The Dragogators

By eNKay

©August 14, 2006

Prelude

If any of the people remembered their history, they would have known that the recent events were kindred to what had occurred during the Oceananean War, two hundred years ago.

The Oceananean War considered to be the end of all wars within the human race. Every man, woman or child on the planet was on one side of the war or the other; nobody was allowed on either side to remain neutral between the two economic powers. Both sides motto was "If you are not for us than you are against us," and they upheld their motto by publicly executing anyone who had chosen to remain neutral to their objective.

The war had been raging between the two monetary powers for over six years, and as a result over half the world's population of humans had died from afflictions received from fighting, public execution or diseases. Government scientists from both sides, since the beginning of the war, had the mission of create the ultimate genetic killing machine that their governments could use to annihilate their opponent to win the war. Therefore, they experimented by splicing together DNA from a multitude of animals and humans to accomplish their task. After what many scientists and government officials considered failed experiments, six years into the war the government scientists on both sides unleashed their successful mutant creations against each other in the utmost secrecy. Once these mutants were released both monetary powers held their breaths in hope that they would win this now battle of the mutant genetic killing machines , the only problems were, though the scientists were able to create them, they were not able to control them. Nor could either sides mutant army distinguish between friend, or foe and usually killed everything in their path, which was not the same species as themselves. Nevertheless, there was one exception- the animals that roamed the lands and water. The scientists believed that the mutants thought the animals were lesser creatures than they were and possibly only killed them as a food source. However, the scientists were only guessing because they could not find any conclusive evidence to support their theory.

It rapidly became apparent to both economic powers that the release and creation of the mutants were a mistake. The mutants killed any human on either side of the financial powers and if they economic powers allowed them to continue, it would mean the demise of the entire human race. Thus, both political powers grudgingly set aside their quest for world dominance, and teamed together to destroy the mutants. They devised a plan to lure both mutant armies' together, since each side had created a different species of mutant. All went as planned as the mutants attacked each other, the few remaining mutants, were methodically hunted down by the military's Special Forces units and destroyed. All but one unit came back from their mission to wipe out the mutants that unit was one of the ones sent to hunt down the Dragogators; the incident and the Dragogators along with the other mutants were quickly forgotten as both sides worked out their remaining political differences.

With both sides in political agreement, economists and sociologists met together from across the globe to debate whether it was feasible to rebuild the world as it once was before the war; most the modern technology had been wipe out as well as any modern building structures by the desecration of war. They all agreed that instead of trying to rebuild everything the way it was that humans for once should learn to live with the land and animals and not try to control it, and so they did. There would still be electricity powered by wind and water as well as vehicles and some machinery powered by electricity or other natural non-polluting means, but only on a needs basis; causing the average person to have to file a form to the government asking for their permission.

People began to live in small villages scattered throughout the lands and produced or traded for what they needed, by achieving this type of lifestyle change, there was peace and harmony in the world for the first time in history. Each village elected their own magistrate to act as counsel, the law, and governor as needed in the village. The magistrate's decisions were law and could only be over turn by a public vote. The few people who refused to abide by the magistrates laws, found themselves cast out by the villages into the wilderness to fend for themselves against the lesser mutants.

The only weapons that people might have carried were for hunting or fishing, and sometimes in defense from the lesser mutants that the scientists had released 200 years ago which roamed the thickened forests, lakes and oceans. The lesser mutants lived in the forests, lakes and oceans, which were very aggressive and often killed without provocation. Only the bravest of hunters hunted the small mutants for food. All that remained that the Dragogators had ever existed, where in stories about mythological creatures, but anyone who had lived 200 years ago, could have told the humans of modern times that the Dragogators were very real and very vicious.

Recently, over all the ocean lands a panic was ensuing, as there were methodical attacks in the dead of night on many villages. The nullification of some of these villages and their people by an unknown deadly amiable force; thus, causing people flee form the ocean side villages to the deeper inland villages for protection and safety.

