《Those Who Were Left Unnamed》


 Chapter 1 - Envy

    "You know, back when we were kids, those who were older than us would tell us many boring things that dulled our very sense of selves. Our freedom, imprisoned by the rules that were set out there, waiting for us to step so carelessly, crippling our souls so that they can drag us off to their world. Yet they were the ones who created us, the ones who gave us life, and we, I guess are sometimes the causes of their destruction. Like how wars conjure deaths, or how children stress their parents out. But if you think about it, it''s also really poetic how we have the ability to hurt them, draining them of their capabilities and to slowly tear them apart. Making them hurt all over, gratifying the dormant bloodlust that we all have inside us, waiting for the right moment to spring into our lives, causing chaos, withering everything that we know dear. But of course, it doesn¡¯t have to be negative all the time. We can say that wherever light stands, there will always be darkness that is beckoned to come. And it is up to everyone to see and to choose their path, may they even see what others cannot, giving up their filthy bare palms to the beautiful things hiding in the dark, and avoiding the dreadful things, stalking and haunting them whenever they are alone in the light. Me, I was born and raised "good" so they sent me off to wander in the bright colors of day. But oftentimes I envy those who run freely in the shadows, just as I had always envied you."


    "Wow, that''s a pretty long monologue, are you sure you want to perform that?" Reese snickered as he ate the last of his jawbreakers. His red-highlighted hair seemed through the dim lights of the school hallways. His tanned face glistened as he chewed carefully, trying not get the candy stuck in his teeth. Again. The smears of snacks stained bleach-white on his beloved skull shirt as the creases and folds never ceased in their consistency to annoy the other party.


    "Yeah, I guess it just feels right. It did came from my favorite author you know." Mako''s eyes lowered to the stain on his bestfriend''s shirt as he gripped his own sweater, spreading his long fingers through the delicate fabric, trying to feel for any kind of dirt on it. His jet black hair bounced gayly under the fold of his beanie, dancing to the rhythm of his steps as he walked by. Mako had everything. Scrawny, check. Weak, check. Edgy, check. The cold winter wind from outside would easily blow him away, like a thin cornstalk swaying heavily against the harvesting wind. Easy prey for the ones bigger than him. That''s why the pair went down to the old abandoned hallway just to get to their poetry club.


    "Yeah, you said that like a hundred times now." Reese gave him a smirk as they turned right through the abandoned halls of their school. For some reason, the school had the whole area decommissioned, so nobody uses it anymore, only the "weirdos" that try to hide away from their predators.


    "Why did they shut this place off again?" Reese asked as they walked feverishly across the empty corridor. His hand slowly tapping on the lockers, making an indescribable beat. "Rumor has it that multiple incidents took place here, you know? Kidnaps and stuff. Nobody buys that story anymore though." Mako said as he rubbed his eyes, forgetting that he smeared eyeliner on them earlier. "Ah shit." He muttered as he looked at the sides of his hands, now partly colored in pure black. He patted the front pockets of his dark denim jeans, expecting to feel his handkerchief in there. "Hey wait up!" Mako called out in front of him, making Reese stop for merely a split-second before resuming to walk. "Hey Mako, is it me or is it getting dark?" Reese slowly turned around, his face almost looked sunken against the dim lights. Mako heard nothing and kept on checking his pants. "Now where did i put that- hey Reese, have you seen my handkerchief?" He looked up, expecting Reese to answer him in some kind of nutty joke, but there was no one in front of him.


    The sound of silence covered the empty hallway as quickly as Mako looking up. He looked around gingerly, the lockers at the sides seem to sway in unnatural colors as Mako kept staring at them, making him woozy and slightly confused. The first thing that came to his mind was that someone was pranking him, and that he¡¯d already fallen in the trap. Mako was never the one to fight. He wanted to, but he physically can¡¯t. His body would be crushed against any heavy impact such as the fist of a bully. So his primal instinct tells him to run. And that primal instinct was shooting up like crazy in the situation he was in. But instead of running, he had the sudden urge to walk down the aisle a little slower.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    "Reese?" He called out, taking a step forward.


    "Reese where are you?" He called out again, taking another step. The air was getting chillier and the corridor seemed to stretch for miles under the darkness.


    ¡°Reese!¡± He called out thrice, the unnerving silence began to choke him, hindering him of his speech.


    "Reese this isn''t funny!" His voice rose, his mind trailed off. Maybe it was like those old-cliche horror movies he used to watch when he was a kid where the guy was set to be suddenly left alone, but was scared by his friends at the last second.


    Seconds pass, then minutes, Mako couldn¡¯t let it last until what felt like another hour passed, for all he knew, Mako was standing there idly in the shadows alone, for way too long. In his imagination Reese would pop out and scare him on the next turn. But there was no next turn, in fact, Mako had been walking in a straight line for the last who-knows-how-long. He wanted Reese to scare him, to say to him that it was all just a prank. To trick his mind that it was all just a game.


    Yes... it was all just a game.


    A game... but the hand touching Mako''s shoulder wasn''t a game. It was real.


    Mako froze. He can feel the creeping ligaments of the jointed limb, thin, frozen stiff and netherworldly gray, grazing up from his shoulder and moving slowly up to his cheek. It smelled as if it was just done slaughtering a whole class of seventeen-year olds just like him. Under the dark, he could slightly see the visible holes in the hand as a flow of cold air passed through the hanging skin, making it look like as if it were breathing. Stronger and stronger the pungent corpse-like odor penetrated Mako¡¯s nose, rendering his breathing useless. The long, sharp fingernails pinched Mako¡¯s shoulder lightly as it slowly dug into his skin, leaving trails of fragile wounds and bits of blood scattered here and there. He wanted to scream. Mako wanted to scream so bad. He did not like the pain. But his body was paralyzed with fear as if he was frozen in his sleep. He stood there, half-believing that what he was experiencing was a dream, a dream where you can get hurt. Just as the pain started to subside, another hand touched his other shoulder, and for a few mere seconds, it didn''t move an inch. And then he heard the breathing. Like a corpse, blowing cold wind into the back of his ear. It slowly reared its head unto Mako''s face, moaning lowly as it slithered its cold skin against his cheek. Mako could only see part of its face as the hand was blocking his view. Holes littered against its sunken-like skin as the cold mesmerizing air passed through them. The mouth was almost as if it belonged to some kind of zombie. The whole chin was gone, the skin chipped off, leaving the sight of rows of rotting teeth against brown, pungent gums. He couldn¡¯t see the the eyes as it wore a tattered hood. It turned its head sidewards to look at Mako¡¯s face. Its cold breath just inches from Mako¡¯s cheeks. It slowly turned towards his ear, breathing slowly in and out.


