Ekron

Maria's Cats - 2

A new war came, as the last one never really ended, this time with alarming news of entire planets being destroyed by gigantic godlike creatures of celestial appetite. It was about that time that the first scientist was found blind and mindless, lurking on the corridors of the Moon Base like a child. He was sent back to Earth immediately, and a week after that, two more were found in the same condition. A military section arrived at the station, both to check the cause of the "disease" presented by the blinded scientists and because the new wing hadn't answered routine communications in months. They docked their ship to a side hatch and took control of the station. The scientists explained that they hadn't had any contact with the new wing, and a containment procedure took place.

Maria did not give much importance to that new military presence. She was completely absorbed in her investigation, outdoors in her forest, to which at that time the suit was only a precaution. She gradually got used to take off the helmet for a couple minutes and feel the horrible taste of that air that was delicious to her, for her it tasted like victory. She could then rest by the trees without falling asleep, and the Macsks talked to her with a strange familiarity.

"Let me suck your blood, and I'll let you suck mine."

"I can't do that."

"Of course you can, you are like us. I don't want to end up like him."

Maria then realized that the first Macsk that she saw, was still in that same tree, now completely fused to the cortex. Its eyes were still open and looked black and dry.

"Can you save him?"

"Only if you give me your blood."

Maria opened her suit, took out her right arm and offered it to the Macsk. The little beast bit the soft part of her forearm with sharp little fangs and sucked her blood with delight. When it felt satisfied, approached the fused Macsk on the tree, took remains of blood from its own mouth and spread it on those dry eyes with a finger.

"That would do. Now you can suck my blood."

The Macsk approached María with resolution and stretched out an arm towards her.

Maria looked at it for some moments and asked, "Do you have a name?"

"No, but you can call me Astarte, as that is the name you have already given me in your mind, Maria..."

"And how can I call him," pointing to the beast fused with the tree.

"Trimurti, now please, suck my blood, is necessary..."

"But I don't have fangs."

Astarte bit her own arm and a white, almost shiny liquid started to flow from the wound, then she offered it back to Maria. The cat-eyed girl sucked the wound and felt a fire in her brain that became a new beginning for her perception of reality.

"Do you see now?"

"I do."