Chapter 1

The Beginning

Kuska awoke to screams in the night, as she sat up in her bed, she could see fires blazing as some of the village buildings were burning to a cinder.

"Kuska!" her mother said as her parents burst into her room. Her father ran to her bed, picked her up and carried her rapidly out of the room, into the kitchen and down the stairs to the cellar.

"Father, what's happening?" Kuska asked in fright. Her father set her down on the dirt floor, as he wearily shook his head side to side.

"Kuska you need to hide. The village is under attack. Quickly now get in here," her mother said as she pointed to a small dug out alcove in the wall. "I think you'll just fit."

Kuska crawled over to the alcove and scrunch in, she had to keep her knees bent and could feel the cold ground against her back.

"But why, where are you going to hide?" Kuska asked concerned for her parents.

"Never mind you missy, you just stay here until we come and get you when it is safe. Promise me, YOU WILL stay there." Her father said sternly.

Kuska looked up at her mother for reassurance, but in the dim light, all she saw was a single glittering tear as it trickled down her mother's cheek.

"Yes, I promise." She said looking up at her father confused. Her parents bent down, kissed Kuska on the cheek, both whispering, "We love you," as they got up and placed some baskets of vegetables in front of Kuska to hide her from view, and hurried up the cellar stairs.

Kuska hearing their footsteps on the stairs quickly yelled out "I love you too!"

As the cellar door closed, darkness enveloped her, for the only light that had shone into the cellar was the one from the kitchen.

Even in the cellar, Kuska could her people shouting and the smell of fire burning permeated the damp air of the cellar, above her, she could hear the rupture of wood, and dishes breaking as the clunk of heavy footsteps thudding crossed the room towards the cellar door. Her heart pounded, she hoped her parents were safe, as she heard the cellar door splinter and saw the flicker of light like a flame cascade along the cellar walls. Kuska could hear a growling deep breath and the stairs creaking in protest from the weight of whatever was coming down the stairs.

"Please, please," she thought as her heart throbbing in terror, "don't find me."

Kuska held her breath, covering her ears and closed her eyes as she could hear baskets thrown aside, opening her eyes quickly when she felt a basket hit her thigh. Through a gap in the baskets, she could see a huge dark misshapen silhouette meandering back towards the stairs, while it released a deafening roar, of what she thought sounded like frustration, then stomped up the stairs and was gone.

Closing her eyes and breathing a sign of relief, "she was still safe so far," she thought until she saw the flickering of flames that engulfed the kitchen floor above her. "I'm going to be burned alive!" her thoughts screamed as she saw the flames had woven their way down the wooden stairs. She tried to calm down as the rancid smoke was causing her to choke and gag, then fear consumed her when she saw the burning kitchen floor collapse into the cellar.

Meanwhile, in villages not far away from Kuaka's, similar events were unfolding.

Jarac and his friend Zinnion were hiding down in Zinnion's cellar with their brothers and sisters. Jarac and Zinnion being the smallest and youngest of the children, had crept away from their siblings, and hid amongst some scraps of old sheet metal and produce that was stored for the coming winter, while their siblings sat huddled on the cellar floor listening to the screams that filtered thought the night air. The children cried out as the cellar was door ripped opened and large menacing figures rapidly rambled and thumped down the stairs towards them. They all tried to hide or run away from the large dreadful creatures as the monsters slashed at the children with their hands. Jarac and Zinnion watched silently in horror from their hiding spot as their siblings fell to the ground motionless one by one and carried away up the stairs by the shadowy monsters, too afraid to move.

A flash of light caused them both to look up quickly as the floor above them had burst into flames sending small fireballs into the cellar. They ducked under the sheet metal hoping it would protect them from the fire burning above them. The smoke from above drifted down into the cellar, the boys eyes watered; they struggled to breathe as the flames raged on until all that was left of the house was cinders.

