I apologise for taking so long to update. I'm working on two stories at once currently. Enjoy!
4. Nihilism
STOCKHOLM AIRPORT: SWEDEN – ALMOST A YEAR AGO
My eyes catch the bright diodes of the Cathode Ray Box they call a television as I await my flight. The propaganda that fills the screen tries to entrance me, but I won't fall for such lies. I palm my hand; this thing is just trash.
#We must interrupt this for a braking news story. #
What is this now? Perhaps this device will be of my use for a little longer.
#I'm currently reporting from Washington where the 49th president of the United States of America is about to be inducted in the coronation ceremony. Here he is coming along a motorcade. Ladies and gentlemen the new leader of the modern world is waving at the crowd. He is of course Aaron Aaronson. #
Ah yes, I heard of that man. Apparently his face was horribly disfigured during a science experiment as a child. Now when in public he dons a strange long mask full of holes. Such trash… If I were there in the crowd I could end his pathetic life.
Things I regard as useless can be disposed of thanks to me and a special power I have attained over my life. My name is Oliver Schiffer and I can deny things existence simply by vaporising them with a power I like to call Cero.
Pathetic insects have been eliminated thanks to me. When I was a student at the most prestige high school, I was given a hard time by the Jocks due to my Gothic attire and appearance; I would wear the darkest of clothes and the palest of makeup as well as green markings down my cheeks to give myself the appearance of always crying. One day the bullying went too far and a girl they knew I had grown fond of was shown in the arms of the most arrogant of the jocks.
"Sorry Oliver but I'm taken by this handsome fellow." She would say in her sweet voice. Now she was indeed taken she was no longer of any use to me. I ended her life as well as the others that day. As they were completely wiped away from existence not only was no evidence of the crime left behind, but their lack of presence did not make anyone suspicious – not even a report of their missing. And so that's when I discovered that I could change reality itself.
Of course I had more than minor enemies at school; my parents never supported me and seemed less enthusiastic of my Gothic phase. My father used to beat me as a child and my mother would constantly tell me of how she regretted me being born. After returning home from school that night I would commit a further act of murder – or rather cleaning of my life.
"You're late." My decrepit mother barked from the lounge room. She had been clearly drinking and the area around her smelt of rotted cheese.
"I'm sorry if I was needed for something earlier mother but I am here now to keep you company." I humbly replied. Her gaze did not change from the Cathode Ray Box.
I retired from the lounge room and ascended the stairs to relieve my school supplies. Upon halfway of that journey my father entered the house upon returning from his own pleasures of drunkenness. If I was to ever feel regret for the act I was about to commit it would be of least magnitude at this time.
"Oh hello son...I almost didn't recognise you with that smutty makeup on."
"And how have you been father." I greet kindly.
"Shut the fuck up you poonce. Get that shit off your face before I carve it off your very skin." He raised a fist and lunged at me; I could see the crumbs of foodstuffs on the combs of his moustache and the loose threads of brown tattered hair – so repugnant – how could I have come from these very wretches.
SHIT! I thought to myself. If I remove their existence, will that effectively make me non-existent as well? For if I am to rid this dimension of my creators – no matter how putrid and unliketh of me – will that have prevented my birth in the first place.
I had to decide soon as my father now had a firm grasp of my windpipe. I showed minimal reaction which must have bore the face of a zombie when he grappled with me. This would be a gamble but if it payed off would stem a new era in a filthy world, laden with trash.
"Goodbye...filthy trash." I uttered past my chokes. I straightened my free arm and formed the hand into a flat raised palm. With that I called forth the flickering blue orbs of destruction and released it upon my supposed father. Upon impact he immediately dissolved into nothingness. However the shrill scream of my mother indicated that it does leave evidence of death.
Or maybe it was just because she witnessed it? Perhaps if I am to remove trash I should use it with stealth and only in secluded situations.
Before she could reach the phone and call the police (I assume) I unleashed another blast of Cero at the other wretched parent of mine. Now the moment of truth… She and he were gone, would I too leave this world with them.
As the hours past I was convinced my newfound prophecy would come to fruition. The Cathode Ray Box spluttered its nonsense about recurring disasters in some far away country. 'Many deaths etcetera etcetera only one survivor blah blah blue hair'. This box was also classified as trash to my standards.
And alas even inanimate objects are ridden of this world thanks to such a power. Years past and I lived a nomadic life, testing further my erasing abilities. People continued their lives casually by day as another of their friends or relatives were erased from this world's and their own existence. By ten or so years since utilising my ability and after thousands of deaths I found myself in a rut of my own and retired to working my days in a waste management site. I figured I could use my gift for a useful purpose; evaporating domestic household rubbish with ease. I also joined a local black metal band to help with the synthesizer.
The small group of people I now associated with were the closest thing to friends I had ever come across. Over time I lost the grudge against humanity and even forgot I had the power to reject events.
Upon one of our first great gigs we attracted a large audience. People actually liked listening to our songs about disembowelling and the occult. I would get such a rush of euphoria from the concert, my makeup melted off my face, revealing my olive skin.
