//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Crashlanding // Story: The Lost // by Immortan Joe //------------------------------// Screeching metal, shouts of panic and commands, followed up by a pack being shoved onto me and being thrusted out a gaping door in the back of the plane was all I comprehended during those moments of sheer panic and shit filling pants moment. Freezing, rushing wind tore at my face and skin as I dropped from the sky at a hundred and twenty miles per hour. Heart racing, brain overloading as sheer panic and adrenaline made me want to scream in utter horror as I was literally staring into the heart of a storm. Specks of ice and water stung my face as I plummeted through the churning, roaring storm, briefly I swore I could catch the other sights of soldiers who had leapt from the first Boeing and during my horrific free fall. The thought of the second C-17 came to mind, what happened to it? And as if on cue, my answer was granted as screaming, hulking metal came dropping past me in a literal roar of flame. The gust of hot air casting me in a spiraling fall and a second wave of screaming panic as I was spiraling in free fall. My heart beated in my ears, and I swore I pissed myself as I attempted to correct my posture as I fell at break neck speed. Opening my arms and legs out, I attempted to catch the air with my jump suit and correct myself. After a few attempts at getting my arms out, my wish was granted as I straightened myself out and began to sob uncontrollably for exactly three seconds before breaking through the cloud barrier. What I saw next drove my mind into sensory overload. My tears stopped and my panic temporarily subdued itself as what I saw then was not the Arizona desert. Temporal forests and mountains was all I could see for miles as I fell from the heavens, along with a beautiful sunrise in the distance which painted the sky in beautiful purples and reds. For the briefest moment, I was okay with dying at the sight of this. But only for a brief moment. Remembering the pack that was forced onto me, I realized the soldiers had gifted me a parachute. Despite having suffered twenty minutes of harassment, they were kind enough to gift me a chance at life. A chance I would not pass up. Vaguely remembering the cord they told me to pull, I snatched it for dear life and yanked as hard as I could. The back of the pack released the chute and cords rapidly, the air filling my saving grace. I cried out loudly as the parachute expanded and yanked me up right, back cracking as the sudden deceleration caused me to cry out sharply as I was saved from a plummeting death. “G-God dammit!” I groaned as I grabbed the cords gently and allowed myself to drift towards the massive trees below me. Just then I noticed something in the distance, blinking I saw dozens, if not hundreds of chutes in the distance all around me and I smiled widely. Knowing that others were able to escape the planes as well--then a I heard it. A distant boom below me and I swivel my head around to see the smoke coming from the tree tops miles away, past that, back up above. I a flaming ball of a fire could be seen death spiraling towards the earth before disappearing over a mountain top. “By God...” I muttered softly as I watched the seen unfold. “I’m so fucked.” __ The descend to the ground was a slow and pretty one at that. Despite the realization that I was alone, in an unknown environment, descending slowly to whatever hell laid beneath me. At least I knew I had a beautiful sight to take in. Not only that I could revel in the jealous of the soldiers I had so forcibly departed with. Those men had weapons, and other various tools to help them survive in such situations. During my descent I was able to take into account that I had only had a backpack with three days of food, compass, a flashlight, and really that was it. The rest of the supplies was with the Sergeant I was supposed to jump in tandem with. Oh yeah, and I had my camera, laptop, and journal. But yeah, I can’t really use those to survive wherever the hell we are. When I had disappeared below the tree line, my parachute had snagged the nearest branch and I yelped as I was bungee corded up before dangling helplessly about thirty feet above ground. I hung helplessly, screaming for help before quickly silencing myself when noticing it there was no point and crying. I kicked my legs madly, cursing and moaning before shifting my body weight and realizing something so magnificent. Freaking physics. As I thrusted my body weight, I noticed that I was swinging back and forth. My eyes widening briefly as this realization struck me like a kid in a candy store. With idea coming forth I began to pelvic thrust, as humiliating as it sounds, in the air, in the process to which it pushed me towards the tree I was stuck on. The large, gnarly branches which jutted in every direction, showing that just maybe there was one I could grab and hoist myself on. I grunted and huffed as I continued to push myself forward, my abs burning as I finally thrusted far enough forward to grab a thick, hard branch