Kuska, Jarac, and Zinnion awoke late in the afternoon to the shouts of rescue crews, feeling dazed, their bodies scolded by the fire and having difficulties breathing; they called out in rasping voices to get anyone's attention. That was all they remembered until waking up on a medic bus laying on a cot. The bus was three high and eight long full of cots, almost all the cots were full of people. There were at least three other medic buses over on the side.

Kuska was the first to awake, sat up and looked around, she noticed three other children about her own age laying in the cots closest to her and a badly burnt man who was moaning for his wife.

"Hello," said a voice behind her startling her back of to reality. Kuska turned to look to see Put a voice belonged to, "You would not know how to get any food around here would you? I'm famished."

Kuska grimaced as pain job through her body as she tried to turn to look directly at the Boy behind her, upon seeing the look on her face thinking that her expression was because she was one of these proper girls who did not speak to anyone she was not properly introduced, " I'm sorry. My name is Soho, what's yours?"

"Kuska," She said as she reached out to shake Soho's hand, "Um, nice to meet you Soho."

"The same with you-Kuska is that right?" said Soho smiling.

"Ya, that's right. Hey, what happen to you any how?" asked Kuska.

Soho told her about how he and his family lived on the outskirts of the woods on the side of his village furthest away from the ocean. His father had awoken all six children and their cousins that were living with them, gathering a few belongings and quickly hiding in the woods.

"Your not suppose to be in the woods at night, that is really dangerous, it's when the lesser mutants hunt. Weren't you scared?" her eyes wide with fear.

"Yes I was scared, we were all scared, but it was worse than what was happening in the village. It was so dark in the woods that we all were separated from one another. I was suppose to be holding hands with my younger cousin but something's scared him and he pulled away from me and ran off toward to my mother's voice. When I tried to Catch up to him, I tripped and fell. The rest of the night I roamed the woods looking for my family until I accidentally found the rescue crew that the government had sent. They brought me here. I was hoping to find out what happened to my family; that they might be on this bus too but they're not. I looked for them earlier while everyone else was sleeping." He said sadly, as he stared down towards the floor. "What about your family? What happened to you?"

Kuska told him how her parents had hidden her in the cellar, About the creature that came down to the cellar and was throwing baskets, the kitchen floor burning above her and crashing down into the cellar. Until she awoke to hear voices in the distance and she cried out a help in a raspy voice. That's all she could remember until she woke up on the medic bus.

They heard movement in the front of the bus as a government employee went from cot to cot handing out food and water to the hungry occupants. When they reached Soho and Kuska's cots Soho was not above asking for a second helping of food claiming that he was a growing boy. The government person smiled and handed each of them a second helping of food.

"Thank you," Soho mumbled between bites of food.

They otherwise ate in silence and settled down in their cots until a couple government employees came in and removed the badly burnt man whom she had noticed earlier who was moaning for his wife as another employee cleaned and disinfected the cot.

It wasn't long before a young boy appeared escorted by an employee to the freshly cleaned cot. The boy looked exhausted, his head and hands bandaged.

"You can rest here," said the employee as the boy nodded and carefully climbed up in his cot grimacing with pain each time he had to use his hands.

Soho and Kuska just looked at each other and then to the new boy who laid near them.

"Hi, "Kuska said, "My name is Kuska and this is Soho. We have been here for a while. Do you know anything that is going on? Why are we here?" she asked the new comer.

He just nodded and replied, "I don't know anything. I woke up in another medic bus and they moved me over here. Hey, you happen to have seen a boy named Zinnion have you? I asked them about him because he was with me but their too busy to answer me- Oh, my names Jarac by the way."

Soho and Kuska just shook their heads.

"No we haven't heard of anyone named Zinnion on this bus or any other. Both of us have been hoping for word about our families but that does not seem to promising at this point either. From what I have heard, most people are scattered everywhere to escape the monsters that attacked the villages. I think all we can do is hope that they are all alive and safe." Soho said in a flat voice. "Hey are you hungry? I think Kuska has some extra food."

