"You weren't supposed to know what you were getting yourself into. That's for me to know, not you. Now go, show me what you are truly capable of..."
*The world is disfigured as the man falls from the sky, unaware of his surroundings. He slams into the ground with shockwaves reverberating throughout his entire body, dust surrounding him. Slowly, he opens his eyes, wincing in pain. He looks around. Everything is abandoned. Destroyed completely as if a war had torn through the landscape. He slowly rises, clutching his stomach in pain, still confused about his situation. The man doesn't know where he is or what he is, but he starts walking on the broken road ahead of him. Everywhere he looks: Destruction. Cars flipped. Streets destroyed. Dirt everywhere. No signs of life.
"This world is hell. You won't get out without learning how to survive on your own. I picked you for a reason. Show me that you can handle yourself like you spoke of before."
*The man is even more confused by the voice. Where could it be coming from? He turns around, only to see the ruined landscape behind him and turns back. Dismissively, he shrugs it off and continues walking, still curious about this world. He walks down the broken road for a little longer... until suddenly, he hears a noise from his left. He turns to see what he had heard. Could it be an animal? A bug? A snake? It could be anything, but he moves towards the noise. He starts to clench his teeth and hands as he nervously moves towards the noise. He stops to look at the dirt-ridden ground for any type of weapon or object he could use. He sees a stick that is big enough to do damage with, so he picks it up and starts moving. He continues moving towards the noise and comes across a manhole covered in what looks like sand. But why would sand be in a dirt ridden area? It makes no sense. What could that be? It can't be sand. But anyways, the man opens the manhole cover and all he hears from what sounds like coming from down below is...
"Why... why must thy be punished for.... such cruelty?"
"Why..."
"I had...I won't...."
*It sounds like a young man's voice coming from below, but why is he talking like that? The man slowly descends into the manhole into complete darkness. It's pitch black, he doesn't know if he reached the bottom, so the man stretches his foot forward to feel if there is ground there. His foot touches something that feels like... Liquid? What in the world is down here? Suddenly, the man smells... something metallic in the air... Blood. Why is there blood down here?! The man becomes increasingly nervous and uneasy, gripping his stick with more force than ever. The pain from his body starts slowly fading as adrenaline starts to spike. He then feels a presence.
*Something is down here with him.
*I thought it was only the young man down here, but it feels.... evil, sinister, dreadful. Wha- i...it feels like blood-lusted stares are piercing down the man's figure, as if the thing can just... See him without any trouble and wants.... wants to rip his soul to shreds.
"I see you."
*The voice sounded as if that... thing was right in front of him. The man flinched and ran in fear, dropping the stick, praying it wouldn't chase him. He banged up the ladder, breathing heavily, drenched in sweat, missing the bars as he fled. Only his frantic breath and heartbeat filled the silence. He needs to hurry bef-
Too late.
*His leg got grabbed by #rEd4C5d and dragged back down to the ground. He kicks at whatever is grabbing him with all of his might with a pale, petrified look on his face. But it's pointless. He slams into the blood-filled ground with a loud bam as if the ground cracked under his body. The adrenaline spikes and pain fades, but it won't last. He tries to stand, shaking uncontrollably, but he falls back down. He tries again but realizes, there... there's no feeling in his left leg... He um he grabs where his... leg was supposed to be but... he feels nothing
NOTHING.
*The man screams in agony, his voice echoing throughout the manhole. Before he can even process the pain, his left arm vanishes. He hears nothing but his frantic breath as his vision begins to blur. He's hyperventilating. He tries to move his left arm but... It's gone. The adrenaline fades, and suddenly, he feels everything. EVERYTHING. He SCREAMS even louder, grabbing at the space where his arm used to be with his right hand. All he feels is the waterfall of blood pouring over his fingers, splashing on the ground graciously. Then in the middle of screaming, it just suddenly became silent. Wait, why did everything go quiet? Wasn't he just.... What... no way.... did he just... Die...?
"How pitiful. You truly disappointed me."
...
*Somewhere else, far away from the manhole.
"*whispering* looks like I'll have to go around the shed in order for us to resupply but those damn... augh."
"Listen Lui, we need to find food soon or else, we aren't making it another night."
"I told you to stop calling me that. And I know, I'm trying my best here to mark out spots to get food, but I've been having difficulties due to those things."
"Dawg you have a nailgun for a reason. Use it."
"You think I haven't tried? I literally shot one of those things in the head before, but they didn't die. I don't even think they feel pain."
"Well, we need to do something soon, we can't stay holed up in this house for too long. I'm not losing another person to these... Things."
"Yea yea, I know. Just give me a bit, I'll have us a route here shortl-"
BAM
*Something kicks down the door downstairs.
"I know you're in hereeeeee... Lui."
...
"I just wanna be your friend Lui. There's no need to be afraid."
...
"Luiiii..."
...
"STOP HIDING FROM ME LUI, I WILL BREAK ALL OF YOUR BONES AND STOMP ON YOUR SKULL IF YOU DO NOT SHOW YOURSELF!"
...
"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH LUI GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT!!!"
BAM
THUD
BAM
BAM
CRACK
BAM
BAM
...
Silence...
"Is.... is-s it gone?"
"Nova... it-it knows m-my name..."
"I... I know Lui but it's going to be o-"
"NO IT WON'T BE OK NOVA; IT KNOWS MY NAME. I FUCKING TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL ME THAT. YOU KNOW THEY DON'T FORGET NAMES. I-I'M ON THEIR LIST... NO NO NO NO NO NONO!"
