"It's pretty cold today."
A lone figure stood outside a house.
His chestnut hair, long enough to cover his face, was styled awkwardly to keep it visible. And within that frame of visibility, uncovered beige tinted skin complemented with dark circles under his sharp eyes.
His hand appeared to be preoccupied with an empty red cup, and condensation exited his mouth with every breath he took. He stared blankly at the moon, his demeanour solemn and his stature uninviting.
However, inside the house behind him, was an inviting warmth that could be felt. Cheery shouts bellowed, and drunken clinks of bottles resonated harmoniously. On this particular day, the figure couldn't find himself to socialise with the people inside.
…
Inside the house, a stern call-out could be heard.
"Amy!"
The woman who was called scouted her surroundings, searching for the voice.
Her eyes traced across the hallway and locked onto a modestly built man whose hands cradled an obnoxiously large box of champagne.
"Oh, uh, could I help you Konrad?"
Konrad stumbled, but caught himself, his head grazing the door handle to his side.
"Woah." His voice hitched, "Oh! Uhm, yeah, could you ask the people who are still outside to come back in? We're gonna start the count-down soon."
Amy was startled by Konrad's near accident. She hesitated a bit and with reluctance in her voice she replied.
"I thought everyone came back in… But sure, I can do that." She paused, furrowing her brow. Konrad – although capable – was blatantly struggling. She sighed.
"You should really ask someone to help with that!
"Health and safety concerns. Y'know?"
Utterly embarrassed, Konrad grinned in agreeance.
"Y'know what, that's pretty smart!" He scratched his head, "Hmm… Maybe I'll ask Dan for some help."
He smiled brushing past her. Both had set onto their respective tasks. Behind Amy, faint shouts could be heard again. Konrad did in fact, ask for help.
That's not important though, Amy had to abandon the warm indoors to complete this tedious task to bring the supposed people back inside.
Clutching her jacket, Amy thought to herself: 'what kind of idiot would remain outside when it's unbearably cold. Especially when everyone else was having fun inside?!' Overplaying her role, she resolved herself for the quick reconnaissance mission ahead, reassuring that she'll 'make this quick'.
…
Soothing cold air brushed past the figure…
"Is it almost time?"
"The garden is pretty chill though…"
The man stood outside so long that his eyelashes began to freeze. Plastered with a facial expression that remained solemn. Thousands of thoughts ran through his head per minute.
'I really turned 19 this year.'
'Has it really been a whole year again?'
'Life moves so quick. It felt like only weeks passed by.'
'Is time really moving along that fast… Soon I'll be-'
His thoughts were interrupted. Not too far from him, footsteps crunched on the frosty ground. Emerging from the patio, a woman with luscious jet- black hair and of average height approached him.
From his perspective, he couldn't make out the details of her face. However, he noticed her clothes, which were specifically worn by one person he knew.
Those fluffy dark earmuffs and cosy maroon gloves that she wore, could only be one person in his mind:
"Amy?"
Under the moonlight's brilliance, her soft features unveiled, and her striking verdant eyes were fixated on the lone figure. With a twinge of sarcasm, she exclaimed.
"Will? You're the idiot whose still outside?"
Goosebumps ran along his spine with panic written all-over him. Preparing for the worst, Will looked around in desperate fashion and had hoped that someone else was nearby so that he could redirect the incoming bombardment of insults.
"Please spare me!"
Amy scoffed; the initial feeling of distraught had lifted, perhaps going outside had been worthwhile. Amused she taunted him.
"I'll spare you, for now."
"Actually, no. Seriously Will, I get it's you, right."
"But what kind of idiot chooses to stay outside – IN THE COLD – during a party!"
The corners of her mouth peaked. Fondness crept into her tone.
"Like seriously Will."
Amy shook her head, ending her short outburst. Holding his breath, Will finally exhaled with a defeated look on his face.
"Uhm, I guess the kind of idiot who isn't keen on social gatherings."
Amy raised a brow.
"So… You chose to stand outside instead?"
"You could've just stayed on your phone y'know."
"Sitting on the sofa maybe…? Where it's nice and warm…?"
"Well," Will crossed his arms, and his face plastered with confidence retorted, "I already did that, I was on the weather app for like an hour or two…"
He grew silent.
"Possibly, 4 hours?"
"Ahem! Maybe the entirety of the party. Actually."
Amy couldn't help but let out a chuckle. Her fair skin turned rosy, and the tip of her nose reddened from the cold. She cheekily side eyed Will and bantered.
