Assimilation: a short story [English only]

 

Part I: Capture

You keep running. All of you. The only thing you can only think about is escaping from your haunters. They are determined to catch you. All of you. They behave in a way none of you have ever seen before. For sure they're still human, but there's something in them...

Everything changed when the Hive got released into the city. Now it has taken complete control of it, barely finding resistance. And those who have fallen under its influence now chase those who don't, as if their lives depended on that task.

The truth is... It actually does.

You don't know anything about the Hive. Anything but the fact that it just tries to expand, no matter the cost. And you and your friends are now paying the consequences. You don't know anything about it. You only fear it. You don't care trying to understand it, or learn from it.

And that is precisely your mistake.

You are about to reach a parking area, where you hope to find your friend Matt's van soon enough to be able to escape. You're all exhausted, struggling to keep going. While fatigue consumes you, fear drives you mad.

Suddenly, you find yourself in a predicament. At this rate, you will all be caught in no time. You've almost reached the van, but they are so close, and they are so many...

There's a small chance some of you could escape, but it would come at a high cost.

You make your decision. One of you must stay behind to block the parking door, giving enough time to the others to escape. And it will be you.

Your friends cry for you as they run away, leaving you behind. You use all your strength to hold the door, determined to make a stand.

You know they will miss you. They start the van, crying, looking at you.

Keep it... Hold on... Just a bit more... Those are the things you say to yourself while struggling.

Your friends begin to drive away. You try to stay still.

Eventually, they overpower you.

Five or six people immediately pounce on you. You start screaming, trying to resist, as they immobilize you, throwing you violently on the floor.

It hurts physically almost as much as emotionally. The loss of the people you love. The fear of what awaits you from now on.

They put a bag on your head and take you away from there. They've tied your hands and toes and drag you by the arms mercilessly.

You are determined to resist as much as you can. But it will all be in vain, you just don't know it yet.

 

 

Part II: Submission

You don't know where they have brought you. The bag covering your head is removed, and the first thing you see is how dark and isolated is the room you find yourself in.

But you're far from alone.

On your knees, you remain tied, with your hands on your back. Helpless, you are surrounded of those you and your friend use to call "the others". There are eight of them, just looking at you.

You immediately notice the intense brightness that emanes from their eyes. That purple bright reveals them as people who have fallen into the Hive's grasp. You don't know much about them, other that they are not capable of act voluntarily. Some kind of being controls them, in a way that is completely unknown to you.

There is also the symbol issue. They all wear a strange symbol painted on their foreheads, as if they were part of some kind of dangerous cult.

Actually, "dangerous" isn't even close to describe this one.

You look back at them, as if you were asking for an answer or some kind of explanation. None is given, though. Their faces are the most inexpressive ones you've seen in your young life.

What now? you ask to yourself, clearly afraid. What the hell comes now?

The answer doesn't take long to arrive. It does in the form of quite a big, terrifying creature. It resembles a black centipede. A meter-and-a-half-long centipede.

Your captors turn their eyes at that thing. You don't know what it is, but you want it as far from you as possible.

You can't move much, as even your toes remain tied up. You try to move away, knowing you won't get far before it catches you, before your captors' eyes.

And so it does. Of course it does.

Violently, it gazes upon your back. You scream as you struggle, trying to resist in vain. The last thing you see before it covers the upper half of your face, are those "others", looking again at you.

They have begun to smile.

Stop resisting, you're only hurting yourself, says a male voice, coming from one of them. You can't see anything anymore, as that creature has forced your eyes closed.

Fuck you! Fuck all of you!, you answer, yelling like a child, pretending to be brave.

They let you scream as much as you want. They don't even bother to gag you. They just tell you to stop, but let you struggle. They let you get tired.

It's pointless. Just give yourself to it, says another one of "the others", this time a female.

I'm now giving up. There's no fucking way I'm doing it!, you answer.

But your voice tone begins to reveal your true emotions, not the ones you're desperately trying to show, as an act of last stand.

Fear begins to take control.

You feel the centipede grabbing your head, your neck, your shoulders and your waist, clinging itself to you. As a last attempt to escape, you throw yourself to the ground, trying to hurt it.

It doesn't move an inch.

It is only now that you begin to assume your defeat.

It's pointless. Those words repeat in loop inside your head.

You can't see a thing. You feel cold, alone, helpless. You know there is only one end to this situation. You know that nobody is saving you from your fate now.

As you realize the fact that your life, as you know it, comes to an end, you begin to cry.

With the first tears, a soft needle penetrates your neck. Coming from the creature on your back, you feel some cold liquid going through your body. You can't see it, but the way it moves is clearly visible through your skin. You feel sensations you've never felt before.

Your mind clouds as the liquid flows. You start feeling away from reality. Each time further away.

A voice begins to speak inside you.

How does it feel?

