The Rain Fell Like The Tears from the cries of a newborn baby confused on what was and wasn't reality…
The storm raged over the city, the sky heavy with dark clouds that blocked out the moon. Cold rain poured down, drenching the empty streets, running like rivers through the cracks of the pavement. Thunder rumbled like the growl of a grotesque beast, and a single bolt of lightning split the heavens, momentarily casting its eerie glow over a dark, narrow alleyway…
In that alley, a boy crawled, dragging his mangled body across the stained ground. He was no older than fifteen, yet his form was barely recognizable as human. His left leg was gone, melted to the bone. His arms were mutilated, torn through with jagged holes that oozed thick, crimson blood. His chest and face were slashed so deeply that every breath came with searing agony and pain.
And then, a single sound…A screech so monstrous it drowned out the storm itself. It echoed through the alley, bouncing off the rain and blood stained walls, growing closer at rapid movement.
The boy attempted to drag his battered body up, attempting to reach forward…however, an earth shattering scream was then released from his mouth…but his cries were swallowed by the night.
Fifteen Hours Earlier…
The classroom was suffocating, the air stale with the scent of cheap cologne, old textbooks, and teenage boredom...the usual for a High School. Students droned on in their seats, pretending to listen, but only half the class was even remotely engaged. The hum of an air conditioning unit in the back of the room was the only real sound—aside from the occasional scribbling of a pen or the rustling of paper.
And then, there was Jinishi Akazaki. Head down. Arms crossed. A low, slow snore slipping from his lips. His black hair, messy as always, fell over his eyes, shielding him from the world he practically refused to be part of. His teacher sighed. "Jinishi," the man called, adjusting his glasses as he tapped his ruler against the desk. "If you continue like this, you'll fail. Pay attention."
This caused Jinishi to stir, stretching his arms lazily as he blinked awake. His golden eyes flickered open, gleaming dully under the fluorescent lights. He exhaled, long and slow, rubbing the side of his face before muttering under his breath. "Yeah, yeah… and if you continue like this, your wife's gonna keep banging your boss in the janitor's closet." A silence so thick it could be cut with a blade followed.
A few students gasped. Others stifled laughter. The teacher, face red with rage, opened his mouth, but Jinishi was already moving. He stood, grabbed his bag, and walked toward the door, completely unbothered by the glare burning into his back. "You think this is funny?" the teacher snapped. "Do you even care what happens to your future?" These words made Jinishi stop, halfway through the doorway. His fingers tightened around the strap of his bag. For a brief moment, something unreadable flickered across his face—but it was gone just as fast as it appeared…and without another word, he left the classroom.
The halls of the school were empty, except for the occasional students loitering by their lockers. Jinishi moved rather slowly, hands stuffed into the pockets of his black sweatpants. His white Air Jordans squeaked slightly against the polished floors. He thought to himself about how He didn't want to be here. He didn't want to be anywhere. Infact, he didn't even feel like he belonged.
With noticeable ease, he pulled a small rock from his pocket, tossing it idly in his hand as he approached a school window. Then, without hesitation—
CRASH!
The noise of Glass shattering echoed throughout the school. A cold breeze rushed in. Students inside the classrooms nearby shrieked in surprise. The school alarms triggered and the school went into lockdown. However, Jinishi didn't stick around. He hopped onto the windowsill and leaped out, catching himself mid fall by grabbing onto a tree branch before rolling on impact to soften his landing. He stood up, dusted his clothes off, and casually walked away, disappearing before security even knew he was gone…Home was the last place he wanted to go…but it wasn't like he had anywhere else he could go.
The apartment smelled like alcohol and used cigarettes. The living room was dimly lit by the sickly yellow glow of a single lightbulb, flickering every so often. His father sat on the couch, beer in hand, watching some meaningless TV show that he couldn't be bothered to remember the name of. His mother stood in the kitchen, hands covered in dish soap, muttering something under her breath. And then there were his siblings. "Hey, loser," his older brother sneered, shoving him as he walked past. "Bet he got kicked out of class again," his younger sister chimed in, laughing.
Their words barely registered. He moved toward his room, but before he could even reach the door—
SMACK.
