ARC 3—CHAPTER 1: HUNTED & DECIEVED

A city away from the walled off society, being Detroit Michigan, currently inside of a lovely home belonging to someone's grandparents away from the crime drenched areas were two girls. A blonde girl wearing a grunge attire laced in red and black, the other being a short goth girl wearing a long sleeved buttoned up white shirt with a black skirt and leggings, their names being Annabelle and Sarah. The two were sitting on the living room couch, watching the news convey as the mysteries that have occurred these past three years were being questioned or in this instance being chased away by the press.

They both looked rather annoyed and unconvinced about the story that Dr. Cato guy’s trying to explain to the masses. More notably the mysterious super storm that appeared, creating unnatural chaos and the town covered in mass darkness right beside it. Anna was biting her nails, getting annoyed and finally caving into her annoyance by sighing and grabbing the remote to turn off the television.

“What a load of bull...” Anna yawns while setting the remote to the side, “I don’t believe a single thing that guy says. I’m telling you there’s more going on, I can feel it!”

Sarah, with a still face, pulls her phone out and searches the web for anything else in the story. “Hmm? Perhaps you're right, I mean they’ve sealed those towns off for how long exactly?”

Anna crosses her arms and lays back on the couch. “Mmm, about two years now?”

“Right. So I find it hard to believe that’s the real reason why they’ve sealed off entire towns.” The goth girl lowers her phone and stares at nothing.

I know there’s more to this story than meets the eye, my dear friend Anna. But I can’t tell you, I’m sorry. Sarah thought.

Sarah stands up and walks out into Anna's kitchen to go out the back.

“Hey? Where are you going?” Anna quickly follows once her friend slid open the slide door.

Sarah walks out and stands below a tree located closeby, taking deep breaths. Anna stood at the doorway, watching her mysterious little friend be in some sort of deep state of mind from how she was staring at nothing.

“Sa-Sarah, yoohoo? Tch, goth people.”

It has to be… especially three years ago when everyone felt the earth tremble, the skies ravaging, and more notably, my mother and myself having felt such pressure emitting from that town.

Anna’s a little confused on why her precious friend would do something so random at this time of day. She sticks her hip out and places a hand on one of those hip joints to wait for Sarah to finish on whatever she’s doing.

Yet she couldn’t help but bring out a grin of humour at her closest friend. “She’s gotten more mysterious over the years, hasn’t she?”

I wonder what you are hiding Sarah? Tsk tsk, goth people. Anna thought

Sarah closed those crimson eyes, bringing her shut gaze to the trees in the backyard. Sarah can feel mother earth's gentle breath breeze against her pale skin, she could hear her calls to her children, the animals. The sky represents her laxed mood being cold and blue, but there was a hint of sadness in the air, a sense of danger too. Nature was telling Sarah what that danger was with grey clouds rolling over from the horizon, but undoubtedly, Sarah sensed this danger for such a long time that she kept it all to herself. Anna heard muffled thunder off from the distance and glanced at the sky, spotting those grey clouds rolling in.

She walks up behind her friend and playfully pushes her, breaking her trans. “Are you done praying yet crazy? It’s about to rain it seems.”

Sarah opened her eyes and saw the sadness that nature was about to express. “Yeah, I guess you can say that and yeah… It seems like a storm is coming, a big one at that.”

Sarah turned around and poked her friend's nose, walking past her to go back inside. Anna smacked her lips but smiled, quickly catching up with her. The two giggled and walked back inside.

As Anna shut the slide door behind her, something came up in Sarah’s webbed mind, a thought that had her worried and enough to over think, putting aside these other secrets which swirled around her mind constantly until this moment. Both girls walked back into the living room, but before going back into their seats, Sarah spoke out this trivial thought to her friend Anna.

“Hey Anna?” Sarah asked with a still face.

Anna yanwed. “What's up Sarah?”

“Where’s Veronica? I haven’t seen her for a while, how long has it been, like two months now?”

Anna sighs and collapses back on the couch. “She’s studying like the crazed book worm that she is. Honestly, she could at least hang out with us for just a little!” Anna finished by smacking her lips annoyingly, crossing her arms too.

