Gardens of Destruction

Mark’s dreams were an unyielding nightmare, holding him in a vice-like grip. The ghastly beings from his recent ordeal pursued him relentlessly in his sleep. No matter how hard he tried, he found himself paralyzed, unable to escape their menacing advance. Their razor-sharp limbs reached for him, always narrowly missing in the final moment, only to attack again. He longed to wake up but was trapped in this cycle of terror. Occasionally, he became aware he was dreaming, yet at times, he was hopelessly submerged in the nightmare, feeling an overwhelming dread of the looming, unknown beast. At one point, he saw Valentina’s image behind the creatures, desperately wanting to scream for her to run, to save herself, but his voice was trapped in his throat. She just stared ahead, motionless, as the creatures, shrouded in a halo of hatred, seemed to yearn to attack her, yet they hesitated, as if in terror of the child, circling like scolded puppies with their tails between their legs.

Mark awoke drenched in sweat. Not bothering to check the time, he guessed it was already dark outside. He felt drained, not physically, but his soul felt wounded from the suicidal mission inside the asteroid. No physical scars marked his resilient body, but his spirit bore deep, unseen wounds. The enemies inside were not just unknown; they were unpredictable. Even his skills had been inadequate against them. He shouldn’t be alive, he thought, his survival a cruel gift of fate, delivered by the Russian. The Captain didn’t care to know what Andrey had been doing there. His mind was no longer on the petty games between agencies. Mark had witnessed a new world, alien, frightening, terrifying. This should be the new common enemy, he mused. Everything else seemed trivial, and he prayed for the destruction of that alien world.

Rising, Mark went to the bathroom to wash away the pain the memories brought. He hadn’t eaten in a while, yet he felt no real hunger, just a dull ache in his stomach. Still, he decided to seek out something to eat in the kitchen, regardless of the late hour. He found some leftovers in the fridge, eating them cold and quickly, then stepped back outside into the cold night air. He inhaled the fresh air deeply and headed to the kitchen for a late-night snack.

He remembered to check on Andrey, unsure of his whereabouts or whether he was even being fed. It wasn’t fair how General Patterson had reacted to Andrey’s unauthorized entry into the asteroid. Mark didn’t see how he could be a threat, guessing they wanted information from the lieutenant about what was inside, again at the cost of suicidal actions.

Dressed, he stepped outside, where the cold night wind sliced through him. Unfazed, Mark breathed in the crisp air and headed for the kitchen to find a bite to eat despite the late hour. He found some leftover food in the fridge, didn’t bother to heat it, and quickly finished eating. Then stepped out again into the night, wondering whether to return to his bungalow, his personal jungle. Mark felt the rubber toy in his pocket and decided against it, opting instead for a walk around the base compound.

He felt the emptiness; the civilian staff had been evacuated, and most of the prefabricated houses were empty. He wasn’t surprised that by tomorrow they would be filled with military personnel; General Patterson had shared his plans for an attack on the asteroid. Mark couldn’t wait to take revenge on those beings inside. He had already asked Patterson for permission to return.

Captain Davidson sat on the steps, lost in thought, unbothered by the biting cold. Professor Bernstein approached him.

“I can’t sleep either,” Bernstein initiated the conversation.

“I’d be surprised if anyone could, Professor.”

After a minute of awkward silence, the professor blurted out his question:

“Mark, what is it like... inside?”

The captain delved into recent memories, slowly grasping what he had witnessed. It seemed to take an eternity for him to focus enough to respond.

“Professor, I don’t think I can describe it in words... it’s... otherworldly. Alien, different, in parts beautiful, in parts terrifying... but alive, everywhere!”

Bernstein watched the captain intently, expecting more, but received no further answers to his questions. Amidst an eerie, silent interlude, the Professor broke the stillness.

“You know, Davidson, I’ve always dreamed of such an encounter, but now... now I wish it had never happened...”

Their conversation was abruptly severed by a piercing siren and a booming voice.

“Alert! Unknown objects are approaching the base!”

Davidson’s training kicked in, suppressing the initial jolt of panic. He swiftly drew his knife and sprinted towards the alarm’s source.

“What’s happening?” Davidson demanded, breathless, upon reaching the startled soldier.

“I think... they’re coming, sir!” the soldier stammered in response.

“Who are THEY?” Mark’s voice thundered. “What did you see?”

The base stirred to life, soldiers moving in seemingly chaotic yet purposeful patterns, each knowing exactly their role in the impending crisis.

