Astronomicon 1: Inception Point (Finished)

38 - Eyes

Easing off the accelerator a little, Chris turned to see Melissa doubled over and shivering vigorously. She had drawn her knees up almost to her face and she remained silent.

"Is she cold?" he asked, returning his attention to the ascending terrain ahead.

"I don't think so. She shouldn't be any colder than the rest of us."

"Just try to keep her calm and warm. We'll be back at the Elysian soon."

"I think we need to do something before then, Chris. A few seconds ago, she convulsed three or four times. I think she's in a lot of pain."

"Pain from what? Is she injured?"

"I don't think so, but maybe she's got something internal going on? She could have hidden it from us after the crash?"

"Seems like all the more reason to get her to help sooner," he replied.

"If she keeps convulsing like that, I don't know if I can keep her in the seat. Her seatbelt's the only thing holding her in!"

"What the hell is wrong with her?"

"She's off again," Kate squealed. "She's just got to be in pain!"

Chris reluctantly stopped the buggy and spun around in his seat to see if he could help. Melissa was doubled over in apparent agony to a degree that bordered on unnatural, then she arched her back at terrifying speed and threw her shoulders back hard against the seat. The impact bounced the metal frame behind the plastic and knocked her hood off.

Kate tried in vain to hold Melissa's shoulders as she threw her head back and screeched, generating a shrill, rasping noise that did not even sound human. Her arms spasmed, flung outwards by the force, and her left arm smashed into Kate, knocking her back into her own seat. As Melissa's arms spasmed again, Kate brought her arms up to protect herself.

Chris threw off his seatbelt and jumped off the buggy. The other buggies had stopped close behind his and Lucy was climbing down from her buggy too. He moved alongside Melissa's seat but did not know what to do. She was flinging her arms around and kicking her legs out with such force and speed that he did not know how he could restrict her movement without being injured himself. Her seatbelt strained as she convulsed one way and then the other but held her in place.

"Kate, get out your side. You're going to get hurt if you stay there."

Kate complied immediately, continuing to shield herself against Melissa's spasming arm.

"What's going on with her?" demanded Lucy as she arrived beside Chris.

He ducked backwards to avoid Melissa's gloved hand. "This just suddenly started. We won't know what's wrong with her."

"No warning?" pushed Lucy.

"Well, she's been off her food for a day or two, but this?" he replied.

"And she's been really grumpy," Kate added.

"What was she doing before this began?" Lucy asked.

"I thought she was asleep," Kate replied, "Then she suddenly crunched over as though she was having bad cramps."

"Could it be something she's eaten?" Lucy suggested.

"Could she have been poisoned?!" asked Chris.

"Is that possible?" asked Lucy.

"The medical supplies back at the Command Module landed all over the place. Anyone could have taken anything before we set off on foot."

"Why would anyone poison anyone?" Kate looked at them like they were mad.

"I just... just don't know what else would cause this," Chris replied, regretting his previous suggestion and trying to avoid the topic.

"Could it be something in the atmosphere?" Lucy asked.

"No-one else seems to be affected, at all," said Chris, shaking his head. "We've all been breathing the same air."

Melissa sat up again, but then seemed to relax back into her seat. Her chest heaved gently as though she was out of breath, but she did not move otherwise. Chris did not want to assume that the spasms were over, but she looked peaceful again, although she kept her eyes tightly shut.

"Is she asleep now?" asked Kate.

"Is she even still breathing?" asked Lucy.

"Looks like it," said Chris.

"I think we should wake her up," said Kate. "Maybe she can tell us what's wrong?"

"And I think we should just climb back into the buggies and get home as fast as we can. Probably best if you ride up front with me, Kate."

"Chris, look at her eyes," Lucy murmured as though she did not want to be overheard.

"What?"

"She's opened her eyes."

Melissa still sat motionless, but now she had her eyes open and stared straight ahead. He realised there was no way to tell where she was looking as her pupils and irises appeared to be gone. For a moment, he wondered if her eyeballs had actually rolled so far upwards as to show nothing but the whites, but what he could see was not white.

He leaned closer and raised his arms, ready to protect himself in case the convulsions returned but she did not move. Her eyeballs were a pale-brown colour, and no longer looked smooth and shiny like healthy eyeballs should. The texture looked more like fine leather and completely dry.

"Chris," said Lucy, at a more normal volume. "What on Earth has happened to her eyes?"