything?" I looked at her and shook my head. "Nah, thanks though. Just browsing is all." I replied. She smiled and nodded. "Well let me know if you change your mind."

I smiled as she walked away. This store always had good scervice. We'd been here so much that they were pretty much my friends. Knew what I'd be interested in.

I was browsing prices of other stores on my phone when suddenly, my phone started to flicker. I raised an eyebrow as I lightly smacked it a few times against my hand. What the heck? I charged this thing last night, right? I thought. Still it flickered. I wasn't the only one, I realized, as I saw the display TVs flickering as well, and the groans and murmors of the other probably hundred customers throughout the store reached my ears. My eyes narrowed as the TV's screens flickering got worse and worse. What the H was going on here?

Then…it happened as fast as…snap.

I heard screaming from the toy isle, which was right next to the electronics where I was. I looked up to see one of the overhead windows shattering and gasped as about 6 metalic arms dropped down. I heard a big crash, and a few kid's screams. My eyes widened as people started to run toward the nearest exit. There was no time to think. My instincts told me not to think, just to act.

My big, baggie red sweatshirt flapping against my body as I ran, I went opposite the people who were crying to me to get back. My converse skidded to a halt at the toy isle, my hair all in my face and mouth that I couldn't see hardly anything. What I could see fueled my instincts.

One of the isles had collapsed against the other, and the knocked over toys had trapped the unfortunate kids that were hoping to get a new lightsaber or BumbleBee toy, all the while the metal arms hovering above the chaos. I ignored them and ran to the pile. I shoved every toy out of the way. Move it, Barbie! I thought as I fought through until I could hear the crying of the kids on the other side.

Then, a loud, crackling voice echoed from the broken window and the metalic arm's origin, "Good day, citizens. So sorry for the intrusion but I simply came for buisness. I'm going to take one of you. Any of you humans get in our way, well, we won't mind the extra company."

With one final punch, I felt an open space reach my hand, I shoved a lego set aside and I sighed as I saw the shivering and fearful kids looking at me. They looked confused, paralyzed. "Its okay. I'm a friend." I called over the screaming chaos, "Come on, lets get outta here and bail!"

One after the other, the children crawled out of their trap, me helping them to their feet after, "Come on! Easy does it! Move it, Kiddo! That's it!" By this time, some of their parents were coming around searching, and they rejoiced at seeing them and thanked me profusly. I told them to save it and to get out of here before they lost them again. They all nodded and all rushed in all directions to their respective exits.

I finally got the last kids out, and I told them to run since their folks weren't around. They obeyed without question. However, it seemed fate had a completely different blue-print.

One of the metallic arms attacked, wrapping itself around a nearby escaping boy, probably 6 years old. 7 tops. It lifted him off the ground toward it's destination, the window.

"Toby!" I heard a nearby mother scream. I looked from the mother to the boy, and seeing the resemblance, made one of my famous snap decisions.

I strambled up the pile of toys and leaped into the air, arms outstreached. I grabbed the boy's, Toby apparently, foot and slowly climbed up him toward the metal arm. Toby was crying and struggling. I tried at the arm, but it was wrapped, and we were slowly gaining height. I then had an idea, and I could've sworn their was a lightbulb over my head.

I climbed down so Toby and I were eye to eye. "Listen kid. I need you to do me a favor, it should get you outta here…" I said, struggling for an inner calm. The boy looked at me with frightened eyes. I looked into his, hard. The boy finally spoke, "A-Anything!" I blinked and took a deep breath. "Just relax. Relax all your muscles. Take a deep breath and let it out." The boy did so without hesitation, and I watched, praying.

Oh, thank God! Sure enough, as I theorized, when the boy relaxed he simply slipped out of the arms iron grip. His fall was coushined, thankfully, and he tumbled down the mountian of christmas presents right to his mother's feet. I watched as she imbraced him and kissed him all over his face, her lipstick all over him like he had a fangirl attack.

I was soon snapped back to the present, however, when the arm I was hanging from suddenly flicked like a whip, knocking me clean off. While I was mid air it wrapped around my arms and body and started to lift me up, like the boy from earlier, only this time, it lifted me away from the avalanche, and 'finding inner peace' wasn't going to cut it. I looked down to see Toby and his mother looking horrified at me. "Run! Get out of here!" I screamed, hot tears of a blend of anger and fear growing in my eyes.

The mother hesitated, Toby still in her arms, but finally she ran, Toby looking at me over her shoulder…crying.

By this time, most of the people had finally left the store. Well, that's what I call progress.

I looked at my captor arm and, thinking on my feet, sent a backward kick right onto it, my heel making hard and firm contact. The arm froze after, some static erupting form it. It then released me, loosing power quickly and letting me plummet about 2 stories. I cried out as I fell, face first, in for the best faceplant in history. That is, if I even had a face afterwards…

Please let me go spat soon…Please let me go splat soon…!?

Inches away from the waxed and tiled floor, I opened one eye to see I had stopped, mid fall. I was about to ask, but I got my answer when I realized that the arm that had flicked me had grabbed my foot as I was falling. I gasped as I was suddenly yanked upward, much faster than before.

Through the window I went, into the blinding light of the sun, and then to utter darkness minus a purple light. All in about 3 seconds. The metalic arm had recoiled around my arms and chest again and I growled.

And the most extreme pain exploded inside me.

What can I tell you about getting electricuted? It's pretty rough. About as bad as it gets. Getting your finger stuck between the plug and the wall unit is the tip of the iceburg. I could actually feel the agonizing waves of energy flowing through me.

My vision started to blur then flicker as my world of pain went black. Darn, I thought, and I was just starting to think I was actually going to graduate high school. Least the people got out okay, 'specially that boy and his mom…

But hey, what can I say?

I had no regrets…

For a minute, just a minute, I thought I was back home, lying in my bed, half asleep. I wondered if this whole crap storm was just a dream. But when I reached out to pull my nice warm blanket up around me, all I felt was cold metal. So, it wasn't a dream.

It was a nightmare.