Pain exploded across his cheek as his mother's palm connected. You think you're grown now?" she hissed. "Skippin' school? Disrespectin' teachers?!" Jinishi clenched his fists, filled with anger and sorrow..but ultimately, he said nothing. His father merely glanced over. Took another sip of his beer. Didn't say a word. It was…almost like they didn't care..That was what hurt him the most.
He didn't stay. He never did. Hours later, Jinishi found himself wandering the streets, hands in his pockets, the distant city lights barely piercing through the heavy clouds above. He ironically had passed by his neighbor's house. Through the window..he saw something that made him sick to his core. he saw them—his neighbors—laughing, kissing, existing in a world he couldn't have…a world he should've had. He was disgusted and angered. Without thinking, he picked up a large rock and hurled it through the glass.
At first, a scream. Then A man's voice shouting occurred. Followed by the sounds of a shotgun being loaded as if it was being prepared to be used. Not wanting to take any chances, Jinishi ran. Police sirens blared behind him. The flashing red and blue lights painted the streets in chaos, but he was faster—he always had been. He tore through the city, weaving between alleyways, vaulting over fences, slipping past every desperate grasp. But even he couldn't run forever.
The city's edge turned into the wilderness. He found himself in a dense forest, the trees towering like ancient sentinels. His lungs burned, his legs ached, but he pushed forward, deeper and deeper—until he saw it. A cave. Dark. Silent. Waiting. He stumbled inside, the weight of exhaustion pressing down on him. Then, the breathing. It wasn't his. It was..Slow…Deep…Wrong. He slowly turned his phone flashlight on, a flash shining through the cave as he turned around..And there it was.
A nightmare made flesh.
The thing stood at least twenty-five feet tall, its grotesque, spider-like limbs twitching as its many eyes gleamed hungrily in the darkness. Its mandibles clicked, leaking a thick, viscous substance onto the cave floor. Jinishi turned to run—But it was faster. A sharp pain ripped through his arm as something slashed through muscle and bone. He barely had time to scream before the creature pulled him back, sinking its fangs into his flesh.
Paralyzing agony consumed him, and Desperation took over. He jammed his phone's light directly into its face which caused the creature to shriek, momentarily blinded. Jinishi took his chance and ran as quickly as possible. But the thing followed. It tore through the forest, moving impossibly fast, its monstrous form scaling buildings, leaping across rooftops as it chased him back into the city.
He ran into the streets, waving his arms, screaming. "HELP ME! IT'S BEHIND ME!" People stared. Confused. Unconcerned. Nobody saw it…nobody listened..Nobody believed him. They all thought he was crazy and delusional like the rest of them, nothing more. Thus, with no one to believe him or help him, he simply continued running…until he found himself in a dark and eerie alleyway. However…at this moment..the creature struck.
Claws slashed through his chest. His leg was melted by some kind of acidic substance, dissolving flesh and muscle down to the bone. He collapsed, his body failing him due to the injuries and the severe pain he was enduring. His blood spilled onto the pavement, mixing with the rain.
His vision slowly started to blur, and his breath became shallow. He could hardly drag his body forward, and each time he did, he screamed out from his agonizing pain.
As he reached the end of the alleyway, a narrow dead end with no other exits to escape through, he started to think to himself in desperation. "No…Why Me..I've done nothing wrong…I didn't choose this life…Why can't I be happy? It isn't fair…WHY DO YOU BASTARDS GET TO LIVE HAPPY LIVES AND I HAVE TO DIE AFTER A MISERABLE ONE!? IT ISN'T FAIR! I WANT TO LIVE TOO! I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HOPE AND LOVE FEELS LIKE TOO! I'M NOT MEANT FOR THIS! I DESERVE BETTER! PLEASE!"
And as Jinishi dragged his body throughout the alleyway, deep in thought, All sounds and thoughts were instantly clouded by a loud screeching noise. As Jinishi slowly turned his head, he saw the creature staring at him from down the alleyway…and then— it dashed at him at full speed. In his last attempt, he screamed out in fear, his life flashing before his eyes.
As The Creature reached closer and closer, Jinishi closed his eyes…his fate being sealed. And Then—