Zone B -- Forest

[Enel]

I half-fall through the door and prop myself up against a wooden pillar in the rather comfortable-looking shack. “Phew! Wwwhat a walk!”

Victor follows me. “Perhaps you should get some rest, lord, while you’re here.”

I turn my head and see afterimages, like I’m on some great drugs. Hendy looks a little soft around the edges. “You alright, Hendy?”

“God. You need sleep. Rest.” He vibrates for a second. “Maybe it’s because of this world, or the collar restrictions on you. But it would do you good.”

I turn around again. “There’s a black man over there. And a nice girl.”

“Yes.”

“I bet she has pillowy tits.” I take a step forward. Everyone needs a bosom for a pillow, and right now I’d take beaten-up farmhand over another second of looking at Vic’s ugly face.

But Captain Spoilsport grabs me by the shoulder, firmly. Eh!? “You cruisin’ for a bruisin’, Hendy?”

He takes his hand off. “Do what you like.”

“Thhhat’s right!”

I wheel around, but the girl is gone. Instead there’s a terrifying spectre with green eyes and red hair. It’s looking right at me. I hoot softly and decide to go the other way.

“Not that way, Hendy. That way is Nealapph country.”

.

.

.

Something is shaking me.

“God. God.”

I bolt upright. “Whuzuh whuzat?”

“We need to get moving. The pickup drops soon, we’ve got ground to cover. You okay to walk?”

“Y … yeah!” I stand up and blink. The colours of the room mix and swirl a little before coalescing into something vaguely … straight. The lines are still a little wobbly, but I try not to look too closely. I trust in my senses. My headache is still there, but I reach out and try to feel instead of seeing. Give my eyes some rest and let my instincts handle it.

I’ll need all my strength for the fight to come.

Harlan and Enel from SHB to B12