    "We found you."


    Three words. Three words that Mako will never forget hearing, followed by a loud ear splitting screech that almost shook the whole hallway. Gaining the will, Mako turned around quickly just in time to see everything in their perfect orders. No ghosts whispering to his ear or no hands clasping on his shoulders. And behind him stood a confused Reese. "Come on slowpoke, we''re gonna be late for poetry class. I personally can''t wait to exchange deep words with everybody in our peer group." He said, mockingly in a british accent before trailing off, laughing. Mako was left alone, wondering what the hell just happened.

 Chapter 2 - The Unnamed Mice

    The sounds of strumming strings echoed from beyond the door at the end of the chatter-filled hallway as Mako tried to catch up with Reese as he skittered through the crowd. ¡°Reese! Wait up!¡± Mako tried his best to not draw attention to himself, for he hated crowds. The way people shuffle along around him aimlessly made him nauseous to the core. The constant pushing and shoving, the indiscriminate shouting, they were all filled with...chaos. But at least it was better than having to go through the abandoned hallway where he had that unique encounter. Mako was frightened, but he wasn¡¯t ready yet to tell Reese, deciding to keep it to himself for now.


    The bell rang just in time when Mako and Reese got to room 2-b. As they entered, they were greeted with the elegant tunes combining the sounds of guitar and piano. The sound was harmonic, but the song was clearly sad, making those who can hear it generate senses of self-dissonance and utter melancholy. The boy behind the piano stopped playing as soon as he saw the pair enter the room. He looked up, waving his hand. The light from the windows outside shone against his face as he spoke in a calm yet enthusiastic manner. His smile radiated confidence as he picked up a bar of chocolate beside him, unwrapped it, then bit into its hard chalky texture. His brown hair folded nicely on his perfectly sculpted facial features, highlighting his hazel colored eyes. His name was Accel, and with his characteristics, he more than qualifies as the cool kid around their parts. Yet for some reason, he wanted to stick with rats hiding in the shadows--rats like Mako and Reese. And so he was also considered an outcast for hanging out with the weirdos.


    A tall girl next to him patted his shoulder softly, her long straight brown hair glided smoothly over her back and shoulders. She had a long slender body that bent with finesse as her lips gently parted to release her breath. ¡°Venus¡±--It was the name which held the looks that charmed those around her, bewitching them into a trance, however recently, her ability had suddenly vanished as if it had evaporated in broad daylight. Rumor went around that she was in a relationship. And her pats that soon turned into a massage, then into an intimate hug session with small kisses with Accel was solid evidence for that fact


    The girl playing the guitar looked at them with what Mako thought was disgust on her face. She spoke with words filled with angst. ¡°Get a room.¡± She wore all black... as usual. Her hair spiked up wildly, bouncing with every move she makes. Her thin, asian eyes were covered in black eyeliner, her lips black, and of course, she wouldn¡¯t complete the look without a classic choker, which is also black. Sora was her name. She picked up her guitar pick and looked away, and was soon strumming wildly once again. Despite her looks, she played intricate melodies on her guitar, charming those who are unaware, feeling them to a lullaby-caused slumber.


    Reese dropped his backpack on a nearby arm desk as he sat down and slumped over, waiting for the session to start. Everybody in the room usually takes five minutes after the bell rang to settle down. Mako looked at him, about to seat beside Reese. But Reese stopped him, jerking his head sideways, gesturing for Mako to go to her.  Mako shrugged and turned around, looking at the corner of the room where a girl with jet black hair adorned with beautifully made braids sat. The way she sweeps the tiny stray strands away from her eyes as she silently reads her book masks the utter chaos flowing around her. Beaming with an aura with the shades of something with august and utmost sacrascance. Her expression occasionally changes as her hidden smiles shine elegantly, reflecting the golden colors shining from outside. Aside from Reese, she was the only the one Mako can talk to with ease, among all the other members of their group. He walked towards her seat anxiously, calling out her name. ¡°Anne.¡±


    The two of them were the most introverted in their group, making them the most shy as well. Usually being covered by the front faces like Reese or Accel, they mostly hid in the back, away from the attention, and away from the noise.


    As Mako neared, Anne looked up, a little smile formed in her face. She spoke in a small voice that may even sound ¡°squeaky¡± to others. ¡°Afternoon Mako.¡± She covered her face as she finished speaking, as if putting away her voice like a toy who had served its job and is meant to be locked away, forever waiting for its owner to play with it once more. She tapped her fingers at the empty seat beside her, meeting Mako in the eyes. He nodded in return and went for the seat, carefully trying not to bump into anything on the way due to the messy room. As he sat, Mako couldn¡¯t help but give in to the aura she had as everything around them slowly blurred in his eyes, the noise outside became muddy as he lost his senses, only focusing on the other person in front of him. Fidgeting with his own fingers, Mako¡¯s eyes searched below to try and see the book Anne was reading, trying to make out whatever words he can see.


    ¡°The unnamed mice¡± Anne spoke up, noticing Mako¡¯s curious little eyes as she meets them with her own.


    ¡°I¡¯ve actually finished it already.¡± She giggled, before continuing what she was saying.


    ¡°It¡¯s about a kid who lost himself in the darkness. Now he is in there running around, desperately trying to get hisself back before it¡¯s too late.¡±


    Mako withdrew his eyes, trying to search for something else to look at. ¡°Before it¡¯s too late huh? How does it end?¡± Mako was almost whispering.


    There was a slight pause before a reply could be heard. Anne closed the novel, revealing the mysterious cover shaded with black, and a large title in the center. She glided her fingers through her forehead, sweeping away the drooping hairs back to their original place.


    ¡°Well¡­ He met insanity before he could have saved himself.¡± Chuckling a little, she bit her lip.


    ¡°Listen, I know I already said the ending but I promise there¡¯s more to it than that.¡± She slid the novel onto Mako¡¯s side.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good read. Plus, I know you like stories like this.¡±


    Mako smiled, his eyes finally beckoned to hers. ¡°...Thank you.¡±


    Before he could say anything else, Anne closed her eyes, slowly leaning her head sideways  towards mako¡¯s shoulder. She was a humming a gentle song that oddly reminded Mako of something warm and fuzzy. Resting against Mako¡¯s head, they gazed upon the vast skies beyond the glass windows at their side. The afternoon sky glowed a golden yellow hue that engulfed everything it touched in the horizon. The clouds slowly passed inch by inch like gentle animals grazing upon a warm field. The sun herself hid her face behind the streamline of the earth, blushing like a dame that was perched atop a majestic azure shrine.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Anne turned her head slightly, purring softly into Mako¡¯s shoulder. She looked at him in the eyes, speaking in her deepest demeanor.