"That's kinda sad Will."
Will, already embarrassed, couldn't help but bite back. Stumbling on his own words and, well, ultimately failing to do so.
"W-Well! Y'know what's sad!"
"Wearing like… Fi- no- Sixty layers of clothes!"
"…I think."
His attempt to bite back was utterly lacklustre, Will had no chance of making a comeback with this.
Both remained in the cold, bantering among themselves. The cold night also remained harsh, nipping at their faces.
Time ticked onwards, and the house was beginning to re-ignite, soon to be lively once more.
…
Fireworks not too far from the house could be seen setting off in bright hues of colour – the moon serving as a canvas. The night sky was clear and dotted with the brilliance of each star that populated it.
The cheers of other houses could be heard, everyone was eager and watching their watches as the clock ticked down from the last minute of the year.
Inside – the people readied their voices for the celebratory cheers and couldn't help but anxiously wait for the large bottles of champagne to be popped. Digital or analogue, the clock ticked.
"Five!"
'It was that time of the year again.' Will thought to himself.
"Four!"
He couldn't help but feel a sense of both relief and dread. This year had finished, and a new one was about to make way.
"Three!"
He reflected, reminiscing the 365 days that felt like 20. Not too long ago, he struggled to pitch his 'unique' clothing brand to investors, failing miserably of course.
"Two!"
It didn't end well at all. Considering his investment of – ehem – too much money for a nineteen-year-old to own? Plus, the money he took from his – Unlucky investors – His sales this year were… Dire.
But that's beside the point!
"One!"
Will remained positive. Perhaps the results for the new year could be slightly better. Hell! Maybe he could land himself a girlfriend! Or not... You can consider Will as a big dreamer, but not someone who'd fall for their own delusions.
"Zero!"
Girlfriend aside, he stupidly grinned because he knew he was overthinking it like usual. At least for this year, he wanted to try his best. He wanted to pave way for a happier life.
"Happy,"
However…
"New year!"
"…?"
Sometimes, you don't realise that the path has already been paved for you.
***
Bzzt…
In the distance, faint fluorescent sparks – or what appeared to be sparks – cropped into Will's view.
"Hey Amy, did you see that?"
Amy, still with a cheery look on her face stared at Will's pointed finger.
"See what?"
Extremely confused – Will tried to play it off as a stray firework spark. However, that couldn't possibly make sense.
"I just saw… Nah, never mind."
Suddenly the initial tiny 'sparks' burst alive once more. This time they were closer and had grown by ten-fold. What appeared in front of Will was a pixelated blank 'screen', the clarity of it slowly adjusting to fit his vision.
"Am I… Hallucinating?" In a daze, Will let out an anxious chuckle to himself.
Amy noticed how his mood shifted. For the time she knew Will, he would only ever act like this when something truly surreal occurred.
"Will, are you alright?"
The screen in front of Will slowly manifested unintelligible text. And unexpectedly, a synchronised jolt of movement from everyone, including Amy, had occurred.
Groans and bloodcurdling shouts echoed across the neighbourhood as stray fireworks no longer sputtered in a unified manner. And eventually the fireworks that painted the skies, stopped firing all together.
Chaos had erupted relentlessly from every corner of the street.
Will swiftly glanced over at Amy who was brought to her knees. Her head was pressed onto the cold ground as she clutched it.
"Amy!"
Amy muffled in a disturbed voice.
"Agh! My head… What's going on?!"
Will quickly looked around to assess the situation. Loud thuds could be heard from the house where similar comments to Amy's were made.
Everyone's head ached, and nobody could stand firmly on their feet. Something strange was unveiling.
Will felt his spine tingle – it was fear. Cold sweat trickling down his face. He could feel his tongue curl up to the roof of his mouth, as he swallowed his saliva awkwardly.
What on earth was going on?
Will's eyes fell onto the screen in a spur of panic. His pupils dilated at the sight of the previously cryptic text, which was now readable.
Will grimaced, his eyelashes and gaze frozen stiff at the message that was displayed.
[ Players. . . ]
This uncanny feeling and the flurry of adrenaline made his head spin.
[ Of Planet {█} Earth. . . ]
Will thought to himself.
Out of the 19 years he had lived, he had hoped that at least one of them would've been somewhat peaceful!
His mind was racing with a thousand questions a minute.
[ I greet you. . . ]
But of course. Life had to find its way to exclusively screw him over.
Just his luck.
Chapter 1 – New Year – End.