The bone chilling wind blew across the field into the barren city. Dense, dark clouds shrouded the sky above, threatening a heavy downpour. The only glimmer of light was from the misty orange hue of the solar powered street lamps, which illuminated the empty streets of the city’s outskirts. It was like a beacon of light seen from miles away. This beckoned to her from out of the wilderness that enveloped the world.

The rain started to pour ruthlessly, as the girl entered the isolated streets. It ruthlessly pounded the bleak crumbling walls and the fractured pavement, which were the charcoal black roads and sidewalks. She shuffled along ignoring the harsh rain that soaked her to the bones and kept a wary eye on the side buildings and sidewalks.

She met no one, but the abandoned streets and heard nothing, but the clatter of the rain. She came here to find life, only to discover the shattered fragments that were only a dream.

She walked under the dim, orange hue of the street lamps that seemed to get dimmer, as she went deeper into the towering city. It was a trick from the devil, these lights, promising salvation, but only tormented the hopes of the living.
The girl never took shelter in the buildings. She never even considered it as an option. She walked forward down the street continuing her lonely quest. She did not know why she longed for it so much. She wanted to see another living, breathing person and to say a kindly, “Hello.” She woke up into this world alone and traveled it alone. Some days she thought that there was no one else left and she was the only one.

The girl came across a small shop that looked like a furniture store, because there was a slightly cracked mirror in the window. She was bewildered, surprised almost and thought she finally found someone. She wondered why they mocked her every movement then got annoyed. She realized with dismay that she found only her reflection. Her eyes haunted her with their look of despair and pain. She constantly hated the sunny golden hair. Once in a distant time long before, she would have chopped it off and dyed it some color or two. She would have welcomed the oppressors and their hateful comments, but now all she wanted was a place to belong that was not with the spite-filled girl behind the glass.

There was movement reflected by the mirror that caught the girl’s attention. A dark ink-like blob rolled out onto the sidewalk behind her. She held her breath knowing exactly what it was, an Obiekt. Terror pressed into her soul as it crept closer.

The Obiekt stopped a few feet away and began to evaporate into thick smog that formed a tall, lean and limber body with extremely long arms and legs. It had a small, slim head and glared down at the girl with its two pearly white, speck-like eyes. A sharp, thin, curved smile formed on its face, the color of a deep red.

Panic flared within her, but her feet froze in place on the ground. Petrified, the girl watched the reflection of the Obiekt. She no longer heard the rain, she never felt the chill of the wind as the menacing arm of the shadow raised and reached out for her. Suddenly, the quest to find others no longer mattered to the girl. The city was not there around them, just her, the mirror and the Obiekt. Her heart stopped as the long bony fingers grazing her skin caused her to shiver uncontrollably.

Her voice rose up, letting out a blood-curdling shriek as her mind became aware of her undeniable fate. Her fear kept her from blinking or flinching as the Obiekt drew its arm away.

It poised to strike, just one swift movement and everything, as she knew it would be gone. She awaited her fate, as her body became numb. The arm swept down and right before it contacted with her skin, it lurched back.
The girl twirled around just in time to see a light, so blue and pure, brutally contact the Obiekt. It gave an inhuman screech and dispersed into shreds of darkness that faded instantly into oblivion.

The light soon subsided leaving the girl face to face with another girl. She was slightly taller than the first girl was, and leaner than a twig. Her hair was wild and gold, like wheat, and gently brushed her shoulders. Her eyes were a mismatched shade of green that peered into the girl’s hazel ones. Her arms glowed with the blue light that soon faded also.

The new girl spoke hurriedly, with a hushed tone. “Come with me, we’re not safe here.” She rushed past into the dark streets.

The first girl returned to reality and became aware of her surroundings once again. She followed her savior closely, as they went further into the city. She finally found what she searched for and smiled to herself.

They walked in silence. The only sounds heard were the rain and the bellowing howl of the wind. The first girl opened her mouth to speak, but quickly clamped it shut. Her savior looked quite dangerous, prowling around for another Obiekt to show itself. She did not think that the girl was the talking type.

A gust of wind shredded through their rain soaked clothes, sending shivers down their spines. They trudged on deeper and were now at the heart of the desolate place. The grim skyscrapers loomed over the streets casting ghastly shadows that engulfed the girls in darkness. The first girl stared at them in wonder and awe, curious what the world looked like from the top the colossal structures.

Finally, courage reared up and meekly the girl announced, “I’m Katelyn.” She waited for her companion’s response. The other girl glanced back at her. Her eyes quickly scanned Katelyn before turning back around.

“I don’t believe in getting attached to people. They always get into trouble, and then before I know it, gone for good. But they usually call me Kitty, if you must have a name,” the girl told her. Katelyn looked at Kitty glumly and continued to follow closely behind.

The rain lightened up, now it only drizzled slightly. However, the streets still flooded from overflowing sewers and drains. The girls waded through ankle deep water, their footsteps making little splashes with each step. Katelyn found it nerve-wracking that every step swallowed her feet. Eventually, she dreaded, it would swallow more than just a foot.

