Fall of Man
A short horror story in which two hapless security officers watch as their outpost is gradually overtaken by a strange alien affliction. This piece was originally written for a science-fiction workshop early in my time at university, and still remains as my favorite bit of horror I’ve written.
Mature language and grisly imagery are used.
—
Snow battered the landscape in pristine white. Blizzards were common in this region, but one with snowfall and frigid temperatures of such magnitudes had never been recorded. Where the valley fell into a crater, there rested a large circular steel building, a neon Omega symbol on its roof flickering meagerly under the weather. The premier medical facility under the Lucky Lucy Interplanetary Discovery Corporation, and from the building, ascending the hill, came two shapes.
***
“Fuck it’s cold out here. This is a job for a synth, not a human! Dress ‘em up all nice’n warm in one’a these suits, they’d do just as well.”
“Quit your moaning, we’re almost at the coordinates.”
“Wait, already? I mean, you said the signal was close, but a distress call right on the rim?”
“Sometimes close isn’t close enough. Besides, this frequency is… exotic.”
“The fuck does that mean?”
“It’s not one of ours. The base pattern is the same, but there are variations in the finer details.”
“So it’s from another site?”
“Has to be. Technicians think Theta region.”
“Shit… that’s a ways away.”
“And in this blizzard. Shame they didn’t make it. One hundred meters, now.”
“Switchin’ to x-ray vision.”
“Source of the signal right here, under the snow… found a guy.”
“There’s... two’a ‘em.”
“Checking their Links... guy holding the beacon is gone, stone cold… hey, this one’s still alive! It’s a human, female.”
“Snap a heat infusion on the girl quick’n let’s bring ‘em back. Omega? It’s Gordon. We got a live one, female. We think from Theta region.”
***
“Hey, her Link pattern is pickin’ up. She’s finally awake.”
“Good, send for a doctor. Link data is pretty nominal, but it never hurts to get a scan in.”
“One’s already on his way. Went right as the signals went up.”
“Good.”
“Two days unconscious… I was beginnin’ to think she was never wakin’ up.”
“She seems no worse for wear.”
***
“They still talkin’ to her?”
“Yep. Probably got a lot of questions.”
“Don’t you think it’s weird how they’re puttin’ so much priority on this girl?”
“No, not really. I mean, she came all the way here from Theta. Not a common event.”
“Yeah, but still, she’s just a chick.”
“Well, maybe they hope to get some anecdotes about Theta or something. You said it yourself: it’s quite a ways away.”
“Just seems weird to me. I’m gonna try‘n look into Theta.”
***
“How goes the search?”
“Nothin’.”
“Really?”
“Well, when I search through the public webpage, I get the corporate buzzword description - Theta’s got top scientific minds, largest mining division, et cetra cetra - but then I use my clearance to search the intranet’n I’m locked out.”
“Do you have proper clearance?”
“Maximum. I’m the fuckin’ Archivist.”
“I know you are… That’s weird.”
“I called up the docs responsible for her. They called Theta when they brought her in. Apparently they were told to take utmost care of her ‘n ‘watch over her for ‘em.’”
“That’s… something.”
***
“You hear the stories about the girl?”
“Sort of. Some of the guys were talking about her.”
“I was goin’ over her Link data and her audio files. She’s… somethin’, alright.”
“How do you mean?”
“Well, her first thought when she woke up was that she wasn’t bein’ restrained to her bed.”
“Why would we restrain her?”
“She thinks she’s dangerous. She wants us to fear her.”
“Why in the world would we?”
“She has a ‘monster inside her.’”
“What?”
“That’s what she told the doc that got her when she got up.”
“...did she clarify that at all?”
“I don’t know, that’s just what she said. Doc said she had a clean bill’a health’n she was safe with us, but she just told him that ‘we weren’t safe with her.’”
“Well, that’s disturbing.”
“Tell me about it.”
“Eve, right?”
“Yup.”
***
“Anything new on Eve? I’m hearing rumors.”
“Goin’ over audio logs. She won’t let ‘em replace her prosthetic leg.”
“Why not?”
“She’s pushin’ this monster thing, says that that should be top priority for us.”
“Still wanting to die?”
“By all accounts.”
“Jesus. Did she at least explain anything? Who she was, anything?”
“Apparently she worked at the Eclipse minin’ site out in Theta region with her team, her boyfriend among them, the one who died gettin’ her here.”
“Adam.”