Sarah chuckles, bringing out a subtle grin. “That’s Veronica for you. Oh, that reminds me, it’s almost a certain someone's birthday, am I right?”

Anna raised her hands, looking surprised that someone like Sarah would remember something only her and Veronica would. “Why yes, hmm.”

“What is it?”

Anna sits up and grabs the pendant on her irreplaceable necklace given to her by her best childhood friend. “I’m surprised you would remember Jack’s birthday that’s all.”

Sarah sat next to her and patted her skirt. “Eh, don’t think too much about it, I hardly knew the guy but with the exchanges we had was enough for me not to hate him.”

Anna grinned. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” She let out a deep sigh, “It’s been eight years now… hasn’t it?”

Sarah stayed quiet for a moment then nodded. “Mhhm, it sure has been.”

“You know Sarah….” Anna turned to her left to look at her friend and expressed a gentle smile. “You may call me crazy, but I still don’t believe that he’s dead.”

Sarah chuckles without expressing a grin or smile. “I guess that confirms it, you’ve fallen into such a deep depression that you’re slowly falling insane my friend!”

Anna playfully pushed Sarah’s shoulder. “Oh shut up haha!”

Sarah places her tiny hand on Anna's shoulder. “But that’s why you’re so strong and such a positive person, making you my closest friend.” She lets go and lays back, staring at the shut off television.

Anna’s eyes glistened and she hugged her best friend, kissing her cheek. “Aww, Sarah, don’t make me kiss you on the lips now!”

Sarah trickles a chuckle. “The day I met both you and Veronica I knew you guys were the ones to turn me into the not so shy, mystery girl who’s gothic at a very early age and scaring everyone half to death.”

Anna cheek raped Sarah who didn’t seem to mind. “True, but why would anyone wanna be scared of you? I mean, so what if you have—rare red eyes, really pale skin, always wearing black and sounding like a cold bitch.”

Sarah raised a brow and gently pushed Anna off to look into her eyes. Anna smiled and bumped heads with her, making the mystery girl gasp.

“I wouldn’t have ever been scared of you, you’re my adorable best friend! And a kind girl at that, the kindest of them all!”

Sarah’s jaw dropped, and her face expressed annoyance. “The way you just put it and said it contradicts everything you said about me not being or being scary, bitch.”

They both stared silently for a second, then laughed as Anna turned the t.v back on. The day passed by, the storm throughout the day took it’s time coming in even though it seemed as if it were just an hour away earlier. It was starting to act up, creating soft sounds of thunder, flashing the sky, and it soon turned to night. Sarah tells Anna goodnight before the storm is fully functioning and runs back home. Anna walks to her room and lays on her bed flat on her stomach.

She looks at her dresser next to her and stares at the old picture of her and Jack when they were children and smiles. “Hi.”

She turned over to bring her attention to her ceiling and clenched the pendant.

“Say Jack, it’s almost my seventeenth birthday. Hopefully you’re wishing me a happy birthday up there…”

Her breathing grew a little fast thinking of him, she laid a hand on her forehead and closed her eyes.

I still miss you… but I know that one day you’ll prove me wrong because I know you’re alive and I know… that I’m not crazy…

The sound of thunder cracking, rattling her room window scared Anna and made her jump right up. She clenched that precious pendant, sighs and realizes that it was just starting to pour. She lays back down and gazes at her window, watching the rain come down. The water on her window slid down as the flashes of lightning flickered on her face, bringing her eyelids down. The storm grew strong, so strong that it started creating strong winds abnormal to that of Michigan's normal weather. Lightning flashed the dark heavens, soaring the sky with veins of nature's anger, now bringing down hail balls.

Across from where her lovely home was located, a city away and at the heart of the storm, a certain individual was on the run, completely soaked and looking battle scarred. Back at the scene of the wall where the storms ravaged above it, within the town being scanned by helicopters and hail falling to the ground, they were currently looking for something or someone. Dogs are barking viciously off in the distance, sirens echoing the empty town streets with the storm of damnation creating a single boom, muffling out the majority of sounds temporarily. Shadow figures appeared in front of town lights or beneath, belonging to that of the Men in White who were searching the area along with police checking every corner of this town closed off from society.

