In the void, where chaos is constant and reality fractured, the endless darkness is ever-present, and no life resides.
At least, that's what it's supposed to be.
The silence in the void that had lasted since the dawn of its birth was shattered when a loud sound echoed. Banging could be heard from every direction, its rhythm seemingly music to the silence that permeated the place. And an occasional scream—filled with anguish, sadness, and confusion—came from the center.
A silhouette of a figure could be seen crouching, its hand repeatedly pounding on the "ground." Its body flickered like a candle or a bulb coming to its end. Mist-like smoke frequently burst from the figure, scattering into the darkness. The void recoiled from the mist-like smoke, like it was afraid to be purified.
The void trembled whenever the figure screamed, like a child flinching in front of its angry parent. Afraid of being reprimanded—or worse, punished.
'I knew it,' I gritted my jaw as I screamed internally, thinking how deep in trouble I was.
'I shouldn't have trusted those bitches… look at what that got me.' I grumbled, frustration seeping in as I recalled the memory of what happened earlier that led me to this predicament.
…
I was sitting in front of a convenience store, relaxing and sipping my drink. I was going to the company I worked at to address a concern I had recently.
A few days ago, while I was doing my job as an animator at home, I suddenly collapsed. When I checked with a doctor, he told me I had pneumonia and low blood pressure, which caused me to collapse. Worried, the doctor advised me to rest for a few days and avoid staying up late at night.
So here I was, at the convenience store in front of my company, drinking my soft drink to reduce my thirst before going in to fight with my boss for my seven-day leave. Hell yeah.
"Why are prices increasing every day? Fuck those people in the government," I grumbled in annoyance as I looked at the price tag of the onigiri in front of me.
'Seriously, two hundred pesos for just one onigiri? Why don't they just rob us?' I grumbled while angrily tearing the cover open. I took a massive, frustrated bite out of it, slowly savoring the flavor. At least it was worth the price.
"Umm… excuse us for asking, but are you Mister Javie?" a sudden voice sounded behind me as I sipped my soft drink.
Turning around, I saw two teenage girls coming from inside the convenience store, wearing school uniforms and carrying what I would describe as musical instruments. Their eyes wandered over me, settling for a few seconds on my handbag.
"Yes? I'm Javie. What's up, miss?" I said, raising an eyebrow. Like, who the heck are these two?
The two looked at each other, confirming I was the one they were looking for. One of the girls on the left fidgeted on the spot, interlocking her fingers, while the other looked awkward, hesitating to say something.
The girl on the right exhaled slowly, gathering her courage as she spoke.
"Oh, I'm sorry for not introducing ourselves. I'm Cara," the girl on the right said, gesturing to herself. "And this is Leah," she added, turning to her left.
"Hmmm… good afternoon, Cara and Leah," I said in a polite tone. "What can I do for you two?"
"Um… someone told us that you, Mister Javie, could help us fix our instruments."
"Huh?" An exclamation of disbelief escaped me. Someone recommended me to them? I rarely leave my house. Besides, I don't even know anyone outside my family. Well, except for my boss, but that's beside the point.
"Me? Fix your instruments?" I asked, making sure what I heard wasn't wrong.
The girls nodded enthusiastically, their heads moving in synchronized motion.
"Sorry to disappoint you, girls, but I don't fix instruments," I said, waving my hand at them and smiling awkwardly.
'Me? Fixing instruments? I can't even fix my own sleeping schedule, for God's sake, and I'm an animator!' I grumbled mentally. The words didn't escape, but my facial expression said it all. I scratched my head.
Hearing my refusal, the two suddenly looked at each other, like they were hesitating about doing something bad that could get them into trouble.
'Nah, man. I'm familiar with that look. I used to use it on my parents.' I grabbed my handbag and stood up.
'No way in hell I'd entertain these two.' I looked around, pretending to look for something important. Then my eyes settled on my watch.
"Oh! Would you look at that, girls, it's my time to go. Take care, you two," I said, my smile straining from being forced.