    ¡°How about you? If you ever get yourself lost, would you try to find yourself back?¡± Her fingers approached Mako¡¯s neck as she continued to gently fiddle with him. Mako let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°To be honest, I wouldn¡¯t mind getting lost out there. I don¡¯t have much to lose here anyway. I¡¯ve¡­ given up my faith in this world¡± He leaned his head back, feeling the cold cemented wall behind them.


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Anne blinked, whispering something under her breathe. Mako tried to make out what it was, but couldn¡¯t. Anne leaned up, her eyes refused to let go of Mako¡¯s face.


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe that there are still those who would want you around?¡±


    Mako froze from Anne¡¯s question. He kept asking himself if he knew what she meant. Her smile tempted him to stay, to rest, to give the world another chance. Looking at her like this, he wondered what she really meant. He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle a little. He only smiled in return.


    Anne continued to rest her head against Mako¡¯s shoulder, disregarding his silence as an answer, and it was because they¡¯ve probably hanged out long enough to know that it would be the same for her as well, even if she didn¡¯t want to admit it. She clasped her hands against Mako¡¯s eyes, seemingly shutting them, forcing him to doze off away into a sweet world where both of them could not be seen; a world where they could disappear; a world where they could get lost.


    A loud continuous bang sounded in front of the classroom. Mako and Anne opened their eyes, seeing the club president standing on a wooden platform. After a few words of instructions, they commenced the activity discussions, with everybody going to their respective groups, including Mako and Anne. They sat in a circle, Mako, Reese, Accel, Venus, Sora and Anne.


    Having trouble making friends, the six of them grouped together, and through their years in school, they survived by being with each other, and they planned on staying that way for as long as they can hold out.


    They were always the group to perform last, and so they did. They each carried out their monologues elegantly and with grace and passion, especially Mako, who had practiced his for hours and hours, boring Reese to death everytime he heard it.


    The class continued and ended, leaving Mako with a longing to further remain in the darkness; in his darkness, inspiring him to isolate himself in the world he wanted to sculpt for himself. Not at least until he stepped out of the class, as everything around him reminded him that he lived in the real world, and that he was slowly growing insane. He sighed, walking along, not noticing the tall shadow in the corner stalking him in a still, unnerving manner.


    The six of them scattered as they neared the entrance of the school, readying to go wherever they have to go. And Mako was left alone with Reese once again. Reese patted Mako in the back, commending him for the exceptional performance he did earlier, even though he admitted that he understood absolutely none of it. They laughed together, it was one of the moments Mako cherished in his life. ¡°Friendship¡± he thought to himself, was it really worth saving?, worth getting back to?, if he ever did lose hisself, would he remember having friends? He would think about it, but probably for another time.


    They were already at the entrance when Mako suddenly remembered that he left the book Anne gave to him in the classroom. He told Reese to go on ahead and he¡¯ll catch up later. He ran back, skidding along the already emptied hallways of their school. And that was the time when he saw it again. But this time, it moved, even if it was subtle, it moved. The shadow at the end of the hallway steadily grew as Mako slowed down to a stop. Then this time he heard something that he didn¡¯t hear earlier.


    Footsteps.


    Like the clinking of high-heeled shoes against a glass floor, it became louder. Mako stepped back, his heels ready to turn and run. The lights above started to flicker as his breathing constantly become heavier by the second. The air came down to a chill once again as the noise felt like it was already inches from his ears. Then finally everything stopped, like time freezing in place just before a grand climax. The lights went out, the footsteps ceased, the shadow shrunk to a mere puddle of blackness. And around the corner, a girl showed herself.


    She stood tall and slim in front of Mako, her face expressionless. Her purplish long hair glowed like little wonders in the dark, being hindered at the top by a lavender lace ribbon, seemingly trying to lure others like a lantern to a moth. She was dressed in a plain-black wool sweater that ruffled against her movements. Her black pleated skirt cascaded down to her knees, covering her otherwise pale legs, fitted in knee-high black socks. She looked about the same age as Mako and everyone in his class, and she actually reminded Mako of Sora due to the color of her clothing. Her eyes sparkled inside her elegant and graceful aura, almost looking like a mysterious death charm to Mako¡¯s eyes. She was no doubt pretty, beautiful even, and Mako¡¯s heart within couldn¡¯t help but race as he felt a sudden surge of newfound euphoria through his body. Yet he still knew that something was amiss, he greeted her, half expecting that she would turn into some kind of ghost-corpse that would creep behind Mako with cold, sullen hands.


    ¡°We found you¡±. Those words dug into Mako¡¯s mind, playing over and over again like a broken record. He shook the thought and finally decided to say something.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit late to be staying here alone?¡± Mako chuckled, a desperate move in making small talk. But he was relieved that she replied quickly, like a normal person and not some kind of ghost. However, instead of answering his small talk, she replied with her own question.


    ¡°Your name is Mako, am I right?¡± Her expression turned into that of a hunter that just found prey under her trap.


    She knew his name. Mako had never talked to this girl, much less seen her and for some reason, she knew his name. Before Mako could think of anything else, the girl lifted her arm, something was in her hand, ¡°You forgot this.¡± Mako¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, it was the book Anne gave to him. He couldn¡¯t see it clearly from afar, but the mere fact that this girl knew about it made Mako just a little bit tense. He was positively sure that there was no girl like her in any of his classes.


    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you going to get this back?¡± Her voice dug into Mako like frostbite. She was enchanting, dangerously beautiful, like an expensive antique that came straight out of an old shop.


    ¡°Uhh, yeah. Thanks.¡± Mako stepped forward, laying a finger on the book.


    The moment he gripped it though, shivers went down his spine. And then as if seeing everything at once, something behind the girl caught Mako¡¯s attention. Just inside the range of his peripheral vision, just within the shadow¡¯s reach, small blobs of blackness gathered, forming distorted faces that constantly changed expression. Anger, despair, pain, and other faces Mako couldn¡¯t recognize. They were all looking at him. Frightened, Mako quickly took the book from the girls hands and stepped back. Her panther-like eyes gazed upon his, then slowly moved somewhere else. Observing Mako¡¯s actions, she smiled cutely. Then she herself stepped forward, as if on sync with Mako. Leaning towards him, she poked his chest. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you Mako, my name is Lia.¡± Then she stepped aside, keeping her steps light and calm. She circled around him and went for the exit behind Mako. She looked back one last time, a charming smile on her face. ¡°Well I hope we meet again.¡± she said, before walking away.


