Blood.
There is blood on the floor.
It's gushing uncontrollably.
You are here, watching.
You need to do something.
You need to help them.
Yet you don't move.
Why?
Why do you stand there?
Only observing, unable to move out of their grasp.
Why do you choose to be Powerless?
The weight on you, why can't you lift it up? Evoke them, curse them, laugh at them, get beaten by them.
You have choices yet you sit there.
Why can't you fight back?
On your knees, laughing this time.
The laugh of a pitiful lunatic.
You laugh at yourself, at your own powerlessness.
Run, save them. It matters not whether you are pinned down, beaten, bloodied or mangled.
GET UP.
"I can't"
Why?
"I..."
...
Pathetic
You chose this.
Even so,
Tell me
Why do you sit there crying?
Why don't your tears stop?
Why do you constantly call their names?
Answer me Caia Deamonne, why do you still cry for them?
With a sharp jolt she got up from bed. Her mind was still dazed and her body, recovering.
It ached everywhere. She didn't want to move.
She found her arm and forehead covered by bandages
She tried to get up but was stopped by someone.
"You know, I'd really prefer if you stay in that position. Please?"
A soft voice called out to Caia, she looked besides her and saw a girl, she appeared the same age as her and was taller, sitting on a metal stool.
"Phew, well, it's great to see one of my patients survive ahaha!"
"Wait, patients?" She looked around the room and saw the sterile walls and the flourescent light that shone above her.
She sat upright and looked around; it was an empty room with only a few chairs and two beds. She was currently laying on one of them and the other was empty, but it was untidy as if it had just recently been used.
"My head feels like hell right now. What happened, I remember hitting someone and.....oh SHIT!"
"Tell me about it! It really took some time getting you and your friend into better condition. Mostly you though. Yeah, mostly you"
Caia briefly looked at her hands before turning her attention to her.
"Oh, was it really that bad? I don't remember exactly everything but wasn't it just a small cut on my head? Right?"
The surprised expression along with her raised eyebrows was enough to provide Caia with the answer she wanted.
Caia was rendered speechless and decided to slump back onto the bed.
"It got realllly that . I was tired trying to figure out where to start with. And then there was him, he just had to swoon over at the worst time possible. Uhhhh, I guess Alkeid was calling him Ethan? Anyways, the situation was so bad I had to call in backup, that being my mother of course. She took care of you while I tended to the boy."
"I see, so doctor, how long is it gonna take me to get better? I have a job too you know? Though I wouldn't mind taking a few days off and this does give me a good excuse." She laughed softly.
"Well, if you want, I suppose I can help you with that. Thankfully, it's Alkeid. So, one piece of paper and you're going to be good to go!"
Caia's tired eyes slightly lit up with mirth as she nodded to her.
"Oh wait, I haven't introduced myself yet have I? I'm Malena, I work here as a medical assitant. My family runs this clinic."
Caia gave her name to Malena before she continued forward.
"Also, you snore too much."
"!?"
"No seriously, I accidentally closed my lids once when i was applying the antiseptic, thankfully you woke me up though, otherwise the entire bottle would have ended up on Ethan's face."
"That would have actually been hilarious. I'd definitely want to watch that."
"You sure? If it had slipped into his eyes it would have been some serious trouble, I might even have had to pluck his eyes out."
"WHAT?"
"Well, not pluck his eyes out as per say, just that it would have been quite the troublesome job."
Speaking about Ethan, Caia asked about where he was.
Malena looked sideways with a speculative expression before quickly turning back towards Caia and replying with a frivolous tone,
"Oh well he just got up from his bed a few hours ago. He'd probably be back at the workshop by now."
Malena told Caia more about how he had run to her in such a sorry state and borderline demanded her to help him.
Caia was amazed but also felt terrible, she had to be saved again. All she had done was create a scene. She didn't know how she would confront Ruben or Ethan.
"Well, please do get some well-deserved rest now, I won't wake you up if you don't snore too loud"
"No I'd much rather prefer not to be woken up abruptly in the first place."
With that, Malena stepped outside the room, but just before that Caia called out to her.
"Thanks a lot, Malena." Was all she had said yet it made Malena smile.
