Faith
by Tiger002
If the world ended today, what would you do?
Weep, cry, party, maybe all three?
What if I told you at midnight tonight, the world would come to an end?
You'd laugh, ask me what drugs I was on, wouldn't you?
Don't lie.
How could I know? I don't. I'd be crazy to claim I did.
It's not like I'm the god of this world to decree when it will end.
But what about the world where I am? The world where I am creator and destroyer. Where not a soul lives without my approval. My mind, my imagination. These worlds are mine to harness. And now I shall relay what they would do, should I tell a certain unfortunate soul that their world would come to an end.
…
Woody
"Who said that?"
He turns around, the dark room obscuring his vision. He doesn't know if I'm a voice inside his head, or outside.
Get up.
"Where am I?"
A common question for one torn from his reality.
The darkness fades.
And everywhere there is nothing but light. Nearly blinding the poor soul. But this is all part of the plan.
He covers his eyes, the light too much for him.
Poor kid. But I need him for the message.
Where you are doesn't matter. Don't worry about it.
"How can I not worry about it?"
Once again a logical question for but a mere character in this story.
Instead you should worry about what's going to happen.
His eyes widen despite the intense light. He waits for me to continue. It's funny, what he sees, what he doesn't.
At midnight tonight, everyone is going to die. They won't see it coming. They won't know what's going on.
"Wait, how, why, what-"
Silence.
He takes several deep breaths. Good, he will be useless if his impatience takes hold.
"So…"
But he wouldn't be Woody if he wouldn't wonder what was going on. He's smarter than he lets on, has a sharp mind, when he cares about things of course. He just needs a little push. And what works better than knowing that you're the only one who can stand between life and death.
Tonight. Midnight. They will come.
"Who?" he practically screams this time.
You will see.
His face falls down crest.
Understandable.
You must prepare them. Even if they don't believe.
And then he's gone.
Back to his world, back to his room. He could imagine all this was a dream. Brought on by too many tacos the night before. But I know him. Even if it wasn't his reality, he'd believe it was. But his friends know that as well. His cries will only rest on faith. And they won't believe. Why would they? Because sometimes when faith seems the most illogical it's when it's needed the most.
…
He'll drift into a deep slumber, his mind unable, unwilling to dream of what will be. But he will remember, etched into his mind, our conversation will gnaw at his subconscious. Though perhaps he will try to ignore it, brush it off, but he'll know it's true. More than the sky is blue or that burritos are delicious, he will know what I said was more than a figment of his imagination.
His alarm will go off that morning, 7:30, just like every school day. Cody will already be gone, his quest to shower Bailey with love and study for any pop quiz that could show up, so he won't be there to help the startled teen when the memories come flowing back.
And they will…
He'll awake, his eyes blurry and his alarm battered by the time 8am comes around. But he'll get up, knowing a new day is starting whether or not he's ready for it. As he gets dressed and shoves down the three donuts he has every day for breakfast, he'll remember.
His eyes will widen as they did when he first heard the news. He'll blink rapidly, wondering if it's true or not. But he'll know. He'll try denying it, but upon looking in that mirror, at his own face, he'll see the truth in his own eyes. The fear buried within, the burden of duty, and the realization that life has he knew it is about to end.
Then he'll dedicate himself to saving his friends even though he'll know how hopeless of a mission he'll have. As he readies for the day, he'll consider all they'll say to him, calling him crazy, brushing it off as too many comics, probably making fun of him too. But he'll need to change that. Though he'll have no idea what to do, only hope that they'll have faith.
…
Class will begin as with every day, Zack and Woody filing in late, hoping the teacher would ignore their tardiness. And by their fortune this day, she will overlook it, far too consumed with a letter a secret admirer left on her desk.
"Told you that would work," Zack will say as he silently makes his way through the aisles.
Any other day, and Woody would instead be smiling. But not this day. No, instead he'll just find his desk, open up a book that he'll pretend to read and rest his head on the desk, too afraid of what must come.
He'll hate himself for not telling Zack, sure if anyone would believe him it would be his best friend. Though fear will restrain him, wondering what would happen should he be rejected. And he'll sit in class that day, ignoring the lessons for what will they matter when the world ends.
But as with every day, class will end.
He'll bolt from class, fear guiding him. He'll want to hide in his room until the hours pass, but he won't even know if he'll survive. What will his insight be worth anyway? Will it have the power to stop what was coming? Will it matter at all?
He'll know he has nothing, not even the knowledge of what will. Only that it was, and in that he'll be alone.
Failure, coward, wimp…these words will race through his mind as he'll pace across his room. He'll wonder if there is still time, and if he'll have any more courage should he get another chance to convince his friends.
Knowing me, probably not, he'll think.
But that won't stop him. It can't, and he'll know it.
So he'll swallow his fear, his nervousness, and prepare to rush out the room and warn his friends of the impending doom.
But he'll be stopped as Cody walks into the room.
"What's going on?" Cody will ask before Woody is able to cover up his worry. Even though his worry will be exactly what he needs to get out.
