- Leo -
The sun hung low in the sky, casting the city in shades of molten gold and deepening shadows. Leo trudged along the crowded street, each step heavier than the last. His backpack felt painfully heavy on his shoulders, like it carried far more than just books. Around him, life surged forward relentlessly—chattering crowds, impatient honks, vendors shouting offers—but to Leo, it all blurred into a distant murmur, muffled as if he were submerged underwater.
I wonder what Mom's making for dinner tonight… he thought numbly, desperate to cling to something familiar amid the overwhelming gloom. Maybe her curry. The mere thought stirred a faint warmth inside his empty stomach, a small, fleeting comfort. He pictured himself sinking into the softness of the couch, enveloped by the gentle aroma drifting from the kitchen. It's stupid, but right now… that's all I need.
He navigated mechanically through familiar faces and storefronts he passed every day. The scent of fresh pastries intertwined with roasted chestnuts, floating softly in the evening air. Children's laughter rang out, innocent and carefree. Leo felt a sharp pang in his chest, an ache of longing. I wish I could feel like that again.
At a crowded crosswalk, an elderly man struggled with heavy grocery bags, his face flushed and tired. Without hesitation, Leo approached him.
"Hey, do you need some help with those?"
The man glanced up in surprise, a relieved smile spreading over his weary face. "Oh, yes… thank you, young man."
Leo gently took some of the heavy bags, startled by their weight, and began walking alongside the old man as the traffic light turned green.
"Where do you live? I can help carry these to your place," Leo offered politely.
Suddenly, the elderly man froze mid-step. A harsh, wet cough erupted violently from his throat.
Leo's heart skipped a beat, dread seeping into his bones.
The coughing intensified, blood splattering onto the concrete beneath them. Crimson droplets dripped from the man's nose, mouth—even the corners of his eyes.
"Mister?" Leo asked, voice trembling, panic starting to rise.
Without warning, the old man collapsed lifelessly to the ground, his limbs sprawling awkwardly as though strings controlling his body had been abruptly severed.
Leo dropped the groceries, produce scattering across the sidewalk. He knelt urgently beside the fallen man, shaking his shoulder desperately. "Hey! Are you okay? Can you hear me?"
Silence.
"Somebody, help!" Leo shouted, his voice echoing through the chaos, eyes scanning frantically for someone—anyone—to assist.
But no one came.
Because, all around him, others were falling too.
One by one, adults staggered helplessly, violent coughs wracking their bodies before they collapsed onto the streets, blood pooling beneath them. The street erupted into nightmarish chaos. Terrified screams of children pierced the air, cars veered wildly as their drivers fell unconscious, and vehicles crashed violently, sending metallic shrieks echoing through the air.
Boom!
A nearby car exploded into flames, shaking the ground and filling Leo's lungs with acrid smoke. The scent of burning rubber and gasoline hung thickly, choking him.
Leo's mind spiraled into panic, but one haunting thought screamed louder than the rest:
Mom. Dad.
If everyone here is dying… what about them?
For a terrifying moment, fear rooted him in place.
Then adrenaline took control.
Leo bolted forward, his legs pumping harder than ever before. His lungs burned, his heartbeat thundered in his ears, and the city blurred past him, transforming into streaks of shadow and fire. All sounds faded except his ragged breathing and desperate thoughts.
Please, be safe… please be okay.
The streets around him were a nightmare. Flames danced menacingly, illuminating fallen bodies and terrified children stumbling aimlessly, their faces hollow with shock and grief. Leo pushed past them, his eyes locked onto the distant, familiar sight of home.
When his building finally appeared ahead, Leo skidded to a stop, his chest heaving painfully. His shaking hand reached for the doorknob, freezing halfway as dread clutched his heart.
What if they're…?
No. They have to be okay.
Swallowing hard, Leo forced himself to push open the door.
His world shattered instantly.
His parents lay motionless on the floor, bathed in the soft amber glow of the setting sun filtering through the windows. Blood pooled silently beneath them, dark and viscous, spreading slowly across the wooden floor like ink soaking into forgotten pages.
Leo stood frozen in the doorway. Time seemed to fracture. The world tilted, and sound fell away—gone, like someone had hit mute on reality.
No… please, no…
His knees buckled, and he crashed to the ground with a hollow thud. Pain sparked through his legs, but he barely felt it. He crawled toward them, inch by inch, his hands trembling violently as he reached out—just a touch, just enough to prove it wasn't real.
"Mom…? Dad?"
His voice cracked, brittle and thin. "Wake up… please…"
No answer. No movement. Just the low, unbearable silence of absence.