    Mako stood there, speechless. This wasn¡¯t anything like that experience he had earlier. He wasn¡¯t afraid of her, instead, he felt something new inside him. There was something about the girl Lia that made Mako drew closer.


    He blinked once. Twice. He was alone in the halls once more, the book Anne gave him still in his hand. The title ¡°The Unnamed Mice¡± shone with its golden font as the lights above him went back on.

 Chapter 3 - Cookies and Cream

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    The cold breeze of the coming winter wind blew below the waxing of the moon. Her fair glow looked over the world, casting shadows wherever her light cannot penetrate. Tall buildings loomed in the distance, creating legs of darkness that stretched out scrambled, like those of a struggling spider, utterly hiding the dotted folds and creases of the quiet streets. Mako and Reese walked down one of those hollow paths, as they always did everyday after school.


    Mako was staring blankly at the book Anne gave to him, which he forgot at school earlier. And then that girl ¡°Lia¡± gave it back to him. He tried to think back to the vivid image of her face. Her thin, quill-sharp eyes almost looked like a madman¡¯s. Her mysterious gentle voice sent tiny kisses to Mako¡¯s ears that made him wonder more who she really is. His subtling daydream went for what he felt were more than thirty minutes. His lips start to move on their own, whispering words in the air, but in his mind was nothing more than a precious fantasy, ebbing inch by inch into his life. He smiled blindly, as if he had already accepted the fact that his sanity started to fall off slowly as the minutes pass.


    Beside him was Reese, who was busy fiddling with his phone. The earphones plugged into his ears blasted heavy metal as he continued to swipe and poke at his screen. He looked up for a bit, taking out one of his earphones to listen for anything off-place. At last he looked at Mako, who had been spacing out for quite a while now. His eyes looked still, locked in place as if they were severely paralyzed. Reese could hear the softly mumbled words and sudden chuckles even under the noise emanating in his other ear. He lifted his hand and waved in front of Mako¡¯s eyes.


    No response.


    Reese raised an eyebrow in suspicion, he poked Mako¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Earth to Mako.¡± He shook him desperately, to which, Mako looked up with a flustered look, like being awoken from a deep trance. He looked around, feeling confusion and at the same time embarrassment.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been whispering to yourself for a while now buddy, everything ok?¡± Reese took out the other headphone from his other ear, unplugged them from his phone, and sent them straight to his pocket.


    ¡°Look, you¡¯ve been acting all weird this past few hours. Did something happen with you and Anne? Lemme¡¯ guess, you got dumped huh?¡± Then he paused, before smirking. ¡°Or did Anne finally accept your pleas to be her boyfriend.¡±


    It took Mako a few seconds before he realized what Reese was talking about. And when he finally did, his eyes lit up, with a mixture of emotions, especially hopefulness. His face flushed a light red, ¡°You think me and Anne are¡­ a thing?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but smile a little, making up a whole new fantasy world in his mind. Just great, another fantasy to hide. He sighed.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s nothing like that.¡± He slowly put his other hand in his pocket, and clutched the book tighter with his other. He stared at the mysterious cover, guessing the contents from the outside.


    ¡°Hey Reese¡­ Do you believe in ghosts?¡±


    ¡°Ghosts?¡±


    At first, Reese was suppressing it, but after a few moments, he was already bursting in laughter, tearing away at the thought. He let out the final breaths with slow, heaving sighs, before halting to a sudden stop. ¡°No.¡± Mako kept his head down the next few minutes, leaving nothing but silence in the area. I should have never brought that up.


    Mako always got along with Reese for some reason. Even though they were complete opposites in terms of personality. Mako was extremely shy and timid, some would even say he was the epitome of being edgy. He¡¯d always hide behind the ever energetic Reese, who was supposed to be a social butterfly of some sort. Yet he only blended in the rat¡¯s group.


    ¡°Well¡­ This is my street.¡± Mako whispered calmly.


    ¡°No it isn¡¯t. Your¡¯s is about four more blocks away.¡±


    Mako paused. ¡°It just occurred to me. I still have something to do.¡± Reese was surprised by the answer. He shrugged before turning to his own direction.


    ¡°Well¡­ Stay safe dude.¡± Reese patted Mako¡¯s shoulder, then went down the dark street in front of them.


    ¡°Yeah. You too.¡± Mako managed to whisper back, looking at the shrinking silhouette of his friend over his visible yonder.


    He looked at his right. The gaping mouth of an unilluminated alleyway looked back at him. He sighed, before walking straight into the darkness. Mako knew the ways around town, he had to. Ever since his parents passed away in some accident when he was younger, he had been living with his aunt along with his younger sister. And one way or another, he knew inside him that he had to take responsibility somehow, sharing the burden of a breadwinner.


    Straight ahead.


    To Mako, there wasn¡¯t really much to think of in his life. He loved his parents, he loved his family. They were happy for as long as he can remember. And now that they¡¯ve come and gone, he was devastated, losing almost everything, trying to protect what he had left, mourning for the life he once had. Somewhere in the middle, he felt the need to blame someone, but who could he blame? He would always look up, trying to find the answers he desperately searched for. So he did what he could, planting anger towards the idea of a universal fate, any form of supreme luck, strings that would control everybody¡¯s lives, higher beings, even up to religion. He blamed God.


    Left. Then right.


    He knew people would oppose him for it, and at first he hid it, and kept searching for more answers. Time went by and he soon realized that he couldn¡¯t keep on blaming God for everything. Still, he tried so hard to find someone--something else to blame. So he left everything then and there, leaving behind everything he believed in, and then that was it.


    Go straight, then take a left at the third turn.


    Mako was left an empty husk in the eyes of many. A poor soul who has nothing to believe in. Yet he brushed it all away, and continued living, just for the sake of those who were left with him. Friendships, sibling love, material possessions.


    Wait, no, I was supposed to turn right.


    He met the love and support of his aunt, and his sister. He met Reese, and Anne, along with the rest of his friends who comforted him, made him feel that he still had a complete family. And for a bit of time, he was happy.


    What the? Dead end¡­ Did I make a wrong turn?


    He continued to live, as he continued to hate, shunning both himself and everyone around him. But he had to keep up a facade or else he would lose. Though, there were still those who helped him, even if they didn¡¯t know. In the end, Mako wasn¡¯t sure whether he would be thankful for it, or hate them for prolonging his emotion.


    Where am I? This doesn¡¯t look familiar at all.


