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MaximiLand Chapter 4, Part 2 of 4

Here's some fresh MaximiLand. It's not much, but there's some character-building, and we get a new in-universe concept to play around with. I hope it keeps your imaginations going until the next installment!



Back inside the shelter, Mark connected with his friends from the outside world again. “We don’t want you and your friends getting mixed up in crazy stuff like that again.”, Elijah hissed between grunts of pain as Lena went from wound to wound, sealing them with flashes of purple psychic energy. She nodded. “He’s right. Rosh can hide from those creatures with his powers. Maybe he could take you somewhere safer to meet up with your friends.” A series of clanks signaled that Rosh had shed his armor. “Lemme shower first,” he chimed in, “I feel horrid. That laser guy was no joke.” His torn, bloody clothes fell to the ground next, and Eric grumbled to himself as he gathered up his partner’s laundry. After putting the lump of ruined clothing next to Rosh’s bed, Eric stepped into the bathroom himself.

While the two men showered, Mark stepped away from Jodi, who was catatonic after what she had seen. He sat down and talked with Elijah and Lena. “Thank you for… well, for everything, I guess.”, he sighed. “It was no biggie.”, Lena said with a spritely bounce to her feet as she finished repairing Elijah, “We probably would have had to fight that dude anyway.” “Do you have any clue who that was or why they’re after you?”, Mark responded. Elijah shook his head and got to his feet as well. “It’s probably better you don’t know. I will tell you this much, though; never go to a MaximiLand park or buy the company’s products.” Elijah paused briefly to gather up spit, and then walk over to the kitchen sink and expel a bright red glob. “Seriously.” Mark was flabbergasted. “Are you kidding me?!”, he exclaimed, jumping to his feet, “I was raised on Maximilian Waters’ movies! What the hell are you talking about?!” Elijah shook his head, then laid down on one of the beds. “I bet old Mr. Waters would be turning in his grave if he knew what was really going on. Just take my advice, dude. Don’t give that company any more funding, and stay away from their employees. They’re pretty much all evil.” Mark took a few deep breaths to calm himself. “How… how do you know all this?”, he finally hissed. “I was almost an employee, and then I saw what they did to Elijah.”, Lena cut in. “All true.”, Elijah said softly, then yawned. “I went there for years, with my old family, and on my own. I never had any idea, at least not until I wound up a disembodied head on a table being kept alive God knows how.” Mark scoffed. “It sounds like you’re telling me a poorly written fiction by an edgy high schooler.” Elijah couldn’t help but laugh. “Buddy,” he sighed, “For the past few days, my life has been a poorly written fiction by an edgy high schooler. Hell, I’d say it’s a bad parody written by a middle school psychopath. The only real bright point has been that lovely ball of sunshine over there.” He raised a hand and pointed to Lena, then let his arm flop back onto the bed. In response, she merely turned toward the two and smiled.

Mark’s entire body convulsed, then he suddenly jerked to his feet and began making his way toward the bathroom. Jodi grabbed his hand, but a quick flick of his wrist saw her grip release. She shot him a puzzled look, a single tear falling from her left eye. “Mark, what the hell?”, Elijah shouted from his bed, not making any effort to move. “Eric and Rosh are in there, dude.” Mark ignored him. When he got to the door, Lena stood in front of it, blocking his entrance. “It’s rude to walk in on people showering!”, she shouted. He locked eyes with her, and she could tell something was wrong. After a brief second of eye contact, Mark pushed Lena to the ground with inhuman strength. Jodi screamed at the sight of her boyfriend pushing somebody down hard enough for them to crumple like a ragdoll, let alone somebody who had saved his life. “Something’s seriously wrong.”, she said as she rose slowly from her haunches. He opened the door, and Rosh turned his head. “I’m not gonna stop for you. Go piss and leave.”, he scoffed, then turned his attention back to Eric. Elijah, Lena, and Jodi burst in. “What the fuck, you guys?!”, Rosh yelled. “Something is up with Mark.”, Elijah explained. “We just came in here to retrieve him.” Rosh nodded, then went back to his business with his lover. “Well.. I’m still… not stopping… for you guys…”, Rosh grunted between thrusts, “We don’t… get to do this… often!” He punctuated the last word with a thrust that lifted Eric off of his feet. “I would be more polite if I weren’t the one pinned against the wall…”, Eric moaned, his speech surprisingly fluid, given his situation. Elijah seized Mark by the arm, and began to haul him out of the bathroom. With a sweep of Mark’s arm, Elijah found himself bowled over, sitting propped up against the bathroom wall. Before anybody else could do anything, Rosh sunk his fist into Mark’s stomach. “Take a hint!”, he huffed as the punch made contact. Mark doubled over from the impact, and a small red jewel flew from his mouth. Whatever change had come over him was quickly reversed, and he muttered an apology as he made his way out of the bathroom. Lena picked up the stone and turned it in her fingers. It was shaped like a pentagon and almost flat, with rounded edges and corners. She stared into it for a few seconds, the only sound in the room being the running shower and Eric’s chest hitting the wall. “What’s… the verdict?”, Rosh asked between vicious pumps, unwilling to interrupt his quality time with Eric despite the strange development. “This…”, Lena breathed, “This is… some kind of seed.”

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