“That his name? Anyway, she talked about how they got word of somethin’ near the main dig, told to go check it out. They followed the directions’n found this thin’ in a cave, an ‘obelisk,’ she called it. There were these funky markin’s on it, shapes, like hieroglyphics almost. Someone touched it or somethin’ ‘n some sort’a dust came out and slipped through a couple suits. It knocked ‘em out, so the rest brought ‘em back to the ship.”
“...that’s it?”
“Still goin’ over files.”
“Well, hurry up. Nothing interesting is going on on camera. She’s just… sitting there.”
“Goin’ as fast as I can.”
***
“Okay, cleared through like half a dozen files.”
“Anything new?”
“Apparently their crew slaughtered one another.”
“What? Why?”
“It was the obelisk lot. Went feral, all’a ‘em, started rippin’ out throats’n the like. And they breathed this gas, she said it looked like the dust from the obelisk. It like made them monsters or some shit.”
“Good God. But she’s not a monster?”
“She wasn’t there.”
“What?”
“She wasn’t at the obelisk. When she came in, she saw it, but somethin’… grabbed her or somethin’ ‘n dragged her down a tunnel. She called it a ‘devil,’ said it breathed this hot puff of gas in her face’n made this clickin’ noise before… she says it ‘kissed’ her.”
“...what?”
“It locked lips with her’n she went unconscious. She woke up shortly after back on the ship. Apparently she was right next to her friends. Then they headed back to their site.”
***
“Good God… Gordon, come check out this feed.”
“What, what is it?”
“Come here.”
“Fine… what the?”
“Gruesome.”
“Is that Eve?”
“Sure is.”
“She’s… fuck...”
“Poor Leonard.”
“Poor all of us. Get her in a cell!”
***
“She’s still pacing. I think shouting.”
“No audio?”
“Not with these cell cameras.”
“Hopefully the docs record their sessions with her at least. How’s she lookin’?”
“Still in bad shape. Eyes are looking redder. She’s still scratching at her arms.”
“Does she have any skin left on ‘em at this point?”
“Wanna see for yourself?”
“One look was enough, thank you.”
“She’s coughing up an orange liquid there… Do they know what’s wrong with her?”
“They don’t see anythin’ out’a the ordinary with her physiology.”
“How is that possible? They did a full scan?”
“They’ve scanned’n rescanned. She’s apparently healthy as ever.”
“How in the world? She’s clearly sick, how is she appearing healthy?”
“Not a damn clue.”
***
“Anything new on audio logs?”
“One of the docs, a psychiatrist, tried to reason with her, brought up her dead boyfriend’n the grief it must’a caused her.”
“And?”
“She says… actually, might be better if you took a listen… here’s the file.”
zzzXZzAdam?... Who- no… Adam is DEAD…. DEAD it wasn’t him he’s DEAD I hate him and he’s DEAD I FUCKING HATE HIMZZXzz
“Wow…”
“Feel free to look over the rest if you want while I head out. I’m gonna try’n see what’s goin’ wrong with the lockdown, why it’s not workin’.”
***
“Hey, any luck?”
“Nah, talked to some’a the maintenance guys, gave the system a lookover. Can’t tell what the problem is… Finished with the logs?”
“Yeah… you said it yourself: she’s something alright… but… it’s Adam.”
“What about him?”
“It showed that he clearly kept her alive, gave up his remaining heat for her. But she hates him? Who could he have been?”
“Dunno.”
“...well, what’d they do with his body?”
“I’ll try and send a pin’ to his Link… Ok… That’s screwy... Keeps blinkin’ in’n out’a the tech wing.”
“...is he there?”
“Why would he be?”
***
“Anything new on Eve?”
“She’s stopped makin’ sense. All she does is scream.”
“Did you get into the Theta archives yet?”
“No. I called their Archivist, but they thanked me for my ‘interest’ ‘n told me that there was no clearance error.”
“Did you tell him about Eve? This could be a matter of life and death for her, maybe us.”
“I sorta gave him the quick version, told him about her’n her… illness. He went quiet for a minute before repeatin’ that there was no error.”
“Not even employee information?”
“He said he ‘had no record of an Adam or an Eve’n that policy dictates that employee info can’t be shared regardless.’”
“Can’t it, though? Between branches, at least?”
“That’s what the handbook says.”
***
“She’s… she’s not moving.”
“What? Eve?”
“Eve. Check her Link data!”
“I’m lookin’ at it right now. She’s alive, but… her vitals are really low.”
“Well, send a doctor!”
“One’s on the way… You know what’s weird?”
“All of this situation.”