"Thank the person who dragged me to you too and then we'll consider it even". She winked at Caia before leaving the room.
A sigh came out from her as she made her way down the seating hall and was met with a young man in his chair, trying not to fall asleep.
"Genuinely, I feel as if you worry too much, Ethan."
"Can you blame me doc? I mean I was the reason she got in that predicament in the first place." Ethan's voice was low yet brimming with gratitude and relief.
"Well, why didn't you just go meet her directly? She would have definitely felt better, I can assure you that much."
"ehh, I thought about it too ya know? But just...I just thought I'd see to it later. Probably when she's better."
"Hmm, is that so?" Malena sat down on her desk as she got comfortable.
"Doc, I mean Malena"
"What? Want me to write you a notice for leave too?
"You do that? Err well no, I just wanted you thank you. Like seriously, I don't know what I would have done without your help. Really, really gotta appreciate you for that."
"Well, no need for that, if I'm honest with you." She replied affirmatively.
"Oh, such humility. It'd be great to accept such compliments from time to time you know?"
"Don't worry regarding that, I meant that you didn't need to thank me, all you can do is pay this". She handed over a piece of paper to him.
"Whats this?"
Ethan read through the receipt; he almost swooned over for a second time.
"DOC! What are these exorbitant prices? I came to get better not have a heart attack."
With a raised eyebrow she replied with a small grin on her face, "I'm more surprised you expected this to be cheap. This clinic isn't self-sustaining, and you know that too, right?"
Ethan contemplated for a solid minute before his eyes escaped from the receipt and with the most serious expression Malena had ever witnessed, he thew her a question,
"So, can I pay with my-"
"Unfortunately, we don't accept payments in the form of harvesting someone's kidneys or well, any body parts for that matter."
Malena took a long look at Ethan's pleading yet optimistic face as she let out a sigh.
"I'll charge 10% interest each time you miss the deadline."
"10% interest each month?"
"Each week."
Ethan's jaw dropped at the revelation. He never expected to become a debt slave at such a young age.
Ethan looked at Malena trying to replicate a pleading gaze he'd seen somewhere before.
"Stop that, your eyes are really not cut out for that job. Too scary to even consider a little cute."
"Oh? Well, it doesn't matter anyways, I already know how good my looks are!".
"Seriously?" That was the most readable expression Ethan had ever seen as he looked at Malena, was this really just another part of the casual banter or did she actually find him annoying? Well, who knows?
She let out another sigh before giving in, "Finee, you don't need to pay it at once, you can do it when you have the money."
Ethan let out an exaggerated expression of his triumph as he swung both arms into the air and clutched both his fists before letting out a strong "YESS!".
Malena also couldn't help but be amused by his silly actions, she had intended to go back in to see Caia before she noticed the cut on Ethan's arm.
"Ethan, Ethan did you take the bandage off?" Her concern was apparent as she questioned him.
Ethan was quick to hide his arm behind his back as he replied with affirmatively,
"I'm completely fine doc, no need to be so worried. It's just a small wound it'll recover by itself."
"Like hell it would. It'll get infected like that! Get up, we're putting it back."
Malena got up and she beckoned Ethan to do the same but he remained uncertain.
"I said its fine doc, Its unnecessary anyways." His voice was a little hesitant this time around.
Recognizing this, Malena sat back down and faced Ethan.
"Ethan. Would you at least tell me why? If that get gets infected, you'll be in serious trouble. And I don't fix self-inflicted wounds, you should know that." She tried to make light of the situation, but her soft laughter quickly faded, unlike Ethan's stern melancholic face.
"I said its nothing, I just-I don't like the bandages and everything. It's- It's shameful."
The answer was vastly different from what she had expected. She processed the words said by Ethan and eventually got up and reached for the bandages.
"No, Malena, I already sa-"
"Take it as a favor."
Ethan didn't understand what Malena meant.
"If you don't want to apply them, just consider doing me a favor, please? If not for yourself, I surely wouldn't want your walking around with that wound."
She softly worded her sentence as she approached Ethan.
