Chapter Text
Simon screams and flails, each of his hands now attached to a pipe on either side of the sub, black bloody tendrils sliding up his arms like grotesque snakes. He was suspended in the air, kicking his legs in terror as the blood rose higher and higher below him, the screams of the monster and the ghostly voices in his mind almost deafening him. His feet finally get a hold on the chair below him, and he hones in, yanking one of his hands free from the pipe and the bloody tendrils trying to dig into his skin. He ignores the burning pain on his now ripped skin. He turns, and grabs his other wrist, screaming hoarsely in agony as he tries with all his might to pull himself free from the bloody mutation covering the walls of the sub. He pulls harder, squeezing his eyes shut…
There’s a tearing sound, then a cracking sound…and Simon lands with a pained cry into the rising hot blood on the floor, almost falling under. He glances to his side with petrified eyes, his ears ringing, blocking out the screams of the monster in his mind.
His arm is gone.
He looks up, and sees the detached arm suspended above him, still attached to the pipe by the bloody tendrils. He feels sick. The screams of the monster flood their way back into his mind, and he winces, everything becoming too much. His skin burns. His arm is screaming in pain. His head is spinning. He’s going to die.
Simon sees the black box nearby, wrapped in the life vest. He prays it survives. Even if this world didn’t want him to survive…that doesn’t mean the rest of humanity should suffer as well. He hopes he did enough. All he wanted was to live…he just wanted to live…
He squeezes his eyes shut as the sub jostles, and then shakes violently. He’s thrown to the ground, wheezing as he falls into the almost boiling blood. He thrashes, trying to find his footing, but the shaking of the ship keeps knocking him side to side, his head hitting the wall over and over. Simon struggles to keep his head above the restless blood, gasping for air until the jostling stops a moment. He takes his chance. He stands on shaking legs, and grabs the nearest blunt object as giant sharp white teeth jab into the ship, nearly avoiding him. The monster is ripping the sub apart. His eyes flash red, a blaze of adrenaline burning in his chest, becoming an inferno.
“YOU WANT THE BUTCHER?!” He screams from his chest, not even noticing his missing arm anymore as he starts swinging at the teeth. “COME ON!!!”
Simon swings with all his might, still ignoring the deafening screams of the ghosts in his mind. The tooth chips as he hits it. He keeps attacking, until the blood rises too high. He’s knocked off his feet, and he thrashes more, struggling to stay above the blood. He gasps and chokes as the blood seeps into his mouth and down his throat, trying desperately to pull him under. He hears the voices tell him to stay down. He gags, not even knowing which direction is up anymore. He presses his head against the ceiling, struggling to cling to that last bit of air he has left. He takes his last breath-
And he falls.
His eyes blinded by blood and unable to see around him, he screams, gravity suddenly pulling him down through air that couldn’t exist. He coughs, hardly able to breathe. This must be death. He’s falling into the afterlife. Probably hell. It’s what he deserves.
“I tried…” He manages to whisper with the last breath of air in his lungs.
And he hits solid ground, his head spinning and aching madly. He’s on his back. His ears ring, but that’s all he hears. The voices of the monster and the ghosts are gone. The sound of blood rushing into the sub are gone. Beside his ears ringing and his heart pounding…it’s seemingly dead quiet.
Simon groans, not moving. The ground is soft, some odd stringy texture he’s never felt before. It’s cool almost…he tries to move, but he gasps, his adrenaline fading. He is suddenly very aware of the pain his body is in. His arm. His burns. His broken bones.
With a shuddered breath…he screams once more, all his agony arising at once. He can’t even thrash in his pain. He can’t move at all.
Everything hurts!!!
He squeezes his eyes shut, and clenches his teeth, only twitching in pain as he feels dizziness start to take him over. He wants it to stop, he needs it to stop!
He’s suffered enough!!!
"P-please..." He whispers, unable to take any more.
He jolts when he hears a voice fade in from beside him, along with soft but rapid footsteps. He tries to make out what is being said.
“The Host walks carefully but quickly down the stairs of the patio, toward the stranger who fell from the sky…he kneels on the grass beside him, taking in his injuries. The stranger needs medical attention immediately. He will die soon otherwise."
Simon groans, turning his aching and pounding head ever so slightly. He can’t process what is being said. He hears it, but the words are foggy and muffled. He can’t register it. All he feels is pain. Pain and fire. He coughs wetly, still struggling to breathe. His chest is tight and burning. Everything burns.
“The Host tells the stranger to keep breathing, he will be alright. He is alive, and will stay that way…but he needs to keep breathing at all costs. The Host takes his hand in his own, giving him a grounding reassurance.”
Simon feels something grab his hand. Something real. Is this real? His chest aches. He gasps for air.
“The Host uses his pager to call the doctor. Help will be here soon. He tells the stranger to keep breathing. Focus only on breathing. Just breathe.”
Simon groans again, but finally registers one word.
Breathe.
He takes in a shaky breath, and coughs, blood in his airway. He tries again, getting more air in this time. He’s breathing.
Somehow…he’s breathing.