One More Turn

The steel valve fought Leonid’s trembling fingers. 

Everything tasted metallic, and instinctively, Leonid knew the shaking in his legs was unaffiliated with the temperature of the now waist-deep waste. The implication sat like graphite in his throat.  

His neck hairs tingled. Humanity attributed that paranoia to everything from imaginary monsters to psychosis. Illusions, manifestations, indoctrinated by fire-lit tales of Babayko watching from darkened corners, but what was Babayko against the incomprehensible force now unleashed above?

Leonid’s very cellular structure trembled, assaulted by unseen needles, and he whispered a banned prayer for his mother. Mothers fear their sons will meet Satan when their souls depart. What of the still breathing sons baptized in unholy water? What of the soul even fear abandons as its mortal body deteriorates into composite atoms? He feared the lies They’d tell her…and the truths. 

Though officially the reactor was still in perfect condition, blame fell on Leonid; it was his first time at the command console under Aleksandr’s tutelage. They dismissed Leonid, Their goat for some later Holocaust, and yet now he struggled to rotate valves that would unleash life-saving water into the ruined reactor. Why hadn’t he left? 

“Leonid, is it done?” 

Distant, as if the monster snatched the sound waves from Aleksandr’s mouth. A wretch followed and Leonid swallowed his own twisting, stabbing intestinal pain. 

They ordered Leonid’s superior Aleksandr to face the monster. 

But Leonid’s friend Aleksandr didn’t deserve to face this alone. 

His neck hairs tingled. 

…Just one more turn…

Just…

One…

A/N:

Oooooo the new editor is nice! went 5-5 on this entry. Might do a self critique of it once I wrap a few other projects.

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