?/?/? - ? - ?

There's no point in anything is there?

They all know now. They're coming. They're coming for me.

What's the point if they know…?

What's the point?


Trevor

"So, let me see if I got this straight," Henry started, "you guys met some kid. Hung out with him for a bit. And then he got, like a seizure or something. Then he started mumbling about that Hilda girl. And then he left his diary behind, and there were some entries about how he was apparently from another dimension?"

Trevor paused for a moment when he realized how crazy the whole thing sounded, especially after hearing it from Henry's confused tone.

"I know it sounds insane, but yes," Trevor confirmed.

"Correction, it is insane," B. said, popping up right behind Trevor.

Trevor pushed B. out of the way and continued with his call, ignoring the giggles coming from her.

"Guys, can you just let me speak?" Trevor asked, a clear sign of annoyance on his face.

B. pretended to zip her lips closed and throw away the key, causing a few giggles from Mike.

"So, what do you think about it?" Trevor asked.

"About what part exactly?' Henry questioned.

"I don't know, how about EVERYTHING?!" Trevor said, flailing his arms about.

"Trevor, I'm literally stuck in bed with a full-blown case of the measles," Henry said unenthusiastically, "and you're calling me because you need help understanding the writings of some kid I don't care about?"

"You may not care about it, but I do!" Trevor yelled, "I mean, what's all of this stuff in the book he's talking about? Visions? Memories being erased? What's all that about?! And he said he had a dream about Hilda, so we KNOW he was looking for her before he bumped into us. So for what reason?"

"Maybe we shouldn't give it too much thought," Mike suggested, "besides, after what happened last year- "

"Don't even start on that again Mike!" Trevor shouted, "it's not important right now. Eric is missing, and we don't know where he is. He could be in serious trouble!"

Everyone burst out laughing, with Mike quickly following in pursuit despite not knowing what they were laughing about.

"What's so funny?" Trevor asked.

"I think I spot someone who cares a little bit too much about their boyfriend Eric," B. joked, causing Henry to laugh over the phone.

Trevor wasn't fazed by the joke, instead whirling around at his friends in disgust.

"Ew! What is wrong with you guys?" Trevor said, "I'm just worried about him? Is that so weird?"

"I don't know," B. said, "you were really eager to show him around the city today. Maybe that's a plausible cause for a reaction."

"So? does it really matter?" Trevor asked, "I mean, if this notebook isn't complete baloney like you guys say it is, then that means Eric is involved in some very abnormal stuff here."

B. rolled her eyes in response.

"We're just trying to help you see reality Trevor," B. said, "there's no reason to be worried over something like this. It's just a kid's diary, who obviously has a very overactive imagination."

"First of all, it's not a diary. It's his notebook," Trevor commented, "secondly, we're also kid's genius, and kids don't act like paranoid lunatics over the smallest things."

Mike coughed quietly into his sleeve after Trevor said that, causing a disapproving glare from him.

"And finally," Trevor continued, "don't you think it's weird that this new kid comes along after what happened last Friday? Especially a kid who knows so little about Trolberg?"

"Maybe it's a coincidence?" Henry suggested over the phone.

"Or maybe it's not," Trevor said, "what if it's related somehow?"

"Give it a break Trevor," Mike said, "so what if Eric's from a parallel universe or something. It's really not our problem."

"But it is," Trevor countered, "this is something that's actually serious! God, why won't any of you listen to me!?"

"Because it's stupid," B. said, "Is that what you want us to say?"

"And what if it's true?" Trevor questioned.

"Well, I'll put it this way," B. said, "the day I find out a kid comes from another dimension is the day I eat my socks for breakfast."

Trevor's heart pounded as B. and Mike laughed. None of them were listening to him. They never did, it was always the same. He was trying to convince them of the impossible, but they just didn't believe him. Didn't they know something was off about all of this? Maybe they didn't care, but Trevor did. He wanted to know what was happening. For once, he wanted to know something. But it seemed like he would never find out.

And then that's when the most bizarre thing transpired.

First, there was the air. The chill temperature skyrocketed into what felt like boiling magma for the boy. Before he could even process the sudden change, something huge slammed right into him, causing him to collapse right onto the ground. He felt his phone and Eric's notebook leave his grasp, and a stinging pain took over the feeling instead.

Someone had just shoved him onto the ground, or at the very least accidentally slammed into him.