Jack, a young man with a scar on his face, hair longer than his shoulders, was running through a long dark alley, running over puddles, bumping against trash cans and making them fall as the rain fell down hard blocking his vision mildly. His clothes are soaked and his hair is weighing him down, preventing him from running any faster.

Despite these boundaries, the young man had a look of determination on his face. Shit… shit, shit, shit… Shit!

He kept running and running through the blistering freezing rain while being struck by those balls of ice from the heavens. He couldn't continue now, he needed to stop to catch his breath and get out from getting hit more. He takes temporary shelter beneath a point of the alley where the rain or hail couldn't hit him. He places his hands on his knees, gasping for air, but this cold air was making it difficult for him to do so.

“I-I, I gotta keep go-going or—” A bright light suddenly beamed at him from an angle, bringing him to a sudden panic. “No, no.” Jack peaked his head out of cover, looked up and spotted a helicopter light shining on.

Jack covered his face with a forearm as he shouted, “Damn it!” and makes a run for it again.

After running more through back alleys connecting to each other, Jack managed to make his way behind a local shopping centre and hid behind one of the dumpsters to hide from that light of spotting doom. He’s inside the smelly dump, waiting for it to pass by when a police car suddenly pulls up in front of the alley and parks. The policeman gets out and shines his long metal flashlight, trying to find the culprit. He aimed, scanned his spotlight at every direction of the dark alley as he walked in cautiously.

The policeman controls his breathing, cooling his nerves as the cold rain made his hand tremble. Carefully and slowly with a hand on his holstered gun, another holding that long metal flashlight, he made sure that every corner of his vision was cleared the more he walked into this darkened alley. Jack could hear the cop's heavy boots get closer and closer, splashing the water beneath them. Jack carefully lifted his head to take a peak and saw the cop just a doorstep away.

“Come on.” Jack mumbled.

The cops next to the dumpster now, and Jack took the opportunity to ambush the officer by surprise once he walked past. As he did, Jack jumped out of the dumpster and rushed him from behind.

“Hey!” The officer shouted as Jack tackled him against the dripping wet brick wall.

Grabbing his arm that had his hand on his holstered gun, Jack’s trying to get the gun out of the officer's grip. The two began to struggle over the weapon, groaning, the officer pulled it out and tried firing onto Jack’s abdomen. Jack kneed him and lifted his arm out of the way, making the officer panic and fire a shot that echoed off into the distance. Jack ends the struggle with an elbow to the cops stomach, forcing him to let go, and Jack finally grabs the gun, pointing it at the officer.

The policeman raised his hands up, frightened as Jack stared him down mad. “Don’t move or you’re dead!”

The officer stood against the cold brick wall, shivering both in fear and from the intense cold. “Pl-Please don’t kill me… I’m only doing what I’ve been told.”

“Shut up!” Jack continues pointing the gun while shaking from the blistering cold, “Te-Tell me what today's date is!”

The officer closed his eyes out of concern, “18th of February…”

Jack's hands quivered even more from the cold rain drifting all around them. “Wha-What time!”

The officer opened his eyes and stopped shaking, looking at Jack as if he were crazy. “Wh-What?”

The two stood there with their breaths steaming the air, quietly staring at each other as another light flashes on Jack from his left, making him turn. The young man panics again and makes a run for it once more. Other officers came from nearby vehicles, men in white accompanying them also.

The officer struggling with Jack joined along, informing them that, “The bastards got my gun, let's go!”

They chased after the young man for a good distance, shouting orders to Jack to “Stop!” or that “it’s over for him!”

Jack glimpsed everywhere as he ran, feeling his lungs expanding and feeling the urge to pop from this damned air of cold. Goddamn it… wh-what do I do?!

As Jack’s running through this long alley and seemed as if his night was numbered, glancing around for any last signs of hope, Jack spotted a nearby door, not giving a damn where it led him.

It’s do or die Jack!

Jack briefly looked over his shoulder, firing a shot at the group chasing after him and forcing them to take cover temporarily. Jack used this chance he made for himself to bust open the door with his shoulder that surprisingly led inside the shopping centre. He closes the door and blocks it by tipping over some pallets. Jack continues running deeper inside the dark store.