“Damn it, soldier, tell me what you saw!” Davidson shook him roughly.

“The motion sensors triggered! Look, sir!” The guard handed him a night-vision binocular.

Peering through it, Davidson’s initial view revealed nothing, but a slight adjustment brought into view the source of the soldier’s panic, making Davidson’s legs nearly buckle. Regaining his composure, he grabbed the soldier’s radio and barked orders.

“This is Captain Davidson, hold your fire, I repeat, hold your fire on the objects. I need a team at the gate, the rest secure the perimeter. We can’t afford surprises, keep an eye out for more of them, your lives depend on it!”

General Patterson, unusually accompanied by Bernstein and his security detail, arrived breathless.

“What’s the situation, Davidson?” Patterson asked groggily.

“I don’t think it’s an attack, Sir,” Davidson replied sternly, meeting his superior’s gaze.

“Then what in the hell is going on?”

“I’ll try to to bring them in, see for yourself,” Davidson said cryptically, handing Patterson the binoculars before he could comment or issue an order, and dashed towards the base’s portal.

As Davidson reached the entrance, a squad of commandos awaited him. He quickly geared up and prepared to confront the approaching unknown.

“Davidson, I forbid you to leave the base, it could be a trap!” Patterson’s voice crackled through the radio.

But Davidson and his squad had already left the base. The soldiers looked to their captain, having heard the general’s command.

“We proceed, men!” Davidson declared after turning off the radio. “To hell with the general. We meet them, eliminate them, and return!”

The soldiers hesitated, torn between conflicting orders, but ultimately chose to stand by their captain.

Approaching the objects cautiously, the squad remained vigilant. A few hundred meters in, they saw them with their bare eyes, illuminated by powerful flashlights. The sight that had triggered the alarm now lay bare before them.

Davidson, no longer relying on electronics, confirmed the sight. Two figures, an adult and a child, hand in hand, approached them. The child, leading the way, held a strange staff in the other hand, metallic and adorned with bizarre engravings.

“What in the world are these?” Davidson heard the soldiers’ whispers.

Davidson, even in the darkness, had no doubts about the child’s identity. At first, he couldn’t recognize the adult due to the metallic protrusions and the open chest cavity. He halted a few meters away from the odd pair and realized, with a shock, the remnants of Dr. Chu.

In a tense standoff, soldiers cautiously encircled the two figures from a safe distance, no one daring to risk an approach. Davidson, however, boldly stepped forward, noting that neither of them carried the bizarre arm-mounted weapons like the “transformed” ones in the asteroid.

“Val? Dr. Chu? How did you escape?” Davidson whispered, unsure if they could hear him.

His teeth were clenched so tightly in tension, they threatened to shatter. He braced for an assault.

Dr. Chu tried to respond, but only a moan escaped her lips before she fell silent again, staring vacantly into space. Val met Davidson’s gaze directly, nodding forward without a word, and continued leading Dr. Chu towards the base.

“Form an escort!” Davidson commanded the still baffled and frightened soldiers, wary of Dr. Chu’s altered appearance.

A revelation struck Davidson with overwhelming excitement. The child, Val, appeared unaltered, untouched by any invasive procedures. She was slightly dirty but otherwise normal.

“Val, how are you? Please talk to me,” Davidson implored again, sensing the futility of his request.

Davidson preempted the radio crackle with his report.

“General, we’re bringing them in... Prepare a room for them... and tell the mother. The child seems fine, no signs of alteration or deformation.”

A sigh of relief echoed from the other end.

“Understood, Captain. Be cautious, we’re waiting for you!”

The next few hundred meters to the base were among the most agonizing of Davidson’s career. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong, an unease gnawing at him from within. His hands itched for his knife, a craving for vengeance seeping into his consciousness. But the child looked okay... or was she still a child? His mind was too muddled to reach a definitive conclusion.

At the entrance, heavily armed soldiers and General Patterson awaited, watching from a distance, evidently distrusting what they saw.

“Take them to the lab, in the isolation cube!” Patterson ordered through the radio.

Davidson’s eyes, under the harsh light of the base’s floodlights, caught something unusual in Valentina’s hair. Strands of metallic threads intertwined with her long blond hair, small crystal beads reminiscent of the “plants” in the desolate city adorned her hair like a beautiful jewel.

Davidson, his throat dry, spoke again:

“Val, the General orders us to take you to a safe place, a glass room inside. You understand, right? Will you follow us there?”