"Who did that?!" B. shouted into the crowd, immediately looking for the culprit.

Trevor didn't know exactly who it was, but after glancing around he saw her. It was a woman, someone who looked to be in her twenties. He didn't get that close of a look, but she was wearing something bright, and her hair was in a weird style. That was all he could process about her before she dissipated into the crowd.

Now the initial heatwave had vanished, and Trevor was left shaking on the cold sidewalk.

"Dang! Are you okay?" Mike asked, helping him up.

"I'm fine…" Trevor said, rubbing his shoulder, "jeez that stings…"

"Man, that lady almost rammed into you!" Mike said, picking up the notebook that Trevor dropped and handing it to him.

"Wow, great observation Mike," B. said, "we totally didn't notice or anything."

Mike rolled his eyes at her as he picked up Trevor's cap and handed it to him. It was nice to know they at least had his back over minor things, even if it was over something stupid.

As he was dusting himself off, Trevor noticed his phone laying across the ground.

He attempted to grab it when suddenly a massive hand blocked his way.

When he looked up, a gasp quickly escaped him. Next to the kids was a large man, who appeared to be somewhere in his mid-twenties. He was wearing a slightly modified safety patrol uniform, coated all black. He almost looked like a superhero, except this man didn't wear a mask. His face was visible for all those to see, with only his large hat blocking his rough-looking features. He was much taller than any of the kids, having to crouch down to even meet their eye level.

He held onto Trevor's phone, looking at the kids with a casual expression. With how big his hands looked, Trevor was surprised he didn't break it right away.

"Are you okay kid?" he asked, "I saw that lady run into you. That looked like it stung."

"It did… but I'm fine," Trevor answered, staring at the dangerous-looking crossbow hanging on the man's back.

"Well, if you say so," the man said, putting Trevor's phone back into his hands.

The man stood up now, practically towering over the kids. Trevor hated to admit it, but he was a bit frightened of him. Mostly because of the number of weapons he carried. And his expression was one Trevor had seen somewhere before. Like a man on a mission…

"Um… w-who are you?" Mike asked, "are you new here?

"Nope, I've been a long time resident," the man said, "just someone you don't really pay attention to that often."

"You're tall, wearing armor and an awesome looking cape," B. pointed out, "I mean how could you not be someone important?"

"The city doesn't see it that way," he said, "but I appreciate the compliment."

"No problem… sir?" B. said, hovering on the last word.

"You can just call me Yvette," he said.

He looked back at Trevor and eyed down the notebook he was holding.

"That book looks familiar," he said, approaching him slowly, "do you mind if I ask who it belongs to?"

"O-oh, this belongs to one of my friends," he answered, "it's… a sketchbook..."

"Interesting," he said, staring at Trevor, "well… you should probably get that back to him."

Trevor nodded in response.

"It was nice meeting you Yvette," he said.

"Nice meeting you too," he replied, tipping his hat, "stay safe out there kids."

The man quickly walked away, making his way into the crowd and vanishing entirely.

"Did you see the weapons he had on his back!" Mike said, "it almost looked like he was hunting for something."

"Probably that thing from the portal," B. said, "everyone's gunning for it now."

Trevor rolled his eyes at his friend's conversation, quickly returning to his call with Henry.

"Henry? Are you still there?" he asked.

"Yeah I am, I think you disconnected from me for a second," Henry said, "there was all this weird static."

"It's because his phone fell," B. explained, "some jerk ran into him."

"Oh, I guess that makes sense…" he replied, quickly coughing right after.

"We met some guy right after," Mike said, "he said his name was Yvette and he looked so awesome! He had all these different weapons and a cool looking cape!"

"I think I've heard of him before," Henry said, "there was something on the news saying he quit the Safety Patrol or something after being with them for ten years."

"Well, those guys are morons, so I'm not surprised he left," B. said.

"But why would he go rogue?" Mike asked.

"I don't know," Henry said, "it was a few months ago, so it doesn't really matter now."

But a small part of Trevor felt like it did. Because something during Yvette's conversation frightened Trevor to the very core. He knew his friends wouldn't help him. So he needed to act alone from now on. And if he didn't act soon, he felt something even worse would happen.

He needed to get a piece of the action this time...


Jasmine Sawyer

This was worse. Much worse.

