2 YEARS AGO…
The heavy steel door creaked open, and a shaft of bright sunlight illuminated the drab, concreted corridor. Steven, in his 20 years old with a rugged face and weary eyes, stepped out of the cell, blinking in the light.
"Mr. Patrick, you're free to go," the corrections officer said, handing me a small bag containing his belongings. I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his sentence lifting off my shoulders. I looked around, taking in the familiar sights and sounds of the prison one last time, leaving the prison and its memories behind.
PRESENT…
I looked around to recall where I was, I couldn't believe I was drawn deep in my thoughts forgetting I was on the bus. Something seemed off and strange in the bus. I kooled around inside the bus and to my greatest shock, I was the only one left in the bus, it was only me and no one else.
"What's going on?" I pondered as terrified and a rapid wave of anxiety ran through my body.
Where's everyone? Who's driving the bus which was moving beyond the speed limit?
One moment I was all alone, and another second sat before me a man covered in black cloak with a hat on his head.
Where did he come from? I thought. I was timorous, almost wetting my pants. With a shaky and sweaty hand, I tapped the man gently on the shoulder to get his attention, but what I saw after the man revealed his face under the cloak made my heart jump out of my chest, I almost had a heart attack. I let out a horrifying holler, screaming my lungs out until I suddenly felt someone covering my mouth with their hand to silence me.
I shut my eyes, the fear in me doesn't allow me to open my eyes for the fear of what I would witness again, I don't want to be traumatized.
"Shhhh, keep it down. What's gotten into you?" The voice I recognized said, Habib. That's when I finally opened my eyes, terrified still, he could see it in me. "What the hell? You see a ghost?" He asked, but I gave no response. I looked around, noticing everything had changed. There were few people in the bus now, and also the bus was not moving at a killing speed like before. Everyone's eyes are on me looking as if I have run mad or crazy. I blinked repeatedly to confirm it's not another illusion.
"Are you alright man? Why do you yell like that?" I heard him ask, I couldn't bring myself to answer the question. Would he even believe me if I told him what I saw? I wouldn't believe myself either. I sighed and rubbed my temple trying to calm myself down, the anxiety was killing me.
The bus finally reached its bus stop and I stepped out slowly. "Call me when you get home," Habib told me before the bus moved on.
I began to walk to my place, I couldn't shake the feeling of someone following me. I turned to check, but I saw no one. I fastened my pace until I reached my apartment, entered and locked myself up before breathing out in relief. It wasn't long before I became alert when I heard footsteps approaching from the hallway, one step at a time as if it has the time in the whole world. I remained stifled, breath seized, and started to umbethink the karate and other fighting skills I know. The steps got closer and closer till it reached the door, pressed the doorbell the first time... second time again with no answer... and the third time I charged at the door, opening it with the speed of light, ready to strike whatever monstrosity that's awaiting behind. I was ready to be charged with murder case if I managed to get my hands on whatever it was.
"Ahhh! Eh! What in all heaven is wrong with you?! Are you trying to murder me?!" The delivery man spat at me in annoyance and rage. The man had half of his face shielded from the incoming attack.
"I... I am so sorry, I thought you were a stalker. Sorry, I'm really sorry." I apologize, but the man gave me a bad look which I couldn't blame him for. He handed the package and I signed.
"Then report if you have a stalker instead of killing innocent people that are trying to do their job" he hissed before he walked away.
Then you would have been my first victim. I thought to myself before slamming the door shut.
SOMEWHERE ELSE…
A massive control room hummed with energy, rows of sleek consoles and holographic displays lining the walls. A procession of advanced beings, known as the Kr'ang, filled the room, their slender, elongated bodies gliding effortlessly across the polish floor.
Each Kr'ang stood around six feet tall, their skin a shimmering, iridescent blue that seemed to shift and change color in the light. Long, spindly limbs end in delicate-looking fingers, tip with sharp, crystalline claws. Their faces are equally striking, with large, almond-shaped eyes that burn with an inner light.
They took their positions around the perimeter of the room, their eyes fixed on the central dais. A moment of expectant silence fell, and then the commander of the Kr'ang, TheNemeses, entered the room.
The Nemeses' appearance was even more striking than that of his companions. His skin shimmer with a deeper, richer blue, and his eyes burn with an intense, inner fire. As The Nemeses reaches the central dais, the Kr'ang bow their heads in unison. Nemeses raised his hands, and the room fell silent.
"The time of reckoning is upon us," Nemeses declared, his voice like thunder. "Let us begin."
Immediately, his companions get into work, each monitoring the newly recruits.
"Sire, we have found another potential player," says The Nemeses right hand man, Diego. Presenting a digital file that contained all the details about the newly recruits. The tablet displayed the images of both Steven and Gabriel. The leader took a very observant look at the files, ran eyes through every detail presented before he spoke in a low calm voice.
" You should know by now that humans are nothing but torn in the flesh. They ruin everything they touch. They aren't worth the risk, we won't let history repeat itself." Nemeses implied.
"The risks are worth taking, sire. You might be the first to successfully recruit the humans and break the limit which the one before you failed to accomplish," The right hand man persisted.
Nemeses took a moment to think through what was just being said and after a moment, Nemeses let out a sigh and nodded his head. This brought a smile to the Diego's face for he was able to convince his master. "I hope it turns out the perfect way."
The sound of the alarm woke me up the following morning to a terrible headache I haven't experienced in a while. It was like my head was hit by a world engine. It kept banging as if my brain would burst out of the skull.
I lazily dragged my feet to the bathroom as usual to wash the sleep off my face. I rested my arms against the wall to calm down a little, I felt blank. I tried to recall what I did last before I fell asleep, but it was like my memory was completely whipped. The phone started to ring in my room and I got out of the bathroom to answer the call.
"Good morning sleepy head, it's about time you finally pick the damn call," Habib shouted over the phone, adding to my headache. "You know I was sick and worried when I didn't hear anything from you last night. Are you ok?" He asked. It took me a moment to install the question in.
"Oh y... yes. I'm doing pretty well. Thanks for asking," I stammered, not wanting to raise any suspicions. I suddenly hit my foot on something, what I presumed to be a sort of package on the floor making me make a quick Sharp pain groan.
"You don't sound ok to me, Steve."
"Yes, I mean No, I'm fine. I just hit something on the floor." I responded in assurance before I picked the package from the floor. I put it on the bed, and unwrapped it. Lo and behold it turned out to be a goddamn head protection helmet, a fancy one to precise. The helmet was like a multi billion project from its appearance.
"I will call you back," I told him before cutting the call. Come to think of it, I don't remember ordering anything, especially a helmet. For what? I continued checking the fancy stuff out like it would slip out of my sight any moment. I found the helmet of no use, other than a play thing if I must say. I hesitated to wear it at first, but on second thought, my curiosity got the better of me and what I experienced and felt after made me regret my awful decision making. When I put the helmet on, I felt my body burning from the inside and my soul be shattered into vast pieces and the last thing I heard was my agony scream.