We'll Never Be Alone

by Dreamless Days Sat Jun 16, 2012 1:19 am

We'll Never Be Alone

PROLOGUE
Peaceful Days

1947
Roswell Army Air Field

"Guard duty... it's always the same isn't it?"

Outside of the air field, two privates stood side by side. Their back to a gate that led into the complex, all they had to stare at was a lonely road that led out into the wide open expanse. Not too far away, was the town of Roswell. The two privates were Marshall Sheppard, a young man at the age of 18, and Johnny Hern, a 20 year old. Both men were dressed in uniform, and held rifles in their hands.

Marshal turned to Johnny, who had just spoken, and looked quizzical.

"Why do you say that every night? What are you expecting?" He asked.

Johnny shrugged his shoulders, his eyes staying on the lone road ahead.

"I don't know... I suppose I just like to think that I could be more useful. I signed up for action, and they've got me out here guarding a gate." He replied "I just wish I had something to do. If I have to do this for the rest of my life, I might go insane."

Marshal scoffed.

"Look at it this way. At least we're no getting sh-" He started.

What cut him off, was both his and Johnny's radio's exploding to life all of a sudden. As it crackled, all that came through was static however. The two young privates looked to each other confused as the static continued, rather than clear up.

"Think it's a problem with the radio room?" Johnny asked.

Suddenly, a resounding explosion. Both young men's eyes were drawn to the Northern Sky as they both saw a large white light shine brightly. Their hands tightened their grip on the guns as they could only watch the light falling down to earth. It disappeared from view as it seemed to collide with the ground, and another explosion came from the direction. Almost instantly, the static quietened to nothingness, and voices sprang to life from the radio.

Behind the two, the gate opened and a Jeep rolled up next to them. Inside was an older gentleman and a driver, both wearing uniforms. The older man spoke.

"What the HELL happened!?" He asked.

"Something fell on Roswell, sir! Might've been a bomb." Johnny answered quickly.

"You two, get in. We're going to survey the area." The older man ordered.

Johnny jumped in eagerly, while Marshall moved slower. He had faltered only momentarily, but his superior had noticed it. Marshall's face showed worry. His superior spoke.

"Look kid, you're in the military now. This is no time to be scared." He stated.

Marshall nodded, his mind ticking over. He stared at his boots as the Jeep sped along the road. He could hear another one behind them too. Suddenly, he felt Johnny nudge his arm.

"Hey, c'mon Marsh, we're just surveying the place. Even if it WAS a bomb, it's not like it will change our lives. We're safe. And if this was an attack, then we'll just have to save everyone. It's our job." He said.

Marshall nodded slowly, Johnny's words replaying over in his head.

"It's not like it will change our lives."

"Yeah..." Marshall whispered "You're right."

He sat quietly for a few minutes as the Jeep continued to speed down the road, racing into Roswell as fast as it could go. Listening to the chatter on the radio as people were checking their instruments and the like. It seemed nothing really out of the ordinary was happening, so everyone was confused as to what it could be.

Finally, as the Jeep came closer, the soldiers could see something ahead. Whatever it was, it had caused a large crater in the ground. With a plume of smoke rising from it. Townsfolk dressed in their night wear were gathering around it when the Jeep came to a halt. Quickly, the soldiers all jumped out of the vehicle.

"Get those Civilians back!" He yelled at the soldier who had been driving "You two, get in that hole and see what the hell happened here!"

"Yes sir." Marshall and Johnny replied.

They jogged over to the hole, moving the townsfolk away as the passed by them. As the looked down into the crater, they tried to look in. It was deep, very deep. Neither soldier could really see anything. However, Marshall thought he could see a faint glowing light below.

"You see anything?" Johnny asked.

"I... I think..." Marshall mumbled as he leant over more.

The ground beneath his boots suddenly crumbled, and Johnny moved to grab him. However, instead of stopping him from falling, all he did was cause himself to fall in too. The two rolled down the side of the crater, and finally cam to a stop at the bottom. Marshall coughed the dirt out of his mouth as he sat up, and began to notice a glow on his skin. He looked over to the middle of the crater and saw the source of the glowing.

What had crashed to the earth, was a strange rock. It looked to be double the size of a man's head, but was giving off a strong red glow. Marshall half noticed his radio was once more giving off only static, though it was only faint now. A voice called down from above as he saw Johnny also coughing and sitting up.

"Are you boys alright!?" It asked.

It was their superior obviously, having seen them fall in the deep hole.

"Yes sir! We're fine!" Marshall called back.

"What do you see?" He asked "What's down there?"

"To be honest sir... there's not a whole lot. But, there's this rock. It seems to be the thing that fell here! And sir... It's glowing." Marshall called.

"Understood kid, see if you can get back up here! We'll get a clean up crew on the way. I want to see that rock." His superior replied.

Marshall sighed as he looked around, they could probably just climb up the side if they were careful. Though they'd need a rope or something. He was sure there had been one in the Jeep. While thinking this through, Marshall was trying his best to avoid looking at the rock. It was weird, he felt like... like it knew he was there. Like he was being watched. He could hear Johnny talking to his left.

"That's... That's weird." Johnny whispered.

Marshall looked over to see Johnny staring at the rock.

"Johnny... we have to get out of this hole." Marshall stated sternly.

"I know, I know. Just... give me a moment..." He mumbled.

He took a step toward the rock, and Marshall's eyes widened slightly.

"Johnny...?" He asked.

He watched as he reached out his right hand, stepping closer again. He was so close to it now. The red glow danced from his eyes like a bright light. He leaned in.

"DON'T TOUCH IT!" A child's voice screamed from above.

Shocked into action by the child's words, Marshall stepped closer to Johnny, finally speaking.

"Johnny, no!" He cried.

He reached out and grabbed Johnny's arm as he finally touched the rock. The moment his skin made contact with the rock, it lit up. The glow became too bright to look at, and not just to the two privates in the crater. All the onlookers were blinded by the incredibly bright red light. A shock wave was emitted from it, and both Marshall and Johnny were sent flying backwards into the wall of the crater.

As he began to slip into unconsciousness, Marshall tried to open his eyes. He saw the light receding back into the small glow it had been when he first saw it. But more than that. Behind the glow, it looked as though there was a kind of rip in the air. It lasted only for a second, but through the tear he thought he saw eyes. So many eyes. Just... staring. And as the tear closed, Marshall knew one thing.

Whatever this rock was... whatever had just happened... it was not human. With that final thought, Marshall let go of consciousness. He drifted into the dark that was sleep. He could not have expected, despite what had happened to him, that what had happened tonight was the start to something amazing.

2012
New York City

The city always did sound busy. And for a good reason too. Cars were almost always on the streets. People covered the sidewalks. Each one had their own lives, and almost everyone was in a rush to get to their next destination. However, like it all cities, there were the few that didn't rush things. They lived their lives at their own pace. One of those people, was Will Grande. He was still only young, at the beautiful age of 18, but he knew how he wanted to live. He jumped at the possibility of adventure, it didn't matter what kind of adventure it was either.

Right now, he was playing basketball with his friends. The hot summer air caused sweat to drip from his forehead as he moved swiftly. He spun around his friend who was trying to block him, and lined up for a shot. He threw the ball high, and they watched as it sailed through the air.

"He shoots!" Will cried.

They all watched as the ball came down, smacking the ring and bouncing away before they all started laughing.

"Aaaaand he fails miserably!" He cried before laughing with the others.

They quickly grabbed the ball before getting back to playing. Will checked his watch, noting the time as 2 PM. He sighed before waving to his friends.

"Sorry guys, I gotta jet." He stated.

One of his friends, Blake, waved back.

"Alright dude, see you tomorrow!" He called.

"Yeah, will do." Will replied.

He turned away and stepped off the court. It was just off the pathway of a busy street, within the confines of a large chain-link fence. It had been a place for his group of friends to hang out at since they were kids, all of them having a small passion for basketball. Will always had fond memories about the place.

As he stepped onto the street, the atmosphere of the city hit him once more. Whenever he was with his friends, he could forget about all the noise and people that were in New York, but walking the streets just reminded him about how little he really was in the grand scheme of things. He smiled as he looked up at the buildings high above. No matter how many people there were in the city, he still loved it.

Suddenly, due to him not watching where he was going probably, Will bumped into a young boy. He fell to the floor and grumbled as Will put out a hand to help him up.

"Hey, really sorry. I wasn't watching. You're not hurt are you?" He asked.

The boy took his hand, shaking his head.

"Nah, I'm okay." He mumbled.

Will couldn't help but notice his striking silver hair. It was long enough to fall over his eyes. The boy only looked about thirteen, and he was wearing a big black hoodie with the hood pulled up. Will brushed the dust off the boy's back for him as the boy spoke again.

"Stop it, I'm fine. Excuse me." He stated.

Will stepped out of the way as the boy passed. He called out an apology once more before shaking his head and continuing on down the street. It wasn't everyday you saw a person with silver hair, it sure was strange.

Shrugging his shoulders, Will watched the sidewalk carefully now, a smile still on his face. Today, he thought, was going to be a good day. There's always an adventure around the next corner after all. Little did he know, how both right AND wrong he was.

by BinaryMelody Sat Jun 16, 2012 6:38 am

Somewhere in New York, around 2pm, a boy named Yue was dancing along the road, his hips and head lightly swaying from side to side as he moved to his own rhythm. Another young man, his best friend Kino, was walking beside him, while two young women, Cynthia and Rose, followed closely behind. Of the four of them, Yue was the quiet one, Kino was the smart-ass, Rose was the wild one, and Cynthia was the elegant one. A strange team, sure, but their bonds can't be broken. The two girls were deep in conversation - to the untrained ear, it would sound only like squeals and giggles. Yue and Kino knew how to decipher it. Kino finally sighed and turned around, walking backwards as he spoke.

"Rose, give it up, he's not going to ask you out."

On hearing him speak, the murmur from the girls quieted down, and the girl being addressed looked up at Kino sharply.

"You don't know that!"

"He has his eyes on someone else already. You can't compete."

"Says who!?"

At this point, Cynthia looked away, stifling a snicker with the back of her hand. Rose heard it and turned her glare to Cynthia.

"What's so funny?"

She couldn't help it - Cynthia let the laugh out. Yue heard the laugh and pushed back one of the bulbs on his headphones to listen.

"You have no boobs. You have no ass. You have no competition."