But before I could even take a step, my wrist was grabbed by Cara. Looking down, I could see her arm sweating. Her face contorted into a mix of panic and a forced smile.
I tried to pull away, but her hand tightened its grip. "W-What do you think you're doing?" I asked in a confused tone.
"Don't be in such a hurry, Mister Javie. Maybe you could just take a moment to see our instruments?" Cara's voice twitched slightly between breaths as she forced herself to smile.
"I already told you, girl. I don't know how to fix your instruments!" I pulled hard, but Cara's hand didn't budge, only sending pain through my wrist.
Leah, beside her, slowly walked to my side, intending to block my way out. Seeing them trying to surround me, panic set in, and I did the only thing I knew.
I pulled my head slightly back. With a sharp breath, my chest rose, and a surge of energy coursed through my throat, traveling all the way to my mouth before releasing a massive, compressed spit.
Yes. Spit.
The only weapon in my arsenal since birth.
"Pffft."
My saliva flew through the air as though it were gliding.
It landed squarely on Cara's face. She froze, dazed, touching her face and staring at the saliva in her hand, confusion written all over her expression.
I pulled my arm free. This time, successfully.
Then pain shot through my wrist, and I sucked in a sharp breath, my gaze snapping down. A clear handprint was left behind.
"What the hell kind of strength is that?!" I muttered nervously, slowly backing away and shifting my weight, ready to sprint.
Cara, who had been dazed just moments ago, suddenly screamed at her companion.
"Leah! Grab him! He's trying to run!"
Her voice shrieked. I froze when I saw her hand turning red, veins bulging until they formed a massive, claw-like flesh.
"What the…" I whispered.
Then I ran. Fast.
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" I screamed between ragged breaths, barreling away from the two weirdos, weaving through crowds and obstacles.
"Javie! Come back! Stop!" Cara's voice echoed behind me, filled with anger that promised pain worse than death.
'No way in hell.' I flipped them off mid-run, vaulting vendor carts and sliding under barricades, glancing back every so often.
Minutes passed. Fatigue slowly seeped in from sprinting at full speed. People around us started to notice the commotion. Anyone unfortunate enough to get in the way was sliced by Cara's hand. Screams erupted, turning the chaos even worse.
I glanced back and saw one of them lagging behind. Leah struggled to keep up, her breathing ragged, her body on the verge of collapse.
I thought I was starting to lose them.
Then something happened that I would never forget for the rest of my life.
Leah's body twitched, her face contorting in agony. Vein-like red stripes appeared and spread across her skin.
"W-W-What the hell is that?!" I shouted.
Her body inflated like a balloon before bursting into countless black crows that blocked the sky. A purple mist spread outward, making people collapse, foam spilling from their mouths.
The crows gathered at a single point in the sky—then swarmed toward me.
My breath hitched. Panic engulfed me. I sprinted into the road with everything I had.
My legs screamed in protest. Then a flash of light exploded in my peripheral vision, followed by a blaring horn.
I looked up.
A truck. Out of nowhere. Speeding straight at me.
'Is that… truck-kun?!' I screamed internally.
Time slowed. People shouted for me to move, but my feet refused. Exhaustion had me pinned to the ground.
'So this is how I die?' I thought mockingly.
Black figures entered my vision.
Right. Those freaks.
The swarm of crows collided with the truck in a violent crash. Feathers and blood rained down as the vehicle swerved and slammed into a nearby lamppost.
People screamed. Some raised their phones to record.
'I almost died. I fucking almost died?!'
Dread flooded my body, my ragged breathing turning painful. Cold sweat soaked my clothes.
"What the hell?! Did you see how that truck appeared?!" someone shouted.
"It just appeared out of nowhere!" another cried.
Within moments, people converged on the scene. Sirens from police cars and ambulances wailed in the distance.
———————————————
Word count: 1,541
———————————————
How is it?
Good.
Or
Nah.
Or
Kind of, just need improvement.
Tell me your honest thoughts!