Eternal Winter

Lance slowly stood, Angela’s arm falling to the ground. He turned and looked to his right. There were bodies lying on the ground.

“No, please, no! I- I’m begging you!” A voice came from further to his right. He turned, to where Kalden and the last raider were. The raider was on the ground, on his back, disarmed. He was trying to push himself away from Kalden, who was slowly advancing. Kalden stepped up beside him and raised his foot. Lance looked away as his foot came down with a crunch. Kalden walked to Lance and Angela, one of his footprints trailing red. Lance straightened and turned around towards Anubis. He stepped up to him.

“This is all your fault,” Anubis spat at Lance, his chest heaving. Lance took a deep breath, before turning around and walking back to the bodies. There, he picked up a pistol. He turned back around and walked back to Anubis. He ejected the magazine, checking to see if it was loaded, then pushed it back in. He leveled the pistol at Anubis’s head. His hand was around the handle, finger teasing the trigger. He was ready to finish this, and end this monster! Kill the monster who murdered both his lovers. End the monster who haunted his nightmares. His finger tensed and he braced against the gunshot. Ready for-

“Why are you doing this?” A small voice said.

“W-what? Who said that?” Lance asked, turning around. He glanced around the white landscape, trying to find the source.

“Why are you doing this?” It said again. A woman came walking from around the side of the bunker. She was beautiful. Her hourglass shape-body swayed with the wind. Her long brown hair flowed down her shoulders, Her light grayish-blueish eyes looked into his eyes. Everything came back, peace and happiness. The world around him faded away as all he focused on was Liza. Lance sighed.

“I have to do it, Liza.”

“Why?” She asked, gently tilting her head.

“He killed you, he took you away from-” Lance choked up, and Liza just smiled at him.

“You would rather pursue my killer to get blood on your hands and become the very thing you fight against than hold the peace of heart?” She asked.

“What else would you expect from me?” He asked with a faint smile. She laughed and put a hand on his shoulder. He put his hand on top of hers, not caring that he couldn’t feel it.

“Don’t ruin yourself just for me Lance. Learn to move on. Save who you can save, don’t kill past ghosts,” Liza sighed. “You need to let me go.”

“But I can’t! I can’t let you go!” Lance cried. “I-i’m afraid.”

“Lance. Don’t be afraid. Go, save her.” She smiled at him, “I’m proud, Lance.” Liza faded as Lance tried to hang on, and he found himself back, looking down on Anubis. Lance gritted his teeth.

“You may be a pathetic lunatic, but I’m not you. I’m no monster.” Lance turned and stepped toward the mask in the snow, kicking it towards Anubis who weakly grabbed it and put it back on. Anubis lay in the snow, shifting but weak. Lance stepped back to Angela and fell to her side. Kalden followed him.

“Is she…?” Lance began.

“[No,]” Kalden said. “[She is still alive… barely.]”

“What?” Lance said under his breath. “Then- then we have to get her back to the bunker!” He reached down but struggled to lift Angela. Kalden put his hand on Lance’s shoulder and pushed him away, reaching down and lifting Angela gently in his arms.

“[She is losing blood. We have to move.]” Kalden said. They moved as quickly as possible, rushing out of the compound and back into the city. As they approached the fallen skyscraper, Kalden whirred and glanced at Lance.

“[Lance? I don’t understand. What happened to that man? The one with the skull mask?]” Lance looks at Kalden and raises an eyebrow.

“Anubis? That was his name.”

“[Anubis.]” Kalden repeated in Lance’s voice. “[Why did you not kill him?]”

“‘Save who you can save, don’t kill past ghosts.’” Lance quoted. Kalden looked down, looked up, then looked back at Lance with a beep.

“[What?]” Lance sighed at Kalden’s answer.

“You shouldn’t kill everyone. Leave the past in the past, where it belongs. That’s what she would have wanted.” Lance said sadly, looking to the ground. Kalden looked forward, vibrating softly as they reached the fallen building.

