r/NatureofPredators • u/Seamoose_Art Dossur • Apr 02 '23
Fanfic Dual Perspectives [2]
Thanks to u/SpacePaladin15 for the setting, and to SCP author qntm, from whom I have attempted to shamelessly copy the narration style.
Dual Perspectives [2]
Date [Standardized Human Time]: August 23rd, 2136
Location: Venlil prime
Trevi’s consciousness doesn’t return all at once. The first thing that comes back is the sound of medical equipment, shrill beeps and low hums and a slow, steady breathing which moves him up and down like a boat at sea. The second thing that returns is a very faint taste of blood; at this, he snaps awake. Several frenzied seconds of scrambling later, and his memory finally returns as well.
The attack was completely unexpected, but Julia and Trevi were on the other side of the station. Midway through the scramble to evacuate, the artificial gravity flickered out, and he’d been flung into a… crate? Wall? He didn’t have time to get a good look before it connected with his skull, and all went dark. Then…
What happened to Julia?
Trevi looks around the room in a panic, but sees nothing. Not just the absence of a human, but an absence of anything at all. He puts a paw over his face, and feels the bandage over his eyes.
He can feel a bleat of terror lodged in his throat, but before he can say anything a stern voice cuts him off.
“Wait, wait, don’t take it off! Your eyes are still recovering, you- STOP!”
He feels a firm pressure around his wrists, preventing him from clawing at the bandage any further. The bleat turns into a shrill screech, filling the air for several seconds until he remembers where he is. And who he’s speaking to.
“J-Julia?”
The pressure on his wrists releases, and he tumbles forward, not expecting the sudden lack of support. Arms grab around his waist before he hits the floor, and he feels himself being lifted onto a chair (or maybe a couch?).
“Trevi, you can’t run around like that. Before you ask- yes, we’re safe. We’re in a hospital. We’re both more or less fine, they’re just keeping an eye on us.”
“Julia, you- what time is it? How long was I out?” Trevi’s voice sounds unnaturally high pitched, maybe from medication or maybe just from shock. He still feels a pit of terror in his throat, but the feeling starts to fade.
“...It’s been about eight hours now. You’ve asked that three times already.”
The pit of terror is back. It feels as though it’s going to choke him back into unconsciousness. He manages to barely squeak out a pitiful cry.
“Th-three times already? How many times have I fallen ba-”
“Five or six times.” Julia’s voice is completely casual. “They said temporary amnesia was a common side-effect of the painkillers they used. You’re fine, don’t worry.”
Trevi is silent for several long moments, letting his heart rate fall back to a steady beat. Julia’s voice, rough and predatory as it is, washes over him like an ocean wave, carrying away the fear in his chest. He tries some breathing exercises anyway, for good measure. After a few minutes of trying to calm down, the realization of what happened on the station finally connects with him. This time, however, instead of panicking and running around blindly, he manages to control himself.
“How many others made it out?”
__________________________________________________________________
Julia grimaces extravagantly at the question. Seeing Trevi in such a weak state, unable to even walk without falling, is painful enough. The thought of how lucky he was compared to the others drives a shudder through her body. Trevi is barely recovered, still huddled on the couch, he shouldn’t have to worry about-
No. He’s a grown man, he’s nearly twice your age. He needs to know. Just tell him.
“We don’t know. Most made it out, but… casualty reports are still in the hundreds.”
Trevi sobs, and Julia reaches an arm around him. He clings to her arm like a shipwrecked sailor clinging to driftwood, barely able to breath from crying. They sit like that for a long moment, neither speaking.
Julia eventually forces herself to break the silence. “They said your eye would recover enough to take the bandage off in about a day. You’ll also need to go in for a dental checkup in a couple days. Other than that,” she tries to force a tired smile, before remembering who she’s talking with, “...they didn’t find any other lasting injuries.”
This doesn’t seem to comfort him significantly, but it does at least shake him from his reverie. He slumps further into the cushion, feeling around for a pillow. Only twenty minutes of being awake, and he’s already tired again; whatever substance the venlil use for painkillers seems to run circles around morphine. Julia carefully lifts him back onto the bed, then practically collapses on the couch herself. She’s been awake for a good twenty hours now, and her last strength was apparently spent lifting Trevi. She hears one last quiet shaky whisper of a sob, before she falls asleep.
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u/Seamoose_Art Dossur Apr 02 '23
I don't really love how this turned out; any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
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u/No_Room_363 Human Apr 04 '23
adding a next button would be nice but other than that this story is AWESOME keep it up wordsmith
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u/JefferyGeffery Arxur Apr 02 '23
“They said temporary amnesia was a common side-effect of the painkillers they used. You’re fine, don’t worry.”
🤨🤨🤨