Both Kino and Yue burst out laughing at the response. Rose jumped at Cynthia with a cry of "You traitor!!", and much chasing was had as Cynthia ran for her life. Yue and Kino had trouble following them, still caught in throes of laughter. They ran three blocks before Rose couldn't chase anymore and flopped onto a bench to catch her breath. Yue and Kino caught up after a few seconds, somewhat winded. Cynthia looked like she barely used any effort. As Rose sat on the bench, breathing heavily to restore her depleted oxygen supply, she cast a dark gaze at Cynthia.

"One of... these days... I'm gonna... catch you..."

"You keep telling yourself that. You're not gonna catch me if you don't practice."

"I do practice!"

"What, once a month?"

Kino leaned down to whisper to Yue.

"Probably at the same time when she needs a way to vent all that anger."

Yue quickly clapped his hands over his mouth to keep from laughing out loud like Cynthia did. Rose threw a pebble at Kino.

"I heard that, you jerk!"

Finally Yue decided to speak.

"They both have points. You don't have as much going for you in the physical department as Sarah, but you make up for it with personality and intelligence. You're too good for someone who only looks at shallow characteristics like "boobs and ass" as deciding factors. And you don't practice your running as much as you think you do."

Cynthia sighed when he finished speaking. Kino stood with his arms crossed, nodding slowly. Rose only looked away, unwilling to admit that she lost.

"That being said, you-" He reached out to the right to point at Kino without even looking at him. "-need to stop teasing her. It's a sensitive time for all girls, and I'm sure they don't appreciate you being mean about it."

Kino looked at Yue in mock horror. "Oh, you wound me! It's almost like you think I do it on purpose!"

"Don't you?"

"Well... Yeah, but-"

He stopped mid-sentence as Yue put his hand up. His headphones were hanging around his neck, and he was looking northward - the direction of his home. Cynthia and Kino watched him carefully with concern. Rose looked back and forth between the two of them, confused.

"What-"

She was cut off by two simultaneous "SHHHHH!!" noises from Cynthia and Kino, who then looked back at Yue, waiting for a response. From a young age, Yue had a sort of sixth sense that warned him when something bad was about to happen. It wasn't exactly a gut instinct or spirit instinct, it was like he heard what was going to happen before it happened. To Yue, it seemed entirely silent, even as traffic streamed beside them - he heard a strange noise. Growling and heavy breathing, like that of a wild animal that has cornered its prey. Without a word, he bolted for his home, skidding around the corner at the intersection. Cynthia gasped in surprise as Yue shot past her, then quickly turned and gave chase, Kino hot on her heels. Rose stood and followed, puzzled.

"W-wait! Where are you going? What's happening!?"

Kino turned his head to shout over his shoulder without slowing down.

"Something's about to happen! Try to keep up!"

Within minutes, the house came into view - it was a large white house in a privileged sector of the city. It wasn't a modest house by any means, but it wasn't overly extravagant like a full mansion; even so, it could easily accommodate several people with ease, and frequently did.

The gate outside the house swung open as Yue approached, detecting the key-chip in his headphones. He sprinted up the driveway, quickly leaving the gate's range and causing it to close before his friends could follow. He was at the front door by the time they arrived.

"Yue, come back! It could be dangerous!!"

Oblivious to their shouts, he pushed open the front door, looking around wildly. The entrance hall was a large area with a high roof that allowed sounds to echo and reverberate. The noise was intense here, he could barely focus.

"Mom! Dad!?"

As if responding to his voice, the noise began to clear, becoming much lighter than before. Whatever had caused the noise seemed to be coming from the staircase. He ran up the stairs two at a time and stopped at the landing, waiting for the noise to guide him. He followed it slowly, not wanting to attract attention from the source of it. A chill ran up his spine as he passed his parents' bedroom - that was where the noise was strongest. Taking a breath to steady himself for what might be behind the door, he slowly pushed the doors open. Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw.

His mother was lying on the bed, her left leg at an odd angle. His father was lying in a pool of blood on the floor, a fire-poker beside him. His chest was crossed by what looked like large claw marks. Stepping into the room, Yue noticed a large black circle on the ground that was slowly disappearing. When the circle was closed, the last of the noise disappeared. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He crept forward, unsure if the circle would return, until he reached the bed.

"Mom...? Please wake up... It's over now..."

He reached over to nudge her, to attempt to wake her up, and recoiled in shock. Her body was already losing warmth. She was gone. As the shock settled in, Yue let out a wail of agony and collapsed next to his mother, unable to hold back the tears.

--------------

Yue woke up about an hour later. His eyes were red and sore, the tears still trickling down his cheeks. There was soft white noise in the hallway, like someone had left the speaker at the gate on. He remembered that his friends had followed him and slowly stood back up. He shuffled out into the hallway, moving slowly as if possessed. He brushed his hand over the gate button in the hallway, almost tripping down the stairs. As the gate swung open, the trio rushed up the driveway and hammered on the front door, shouting Yue's name repeatedly. He slowly opened the door, barely registering their gasps of horror as they saw his appearance. Kino stepped forward and grabbed Yue's shoulders.

"Yue! Are you okay? What happened!?"

Yue looked up at Kino with hollow eyes, his voice hoarse.

"They... They're gone..."

Wordlessly, all three of them hugged Yue tightly. They remained like that, holding him with love and protection for several minutes, until Kino released his hug and tilted Yue's head up to look directly into his eyes.

"You're not alone. We'll take care of you."

Rose spoke next. "That's right! We won't let anything bad happen! We're here for you!"

Cynthia stepped back to speak. "This is going to be tough, I know, but we'll help you get through this." She pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed at his eyes lightly, drying his tears. "Don't you remember your invincible spell?"

Yue looked up at her, his voice shaky.

"It... It will be okay." He took a deep breath to steady himself. "I know it will be alright."

Kino smiled, relieved that Yue could still say his motto. "There you go. It will be okay." With a grin, he poked Yue's forehead. "Now where's my smiling, dancing boy?"

Yue couldn't help but smile as well. "Right in front of you, moron."

Cynthia and Rose exchanged glances. "Yeah, he's back."

Yue shook his head slowly. "You guys..."

Kino quickly pressed a finger to Yue's lips. "Ah ah ah. We're going to help, and that's final."

Yue laughed. His parents were gone, but his friends were with him. They would help him. The first order of business was to clean the room and give his parents a proper burial. There would be time to think about the strange black ring later. He looked first at Rose, then to Cynthia, and finally back to Kino, smiling.

"Thank you."

by **Digital Muse** Sun Jun 17, 2012 7:01 pm

Mary Dunraven sat at her small desk at the Chicago Tribune, feet up on a corner while she read the byline with her name on it. She had investigated City Council member Davidson for 2 months to get the evidence that she had been misusing City funds to line her own pockets. In the process of the investigation, Jinx had also learned that the Council woman had been carrying on an affair with a man that Jinx later learned was not only a drug dealer, but an illegal alien as well. It had been the biggest story Jinx had ever covered and written. It wasn’t front page news, but it was damned close.

The buzz and hum of the press room was nothing more than white noise to her anymore. Fingers tapping lightly on keyboards, different ringtones on everyone’s cell phones and the rare desk phone barely registered as Jinx read and re-read her article, picking it apart. The truth was that she’d never been perfectly happy with her writing no matter what anyone else said. But, it served her well enough. She grinned, the investigation had been the thing that drove her and she’d come far too close to getting in trouble for her editor’s comfort.

A male voice near her brought her out of her reverie, “Hey. Dunraven. Nice story. Gotta admit you did a hell of a job.”

Jinx glanced over to the grizzled old man seated in the desk next to hers. He was building a stomach that sat oddly on his once-powerful frame and his hairstyle seemed to be channeling Albert Einstein. She flashed him a brilliant grin. “Thanks, Walter. That means a lot to me.” She had been about to continue when he interrupted her.

“Stupid thing to do, though. You don’t go into that world by yourself and without anyone knowing where you are. You have no idea what you were into, do you?” His eyes were stern and his lips tight. “You keep doing things like that without thinking and you’re going to end up a statistic.” He turned his head back to his own computer, but added, “Work smart next time. I’m not gonna write your god-damned obituary.”

Jinx blinked at the curmudgeonly elder-statesman of the press room in frank surprise. It had been the longest speech she’d heard him make in the entire 2 years shed been employed at the Tribune. It was probably the only thing that might have shut down her unfailing enthusiasm. She thought about his words and grudgingly had to admit that she hadn’t really thought things through in her pursuit of the story. “You’re right. From now on…I’ll bring a platoon of Marines.” She grinned when Walter merely snorted at her. It might have been a laugh, it was impossible to tell. But only if they’re absolutely dreamy.” This time he looked at her and she winked broadly.
______________________________________________________________________________

Two days later found Jinx aboard a United Airlines flight to New York. Evidently, Jinx’s editor and the FBI wanted her out of Chicago until the trial began. She’d only been given 12 hours to pack, let her parents know she was going to be on assignment and out of touch for ‘an undisclosed amount of time’ and she’d been whisked off to the airport under the ridiculously obvious Man in Black. While they waited for the plane, Jinx glanced at the terribly serious man beside her and grinned, “Aren’t there supposed to be two of you? You know…like Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith?”

The agent, whose name turned out to be Mitchell, glanced down at her with a tiny smirk. “Well, the other Agents are escorting Aliens around. You get just me.”

Staying with the movie references, Jinx laughed brightly. “And here I thought the FBI did not have a sense of humor that they knew of.”

He just smiled again, eyes watching the gate area attentively. When the flight was called, Jinx was escorted to the gate and allowed to board the plane alone. “Good luck, Miss Dunraven.”

The flight lasted only 2 hours, but they were forced to circle JFK for half an hour before they could land due to a heavy fog. Jinx had entertained herself by engaging the people in the seats next to her in bright 100 miles per hour conversation. Her questions seemed unending, her good humor made sure they didn’t grow tired of her and as a result the time seemed to disappear.

Once on the ground, Jinx was met again by a man and woman in plain clothes, but who identified themselves by showing their identification. Satisfied, Jinx shook their hands and followed them to the luggage area. “I liked Agent Mitchell. Nice guy. Kind of unexpected you know? It was sort of refreshing.” She got very little commentary from the agents at all.

After several long hallways and twists and turns, the agents finally emerged from the terminal building and walked toward a cab. Jinx paused and asked, “Hey, what about my luggage?”

The woman turned toward her, “It’s alright. We’re having it delivered for you. We don’t want to spend too much time in the open.” Both agents kept their eyes moving as Agent Mitchell had, but they were looking at the security rather than the crowds.

