It took everything in Anna to stop cursing as she moved quickly to the women's bathroom stalls. The bathroom was dark. However, the entire store itself was dark either way. Anna grabbed some paper towels and lit her lighter, burning the paper as light illuminated the space. Anna sighed, happy it was empty, and she didn't get soaked by fire extinguishers in the ceiling. Anna Coughed softly as she put out the flames of her temporary light and looked at the glowing screen before herself while blocking the door, preventing anyone or anything from coming inside.
[Would you like to evolve]
[Y/N]
Anna didn't know what it meant. Maybe it's like those Game-Lit Novels or LitRPG books. Maybe like an RPG Game? Anna didn't know or care. So she closed her eyes, still seeing the notification, and thought a single word. YES.
Maybe she should have thought it through more. Perhaps she should have waited. Pain creaked through her body as she heard breaking noises through her body like that of a glow stick. The pain was so great that no noise came from her mouth. All she could do was force herself to breathe as streaks of light coated her body, lighting up the room. Her body was spasming and shaking, unable to keep still as she shook heavily. Then it was gone. Anna was coated in a layer of sweat as she trembled heavily, her lids feeling heavy as if she could fall asleep at any moment.
Anna didn't know how long she was out of it. The darkness around her was no longer there when she opened her eyes. Everything was a greyscale, and another screen appeared in her vision.
[Please select how you wish to see your @#%^&&%^]
[Thought/Visual/Verbal/Hybrid]
Whatever they were trying to call this, it still didn't appear with a name; it only showed random symbols. However, Anna kept staring at the selection.
[You have selected Thought. You can change this at any time.]
Anna no longer saw the annoying screen in the corner of her vision, and part of her kept trying to stare at it, making her sigh.
"Now I don't have to worry about not visually focusing on a fight when it comes to whatever this is." (Anna)
Anna stood up, looking at her reflection in the mirror. Sweat coated her body, and she smelled horrible as she wanted to gag when she smelled herself.
After Anna was done cleaning herself up as best as she could and using the restroom, she grabbed her things while wondering if her evolution is why she can see in the dark; when that thought occurred to herself instantly, the information about why popped into her head.
[Granted abilities after evolution]
[Night vision - No matter what naturally prevents you from seeing, your vision shall not be stopped. This ability does not allow you to see through any ability that prevents sight.]
[Quick heal - No matter how injured you are, you will heal faster than average. Any old, new, or existing injury will heal with no side effects remaining on your body. This ability prevents you from regrowing any lost limb or healing you from fatal injuries. This ability also does not prevent or reduce any pain you will feel during your healing.]
Knowing the information on quick healing, Anna stood ramrod straight before trembling and reaching down to look at her once mangled leg. She was standing with no pain. Anna pulled up her pant leg and saw her scars fading at a visible rate. Anna's body started to shake.
"It is a miracle." (Anna)
It was all Anna could do to stop herself from crying as she moved her weight from one leg to the other, no pain bothering her body as she started moving limbs that had always caused her pain since the incident when she was younger. Her breath became shallower as she began to cry. No one should blame her for crying about this, right? This is the worst time of her life but the best moment of her life. She can walk without pain.
"I can move like others." (Anna)
Anna stayed in the women's restroom for a while longer. She wanted this moment to be hers alone and not have to truly see the carnage inside the rest of Walmart just yet. How could she not? She honestly didn't expect ever to be able to move around like others her age. Yes, she knows that many have it worse or disabilities that will never be treated, but she can walk, and she can run and jump without pain. She had thought that she would still die no matter what she did with what was going on and her inability to run. Now, she can survive. Yes, fully fit people still died to the monsters outside, but she could live now and at least have a slightly better chance of surviving than she believed was possible.
Anna took a breath of air. Her eyes were slightly sore from tears as she picked up her bag and left the bathroom. Everything shrouded in darkness was still shrouded in greyscale as Anna walked through the store. Limbs and mangled bodies, human and others, were littered on the floor.