Chapter 19:
Chapter 19: Zombie
Fracture
The video froze, the screen glitching out in the final few seconds. Raden's jaw dropped. His eyes bulged in horror.
"Dad... what really happened?"
A sharp crackle of electricity snapped from the flashdrive plugged into Raden's computer. The smell of burnt plastic immediately assaulted his nose. Thin wisps of smoke began to curl up from the port. Acting on reflex, Raden yanked the drive out. The metal was searing hot against his thumb and index finger, forcing a hiss of pain through his teeth. He instinctively slammed the device onto the floor, shattering its casing and scattering several components across the tiles.
Suddenly, someone pounded on his bedroom door.
Holding his breath against the fumes, Raden slapped the round button near the frame, and the door slid open automatically. Kimmy was hovering right there, clutching a fire extinguisher. The drone zipped past him into the room, looking around frantically for the source of the smoke. Spotting the smoldering debris on the floor, Kimmy set the extinguisher down, deployed a small fan from its back, and directed a concentrated stream of air at the scattered flashdrive fragments.
Once the smoke cleared, Kimmy gathered the broken pieces and, to Raden's surprise, shoved the components into a compartment in its own stomach.
Kimmy picked up the extinguisher and floated over to Raden. Raden was coughing lightly, his right hand gripping the edge of his desk for support. The drone quickly retrieved a glass of clear water and handed it to him. Raden drained the glass in a single gulp.
A monitor popped up from Kimmy's head, displaying text: 'Are you okay?'
Raden nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. I don't know, the flashdrive just suddenly caught fire." He looked around, scanning the floor for the device he had thrown. He looked back up at the drone.
"Did you pick up the drive?" Raden asked, raising an eyebrow.
Kimmy nodded. It tapped on its stomach section, which was made of glossy black glass. Through the dark transparency, Raden could see the shattered remnants of the hardware stored safely inside.
Raden smiled. "I see. Can you fix it?"
Kimmy bobbed up and down repeatedly.
The monitor on its head flashed a new message: 'I have to go again. Is there anything else you need help with?'
Raden looked at the screen and shook his head. "Not for now. Thanks."
Hearing this, Kimmy flashed an 'OK' gesture, hovered up, and flew out, leaving Raden alone in his room.
Raden walked back to the trophy displayed on his desk. Nestled in the convex top of the cup was a face-down photograph. He picked it up and flipped it over.
"This... must be a photo of Dad during the championships," he mumbled, a thin smile forming on his lips.
Your father looks full of spirit, Oni spoke through Raden's mind.
"Yeah. He must have been really excited to join that tournament," Raden replied.
He slid the photo aside with his right hand, revealing a second picture underneath. This one was timed perfectly. It captured Halim mid-air, kicking an opponent in the head. His expression was one of pure, unadulterated rage. Halim's mouth was wide open, as if he were screaming curses at his enemy.
Look at that. Your father seems absolutely furious at his opponent, Oni observed.
"You're right. He looks enraged here. I've never seen him this angry in my entire life," Raden said.
Maybe he held it back once he had you. But I am certain the lion inside him never left, Oni said.
"Maybe? I don't know."
Raden placed the photos back on top of the trophy. He walked over to his wardrobe and threw it open. His eyes scanned the hanging clothes before locking onto a single heavy vest.
"Do I... really have to do this?"
Perhaps the question isn't whether you have to do the job or not. It is whether you still want to live or not, Oni retorted.
Raden sighed. He closed the wardrobe and walked to the window, looking out at the activity in Spectre City. A man was hauling a cardboard box full of liquor bottles; two people were engrossed in a card game outside a minimart, others walked the streets glued to their phones, oblivious to their surroundings. They moved like a swarm of zombies, though they were still technically human.
Look at them. I feel no happiness radiating from them when you gaze upon them. They work, walk, hold hands, even stand still, but I do not feel that they are truly alive, Oni said.
Raden frowned. "Is that feeling of yours valid? Though, I admit, I feel a bit of the same thing. Why is that?"
Hmm... what I feel right now is that they might be so far away when they are close, yet so close when they are far away. It is a strange sensation from within me, but that is what I feel. I sense no aura of joy among any of them. I wonder, what has actually happened to this world?
Raden fell silent. He stared blankly at the scenery outside. The breeze drifting past his nose was fresh today, and the morning sun felt warm and pleasant on his skin. Yet, Raden's face didn't reflect the brightness of the sun shining down on him.