Despite his deep-seated suspicion of the unexpected guests, Davidson couldn’t suppress the compassion in his voice when addressing the child, the small, fragile being haunting his memories. Valentina looked at him and nodded in understanding. Davidson began to harbor hope that maybe, just maybe, those on the asteroid had spared her from the horrors inflicted on the adults. He wondered if they had indeed escaped on their own. If so, were they being pursued?

“Everyone, to your posts!” Davidson commanded, regaining his authoritative tone.

“Be on high alert. Let’s hope we don’t have any more visitors tonight trying to reclaim the escapees!”

General Patterson looked at him in mild surprise but then seemed to grasp Davidson’s idea and nodded in approval.

“Quick, hide them from view, we don’t know who might be watching!” Davidson scanned the entrance to the research center carefully.

In the lab, the isolation chamber stood cleared, its four walls of thick, fireproof, bulletproof glass like a fortress capable of containing even an elephant. The unexpected guests were herded inside and locked away, their fear palpable in the empty chamber.

“These are living people, get beds, chairs, and a table in there immediately. They won’t just stand upright inside,” commanded Captain Davidson, prompting several soldiers and scientists to scurry to fulfill his orders.

Soon, the midnight visitors were reintroduced into the chamber, now furnished, and locked behind the armored glass.

“Everyone out, except the scientists and guards!” bellowed General Patterson, who had just entered the lab.

“You stay,” Mark heard, understanding it was directed at him.

Moments later, Professor Bernstein burst into the room, disheveled but with a gleam of unquenchable scientific curiosity in his eyes. His gaze fixed on the child, he murmured:

“Sir, I believe these two pose no threat to us,” Davidson decided to be forthright.

“What makes you think so?” Patterson raised an eyebrow.

“I’m not certain, Sir. My theory is they’re fugitives. Don’t ask how or why, but we must double the guard to prevent them from being reclaimed.”

“Expecting an attack?” Patterson bit his lip.

“It’s hard to say,” Davidson admitted, bowing his head.

“Alright, keep calm, I understand the complexity here. No need for prophecies. What about you, Professor?” Patterson turned to Bernstein.

Bernstein, entranced by the child assisting Dr. Chu to the bed, barely registered the General’s words.

Suddenly, the medical team burst in, summoned by Patterson, who wondered if the guests needed assistance.

“Examine them!” he ordered.

Noticing the doctors’ hesitation, he added firmly:

“Now!”

The doctors donned their protective gear more out of fear than conviction, then were allowed inside. Initially wary of Dr. Chu’s altered appearance, they first approached Valentina.

Mistake! The child shook her head and pointed her staff at them, its tip transforming into multiple blades with a soft click.

“Incredible!” exclaimed Bernstein.

The doctors looked fearfully at Patterson, who nodded towards Dr. Chu, and they cautiously approached her under the child’s watchful eye. The staff reverted to its original form.

“Remarkable!” Bernstein uttered in awe.

“Bernstein, you haven’t said a sensible word since you got here!” Patterson scowled.

“Sorry, General, I’m just astounded by what’s before us.”

“And what is that?”

“Brace yourselves!” Bernstein said enigmatically.

Patterson looked irritated.

“I believe Jana might be right. They seem to be attempting to manipulate human genes to merge with theirs. Most attempts obviously fail!” he pointed to the gasping Dr. Chu.

“But the child, the child... might it be the first successful subject?” Bernstein pondered aloud.

“Professor, your imagination is running wild. Pure speculation, enough of this!” Patterson retorted.

“Sir, when will we tell the mother? Shouldn’t she know?” Davidson interjected.

Patterson looked annoyed, then after a pause said:

“Captain, can you guarantee that this child is the real one? Do you really think we can let her wander the streets with her mother? Tell me?”

Davidson looked down guiltily, unsure.

“How will you prove the child isn’t a danger?” Patterson’s cold eyes bore into him. “Maybe that’s what they’re counting on, a spy in our midst. Until we understand these beings, I won’t allow the child out, am I clear?”

“Yes, Sir!” Davidson mumbled.

“Patterson, she at least has the right to see her in the isolator, don’t be so cruel, damn it!” Bernstein interjected conciliatorily.