    Mako was once again led astray by his own daydreaming. He was sweating, not really sure where he was. He looked around, the last thing he remembered was that he took the usual alleyway shortcut to a nearby convenience store. Through the maze-like gaps in between skyscrapers, he had never been lost in there before. He walked a little more, trying to circle the block at his side. Around the corner, he turned--dead end. That wasn¡¯t there before. He looked behind him. His sweat beaded more and more as he blinked twice, taking in what was in front of him--another dead end.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± Mako¡¯s breathing started to hasten as he panicked, circling around more and more. The heat inside his hoodie contrasted with the cold wind swirling around him. He was trapped within four dead ends all around him. He was about to scream when he saw a shadow move above one of the walls. It was swift, but his eyes caught them crystal clear. Mako stared in the darkness in front of him, his heart beating through his chest. He tried to calm his breathing, trying to shake his mind to tell him what was actually happening. And as if expecting an answer, he paused for a few seconds--and then it did. But it wasn¡¯t from his mind, and the answer wasn¡¯t anything he expected.


    ¡°We. Found. You.¡±


    Mako froze. He wanted to confirm what he had just heard. The moment he heard the dreadful words, another feeling rose within him. Along with the paralyzing fear, he felt something familiar, almost nostalgic. His mouth went dry, but he wanted to speak, even if it was just one word. One question.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°...Mom?¡±


    No answer.


    How could she? She died in an accident along with Mako¡¯s father years ago.


    But it was her voice. Mako was sure of it. He slowly took out his phone from his pocket. His hand shaking heavily. He carefully swiped through the screen, opening the flashlight app. He shone the light in front.


    At first, it was only the head. The scar filled delicate face turned into a mummified-like horrid picture reared her head just in the range of the light. The face was distorted, the mouth elongating into the forehead where teeth and blood were showing. The thin obscure eyes at the side actively looked around. Then the torso showed, followed by the lower part of the body. The thin, spider limbs tore away her own skin as the fingers glued to the ground with every step, ripping more skin as she moved closer and closer to Mako. Holes were littered on both of her legs as writhing worms and maggots came out, falling to the ground then being squished by the unnatural bent toes of her feet. She was no longer his mom. It was a monster. And it shrieked a high pitch noise the moment Mako was about to scream.


    Mako tripped backwards as he lost grip of his phone. The light shone beside the monster as another one appeared. This one was a bit larger, it had a bulkier structure and was more hairy. It resembled Mako¡¯s father. They both walked on all fours as they stopped in front of him, the rotation of their necks made harsh clicking noises as the mouths opened and closed repeatedly. Before Mako could scream again, one of the monsters latched its mouth unto Mako¡¯s arm, the whole head splitting as the sharp teeth dug into Mako¡¯s skin, ripping away the muscles and digging until they¡¯ve reached bone. Mako let out a wail of pain. The monster didn¡¯t let up and was now violently tugging at Mako¡¯s arm, biting harder and harder. A few more breathes, and then he felt gushing in his arm, then searing pain followed by the sound of something crunching. He shook his head as he screamed in pain and horror. Blood was everywhere as the monster backed away into the shadows, only its head went into view as Mako saw it chewing on something. He looked down on his shoulder as his eyes widened. His arm was gone, the pink, torn flesh scattered across the floor as a pool of deep red blood flowed out of his shoulder. Just before he could react, the other monster went for his right leg, chomping it up until his knee. His vision blurred, but the pain kept him awake. The sounds of his screams resonated around the four walls surrounding him as the monster continued to chew his right leg, and was soon adding the other one into its mouth. He tried kicking, but it was futile. His bones were already broken and he couldn¡¯t feel them anymore. Trickling blood came out of the monster¡¯s mouth as it chomped more and more unto Mako¡¯s lower body. He continued to scream, his voice cracking, faltering against the weight of the pain he was feeling. Snap. The monster stopped chewing on his hips. Mako felt a tug, and then another. The monster kept tugging until the skin broke, followed by the flesh ripping apart as Mako¡¯s intestines started to show. The almost black liquid squirted out of his body as the putrid scent of pus leaked from the depths of his insides. With one final tug, the monster ripped apart Mako¡¯s whole lower body, the intestines scattered around its face, still connected to Mako¡¯s torso. The rest of his intestines sprawled across the floor, like leftover yarn after being played with by innocent kittens.


    Mako couldn¡¯t even scream anymore, he was tired, and he wanted to sleep. He closed his eyes, slowly falling into a deep slumber. Outside, he could hear voices. He had heard some of them, but there were many that he wasn¡¯t sure of. Random phrases raced against his ear as his brain started to shut down.


    ¡°Stop. It¡¯s too early to break him.¡± A familiar voice broke into his ears before losing consciousness.


    ***


    Mako woke up cold and dizzy. He was lying on a cemented floor deep in an alleyway filled with garbage bags. He sat up, shaking his head in hopes to jog his memory. His eyes widened as he suddenly remembered what had happened to him. He quickly felt his left arm, still there. As well as his legs, he tried moving them. He gingerly poked at his stomach, half expecting that pus would come out. Then he had the sudden urge to vomit. Looking around him, he crawled on all fours and threw up in the corner. The strong smell of his own blood still writhed in his nostrils. Yet here he was, perfectly fine. His head groggy, he stood up after he made sure that he was done. Behind him was no dead end, instead was a path to the street he was supposed to be in. He tried taking a step forward, still dizzy. Was I drugged? He tried remembering anything else that had happened. Wiping his mouth clean, he weakly walked towards the end of the alley. Walking out on the streets, other people were busily minding their own business. Groups of teenagers were chattering and laughing nearby, various cars and buses raced pass Mako¡¯s peripheral vision as honks of horns blared into his ears. Mako kept his hood up, avoiding the crowd of people walking against his direction.


    It¡¯s too noisy, he kept thinking to himself. He couldn¡¯t even explain what had just happened to his own body, so he doubts anyone else would believe him too. He thought back at the suddenly fading memory. The searing pain he felt was so real. The things he saw and heard was all too vivid. And what¡¯s worse, those things--his ¡°parents¡± said the three words he feared. Shoulders bump as he pass by a few more streets, coming up along a familiar blue glow from a convenience store he always went to. He bought a small bucket of ice cream, ¡°cookies and cream¡± flavored, just as he always did. He exited the store as he heard the familiar ding from the bell of its door. He silently walked across the street towards the residence district.


    Along the street-lamp lit road, he felt the need to hurry home and cry. He longed for the familiarity of his room, the cheerful voice of his sister, the noise of their bulky television. Tears rolled down his face as he walked by weakly. His brain still can¡¯t comprehend what had happened to him. But then it hit him.