Jinx slowed her steps falling just a little behind the agents. The woman held the door of the cab open while the man was within arm’s reach. When Jinx hesitated, the man’s hand shot out to grab for Jinx’s arm. “Come here, you little…”

With a start of shock, Jinx fairly leaped out of reach, falling over a luggage cart directly behind her. The family that belonged to the luggage started yelling at her, but all the attention was just what she wanted. “Sorry, I’m sorry, let me pick these up.” As she spoke, she backed around the family to put them between her and the ‘agents’.

The man and woman stared at her with an intensity that froze her blood. But when security began to converge on the scuffle, they both got into the cab and took off, much to Jinx’s relief. Now she found herself stuck in New York and honestly in trouble. She couldn’t call her family in case they were in trouble too. It was possible that Jinx's editor might be part of it all, so she’d have to call the US Marshall's office here in NY. They were supposed to have been the ones to be in charge of her. She was certain they’d want to know what had happened.

by Ethereal Sun Jun 17, 2012 10:32 pm

An interesting start of a new day forced Euri's eyes open; it was bright and sunny, nice and warm- all that good stuff. Although for the man, the haze in his eyes and the throbbing headache was not a welcomed addition. Trying to get his bearings while wiping away the remaining drowse in his eyes, Euri mustered strength in both arms to push himself up. Looking sideways, he could not fail but notice the black garbage bags surrounding him. Confused, the man looked around more and found several other bags scattered around and a dumpster turned over. Sighing in defeat, Euri recalled last nights events and chuckled sarcastically.

"Way to go Mr. Euridyce Ravenstein, you just found yourself a comfy bed..." he said almost monotonously to himself.

Picking up the trash that now goes by the name Euri, he dusted off flakes of shredded paper and whatever food remnants that found themselves in his clothing. He got tossed in the dumpster by a young group of testosterone containers. It was after a friendly advice he gave to one of them in the form of a roaring fist. A stinging pain shocked himself to full awareness as he ran a hand over his cheek to fix his hopeless hairstyle. As if a stroke of luck still lingered in him, a broken piece of mirror fell out from one of the bags as he accidentally kicked it while walking forward. Picking up the shard, he noticed a swollen bluish-gray mark on his right cheek.

"Damn... kid's got punching power." he mumbled and tossed the shard away.

Convinced that he was not garbage but a human being, Euri got himself out of his wasteland bed and noticed a burly man watching him. It appears as if he was there the whole time standing by the backdoor of a fine establishment most people call a bar. He was one of them bouncers, people who literally bounce you out of a joint for causing trouble. The guy had a smirk playing in his lips as if telling Euri that he was right where he belonged earlier. Euri cocked his head to the side, a non-verbal question asking the guy what he's looking at. The man simply scoffed, smirk turning into a full smile.

"Had a nice nap tough guy?" the man asked as if intentionally adding insult to injury.

"Fuck you." Euri responded and gave him the finger.

"Get lost asshole and don't come back here again!" The bouncer roared.

It was an everyday scenario now for Euri, tossed around or pushed aside that is. He was a nobody now, just another nameless man trying to make ends meet through this one sided game they called life. The playing field? New York City, The Big Apple, The City That Never Sleeps. Fancy monikers for a city that harbored all sorts of dark secrets in every alley, every building; every household, every person. He knew for he had seen them with his own eyes; he even got involved in them for a day's meal.

As he walked down the streets the people avoided him like he's some sort of disease. He's like the man with a hopeless case of loser syndrome that nobody wanted to catch. Or could it be the stench of rotten concoctions that reeked three maybe four yards out of his clothing? Who cares? They don't know him anyway. Scoffing at or dodging every mocking, demoralizing look he got from people he crossed paths with, Euri finally reached home sweet home. It was a rundown apartment which looked like on the verge of collapse at first glance; the rent was ridiculously high too for a shabby home.

Nonetheless, this was his sanctuary, his holy ground and the only safe haven he has from the harsh city. Euri's landlord with a strong foreign accent caught him making his way up to his room on the fourth floor; his rent for this month was due two days ago. Their eyes meet but good thing Euri's new found Eau de toilette drove the old man back to his coffin with a door. With no hostilities transpiring, he shrugged his shoulders and continued his way to the fourth floor. So much for the Axe scent or so he thought.

Before opening the doors of his kingdom, Euri thought back to the time when he would usually see a lavishly decorated room fit for a young man with an important role in a huge chessboard. How he wished he could see the past when he opens the creaking door with a rusted knob. Snapped back to reality by the sound as he pushed the door open, Euri found a barren, dusty chamber. The past will always be in the past. Releasing a pent up sigh, he closed the door behind him and rested his back on it.

There was hardly anything in his room. A twentieth owned mini fridge with only beer inside, a solitary table with one seat, a plate that comes in with a pair of silverware, a nasty couch probably filled with dust mites, and a bed which he could hardly fit in. Of course he discounted all those empty Chinese food boxes that lay scattered all over the floor. It was not much but this was his attempt at regaining control of his life. He did not have much success in that department.

"Good grief... where did I go?" he asked himself as he made his way into the showers.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

It was nearly 2pm. Euri had managed to make himself presentable again in his reformed standards. It was a big day for him and there was nothing in New York that would stop him from showing up at the first ever real job that he landed. From today forward, he is now a certified Henchman. Apparently, some bigshot lady got impressed with how he brawled in the bar last night. Funny enough, before passing out in the dumpster the lady offered him a job and left him a calling card, while he was sprawled inside the dumpster to boot. Whether it was out of desperation or boredom, Euri gave the lady a call.

They were supposed to meet at Olive Garden 2pm sharp, one of those Italian restaurants that he used to frequent when he was still somebody. Euri came in early, probably due to him being excited about finally getting a stable paycheck. He hated looking like an idiot standing around so he counted his wealth. Using whatever money he had left in his pocket, he ordered a cheese ravioli that cost him his entire fortune. Now that lady better show up or he would go hungry for a few days.

Nearly an hour passed and still nobody came to talk to him. Euri was starting to get agitated but was at a loss if he should just take off or give the lady a few more minutes of his worthless time. He decided on the latter and stayed true to his word that he would be there for the job. Perhaps his soon-to-be boss was just testing his eagerness for the job. That was the best he could come up with in trying to convince himself that he was waiting on nothing. Euri knew that it was natural of course for all those who were high up in the food chain to toy with their food. It just so happened that the bottom of the food chain was where Euri is at right now; he badly needed the job now that his entire riches was the ravioli digesting in his stomach.

"I'm sorry, I had to test your eagerness." a female voice whispered behind him.

Euri looked back and saw a finely dressed woman with glasses on. She definitely knew how to put on the glamor with those pearly white beads dangling around her neck. She had a sly smile on her lips and a seductive sitting pose with most of her white legs showing from the slit of her dress.

"Bullshit! I kept my word you know?" Euri retorted.

"Now now, profanity is not necessary. I merely wanted to make sure you have what it takes. The people I need has to have this certain hunger in them." The woman replied and sipped some wine from her glass.

"I'm pretty sure I will not have problems with the hunger department. I just ate my entire fortune, I will be more than hungry."

The lady giggled the high class way of course and smiled at Euri. "That is good to know. It's all settled then... follow me." she said and motioned with one hand for him to follow her outside.

There was a black limo waiting and whatever Euri has gotten himself into, looks promising so far.

by **Guilty Carrion** Mon Jun 18, 2012 4:48 pm

“Five…four…three…two…one…”

‘Wak-’ His finger slide across the screen, silencing the alarm before it could properly sound, before gently setting the phone on the battered slab of wood he called a bedside table. Hunched over his bed, Isaac blinked away the fatigue of the long night, eyes barely half opened as the young man staggered up to his feet. Exhaustion ached through his muscles, and for a moment, he just stood, staring listlessly at the gently turning fan above his meagre bed.

Lightly slapping his cheeks once, he trudged from the small bedroom and into the hall that lead to the two other rooms that his tiny rent check every month ensured were his. The bathroom didn’t even have a door, but he’d lived in the cramped mess for years, and he was more than use to it. The shower sputtered and spat before finally starting, and he grimaced when he discovered that he once more was lacking hot water. It’d help him wake up, yes, but that didn’t mean he’d exactly enjoy it.

A short, frigid shower later, Isaac stared in the mirror as he robotically brushed his teeth, noting the thick black bags beneath his eyes. Every passing day he was looking more and more like a zombie, but there wasn’t much he could do to fix that. Sleep was always a difficult thing to come by nowadays, true sleep anyway. Who could blame him? Nightmares didn’t make sleep exactly appealing.

A chill rolled down his spine at the thought, and the apartment seemed to groan in response. The floorboards in the hall creaked, and his eyes snapped to the door. With every passing creak growing louder than the last, he found his body tensing, arm pumping faster and faster. Finally it sounded in the door way, but nothing stood where the sound was, and Isaac released a breath. Spitting out the remains of his toothpaste, he frowned at the splatter of red inside the white. His gums felt raw, and the man sighed heavily as he placed the toothbrush back in its cup. He was getting a little too paranoid.

The rest of his morning routine passed without incident, save for his coffee machine deciding to up and die on him. Breakfast was a labour without the pick-me-up; almost face planting into his eggs numerous times. Isaac made a mental note to get an energy drink at work for the shift to come. His boss usually didn’t enjoy it when Isaac drank the stuff, but it had grown into an accepted fact between the two of them that Isaac needed them most days.

Pulling on his hoodie, Isaac closed the door to his apartment and stuffed the ancient key in the rusted old lock. He had to jiggle it a few times, but eventually, it made the ‘click’ sound he wanted, and the young man started the slow descent to ground level.

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Sitting behind the counter, Isaac sipped slowly at his energy drink; eyes watching the few customers peruse the store’s selection. He’d worked in this convenience store almost since he’d moved out, yet it was still a point of mild amusement to see how many odd-balls he could see in a day. Today was a little dull, and he silently pondered if he wasn’t the weirdest one present in the little hole in the wall. As if on cue, the bell above the door jingled, and he glanced over to greet the new customer, only to grin tiredly at the owner.

Sahib was the spitting image of the stereotypical Indian man running a convenience store, but the illusion was promptly shattered when he spoke. “Isaac, you’re looking as alert as ever! How many thefts today?” The accent in his voice was from Brooklyn, and while Isaac was use to it, it did earn a few more surprised looks from the customers.

“Twenty three. Twenty four when you dock my pay for everything.” The man laughed, rounding the counter and sitting up on the stool beside the tired clerk. “I didn’t know you were coming in today. I would have dressed a little cleaner.” He raised his hand slightly to gesture to his hoodie, but Sahib only shook his head.