General Patterson sat in contemplation, sinking into a chair in the corner, his head cradled in his hands. His thoughts wandered to when he had ceased to be just a man – did being a soldier mean being less human? After all, he had sacrificed many to save the little girl, yet now, he found no joy in her presence. She was changed, inexplicably different, and nothing seemed the same. He pondered the unknowns fate would yet reveal. Finally, he sighed and softly said:

“Alright, bring Dr. Petroff here to meet the child.” then added:

“Bernstein! Prepare her for what she’s about to see; I don’t want her dying of shock. Also, tell her they won’t be together for a while, until the research is complete. Is that clear?”

“Yes, General!” Professor Bernstein replied, his smile wide as he dashed out on his mission.

Patterson turned to Captain Davidson with a weary gaze.

“Come, sit down, Captain. You’ve done well. Those fools would probably have shot them before we knew anything. Frankly, I might have given that order. By the way, Captain, didn’t you hear my order to return to base?” he smirked through clenched teeth.

“Of course, I didn’t hear it, Sir! My radio must have malfunctioned for a moment,” Davidson replied, matching the smirk. “What other answer can I give, right?”

“I thought as much! Nevertheless, good job. Now we have two captives from their kind. Hopefully, we’ll learn more.”

“Yes, Sir!” Davidson replied dryly, pondering what this “understanding” entailed.

Meanwhile, doctors inside the lab bustled around Dr. Chu. She was adorned with various sensors and devices, blood and other samples taken. She only groaned softly, not from the medical manipulations but from something deeper. The doctors eventually deemed they could do no more and hurriedly left the isolation chamber. Patterson nodded at them not to disturb the child for now.

“Her vitals are odd, Sir, but she’s alive. Heartbeat extremely weak, as if fading, then suddenly strengthening – not human. No brain activity, yet she moves. I can’t commit to how long she’ll survive like this. The connection with the child is peculiar; she constantly looks at her. If we move her head, her gaze becomes vacant.”

“Agreed, everything is strange, but please conduct all the research you can. The more we know, the better prepared we’ll be for future encounters,” Patterson urged.

“And the child, Sir? When can we examine her?”

“I don’t know. We’ll try to gain her trust first, but for now, leave her be,” the General quickly decided.

At that moment, Jana burst into the room running. Clad in a pijama with a jacket thrown over, her hair disheveled and eyes puffy from tears, she had the fierce look of a lioness ready to tear through anything to save her cub.

“Val, my treasure, my sweet!” she repeated, sobbing, kneeling and pressing her hands against the glass of the isolation chamber, still struggling to believe this was real.

“My child, my precious little one, mom will never leave you, never let you be far away again!”

The eyes of everyone in the room filled with tears. No one could remain indifferent to the sight of a mother reunited with her child.

“Let me in, let me in now!” Jana started banging furiously on the glass. “How does this thing open? I need to get in there!” she screamed.

General Patterson couldn’t stand it any longer and nodded at the soldiers, who were ready to pull Jana away. They allowed her into the isolation chamber, and she leapt to her daughter.

“My sunshine, are you okay?” she asked tenderly, embracing her gently.

The child wrapped her arms around her mother, still clutching the staff.

“Are you hurt, my treasure?” Jana stroked her hair

Then noticed the changed texture and the strange crystal elements..

“What have those monsters done to you?” she exclaimed in dismay.

The child looked at her mother and gently touched her cheek with her free hand.

“Mommy!” she said brokenly, gazing deeply into her eyes.

“Yes, yes! Mommy’s here, holding you, and I’ll never leave you again, never!” - she shouted afterward:

“Give her the medicine right away; she’ll die without it!”

“Calm down, Doctor Petroff, I don’t think she needs them anymore! - the professor reassured her but with an uncertain voice. ”

At this moment, Dr. Chu began to gasp heavily. The monitors showed a rapid heartbeat and, most intriguingly, active brain activity.

“General, something’s happening!” the doctor outside shouted, frantically pressing buttons on the machinery.

All eyes turned to the stirring captive.

“Must... tell...!” Chu gasped.

Everyone, including the General, moved closer to hear her clearer and saw her gaze had cleared, and she was looking directly at them.

“Protect her... the child...!” the deformed scientist gasped out. “Only she... can save...”

Then stopped.

“Save what, Chu? Save whom?” General Patterson asked nervously, almost shouting.

With no voice left, the scientist whispered:

“Everyone... humanity!”

She collapsed, and without needing to look at the monitors, everyone knew she had passed away.

***

A sense of apprehension filled the air! The different was dangerous! Fear! The Other One should have been with them. More fear! She was gone. The garden was sad without her! They heard her! They wanted her, but did they really? The awakening began. Soon, they would become the true Gardeners!