“That, but look, her eyes are open. ‘N they’re movin’, like she’s just sleepin’.”
***
“Holy... God!”
“What? What happened?”
“It’s Eve… she just threw something up… it’s like a big… moldy egg or something…”
“Let me see… Jesus… is it movin’?”
“Pulsing, looks like...”
“Christ, that thin’ is huge!”
“Ouhm, I’m gonna be sick…”
“‘N Eve’s just there on all fours, not movin’... ah for fuck’s sake Thomas!”
“...egh… sorry.”
***
“That’s not…”
“It was.”
“Christ alive.”
“Her body’s slowly been turning into that. What even is that on her? Have the doctors said anything?”
“Docs been goin’ on about somethin’ mutatin’ her, but they ain’t sayin’ too much. They sent in that synth, the one that took a sample’a that gas condensin’ in her cage, ‘n they compared it to whatever’s on her skin. Almost a perfect match.”
“Do they know what it is?”
“Whatever it is, it matches the egg too.”
***
“What’s going on? People are freaking out out there.”
“One’a the tech boys won’t stop screamin’. There, on the monitor.”
“...his eyes…”
“Like Eve, right?”
“Look at his skin!”
“I’m lookin’.”
“Has he been near Eve?”
“No, that’s the thin’. He hasn’t left the workshop.”
“How in the hell…”
“He was tendin’ to the synth that took the samples. Traces’a the gas that egg’s givin’ off was found on the synth’s coat.”
“This thing, whatever she is, she’s dangerous. Try contacting Corporate.”
“Been on hold for- Hello? Hey, this is Gordon, Archivist for Omega Branch… Yeah, we have a medical patient in real bad shape, beyond our capability. She’s… Well, there’s a lot goin’ on with her. She’s a Theta miner… Eve Fuller… Look, this is an emergency, class green… You- who informed you?... But who?... No it is not under control, this is class green maximum… Hello?”
***
“We’re so fucked.”
“How can no channels be open?”
“I don’t fuckin’ know! We’re on a whole communication blackout! But the cameras still work?”
“Cameras, audio modes, all Link connections, everything that isn’t made for communication… outside the station…”
***
“Good God!”
“What’s up? Is it the screamin’ tech guy?”
“The ‘screaming tech guy’ just broke free!”
“What? Lemme see… oh shit, the docs!”
“...just tore them open…”
“What’s that he’s doin’ now?”
“He’s… just standing over that one…”
“Bloody terrifyin’. That screamin’s a horrible sound…”
“...wait, the guy’s getting back up!”
“You shittin’ me?”
“No, he’s up! And… his eyes… his skin…”
***
“How many is that now?”
“At least half the station.”
“My God…”
“The western wing is just a bloodbath…”
“What the hell is happening?”
“Thomas, add my chair to the barricade. Yours too.”
***
“I’m sure, mate.”
“But the halls-”
“I’ve reworked the ventilation. Those... spore thin’s aren’t gettin’ in here.”
“Hopefully the barricade holds and those things don’t get in either.”
“...Thomas?”
“Gordon?”
“Eve’s gone. I can’t locate her Link signal anymore.”
***
“That’s not-”
“It’s her.”
“How in the…”
“Christ alive.”
***
“We need to run for it. Put on your suit.”
“Are you out of your mind?”
“What choice is there? We rot in here or we make for the hangar.”
“How do we know they’re not in the hangar?”
“...feed’s right there, empty. Not gettin’ any Link pings. We’re clear for now.”
“Jesus…”
“Thomas, hang on… hang on man. We’ll get through this.”
“Oh God....”
“You ready, pal?”
“...I… I’m ready…”
“Okay, on three. One… Two… Three.”
“GO!”
“GET OFF YOU BASTARDS!”
“GORDON?”
“BEHIND YOU GO!”
“ohgodohgodohgodohgod”
“GO RIGHT”
“...holymarymotherofgodprayforussinnersnow…”
“QUICK! TO THE- OH FUCK!”
“...oh god no...”
“GET AWAY FROM THERE YOU BIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAGH!”
“GORDON! oh god oh no please nogodnnNOAAAAAAAA-”
***
Snow passed gently through the broken shards of window still clung to the pane, passing through the clouds of smoke and spore, settling to mask gory remnants in mounds of white. Walls had been washed in red, the stench of fresh blood never lifting. A miasma of dust and strangled screams lingered in the air. The din was only altered by the sound of the lowering aircraft. All the shambling bodies turned to it then.
All of them screamed a cruel chorus, ragged and implacable.