Have you ever felt that your current life is a bit tedious? It is as if every day we experience is nearly identical to the last, and it repeats so often that it becomes suffocating for some.
Perhaps that is why those people wish for experiences that bring extreme tension mixed with a rush of adrenaline, much like what they see in the movies. After all, who hasn't wanted to step into the shoes of a protagonist facing a pulse-pounding climax?
Not me. I just wanted to live day by day in a normal way. Maybe it is because I am afraid of death, or maybe I was just too satisfied with the life I already had. My life was enough as it was, or at least it was until that moment.
"Huff... huff..."
I am currently running with every ounce of strength I possess and forcing myself not to look back. I truly do not want to know how close the thing chasing me has gotten.
*Thump Thump*
The heavy footsteps of the creature pursuing me echo rhythmically, goading my legs to reach their absolute limit.
"Dammit! I really want to quit this job!"
I scream as I sprint, and two others are running alongside me.
"Shut up and just keep running, you idiot!" the girl next to me shouts loudly.
"We need to calm down and find a way to deal with that thing," the young man on my other side says, his voice devoid of any emotion.
Calm down? When we are being hunted by a creature that looks like it crawled out of a horror movie? You are probably wondering how it came to this. To explain, we have to go back a few days to a beautiful morning suited for enjoying a day off.
In a small, quaint, low-rent room, a young man is happily surfing the web. That is me, David, the protagonist of this story. I have a normal life and a perfectly normal job. Then, out of the blue, my best friend sends me a strange link.
"Huh? This guy hasn't reached out in forever. What is he sending me now?"
I click it because I am fairly confident he will not send me a virus. We have known each other long enough to move past those kinds of pranks. What appears on my screen is a poorly designed website that features only a strange logo, a name in the center, and an 'Apply Now' button at the bottom.
"Pfft. 'Recruiting Personnel for the Anomaly Containment Organization'? Sounds ridiculous. And that logo looks absurd. Do scammers even try anymore?"
My friend has been missing for ages only to resurface with a link to a scam site. Next time I see him, I am going to pluck every hair off his legs. I start to compose an angry text, but right then, a sudden urge surges through my mind, compelling me to apply. My hand moves the cursor toward the registration button automatically.
Dammit! I can't control my body! Does this website have the power to hypnotize people? I fight with everything I have to stop my arm, but my body is no longer mine. I can barely prevent it from moving a single millimeter.
Stop it, hand! I don't want my private photo collection leaked! Please! I scream internally. I stay in that seizure-like state for half an hour until my arm feels like it might drop off. Eventually, I realize it is futile and that I cannot regain control. An hour passes, and I am still a passenger in my own body. I decide I would rather the computer get a virus than lose an arm to the strain. I give up and let my arm do what it wants.
Maybe just clicking it won't hurt?
*Click*
The sound of the mouse button echoes, followed by a wave of intense anxiety. A notification appears stating that the application is successful. Below it is a time and a location for an interview.
"Huh? This afternoon? And why is the place so creepy?"
The time is clear, but the location is an abandoned building. It is not far, but I do not want to go because it looks terrifying. Still, the fact that the website can control me is unsettling. Maybe they are not just scammers; maybe they are a cult. My best friend has probably been brainwashed. Just thinking about it gives me the creeps, so I decide to call the police.
They pick up quickly and tell me not to worry because they will handle it. I pray my friend is okay. Should I go there and save him? It would be pretty heroic, haha. Actually, never mind. Best to stay away from trouble. I do not want any part of this. The police will handle it, and I hope my friend can wait that long. For my own safety, I decide to stay home all day.
Despite my intentions, I find myself at the location by that afternoon. I have tried to cling to my bed, but my strength is no match for the compulsion. I helplessly watch as my body walks itself there.
"A dilapidated building with a brand-new elevator inside? These people are bizarre."
What are they doing in a place like this? Storing drugs or conducting weird rituals? Just as I am wondering, my body moves again, forcing me inside. I step into the elevator, and my hand reaches out to punch in a complex, nonsensical code. The elevator begins to descend. It feels fast.
"Aaaaaa! Help meeeeeeee!"
It is terrifyingly quick, much like a roller coaster ride. I have ridden those before, but this is different. I am certain it has snapped and I am in freefall, destined to become a pancake when I hit the bottom. Yet, somehow, I remain standing perfectly still despite the speed.
Suddenly, it stops. I think I have arrived and start to exhale in relief, only for the damn thing to rocket forward horizontally at an incredible speed.
"Whhaaaaaaat the ffuuuuuuu!"
Is this elevator taking me straight to hell? The physics are impossible, and I am going to die.
*Ding*
That single chime feels like salvation, and my panic begins to subside. The elevator has finally reached its destination. When the doors open, a man is waiting. He wears gear that looks like a SWAT team member from a movie. He mumbles something into a radio and begins dragging me along.
Hey, is this how you treat new recruits? At least let me get my bearings!