Ethan eventually gave in and surrendered his arm to Malena who gently wrapped the bandages and even gave Ethan a thumbs up before he headed out. He didn't know how to thank her, the least he could do for now was to show his gratitude again.
Upon stepping out of the clinic, he reflexively shielded his eyes from the bright sun as he walked down the path away from the clinic.
At a decent distance away from it, his attention once again went to the bandages on his left arm.
He lifted up his right and moved it towards the bandage, he slid to the edge of it and just as he was about to rip it off, he stopped.
He contemplated whether it was worth it, he remembered Malena taking it upon herself to put it on, she had requested him to keep it on. He couldn't betray that sentiment.
His hand dropped back down and reached for his pocket.
He had to get back to the workshop now, Alkeid would probably be waiting there for him. Maybe Ruben will also greet him too, though he didn't like the idea of seeing Ruben again. Not after how he had abruptly stopped in the middle of the house just for the bag of coins.
He kept his hands in his pockets, but he left something. A round metal object, it even had small beads attached to it. He quickly took it out and saw the locket he had picked up at that god forsaken house.
He opened it to see the same picture he had seen before. That same smiling lady and the man he had encountered before.
Should he return it? But that meant telling him what happened to his family. He would be in despair upon learning that, nevertheless Ethan believed that he had a right to know.
A small grin accidentally emerged on his face, but he wiped it off quickly. He himself was unsure why it happened.
Shrugging it off he thought about going to his house immediately, however he feared he might be beaten. He considered going with Caia once she had recovered but he dismissed the idea.
He knew that she would never agree to it, she would say that it was a stupid idea.
Nonetheless Ethan believed otherwise, "Well, we'll see what happens there itself."
With this resolve unshaken, he moved towards the house.
He was on the same pathway he had taken before, the same street he had crossed. Althought it was lightweight, he knew that what he was carrying now was much heavier than the gunny bag could ever be.
He had seen the man hold such a nostalgic look as he talked about his family, he was sad and Ethan knew it, yet he had the same eyes that were filled with hope that he would surely see them again.
Ethan was going to be the one to shatter that hope, albeit he knew that it would be better than never knowing the truth.
He came across the same region on the street he had seen before, and it reminded him of someone.
He hadn't seen that same little kid around here again. He wondered where she had gone. At the same time, he heard some cries nearby. Looking to his right, he saw a small group of people gathered around a woman and man, probably a husband and wife. They were in tears and were saying something to the people around them.
"Oh that looks bad." Ethan thought. He decided to check it out later when he had the time and moved to the house for the time being.
He stood in front of the same abandoned looking building he had entered before. The same place where he had his first drink.
He reached the house and before knocking with his hand, he saw a dull door knocker that had been recently installed.
Using it, he knocked on the door. Only one was required this time surprisingly.
"Who's there?" The harsh voice asked as the door opened.
"Oh, you're the new recruit from before."
"Ethan. My name's Ethan."
"Ethan? Alright." He waited for a second before asking why Ethan had come there again.
"Sir, I needed to tell you something."
The man grew serious as he gazed at Ethan's dubious expression.
"I actually, stumbled upon this"
He handed the man the locket, and he took it without a second, almost snatching it. He opened it.
"Where did you find this?" His voice remained unchanged.
"I found it in a loot house outside of town. I thought I had seen it before then I thought about the painting on your wall. Is it someone you know?"
The man didn't reply to Ethan, he only stood there without so much as an inch of movement, staring down at the locket, grazing his hand past the dried blood and dust that covered it.
His face remained the same throughout, he wasn't angry, sad, fearful. He just stood there, looking at the locket.
"You should go back."
Ethan heard the man's word, and it took him a second to realize what he had said. Obeying, he left the scene, he walked slowly back and the man headed back inside the house. He thought he wouldn't see him for a while now.
He heard something behind him again, it had come from that house, it was the sound of something breaking. The wall shook and a small hole was formed on the front wall.
He felt empty, but he believed he did the right thing. Even so, it was weird for him to feel in such a way, this minute sense of relief came across him.
Although it was miniscule, it was weird regardless.
Ignoring it, he headed back to the workshop, it was still early afternoon, and he would've preferred sleeping in and lying that he was ill rather than working.