“I could care less what you wear so long as the money stays in the till.” Glancing at Isaac, he frowned when he spotted the half empty can of Monster. “You’re still drinking that crap?” Isaac didn’t even twitch at the question, staring blankly nothing in particular. “Your heart is going to explode before you’re thirty at this rate.” The concern was evident in his voice, but he kept his tone jovial.

“I couldn’t sleep.”

“When do you sleep, Isaac?”

There was a beat, before Isaac half-smiled, still not turning his head to look at his boss. “Good question.” They’d had a conversation like this dozens of times, and while Isaac was thankful for the man trying to look out for him, it wasn’t something he felt like sharing. He was paranoid, really. Who had nightmares every time they tried to sleep?

He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat, fingers drumming against the counter in a rhythm-less beat. Noticing the sudden anxiety in his employee, Sahib placed a hand on his shoulder. “You alright, Isaac? Looking a little pale.”

Nodding numbly, he stepped down from his stool, muttering something about the bathroom. Sahib said nothing about it, watching the young man half-jog across the store, oblivious to the curious stares of their customers. Releasing a shaky breath, Isaac staggered to the sink, turning on the water and letting it run for a moment while he breathed raggedly. A panic attack at work?

He splashed the cooling liquid on his face several times, resting his arms on the small counter. It took a few minutes, but eventually, he felt his heart calming and his breath slowing. Chuckling at nothing, he straightened himself out, staring in the mirror for a moment. The lights over his head flickered, and Isaac glanced up at them in curiosity.

Hadn’t Sahib changed them last week? After a customer had complained that they were burnt out. Before he could think anymore on the subject, an all too familiar chill rolled down his spine. The lights went out. He didn’t even have time to yell as something grabbed him from behind, and pulled. Instinct flared, and he tried to face the attacker, paling as the wall itself sprouted hands of sepia grey, clutching and tugging at his body.

As he tried to pull away, the clawing limbs only grew longer, and more numerous, the ceiling and floor sprouting more and more and clinging to every bit of clothing and skin they could dig their blackened nails into. Each yanked its own independent way, ignorant of the others, but demanding he follow. With every pull, another found its grip, and the tug of war grew harder. When he opened his mouth to yell, to scream, a hand appeared to quickly latch to the top of his mouth, ripping upwards with an otherworldly strength.

It continued for only another moment, each pull more frantic than the last. Unable to move, nor scream, he could only blink back stinging tears of pain as his body began to stretch. Joints began to split, and his jaw could go no further without the rest of his skull. Isaac squeezed his eyes shut as the final pull came, and his body began to tear…

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Isaac’s head snapped up so fast he nearly sent himself toppling off the stool. Sweat dripped down his forehead, and his eyes darted about the small store in a panic. His heart thudded painfully in his ears, and every muscle was tense and ready to move at a moment’s notice. When his eyes finally came upon the lone customer, staring in surprise at him, Isaac’s entire body slumped. “Sorry.” He breathed, and the man nodded slowly before returning to his shopping.

His energy drink lay empty beside him, but the beverage had not done its job like he’d hoped. Dumping the can in the garbage, Isaac ran a hand across his head, grimacing at the thick coating of sweat he wiped away. He probably looked a mess right now. If Sahib came in, there’d be no getting out of an explanation, that was for sure. “You alright, man?”

Isaac looked at the man, who’d picked up a drink and was cautiously approaching the counter like Isaac was come kind of coke-head or animal. He smiled, one that likely wouldn’t fool anyone, but did its job assuring people enough to shut up. “Just a bad dream.” The man nodded, setting his drink down on the counter. “Guess you can still have them no matter the age.”

The costumer laughed. “True enough. Hopefully you sleep better tonight.” They said little else to each other as Isaac ran the man through the till, and once the man was gone, he dropped his head to the counter. The store was dead, and he only had a few more hours to go before he’d need to close up. He just had to stay awake.

“Fuck.”

by Ikitt Wed Jun 20, 2012 6:17 am

The day started off like most other days for Jak Piper Ray, a young man just trying to get ahead in life and scrape by. It was about an hour past noon, and the bright sunlight was piercing his room, the sun beckoning him to wake. The world slowly started to come into being with the warm sensation on his face. The darkness that once cradled him to sleep slowly began receding, letting the old wrecked studio apartment show off its subtle charm. The floors themselves were littered with stains from the past, and chipping layers of paint tried to hide the decayed dry wall. It wasn't much, but to Jak, it was everything - his childhood, what was left of his father's will, and what little family he cared about in life.

Soon he noticed a pair of small, yet blurry figures standing at the foot his bed with something raised high about them. Jak rubbed his eyes, trying to bring them into focus, quickly revealing his two little brothers preparing to throw their dirty clothes at him. "Now Chris!" Kyle yelled, as the two threw in unison, pummeling Jak's upper torso with two small bags of dirty clothes.

"Your turn to wash cloths Jak! Hahaha!" Chris shouted, laughing the whole way back, passing by Hope while she flipped through the mail. The pair was gone before Jak could even retaliate. The two boys were young, Kyle at the age of ten years old, Chris at nine. Both brothers looked similar to Jak, with short muddy-brown hair, and brown eyes. There wasn't much to distinguish the two besides their age, and often they were mistaken for twins. Jak's sister, on the other hand, was older than him by two years. With her slightly lighter and longer hair pulled back and green eyes that favored their father, Hope favored practical outfits, not the typical fare of her age.

She leaned heavily against a counter, taking her time to shift each bill to the back of the pile, making mental notes on what needed to be paid first. After a moment of pause, she directed her attention back to Jak, who was still lazily trying to get dressed. "Heh, looks like they caught you again, Jak. You may want to invest in an alarm clock. By the way, you do know it's close to two?" She said, stopping to scan an older looking letter. "Huh, looks like Grama and Pa want us to come out to the farm in a couple days to celebrate Kyle's birthday...They're a little late." She stated, tossing the letter to Jak and walking to the fridge.

Jak felt the light smack of the letter on his lap while he was blinded pulling on a plain grey t-shirt. "Well she is elderly, Sis, you really think she can remember every grand-kid's birthday? Plus, it would be a nice escape from this hell-hole, and it'd be good for 'em to have a proper birthday." He said watching Hope foraging for something to eat in vain. Before Jak even said anything, he heard her sigh and pull away, walking toward the door slowly.

"Yeah, I know Jak. Well anyways, I'm headed out. We're going shopping for food. The kitchen is empty, and the food stamps just came in." Hope yelled into the hall while heading for the front door.

"Chris, Kyle, get in the car!"

Jak quickly grabbed his shoes, stumbling to get ready. "Wait up then, you can give me a ride to the laundromat," he said hastily, hoping on one foot to catch up.

But Hope was already on her way shutting the door "Sorry Jak, we don't got the gas, and it's in the opposite direction. You can walk, you'll be fine." She stated before he could argue, slamming the door to make sure it closed. He could still see her smirk in his mind's eye, while he gathered all the dirty laundry, stuffing them all into a large trash bag. Luckily there wasn't a lot of clothes to wash in the first place, but it was still a bother to find them all. Jak took a moment to stop his search, wondering if he got it all, then remembered that there's still some in his room. Moving back to his room, he crouched down beside his bed and reached under the frame, pulling out a few articles of clothing and adding them to the bag. He swept his hand around one more time to see if he missed anything, when suddenly...

"Ow!! What the hell!?" There was a sharp, sudden pain in his hand like someone had stabbed him with a needle. Or several needles. He quickly pulled his hand back to inspect the damage, finding two small, perfectly aligned marks on the side of his right hand - they looked like they could be bite marks from a small rodent. Looking under the bed, he saw no rodent, but several pieces of wire from the frame had been displaced with age. He could have easily jabbed his hand against a few of those. The marks weren't deep, but whatever had done it had easily broken the skin, and the wires were certainly sharp enough to do the trick. Shrugging it off as an accident and making a mental note to clean and wrap the wounds later, he stuffed the rest of the clothes into the bag and headed out onto the street.

He lived in a darker part of town, the part usually associated with violence, gangs, and generally unfavorable types of people. To the residents, it was a haven. The residents frequently banded together to keep such undesirables out of their little haven, so everyone knew everyone else. Walking to the nearby laundromat, he falls into his usual pace, greeting the neighbors as he passed, stopping once or twice to make small talk. The wound on his hand eventually stopped stinging, to the point that he forgot they even existed.

As he approached the laundromat, he became aware of a small pain in his wound, as if reacting to something. It felt like he was being watched. Looking over his shoulder, he saw no one. A sudden noise of claws on metal grabbed his attention, and he looked down to the storm drain by his feet. A pair of golden eyes stared back at him.

"Just a rat..." He shook his head slowly, annoyed with himself that a rat, of all things, could unnerve him. Even so, he stared back into the unblinking eyes as a tiny seed of doubt grew in his mind. He leaned down to look at it more closely, as not even the afternoon sun could illuminate the small creature. It seemed to blend into the darkness of the drain, as if it wasn't there. The hair on his arms rose slightly - how could this small creature have such a powerful gaze? Unable to hold the stare, he blinked, standing straight back up in surprise as the rat blinked slowly in response. His wound suddenly throbbed, and as he reached to cover it with his free hand, the eyes closed and disappeared entirely. He shivered, remembering a strange dream he once woken up from - there was another rat that stared at him the same way, and gave him the same feeling of unease.

"Nah, couldn't be the same. It was just a dream." He said putting the thoughts of rats and dreams to the back of his mind before he crossed the street to the laundromat. Stopping only to start fishing through his pockets for quarters. He only hoped there was enough for the back pack full of clothes he carried with him.

by Chainlinc3 Wed Jun 27, 2012 9:32 pm

Nicholas LaGrange sat on a park bench, idly watching the reflections of trees, clouds, and buildings in the waters of the fountain before him.

He wasn’t a man big on conversation. He often preferred to quiet moments like these over those when he was surrounded with people. And so he sat, watching the water and pondering the mysteries of creation. In his hands, a hazelnut twirled—a well-worn trinket, battered from being dropped and rubbed and tossed. He spun it around with the effortless grace of the highly practiced, weaving it through his fingers and back again in a subtly mesmerizing display of manual dexterity. He sat, the hazelnut playing across his hands, and meditated.