When she got the call, she almost couldn't believe it at first. Gunshots? There in Trolberg of all places? It had to be a joke. The city had one of the lowest crime rates in the entire region, with the only things police having to mildly worry about being petty thefts from whiney teenagers. To go from that to a shooting sounded absurd.

It wasn't until her unit arrived at the area that she realized how wrong she had been.

The first thing that hit her was the smell. The building in question reeked of a raw acrid scent, the smell thick and festering like a slaughterhouse. This fact came with millions of questions that swarmed her mind. Was someone injured? Who was involved? Why did they do it? How did they obtain a gun? Why would they use said gun? And why use it in the middle of the day in Trolberg of all places?

Well, she actually did know the answer to a few of those questions. Specifically regarding the suspect. The caller tipped off the police that she had seen a grey-haired woman hopping over the alley fence before running off. She said the woman looked a bit roughed up, but other than that she didn't see anything else. That was the only thing they knew. The only thing out of the millions of other things they didn't know. There were police officers in the city looking for the culprit, but any signs of results were severely lacking. The department never had to deal with something this extreme before, so the sudden occurrence of an event like this confused the force greatly.

Everyone around her was working feverishly on whatever task they were assigned to. Paul and his team were checking the inside of the building, taking notes of any strange items that could be found lying around. While Maria was going around and collecting eye-witness testimonies from people who were near the area when the shooting took place. And then there was Jasmine, who was supposed to help her crew keep unwanted individuals out of the area. Despite knowing her task, she found herself quietly shuffling around the area instead, almost unsure of what to do in the presence of more experienced officers. Being the newest on the team would usually do that if nobody explained anything.

The number of people around the area surprised the newbie, causing her a great deal of distress trying to hold everyone back. Normally things like this wouldn't merit such a reaction from the public, but after what had happened last Friday, everyone was on edge. She did notice some familiar faces surrounding the fence, trying to peer into the scene of the crime. A few that stuck out were Julia Renay, Paul's wife, and local florist, who was talking to a police officer about the incident. Victor Mel, a troublesome teen who was getting yelled at for slouching against the barricade. Even Reid Merric was there, although someone was trying to pull him away from the scene as the boy excitedly waved at the officers. She desperately hoped that the boy hadn't seen too much to hurt that fragile mind of his.

Trying her best to ignore them, Jasmine turned back toward the house and watched as Paul descended the steps to meet her. He was a well-dressed man, with smooth brown hair and a tiny mustache. Considering how irritated he looked, Jasmine guessed his team had found nothing of importance inside the building. Nevertheless, she still decided to approach him.

"Did you find anything?" she asked, despite already knowing the answer.

"Nope, the entire first floor was clean," he responded, "I'm sending my men to check the other three."

Jasmine looked at the building again after he said that, wondering what secrets the place might've held for such a strange event to occur.

"What about you? Anyone causing trouble along the fence?" he asked politely.

"They've been nothing but compliant," Jasmine informed.

"Good," he said wearily, "maybe this time we can actually sort out the crime scene before the media get on our backs. I can already picture the interviews we'll have to give."

"Hopefully they'll leave you alone and bother Maria instead," she said, "she's more reliable than us anyway."

"Took the words right out of my mouth," Paul said, quickly chuckling to himself.

Jasmine smiled along with him, but the small moment was immediately undercut by the sight of his fading laughter.

"You know, between this and that thing on Friday," Paul said, "I don't think we'll ever get a break."

"It's the only thing anyone talks about anymore isn't it?" Jasmine said.

"Yep, it sure is…" he confirmed, "what do you think could've caused this stupid scandal?"

The woman was silent for a minute, going over her thoughts carefully about the event. She wasn't sure what to make of it, but a small part of her believed it couldn't have been anything good.

"I don't know yet, but there's no reason to go jumping to conclusions until we find proper evidence," Jasmine said.

"We won't be finding it any time soon with the condition the woods are in," Paul muttered, "maybe one of those weird creatures are involved. They usually are."

Jasmine scoffed at the notion of it.

"No creature of that magnitude could even make it inside here," she said, "the wall is secure enough to prevent things like that from happening."

"Then maybe it broke it down?" Paul suggested, "honestly I wouldn't be surprised considering how the council is spending this city's money lately."

"There are people who tend to the wall every day Paul," Jasmine replied, "If they're doing their jobs correctly, then we shouldn't have a problem."