Jack then made an abrupt stop, looking at each sign that hung over their departments. “I-I could use thi-this chance to get some new clo-clothes.”

Jack power walked through the store and found the sign he was looking for and nodded. Running to the section of mens clothing, Jack quickly removes his wet clothes as they splashed on the floor. He grabs a trench coat, a shirt, underwear, gloves, and boots. He lastly grabs a cowboy hat and puts it on. After giving himself a free shopping spree, Jack tries running out the front but more police cars pull up unsuspectedly.

“Fuck…” He glimpses around as he runs around, and something catches his dried wide eyes.

It’s a pair of steps that’ll lead to the rooftop of the building. Without another moment to think, Jack ran to those steps, and made his way up to the rooftop. He kicks the door down and makes it back outside to the freezing hell. He spots an edge where he can jump down then sees that same helicopter that spotted him earlier pointing it’s light around the area a block away. Quickly, Jack rushes to that edge and gently jumps down, landing on his feet. Jack lets out a long breath, creating a huge cloud of his inner heat around his face.

“No-Not another moment to spare now.” Jack decides to play as a homeless person for the time being.

He sat next to a bunch of trash cans and lowered the hat on his face to submerge it into darkness.

A nearby officer happens to comeby, flashing his light on Jack shortly after. “Hey! Have you seen a tall guy run past here?”

Jack decides to speak differently, replying to him in a tone seeming malnourished. “Can’t you just leave a worthless maggot to sleep in peace you pig?”

The cop shakes his head and walks away. Jack lets out a warm sigh, feeling relieved because he can rest for a moment. After five minutes he stands up and runs again, making his way to the other side of the street to finally spot a nearby highway underpass, running to it. The police and men in white continue to search the town as Jack runs to his temporary freedom. Jack finally reaches his checkpoint to rest at ease and sits down under the highway underpass.

“Fucking finally…” He removes the hat and blows his inner heat onto his blue hands to warm himself up the best he could.

Jack shivers and rests his head against the freezing concrete. He’s so exhausted and cold that in the sitting position he’s in started to feel cozy, even making him relaxed enough to close his eyes, accidentally falling asleep in this hellish weather of water and ice.

Just for a couple of minutes… Is all I need…

Falling into an exhausted slumber, Jack’s body fell slightly to the side, smacking his face against the freezing concrete. In this night of one's agony and anger, all Jack had coursing through his blackened mind was absolute nothingness.

As night went on, the sky grew darker, but from beyond the skylines drew in rolling clouds of bright grey and purple that lit up the sky like an aurora of depression. Covering the skies with the hint of sadness in this time of night brought out a mysterious fog too, one that slithered from all directions and engulfed the area into a haziness. The fog felt colder than the rain that was falling earlier, Jack shivered intensely, rolling around on the concrete. The night sky soon faded out into the clouds that had taken over. As the young man trembled in his uncomfortable slumber, he soon heard faint voices inside his hollowed mind.

“Jack…” Someone said very faintly, making him squint.

Wh-Who is—that?

“Jack!” The voice sounded familiar yet irritated him in his current sleep, making him grit his teeth.

Shut up… leave me be, and let me wallow in my shame…

“Jack!”  They shouted, but now it sounds soothing to the ear, and womanly.

Who… Who’s there…?

“Please! Come back to me!” It’s becoming much clearer to recognize, its distinct voice made him lay upwards on the concrete in quaking frustration.

Hold up… is-is this…?

“Jack!” The voice becoming absolutely clear in that moment made him burst his eyes open.

Staring up at the rolling clouds of purple and grey, Jack’s eyes shook in guilted horror. His mouth half open, letting out moans of sadness, the young man sat up and glanced around.

The mist was so thick he couldn’t see through it, leaving him only to stare at the wall of dense smoke. “Wh-Where am—I?”

He continued staring straight as he stood on his feet. Jack blinked and clutched his head, it started creating an abundance of pain.

“Why’s my head hurting now, it feels similar to when—” The thought of his past made him hurl, making the young man drop to a knee and querl.