You will not end up like them, Raden. I sense sincerity within you, Oni continued.
"What makes you say that?" Raden asked, his expression flat.
Your heart, your face, and your body language do not lie.
Raden walked away from the window and threw himself onto his bed, the mattress bouncing under his weight. He stared at the ceiling, hands clasped behind his head.
"Hey, I'm curious. Roughly... what would you do if you were me, Oni?"
If I were you, I would not have a certain path in life. So far, I have no other choice but to live. I also have no destination to run toward for the decades to come. I would continue to push past my limits and live as fully as possible with what I have. Because that is a bitter thing, but also a normal thing for people like me, Oni explained.
Raden narrowed his eyes. "Hmm... maybe I should do that too?"
You don't have to, and you do not need to. You asked me, so that is my version if I were you. For your own version, live according to the sincerity of your deepest heart. Create the best story in your own version of life.
"That's the best advice I've ever heard. But..." Raden yawned widely. He hugged the bolster pillow next to him, his eyes slowly drooping shut. "I'm tired. I should rest before work later."
His voice trailed off into a mumble, and within moments, he was fast asleep.
---
*BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
An emergency siren blasted through Raden's room, the sound echoing and bouncing off the walls.
Raden's eyes snapped open. He bolted upright, frantically checking left and right. There was no one around. The alarm cut off as abruptly as it had started. Still half-delirious, his eyes began to slide shut again, the low hum of machinery lulling him back to sleep.
*BEEP!
"Whoa! HO! Who is it?!" Raden shouted, eyes popping open again. He saw Kimmy hovering right in front of his face. On its screen, the drone displayed a sticker of a businessman in a suit laughing hysterically.
Raden stared at Kimmy in annoyance for a few seconds.
"God, Kimmy? What is it?"
Kimmy projected text: 'Mora sent me to wake you up. She said you have to be up in 15 minutes because there is work. So, I figured this was an emergency.'
Raden wiped his face with his palm. "Good lord... I thought something happened... what time is it anyway?"
Kimmy displayed '21:45' on its head.
"Quarter to ten?!" Raden shrieked, eyes widening as the numbers registered.
He scrambled out of bed and rushed to the bathroom to splash water on his face. Returning quickly, he threw off his shirt, grabbed the set of clothes hanging in the wardrobe, pulled on an undershirt, and then shoved his torso into a bulletproof vest.
"Ugh, dammit. This is tight," Raden grumbled, tucking the vest in. Once secure, he put on the rest of the gear: a tactical jacket with too many pockets, tactical pants, black casual shoes, and finally, short black gloves.
He checked himself in the mirror for a moment, smiling at the reflection. He quickly ran a comb through his hair and took a breath.
Once he was decent, Kimmy signaled for Raden to follow. They walked down the hall to the workspace. Inside, Mora was busy with complex data streaming across a massive monitor. As the automatic door slid open, she spun her chair around to face Raden, a subtle smile playing on her lips.
"So? Done dreaming about angels?"
Raden walked over and sat in the chair next to her. "Yeah, something like that... Why did I sleep so long?"
"Hmm... you probably need to see this." Mora spun her chair back to the screens. She typed a command, bringing up CCTV footage. It showed Raden sleepwalking out of his room, arms stiffly extended like a zombie, muttering nonsense. He navigated to the kitchen, sniffed out some fruit on the table, ate it, and then shuffled back to bed where he continued to sleep, his legs cycling in the air as if pedaling a bike.
Mora tried to suppress a laugh, but failed miserably, bursting into a cackle that left Raden sitting there in awkward silence. After a minute, she wiped a tear from her eye, cleared her throat, and composed herself.
Mora whistled. A moment later, Kimmy and Timmy floated over, carrying a pair of glasses and a wristwatch. Mora gestured for the drones to put the items on Raden. He sat still, looking confused, as the machines equipped him.
"Dad... what really happened?"
A sharp crackle of electricity snapped from the flashdrive plugged into Raden's computer. The smell of burnt plastic immediately assaulted his nose. Thin wisps of smoke began to curl up from the port. Acting on reflex, Raden yanked the drive out. The metal was searing hot against his thumb and index finger, forcing a hiss of pain through his teeth. He instinctively slammed the device onto the floor, shattering its casing and scattering several components across the tiles.
Suddenly, someone pounded on his bedroom door.