The three of them trudged through the snow, Angela limp in Kalden’s arms.

“[She is dying. We are quickly running out of time.]” He said, looking down at Angela.

“Pick up the pace! We’re almost there!” Lance scoffed as they crested a hill, bringing Lance’s old rusted truck into view. Kalden glanced at it as they passed, and stopped as Lance punched in the code for the door. With a hiss, Lance yanked the door open, spilling snow into the airlock. They stepped inside as Lance began the cycling process. Kalden gently set Angela down on the bench, standing up straighter. His panels were covered in snow, and his arms had a small amount of ice in them, mingling with dried blood, and Lance didn’t look much better. With a click, the door unlocked. Lance stepped up and grabbed the handle, pushing it open into his workshop. He quickly ran through to his workbench, swiping away the unimportant stuff onto the floor. Kalden entered with Angela, walking to the table and setting her down.

“Welcome back, sir,” Hyrum said over the intercom.

“Not now, Hyrum,” Lance quickly responded as he looked around until he saw a cabinet with a green cross on it. He rushed forward, flinging it open and pulling out medical supplies. He pulled out a plastic bag attached to an IV, then half turned around.

“Kalden! Get her on this!.” He said as he tossed the bag. Kalden caught it with one hand and set it on the table as he worked to get Angela out of the radiation suit. As Lance grabbed the materials she needed, he rushed back over to see Kalden pulling the cap to the needle and inserting an IV into Angela’s arm. She was unconscious, her radiation suit was leaning against a wall. Kalden reached up and used one of the hooks on the ceiling to keep the bag in place, beginning the drip.

“Hyrum, monitor her heartbeat. Put it up on the board,” Lance said, pointing at the board as her heartbeat appeared. He snapped at Kalden. “Turn her on her side.” Kalden did so and firmly held her in place as Lance glanced around. He spied what he was looking for, a small metallic box about the size of a small laptop, with two latches on it. He swung it over, flicking open the latches. Inside was a small cylindrical machine that was similar to a can of spray paint. He pulled it out and looked down to inspect Angela’s wound. He peeled away her shirt from her stomach, then held the end of the tube sticking out of the can near the wound. He pushed down a button and a bluish liquid sprayed out. It coated the sensitive tissue, frost forming around it, sealing it up. Kalden cocked his head as Lance handed the bottle to him. Kalden moved around the table to Angela’s back and repeated the process. He set down the cylinder and they settled Angela back down. Lance grabbed a shot from the container and flicked off the cap. In a quick motion, he injected the skin around the wound, setting aside the empty syringe. Lance glanced up at the vitals and felt a spike of alarm. The heartbeat was below safe levels and was abnormal.

“Angela? Angela!” He yelled, shaking her. “Kalden, take her off the drip!” Kalden reached up and twisted the knob to turn it off as Lance shook Angela.

“Come on, come on, Angela!” Lance’s shaking slowed as he put his head in his arms. He cupped the side of her face. “C’mon Angela. Come back to us.” No response. She was still limp on the table. Lance gazed at her, leaning close to her. His lips brushed hers as-

Bam!

Lance stumbled back as the force of the slap sent him sideways. He looked up at Angela as she groaned and sat up unsteadily. She blinked her eyes as she smiled at him.

“Wha-?” Lance looked at the vital signs, which were still abnormal. “Why is it-?” Kalden looked behind him at the board as they glitched and stuttered.

“[The equipment must have malfunctioned.]” Kalden said. He turned back around as Lance rushed forward and embraced Angela. Kalden turned back around and tilted his head at them.

“Ow! Ow! I just got shot, Lance!” Angela yelped as she laughed. Lance pulled away as he helped her off the table.

“You have no idea how happy I am that you’re alright,” Lance said. He stared at her, amazed. Angela smiled at him.

“Lance… Thank you. For coming back for me.”

“Always Angela,” Lance said.

“Always.”