Lost in Time

An oddly matched trio have been exiled to an unkown planet: their sense of time and place being stripped from them along the way.

I wish i could say how long i've been here. I really wish i could. You see, i wouldn't know if i had been here merely hours, or days, or weeks...maybe even months. It isnt that i have no recollection of how or why i'm here, on the contrary; it's more like all of the time i've spent here has merged into one. I'm almost afraid to say that i wouldn't be able to tell the difference between night and day. Then again, maybe my lack in the sensing of time was intended: afterall, i wasn't here for any other reason than the crulest of punishment. Banishment. Exile.

I looked up from my secluded seat within the spaceship, regarding the other outcasts that accompanied me here for the first time. They huddled close together, much like a child would cling to its mother. The boy to the left, who was quite obviously younger than his companion, stared in a trance straight past my shoulder. His gaze was strong and unwavering, seemingly wise beyond his years. Yet an honest youth was hidden behind his hazel eyes; dancing, and almost taunting me if i looked too long. The boys scrawny frame was my only tell-tale of his age - in my eyes, he was little more than a walking skeleton. "If you were any thinner, you wouldn't exist." I say, not bothering with the formalities of introducing one another. Had i spoke any quieter, i doubt either of them would have heard me. Now, however, i had their full attention.

Protectivley, the older man's arm snaked out around the boy - curling him into his chest further. Apparently, i'd just given the wrong impression to the complete strangers who i'd be spending the rest of my life with - splendid. "I didn't mean anything by that, just observing." I said, hoping to break the uncomfortably tense atmosphere that had only increased since our arrival on this damned planet. Daring a second glance at the somewhat withered looking man, i noticed that his hold on the boy was not as strong as before and his old features had almost relaxed. The boy, however, looked to be as candid as ever. Although this time, his unyielding gaze was centered solely on me. "He's Zackk and i'm Hannen." The man, who i now knew to be called Hannen, spoke gruffly. He too was looking at me, expectantly waiting for me to reply. "John." Came my simple answer.

I didn't quite know what to make of the oddly matched due infront of me. Hannen seemed old enough to be the father of Zackk, yet they didn't share any physical similarities: not that of a father and son anyway. Not wanting to question them, i simply stood up and made my way over to the entrance of the shuttle. Completely ironic, i thought, exile had never looked so nice. Opening the shuttle doors, the large expanse of endless grey was exposed to me. A soft white mist covered the barran surface like a blanket, only parting when i took my first step out of the ship. Immediately, the crisp air consumed me and i found myself breathing heavier; almost trying to gulp down as much as my lungs would allow. Without me even realising what i was doing, i had walked further away from the ship. My eyes remained cast forward even as i heard Hannen call me back. "You don't want to be wandering too far on your own, anything could be out there." He shouted, loiterring in the entrance, like i had moments ago, with the boy, Zackk, lurking behind him.

There was something about him. Something about the way he acted as a human shadow to Hannen. There was something about the way he stood and the way he stared: he stared like he knew everything i didn't. And i didn't like it.

Tearing my attention away from the boy, i looked to Hannen, then back to the enchantingly beautiful terrain before me. Further in the distance, a second moon was rising casting an ominous glow over us. Surely, nightfall couldn't be so soon? Or...maybe it could, i just didn't know anymore. I couldn't afford to show any vulnerabilities, not in a new place and especially not to the pair behind me. Plastering a convincing (or what i hoped to be convincing) smirk to my face, i glanced back to Hannen. Rooted to the spot, he stood awaiting my reaction and i doubt it was what he wanted. "Come with me, then."

Author's Note

*please ignore any spelling or grammer mistakes, i uploaded this late at night and from my phone* I hope you enjoy this and please leave any reviews with what you think about it. Thankyou.

Reviews

[pstalbot]

This is a cool start to a story and I hope you continue with it. I'd want to know more about this planet, even the ship they 'awake' in. I was slightly confused about the setting in the first couple of paragraphs because it mentions they are on a ship, and in the description it says exiled on an unknown planet. All you need is a slight mention either that it seemed the ship had recently landed, that they were landing at the start (that could be a really jarring start to have them confused about time before they hit the ground and have the additional confusion of touching down) or that the ship appeared to have been there for quite some time (although as it said there was more of a sense that they were both new to the planet and had been there all along, that they were in a place where time does not exist). I'd really like to see more of this story, keep going with it please!

[History_Birdman]

An excellent introduction to your work. As you stated, there are spelling mistakes. i hope you continue the story further.