Holding his breath against the fumes, Raden slapped the round button near the frame, and the door slid open automatically. Kimmy was hovering right there, clutching a fire extinguisher. The drone zipped past him into the room, looking around frantically for the source of the smoke. Spotting the smoldering debris on the floor, Kimmy set the extinguisher down, deployed a small fan from its back, and directed a concentrated stream of air at the scattered flashdrive fragments.
Once the smoke cleared, Kimmy gathered the broken pieces and, to Raden's surprise, shoved the components into a compartment in its own stomach.
Kimmy picked up the extinguisher and floated over to Raden. Raden was coughing lightly, his right hand gripping the edge of his desk for support. The drone quickly retrieved a glass of clear water and handed it to him. Raden drained the glass in a single gulp.
A monitor popped up from Kimmy's head, displaying text: 'Are you okay?'
Raden nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. I don't know, the flashdrive just suddenly caught fire." He looked around, scanning the floor for the device he had thrown. He looked back up at the drone.
"Did you pick up the drive?" Raden asked, raising an eyebrow.
Kimmy nodded. It tapped on its stomach section, which was made of glossy black glass. Through the dark transparency, Raden could see the shattered remnants of the hardware stored safely inside.
Raden smiled. "I see. Can you fix it?"
Kimmy bobbed up and down repeatedly.
The monitor on its head flashed a new message: 'I have to go again. Is there anything else you need help with?'
Raden looked at the screen and shook his head. "Not for now. Thanks."
Hearing this, Kimmy flashed an 'OK' gesture, hovered up, and flew out, leaving Raden alone in his room.
Raden walked back to the trophy displayed on his desk. Nestled in the convex top of the cup was a face-down photograph. He picked it up and flipped it over.
"This... must be a photo of Dad during the championships," he mumbled, a thin smile forming on his lips.
Your father looks full of spirit, Oni spoke through Raden's mind.
"Yeah. He must have been really excited to join that tournament," Raden replied.
He slid the photo aside with his right hand, revealing a second picture underneath. This one was timed perfectly. It captured Halim mid-air, kicking an opponent in the head. His expression was one of pure, unadulterated rage. Halim's mouth was wide open, as if he were screaming curses at his enemy.
Look at that. Your father seems absolutely furious at his opponent, Oni observed.
"You're right. He looks enraged here. I've never seen him this angry in my entire life," Raden said.
Maybe he held it back once he had you. But I am certain the lion inside him never left, Oni said.
"Maybe? I don't know."
Raden placed the photos back on top of the trophy. He walked over to his wardrobe and threw it open. His eyes scanned the hanging clothes before locking onto a single heavy vest.
"Do I... really have to do this?"
Perhaps the question isn't whether you have to do the job or not. It is whether you still want to live or not, Oni retorted.
Raden sighed. He closed the wardrobe and walked to the window, looking out at the activity in Spectre City. A man was hauling a cardboard box full of liquor bottles; two people were engrossed in a card game outside a minimart, others walked the streets glued to their phones, oblivious to their surroundings. They moved like a swarm of zombies, though they were still technically human.
Look at them. I feel no happiness radiating from them when you gaze upon them. They work, walk, hold hands, even stand still, but I do not feel that they are truly alive, Oni said.
Raden frowned. "Is that feeling of yours valid? Though, I admit, I feel a bit of the same thing. Why is that?"
Hmm... what I feel right now is that they might be so far away when they are close, yet so close when they are far away. It is a strange sensation from within me, but that is what I feel. I sense no aura of joy among any of them. I wonder, what has actually happened to this world?
Raden fell silent. He stared blankly at the scenery outside. The breeze drifting past his nose was fresh today, and the morning sun felt warm and pleasant on his skin. Yet, Raden's face didn't reflect the brightness of the sun shining down on him.
You will not end up like them, Raden. I sense sincerity within you, Oni continued.
"What makes you say that?" Raden asked, his expression flat.
Your heart, your face, and your body language do not lie.
Raden walked away from the window and threw himself onto his bed, the mattress bouncing under his weight. He stared at the ceiling, hands clasped behind his head.
"Hey, I'm curious. Roughly... what would you do if you were me, Oni?"
If I were you, I would not have a certain path in life. So far, I have no other choice but to live. I also have no destination to run toward for the decades to come. I would continue to push past my limits and live as fully as possible with what I have. Because that is a bitter thing, but also a normal thing for people like me, Oni explained.
Raden narrowed his eyes. "Hmm... maybe I should do that too?"