A hazelnut was a metaphor for many things, in Nick’s mind. He’d first become fascinated with its symbolism after reading the writings of Lady Julian of Norwich, one of the more prominent mystics in the Christian faiths. One of the sections that struck a chord with Nick was the vision she had received of Creation.

“And in this he showed me something small, no bigger than a hazelnut, lying in the palm of my hand, as it seemed to me, and it was as round as a ball. I looked at it with the eye of my understanding and thought: What can this be? I was amazed that it could last, for I thought that because of its littleness, it would suddenly have fallen into nothing.”

Those were the words with which she related what she had seen. The idea that everything Nick had ever seen, everything he had ever experienced, could be so ultimately fragile… it shook him to the core. But at the same time, it gave everything a strange context. Here, in a world so delicate it could collapse from a gust of wind, the human race lives, suffers, loves, strives, fights, builds, and dies. All of human emotion—a species’ worth of love and hate, triumph and sorrow—is contained in this ephemeral container. It makes our efforts at once meaningless and infinitely important.

His mind wandered across many topics as he sat there, but he eventually ceded to his growling stomach and stood to go home. His walk was quiet. Not that it was quiet around him—indeed; the city bustled onward around him, loud as ever: a veritable maelstrom of emotion and commerce. But Nick’s mind was at ease as he made his way back to the apartment he shared.

His thoughts drifted to his roommate. Nick… Nick didn’t hate him. If the man hadn’t been covering such a large portion of the apartment’s rent, however… Well, Nick would probably have been searching for a new residence.

Gerald Mason was his name, and he was a man who… valued the pleasures in life. Drugs, alcohol, and women featured prominently among his vices, but Nick tended to assume they weren’t the whole of them. When he arrived, he unlocked the door and stepped inside, locking the door again behind him. For all of Gerald’s problems, the man kept a clean house, and THAT, Nick could admire. He stepped over to the fridge and tried to ignore the giggling coming from Gerald’s room.

“Wait… wait… you’re rooming with a priest? You?!”

The voices dissolved back into stifled giggling as he peered around inside the fridge. A sandwich sounded good. It didn’t take him long to put it together—a simple creation, just meat, lettuce, and cheese. He’d just taken his first bite when Gerald and his latest fling stumbled out of his room, still giggling over whatever inane joke had been made last. Gerald caught his eye before he said, “Saint Nick, I’m gonna head out for an evening. Gonna show Bethany here around town. She’s new—needs to track down all the best clubs.”

Saint Nick. He hated that nickname. Nevertheless, Nick nodded and finished chewing before replying, “Alright. Try night to get arrested. That was kind of awkward last time.”

Gerald just chuckled.

“Right, no criminal activity. I think I miiight be able to do that.”

Nick gave him a grin, an honest one. One would think that he and Gerald wouldn’t get along terribly well, and they’d mostly be right. But Nick was decent enough to keep his opinions on the afterlife awaiting Gerald to himself, and Gerald was kind enough to keep his thoughts on the life Nick was missing to himself, and so the two had developed a sort of understanding. They grated on each other, sure. But in the end, Nick got a low rent and Gerald got an amusing conversation starter, so neither of them really wanted to upset the situation.
And so, Gerald left with his latest fling, and Nicholas was again alone with his thoughts.

by Dreamless Days Fri Jul 06, 2012 8:26 am

CHAPTER ONE
It's Always Once Upon A Time In New York City

Will couldn't help but hum a happy tune as he walked the streets of New York. He really DID love it here after all. He smiled at the people he passed, but like usual, they simply didn't see him or chose to ignore him. He never COULD figure out why people weren't happy in this city. Sure, it was packed with people, but isn't that a good thing? It meant there was always someone new to meet. Someone to become friends with, or maybe someone to fall for? If people just gave it a chance, the real urban beauty that existed there would probably make them smile too. It's not that New York didn't have a bad side, of course Will knew that, but choosing to look past that is what makes it so much better. Sure, it had it's seedy underbelly, but high up in the skyscrapers? You could look past all the mess into the wonder that was the heart of New York City.

He thought all of this... and yet, he was still eager for an escape. When the thoughts of the outside came flooding back, Will gave in and looked downtrodden for just a moment. While he absolutely loved his home, and all the things it had to offer... he wanted more. It felt selfish, but he didn't care. That yearning for adventure was always there. And it always seemed to be just outside of his grasp. He swore that one day, one beautiful day, he'd leave this city. He'd see the world.

Pushing the wonderful thoughts of a future filled with adventure aside, Will turned a corner to his left. He was still ten blocks away from his home, but hey, it's a big city. He quickly checked his watch, 2:17... he was late. If he didn't get home soon, his Father would make Scott do all the cleaning on his own. If that happened... well, he doubted his brother would be very happy. He stopped humming as he noticed people weren't walking. Numerous people had stopped, staring at something behind Will. He turned to look, and gasped when he finally saw what had caught their attention. It was the sky.

Far down the street he currently stood on, was Central Park. And high above that, was what looked light a strange storm cloud. It was opening in some kind of reverse tornado, like a big hole of sorts. And from all around the weird sky hole, the blue sky was turning crimson. It looked as if something had wounded the sky itself, and it was bleeding out into the surrounding area. Will squinted as he thought he saw something. It looked like... creatures, or something were falling from the hole into Central Park... but they were too far away to see properly. All the people around him were muttering quietly, and Will couldn't help but mutter too.

"What... is that?" He wondered aloud.

The quiet whispers were all silenced by a loud roar coming from Central Park. The single roar was followed by more, constant roaring noises, sounding far off and completely different between each one. Then screams, they were still fairly quiet, but that was only because they were coming from a long distance. Will could see people running down the bottom of the street, they were the ones screaming. What were they running from he wondered... what constituted this kind of action? What the HELL was going on!? The silence that had befallen the crown around Will was broken as another loud roar came from Central Park, instantly followed by a large bright blue fall screaming from somewhere near the edge of the park, and over Will's head. He tried to track the ball, but it was moving too fast. It collided with a building now far away, and exploded with an amazingly loud explosion. The ground shook as parts of the building cracked and fell. Suddenly, the chaos that had started in the park started here too. People began to scream, running in various directions as more of the balls flew overhead. Some of them were different colours, and hell, some of them weren't even balls.

As people pushed past Will, he finally gave in. He didn't know what it was, but he DID know he was in danger by staying there. If he didn't get hit from a falling piece of building, he could get trampled by the hundreds of people now running for safety. He turned and started to run down the street, heading for home. He HAD to make sure his family were safe. He had to help them get out. He side stepped the people that were also running somewhere, trying his best to keep his footing, when he suddenly heard a piercing cry coming from somewhere to his right.

"Mommy!? Mommy where are you!?" It cried.

Will stopped, a small gap of people to his right showed what he feared. A little girl was walking back and forth, tears rolling down her cheeks, looking for her mother. Something tugged in his chest. He wanted to help her, he really did. But his family might be in trouble... how could he just let this little girl stand there though? His family had a chance of being safe, but she was definitely in danger. No one was paying attention to her, it was a miracle she looked in one piece.

Another rumble shook the ground as there was an explosion above Will's head. His eyes shot up as he saw the building above him starting to break. Rubble was falling. His eyes returned to the little girl. No time to think, only time for a decision. He steeled himself, and took off across the street. Cars were still driving through the streets, though, now at a more dangerous rate, but he couldn't leave the girl. As he ran, a blue hatch back beeped it's horn at Will, who'd run out in front of it. He powered his legs ever faster, getting clear of the car as it continued to speed down the street. He didn't bother with it beyond that as he cleared the street, leaned down, wrapped his arms around the little girl, and shot through the closes pair of doors.

There, in the lobby of a small apartment complex, Will collapsed to the ground, releasing the little girl. Outside, the buildings fragments crashed to the cement. Will was breathing heavily as he looked at the girl.

"Are... you okay?" He asked.

She nodded, tears in her eyes, before shaking her head from side to side.

"I've lost my Mommy..." She whispered, before starting to cry again.

Will put his arms around the little girl, holding her tightly as he stood slowly.

"Hey. Heeeey. Shush now." He cooed, kneeling to be face level, she looked only six years old "It'll be okay, you understand? My name's Will Grande. I'll help you find your Mommy, okay?"

The little girl continued to cry, but nodded her head nonetheless. Between sobs, she spoke again, a little louder this time.

"M-M-My name is Cl-Claire..." She sobbed.

Will decided to stay in the lobby for a little bit. Just until Claire calmed down. Outside, hell was still breaking loose. He turned her away from the glass doors, just so she didn't see the people outside running, and those who had been caught by the falling rubble.

"I'll keep you safe Claire. We'll find your Mom." He whispered, hoping to god he didn't just tell a six year old a lie.

by **Guilty Carrion** Thu Jul 19, 2012 1:37 am

When it began, he didn’t notice anything at first. Head propped up on his fist, Isaac slowly turned the page to the magazine he’d picked from the rack, reading on and on about the glamorous lives of Hollywood. The contents of the page barely registered in his sleep deprived brain, the robotic movement of his arm and the rustling of paper beneath his fingers all that even caused a flicker of intelligence behind his eyes. Some part of his mind not preoccupied with consciousness debated if this half-aware state was like being brain dead.

He certainly looked like a zombie. That drew a half-hearted chuckle out of him, and he tossed the magazine back in its rack as he staggered off his stool. With a sense of purpose he rarely found these days, the clerk dragged himself across the small store to the refrigeration units, pulling the door open with a weak tug. After a moment of perusing the selection, he passed up his traditional Monster for a can of Full Throttle, not even bothering to check the flavour as his fingers fought for purchase on the tab to crack the can.

Kicking the door shut behind him, Isaac spared a glance out the window, the can cracking open with a beckoning hiss that soothed him more than any music could. The feeling was short lived though, as the scene on the other side of the glass played out before him. Cars, typically screeching and honking at each other in the desperate grind of the downtown core, lay abandoned in the street. People of all colours, shapes and sizes weaved and climbed amongst the cars, screaming in what looked like a scene from that Godzilla movie he’d seen years ago. A shadow loomed over the street, before a car crumpled under the massive, shadowed form of…

“…seriously? Again?” The look of incredulity on Isaac’s face wasn’t one of fear, but one of exasperation. “Sahib is gonna murder me. Twice in one shift?” Slapping his face once, Isaac pulled his eyes away from the nightmarish construct rearing up to full height just outside the shop. “Alright, time to wake up. C’mon, Isaac, you’re at work. No time for nightmares.” He slapped at his cheek again, harder this time, frowning as the thing outside roared in a thunderous bellow that shook the store and threatened to shatter the glass. “Ha ha, so fucking scary!”

