The End to Come - Page 7 3D Render, Digital Artwork by emarukk

! REPORT

The End to Come - Page 7

3D Render by emarukk

Yet, Olivia paid no heed to the Verdantia, ignoring the ominous signals of its crumbling structure. Verdantia lamented and howled in its death throes, its cries echoing like a mournful symphony through the air. Despite this eerie cacophony, Olivia thrashed violently in the firm grip of a stranger, desperately attempting to break free, even though escape seemed impossible. She mirrored her home, battling fiercely against the more powerful and overwhelming force.

"Let me go!" she snarled, her nails clawing desperately at the worn fiber plates of his suit, producing a grating sound in the tense air. Despite her frenzied attempts to free herself, he maintained his grip, neither tightening nor releasing, embodying an unyielding power that rendered her struggles futile. His arm was a silent, immovable, and resolute bastion against her feverish resistance. She lashed out with her feet, kicking wildly. Still, her efforts were in vain as her blows thudded ineffectually against the reinforced armor that easily absorbed each impact. "I'm not going with you! I won't be your salvage!" she cried, her voice a mix of defiance and desperation echoing in the room around them.

The patient stranger continued silently, a calm figure amidst the storm of Olivia's emotions, allowing her to vent her frustration and anger. His unyielding composure turned her panicked energy into something colder, more ominous. If he had reacted, shouted back, restrained her with force, and given her a tangible adversary, she could have clung to the conflict a bit longer, using it as a lifeline. Instead, he remained an unwavering presence, simply waiting, allowing her to exhaust herself, all the while holding her arm gently yet firmly, guiding her forward along an unyielding path. There was no escape. Her breath caught in her throat, and she froze, her muscles trembling with the effort of suppressing the growing dread that threatened to overwhelm her. They stopped for a moment when she was unable to walk. Olivia was shaking, and for a short moment, the stranger supported her with both hands. Despite the situation, his touch was gentle.

In her mind, Olivia felt like she was taken away like salvage, a discarded piece of debris plucked from a wreckage. The word "salvage" settled over her like a suffocating weight, pressing down on her chest and stealing her breath. The realization didn't come in a sudden, sharp burst of understanding; instead, it was a gradual, dreadful descent into awareness that began the moment she was informed of the status of the Verdantia. It was like slowly sinking in quicksand, with each passing second pulling her further into despair. The realization was cold, although it was not told to her. But Olivia knew she was no longer a citizen. She was no longer Olivia Dresden of Verdantia, the spirited girl who had once placed her faith in the Confederation's principles of order and fairness. She was no longer the girl with a defined place, a clear purpose, and a bright future ahead of her.

"No!" Olivia screamed in terror, her voice piercing the air as a chill ran like ice through her veins. She felt like a discarded object, a forgotten relic in a world that saw her as property, belonging to whoever stumbled upon her first. In this harsh reality, the one who found her could claim ownership and sell her into thralldom, a fate as grim as it sounded, all for their own gain. Unbeknownst to Olivia, the actual laws of salvage and thralldom were tangled in complexity and painted a far less flattering picture of the Confederation. Her understanding was shaped by the tales of fiction and the misleading narratives spun by propaganda, far removed from the truth.

Everyone was well-acquainted with the concept of thralls. These were former citizens condemned to a life of enforced servitude for a variety of reasons. On Verdantia station, thralls toiled on the expansive farms. Olivia had observed them, moving with quiet, unwavering obedience, performing the tasks that no free worker desired, typically straightforward duties like planting crops or altering the soil's composition. Yet, there were also thralls of considerable education, applying their specialized skills to various projects. Despite this, Olivia herself lacked advanced education or significant life experience. She was simply Olivia, harboring her dreams for the future, which decidedly did not include becoming a thrall. Until now, Olivia had never pondered the origins of thralls or the implications of their existence. But now, the thought consumed her, churning her stomach to the point where she felt she might be sick. How many of those she had seen were salvaged? What if they all were salvaged instead of being criminals and rebels? What if such a fate awaited her? Her insides twisted into knots, yet no relief came, just a silent cry of anguish.

It was sure that the stranger wasn't there to mount a rescue mission. Yet, the solitary man on a salvage operation didn't quite align with Olivia's envisioned idea of such a mission either. Then, a question slipped silently into Olivia's mind. Why had he come? A single salvaged girl could never compensate for the cost of his journey. Still, it might be better than nothing. Olivia's throat constricted, her pulse pounding relentlessly in her ears like a drumbeat. The stranger accelerated his pace as the station emitted another loud, ominous groan. Severed cables crackled and spat sparks into the air like fireworks. He adjusted and loosened his grip when Olivia ceased to resist. What was the point of resisting? He was stronger, undeniably so. He intended to take her, regardless of her wishes. And the station was crumbling, falling apart like a house of cards. She was out of options and backed into a corner. Gradually, she increased her pace to match the stranger's, her feet moving faster as they navigated the treacherous ground together.

PROFILE

Digital Drapery CoMon, Mar 24

Karma: 6,796

"A haunting and deeply immersive tale that explores the thin, brutal line between survival and captivity. Olivias struggle is visceral, her defiance like a dying ember in the vacuum of inevitability. The writing masterfully captures the weight of helplessness, the suffocating realization of being reduced to a commodity, and the slow erosion of resistance under the crushing grip of reality. Each moment pulses with tension, every step a reluctant march toward an uncertain fate. This isnt just a storyits a descent into the raw, unsettling truth of a world where rescue and possession are indistinguishable.

! REPORT

PROFILE

emarukk

Karma: 2,260

Mon, Mar 24

Thank you!