Mother of… why’s my body aching, am I having a vivid dream?! It’s been so long since I had one.

As he fought through the pain, he felt someone tap his shoulder, making him turn over to look. What he saw in front of him was…

“Huh?!”

Jack’s eyes trembled, sweat dripped from every pore of his body, the person who tapped his shoulder was—

“Is…? Are you, me?”

A person who looked almost identical, but their hair was longer, messier, their clothes ripped and that of mediaeval times. Their heights were almost identical too when Jack stood up again to stare at this supposed twin. He couldn’t really see their face because of the curtain of hair covering it. The two stared at each other in silence, the fog around them grew thicker, changing colour to that of blackened death. But Jack wasn’t paying attention to that, this individual standing before him had his full attention.

“Wh-Who are you?” Jack asked as his eyes rattled.

The person replied with only his breathing, and mild twitch.

“Answer me, am I in another one of Her dreams?”

Their breathing grew heavier, louder when Jack mentioned Her. Jack saw the person ball their fists, his arms shaking in silent anger. That went on for a minute until they calmed down and blew out a tremendous amount of air through their nostrils, briefly revealing their mouth which Jack saw.

In that glimpse of seeing the individual's mouth made Jack’s eyes grow wider. He saw that their mouth was stitched shut by some slimy black substance. It made Jack take a step back, and moan. The individual raised their hand and pointed at Jack, making him stop. Jack wasn’t sure what he was about to do.

“W-Who are you!”

Jack had enough of this suspense and in that moment of raising his tone made the person lunge at him in the blink of an eye.

“Argh?!”

The person had Jack by the grip of his neck, strangling his windpipe. Jack grabbed their forearms, trying his damndest to get him off him. But everytime he would struggle the person's grip grew tighter. Jack groaned, furrowed his brows, and even threw a punch but it did nothing against the individual.

Jack’s vision was beginning to blur. “St-Stop, pl-please.”

The person clenched harder, and Jack’s eyes started watering. His face turning blue, he could feel his last breaths coming into fruition. The person then shook Jack, throwing him on the ground while still strangling him to shake him intensely. The young man's eyes began to roll back as he was being shakened to his strangled death. Foam came out his mouth and Jack started producing the sound one would make when their death was seconds away—the death rattle.

The person violently shook Jack, his head wobbling in his grip until Jack no longer moved. But that didn’t stop the person from shaking him like crazy. He slammed his body up and down on the concrete, shaking his corpse to uncertainty, producing groans of frustration.

Yet despite meeting his end, Jack can feel the shaking sensation in absolute darkness, wondering why he’s still conscious somewhat.

Ho-How am I still feeling this shaking? How can I wonder when I can no longer breathe?!

It continued for a tedious amount until Jack’s eyelids exploded again, exposing his bloodshot eyes. He panics, quickly gets up, and points the gun he had hidden inside the coat at the person. But it wasn’t that individuel it was his uncle Eric that wore blue jeans, his timbs, and black coat instead who looked worried for Jack.

He backed away with a raised brow. “Woah man, relax okay, it’s me, Eric.”

Jack swallowed and held his eyelids shut for a couple of seconds, mildly tilting his head. So it was just a dream then.

Jack lowered the gun and grabbed his head. “I’m-I’m sorry man.”

Jack felt relieved that it was only Eric who did all the shaking and confirmed it was just a vivid dream. Though he questioned who that look alike was and why he tried to kill Jack. Eric wasn’t pleased on the other hand, he looked pissed, he didn’t take too kindly the fact the young man pointed a gun at him.

Eric shakes his head, “Bro? Really?! You know better man! Don’t point that shit at me.”

Jack had fully calmed his panicked state and put the gun away. “Sorry… I-I just had a rough night.” He drags a hand across his pale face.

“Yeah! I can tell, you fool.” Eric reached his hand out to Jack.

Jack reached up and grabbed his uncle's hand, letting him assist his tired butt up off the concrete.

“Where the hell were you last night dumbass?”

Jack coughs and continues shivering. “I-I was trying to get back to our old home, but I couldn’t even make it pa-past the damn other side of town without an asshole calling me out.”