Kuska looked at Soho with her mouth squeezed tight in a grimace and eyebrows raise - her thanks a lot expression as she called it - as she reached out and offered some food and her water to Jarac. As he took it she realized he would have difficulty eating it or opening the water bottle with bandaged hands, therefore she jumped down from her cot and went over to his to help him. "Thanks," he said softly as she opened the water bottle and handed it back to him.

"No problem," Kuska said smiling. "So what happen to you?"

Jarac shook his head as if he was an eraser trying to clear the wrong thoughts. Looking at them he began, "my friend Zinnion and I were hiding with our siblings in their cellar when the monsters came." He paused, squeezing his eyes shut, not wanting to remember the horrifying details.

Kuska gently took his hand and whispered " go on Jarac, its okay you among friends."

Jarac continued to tell them the best he could remember about what had happened until he woke up in the other medic bus.

Kuska and Soho shook their heads sadly, as they saw a tear trickle down Jarac's cheek.

They talked amongst them selves until the moon was high in the night sky, then they settled wearily into their cots to get some sleep. When they were rudely awakened by someone yelling, "I knew I would find you! I looked everywhere for you!"

They all sat up quickly in their cots as they saw a small shadow hugging Jarac and Jarac hugging it back.

"This loud person is Zinnion. Zinnion this is Soho and Kuska," Jarac said as he motioned to Kuska and Soho, his face lit in excitement and relief.

Soho said quietly as he pointed to Kuska, "I am glad you found your friend Jarac, not to sound rude or anything but I need to sleep. By the looks of it she does too."

She just nodded giving the three of them a thumbs up and rolled over and went back to sleep.

Zinnion and Jarac just smiled whispering "sorry" in unison as Zinnion found an empty cot not too far from Jarac's, and settled down to sleep.

The buses and all the contents were on the move by the time the four of them awoke.

Looking out the window Kuska reached over and gently shook her newfound companions awake, pointed to their windows and asked, "Where are they taking us?"

Each look out their window, watching as the dust from the tires flew in the air, haloing their view in a reddish murky glow.

"Can you see any of the other busses?" Zinnion called to Soho.

Soho got down from his cot and started walking to the back of the bus, now and then, as the bus hit a bump in the road he would knock into the other cots that were occupied by other people. To be followed by a confused and angry "watch it!"

"Sorry..." Soho replied gingerly shrugging his shoulders and making a sad face.

Once at the back of the bus, all he could see once again is the view shrouded in a murky reddish color but now with the faint outline of what looked like a shape of a bus.

"Do you see anything?" Kuska, Jarac and Zinnion called out together to Soho, which intoned a loud "Ssshhhhh….be quiet!" as some of the other passengers were still trying to sleep.

Soho not wanting to disturbed anyone else decided to crawl quickly back towards his friends.

"What did you find?" Jarac asked Soho his voice an octave higher through his excitement.

Sitting once again on his cot, he cleared his throat with a loud hhhmmmg and replied, "Yes, I think there is another bus following us, but I can't tell what's behind that."

The others just nodded their heads and turned to watch the murky landscape drift by lost in their own thoughts.

Hello:)

I have been off for so long I had almost forgotten how to blog...

I am working weird hours as well as lost much of my work for my second novel... and had to restart. With my dead line looming I have been staying off line for a bit.

For now I am taking a quick break to say hi:) and leave you with this free for ditty I wrote:

Light out my window

Light in my sky

The shadows took over

The shadows of my

Cast, not forgotten

Forgotten, not cast

As I struggle

As I find

My world

My place

So may my memories be true

May my memories be lost

Holding on to my strength

Holding on to my dreams

That live inside

That shout to come out

Here I am

Here I take a stand

Lost for a moment in no man’s land... .