He pressed his forehead to his mother's chest, desperate for a heartbeat, a breath—anything. Her scent still lingered—lavender and black tea—drifting faintly through the air like a memory refusing to fade.
I ran… I ran as fast as I could… and it still wasn't enough.
A raw, strangled sob escaped his throat, echoing hollowly off the quiet walls.
Even when I gave everything… I still couldn't save them.
He wrapped his arms around them both, pulling their lifeless bodies close, holding onto the warmth already beginning to fade. His tears soaked into their clothes, his entire frame shaking as waves of helplessness crashed over him.
I couldn't fight this. I couldn't stop it. All I could do was watch it take everything.
He didn't know how long he stayed like that, pressed against their bodies, cradling them in trembling arms. Seconds? Minutes? Hours?
Time doesn't matter anymore.
His throat burned. His face was wet, hot with tears, cold with panic. He didn't care. The world outside could fall apart completely—it already had.
They were just here.
A new wave of sobs crushed his chest. His body curled inward, like trying to protect the last of something sacred.
Don't move. Don't look. If I stay here long enough… maybe the world will go back to how it was.
But the blood didn't vanish.
The silence didn't break.
And reality didn't change.
He didn't move.
The house was silent now.
So quiet it felt wrong.
As if the walls themselves were mourning.
Outside, the chaos still raged—screams in the distance, explosions rumbling like angry gods—but in here, it was like everything had gone still. Time, breath, thought.
Leo sat there, numb, arms limp, gaze unfocused.
Is this what the end of the world feels like? Not fire. Not thunder. Just… silence.
He looked down at his parents again. His throat tightened.
Then—
Crackkkkkk…
Suddenly, every device, every speaker within range crackled to life, an icy, emotionless voice resonating clearly:
"You are now under the rule of the Vulsar Empire."
The chilling declaration hung in the air, oppressive and inhuman.
"The age of humanity is over. Your past is forgotten—your future is ours to command."
Leo's phone slipped from his numb fingers, clattering loudly onto the bloodstained floor.
This can't be happening. It's a nightmare… it has to be.
Outside, the desperate cries of children intensified, interwoven with the sharp crackle of flames devouring cars and buildings. Gathering what little courage remained, Leo stumbled toward the window, peeking anxiously through the blinds.
Dark figures moved through the chaos, swift and silent, cloaked in shadow. They glided effortlessly, their cloaks billowing softly, as though untouched by the surrounding destruction. Leo watched, paralyzed with fear, as they burst into homes and dragged screaming children out into the street.
Suddenly, one figure stopped sharply, its head snapping directly toward Leo's window.
Did it see me?
Leo instinctively dropped below the windowsill, pressing himself tightly against the cold wall. His heart raced, pulse pounding violently against his throat.
I have to hide. Now.
Fueled by pure survival instinct, Leo dashed up the stairs, each step heavy with dread. He burst into his bedroom, slamming the door shut and immediately shoving his dresser against it. His muscles strained painfully, adrenaline surging through him as he secured the barricade.
Quickly, he grabbed his old baseball bat, gripping it so tightly his knuckles turned white. Backing into the furthest corner of his room, Leo stood rigid, eyes fixed unwaveringly on the door, breath shallow and uneven.
Seconds stretched into agonizing minutes, silence pressing down like a suffocating weight, broken only by distant screams and explosions outside.
Then—
Crash!
Glass shattered behind him.
Leo spun around, heart leaping into his throat, raising the bat instinctively—too late.
A figure stood in the broken windowframe, its shape cloaked in darkness. It didn't step—it slid silently into the room, swift and unnatural, more shadow than substance. The long cloak it wore rippled as it moved, its hood drawn low, face completely hidden.
Leo couldn't see its eyes. Couldn't even see its face. Just… presence.
Chilling. Inevitable. Wrong.
What… is that?
He stumbled back, clutching the bat tighter, barely able to keep his breath steady.
"Stay back… I swear I'll—!"
The thing moved.
One moment it was near the window.
The next—right in front of him.
Faster than thought. No sound. No warning.
Leo swung the bat with every ounce of strength he had—
Thud!
It caught the bat mid-air. Effortlessly. Like swatting away a leaf.
Then—
Crack!
The bat snapped in two between its gloved fingers.
Leo didn't even have time to react before a hand lunged from the shadows—cold, hard—and clamped around his throat.
He was lifted clean off the ground. Legs kicking, gasping for air. He couldn't see the figure's face. Couldn't make out anything beyond the crushing grip and suffocating cold.
His vision blurred. His strength faded.
Is this it? Is this really how it ends…?
I couldn't save them… and now… I can't even save myself.
The grip tightened—
Darkness swallowed him whole.