    ¡°I get it¡­. I¡¯m already insane aren¡¯t I?¡± He whispered small breaths to himself as the cold air started to fall in his vicinity.


    The first snowflake fell.


    He stopped in front of a familiar house with a familiar door. Of course it was familiar, it was his house. He unlocked the door with his familiar key. He opened the door to a familiar hallway, turning on the lights as he closed the door behind him.


    ¡°I¡¯m home¡­¡± He said softly with a smile before collapsing on the floor. Soon, rapid footsteps came rushing towards him.


    ¡°Mako! Are you okay?¡± Mako could feel a pair of soft gentle hands helping him up, and sitting him on the couch. He focused his vision to see his little sister in front of him.


    ¡°Oh, hey Serry.¡± He smiled as he felt his hand lose grip on the plastic bag he had been carrying all this time.


    ¡°What happened to you?¡± Serry sat beside him, taking the plastic bag and placing it on the table in front of them.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ Im just really tired. But hey, I bought ice cream.¡± Mako managed to speak.


    ¡°Cookies and cream?¡± Serry replied.


    Mako nodded with a genuine smile on his face.


    Mako managed to relax on the couch thanks to his sister. He opened the T.V. and turned it to the news channel. His sister popped open the bucket of ice cream with a spoon and started scooping and eating beside him.


    ¡°Another case of unidentified murder occurred last night on¡­.¡±


    ¡°The victim was tied to a pole and was burnt alive¡­¡±


    ¡°Another victim is found dead on¡­.¡±


    ¡°...Skinned alive¡­¡±


    ¡°...The culprits are believed to be an unnamed cult¡­¡±


    ¡°Cult huh? The killings are getting pretty serious.¡± Mako finally got his mind to focus on what he was doing. It really is a strange world we live in. He leaned his head back on the couch, closing his eyes. A few more minutes later, they heard the door open up followed by a familiar ¡°I¡¯m home!¡± Aunt Jiyuri. Her name always felt strange to Mako¡¯s ears, and he was already hearing that name everyday ever since she became the acting parent. Despite his exhausted state, he greeted her as she walked into the room.


    ¡°Hello auntie¡­¡± Mako managed to keep up a small smile.


    ¡°Mako, you¡¯re a mess. What happened to you?¡± She rushed into the kitchen and got a moist towel for Mako.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I was walking home when I¡­¡± He tried remembering what happened. The horrid visions, the vivid details, the sound of his own cracking bones and ripping flesh. In the end, he decided not to bring it up, especially that Serry was around.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just had a really bad headache.¡± He figured to just avoid the subject.


    ¡°Well, you better get rested up then.¡± Aunt Jiyuri stood up and pecked Mako on the forehead. Their mother used to do that to them, but to Mako and Serry, it didn¡¯t really feel the same. Yet they took what they got.


    Mako stood up and went straight for the stairs when he felt a tug at the sleeve of his hoodie. He turned around to see Serry with sad eyes like those of a begging puppy.


    ¡°Promise we¡¯ll hang out tomorrow?¡± Her look had a mixture of concern and a sudden longing for attention.


    ¡°Promise.¡± Mako replied and gave her a pat on the head before going upstairs.


    As soon as he opened the door to his room, he plopped his bag on a nearby desk. Stripping down to his undershirt, he took out the book Anne gave him and collapsed on his bed. The posters of metal bands on his walls seemed to look straight down at him as he tried to relax. He felt a soft bump under his pillow, and pulling out the discomfort, he fished out his old stuffed cat plushie, which his parents gave him before they died. He kept it with him for years, never having the guts to throw it away, it was one of the few things that reminded him of their love. He held it up, examining it, he noticed that it already lost an eye, a lot of loose strings tented on its back and it had a peculiar scent that strangely reminded Mako of coffee. He set it aside on the desk and opened the book to the first chapter.


    Minutes pass, and Mako felt something dribbling down the side of his face. The warm liquid continuously came out of his eyes as his mind told him to sob--and so he did. Some stray tears fled his face as they rained down on the pages of the book, dampening the crisp paper. He closed it and slumped over on the corner of his bed, rolling over and covering his eyes with his arm. He won''t stop crying. Why would he?


    He didn¡¯t want to.


    The sobs slowly faded as his eyes started to shut and his mind wander. He managed to bury his face in a pillow just before he fell into a deep slumber. But he still knew he couldn¡¯t escape. If his mind really was playing with him, then dreaming probably wasn¡¯t the best thing he would do. Yet he couldn¡¯t resist the comfort of his home, under the soft caress of his bed, he slept through the first night of winter. Whatever the hell he had been experiencing, he¡¯d have to deal with it tomorrow.

 Chapter 4 - At Least Its Sunday

    Quiet murmurs soon turned into screeching as Mako dove through the black unidentified liquid. His face submerged deep as his senses went null. He couldn¡¯t see anything as he couldn¡¯t feel anything. However, deep in his ears resonated ringing. Voices surrounded him as he continued to sink in the blackness. The terrified screams couldn''t be made out, some shrieked Mako¡¯s name, others begged for some kind of forgiveness, to which Mako found quite odd. Although through the painful noises of the voices, there were those who were laughing. They kept murmuring something--a name maybe. Mako paid no heed to them, he just kept sinking, trying to avoid the blaring noise in his ears. He was in too deep now, no matter how much he struggled to rise, how much he wanted to breathe, it¡¯s as if the voices themselves were pulling him down, anchoring him into the unnerving depths of the unknown. That was when the laughter got louder. Their sudden murmurs silently faded away, leaving clear rasps into Mako¡¯s ears. As he listened, he sought out to find meaning on what he heard. At first it was gibberish, but then came the dread.


    ¡°You¡¯re nearly there¡­Mako.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve already found you.¡±


    ¡°Rejoice...For the new world has come.¡±


    ¡°And you...the king...shall rule above all.¡±


    ¡°We found you, Mako¡±


    ¡°We. Found. You¡±


    Mako started panicking. His body suddenly paralyzed, as his gaze froze in the darkness below him as he continued to sink. A small glimpse of something was coming for him, it was coming for his eyes. It yearned to gog them out and take them for its own. It slowly covered Mako¡¯s face as its creeping roots made their way towards his eye sockets. Mako wanted to struggle free, to scream his lungs out. But if he would open his mouth, the dark water would come in and consume his body, spread through his muscles and bones, poisoning his mind, eventually leaving him a lifeless corpse. The roots dug into Mako¡¯s eyes as red started to pour out into the black water like submerged paint. Mako heard a crack within his head.


