Planet W

Willa Wisp stared at the sky and waited to die. Her helmet was shattered. Cuts were all across her olive skin.

So… this is how I die. On a nowhere planet, completely alone. To be honest, I always thought it would be from a gunshot in an alley somewhere.

She looked at the damaged space officer cruiser beside her. Demolished from the crash.

Well… there's that. I don’t have any insurance to cover that.

She laughed to herself. It started as a small giggle. Then it grew into an uncontrollable cackle. It was just so funny. It was just so funny that she crashed into a nowhere planet. It was so funny she lost the cops into a cosmic tear. It was so funny that she found an unintended cruiser from an idiot cop. It was just so funny she decided to rob a gas station. It was so funny she had no idea the gun was actually…

She started crying. It was a weird mix of crying and laughing. It went like this for some time, then she grew quiet. Her brows knitted together.

Wait… should I be dead by now?

Willa sat up. Glass fell into the bottom of her helmet. She carefully scooped it out with her gloved hand. She looked around with her tropical violet eyes. She appeared to be in a forest. Her mouth hung open.

Trees. Real trees. They look a little like the ones in the VR simulation.

Without thinking, she unzipped the suit, revealing a duct taped bomber jacket, a black tank and cargo pants, and purple boots. She smelled the air. She had no idea what it was, but it smells… nice. Was this what fresh air smelled like? She looked at the ship. She ran her fingers through her dark hair.

“I better go see if anything has survived.” She muttered.

She found a first aid kit, flares, fire extinguishers, two way radios, tons of dried or dehydrated foods, defibrillators, and her back pack. She also found the gun and cash. She tucked those out of sight.

“I should take a look around. See what’s out here.” she said.

She walked around the lake. Willa noticed something weird about the water. It didn’t have any sludge or garbage in it. She could see through it. She saw something shiny move into the water.

Wait. Is that…

The shiny thing glided past her. She beamed.

“A FISH!” she couldn’t believe it! Only the elites had access to fish!

She looked down and saw something shiny. It wasn’t a glass shard. It wasn’t a piece of scrap metal. She picked it up.

“SEASHELL!” She shouted with joy.

She noticed more things. Real flowers, rocks that aren't chunks of concrete, nondehydrated berries. She ran faster around the lake, giddy as a child on Christmas. She climbed onto a boulder and cupped her hands around her mouth.

“I AM THE RICHEST GIRL IN THE WHOLE UNIVERSE!” She shouted.

Willa heard a roll of thunder. Her shoulders jerked. She whipped around. Rain. Willa tried running towards the ship for shelter, but the sand slowed her down. She felt raindrops on her skin. She paused. It wasn’t stinging her. She smiled. She stood there, watching the rain on her hands.

Willa’s Log. Day Three:

I saw a weird looking creature. It was standing up like a person, but it was larger.

Willa paused. She took a deep breath. Three days. The excitement of a new world faded. Regrets of the old world returned. Survival instincts took over. She learned fast, luckily. All those simulations did the trick. Although, admittedly, the simulations were more comfortable and less high-staked. They also didn’t have any large human-like creatures in the simulations.

I have no idea what it is. It was too far away to see, but even from such a distance, I could see that it was big. I hope it doesn’t notice me.

Willa heard a crack. It was a sharp sound. It echoed throughout the air and inside of her head. Willa froze. She scrambled inside of the cruiser shelter that she covered with bushes. Then waited. Her heart pounded. She covered her mouth. The thing was ten feet away from the shelter. It had dark fur and elephant-like feet. Willa glanced at the hiding place where she hid the gun. The thought of her using it again made her sick to her stomach. The thing walked to the water. There were bristles across its back. It plunged something into the water. Then pulled it up. A fish wriggled at the tip, thrashing as if it would escape death if it fought hard enough– then it went limp. Willa’s eyes widened. She tried to keep as quiet as possible. She didn’t want the same fate as the fish. The thing gave a soft, guttural growl. Then it simply left. As soon as she was sure it left, Willa gasped for air. She had no idea she was holding her breath for so long. She came to the horrible realization that she was not alone. Not only was she not alone, she was alone in the woods with something with human-like intelligence.

Willa’s log. Day Thirteen: I’m running out of food, and the thing is getting curious about the cruiser. I hadn’t slept for so long. I need to get out of here!

Willa finished the last of her log and put the essentials in her bag. She started to head out when she heard the familiar noise. Crack. Crack. Crack. Willa bolted. She wasn’t sure where she would go, but she had to get out of here.

Willa ran through the forest. She heard a noise. CRACK. CRACK. CRACK. She ran faster. Lungs burning. Branches whipping at her face. Then she fell. She didn’t see the hole. It was hidden so well. Willa landed in something sticky. Before she could scarce her bearings, something closed on her. She tried reaching for the gun, but her arms were stuck to the wall of what appeared to be a carnivorous plant.

Maybe I deserved this.

Willa felt something like acid rain on her skin. She closed her eyes. Bracing herself. Then she heard a tear. Something pulled her out, and threw her onto the ground. Her skin was still tingling. Everything smelled terrible. She was getting really sleepy.

Willa didn’t even remember closing her eyes, but when she opened them, she was slung over someone or something’s shoulder. She was also cladded in a cloak made of fur.

“Oh good. You're awake.” said a voice.

She felt herself being lifted up. It was the thing. It had a face that looked like a cross between a gorilla and a lizard, yet there was something human about the eyes. Willa waited. What was it waiting for? She was unarmed, barely able to move. It could kill her right now.

“We ought to get you a doctor. Chompers root can be nasty.” It said, as the thing put her back on its shoulder with a gentleness she hadn’t felt since she was a child.

It… it wasn’t going to kill her. After everything she had done… would it kill her then? It all hit her at once and she started crying.

Xarack held the thing with purple eyes over his shoulder. It was a fascinating creature. It would be a shame something so unique would die in the woods. Although, he had to admit. It unsettled him a little. It seemed… intelligent.

I’ll look after it. This should be interesting.

They both went to a town where neither one of them had been before. Not sure who is the person or the is creature.