When he entered the workshop, only Alkeid was there, he had been working on his desk and writing something. He turned out and looked at Ethan. His face lit up with relief as he approached him.
"You really worried me there. Anyways, how are you feeling now?"
Ethan looked at his smiling face again, and for some apparent reason it pissed him off.
"Yeah, I feel much better. Though not as good as to work. My head hurts alot, you know how like stress and stuff right?"
"I see, and where is Caia if I may ask?"
"She's still sick, but I'm not less sick you know? Oh! if only I didn't have work today."
Alkeid's smile broadened at Ethan's actions, "Alright then."
Now, this was really unexpected. He thought he would have been worked to the bone like a donkey.
"What..?" He asked.
"I said you're free for the day. I don't want my employees to be sick. You can return when you feel better."
Was this guy just extremely gullible? Or did he really just have a heart made of gold? Ethan refused to accept the latter and only found the former argument logical.
He nodded and thanked Alkeid half-heartedly before returning to his room.
He had nothing to do; he just laid himself down on the bed.
Attempting to sleep, he closed his eyes and remained still for around a few hour. Sleep never came over him though. He got up from his bed half sluggish and half restless.
He decided to go outside instead, maybe it would distract him from his thoughts for the time being.
He looked around for his jacket, only to realize where he had put it. It was still in the clinic. He would surely to there to get it, maybe he would pay Caia and even Malena, another visit.
Seeing them again would definitely be comforting. It would be much better than staying here alone with his thoughts.
He wanted to follow through with it, until he suddenly decided not to. He had somewhere else more important to be.
The old man had helped him tremendously and although he hated him, he wasn't a monster as to ignore his actions, maybe it was because of the words regarding favors that Nicodemus had said that stayed in his head.
He was outside the house now; it was the middle hours of the afternoon as he exited the apartment and headed towards the watchtower.
"Today has really just been a rollercoaster hasn't it?" He whispered under his breath.
Resentfully, he had to admit that the old man had also played a major part that allowed Ethan to save Caia. He also regretted how he had lashed out at him during their first visit.
"Aye, where are ya' going?" Asked a coarse voice.
"I was gonna go to the watchtower for some business, that old man helped a lot more than I wanna admit."
"The watchtower..?" Ruben wandered off in thought before giving Ethan a stern warning. Ruben was unsure about the old man, he never knew what he was trying to do, ever. He found him strange that he always locked himself in that watchtower, only coming out ocassionally a few times in a day.
Further, Ruben enquired about Caia, Ethan was doubtful whether he should even answer him after how he had reacted in the loot house, so much so he might even hold a grudge against him.
He eventually got rid of Ruben after replying positively to his words, they never seemed concerned to Ethan. Only a formality and he hated it.
Arriving at the watchtower, Ethan observed the relatively large structure, narrow in its build and only expanding at the top. It was one of the only structures made of concrete in the town.
"That old geezer sure has some money."
He stood at the door and rung the doorbell which he came across, suddenly he heard a ruffled sound that said "Come in."
It was a speaker, and although old it was still fully functional.
Amazed, Ethan opened the door and looked up, the ascending stairs that led to the top room, next to it was straight downward path with a room at the end of it. He was intrigued but kept it in check and climbed up the spiraling stairs, making his way to the room at the top.
He was met with the old man preparing something, his back turned to him.
What he saw there was a minimalistic room that housed all the necessities required.
A square room with an open kitchen and dining table. Alongside it was a large workbench at the corner of the room which probably served as a hobby for the man, there were essential hand tools that were neatly segregated and stored, hammers, chisel, saw, numerous tapes and flashlights, a large measuring scale and even a hatchet at the side.
Upon closer inspection, it seemed, unusual. Why did he need so many buckets? He also noticed the large number of medicines that lined up his desk.
"Come take a seat, standing will only give you more leg pain." His voice called out.
Ethan forced a smile as he sat down on the table. The man offered him a cup, it was tea.
"Hey there, how are you doing mist- si-, uhh, old dude." He couldn't get himself to use any formalities for him.
"Quite the way to address your elders, but I won't judge, you never know how a person was taught in their childhood."