Woody will pace, searching for the exact words he needs. He'll know that he has to convince Cody even though it will be the strangest thing the twin will have ever heard.
"Cody, I'm sure you'll think I'm crazy."
'I already do,' the twin will think to himself, but he won't say anything, curiosity will make him wonder what Woody has to say.
"But something really bad is going to happen."
"How so?" He won't be convinced, but will still wonder what's going on.
"Well don't ask me how I know, but we're all going to die tonight."
Cody will look at his friend for a moment, wonder where the punch line is. But he won't find it, instead he'll be met with a desperate stare of seriousness, seriousness he would have never thought was possible from Woody. But Cody won't believe. How could Woody know this, and why this one time? It will be logical for Cody to laugh to himself and walk away.
And that's just what he'll do.
And leave a heart broken Woody behind.
But he'll know that he should have expected that. Woody will get over it though; rejection is a part of life. And at a time like this, he'll know he has to push past it. And as a slight solace, he'll know that soon Cody will know the truth. He'll just hope it won't be too late.
…
Zack…London…even Addison.
Rejection from all of them.
And with only an hour until midnight, he'll know time is of the essence.
"What's wrong?" Bailey will ask, taking a seat beside him on the nearly empty sky deck.
"No one believes me," he'll say, tears ready to break at a moment's notice. He'll know what's coming, and that despite all his pleas, he won't' be able to do anything to stop it. He'll wonder what else he could have said, could have done. Maybe it was his past, blowing things out of proportion, getting into comics too much, watching too much anime. He'll wonder for a second if he imagined that conversation with me.
But then he'll be reminded of his certainty. He'll know the truth he's been trying to shout, trying to convert his friends away from their deaths.
But he'll know it all fell on deaf ears.
"About the world ending?" Bailey will ask, calling out him out of his self-moping.
"You think I'm crazy too, don't you?"
She will pause for a moment, truthfully thinking that, but she'll also see something else. She'll look into his face and lock eyes with not a crazed man, but a desperate one. She'll see fear, panic, despair.
But deeper, she'll see love. She'll see a man who loves his friends. Who is trying to do everything he can to protect them. Who is facing ridicule from those he once trusted. She'll see his pain. And then despite her better intuition, she'll answer him.
"No, I don't."
And then she'll see it. Hope, just a glimmer maybe. She'll wonder if that was the right thing to say, that she should maybe get him help. But despite it all, she'll remember that they are friends and that they had been through far too much to doubt each other now.
Though far from certain of his claims, she'll know that he believes in him, and that will be good enough for her.
Despite her better judgment and her desire for sleep, she'll even encourage him.
"What do we need to do to stop it?"
He'll search through his memories of our conversation. Though the information will fail him. Even after replaying the scene through his head for answers, or clues, or even some information, he'll sigh in defeat. For even when information is needed the most, answers can be the farthest away.
"They're coming at midnight," he'll say, revealing all he knows.
"The start of Halloween," Bailey will add, wondering if it was any coincidence that Woody's prophesy of destruction would fall on that day. "Can we still do something to stop them?"
"We don't have much time." he'll stare down at his watch. "Let's do it," he'll say encouraged for the first time in this long day. Maybe most of his friends wrote off his claims, but with Bailey by his side, he will still have hope. Now no longer alone, he'll have faith. Though sometimes, the brightest of hopes are snuffed out by the darkest of realities.
…
Hope, fear. These are funny things. They make people abandon logic, believe their dreams can come true and their nightmares will become reality. Sometimes even doing all they can to make it so. But really, one person can only do so much. The powers of fate are much stronger, and those who say they have defied it only reign for a time until they see the web of destruction they were really caught in.
And for Woody, despite his determination to do what is right, he is only one. He has Bailey, yes, but she is little more. And his friends, when they see he was right will flock to join him, ready to fight, to join the side of truth.
But sometimes, it's just too late.
…
He'll ready himself, finding the stash of Halloween costumes and search for anything that could be used as an actual weapon. But among the painted plastic, he'll find little that could save a life.
"What about this?" Bailey will ask, uncovering a rare treasure among the drama department's props.
"That might work." Only a wooden sword, but surprisingly sturdy for something probably bought at a thrift store shortly before the ship set sail.
"It won't be enough though."
"Is there any place we can look?"
Woody won't have time to get an answer as the terrible noise of metal grinding into the ship, passengers screams of panic and Woody's hope shattering will fill the air. He'll swallow hard, and then run out of the room, Bailey right on his heels the sword in her hand.
With all doubts banished from her mind, she'll grip the weapon, afraid of what she'll see as they burst up the stairs on the way to the top. Even though there will be walls and floors between them and whatever destruction awaits them, the terror of the passengers will carry through it all. And Bailey will push away the guilt that reminded her of her doubt. She'll know how real this is, and stay close to her friend, afraid that her panic will take hold should they be separated.