Eric sighs, shaking his head again and places his hands on his hips. “Jack… don’t you think it’s time?”

Jack coughs loudly. “Time for what, exactly?”

Eric glances at the grey sky, remembering. “It’s been three years since that day. Not to mention the fact we’ve been on the run for two years now. We need to move on…”

Jack’s face turned still. “That’s funny coming from you, I’d thought we’d both share the same mental state, but here we are and I’m the one who’s gone bananas.”

Feeling and hearing how truthful Jack’s words were made the big guy bring out a small chuckle. “Yeah, no shit. You’re fucking minds worse than it ever has been my guy.”

Jack wallows in his own truthful shame, letting out a soft sigh. “Anyways, there’s still things I need to get from there. Important things for—her.”

Jack squinted his eyes, clenching his fists as that shame started showing itself.

“Hey hey, let's not talk about that, okay? If it upsets you to mention your sister, then let's change the subject.”

“I’m fine, It’s just, I can never forgive myself. It’s all my fault that everything happened to you guys but more importantly, her.”

Eric pats Jack’s shoulder. “You can’t keep blaming yourself for that night. I know we lost a lot of people. Even the ones we hold dearest to, but don’t you think it’s time my guy? Let's move on.”

Jack brought his still stare to the cars driving by from a distance. “No, not yet. I still don’t have the courage to go see her, I feel like if I do, It’ll just—break me.”

“You don’t have to see her. She’s resting now, so—”

“So that’s why I have to get back to the old house to retrieve something that she held dearest too. To remember.”

Eric chuckles. “Well, I tried but looks like I ain’t budging you my guy, I understand. Come on big guy, we gotta keep going or else someone will spot us again.”

Jack proceeds to walk and Eric follows. “You’re right, let's go back to the hideout.”

But he stopped and suddenly threw up from intense hunger. Eric quickly backs away. Jack wipes his mouth with his wet sleeve and looks over his shoulder at Eric.

“You alright?” said Eric as he looked grossed out.

Jack calmed his breathing, and let out a very deep sigh. “You know what Eric—I still don’t understand why I keep going, I mean I have nothing left… right?”

Eric forgot how unstable Jack’s mind and emotions were, and for a simple puking that just triggered this sudden spew of randomness made the uncle hurry to his side. He pats the young man's back to settle his nerves, and it worked. Jack scratched his head and sighed again.

Eric slapped the young man's back to make sure he got everything out. “It's still not your fault, stop beating yourself up already kid.”

Jack slightly grins to show his uncle that he’s appreciative of him still, especially sticking by him throughout these years of hell. “I-I lost everything, everything… Yet, I still keep going? I wonder what’s driving me to keep pushing through this hellish journey of mine.”

Eric smiles. “Because you still have something that drives you, don’t forget that Jack.”

Jack didn’t think so, he wondered what his uncle meant by that. As his burdens keep stacking on his shoulders and making his knees feel heavy, he looks up to the misty grey sky and frowns. Eric walks on without saying another word and Jack follows behind him. The two kept walking until they were at their destination, but as they’re walking they could see the wanted posters for Eric and the five million dollar bounty poster for Jack all over the town and outside neighbourhoods. They were plastered on poles, walls, windows, any surface that can show the world the quick fortune someone can make if they comprehend either one or both. Carefully they walked past these places without anyone noticing that it’s them with Jack wearing that cowboy hat and Eric raising the hood of his coat over his no longer shaved head. They arrived at their hideout which was near the Michigan river and looked over the town, leading to a big sewer entrance.

Despite it smelling rancid, it’s the best they could do for now. They walked inside their makeshift hideout made of wood and sat down. Jack removed his wet clothes and grabbed some fresh clean warm clothes from his side of the place, letting the wet ones carefully dry out by hanging them up over the dead firepit.

Eric turns on the radio sitting on a makeshift bench and lights up the fire pit. “Yo Jack!”

Jack stretched and sat next to the fire. “What’s up?”

“You heard about folks dying in their sleep lately? That shit got me really creeped out. What’s worse is that some news reporters snuck into the town next to us, you know that’s completely blacked out and they found those reporters dead the next morning outside the wall.”

