Resonance

The dawn faded into a hazy winter grey as we sat motionless overlooking the ravine. Seeing nothing move in the silent whiteness, I whispered to my companion Alise to gather our things. We'd want to be quick while we were in the open.

I remained at watch while she went back to our barebones camp and swiftly packed everything in a few well-practiced motions. She returned and crouched beside me. She asked me what I thought, and if we should wait longer. I stayed quiet for a while, feeling deeply with all my senses, ensuring no detail was missed. Only a soft wind from the west disturbed the silence, whistling every so often in my ear. I nodded, still unable to relinquish all doubt.

Together, we moved out of our cover and set up our rope equipment. Speed. Silence. Precision. Luck. We needed them all to make it across the ravine without drawing any attention. Our maneuvers were fluid and we were across in no time at all. I felt a new kind of breath once we were safely in the woods and on our way.

We walked quietly for a while, hoping to make good time. Then, Alise suddenly stopped. With a pale look on her face she told me she didn't have her locket. I cursed under my breath. The camp. I looked up through the trees, but the sun hid behind low, icy clouds. I knew how important that damned locket was to her. It was important to both of us. It was all we had left of George. I knew there was no question. I motioned to Alise and turned as I began retracing my steps in double-time.

We arrived back at the ravine in early twilight. I laughed a little to myself, figuring we'd make camp again at the same place. Although, the thought did make me uneasy. Back across the ravine, we moved toward the camp. When we arrived, Alise gave a soft gasp and pointed to the locket where she had laid it on a log.

Then we heard it, the cold, rhythmic slithering, oscillating through the air, making our blood turn to ice. Alise screamed; there was no need to be quiet now. Instinctively, I took the three long strides to grab the locket. I turned around to see Alise sprinting through the trees back toward the ravine. I followed after her; I felt like my legs were moving on their own. I could hear it in the trees, trilling, darting around gently, almost like it was playing with us.

My heart pounded in my throat. Flashbacks to when George was taken. Alise stood at the edge of the ravine getting the ropes ready. I joined her, somehow giving her the locket despite my terror. She took it without much reaction showing through her blanched face. We worked hastily, hearing it behind us, watching. We tied the last knot and Alise went to jump across.

We both realized too late as it happened. Our maneuvers were too practiced, and our muscle memory and fear worked together against us. I saw right before she jumped how the locket got in the way, the curves of its silver heart jamming and ruining the last knot. The rope snagged, slamming her into the cliff face.

I stood frozen, unable for a brief moment to process what happened. The machine gave out an oppresive screech from the woods, making me cower in pain. I fell to my knees as I saw it stream over-head in its oscillating field and perch onto the wall next to Alise.

I screamed out. I couldn't hear myself. The machine looked at me, stared at me, then ripped Alise's body away from the ropes. The locket caught the faintest reflection of moonlight as it flew through the air, free from the ropes, landing nearby. The machine ingested Alise, making a musical cooing noise as it finished, waves of sound shimmering through its field. Then it streamed away, its unsettlingly beautiful form disappearing through the trees.

It left me there. They only ever took one at a time. After a space, when the clouds had cleared and the moon gave light all around, I stood up and drifted numbly over to the locket, falling again into the snow on my knees. I picked it up. At least it left George. I smiled.