Paul laughed a bit, his face painted into a smirk of humor.

"If you really believe those people got their priorities straight," Paul started, "then you've been spending too much time putting too much faith into this city sweetheart."

"Maybe," Jasmine said, "but it's far better than panicking for no reason."

Before Paul could reply, his radio quickly snapped to life, crackling a static screech until he finally answered it with an annoyed sigh.

"What is it?" Paul asked, his attention turned away from Jasmine.

"Paul, we've found something big. There's some kind of lab on the top floor. We're going to secure the area, but we need you here right now."

Now Jasmine was paying close attention, leaning near Paul to hear the conversation better.

"Jesus, a whole lab?" Paul said, "how big are we talking here?"

"The entire floor. And there are bullet holes in the walls so get the hell up here right now."

Paul's face darkened as he turned off his radio, the silence stretching thin between the two adults.

"Gotta go, Jasmine," he said, "think you can keep the people at bay?"

"Sure thing," she replied, despite her curiosity consuming her.

"Good, I'll be back in a bit," Paul said, patting her shoulder and making his way over to the building.

Never in her life had Jasmine felt like abandoning her post before, but the news had almost convinced her to throw caution aside and race along with Paul to check out what they found. However, she remained stationed by the barricade. Paul would tell her what they found when they got back, he always did.

"Interesting... so there's a lab now…"

Jasmine's heart quickly slammed to a stop. That voice. She knew who it belonged to. The way he always pronounced his words always sounded sharp.

Of all the days to be here, why was it today? Jasmine thought, turning around to confirm her suspicion.

Standing next to the police barricade was none other than Yvette Grier, who was still wearing that stupid knockoff of a Safety Patrol uniform. The man didn't move from his spot, most likely knowing the consequences of crossing the barricade. But he didn't move away from it either, planting himself right next to Jasmine despite the uncomfortable setting.

"You're not supposed to cross the barricade unless you have clearance from a higher officer," Jasmine said, eyeing him again with an unimpressed stare.

Yvette was silent for a moment before retracting his hand. Jasmine hadn't even noticed he extended it for her to shake in the first place.

"It's a pleasure to see you too Jasmine," he said bluntly.

"You need to leave," Jasmine explained, "this is a highly classified investigation that you're not invited to."

Despite this fact, Yvette still scanned the area with his eyes, scoffing a bit when he returned his gaze to Jasmine.

"It doesn't look so classified," Yvette said, "it seems you've invited all of Trolberg to come and investigate."

"They're certainly better than you are at it," Jasmine said.

He loomed over her easily, casting a tiny shadow on her face. Yet she didn't back down. Despite his dominating appearance, she knew he wouldn't try anything that broke the boundaries of the law. Everyone knew him as that one guy who strictly followed everything by the book, almost annoyingly to a tea.

"This is quite a situation you've got on your hands," he said, "it's a shame you didn't notify me first."

"You weren't needed," Jasmine said coldly.

Yvette chuckled, leaning away from the barricade.

"That's funny," Yvette said, "but I can tell you with certainty that this isn't a matter to be taken very lightly. With what's coming soon, you're going to need all the help you can get."

"You say that like you know what's going on," Jasmine accused.

Yvette looked into her eyes with a stoic expression, the same stupid kind that made Jasmine's cheeks heat up.

"I know enough," he replied, "but some factors are holding me back from reaching the truth."

"Then maybe it should stay that way," Jasmine said, "god forbid you got your hands on something useful for once."

"Oh really?" Yvette said, "well, I digress Jasmine..."

He quickly took out something in his pocket. A small shiny thing. It looked lumpy and disfigured, yet its shape reminded her of a bullet. It wasn't until Jasmine inspected it closely that she realized it was a bullet. However, its appearance was slightly off. It looked like it had melted somehow.

"What is this?" Jasmine said.

"A piece from the crime scene," Yvette explained, "before you arrived, I decided to do a bit of investigating of my own."

"Then it's in your best interest to return that to us right now," Jasmine said, reaching out her hand to collect it.

Yvette said nothing, instead opting to silently roll the bullet in between his gloved fingers.

"You guys took seven minutes to arrive at the scene," Yvette said, "if you left right after the caller informed you, then it might've taken five."

"It's a situation that requires authorities immediate attention Yvette," Jasmine said, staring at the man coldly.