Jack crosses his arms. “That is strange, but I still can’t believe that a man like Dr. Cato would close off two entire towns from the rest of society and make up a lie just to kill me for money. That guy has some serious issues.”

Eric raised his brows and rolled his eyes. “Coming from a guy who actually has issues.”

Jack smacked his lips. “Hey! I may be a killer but I’m no psychopath.”

Eric laughed and slapped his thigh. “That’s hilarious!! You're making me die here my guy!”

“Hey, not funny. In all seriousness, why would that bastard go that far just to kill me? We’ve been running for two years now, you’d think he’d quit by now?” Jack hovers his hands close to the fire's heat.

“I wish it was that easy but that punk really hates your ass if he’s willing to continue to play his act.”

Jack sighs and decides to take a nap to kill time, laying down next to the fire. “Whatever, wake me up in a bit will ya?”

Eric sighed. “When I get back, I’m gonna get some supplies aight.”

“Be careful then, well I’m sure you will be compared to me.”

“Need anything stupid?”

Jack shut his eyelids. “Nah, I’ll be fine for now. But one more thing, those bastards in white are back in town so you should be extra careful.”

“Great, ain't that some shit, I guess I do then. Well, wish me luck.” Eric begins packing his survival bag and before leaving Jack opens his eyes.

Jack then remembers the handgun he took from the cop and grabbed it, tossing it in his uncle's direction. “Yo!”

As Eric turned around from Jack’s call, he caught the gun that was being tossed to him.

“You’re gonna need it more than me.”

Eric grinned. “Well shit, this will be useful.” He emptied the gun to check the magazine.

Checking how much ammo the gun had, Eric thanks Jack as he walks out to confront the hostile world after them. Jack lays down upward with his hands behind his head, taking a glance to the fire, watching the flames crackle and feeling the soothing heat warm his body. He stares deep into the flames, watching them rise, fall, change colours continuously until he falls asleep.

As the young man was taking his well deserved nap, he heard a bang coming from their makeshift door. It was enough to wake him up and to get to the door to investigate the sound. Rubbing an eye, Jack opens the door to find nothing or anyone that could’ve created that bang. He shrugged it off and closed the door, but the moment he had the door fully shut it came back. It annoyed Jack a little. He opened the door again to find no one, and it made him raise the edge of his lip.

That raised edgy lip twitches as he was glancing around the area. “Who’s fucking with me?”

Feeling curious as to who or what might be screwing with him, he decides to investigate the area around. He glimpses back inside and then walks outside, closing the door behind him. It was dawn, and it seemed like night might be approaching. Jack walked around their makeshift shelter to find nothing, then looking around the entire area, even looking straight at the entrance to the massive sewer entrance.

“If i were fucking with someone, then I’d be hiding in there. But man does it smell like shit.”

Jack takes a deep breath and decides to follow his investigation further by walking into the sewer entrance, right to the path of darkness. He felt it wasn't needed to bring any source of light because he was only going in enough to only see if there would be anything that would catch his cold dead fish eyes. Walking deeper into the sewers, his light source slowly fading further, Jack makes the assumption that it might’ve been his imagination.

“Well, might as well go back inside.” When Jack turned around to walk back to the light, someone was standing at the entrance. “Wh-Who in the?”

They stood there, ominous, without moving a single muscle.

“Hey! Who are you?!”

They didn’t respond, instead Jack got something else, a loud wail coming from behind him from darkness.

“What the fuck is going on?!” Jack’s forehead got sweaty, his limbs shook, he felt perplexed.

The person standing finally moved an arm, raising it and pointing at Jack. The haunting wail behind him grew louder, making Jack look back and forth in confusion. The events unfolding for Jack grew a giant migraine in his head, bringing the young man to his knees from the intensity. His head pulsed, clutching it wasn’t doing anything, and his vision was blurring once again like before.

“Wh-What’s happening?” Jack’s eyes rolled behind his head and the young man passed out.

