A Fate Worse Than Death – The Transdimensional Archives

Disclaimer: I don't actually need to do a disclaimer for this part, as none of it was created by Saban, but just for old time's sake, I don't own Power Rangers, Saban does and I haven't asked any permission for this. Author Note: Okay, I've been doing too much serious writing and I've needed a chance to blow off some steam, so here it is! Time Scale: This happens a few days after "'Ultima(te) Revelation'. A Fate Worse Than Death Matt I just keep running, frantically hoping for some chance of rescue. I stumble through the trees, dodging past obstacles that would normally scare me, but all that scares me now is the thing I know is chasing me, the thing that would bring upon me the most terrible fate imaginable. As I continue to flee, I wonder how I got myself into this situation. It had just been a normal day in the Power Chamber, perhaps too normal. Following all of Armageddon's attacks, it was good to have some time to rest, so we made the most of it. All of us packed up our things and set off for New Angel Grove Park but I had a terrible feeling. The usual group outings had been made much easier with the use of a teleportation system. No longer did we have the trouble of cramming everything into a car, making sure everyone was there, then having a long, uncomfortable drive to a place most of them didn't even want to go to. No, now things were so much easier, one press of a button and we were here, all ready to enjoy our day out. The large group, twenty-three of us in total, as even Alpha had joined us, soon began to split up. Whether into groups of family or groups of colleagues, it didn't matter. What mattered was that we were spread across half the Park, each doing what we wanted to do. Some went swimming in the Lake, others went walking and others played games. I myself started off playing a game with some of the others. Morning soon passed into afternoon and we all gathered back together for lunch. It was then that I should have known what was going to happen, but I remained blind to it right up until the last moment, and then it was just too late. After enjoying a large lunch (for those of us who could eat, the ones that couldn't just enjoyed being there and being part of the experience), we started to split again. The pace of things was a little slower than the morning. Some of us still went off to play a few games; others went to try and walk off the large lunch while the rest just sat around talking. We all remained amazed that we hadn't had any disturbances so far. I had been told that in all of the time there had been Rangers on earth, they had not been able to spend a full day like this. They had always been interrupted by some threat. I, personally, was expecting that to happen today. I knew our enemy could not see the City, so he could not see what we were doing. Most thought that would be enough to stop him interrupting, but I thought differently. I knew what I was expecting to happen, and although it is much worse than I ever thought, I was right that something did indeed happen. As the afternoon grew later, I started to tire of the game we played. I walked back to the others, lay down on one of the blankets and closed my eyes. I was asleep before I knew it. It was a deep, dreamless sleep. I slept for a few hours until the others rudely awaked me. They were going to be getting ready to leave soon, so I decided to go for one final walk, trying to make the day last as long as possible. I hadn't walked for long when I got near to the forest. I could just about see the others from where I stood; they looked ready to go. Suddenly I heard a battle cry and saw several figures approaching me. It was a battle cry I definitely knew, and one that I had always feared. I knew that I couldn't fight this, the only thing I could do was run, run for my very existence. If they caught me, I would be exposed to a most terrible fate. Slipping into the forest, I went along as quickly as I could. I kept looking back, hoping that I would just see nothing behind me, and hear no calls, but that was just wishful thinking. Here and there, where the trees thinned out slightly I could make out the figures chasing me, and when the wind blew in the right direction, I could hear every word they said. That just made me run faster. I got a slightly longer lead, just far enough to get out of sight. I knew I couldn't outrun them, I had tried that before. Now I had to outsmart them. Looking round despairingly, I hoped to find salvation, and be it through luck, or having an eye trained to spot these things, I found it. A tall tree with branches nearly down to the ground, and thick foliage higher up. Jumping onto the bottom branches, I started to climb, higher and higher, passing through the branches thick with leaves. Finding myself a particularly strong branch, I took a seat and waited. The seconds seemed like hours. As I heard them approach, I held my breath. It was hard as I was panting heavily from the long run, but I managed to stay silent as they passed underneath me. Waiting a few more minutes, I was sure they were gone, so I climbed back down. Hoping to be able to find my way to safety now, I started walking back. Then I heard the battle cry once again. It sent a shiver down my spine and the chase started over. I ran in a different direction this time, hoping they would go back the way I came from, as I had first intended, but alas, I was spotted and they were soon converging upon me. I shouted back a plea of mercy to them, and they either didn't hear, or didn't care. I knew which one was most likely. Continuing to run, I start thinking of how I got into this mess, once I'd gone through it all, my mind wandered back to the present. I can hear them getting closer. I keep praying for a chance to get away, but the horrible truth grips me, I know it's just a matter of time before they capture me, then all will be lost. They are creatures without hearts, without souls. They would force me into that which I most fear, that which sends mortal dread waving through my very existence. The forest starts to thin out and I realise what a mistake I made when I changed direction, I am coming towards the edge of the forest, and therefore, losing my cover. Knowing that I have no way to get back into the undergrowth, I just put all of my energy into my legs and run for dear life. Through the grassy clearing I hope to reach the edge of the Park, maybe I could lose my would-be captors in the City, but as I look ahead at the long distance, then look behind at the shrinking distance between me and the chasers I realise the game is up. I can run no more. I fall to my knees and say a silent prayer, but it is no good. They gather round me and the lead one picks me up. "Got you!" he says in a sadistic voice. "No, let me go!" I plead with them. "After the trouble you've given us? No way." Another of them says. "Please, I'll do anything, just don't make me do it." I say, I can feel tears forming in my eyes, but I hold them back. "I don't care how much you plead, you're going to do it, especially after this fiasco." The lead one says as they start to lead me back. "No Matt, you know I love you, don't do it!" I beg now. "Mark, whether you like it or not, when we get back to HQ, you are having a bath!" Matt commented. And this is it. I know I can not escape his grasp. I go now to face my fate, and leave you all with a warning, when you hear that most feared of battle cries - "'It's bath time!' Run! Run and never stop running, or you shall join me in the place of the damned, the place of the clean, but the place of the damned nonetheless. My time has come, and it is over

</body>

</html>