    ***


    Mako screamed as he sat up. He groggily shook his head, looking around. The cozy surroundings of his own room lent him comfort as he wiped away stray tears that had formed in his eyes. He clutched the bedsheets around him tightly, making sure that they were real. He sighed, realizing that everything was just a dream. Just like what happened last night. He forced himself to believe at what he had thought--a dream, that everything was somehow just an illusion, just a figment of his own imagination, even if it was the case that he was growing insane. He slumped over, silently staring at the rugged carpet on his floor.


    His alarm went off a few seconds later. He stood up and turned it off, just realizing that he had too less sleep, waking up before his alarm activates. He sighed, at least it¡¯s Sunday. Unblinding the curtains on his windows, he looked outside. The conquest of the silver-lustered snow had already begun, covering everything in a cold, white blanket. Some kids were already outside playing despite the early rise. They all had scarfs on--a clear sign that winter had finally arrived.


    Outside Mako¡¯s door resonated the pitter-patter of feet followed by a little cute voice shouting ¡°Snow! It¡¯s finally winter!¡±. Mako smiled at the sound of her little sister¡¯s voice. He stretched out his limbs and went for the door. His hands was already on the knob when he noticed the book Anne gave to him on the desk. He touched it gingerly. The delicate texture of its cover reminded Mako that outside his stream of emotions and haunted ¡°imaginations¡±, he still had a life outside. At least it was that of a loved life, one that he knew he didn¡¯t deserve. He silently turned the knob and exited his quarters, showing a sign of a fresh start, all the while hiding the horrors that constantly haunted his mind. Downstairs, Aunt Jiyuri was preparing breakfast while Serry sat on the couch, fiddling with her phone.


    ¡°Good morning Mako. Are you feeling better?¡± The smile on Aunt Jiyuri¡¯s face radiated care and kindness.


    ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± Mako sat on a chair and waited for his plate. His mouth watered as his breakfast was placed in front of him. Now that he thought about it, he didn¡¯t even eat dinner last night. He wolfed it down as soon as he saw it.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it.¡± Aunt Jiyuri¡¯s delighted eyes, stayed unto his gaze. She continued. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m off to work and I might not be back ¡®till around midnight. Be sure to take care of your little sister okay? I¡¯ll leave her breakfast here.¡±


    Mako didn¡¯t say anything as he ate like a pig, cutting off little pieces from his sister¡¯s serving and putting it on his own plate. He only noticed that he was being talked to when his aunt nudged him on the shoulder, waving goodbye as she took her coat and went for the door. Mako nodded and waved goodbye in return. He watched silently as Aunt Jiyuri closed the door behind her, leaving only him and his sister in the house. Mako soon felt a hand touch his hair, he turned around to see Serry eye him suspiciously. She took turns looking at Mako and then her breakfast plate, her eyebrows playfully lifting and descending. ¡°You haven¡¯t taken from my breakfast haven¡¯t you?¡± Her blithesome eyes shifted from place to place, showing signs of her enormous amount of energy. On the other hand, Mako was too busy chewing to respond, he simply shook his head as he continued to eat. At first, Serry didn¡¯t buy it, but then shrugged and quickly moved on to another topic, dropping her earlier suspicion. She happily sat down on a chair and grabbed her serving, leaving Mako a with a tad of disappointment, taking away his chance for stealing more scraps of food. Serry¡¯s eyes brightened as she looked at her brother. ¡°So, what are our plans for today? You promised me we were going to hang out today, remember?¡± she asked cheerfully, digging her utensils into her food, stuffing her mouth with spoonfuls after spoonfuls.


    Mako remembered that Serry was on her vacation, and her back to school season doesn¡¯t start until next month. So, she was stuck in the house, not having any real contact with her friends. She relied on Mako heavily, especially now that their parents gone and she was still very young when it happened. Aunt Jiyuri was always too busy to shower her with attention, so Mako had to do it in the end.


    Mako finished the last of his food and gulped down a glass of water. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Today will be fun, I promise.¡± He gave her a wink as he stood up and went for the bathroom. ¡°Now if you¡¯ll excuse me, I need to freshen up.¡±


    About an hour or so passed. Mako sat in his room as he waited for Serry to finish dressing up. Finding that he had nothing to kill time with, he picked up ¡°The Unnamed Mice¡± and started where he left off last night. The should be tear-wetted paper dried up and scattered ink, causing some words to be distorted for a number of pages, to which, Mako cannot understand. He kept reading anyway, his eyes pore over the words that formed sentences, sentences that formed paragraphs, and paragraphs that formed chapters. He finished two or so before he heard a knock on his door followed by an ¡°I¡¯m all dressed, let¡¯s go!¡±. Mako put down the book as he slinged a bag over his shoulder, meeting Serry outside. She was wearing a brown coat over her dark green top, matching it with a denim skirt. She wore her favorite brown boots  as she tapped them on the pavement, happily breathing in the fresh air from the outside.


    The sounds of their footsteps mixed with snow as they went through the now busy morning streets of their district. They waited for a bus shortly on a nearby bench. Mako chugged down a can of soda as they spotted a bus stop nearby. Hopping aboard, they quickly found seats that suited their tastes. Serry got the window seat. Her head shifted from left to right, observing the passing sceneries as they rode by. At the side, Mako savored the comfort that his sister was right beside him, for a bit, he felt that he was one step ahead of stress. The bus slowed on every stop, to which Mako and Serry didn¡¯t go down on. It was already noon the when they reached their stop at the edge of town. They crossed the street and went for a familiar eatery. They went inside, the aroma of coffee and sweets wafted in the atmosphere as they sat on a table. Given a menu, they ordered nothing but ice-cream, cookies and cream flavored of course. ¡°Who said ice-cream for lunch was a bad idea?¡± Serry giggled as she mentioned more strange comments about the sweet treat.Stolen story; please report.


    They continued to enjoy their time as noon went by. Mako checked his phone when they got out. ¡°4:30 p.m.¡± Mako walked down the street as Serry hurried by behind him. They eventually came upon a huge park to which they entered. The atmosphere around them changed completely the moment they stepped into its tranquil aura, as if the pollution of the outside never penetrated the area. As usual, only a few people were there. The gentle leaves of the once green trees fell before the coldness of the current season. ¡°It¡¯s as beautiful as ever.¡± Serry whispered, taking in the familiar scenery.