The person standing at the entrance earlier wasn't there any more, they were right beside Jack, staring down at him. It was the individual from his vivid dream and he reaches down to Jack, patting his shoulder as if they were buddies. He rose up and stared down the black tunnel and chuckled. He then walked forward into the vast dark, disappearing and leaving Jack alone.

“Am-Am I—dead again?” Jack heard the sweaty ceiling drip onto the concrete next to him. “If I could hear that, then I’m not, but what they hell happened?”

The sounds of the sewer soon faded out to white noise, startling Jack and making him gasp in his trans. As the noise of total isolation continued, something could be heard in his mysterious slumber, an actual noise of some sort.

Wh-What now?

This sound produced noises of distress, sorrow, and loneliness. A sound to one’s nightmares if they were buried alive and felt absolutely hopeless.

Again, what’s going on… Why did I pass out or have I fallen asleep again? It’s so dark, and this sound, again why am I hearing this?

The sounds of unbearing sorrow echoed in Jack's foggy blackened mind. This abundance is ridiculing him once again in this mysterious event that he fell into.

Just tell me who you are! Stop crying, stop screaming so softly, come closer and unveil who you are!

No matter what Jack said inside his hollowed mind to whoever's making these noises that made him feel utter guilt, they wouldn't reply nor acknowledge his presence. While hearing these cries of agony, Jack could feel something burning in his heart, yet he questioned if this was pain, or is this sadness?

Why are you doing this! Why are you engraving these feelings onto my damned heart, because it’s making me feel like the biggest pile of human garbage to ever exist!

The longer this continued, the worse Jack felt. Ultimately, these feelings started interwinding, forming into the one feeling he detested so much whenever someone did this as an act, and that feeling was betrayal.

Stop… Stop, stop it!

The sensation of guilt grew bigger, the burden of being at fault swelled his mind. Jack’s losing it, even he began screaming inside his mind. He could feel his heart melt from continuously hearing this person's wails of unsorry truth banging against his eardrums. As all this unfolded inside the state of blackness, the person said one thing, once again their voice was that of a female, a female’s voice he knew all too well, and they screamed “Jack!”

“No!” Jack finally woke up and erratically looked around, realising he was back in the hideout.

Realising it was yet another dream he lets out a long breath, and drags a hand over his sweaty face. He can’t believe how much his mind is playing games with him. Jack felt his sanity was degrading and felt as if he was falling into a spiralling dark hole.

“Another fuckery?! Another vivid dream, huh?!” He smacks his hand against his forehead and takes deep breaths to calm his annoyance.

He can feel the sweat rub on his hand as he sighs and stands up. Jack wants to get out to get a fresh taste of air to cool his heated mind, so he grabs the coat he got last night and puts it on. He walks outside and spots helicopters over the town again, scanning the area like vultures trying to find a corpse to feed on.

“Still looking for me huh, you bastard?” Jack tucked his hands into the coats pockets and watched those man made flying contraptions continuously search the town in circles like vultures.

He walks back inside for a moment to grab something to reduce this actual migrain beginning to grow. Walking over to his bookbag full of survival supplies, he opens it, and digs into it. He felt this item he wanted to ease this pain.

“This must be it.” He pulled out a bottle of unknown pills with no label on them.

Jack could feel his body itching for another taste of these white guilty pleasures. He pours two out, ingested them, and already, they kicked in, making him feel amazing, lazy, and spinny.

Jack feels disappointed that he’s gotten to the point his body is urging for more of these mysterious white pills. “Man, if Angela knew how her brother was doing, she’d be so disappointed.”

Jack sits down and stares at the labeless bottle. Baby sis… if you were here right now, I would never allow you to see me in this state…

Jack clutches the bottle, staring angrily at it with a drugged up grin. “Because I’ve gotten to the point of proving Dr. Cato right! I’ve become the very thing that ended Joseph's life and led Alexandria to her death… And that being—a worthless drug addict, bwhaha.”

The bottle cracks from the growing pressure of his grip and the high kicks in so quickly and badly that it makes Jack fall back asleep immediately without his notice. Laying there like the disappointment that he is, Jack couldn’t help but share one last thought before losing consciousness to the white pilled demons he just consumed.

I truly am a failure of a human being. I don’t deserve to live—you did, baby sis…