Then, bursting out onto the main deck, they'll see the terror that awaits them. Hundreds, if not thousands of the beasts will cover the sky. With fangs like fire, stingers stronger than steel, and wings whipping them through the wind, the two brave teens will see how hopeless things really are. For these are the Xyscons, terrifying creatures from another eternity. The kind mortal man does not know how to overcome.
The passengers will run in terror as these scorpion like beasts dive at them, tearing through the ship and flesh indiscriminatively. And the two will be frozen in place, unable to move as they see lives ended in a matter of seconds as bodies are torn to shreds.
Woody will look through the masses, for any sign of his friends…or what used to be his friends. Part of him will hope they're close enough he could protect them, part of him will hope they're below deck and safe, and a small part, wanting for them to see he was right.
"Woody get over here!" Zack will say from the juice bar as Cody will emerge with boxes of some kind as he tries his best to keep the Xyscons away.
"Where are these things coming from?" Cody will ask as he tries smashing one of them with Zack's prized blender.
"Look out there." Bailey will point to the horizon, unable to differentiate the stars from the monsters because of the sheer number of them.
"Oh man," Zack will say, "This is what you were warning us about isn't it?"
"Yeah, I just didn't know what was coming."
The four of them will look on in terror, hiding behind the juice bar, hoping it would keep them safe, though with each death before their eyes, they'll wonder how much longer they'll be able to hide.
"Is there any way to stop them?" Cody will ask as one of the creatures will fly over them, slamming into the wall.
"I don't know," Woody will say. He'll look on as the creature eyes him and his friends, and it will recover from the disorientation of crashing into the wall. With the most feral of smiles, the Xyscon will jump at Cody, who will freeze in fear. Zack will try batting it away, but he'll do little more than slashing his hand on its deadly tail. He'll reel back powerless as it will fly past him and embeds its tail into Cody's shoulder, causing the younger twin to cry out in pain.
Bailey will try saving her boyfriend with a swipe of the sword, but it will shatter against the claws of the Xyscon. The creature will pull its tail out, slicing through Cody's skin spewing flesh and blood everywhere. It will gaze on in anger at Bailey, hating a mortal who would dare strike it. And it will leap at her, nearly slicing her neck off, killing her if Woody wouldn't pull her to the ground.
Zack will run to his brother who will do all he can to hold the tears back, the pain of having his shoulder ripped open like nothing he had ever experienced. Bones sliced through like nothing, flesh torn apart, he'll wonder if he could even survive such searing pain.
Woody, Zack, and Bailey will know what has to be done. For their friend, they will fight, and get rid of this horrible monster who would so heartlessly kill.
They'll get up as the thing strikes again. This time though they'll be ready. Zack will slam his blender into the thing's side sending it to the wall. Bailey will grab a shard of the broken sword and stab the thing, finding a place of weakness among the armor covering its body. It will leap up in pain, revenge begging to kill Bailey, but Woody will be there to stab it with a knife normally used to cut up the fruit. He'll pin the creature against the counter as it lashes out with its claw and tail, but it won't be able to break free from its restrains.
Seeing that this will appear to be working Bailey will find a knife of her own, and plunge it into the Xyscon's eye. It will lash out more, its mouth emitting a cracking like growl as it will try escaping. But in doing so it will only embed the knifes deeper into its body.
And despite all the noise and struggle, soon it will stop, and die.
"Don't worry buddy, we'll get you taken care of," Zack will say as his brother struggles to maintain consciousness with the blood pouring out of him. Zack will learn down, try to find some towels to keep the blood in, but he'll know how useless his efforts will be. He'll wish he'd be able to do something more to take away the pain, to take it upon himself instead, but he'll only watch as his twin will try to hold back the tears.
"Thanks Zack," he'll say as each breath will become a harder and harder to take. Though he'll keep going, his brother's presence assuring him that things will be okay.
And then he'll see it. Beyond his friends staring down at him, wondering what to do. He'll lift his hands to the sky, to try to warn them before it's too late.
But he'll be too weak.
All the warning they'll have is the beat of the metal like wings of the hundreds of Xyscons descending upon them.
They'll struggle,
But only for a time.
Though with such numbers against them, it will only be a matter of seconds before they are torn apart. Weapons will be useless, running won't be an option, and death shall embrace them.
This isn't a story of heroes overcoming all odds.
No.
This is a story of mortals daring to oppose fate. They may fight for a time, even kill a few of their foes, but their time comes just the same. For not all foes can be banished by the power of love alone. And despite all the hope in the world, without the power of a savior, these mortals are simply destined to die.
…
A/N: Well, that was fun. Not at all like what I was planning for this collection and not sure how well it turned out, but I like it. I've wanted to try future tense for a while, and really liked the kind of power it has, especially when I could somewhat break the fourth wall here. I apologize if I messed up the grammar some, trying to figure out the exact form of words in certain places was hard. Thanks to Wounded Hearts for betaing to try to fix these mistakes.
The Xyscons are something I had the idea for a while back, but they were unnamed and this is the first time I've had the chance to write for them. Don't be surprised if they show up elsewhere too…