"Interesting," he said, "did you also know that at a high enough temperature, preferably near six-hundred degrees, a lead bullet will usually melt with little to no problem?"

"So? What does that prove?" Jasmine asked.

"Well you arrived here within seven minutes," Yvette explained, "and for a bullet's melting point to be that high, well, it's safe to assume there isn't enough time for it to melt that fast before you arrived."

Yvette looked up at Jasmine and quickly tossed her the bullet.

"Maybe if it was hot out, it could be plausible for it to melt in that time," Yvette said, "but as you've noticed, it isn't particularly a sunny day here in Trolberg."

Suddenly, cold drops of rain began to fall onto the two adults, confirming Yvette's suspicion.

"Do you know what that means Jasmine?" he asked, staring into her eyes.

"Well, what do you think it means?" she asked.

"It means that there's something out there with enough power to melt a bullet within mere seconds," he clarified, "something... that is within these very walls."

In her head, all Jasmine wanted to do was walk away. To return to her work and complete this assignment with diligence. But her feet stayed rooted upon the ground, refusing to move from the spot of Yvette's claim.

"So something big and strong is on the loose," Jasmine said, "let me guess this next part… you believe a creature caused this, right?"

"Well, partially," Yvette explained, "I believe this crime is connected to last Friday's incident. I mean, what's to say that this thing from that portal hasn't already traveled into our city and cause the scene your witnessing?"

"Do you even have any evidence of this being true?" Jasmine asked.

"Of course I do," he said, "a real safety patrol member always has evidence."

He quickly pulled out a bunch of tiny tapes from his worn satchel. All of them were either chipped or slightly damaged in appearance.

"I've seen these somewhere before…" Jasmine said, "don't these come from those security cameras you buy at the dollar store?"

"I wasn't in the best financial condition when I got there," Yvette confirmed, "but I assure you where they lack in quality, they make up for in quantity.'

Despite the serious look on the man's face, Jasmine couldn't help but smirk at the thought of someone like him walking up to a cashier with a bunch of little cameras. She almost wanted to burst out laughing at the idea, but she managed to compose herself.

"When I got them, I carefully planted them throughout the woods and near the wall," Yvette continued, "and I've recently captured some very interesting images you might find useful in your search."

Jasmine's eyes widened after his sentence.

"What do you mean my search?" she asked.

"Well, aren't you a little bit curious about what's really happening?" he asked, "you're not just going to sit back and let Paul inform you about every little thing he finds, right?"

Despite her friendship with him, Jasmine didn't want that to be the case. Having to ask Paul for information was fine, but he would always keep her in the dark about little things. As long as Paul cared for her wellbeing, she might never really find out what's going on.

She looked at Yvette's stupid face and snatched the tapes. All of them were labeled, "Eastern Wall".

"So… where is it?" Jasmine asked, "it sounds like you already know a lot about it."

In the blink of an eye, Jasmine suddenly found herself looking into Yvette's cold, determined eyes.

"The question is not where is it Jasmine," Yvette stated, "but rather… how do we kill it before it does any more damage?"

The sudden change of his voice sent chills down her spine.

"Are you suggesting to hunt this thing down?" she asked.

"Why not? We did it with the witches and trolls before," he stated, "since when has it never worked out?"

"When proper laws in the justice system were established," Jasmine countered, "you can't just go looking for this thing and expect to kill it without any repercussions. Who knows if this thing even exist?"

"I know for a fact that it exists," Yvette said, "I saw what state it left that building in. That kind of power is monstrous. That thing can kill people Jasmine."

"Not on my watch it won't," Jasmine said.

"Which is why I'm asking you to join me in my search," Yvette asked.

Jasmine was startled by the sudden request. Working with someone like Yvette had never even crossed her mind before, and even though he had been polite with her, the idea of teaming up with him disgusted her.

"This solves nothing," Jasmine said, "are you done wasting my time?"

"I wouldn't have come here if it wasn't important," Yvette said, "I only came to you because I know you want to find out what's happening just as much as I do."

"What you're suggesting is insane," Jasmine said, "I mean, hunting down some imaginary monster that may or may not exist is simply foolish."

"Well, these are very unusual circumstances we've found ourselves in," Yvette explained.

"If that's the case, then you've given me nothing to work with besides a few damaged tapes," Jasmine interrupted, "and I've already told you twice that you're not allowed in this area, so you better leave right now before I call Erik and tell him you're interfering with the investigation."