Once the concert was over we descended the stage heading to our rooms. Garth the vocalist called me back.
"Hey Ollie, you were amazing tonight!" He complimented as he made the traditional devil-horn hand gesture to which I responded in kind. I admired how he kept his hair long and flowing. Mine was much shorter but it had grown over the years. "Alright I'll catch you outside then before we leave for a photo."
"Sure thing Garth, see you there."
"Oliver Schiffer, it is a pleasure to finally meet you." A voice disturbed me in the backstage. The man was in dark attire and his hair was an even longer flowing black. His smile revealed pearl white teeth and a grin which spelt despair.
"Do you have a pass young man?" I call over to him."
"I don't need a pass; I'm just here to pick you up."
"I don't even know you. Beside I have my own chauffer."
The man pulled out a strange crossbow loaded with small canisters of purple liquid. "I wasn't askin' ya."
"You dare threaten me...you really are just trash." Suddenly I had refreshed my memories and now held the blue orbs of death in my hands. I threw one at my opponent but unlike my other victims he anticipated this and swiftly dodged to the right. I threw the second one a bit lower and he somersaulted in an amazing feat of agility over it.
"That's a pretty cool power ya got there but mine just pips it." He raised his bow and shot the canister towards me to which I neutralised with a Cero blast. He rapidly loaded another and another but this was soon becoming a stalemate.
"Why do you wish to apprehend me? Are you working for the police? Is it about all those murders?" Oh no I just confessed.
"Apprehend? I'm here to escort you. I work for the organisation known as the Espada and the murders are just part of why I'm here."
"You say Espada. What is the Espada?"
"We are ten individuals who are supposedly responsible for a lot of the misfortune in this world. Where we live, others die; where we prosper, others suffer; for as long as we are around this world will crumble."
"That doesn't really answer my question." I say though in a way it did. I have killed many people and while I have benefited from their deaths I have unjustly committed murder. "So does that mean I will go to prison?"
"I'd rather leave that for you to find out when we meet the boss."
Whilst I wish I could avoid such fate I have become a little intrigued by the prospect of meeting others in my situation. Plus even if I resisted he would pursue me with that strange weapon of his; and he is too weary of my powers now to fall for an ambush Cero strike.
"Okay let's go then, but can I least say goodbye to my friends first."
He gives me a filthy look. "You are one of the first Espada I hear of to have such a thing as friends. Espada are always looked upon as demons and so never get the chance to socialise with others." He slams s fist at the wall creating a webbed crack. "Go ahead and see your friends then – but you've only got five minutes. I'll be waiting outside."
"Then you may as well follow me because that's where they're waiting." I lead he way out from the fire exit where the band is gathered in a semi-circle. "There you are Ollie we've been waiting forever for you." Garth calls out to me.
"Whoa who's the freaky dude with you Ollie?" Erik the bulky drummer point out.
"You may call me Neil." He responds in a weird British accent. "So uh...Ollie are you ready to tell them?" He gives me a wink as we quickly planned a story while we were walking.
"Neil here is from a big record label. He's giving me a chance to work in America with this other really cool band."
The group immediately looked devastated. "But what about us Ollie, how can you leave us when we've just started to reach our prime?"
"I'm sorry but it has been talked about for a while, I just never had the courage to tell you guys. I am truly sorry."
"Well we are gonna miss you Ollie, you have made this band just that extra bit metal for us. Good luck in America then." Garth brought out his hand in a 'bro-handshake' and pulled me in for a hug.
"Goodbye Garth and goodbye everyone… You have really made me feel like I belong somewhere in this harsh world."
"Give 'em hell Ollie...Give 'em hell." His voice was watery as he was drowned out by his sobs.
"Okay Neil we better head off then." And so the strange man I have encountered has sealed my fate. MY life has been thrown a new curveball.
I hear one of the members muttering something in while I get in the car. "Hey what label is he from and he didn't say what band-" But we accelerate away before their suspicions are met with answers that cannot be found.
The car I'm travelling resembles a classy limousine, with enough room to flex my legs. There's even a Cathode – wait television in the back.
"You certainly know how to make someone feel abducted Neil" I smartly remark to my chauffer.
"Well I'm glad I didn't have to use my neurotoxin on you."
"Is that your power then?" I assume.
"Yup, but you'll get to see some other whacked out abilities from the others when you get there."
We arrive at the airport just over an hour later. As we await our flight I gaze at the Cathode Ray Box as it informs me of the so called 'president of the world'. Neil saw me palm my hand just before it came on but he seems glad I didn't. In fact he is totally absorbed by this inhuman person.
"Why are you so obsessed with this man?" I sarcastically disrupt his trance.
He simply responds. "Oh! I just know him personally."
So some more of the plot is slowly being revealed as we progress backwards. The next chapter will finally reveal the tale of Tori Niel Jenkins (otherwise known as Nnoitra Jiruga in Bleach). I will enjoy writing the next chapter and I hope you enjoying reading this.