Thunder boomed loudly outside the window, gusts of wind bought rain pouring against it. The person in the small dark room heard none of this, the young man had headphone over his head and his eyes were glued to the computer's screen. Night that fallen, yet he never bothered to get up and switch the light on. So the only dim light was only coming from the screen.
The room was small, to small for a grown man. It was so tiny that only a deck with it's chair and a bed could fit within. Around the small dark box like room was piles of books, comics mainly; a path was made from the door to the bed and desk. Paper, pencils and paint sat half on the deck, while the other half had the computer on.
Some of the same shape paper was pinned on the walls around the dark room, these drew by the young man himself of his favourite cartoon and anime characters.
Small amount of laugher came from the young man's lips, as the pictures on screen continued to move. His held his breathe as the show reached it's end; but soon as it did, he clicked the mouse to go onto the next.
Nineteen year old Benjamin Alison had an obsession with the manga and anime known as One Piece. As a boy he loved playing pirates anyway and had a great love for cartoons. When he first saw the advertisement of the new cartoon show his heart stopped, and he wrote down the date.
Two years later he found that the internet had the original shows, and then found the manga. That was eight years ago. The love for the show made him push himself to learn the language when he was fourteen, he could now listen to the raw episodes without the aid of subtitles. Which he took delight in.
However the love he had for this show and now language became a double edge sword to him.
The hours he spent indoor learning caused a gap between him and his friends, by the time he left school he had no to call friend. But in his own mind that was fine, he was doing something he loved! So he in his eyes it was worth it.
Benjamin leaned for and grabbed for a can of cola that was on the side, taking a big swig he noticed just how dark the room around him was. Placing the can back down he reached for the lamp on the desk, dropping over some books and paper while he did.
Dark brown eyes stared dully down at the books, feeling to lazy to pick them up he turned back to the screen and watched.
Benjamin was leaned back into the chair, his fat hanging over. Since leaving school a year ago he had done nothing but sit about in his home; he could not find a job and did not have the confidence to go to college.
The young man lifted up his hands and moved his headphones slightly, moving his long black hair out of his eyes and then replacing them. He rolled his shoulders and wiggled his back, he had been sitting there for some time now and was aching from lack on movement.
Benjamin clicked off, he was not tired but knew he should try and sleep; it was late at night. A few mouse moves and clicks, and the computer was turning itself off.
The overweight young man stood, he was tall with his belly and legs being the fattest part of his body; his face was red and covered with spots which he never got rid on, even though he knew people thought him to be dirty because of them, but this was not the case. He cleaned and washed himself each day, the spots never went away.
"Time for bed." Benjamin told his cat who was sleeping at the end of his bed, "Move over," He pushed the cat's rear trying to make it move, "how can one little cat take up so much room?"
At last his cat moved, giving him the change to climb in under the covers.
"Benjamin!" His mother's voice called, jerking him awake, "Wake up and go to the job centre!"
He moaned aloud as he rolled over, it felt like he had not gotten any sleep. Sitting up in bed he gazes at the clock; it was almost twelve in the afternoon.
"So I did sleep..." Benjamin mumbled as he rolls over again and kicks off his covers, "Ooh~ I don't want to go." He moans aloud but he know he had no choice in the matter. He needed money to live on and while living off job seekers did not give him much, it still paid for his week's food.
"Benjamin!" Came his mother's voice again, "Up!"
"I'm up!" He called out as he rubs his face, "Be down in a minute!" He twists on bed and places his feet of the floor, or tried to, he knocked over half a dozen books while he was at it. Tutting he stands and steps over the many books that somehow gotten into his path way.
Opening his door and comes into the hallway, he could hear his mother and two older brothers downstairs. He sighs aloud and heads down the hallway to the bathroom.
"Had a shower last night..." He tells himself as he steps into the large bathroom and walking over to the mirror he looks at the image that stares back at him. Benjamin hates his face, but he had to live with it. Leaning over the sink he turns on the tap and slashes his face over with cold water.
It was then he notices how badly he needed to use the toilet.
"Benjamin! Foods getting cold!" Came his mother's demanding voice, as he turns to the taps off.
"Right!" He replies and hurries over to the toilet and lefts the seat up, putting down his boxers. He sighs as he gives relief to his bladder and listens to the sound of the rain slamming against the window. "Still raining?"
The rain started yesterday morning and continued all throughout the day. He was sure someone said it would end by now.
"Benjamin! I'm going to fed your food to the dogs!" His mother screams up the stairs, causing he to jump.
"Coming!" Benjamin shouts back and grabs hold of his boxers, giving himself a little wiggle as he pulls them up. He comes to the tap again and turn it on, washing his hands with the soap.
