Sphere - The Sooth, S1/E4

Juni investigates the fireball and finds carnage and death from something much more sinister than a meteor. 9 min. read

New to the story? Start at the beginning.

Previously on S1/E3: Juniper and Seraphine find something horrifying in the surf, and a meteor might be not a meteor.

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Sphere

Planet: Mariner

Juniper and Seraphine spilled out from the trees and onto the road, the slot canyon entrance hidden in the thicket behind them. Far down into the town, an orange glow, but here, they couldn’t see what had happened, couldn’t hear more than an occasional pop or scream that floated in on the night air.

People ran. Some hurled toward the violent light, a desperate gleam in their eyes. Some shuffled away in an awkward, unsteady gait that matched their blanked-out faces. Some muttered to themselves as they walked one way and then turned, unseeing, and walked the other way, muttering, muttering all the time to themselves.

“Maman and Papa,” said Sera as she pointed to down the road toward their home. Juni pursed her lips but nodded.

“Meet you in town?” said Juniper as she pointed the opposite direction from her sister, pointed toward the light.

Sera nodded and disappeared.

Juniper ran toward the light, but the further she ran, the farther it seemed to be. She tired and stopped, panting for a moment. The air thickened, the noise now dim but constant, a hum of melded shouts and cries. More people now, tattered clothes and grimed faces, many clutching at bloody gashes to their face or limbs. One man staggered toward her. As he began to collapse, she sidestepped out of the way. He fell right where she had stood.

“Monsieur,” said Juniper as she knelt down and gently rolled him over, “are you…” — but only the top half of his body rolled over. The lower half didn’t move at all.

She jumped back and her legs propelled her on before her brain registered. What kind of weapon bisected a man in half yet let him run even a few steps away? A nearby weapon.