Kitty stopped right before a pitch-black street, one that made the rest of the world look like it was a shining summer day, basking in the light of the sun. Kitty's blue light returned and illuminated the street.

More Obiekt were there in their glob like form. They slithered to the side buildings, retreated to their murky sanctuary. The site made Katelyn feel a clench in her stomach, but to her relief Kitty blasted some away before they reached the sidewalks.

Kitty then continued forward. Katelyn hesitated and cautiously pursued following Kitty, despite the fact more Obiekt surrounded them. She did not want to lose her friend, even if she came off a little cold.

She heard slithering behind her and imagined the ink-like creature slinking up behind them. “Wait, Kitty,” she called and rushed up to her. “Those things are following us, they could attack again!” She clutched Kitty’s arm.

“Not my fault now, is it?” Kitty answered her sharply, “If you hadn't been prowling around, then these guys wouldn't be so worked up. Hasn't anyone told you to stay away from the cities?” She slipped away from Katelyn’s grasp.

Katelyn gaped down at the black murky water, avoiding the icy stare that pierced her. Tears welled up in her eyes, “No, because…” She paused and took a breath. “You’re the first person I ever met, that I can remember.”

Kitty froze, not knowing what to say and certainly not expecting that as an answer. They stood in silence for a few moments before Kitty resumed her mission. Katelyn kept to herself as she tagged along, keeping silent as she waited for the stripped bare feeling to fade away.

She eyed the windows feeling the cold, eerie glare of the Obiekt. She focused strongly on them, she did not realize that Kitty stopped suddenly and collided into her.

“Oh sorry, Kitty?” then she noticed it. Before them was a massive black blob of Obiekt. They clogged up the whole block. So many were in that pile, too many for one girl with a beam of light to handle.

One Obiekt slithered out from the mass and transformed to its attack form. Its small bleak eyes pierced them with intoxicating fear and loathing as it stepped forward a little. The mass behind it began to transform.

“Run!” Kitty said quickly with intended sharpness. Katelyn hesitated at her friend’s forcefulness.

“What?” She asked frightened and confused.

“RUN!” She shouted with urgency, the urgency echoed by the howling wail of the Obiekt. That signaled the rest to charge forward. They hungered for the thrill and adrenaline that coursed through their bodies as they raced for the two girls.

Katelyn found her feet this time and began to flee. However, she immediately stopped, when she saw more Obiekt poured into the street, blocked their exit and caught them in a fatal trap.

Kitty lashed out with her blue light and dispersed several of the closest Obiekt. Others quickly replaced their fallen comrades, only to meet the same fate. Even so, more and more came forward and steadily gained more ground.

Kitty noticed, she was losing ground quickly and she stretched the light out far enough already. There was no way she could maintain that position without risking something important.

Katelyn did not know what to do, as her companion fought a two front war. She felt useless, as the Obiekt got closer. She could only cower behind her mysterious friend.

One Obiekt leaped over the blue light and sprinted towards them.

“Kitty, look out!” Katelyn cried reaching for the girl, to pull her out of the way of the oncoming monster. Kitty pushed her away and split the light in two. With the second beam, she eradicated the Obiekt then shot the light at Katelyn.

It went right into her, heating her veins with the warmth of a star. She stared bewildered as she felt the rain that soaked her clothes quickly dry.

“Don’t just stand there! Help me!” Kitty shouted at her, still fighting the Obiekt in front and behind her.
Katelyn felt the heat flood and pulse to her hands as Obiekt surrounded her. A light shone from her palms, a brilliant shade of jade green. She controlled it with her will and began to take on the ones that came from behind.

The fight evened out and the flow of Obiekt lessened. They soon fell back.

After the last one fled out of sight, the girls relaxed. They glanced at each other laughing breathlessly thinking the same thing, ‘We did it.’

“Nothing like a good hunt after midnight,” Kitty exclaimed, still out of breath.

The ground began to tremble underneath them. That brought them back to attention.

“You need to go,” Kitty ordered, alert once again. Katelyn started to protest, but Kitty cut her off. “Get out of sight, don’t let anything see you. Now go!”

Katelyn gave her new friend one last look, before she ran and disappeared into the darkness. She did not stop until she was a good distance away. She turned around to see a giant Obiekt, known as an Upior and a slim beam of blue light.

She watched as the Upior engulfed the light with its hand.

She wanted to run back and save her friend, knowing she would be alone again if she did not, but she stopped and watched as its hand dispersed revealing that the blue light expanded and swallowed the Upior completely.

She heard its wailing screech that Kitty’s cry echoed. The light continued to expand throughout the city, eradicating the Obiekt that inhabited the cold, empty walls and buildings of the city.

The light passed leaving Katelyn alone again, but satisfied. She now knew somewhere there are others and along with them more Obiekt, and within her veins coursed the gift to fight back.