On turning it off he grabs the towel and dries his hands as he leaves the bathroom, he tosses over the railings of the stairs as he finishes and rans into the kitchen. His two older brother glances up at him for a moment and without greeting him they go back to their lunch.
"Morning." Benjamin says to his mother who was glaring his way, he tries his best smile; but then remember what he looks like and it drops.
The small woman comes over to his with both arms up, she stands on her tiptoes and takes his cheeks into her hands.
"Afternoon you mean," She said while frowning at her son, "Sleep at proper times and get up. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You're still a growing boy."
"I'm nineteen...am I still growing?" He asks, she slaps his cheeks lightly not even enough to hurt and walks off.
"Yes you are. Come and sat down." The tiny woman demands as she points to a chair next to her other son.
Benjamin wanted to moan. He drags his feet only to the table and sits, his mother was quick to put a plate of floor in front of him. He glances down at the overflowing food, if he was more active he may understand the reason behind it but since he rarely moves around should he not eat less.
He picks his fork up and dug in, shoving it into his mouth and chewing carefully.
He did not like eating in front of others, made him feel sick. More so with his brothers. He could feel their eyes on him, watching the fat boy eating his food.
Benjamin gazes down at the food, it was heavy in his mouth. 'The sooner I can eat it, the sooner I can leave. But if they see me eat fast what will they think of me?' He chooses to eat slowly.
Bradley his older brother had a full time job, each he was on holiday from at the moment. And Clarence the second born was at full time college and had a evening part time job. In short they were better than him in every shape and form.
"Want a ride?" Bradley asks as he turned slightly, "It's raining hard."
"I'm fine..." Benjamin answers as he finishes the last of the food on his plate. "I mean it's only a five minute walk to the bus stop."
"There's no bus shelter," Bradley said back as he leans in his seat and fully stares at him, "You'll get wet."
"I'm fine." Benjamin told him firmly, he hated when Bradley tried to do everything for him like some child.
"I ironed some clothes for you." His mother said as she places a warm drink in front of him, "I put them on the staircase."
"Thank you." Benjamin said as he stands and gives his mother a quick peck on the cheek. "I'm leaving right after, so if I don't see you bye!"
Benjamin grabs the clothes; it was black suit and a white blouse with a dark blue and dark tie, his nice shoes were polished up and were placed on the step above.
"Looks like I'm looking to a funeral." Benjamin mumbles as he grabs hold on of the shoes as well. He makes his way to the living room and starts undressing. The television was on, the newsreader was speaking about the strange whether they were having.
"Done." Benjamin said as he sticks both thumbs into his trousers, trying to pull it away from his bell, "I've put on weight again...can't do much about that..."
He rushes to out the living room and grabs his backpack and his umbrella that was under the coats, which was left there from the day before. Everything he needed was still inside; he opens the front door, grabbing his coat and walking through the door; he stands in the glass lobby to his house as he glances upwards.
"Coming down in buckets!" Benjamin said in complete surprise, "Er...I kind of know what he meant now." Meaning about Bradley offering him a lift. "Oh well...I'M GOING NOW!" He screams out to the household, and not waiting for any reply he slams the front door shut and lifts up the umbrella as he reached the outer door.
Holding the umbrella above his head, he hurries along his garden path and out through the gates. Benjamin fought against the wind and the rain, he managed to keep his upper body somewhere dry but there was no hope for his lower half. He barely saw there he was looking, relying solely on the fact that he taken this route so many times.
He saw the bus stop right ahead of himself and grinned. He worked his way forwards move, his body jerked in surprised as a bus drove passed and did not stop at the place.
"You're joking..." Benjamin moaned out loudly as he stared at the back of the bus, there was now another twenty minute wait in the cold rain and freezing wind. "You're having a laugh..."
"Benjamin!" A voice called over the sound of the rain. Benjamin turns and sees a bored looking face hanging out of a car window, "Thought that was you! You need a ride?"
Benjamin stares at his old school mate in the car, he had not seen the other since they left. Bending down he was about to say no, when he sees spots who is in the passengers seat.
"Sure." Benjamin answered loudly and hurried to the back door on opening it he closed down his umbrella and he hopped in, "You don't mind?"
"No! Not at all!" Matt replied with a smile as he looks through mirror.
"How is your mother?" Matt's mother said as she turned his way, "We meant meaning to invite you over for dinner. But hadn't the chance to do so."
"She fine." Benjamin smiles bright to the old woman, much older than his own mother, "She looking forward to being a grandmother for the first time."
"Oh yes! Your sister got married!" Matt's mother cried out in delight, "Matt darling, we must remember to phone when we get back."
"No worries, I'll remember." Matt says still smiling a kind smile. "And where can are drop you off?"