I am tossed into a sparse room containing only a single table and chair. A middle-aged man sits there, arms crossed, eyeing me. Two others, a man and a woman, are also present, both facing me. It is embarrassing to be seen in such a pathetic state.
The man stands up and clears his throat.
"Ahem. So, everyone is here. Welcome to the Anomaly Containment Organization, also known as Nightwalker. This organization was founded to maintain the normalcy of the world from the shadows."
He sounds like he is quoting a movie. He is too old for this kind of dialogue, and he clearly is not right in the head. The whole thing sounds like a cult scam.
The man places a hand over his heart and introduces himself. "I am Argon, Head of the Investigations Department. By order of the higher-ups, you have all been assigned to Investigations. And, since Group 7 was recently wiped out, you will become the new Group 7."
Wait, investigations? And what do you mean the previous group was wiped out? That sounds horrific. Are those people sacrificed? I suddenly become very concerned for my future. The man looks me in the eye as if reading my anxiety.
"You seem to have many questions. Rest assured, this organization is recognized as legal by governments worldwide. I guarantee your first mission won't be too difficult."
"And to build some trust, I'll pay your first month's salary in advance."
He pulls out his phone. I check mine and see my account has just received a massive sum of money. It is several times more than my previous job. How can they afford this? More importantly, how does he have my bank details?
"Alright, your turn to introduce yourselves," The man says, clapping his hands.
The three of us glance at each other until the guy next to me speaks up.
"I'll start. I'm Vin Limber. I have been raised by the organization since I was a child."
Raised by these people? His head must be messed up. Was he kidnapped? I feel a pang of pity for him. I look him over and see that he is frustratingly handsome. It is a shame such a good-looking guy is likely brainwashed.
"I guess I am next? I am Lynee Warren. I am here to follow in my parents' footsteps," the girl says with a slight smile. Suddenly, her tone turns ice-cold. "I hope we can get along, and I also hope you two follow my instructions if you want to stay alive or avoid causing trouble for others."
Talk about a mood swing. Does she think she is the boss already? I dislike her instantly. Looking closer, she is quite pretty with short black hair and glasses. She is wearing office attire, as the other two . Like young man, she seems to be another poor soul indoctrinated from birth.
They all turn to me. To be honest, I do not want to tell these cultists anything, but I have already taken the money.
"I'm David Nguyen. That's all."
I figure that is enough for the deposit. Now, I just need an excuse to leave before they are sacrificed me.
"That should be enough, right? The journey here was exhausting, so can I go home now? We can discuss work later."
I give them my most friendly, deceptive smile. The man stares at me, seeing right through the facade.
"You seem quite fit, David. You look very refreshed for someone so exhausted. Now is the perfect time to talk business. Since you have taken the money, you should show a little respect, shouldn't you?"
Damn, I should have acted more tired. He has also hit me right in the conscience. Leaving is not going to be easy.
"That is unfortunate, but I still have a contract with my old company. It would be difficult to work here. May I go home to think it over?"
"Haha, don't worry about your old job. We have already submitted your resignation for you."
The man's laugh feels like a mockery of my efforts. I quickly check my messages, and it is true. I am unemployed. Is this guy even human?
"Don't we need to sign a contract?" I ask.
"We will talk about the contract later. Don't worry, you will be forced to sign it eventually, haha!"
Every exit is blocked. Is this organization really that desperate for people? The man's expression turns serious.
"Enough jokes. Since David is new, I will explain our goal. There are things that exist silently around us that science cannot explain. They are anomalies that defy nature and threaten the normalcy you know."
"They are called Anomalies. They have existed alongside humanity for ages. Our mission is to find, contain, and research them for the benefit of mankind. We work with every government to keep their existence hidden."
His eyes burn with a strange determination.
"While the rest of humanity lives in the sunlight, we stand in the darkness to fight them and to restrain them, so that people can live in peace without fear or doubt."
It sounds so noble, but should I believe him? The idea of things lurking in the dark is chilling. The girl notices my skepticism and scoffs.
"Tch. He still doesn't believe us. Boss, let's just throw him in a room with an anomaly so he can get a taste of it."
"Hey, don't joke like that. You know how dangerous them are. Didn't your parents teach you any ethics?" The young man says. His voice is flat, but I can feel the sharp edge of anger in his words.
"What? You are calling me unethical? My parents raised me perfectly! Besides, how else is he going to believe us? And you, just because you were raised in an organization orphanage doesn't make you better than me!"
The young man does not flinch. "I may be an orphan, but I lived with my parents first. They taught me that some things are not jokes, unlike some idiot who acts tough but shakes like a leaf when she actually sees an anomaly."
"Did you just call me an idiot?! Take it back!" the young girl shouts, her face flushing red.
"I said some idiot. I didn't name names. Are you that sensitive?" The young man replies calmly.
As they begin to bicker, I watch in despair. The girl has just said she wants us to get along, and now she is shouting. I really have to work with these two weirdos in this crazy organization? Someone, please save me!