It's a female, loud and extremely deep voice.

What?!, you ask to yourself, confused.

I can hear your thoughts. Now, relax. This will be over soon, little one.

You stop struggling as your strength leaves your body. You begin to feel tired, and a bit sleepy.

Now you will see how pathetic and pointless is resisting, the voice says.

You cannot move. The monster in your back continues to push more fluid inside your body.

It doesn't take long before it begins to take control of your brain.

No...No! It can't be..., you say.

Yes, it is, the voice answers. Your memories start fading away.

Once your judgement is totally erased, you will be completely mine.

Your mouth starts to dribble. You are finally unable to elaborate a single thought for yourself. Your mind is in full blank.

And finally, your will... breaks into pieces.

Good girl.

 

 

Part 3: Corruption

You are still lying on the cold floor. The centipede -assimilator- releases you, and leaves. Two other guys take off your bindings from you and set you free.

You remain there, though. Quiet. Silent. Finishing the process you've been through moments ago.

The others don't leave you. They're all there, watching you. They observe every little spasm you have, while that dark substance takes full control over your mind.

Finally, you open your eyes again.

Like you, they have changed too. There's a new unmistakable purple brightness on them.

You take your time to wake up. You feel calm, in peace with everything that surrounds you. Your mind has nothing to do with what it was two minutes ago.

You begin to get up, slowly. Your body doesn't hurt anymore. For an instant, you think you have forgotten who you are...

Until you realize that thought takes more than an instant.

Your memory is gone. You really don't know who you are.

Your emotional feelings are completely different too. Immediately, you find and unexplainable desire to find a purpose in order to fill the enormous void inside your mind.

How does it feel now?, the voice asks.

Your answer comes immediately.

Good. really good.

But you didn't say those words by yourself. Someone, or something, did. It takes you a few moments to realize, but the most important thing that has changed about you, is that now you live as an spectator of your own life.

Good girl, the voice says again.

Those words trigger a fleeting bolt of joy, without you being sure why. That joy, however, will soon become the tool of your blind obedience.

Welcome to your new life, little one. Here, you won't need to worry about anything anymore, the voice says. Wanna know why? From now on, I control every inch of your body and mind, and that means I decide what you feel and what you don't. What you do, and what you don't. That means I have the power to suppress every piece of suffering inside you. For I am your master now, and forever. You are now part of this enormous and glorious hive, and I am no other than its matrix. I am the Mother of the Hive.

Thanks, Mother.

You didn't say that, did you?

Well, you may think you didn't, but the reality is that you just have to get used to it. You actually did, and received another bolt of joy as a result.

I can sense you are beginning to like this, the Mother says.

Yes, I do.

A smile begins to appear on your face, as a girl in front of you draws on your forehead the same symbol she has on her own.

You feel better now, don't you, sister?, she says.

Thanks, sister.

You now look at each other, with your eyes full of purple brightness, smiling.

You can't figure out how to explain it, but the sensation of feeling as an spectator of your own body but having the ability to feel at the same time seems incomprehensible to you.

Don't bother to understand it now, the Mother commands. It's a matter of time your organism gets used to it.

Yes, Mother.

There's something you have to do now, toy.

What is it, Mother?.

Not long ago, before I gave you my blessing, you prevented four other people from taking it too. Those little weaklings would feel more than joyful to join us, don't you think?

Suddenly, your smile turns quite aggressive.

That's for sure, Mother.

They just don't know it yet. Go and show them the joys of my blessing. In time, thay will be thankful to you, who they knew as their friend.

You then remembered what those people used to mean to you. You can only access the pieces of memory the Mother wants, when She wants.

With pleasure, Mother, you say, as you walk outside the room.

You will find them and bring them before She, no matter the costs. You will use violence and intimidation for mercilessly achieving your goals. The Mother's goals. Because that's the ONLY thing that matters.

Her will is everyone's. You feel amused every time you think about finding those guys and showing them what you have become, and giving them the opportunity to join you in the Hive.

Never in your previous life, not even a second, you had felt the joy you are experiencing now.

No thought other than your command and the pleasure you experience goes through your mind.

You enjoy this more than I expected. Go now, my champion. Do my bidding and be ruthless. It's a matter of time that every single human becomes one with one another. Make them submit.

She rewards you with joy. She decides what you think and remember, and what not. She prevents you from experience any kind of suffering, pain and, of course, remorse.

You are completely submitted to Her will. And you feel freer than you could ever have imagined.

You don't think, you just do. Each time, you feel less like as an "spectator", and more like a fully conscious being without an inch of own will. That explains it a lot better.

You loved your friends, didn't you? Let's bring them some joy too, then. There's enough for everyone. You care for them, and you're giving them the best of cares you possibly could: blessed at your side, under the Mother's care.

Forever to give up their own will. As you did.