Good Morning, Sweet Hell

Allen Walker

So maybe it would be a bit cliché of me to say this, but it really all began on a completely normal day. I was sitting inside, a thick blanket wrapped tightly around my shivering body. Okay, so I had the flu; still pretty normal; everyone gets the flu. That day, I didn't leave the house. I didn't answer the door. I just stayed in bed, an ice pack melting on my burning forehead.

Honestly, I could have gone to school, only, the thought of having to put up with that bastard calling me 'Moyashi' at every available opportunity convinced me to stay home. I already had one hell of a headache; there was no reason for me to let him make it any worse.

After throwing back two Nurofen tablets, I slipped on my headphones, switching the volume to its maximum setting, the music blaring out any sounds I may have been able to hear beforehand.

Checking my phone to see if I had any missed calls, as unlikely as it was, I notice the date: November 18. Upon realising that I would be turning fourteen in nearly a month, an unfamiliar warmth spread through my chest, and I knew that if Kanda could see me now, he'd accuse me of 'wearing that stupid-ass grin again', as he so kindly puts it.

The entire first year I'd known them, my friends, I'd refused to tell them my birthday, that day only serving to remind me of the horrors I'd been through, and it always upset me to see everyone celebrating, since the twenty-fifth of December was, unfortunately, Christmas. Even when they'd tried to invite me out for the annual festivities, I'd lied to them, saying something about visiting a family I didn't really have. They'd finally managed to get the date from me through, meaning that this would be my first real birthday in years.

Truth be told, while I once would have been furious, or maybe even horrified, now I was just exited. The only person who'd ever cared enough to celebrate my birthday had been Mana, and that had only been once. I secretly prayed to whatever godly entity that may be out there that nothing bad happened to my new friends. Well, they were more like my first friends…

Lenalee, with her caring, big-sisterly personality, the second youngest, eyes a beautiful violet and flowing olive hair tied up in two side pigtails. Lavi, the red-headed trouble-maker, his right eye obscured beneath a brown leather eye-patch, his left a startling shade of jade. And then Kanda, he who hated being called by his first name, 'Yu', with waist-length, navy-blue hair always held up with a thick red tie, and always glaring at the world with his cold cerulean eyes.

If one saw them together, they wouldn't understand how it was that people with such conflicting personalities could get along, but the little band of misfits were practically perfect for each other. It was probably their difference that brought them together; one had what another would lack; they completed each other.

When they'd welcomed me in to their tight-knit group, I'd felt awkward at first, though, eventually, those three became my world. Just being around them was enough to chase it all away. When I was with them, I would let all of my worries disappear. I could pretend that everything I'd been through was just another one of my crazy dreams. I guess that if anything had to have been the dream, it would be the life I was living with them. I now wish that it was a dream; I wish I'd never have had to wake up. If only I could have rewound time, if I could have stayed with them for just a few moments longer… 'If' and 'I wish'… It seemed that my selfish existence always revolved around those words.

I know that the way I depend on those three isn't healthy, but I honestly couldn't care less.

The change in song startled me out of my musings on whether or not Kanda would have finally murdered Lavi today; probably not…. Hopefully not… With the way Lavi acts, it wouldn't be much of a surprise….

Shaking my head, I let out a sigh of content as my neck cracks; the painful crick in my neck now gone. Relaxing my body, I let my head loll to the side, shapes and colours moving behind closed eyelids. Even knowing what was going to come next, I stayed, long past trying to hide from my nightmares. No; memories.

o

O

"Good morning, Fourteenth!"

A smiling face, surrounded by the brilliant florescent glow of artificial lighting.

"Now, now; you know we can't have you doing that."

Arms secured to sides by thick leather straps that chafe the skin.

"Fourteenth."

Eyes of the purest honey, gazing into my own dull orbs.

"Someone get the sedatives."

The prick of a needle entering my bare shoulder.

"What do you think; isn't this shade of red better?"

Skilled hands making full use of that glinting scalpel, unzipping flesh with practiced ease.

"Fourteenth."

Small hands reach out towards me, seeking the comfort of another living being.

"Is he… crying?"

Salty tears mingle with the taste of blood, diluting that retched flavour I always seemed to reacquaint myself with.

"Fourteenth."

Shielding her with my own ruined body, just barely able to stand.

"How about we let you stay awake this time?"

A syringe, contents murky black in colour, held aloft with pride.

"It worked!"

Swept up into his embrace, a kiss planted on my forehead.

"What's going on?!"

Glass shattering, a hand tightening around my wrist.

"Fo…tee…th."

A broken body lying limp in my arms.

"Allen Walker…."

O

o

Waking with a start, I very nearly jumped out of bed, hand clamped over my own mouth to stifle the screams that tried to make their way out. Sitting upright and breathing heavily, a cold sweat sticking to my body, I rest my head on top of my knees. Fragmented memories still continued to swirl their way around my head, whispers of conversations lingering in my ear.

Taking note of the dim rays of light streaming through the window, I realise that I must have slept for nearly twelve hours. A quick glance at my phone tells me that that it's only six thirty. Groaning, I rise from the warmth that my bed offered into the cool morning air of my room.