That was definitely irritating to hear, Ethan bit his tongue and held it in for the time being and only his smile wavered.
The door behind them that led upstairs to the second floor opened as a person emerged from them. They were covered up from head to toe, it was difficult trying to see their face, Ethan was unsure of their gender too, until they spoke,
"It is done, sir." The respectfully calm and collected voice was feminine. What girl was working for such an eccentric old codger, he thought.
He simply said, "Good work." The girl just stood there with her arms behind her back, almost like a bodyguard.
"Isn't he gonna sit or anything?" Asked Ethan out of curiosity whether the old man was also a kidnapper.
"There is no need." Replied the old man in her steed. He turned to Ethan and asked him why he had come over so suddenly, had he come there to apologize?
Ethan shot down that train of thought he had by saying that he only had come because he was bored.
"Bored?" The man repeated. He stared at Ethan studying his face before he grinned, it was one that didn't feel right, it carried something Ethan couldn't quite understand.
"Well, did you find an answer to the question I asked you before?"
"Huh? Which one? Ethan was genuinely confused.
The old man groaned before repeating the question, "Who would you rather put your faith in? A bird engulfed in flames that believes in rebirth, or a petty dog that refuses to run?" Was what he had asked.
"Ohh, that riddle you mean."
The old man sighed at his ignorance and saw Ethan lost in thought, he contemplated what would be the correct choice, but at the end he chose to follow his guts.
"The dog." Ethan replied.
"Quite a surprise, why so?"
"That bird you're referring to, its a phoenix, right? I don't think such a bird would be willing to do everything he can for its people and,"
Ethan halted before speaking further, "I just pity the dog."
The old man narrowed his eyes in surprise, "Not quite the same as his response." He murmured
"What? Are you mocking me again?"
"No, I just wanted to show somethings to you. It would be of great help." The man gradually got up as he spoke these words. Turning to the room behind him
"Respectfully, nah. I really don't wanna to accept any help from you. As I said before, I'd rather fall into a ditch than do that."
"Such petty ignorance. You do realize I am only doing this because you need it. I do not concern myself for helping the weak."
His provocations had worked as Ethan was slowly firing up,
"Hey, why don't you watch your mouth? The elderly shouldn't be so stubborn."
"This town is in danger."
Ethan's eyes widened as those words reached his ears. He was stunned and didn't know how to reply.
"A few months from now, a human disaster would fall upon this town, and no one would remain."
What bullshit was this man spewing? Had he actually gone insane? Even so, his words seemed real. There were no hint of deception in them that Ethan could grasp. He was only left speechless.
"I know a few things and I believe you can hopefully do something for this town."
"Did you take your meds today? Or are you just clinically insane?" Ethan's voice tried to mock him but it was shaken.
The man beckoned to Ethan to follow him and he was enticed to do exactly that.
"Damn you, if its some weird ass false alarm, you'll be owing me a punch to the face."
"So be it." The man replied authoritatively.
Ethan followed him as he opened the door behind them, it turned out to be another staircase. Ethan was questioning the man's sanity once again for living in this weird structure. The room was pitch black but luckily the man had a flashlight he had picked up from his bench.
It was shaking in his hands so Ethan took it from him and shone it forward.
Both of them slowly descended downwards, they were on equal steps, if push came to shove, Ethan didn't want to be pushed downwards. so he remained vigilant.
The staircase seemed to go on for some times, maybe it was due to the slow pace with which the man walked that made it seem endless, that was until it wasn't. There wasn't a wall at the end, nor a door, the stairs just seemed to stop. There was only black
That was when Ethan realized it, something had been wrong from the very beginning.
He had been trapped. He rushed to turn back but it was already too late.
The same hooded figure from before rushed down and pushed him into the ditch.
His heart sank as he fell, time seemed to stop as his feet failed him and he fell backwards, the entirety of the meagre trust he had in the man, the worry for Caia, his wish to see Malena again, his irritation at Alkeid, his grudge towards Ruben, at that moment he remembered all of it, only for them to completely vanish as he fell.
The dread had not set in yet, and the last thing he saw was the wide malicious grin on the man's face as he laughed at his foolishness.