He spun back to look at the thing, face twisting in anger at his nightmare’s creation, only for the flying form of some unfortunate bastard to shatter through the window and knock Isaac clean off his feet. The two crashed and rolled through the shelves, stopping only when they thudded painfully against the wall. The clerk groaned in pain, pushing himself up out of the broken shelves and shattered glass, wincing as one of the shards nicked his palm. Shaking his hand for a moment, Isaac glanced at the cut. After a moment of staring at the injury, his irritated glare fell into one of realization mixed with horror.

He ALWAYS woke up when he got hurt in these dreams. It was the ultimate kick-start to his system, the last desperate boot to shake him out of the twisted corners of his psyche that made sleep their playground. Which meant…?

The thing roared again, only this time the sound shook Isaac like a subwoofer at a rock concert. He wasn’t dreaming. Oh fuck, he wasn’t dreaming. His body didn’t need any other clues to unleash a healthy dump of adrenaline, and the clerk was on his feet and mobile in seconds. The body that had been weaponized was still, unnaturally so, and instinct told Isaac to forgo the formality of checking for a pulse. The roars were more frequent, but the volume had diminished, meaning he had time, but how much wasn’t exactly clear.

Without a second thought, he crossed the ruined store, glass cracking and shattering beneath his hurried steps. The counter was untouched by the sudden strike, and he crouched behind it like a makeshift bunker as his hands dug wildly in his pockets for a moment. His fingers brushed metal, and he pulled the small key out with a desperate grin. Engraved in the tip was the word “GUN”, scratched in during one particularly boring overnight. Sahib had given it to him shortly after he’d started, particularly for those overnight shifts he often was saddled with. Isaac couldn’t count how many times he’d lost the damn little thing, but today was, ignoring whatever the hell was happening outside, his lucky day.

Jamming it into the lock on one of the doors, Isaac cranked it as hard as he could, the old lock not wanting to surrender its contents. After a minute of frantic turning and cussing, the drawer popped open, and his diligence was rewarded by the dusty glint of Sahib’s trusty ol’ .357 revolvers. He’d never heard of the damn thing being shot, but there was a box of rounds ready and waiting in the drawer, snatched up quickly along with the gun. Popping the chamber open, Isaac grinned at the loaded rounds, before snapping it shut with a satisfying click. The ammo was stuffed roughly into his hoodie pocket, and the clerk took a deep breath in preparation.

Stepping out from behind the counter, Isaac peered silently into the seemingly empty street. Screams, roars and destruction echoed in the streets around him, and he stepped tentatively out of the shattered window. Watching his surroundings for a few moments, it took all of his will not to just go back inside and curl under the counter to wait it out. Whatever this was, waiting didn’t seem like an intelligent option, or even remotely survivable. The rumbling screech of steel and glass drew his gaze skyward, mouth dropping open as one of the buildings decided to give way. “Holy fucking balls.”

Distant though it was, he still felt the powerful rumblings of the building’s demise, barely managing to stay standing through the mini-quake. The desire to hide was all the more demanding, but survival grew slimmer by the moment. “Focus, Isaac. Get to the apartment, get your shit, and then get the fuck out of town. Easy.” He had several blocks to go, and judging by the screaming, he was going to be heading straight into the worst of it.

Swallowing his fear, Isaac stepped round the corner, keeping low in a desperate attempt to stay hidden. People fled and panicked as the nightmarish creatures leapt about in a frenzy of bloodshed; shadows flashing past over head, diving down to snatch those unfortunate enough to catch their gaze. Some were dragged off to nearby rooftops, where he could only ponder their fate, while others were dropped to plummet to their death on the concrete below. The carnage was something he had never seen, and it unsettled him deep in his gut, threatening to boil over into vomit if he lingered

Isaac found himself wishing this was a regular nightmare. He was at least used to those.

With the amount of people and the things above, it was pointless to try and sneak down the street. He’d be spotted by someone and dragged into the mess without fail. Which meant he’d have to run for it. “Nothing is ever fucking easy.” Adrenaline still pumping, Isaac swallowed a greedy gulp of air, before breaking into a dead sprint. The sidewalk was littered with rubble and bodies, forcing him into the street, where more of the creatures were playing cat and mouse with other survivors. The ruined cars, strewn about in disparate states of damage, linked and formed walls that made the street seem more labyrinthine, forcing him to clamour up onto the nearest vehicle in an attempt to gain forward momentum.

“Only time you get a cab in this city, it’s the apocalypse.” He joked to no one in particular, hurrying along as fast as the twisting path would allow. The street seemed to stretch out into forever before him, and the echoing bang of metal beneath his pounding feet only made him feel more tired. Unfortunately, the noise didn’t go unnoticed, the thunderous howl of a massive dog-like beast drawing his gaze back, the source now bounding after him like the predatory animal it no doubt was. The gore dripping from its face told him full well what would happen if the thing caught him, and his legs pumped harder than he would ever ran in his life.

The screeching of tearing metal and his hammering heart boomed in his ears, every step mirrored by the tearing scrape of the beast’s own. It was gaining, he knew, and survival instincts sent his eyes scrambling for a way out of this doomed chase. He skidded around a corner, hands pawing at the ground for traction in a desperate attempt to keep momentum, his hunter snapping hungrily at the back of his hoodie. Ducking under toppled street lights and sliding along the seldom car that remained intact bought precious seconds, but every shuddering gasp reminded him of his limits. He was only human, and his pursuer most certainly wasn’t bound by the same pathetic lung capacity.

Desperate, Isaac couldn’t keep the grin off his face when his eyes spotted the open center door of a minivan just a short ways ahead. Firing on all gears, his mind snapped together a ramshackle attempt to survive this frantic run, and the clerk summoned up all of his energy for the mad sprint.

Clearing cars like an Olympic athlete, the distance between him and the half-brained source of salvation dropped with every gasping breath. The precious gap he’d managed to keep with the creature was dwindling fast, and Isaac ducked a hungry snap of its jaws before leaping into the open vehicle. His feet had barely touched the fabric of the floor before his hand was already pulling the opposite door open with a wild panic. The moment the door opened, he felt the hot breath of the creature blasting over him from behind as final warning of the impending attack. It sucked the breath out of his lungs, but once more, survival sprung to the forefront of his mind.

Half-jumping, half hurling himself out of the van, Isaac’s face paled as he caught sight of the snapping teeth inches from the thick of his boot. Time seemed to slow for that single moment, stretching on into infinity as its mouth drew closer to his vulnerable ankle. With what felt like centimetres to spare, his trap was sprung. So desperate to catch its prey, the creature had attempted to lunge through the gap in the van, only for its broad body to ram into the frame like a battering ram. The vehicle tipped from the force, groaning loudly as it toppled to pin the thrashing creature’s head under its bulk. Isaac slowed for only a moment, panting heavily as he staggered away from the trapped animal, leaving it to screech in fury beneath its cage.

“One down.” He murmured, back-pedalling down the ruined street as his lungs screamed for breath. “Wasn’t so tough.” The fake bravado was only further offset by the frantic shaking of his hands, but the clerk kept moving, hoping to put enough distant between him and the hunter. There was no time for gloating, he murmured, turning his laboured steps into quickened strides as he continued deeper into the hell hole New York City had become.

by Ethereal Thu Jul 19, 2012 5:30 am

It has been about half an hour since they started driving around the city. There was an awkward silence between Euri and his employer inside the glamorous limo. The only ice breaker between the two was the smooth jazz music playing from the speakers of the car, followed by the occasional swinging of the woman's head to the tune of the music. He was not one to start conversations but not hearing anything starting was awkward in its own way for him as well. Breathing in ample amount of air-conditioned fuel for his lungs, Euri parted his lips but was stopped when the woman raised a finger to quiet him down. She was enjoying the music no doubt. Faking a grin, Euri looked out the window instead and decided to keep quiet.

They drove on for a few more minutes until the song had reached its end. It was only then that the woman faced Euri and pulled out a briefcase from under the seat placing it between them, the front side facing Euri. With an audible click, she opened the briefcase and revealed its contents to the curious man before her. Euri's eyes widened a little at the sight of the briefcase's contents. Inside was a 9mm silver gun with two clips loaded with double-action bullets and a belt holster. This was not the first time he was offered a gun which made him think that he was getting into something which could only mean two things, legal or illegal business. Determining which of the two was up to his employer.

"I know what that is but what's that for?" he asked with squinted eyes.

The woman pushed the open briefcase closer to Euri. She then folded her slender arms before her breasts and smiled devilishly. "I am in need of protection and a strong arm." Two things was what she needed, although Euri knew little about the odds of him doing well on the former.

"Legal or illegal, which part are you on?" he questioned. The woman glared at him for a moment displaying irritation by his inquiry but that quickly dissipated when she saw Euri loading the clip into the gun. "I am in-between if you must know. We will talk more about it when we get to my place." answered the woman. Work is work Euri thought, but he wanted to at least know what he was getting into so he could formulate a game plan just in case he needed to jump ship. Scoffing, the man holstered the gun and looked outside through the car's window once more. Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw.

Everything happened so sudden. Just as his brain was trying to identify the image that flew over the limo, their driver steered the car sharply to the left, catching both passengers off-guard and throwing them into the car floor as it steered away from an incoming horde of people on the road. While he was lost in the woman's chest, Euri felt the soft-- no, the roaring engine of the limo as it revved while shifting into reverse. The driver was skilled at maneuvering the long vehicle, an indication that he was trained in defensive driving. When Euri got himself back up from heaven, he quickly knew that they were driving fast back into the way they came from.

"Fuck! What now?! Am I supposed to be protecting you this soon?! First day on the job?!" He roared at his employer who was still clearly in shock with the turn of events. His words seem to have reached the woman who came back to life with her own snap. "How should I know?! Do your damn job!"

The stage was set, it was all on him now to be the stupid one who got himself in the middle of something that could possibly end up in a tragedy. The pounding in his chest made it clear to him that all of what's happening now is not just a part of some movie. It was real, terrifyingly real. Desperately trying to look for what they were running from, Euri opened the limo's sunroof and exposed half of himself outside. "What the fuck... is this?!"

It was not just one thing as he was expecting. People were dying left and right from creatures that supposedly only existed in bad dreams. The came in all sorts of hideous forms, winged ones, two-legged, slithering, four-legged and even plant-like monstrosities. They were devouring people like it was lunch time and the food was delicious and free. Fear gripped him tight as he witnessed horror in the VIP seat. The gun he held felt useless for some unknown reason. Turning around to the direction where the limo was going, Euri knew there was hope of escape in the road ahead away from this chaotic event. But he was wrong... dead wrong.