and yank myself forward. Arms latching onto the hard, dark bark of the large tree. Feet finally finding purchase on an even larger branch beneath me. At last. I finally began to cry. Weeping happily to have survived such a horrific experience, I sniffled and head butted the tree gently as the adrenaline in my body began to flush itself out and my emotions caught up. Taking the moment to sob like a child, to which thank God no soldier boy was around to see this. I finally manned myself back up and caught my breath. Carefully I removed the parachute pack from my body, yelping slightly as gravity almost yanked me off the tree when the pack slid off my frame. I snatched the tree and clung on tightly as I now began to plan my next move. I looked down below, the forest beneath me still dark as the sun above was still rising slowly. I bit my lower lip, balancing options of wait in the tree, or immediately start my search for others. During my free fall I had saw  dozens, if not maybe even a hundred parachutes all around me; in every direction there could be soldiers. Men with training and weapons, as pathetic as it sounds, they were people who could protect me. It sucks knowing that I needed people to defend me, but now I wasn’t going to dwell on my own pride and ego. Actions have to be called for and what I ended up deciding on, was to wait. __ Having nearly fallen three times as I positioned myself into a sitting position on the large tree, I rested my back against the hard bark waited for the sun to rise just a little higher in the sky. While this went on, I contemplated on what the hell had happened. Had we by chance passed through some form of scientific phenomena that transported us here? Was the routine sortie some kind of cover up for some kind of jump drive technology? Or maybe that freakish storm that Corporal told me about was the cause of this? Why now, of all times? Like, seriously. This was bullshit. Yet again, it’s not like I had anything to lose. I had no special someone and I had only gotten lucky when I scored the deal to cover the news on the sortie, first job I had in months. I was running late on some bills and car so...maybe this was like a test or some kind? Ah fuck that. That’s stupid. Some cosmic entity is probably laughing its ass of right now. Fuck that thing. When a glare blinded me and caused me to raise a hand up, I realized I had been sitting in the tree for about an hour now. For that the sun was now beating directly on me, the coolness from the shade now fading as the rays of light warmed my body. Shifting a bit I sighed as I glanced down at the forest floor and nearly shrieked and fell from the tree. Below me at the forest floor were a series of wolves, scouring around the base of the tree. Yet upon closer inspection and the release of a horrified shudder, I noticed these were no ordinary wolves. These things were clearly not of this world, their bodies made of timber and moss, sap and leaves. Bits and pieces that would normally not make up anything mammalian, except...there they were. Their sap green eyes staring up at me as they stood there...menacingly. Horrified by the fantastical creatures below I pull my gaze away and and whines as I rest against the tree.Though as moments past, a morbid curiosity hit me and I couldn’t help but glance back over. Did they want to eat me? Unlikely now that I think about it...if my basic knowledge of biology doesn’t fail me. Organic plants don’t normally eat things...normally, I thought as a venus flytrap came to mind. Perhaps they’re just territorial; and are only hostile to beings who pass through? Nonetheless this was a problem that needed addressing. I had to escape. No way in hell I was going to die of dehydration in a friggin tree, or mayhaps slip and fall to my death. Though judging by this height, a fall, unless on my head, wouldn’t kill me. What would be is that my legs would either be broken and I’ll die of dehydration from being immobilized, or perhaps eaten alive by some filthy scavengers. Either way I’m screwed being here. With that in mind I began glancing about my surroundings, wondering how I could at least get on a move. A way to get from maybe tree to tree so that I could escape my curious, and horrific, audience down below. I took a deep breath and concentrated on my search, for a minute I thought I was morbidly screwed until the thick vine hanging a meter or so to my left stuck out to me. My eyes widening, I looked on with nervous, yet hopeful, glee at my potential escape route. Eager to get away and find the others, I shifted my footing and turned to move just as large insect like eyes came into my field of view. “Holy f-fucking--!” I screamed at the top of my lungs as I recoiled back when the large, fist sized bug came into view and my feet slipped out from under me. Crying out for dear life, I felt a sense of weightlessness take over as I began to plummet down to earth. By body saved from a brutal mutilation by the various branches which, while painfully, broke my thirty foot fall. A fall that would land me within the jaws of the plant like canines below.