Death Stranding Novels & Stories

He hit the cold, grey sand of the beach with a bone-jarring impact, rolling through the surf as the Dredger let out a final, metallic shriek. The combination of the internal heat and the physical torque of the harpoon cable was too much. The Dredger’s front-right leg snapped with the sound of a gunshot. The massive machine tilted, its drill biting into its own hydraulic support. With a catastrophic groan, the Dredger collapsed onto its side, the diamond-tipped spear grinding into the sand and stalling. The Silt-Drones fell still, their power links severed. The beach was suddenly quiet, save for the sound of the waves and the ticking of the cooling metal.

There had been a search team fifty miles out. "We've got this, ma'am," one of the medics said, waving at her to move away. "Oh, okay," she muttered, shock still racing through her veins. Not sure what to do, she stood there, helpless. They took his vitals and then heaved him up onto the stretcher. "Let's go," the other medic said, cupping her elbow with his gloved hand. She nodded and began to walk toward the helicopter. Titan . She'd forgotten about Titan . She paused. "The dog," she said, nodding over to his body.

Click. The intercom line went completely dead. All I could hear was a loud rushing hiss of static that sounded like the wind blowing over an empty grave. Through the iron railing I watched the yellow rubber raft disappear beneath the churning white foam of the Benson-01’s nuclear propellers. The dark shape of our sister vanished into the cold deep currents of the Atlantic leaving behind only a floating black oil slick that was instantly torn apart by the storm. At that moment the crimson flashing on the console stopped. The system registered the termination of the Benson-04 genetic anchor.

"The buckle was pinned under the seat structure. If we stayed another ten seconds, the suction would have taken us down with her. The plane is gone." As if to prove his point, the last bit of debris vanished beneath the waves. We were alone. Then, the sky opened up. Rain began to pour down in thick, heavy sheets. I looked around. There was nothing. Just endless, choppy water. "We need to swim," Mr. Coop said. "To where?" I asked, my voice trembling. "There's nothing here, Mr. Coop. We're in the middle of the ocean." "The pilot said something before we hit. About an island. It’s that way," he pointed into the grey mist. He reached out and grabbed my wrist. "Just swim, Ariana. Don't think abou

“Someone broke into the house. I think they’re still here. I can hear them moving around… like they’re searching for something. Please, Zane. You have to come. I’ve tried calling Skye so many times but she’s not picking up. I’m so scared…” “Listen to me carefully,” I said. “Where are you right now? Stay exactly where you are. Don’t make any noise. If you can lock the door, do it. I’m leaving right now. Just hold on, okay? I’m coming—” The call cut off suddenly. “Zara? Zara!” I shouted into the silence. “Fuck!” I stared at the screen. Call ended. No signal. For a second I just stood there, my hands shaking. My mind was spinning. This was really happening.

His strength was unnerving. “What is you mean?” I swallowed hard, still trembling. “We—we were supposed to have a retreat in Bantayan, but there was a seaquake. Our barge sank. We washed up here.” “You is the telling truth?” “Yes! Please, we’re desperate! We need help! Please, just—” My voice cracked as the weight of everything—everything I’d been holding back—finally crashed over me. The fear. The loss. The exhaustion. I couldn’t hold it together anymore.

But I had never faked drowning to deceive anyone. I had already died once. Was I about to experience the suffocating terror of drowning all over again? I bit down hard on my lip, and the taste of blood spread through my mouth, jolting my fading consciousness. Fueled by sheer survival instinct, I reached out and grabbed the edge of the jet ski. I didn't know what I had grabbed, but a sharp metal edge sliced my palm open, blood spilling freely. Yet, I still refused to let go.

The black ocean kept roaring behind us, throwing angry white crests against the base of the boulders, but the violent undercurrents could no longer reach us. We lay there for several long minutes, the heavy silence between us broken only by our ragged, uneven breathing and the rhythmic crashing of the tide. We had been drifting for hours, swallowed by the vast emptiness of the sea while the world back behind the harbor line believed we died in the massive explosion that killed Victor. We had absolutely no money, no legal identity documents, and no clothes besides the soaked, torn garments clinging tightly to our skin. We were completely dead to the world, stripped down to nothing but our nam

Silas’s POV I tore out of the pack lands, racing north. Drops of blood dotted the ground under the moonlight. It was Ember’s blood. I knew the scent. The farther I went, the more blood I found. At the edge of the border, a large pool of it soaked into the dirt. She collapsed here. I dropped to my knees before the pool of blood. My hands trembled as I touched the congealed stains. So much blood… How could she still be alive?

I don’t know why, but something is rotten in my gut and it’s never wrong. We storm through the building, Roddy’s being the last room at the end of the long ass hallway. The door is locked and Grouch sticks his ear to it, then backs up and kicks it open. The immediate stench of death I know all too well hits my nose and I can’t believe nobody has noticed it. It’s at least fifteen doors from mine. Missile and Grouch storm in, but I can already see the lifeless body of Ryan “Roddy” Grimes on the bed. I step in the room and see a needle sticking right out of his fucking arm. His skin is already discolored, he’s been dead a couple days. And nobody even realized it. Some brotherhood we are.