"Fuuuuck!!" he managed to yell before slipping back down from the sunroof of the limo. Just as he got down Euri braced for impact, and then the brakes kicked in. "What no--" his employer was about to ask when a crash resounded and the limo began flipping around like it was tossed by something massive. It was probably the right term to describe what hit their vehicle at the side, massive and monstrously strong. Glass breaking, metal crunching and concrete scraping sounds was all that he could hear while tumbling inside their classy coffin. Deep down in his heart he knew it was the end. Or was it?

When the limo finally stopped tumbling on the road, a dazed Euri tried to get his bearings inside what was left of his employer's vehicle. Bruised and battered, the man looked around inside the vehicle for his employer. There were traces of blood and when he found her, she was already dead. Her neck was not the only part of her body that was broken, it was a gruesome sight. No doubt the driver suffered the same fate being the one closest to the point of impact, Euri did not even bother checking. To him, all he could see was the open window that had escape written all over it.

Mustering all of the strength he could gather, Euri began crawling out of the wreckage but stopped briefly at the smell of gasoline. The scent ignited his adrenaline glands to pump out the energy he needed to move swiftly. "I ain't down for the count yet!" he yelled to nobody in particular as he managed to slip out of the window. Turning around to lay flat on his back as he momentarily gasped for air, his relief at his escape was forcefully shattered as the thing that hit their vehicle earlier moved in closer for the kill. The pavement rumbled with every step it took and just by the sound of its steps, crushed Euri will by the second. He needed to get out of there fast!

Picking up his battered body, Euri tried finding the strength he earlier borrowed from any human's fight or flight instinct. Truly, fear is a troublesome emotion, Euri knew that standing there will get him killed but his tired and sore legs wouldn't listen to his brain's commands. As he locked eyes with the creature's burning red ones, a chill crawled upward from his spine. It saw him behind the wreckage and was now poising itself to sprint after him. That was the catalyst he needed. It felt like his brain rebooted and his survival instincts started to take over once more. Quickly looking around for a place to go, there was one thing that caught his attention. Dangerous as it may seem, the subway entrance was the only thing safe from this monster before him.

The entrance was hardly big enough for this creature to fit in and the distance between him and sanctuary was something he could clear even with a battered body. Wasting no more time, Euri took the initiative and sprinted for the subway. The rumbling began to shake the earth faster and the loud roar that pierced the atmosphere only made his legs move swiftly. As he stumbled down the steps of the subway entrance, Euri heard another crash followed by an explosion and the feel of the blast-wave reaching down below. The mental picture he had in his head made him fear for the worst had he not escaped the vehicle. That thing most likely crushed the remnants of the black limo under its frightening might.

"Tch! This isn't happening... this is a deam... all of this is just a fucking dream! I need to wake up! Wake up!!"

The subway carried his voice through its halls as it echoed deep within. There were less people in the subway. Probably because most of them knew that this place would be their certain grave should those creatures make it down here. Euri's worries began to take the best of him as he made his way limping deeper into the subway. The sight of him only made the people that sought shelter down there weary. They had every right to be, it's not like those creatures wouldn't find the subway soon, and if they did, all of them are doomed to die with him included. What could he do?! What could he possibly do to survive? Euri's thoughts hovered purely over survival, and the more he lingered, the more his options came to light.

First was the gun he had forgotten he gripped tightly with his right hand, next one would be the first-aid cabinet most likely to be found in the ticket booth and the comfort rooms of the subway. Next one would be the vendos in the waiting area for food and drink. He had to move fast and patch himself up. It was almost miraculous that no incident occurred in the subway while he was patching himself up. Now all that's left to do is to smash the vending machines for snacks and drinks. It felt good to be able to just simply take what was needed without paying or being reprimanded for it. Some of the people in the subway also took their share of goods from the vendo when he smashed it open.

"There's no safe place anymore people! If you want to live, find a way out of this city!" he yelled as he swung a small bag of supplies he gathered over his shoulder. Sure he could take a train from the subway out of the city, assuming they are still operational. It's a long shot and Euri was not about to risk it. Up there where all the chaos is, lies the best chance of survival. Walking towards the other side of the subway, Euri peeked from behind the wall, it was all clear...

"Here goes nothing..."

by **Digital Muse** Fri Jul 27, 2012 12:36 am

Jinx collected her luggage and took a cab to a hotel that she picked out of the phone book. It was expensive, but that didn’t matter, she’d bill the Tribune. And she’d get a great view of Central Park. The skinny girl figured she’d shower and make the most of room service before calling the Marshall’s office. Once she arrived, she paid for the cab and tipped the driver fairly well. After all, he had barely gouged her at all.

Jinx headed into the hotel with a rolling suitcase nearly as heavy as she was. The doorman smiled and called a bellhop to rescue her from her burden. After talking the front desk staff’s ears off, Jinx was given a key and the bellhop deposited her and her bag in her room on the 32nd floor. A shower and an enormous tray of food later found Jinx staring at her phone when she only got an answering service for the U.S. Marshall’s office. She’d forgotten about the time zone change between Chicago and New York. “How annoying.” Jinx muttered and hung up without leaving a message.

The rest of the evening, Jinx relaxed, had a massage just because it was available to guests and watched movies. Something she hadn’t done in a very long time. She enjoyed a marathon of Ironman, Ironman 2, and the Avengers before falling asleep in the supremely soft king-sized bed.

Bright sunlight streaming into her room woke Jinx at 7am. She’d always been an early riser, so she popped out of bed to enjoy breakfast on the little terrace just off her room. Just like Chicago, New York was vibrant and noisy with car horns, emergency vehicles, a hundred different dialects and even the sounds of very adaptable wildlife. Cities always energized her and she loved them. Finally at 9am, Jinx placed a call to the U.S. Marshall’s office and after nearly 15 minutes of being placed on hold and transferred to varying offices, her call was finally taken by an Agent Michaels. Jinx explained what had happened at the airport and the agent agreed to come to the hotel and meet her so they could make plans from there. Being more than a little paranoid, Jinx asked for and got an emailed photograph of the agent to avoid the same situation that had occurred when she’d first arrived in Gotham.

Given Agent Michaels’ schedule and the inevitable traffic, Jinx wasn’t expecting her until mid-afternoon, so she made an executive decision to shop till she dropped.

It was while Jinx was pulling a virulently colored sweater over her choppy black hair that she first heard the more-than-usual screeching of car tires and honking horns outside the boutique in which she was trying on trendy clothes. Wriggling and tugging the sweater down so she could see, Jinx looked out of the dressing room to see the girls from the boutique staring out the window in horrified fascination. They stiffened body language drew Jinx toward them. She could help but wonder what could silence a native New Yorker about the car wreck she’d assumed had happened.

Arriving at the window, Jinx sucked in a sharp breath. The sky was a dark, ominous swirling gray with flashes of sheet lightening ribboning through it. People were running along the sidewalks and in the streets trying to get away from something Jinx couldn’t see. Had there been another terrorist attack? Was there a story? Jinx jerked the door open and raced out into the street to try to see what was happening. The fact that she’d forgotten that she was only wearing the sweater and her panties didn’t register on her or anyone rushing past her. All she could tell was that something was happening somewhere near Central Park. She’d never seen clouds like this or the seeming hole in them. Not a mushroom cloud…so that was somewhat of a relief. Panicked people jostled and pushed past her unseeing, their eyes wild with fear. Jinx tried to catch a few people to ask them what was happening, but none stopped and one man only screamed at her that hell had come for them.

This was big! She had to find out what was happening! Rushing back into the store, Jinx found her jeans and hopped in place trying to put them back on. Grabbing her purse which had her trusty notepad in it and her other purchases (no way she was leaving those behind), Jinx ran back outside, unhindered by the statue-like boutique staff. Once on the street again, Jinx struggle through the waves of people and jammed up cars, buses and delivery trucks trying to get to the scene of…well, whatever was happening. She hadn’t gotten more than a block along when she felt the ground shudder beneath her feet. Screams and breaking glass forced Jinx to look around wildly. Was it a bomb? “Damn it, I can’t see a thing in this canyon of buildings!” Jinx grumbled. As if to grant her wish, a creature more than 2 stories tall reared up, the torn torso of a man held in its freakish mandibles set in a vaguely bear-like head. The ‘thing’ was covered in an oozing red skin and its 4 arms appeared to be borrowed from insect and animal parts. It stepped forward, crushing a car beneath a massive foot and the ground shook with the impact.

Jinx skidded to a halt so abruptly, she nearly fell on her ass. “Sweet Jesus, Mary and Joseph!” She cursed. Staring wide-eyed at the sight before her, Jinx began to notice other creatures out of nightmares also falling from the sky and others flying or loping or shambling toward her. “No way….there’s no wa…” A woman tottering along in expensive Italian pumps slammed headlong into Jinx and they both crashed headlong into the street. The woman started screaming, a keening wail that never seemed to run out of breath. Scrambling out from under the woman, Jinx grabbed her arm and jerked the woman to her feet. “Run!” She yelled at the once-elegant woman. She stopped to try to get her breath and seemed to snap out of her mindless panic. Panting, the woman finally kick out of her pumps and began racing down the street with Jinx leading the way.

Sirens and the shouts of the Police trying to get through the mad jumble of traffic barely registered in Jinx’s mind. Even with the freakishly impossible turn of events, Jinx couldn’t stop her natural need to know from running amok in her head. Jinx ran, not really having a destination in mind, she just wanted to stay ahead of whatever was behind her. She dared a peek over her shoulder and was horrified to see a massive clawed black hand sweep through a crowded bus as if it were no more than tissue paper. Metal, bodies and luggage were all torn apart indiscriminately. She heard the screams of anguish and fear and she kept running. Her face was hot from shame. What a coward! She screamed at herself. I can’t help those people! I’d get killed if I tried! But her inner conscience was unrelenting. Jinx dove down an alley, her lungs burning trying to get enough air. She crouched behind a dumpster, legs shaking uncontrollably from fear and the long sprint she’d just put them through. The ground continued to shake under the impact of massive footsteps. Shadows scuttered across the sky above her, tracing the flight of some new terror.