"LUI CALM DOWN, I'M TERRIFIED TOO BUT YOU NEED TO CALM-"
"NO, I WILL NOT FUCKING CALM DOWN NOVA. THEY DON'T KNOW YOUR NAME WHICH MEANS YOU AREN'T ON THE FUCKING LIST. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW I FEEL NOVA.... YOU DON'T....understand."
...
"i... i can't die nova.... i don't want to.. Im- im only 12, i- i can't. Im afraid.... i don't want to die..."
"Lui..."
"Nova... please... Protect me... I don't- want to go... please nova... please.... i- want my grandpa.... please..."
"*sniff* Lui. I- I won't let you... i won't let you die... please keep... No please try to keep hope..."
This world is hell.
...
"i.... i'm sorry Lui... "
"i tried... i really tried..."
Everything in this world is hopeless.
...
"plea..please... im sorry mom..."
Only the withering silence answers now...
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
"Cmon, Lui. You're gonna be late for class if you don't hurry up."
"Ok, ok, man, just... give me a sec, I almost got it."
"Dawg, what could be SOOO important for you to miss out on class?"
"Cmon Nova cut me some slack, after all, I am a 12 year old boy, hehe."
"Just because you're 12 DOESN'T mean we can skip out, but whatever... hurry up, man."
"Jeez, seniors these days."
"I AM NOT A SENIOR! I ONLY JUST TURNT 14 THIS YEAR! I AM STILL A DEFINED YOUNG LADY!"
"Yeah, right... Ok, I got it; we can go now"
"So, what was it that you got?"
"Oh, just... something for my grandpa..."
"Oh... how is he doing? Is he still in the hospital?"
"Yeah, he's still battling on. Still acting like he's in his 40s, saying 'YOU'S JUST A YOUNGSTA IM A GANGSTA' all loud in the hospital."
"Well, at least he's in good spirits. I know the cancer is rough"
"Yea..."
*Just why couldn't everything go right like it was supposed to...*
"Hello, who are you here to see today?"
"My grandpa. His name is Daniel, Daniel Williamson."
"Oookay, he's in room 1437. Take this bracelet so we can know you're family."
"Thank you."
*Why must this world be so cruel....*
"Ok, Lui. Put your game face on. Don't look sad, or it'll worry grandpa."
*Lui breathes in, expanding his chest to the fullest, and breathes out slowly.
"Ok, here we go."
*Door opens.
"HEYYYY GRANDPA, THE ONE AND ONLY OGGGGG! I CAME WITH SOME PRESENTSSSS!"
*Why must everything end in suffering and death....*
*No movement or noise comes from Grandpa Daniel.
"Hey grandpa... heh, you can stop acting like you're gonna do one of your surprises now when you be acting dead hehe..."
"..."
"Grandpa?"
*Why...*
*BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP
*Lui runs from the door and puts his hands on Grandpa's chest, tears starting to form and his heart feels like it's stopped.
"Grandpa!... GRANDPA! SSSS- SOMEONE- I NEED SOMEONE, PLEASE, HELP! MY GRANDPA ISNT RESPONDING!!!"
*Doctors rush in, pushing Lui away.
"MOVE IT, MOVE IT! CHECK HIS PULSE. I NEED SOMEONE GIVING CPR, STAT. Cmon, talk to me, hey, *soft slap* hey, hey, can you hear me?! SOMEONE GET ME A DAMN DEFIBRILLATOR, WE'RE LOSING HIM!"
*Lui backs away as his world shatters into pieces. He stumbles out of the room, hitting the white wall behind him. His legs slowly give out as he slowly slides down the wall, eyes wide open, staring where Grandpa Daniel lies motionless.
"grandpa.... please... don't leave me.. please... i can't... i can't lose you... please grandpa... this... this can't be happening...god please... this has to be a dream..."
*WHY?!?
*Some hours go by and Lui is out in the lobby, looking down at his shoes in despair and anguish.
"Is your name Lui?"
*Lui looks up at the doctor, trying to hide his pain but still has a worried look on his face.
"Yes... Is my grandpa ok? Please tell me if he's ok. I seen all the doctors in there with me, you guys had to have brought him back... r-right?"
"....."
"I'm sorry..."
*I'M SORRY? YOU DIDN'T TRY HARD ENOUGH. YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING ENOUGH. AND YOU EXPECT ME TO JUST SIT HERE AND TAKE IT?*
*Lui slowly rises from the chair, eyes widening as everything around him seems frozen as he hears those words, over and over again in his head, replaying like a broken tape recorder.
"...no... stop... no, you're lying, you're LYING, YOU'RE LYING, YOU'RE FUCKING LYING! YOU HAD ALL OF THOSE DOCTORS... ALL OF THE DOCTORS IN THERE AND NOBODY- NOBODY COULD'VE DID SOMETHING..."
"We tried everything, but his... his body was too weak to take anymore treatments."
*LIAR*
"HE WASN'T FUCKING WEAK, HE WAS- HE WAS JUST DOING FINE TWO DAYS AGO, YOU FUCKING LIAR. WHY DID YALL KILL MY GRANDPA HUH? ANSWER ME, WHY ISNT MY GRANDPA NEAR MY SIDE ANYMORE, HUH?"
"WHY!"
*WHY!!!*
"I'm sorry...."
*Lui drops his knees, drowning in the waves of hopelessness.
"Grandpa.... why.. Why did you leave... this isn't funny... please... don't leave me here, PLEASE GRANDPA, PLEASE COME BACK.... it isn't fair... fuck... please.."
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
...
...
..hey..
..HEY
...
NOVA WAKE THE HELL UP!
*GASPS