Stumbling into the kitchen, I grab out my leftover attempt at chicken casserole from the fridge, sticking it into the microwave, heating it up to have as breakfast before I leave. It leaves a bland taste in my mouth, and I make a mental note to never try making it again unless someone who actually knows how to cook is here with me. Considering I never have anyone over, that would mean I'm never eating chicken casserole again. Unless, of course, my social worker made it…

That thought halts the fork's path to my mouth. I'd been living with a social worker ever since I'd began Junior High; so where was she now? Sure, sometimes she'd stay out late, but by the time I'd awoken the next morning, she'd always be here…

Shrugging it off as just another one of those adult things, I stuff today's completed homework into my backpack, first checking that it was the paper with 'Thursday' printed across the top, instead of 'Friday'. I remember once making the mistake of handing in the wrong day's homework…not fun…

Excitement bubbled deep down in my chest as I realise I'll be seeing my friend after being away from them for two days. Well, its two days if you include the fact that I went home early on Tuesday… Now that I think about it; earlier that day was the last time I saw my social worker, too.

Unfolding today's outfit from off of the couch, where it has been sitting, much to the displeasure of my social worker, for the past four days, I slip on the crisp white dress shirt, revelling in its temporary floral scent. Next up are the black cargo pants, the colour said to stand out against my pale complexion and otherwise colourless attire. The same could be said about the red ribbon tied in a lazy bow around my neck. Peeking in the mirror, I gave my reflection a slight smile when I realised that the red distracted one's attention from my eyes. My ghastly, haunting, grey eyes. Lenalee always insisted that they were silver, yet no matter how many times I checked, all I saw was grey.

By now, my phone beeps to inform me that the time is seven fifty-five, meaning I'd better start walking soon, seeing as it's a twenty minute walk from here to my school, and my club activities require me to arrive earlier than the other students.

I sling my backpack over my shoulder and hesitantly push open the door, sighing as the morning's warmth caresses my face. That feeling has always been one of my favourites. It was one of those small things that made life a little more bearable.

Stepping out, I'm met with the unnatural silence of the outside world. There's not a person in sight. Trash lay tossed aside in the streets. If I had to describe it; the place looked like a ghost town.

Confused, I unconsciously tilt my head to the side; did everyone just drop everything and disappear or something?

With that thought in mind, I sweep my gaze over my surroundings, still met with nothing more than an empty street.

Taking a deep breath, my next actions going against all I'd been taught, I cup both hands around either side of my mouth, and, me being as naive as I am, scream out as loud as I can; the sound reverberating and echoing its way down the street. "HELLO~?!

So I admit that this probably wasn't my best idea, but this silence is freaking me out.

Biting down on my lip at the continuation of silence I receive as my response, I sigh once again, before walking out onto the road, even though the 'no-walking-on-the-road' rule had been drilled into my mind by teachers and government officials alike.

Finally, the thud of footsteps scraping against pavement brings a relieved smile to my face. "Hello?"

A figure limps in to view, dragging their back leg as though they need crutches, but just couldn't be bothered to get them.

With a dead eye gazing back into my own, no emotion present on this person's face, half hidden by a hoodie, every bone in my body screamed at me to run. "Are you alright? What happened here?"

I walk over to the person, eventually taking in the red smudges on their sleave. "Oh god; is that blood?!"

That's when the person's full appearance becomes clear to me, and bile rises up in my throat at the sight. The entire right side of his…IT'S face was burnt off, revealing meat and muscle that barely clung to bone.

Stretching out a dirty arm, flesh hanging off on clumps, the thing took another step towards me.

As the other advances, I slowly move away. "S-stay back!"

When this thing makes no effort to communicate with me, I make a mad dash for the house, scrambling for the door when I trip over my own feet in my haste.

Diving in, I try to slam the door shut, but the thing pushes against it from the other side, and I'm no match for its brute strength.

The door is flung open, causing to stumble forward on to my hands and knees.

Adrenaline coursing through my veins, everything seems to be moving in slow motion. Three. There are three of them now. Each no longer identifiable in gender or age. Each just as grotesque as the first. Each missing something.

Sunken eyes barely even seeing me, they must be operating on some other sort of function to tell where they're going. Smell? Sound? If so, that would explain why they'd appeared a little after I'd started yelling down the street.

Instead of speaking, all I can hear from them is a kind of wheezing sound, almost like they were trying to moan and sigh at the same time.

Multiple pairs of dirty hands grasp my clothes, their hold on my shirt sleeve jerking me to a stop in my attempt to escape. Pulling me back, their hands clamp down on my left arm, followed up by teeth that bit into the deformed skin, tearing in to me like they couldn't get enough.

My mind barely registers the whimper that escapes from between my parted lips. I couldn't remember the last time I'd screamed; years of training and punishment had taught me that screaming had only ever managed to make things worse.

Next time, I decided, I would immediately follow my instincts if they told me to run. Though, from the looks of it, I wouldn't ever be getting that second chance any time soon. Or ever…

As blood pooled around my writhing form, more pain than I'd ever felt made its way through my body, and believe me; I've felt a lot of pain in my short lifetime. A sharp metallic taste invaded my senses, before long overwhelming me with the scent strong enough to make be gag. Oh how I loathed that smell. Then everything fades to black, starting off as shadows at the edges of my vision, ending as a bottomless pit of nothingness, a sea of blissful darkness that threatens to swallow me whole, to take away all of the pain. And that was the end to my perfectly ordinary days.

IXIXI

I really hope I'm not the only one who laughed at the fact that Allen slept through the beginning of the apocalypse.