“Come on, Dunraven! Think!” Jinx muttered angrily. Raking her thin fingers through her choppy hair, Jinx’s brain scrambled for an idea. Any idea. “It isn’t the Zombie Apocalyse…but it’s as good as…damn it!” More roars from the invaders and screams of the people still trying to flee the area jerked Jinx to her feet. They were getting closer! She didn’t know the city at all, didn’t know where the police stations were. Were there military bases anywhere close? She doubted it and even if there were, she couldn’t get there. She needed somewhere off this main thoroughfare and somewhere solid. A bank! She wasn’t that far from the financial district! Looking further down the alley revealed it to be a dead end, she’d have to risk the street again. The very idea nearly made her wet herself. [i]Coward.[i] The word kept echoing through her head. “Shut up.” She said. Jinx made it to the mouth of the alley when a monstrous dog-beast shot past her and bounded on top of several cars chasing its prey. Terrified, Jinx could only watch as it dragged down a heavy-set man dressed in kitchen white and tore him apart. The sight made her lose her breakfast right on the sidewalk.

Gagging and gasping for air, Jinx leaned on the brick façade of the building and tried desperately to get her body to obey her. “I have to go, I have to go, I have to go.” She stammered to herself. Finally her brain kicked in once more and pushed the rail-thin body into a dead run again. She did her best to focus solely on where she was, watching for street signs to guide her to Wall Street. Finally! As she raced along, she had to grab a lamp post to swing herself into the left turn without falling in her haste. That’s when she felt it; the hot, fetid breath of something far too close ruffling her hair. Jinx glanced over her shoulder to see an insect-looking, blackened…thing skittering at a remarkable clip on hundreds of legs and heading right for her. Screaming in terror, Jinx somehow found 2nd gear and shot down the street, dodging and weaving between cars and passing slower people with little thought given to their possible fate. Crunching and the scream of torn metal spurred Jinx to an even greater burst of speed. She nearly cried out in relief when the sight of a massive brick and granite bank came into view. Jinx scrambled over the hood of a yellow cab in her haste to reach the inside of the bank where she hoped to be safe.

Throwing the heavy brass and glass door open she dove into the cool and still interior. Falling to her knees Jinx fought for air and shaking with the combination of adrenaline and exertion. Then it hit her. There was no sound at all. Glancing up, Jinx found the bank entirely abandoned. Or so it seemed. She crawled to her feet and explored the teller bank, money was scattered on the floor as if people had just dropped everything and left. But, where did they go? Continuing on, Jinx passed several offices in similar states of abandonment. Chairs were overturned and coffee cups spilled, but still, she saw no one. Careful to be as quiet as she could, Jinx continued her exploration of the seemingly empty bank. For some reason she couldn’t name, she was afraid. Her heart threatened to hammer out of her chest, but she kept moving. Finally, she reached the back of the back and the massive vault that contained the money and safety deposit boxes. The 1 ton steel door had been ripped completely out of the reinforced frame of the vault and tossed across the room to imbed itself into the marble and brick wall opposite her. Jinx just stood there and stared at it in shock. A slime trail led from the vault and through a car-sized hole in the thick bank wall that abutted another building. As Jinx tread lightly toward the vault itself, she prayed that the trail meant the …the…whatever it was had left and wasn’t still in the bank. Arriving at the threshold, Jinx saw the bodies. They were in various states of melting. Some piles of oozing flesh couldn’t even be recognized as human anymore. Jinx wretched and gagged at the sight, but covered her mouth and tip-toed further into the vault. No creature, but no survivors either. She exited the vault as quickly as she could and retreated to one of the offices. Shaking, she righted a chair and sat down. Every movement was careful and slow. As if her brain was having trouble dealing with more than one thing at a time. Without really realizing what she was doing, she picked up the desk phone and dialed 911. Unsurprisingly, the call didn’t go through. Still in a daze, she hung up carefully and leaned back in the chair. “And I came to New York to be safe.” She commented wryly.

by Ikitt Fri Jul 27, 2012 6:24 am

Of all the ways to spend his day, Jak would've never picked this one. The laundromat is one of those special places on Earth, and area where time crawls, measured only by the irrelevant spins of the dryer that one finds himself staring at. Were the place better maintained, there may be a television, or rather... were the neighborhood a little nicer, no one would've stolen the last one the owner put in.

His earlier excitement with the rat was less than pleasant, however it seemed prefferable to the mind-numbing monotony of waitng on his clothes to dry. He rubbed the minor punctures on his hand absent-mindedly, still curious as to their origin. Had he been bitten? Could it have been the wires? It didn't matter much in the grand scheme of things, he needed to clean and dress it either way, but it did make the moments pass just slightly faster.

A sudden, obnoxious buzzing roused him from his musing. His clothing was finished, or at least his purchased time was up. A few quick steps brought him to his machine, and to disappointment. His tenure in this purgatory wasn't quite complete, and the still-damp cloth in his hands was proof of that.

" Bah, not quite dry.... How much change do I have left"

Seventy-five cents. A full quarter short of sending his clothes for another cycle. His heart sank a bit as he began to pace around, aware for the first time that he had the place to himself.

" Now how can I..."

His thought was interrupted by a slight glimmer out of the corner of his eye, on the one in a hundred that it was a quick fix to his problem, Jak hit his knees, face on the ground, searching under a machine.

Boom! A quarter.

Hesitantly he stretched his arm underneath the machine, finding it a bit of a squeeze. Slender fingers eased the coin forward, a coin that was surely only there because no one else was small enough to reach it. A moment's dexterity and his prize was claimed... though he couldn't help but think he saw something small scuttling away in the shadows. Something with eyes that reflected non-existant light.

Back to the monotonous spins, back to waiting for the last bit of moisture to evacuate his clothing so that he could quit staring at the floor, quit wondering if the first laundromat was the result of a whirlwind romance between a doctor's office and the DMV. He couldn't help but smile at the thought. Apparently boredom made him rediculous.

A return of the buzzer, its obnoxious nature forgiven, an alarm telling Jak his day was his again. He rushed, almost a jog to his machine, hurriedly packing his clothing back into his backpack. His hands preoccupied, his eyes wandered outside. The world seemed... strange. How long had he been here?

The sun shouldn't have set this early, and the slight fog was utterly out of place. It was as if something had...shifted. He continued with his folding, an automatic action that let his eyes roam. He couldn't take his eyes off the world outside. A perfectly normal view that felt off, for no tangible reason.

Until life gave him one.

At any other time he would have probably mistaken her for a jogger, out for a run before the night took hold entirely, but the odd feeling in his bones had him paying extra attention. She wasn't dressed for running, no one runs in heels. Her blonde hair was a mess, and her arms were flailing. The brief look he got at her face gave him a sense of fear. No, not just fear, terror.

In another part of town, a woman running in such manner would be enough to send your day to a screetching halt, maybe even inspire heroics. Not here, here you keep your head down, otherwise you might find out why she's afraid. Jak packed his bag a bit faster, eager to get home before whoever was chasing the woman came through asking questions. Chances are he'd be large, angry... and armed.

As if on cue, a man who was mostly fitting Jak's assumptions crossed his field of vision. Jak didn't recognize him, but he knew the bandanna he wore. Yellow belonged to a local gang, one of the less pleasant ones, if such collections of thugs can be judged in that manner. A few seconds behind him, several more men, more members with yellow bandannas followed suit.

Jak pitied the woman, but then a realization struck him. One more unsettling than anything else about his day. The slower group, the collection of four men weren't running after something... they were running away, pistols drawn and firing wild shots behind themselves, not even looking back to acquire a target.

Jak knew, down deep, that it was time to go... about the time he felt something tap his foot.

It was a rat, or rather, it should have been a rat. However, rats have only a single head and this one seem to have two. The second head, a offense against reality couldn't truly be called a head, it was simply a skull. An eye from the fleshy head stared up at him, the creature squeaking loudly, as if he were calling for something.

Something like friends, hundreds, if not thousands of them poured into reality from the laundromat stained floor covering nearly the whole back side of the room. The swarm of fiendish-rats massing into a tide of flesh. Jak could've sworn he caught glimpse of something vaguely human before fight or flight took hold. His legs were moving before the backpack had even settled into place, bolting for the door. The mass of horror swelled after him, forming what appeared to be a maw to his panic-stricken senses. The ghastly creature snapped at him, narrowly missing his leg as he barrelled into the doorframe, ignoring the pain in his slender shoulder as he escaped to the street.

Jak ran, filled with a brand of fear he'd never felt. Whatever was after him couldn't be real. It simply couldn't be. Rats didn't have two heads, swams of them didn't appear out of thin air. He questioned his sanity as his lungs burned, the fire in his chest slowing his pace. He dared a single glance behind him, and was met with relief. Nothing chased him now but his memories of what had transpired. His own mind was mocking him, shocking him with recalled images of what had just happened while simultaneously insisting that it couldn't be so. Outside seem to almost pass him by as the street was nothing but darkness, most of the street lights flickering casting shadows against the walls causing people to scream. The memory seeming to be nothing more then a blur as he sprinted home.

His trip home was over before he realized it, before his nerves had returned to a semblance of normalcy. He fought to keep his voice stable and his hands still as he approached, unwilling to frighten anyone else until he knew for sure what was going on. The steps to his apartment passed, and with each step he steeled himself. He was the man of the house, and a man couldn't afford to be hysterical.

The front door was unlocked, and slightly ajar. Jak cursed under his breath, Kyle had a terrible habit of never making sure doors closed behind him. Jak's heart plummeted when he couldn't see anyone, or hear any noises of habitaiton coming from the home.

" Guys?"
"Hope?"
"Kyle?"
"Chris?"
"Anyone home?"

Nothing answered him. Just an unsettling silence as he fought the panic in his chest. He began to tear through the tiny space, hoping for someone, something to tell him that his brothers were okay. There was no solace to be found in this place. No re-assurance that everything was fine.

Until a tattered bit of paper caught his eye, ripped from a book, and hastily scribbled on.

"Something's wrong, taking the boys out to grandmas. Get out of the city Jak, we'll be waiting for you. Please be safe.

-Hope"

Jak half sat, half collapsed onto the couch. At least they were safe, or at least safer than he was. He could take a few minutes, pack the bag and make the trip to join them. Keeping the young ones safe is what mattered. That, and figuring out what in the world was going on.

He could, but that didn't sit right with him. Despite himself, Jak knew he still had one family member left in the city. One family member that could be anywhere, in any sort of trouble. Hope and grandma could keep the boys safe, and Jak clung to the hope that the outskirts weren't suffering as the city suffered.

He knew what he had to do. One step at a time he made his way back out onto the streets. Into the unknown. Into eventual death, for all he knew.

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