"Shakespeare Road." Benjamin answers and turns his attention out the window, watching the world go by. 'Wonder if he does mind.' He thought, 'I only got in because of your mum. Not like we're friends.'
He liked Matt's mother, but did not like Matt very much. They had been class mates for years and always thought the was above everyone else; the complete opposite of his mother who loves to help others.
Matt was blessed with good likes and intelligent brain, and in the year he left school has done far more with his life than Benjamin ever could have.
'I really don't have anything going for me.' He thought as he tuned out of whatever the mother and son was saying, 'I heard from Pat, that he even has a girlfriend. Matt makes me sick, perfect life and-'
"We're here!" Matt announced with that same smile, "Don't need to go anywhere else do you? We could wait, if you need us to."
Benjamin suddenly felt very ashamed of himself; maybe Matt was kind just like his mother, but he never noticed. Here he was hating on hating someone just because they had their life sorted out.
"I'm fine. I am going to be awhile," Benjamin said quickly as he reached for the door handle, "Thank you ever so much!" He shuts the door fast and walks away without bothering with his umbrella.
"No wonder I have no friends..." Benjamin said aloud as he watched the car pull away, "Properly not because of my hobby any more, might just be me." He turned and walked slowly, uncaring about the rain that soaked his body through. "Maybe I should stop watching cartoons and anime."
Benjamin stops and lifted his head up staring up to the heavens; he loved the things he watched and read, but he it was stopping him from leaning a normal life or because he himself was stopping himself from leaning a life because he was so focused on things that were unreal, then he had to stop.
'Wouldn't it be great if it was real!' Benjamin thought as he began walking again, looking like a drown rat now. 'What if Luffy and that world existed! I would love that! I would give up my life in this world to go there!'
Benjamin turned a corner and saw the car park, which was the short to where he wanted to go. There was not many people there today; a middle age business man. A young woman about his age, another woman beside her getting out the car. A group of teens who there closed to the wall, they seemed to skipping school. There was two other men, he could hear them talking but could not see them.
He hurried into the park car and passed the cars, looking right ahead of himself so that he would not need to see anyone.
'To the world of One Piece!' He continued to think to himself, so that he did not have to think about walking pass by the people there, 'My favourite-'
Thunder boomed right above them, causing the people of the car park all to fall to their feet. The woman screamed as did some of the teens. Benjamin was suddenly blinded by some white hot light, pain flashed up and down his body.
Then he was falling, the ground under him was being taken away and replaced by many lights of different colours. Screaming around him informed Benjamin that he was not the only one this was happening to. His body felt like it was being crushed as he was suddenly pushed from behind and then from the front.
On opening his eyes he watched as clouds flew down or up.. he could not tell. He could not remember even shutting his eyes to open them. Screams and shouts was heard and he turned he saw a few of the teens falling beside him.
One of the teens was hit on the back by a falling car, blood came out of his mouth as he began to spin by the force of the impact. Benjamin noticed then there was other things falling, not just cars.
Fear squeezed his heart as panic started to set in. He managed to pull his chin to his chest and up, as he was falling head first; cars, lamp ports, bins, bits of brick and many other things was falling all around them.
'What's happening, where am I?' Benjamin's mind screamed at him, he looked up to look down only white clouds was there, 'Why am I in the sky?!' The clouds parted and he saw below him was dark blue water. 'Water? That's good!'
Benjamin hit the water hard; the water was like ice, it felt like someone was sticking thousands of pins into his skin. This caused his breathe to leave his lungs, but on reflex he tried to breathe inwardly and took in water. He spun around in the water to the point where he did not know which way was up or down. Blinking through the bubbles he saw the surface; then something bit came under making more bubbles.
Swimming upwards he broke the surface with a big gasp for air, he coughed loud trying to get the water out of himself as much as he could. Something landed beside him, causing waves to slash over him and making him go under again at one point.
Benjamin stared in horror as the car slowly went under, inside he could make out someone belted in at the back. Another slash and another wave told him that another something has fallen.
"Someone is in there!" A voice cried out and turning he saw one of the men from the car park swim to the car and try open the door. It was under completely now, but he took a deep breath and followed it down.
Benjamin heard a sound and looked up in time to see the bottom of a car about to fall on his head; he was pulled from behind, but he was not far enough away and it crashed down onto right shoulder. He screams loudly as pain over took his senses. Holding to his shoulder with his left hand, he floated backwards and away from the car.
"More are coming!" Benjamin shouted out as he looked to the sky above, he turned and shut his eyes against the pain. He kicked with his legs fast and letting go of his shoulder he tried to swim with just his left arm.
From the screams above it seemed that more people were also falling along with the tree...?
'Trees?' Benjamin thought as he glanced behind, and people he never saw it the car park popped out of the water. 'What is going on?!'