You don't have to, and you do not need to. You asked me, so that is my version if I were you. For your own version, live according to the sincerity of your deepest heart. Create the best story in your own version of life.
"That's the best advice I've ever heard. But..." Raden yawned widely. He hugged the bolster pillow next to him, his eyes slowly drooping shut. "I'm tired. I should rest before work later."
His voice trailed off into a mumble, and within moments, he was fast asleep.
---
*BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
An emergency siren blasted through Raden's room, the sound echoing and bouncing off the walls.
Raden's eyes snapped open. He bolted upright, frantically checking left and right. There was no one around. The alarm cut off as abruptly as it had started. Still half-delirious, his eyes began to slide shut again, the low hum of machinery lulling him back to sleep.
*BEEP!
"Whoa! HO! Who is it?!" Raden shouted, eyes popping open again. He saw Kimmy hovering right in front of his face. On its screen, the drone displayed a sticker of a businessman in a suit laughing hysterically.
Raden stared at Kimmy in annoyance for a few seconds.
"God, Kimmy? What is it?"
Kimmy projected text: 'Mora sent me to wake you up. She said you have to be up in 15 minutes because there is work. So, I figured this was an emergency.'
Raden wiped his face with his palm. "Good lord... I thought something happened... what time is it anyway?"
Kimmy displayed '21:45' on its head.
"Quarter to ten?!" Raden shrieked, eyes widening as the numbers registered.
He scrambled out of bed and rushed to the bathroom to splash water on his face. Returning quickly, he threw off his shirt, grabbed the set of clothes hanging in the wardrobe, pulled on an undershirt, and then shoved his torso into a bulletproof vest.
"Ugh, dammit. This is tight," Raden grumbled, tucking the vest in. Once secure, he put on the rest of the gear: a tactical jacket with too many pockets, tactical pants, black casual shoes, and finally, short black gloves.
He checked himself in the mirror for a moment, smiling at the reflection. He quickly ran a comb through his hair and took a breath.
Once he was decent, Kimmy signaled for Raden to follow. They walked down the hall to the workspace. Inside, Mora was busy with complex data streaming across a massive monitor. As the automatic door slid open, she spun her chair around to face Raden, a subtle smile playing on her lips.
"So? Done dreaming about angels?"
Raden walked over and sat in the chair next to her. "Yeah, something like that... Why did I sleep so long?"
"Hmm... you probably need to see this." Mora spun her chair back to the screens. She typed a command, bringing up CCTV footage. It showed Raden sleepwalking out of his room, arms stiffly extended like a zombie, muttering nonsense. He navigated to the kitchen, sniffed out some fruit on the table, ate it, and then shuffled back to bed where he continued to sleep, his legs cycling in the air as if pedaling a bike.
Mora tried to suppress a laugh, but failed miserably, bursting into a cackle that left Raden sitting there in awkward silence. After a minute, she wiped a tear from her eye, cleared her throat, and composed herself.
Mora whistled. A moment later, Kimmy and Timmy floated over, carrying a pair of glasses and a wristwatch. Mora gestured for the drones to put the items on Raden. He sat still, looking confused, as the machines equipped him.
"What are the glasses and watch for?" Raden asked.
"Communication," Mora replied.
Once the gear was secured, the drones floated back to hover above Mora. Raden looked at the watch on his wrist, genuinely impressed by the tech.
Mora looked him in the eye. "This is your first mission. So, get your head in the game before you get out there."
"Right. I'll keep that in mind," Raden said.
"Good. Now get going. Michael is waiting for you."
Raden nodded. He walked out of the workspace, his expression hardening.
Outside the building, Michael was leaning against a wall, looking bored as he scrolled through his phone. Raden approached and patted him on the back. Michael glanced over his shoulder.
"Oh, you ready?"
Raden smiled.
"Yeah, I'm ready."
"Communication," Mora replied.
Once the gear was secured, the drones floated back to hover above Mora. Raden looked at the watch on his wrist, genuinely impressed by the tech.
Mora looked him in the eye. "This is your first mission. So, get your head in the game before you get out there."
"Right. I'll keep that in mind," Raden said.
"Good. Now get going. Michael is waiting for you."
Raden nodded. He walked out of the workspace, his expression hardening.
Outside the building, Michael was leaning against a wall, looking bored as he scrolled through his phone. Raden approached and patted him on the back. Michael glanced over his shoulder.
"Oh, you ready?"
Raden smiled.
"Yeah, I'm ready."
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