    It was the park that their parents used to take them to. Almost every weekend, they would go there after eating ice-cream from a nearby eatery. Mako and Serry loved to play in their usual spots, and they would have the best of times. But ever since their parents passed away, they forced to move away, leaving their happy memories in the dust behind them. And now that they¡¯re back, it filled Mako¡¯s insides with dense nostalgia. Feelings started to well up inside him, as his body stiffened at the memories. At his side, Serry stood, her short hair blew across her face as she raised her hand and grabbed Mako¡¯s. She hugged him tightly, burying her face into his chest. They looked at each other with meaningful eyes.


    ***


    Evening fell as they hopped on their bus home. Serry dozed off for the duration of the trip as Mako kept watch. It was unusually traffic at their usual route, so the bus had to take a detour. Their bus went down an unfamiliar road, where Mako didn¡¯t usually venture into. The dark road was kept illuminated by a long line of streetlights and above their shadows stood giant skyscrapers that scratched the Earth¡¯s very sky. They passed a few stops, and Mako¡¯s heart skipped a beat for every second they stayed off course. However, he was relieved at the last moment when the bus turned into a street Mako was familiar with. He kept saying to himself that he was overthinking things. So he rested his head and tried to relieve his mind of anything he would ever think of, leaving him in a state of relaxation. What could go wrong?


    He almost fell asleep when he heard a peculiar sound of something hitting their bus up front. He blinked once, the neon colored signs of various shops passed by before his eyes, blurring them into small dots and lines of white and other blinding colors. He blinked again, aren¡¯t they going a little too fast? He looked around, there were only a few people left in the bus. He checked his phone, ¡°8:30 p.m.¡± The street signs zipped by his vision as he could hear complains at their back. They were going too fast. They were coming in into an intersection pretty quickly as Mako looked in front. He caught a glimpse of the driver''s head relaxed on his seat, as if he was merely taking a leisurely nap. Mako saw an arm on the side, ¡°Hey! Get your hand on the steering wheel!¡±


    No Response.


    They zipped by a red stoplight and almost hit a passing car. Something¡¯s wrong. Mako gently shook Serry to wake her up. She responded with murmurs and a short ¡°five more minutes¡± excuse. Mako clenched his fists and stood up, almost losing his balance over the speed they were going. He took one step towards the front of the bus. Another. And another. Then the bus shook as it hit multiple bumps at the front. Subtle sounds of screaming could be heard at the front as Mako toppled over, the bus hitting more and more bumps. Serry was awoken by the sudden impacts as Mako tried to grab a seat to regain his balance. When he stood up, his eyes widened. Those weren¡¯t bumps at all, pedestrians were getting run over by their bus. Bodies constantly hit the front of the bus as they continue to drop on the asphalt floor where they meet the heavy tires of the fast-moving vehicle, scattering their blood unto the windows. Serry screamed as the remaining people in the bus panicked. Some tried to go to the driver¡¯s seat but lost balance everytime they stood up. Mako knew it was futile, he caught a glimpse of what was in front. They were going to crash into a building--fast. They crossed another intersection with a red stoplight at high speed. However this time, they weren¡¯t lucky as their bus crashed into the side of a car and still kept going. The impact shook the bus all the way to the back, tripping Serry back to her seat. Meanwhile, Mako tried to crawl back to his sister¡¯s side as he screamed ¡°Brace Yourselves!¡± He managed to dive into Serry¡¯s side as the bus collided with the front entrance of a skyscraper.


    Mako woke up feeling numb. His face was distorted with fear and confusion as he rolled on to one side. He felt his arm swim in warm liquid. Blood. Blood was oozing out of his right arm as a huge glass shard pierced his shoulder. At his side was Serry who was screaming in terror. Her face and arms were bloodied, her torso was pierced with shards of glass and her whole lower body was blanketed by the vehicle¡¯s ceiling. Her legs were trapped by the whole front half of the bus as she kept screaming in pain. ¡°It burns!¡± She kept crying as her tears mixed with blood on her face. Mako quickly got to his senses and tried to move both his arms despite his wounds. He struggled to crouch as he tried to grab Serry¡¯s shoulders, doing his best to pull her out of the rubble.


    What alarmed him was that the far front of their bus was engulfed in flames. A little more and the flames would swallow the whole bus and them in it. What¡¯s worse is that it might even explode.


    ¡°Okay. Serry. Listen to me. We have to move, quickly!¡± Adrenaline pumped into his body as he mustered the strength to pull Serry out.


    ¡°It hurts Mako¡­¡± Her irregular breathing made Mako panic even more.


    ¡°On three I¡¯ll pull you out okay? One. Two. Three!¡± Mako pulled with all his might as Serry slowly got free, revealing her burnt, bloody, shard-covered legs. She screamed loudly as she tried her best to move, even for just a little distance.


    Mako dragged both of their bodies towards a broken window. He used his left arm to remove the stuck glass on the sides. It was excruciatingly painful, but he had to do it. ¡°Somebody help!¡± He called out, realizing that it was hopeless. He lifted Serry¡¯s body and pushed her into the window, and out into the road. It was his turn when something grabbed his leg. He looked down to see a man whose body was cut in half. His upper body was still intact, grabbing Mako¡¯s leg, begging for salvation. His intestines spread out like a lump of toys, oozing blood along the floor. His lower body was nowhere to be found.


    ¡°Please help me¡­¡± The man was grabbing Mako¡¯s leg with both hands now. His face almost melted off due to the flames, which was now spreading faster and faster. Mako had to decide, it was either him or the man. With his other leg, he kicked the man¡¯s face, who screamed in pain.


    ¡°Get off me!¡± He screamed, now thrashing away to shake off the man.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave me here!¡± The man¡¯s grip hardened even more. He then slowly climbed against Mako¡¯s body as the flames almost reached them.


    ¡°Mako! What are you doing?! It¡¯s going to explode!¡± From outside Serry was shouting, practically begging for his brother to come out.


    With a loud shriek, Mako took out the large glass shard that was piercing his shoulder and stabbed the man in the eye with it. He bellowed in pain as the flames finally reached his body, smoldering his insides, kicking off a smell of burning meat. Mako threw up on hisself as he struggled to crawl in the window before plummeting down on the hard asphalt road where his sister was lying. He steadily stood up and carried Serry¡¯s body away from the crash. Five feet, ten feet. He didn¡¯t dare look back as people rushed to assist them away from the crash. A few more seconds later and Mako heard an ear-splitting explosion behind them.


    Pieces of bus parts scattered along the road as everything started to calm down. Firetrucks and ambulances came speeding along their street. Mako and Serry were placed on stretchers before being rushed into an ambulance. Looking around, Mako couldn¡¯t see anyone else being rushed in. The doors of the ambulance closed in front of him as he silently dozed off against the sound of the siren as if it was some sort of lullaby.


    I still have school tomorrow...