Suddenly, Yvette's mouth glued shut. His eyes darkened. Despite his new solo status, shutting him up was as easy as simply bringing Erik into the conversation. Jasmine didn't know exactly what kind of power that man had over Yvette, but it was enough for him to scoff at the officer and look away.

"... Fine, have it your way," he said, "but just so you know, big things are coming this way. I'm here to protect the city from creatures like this. And with the Great Raven coming soon, I'm sure he wouldn't be too pleased knowing a monster was lurking around during his visit."

Suddenly, Yvette turned around and began walking away.

"And what do you think you're going to be doing?" Jasmine asked.

The man stopped and turned around slowly toward the officer. His face was entirely covered, leaving only his blue eyes visible in the light.

"I'm going to save this city," he claimed.

And with that, he was gone.

Jasmine stood there, holding the tapes the lunatic had given her. His initials had been drawn on them, with cursive lettering to mark his ownership. She had no idea what could be on it, but she was ready to quickly write it off no matter how important it could've been.

Yet, her curiosity had overtaken her. Maybe this was even bigger than she thought…

What was coming?


Victoria Van Gale

The old woman muttered to herself as she quickly began relocating to her new hideout.

The police were swarming her old lab, probably digging up every last bit of research she had cumulated over the years. All that progress. All that effort. All of it was for nothing. Those kids had once again destroyed YEARS' worth of work in an instant. Just because of some foolish mistake on Hilda's part. It was always her, interfering with her design. As if she knew what was best. It disgusted the scientist to the very core knowing her entire foundation was destroyed by a simple-minded lunatic.

She knew she had crossed the line this time. The second she reached for the gun, she destroyed any sense of humanity she had left. But she had abandoned that morally accepted threshold a long time ago. It didn't matter what had to be done as long as she got the results she was striving for. Of course, that came with a price, but it would be worth it. At least… it was supposed to be….

After her first lab was destroyed, people had assumed she ran away or died in the destruction. Now though, people were aware of her existence. She would be considered an armed criminal now by Trolberg's standers. Something to be locked away and rot with the rest of this city's filth.

What a joke, Victoria thought to herself, I would never be caught dead in those hideous jumpsuits.

She had planned for an incident like this years ago. When she first established her new base, she had also set up a small outpost at the edge of the city where her third lab resided. It was located near the harbor in an abandoned group of warehouses, specifically in the orange warehouse at the edge of the lot. It was the perfect place to hide out for a while, especially since the area was so far away from her previous base. Sure it was near the harbor, but the bustling activity there would provide a healthy distraction from her location, and no one would dare trespass because of the waste that surrounded the dump. Her lab there hadn't been properly set up yet, but once she arrived she could quickly build the place from the ground up. She had stored some of her weather equipment and research there before the incident, and she had made a replica of her machine that she used on that boy. She hadn't lost everything just yet.

All she had to do was get there through crowded streets of witnesses and officers. That would be quite a challenge considering how huge the city was. Even though she was well kept for her age, she underestimated how many people would be out after the news. Luckily, this is where her care packages came in. She had scattered small boxes all over the city after her old lab was destroyed in case she ever needed to lay low for a while, hidden expertly, of course, to remain undetected. Each box was filled with an assortment of clothes, notes, and weaponry to defend herself. Since she had lost her main source of protection from that thing, she was going to need whatever one of the box's provided. The closest one according to her map was right underneath her.

The sewers…

Her hands instinctively started to crush the map she was holding from the thought of traveling through there, but she had no choice if she wanted to avoid the police. Besides, the confusing tunnels led to the harbor, which landed her right at the destination to her next hideout. She had to do this, no matter how… unsanitary it was…

Closing the map, she slipped into the crowd of pedestrians and maneuvered her way through the streets. Her eyes fell to her feet, observing them nervously as they shuffled back and forth from one point to another. Right under her feet was the key to freedom, she just hoped that no one would notice her before she got there. She couldn't let herself get caught. Not for another five days at least. Then she could finally leave this cursed place.

After five terrifying minutes, she flung herself into an unseen alley, her breathing accelerating as she curled her fingers around the space of the manhole cover. To the best of her knowledge, no one had paid any attention to her, giving the scientist a slight burst of confidence. Even though her fingers ached from the intense weight put upon it, she forced herself to wrench the cover free. The second she did this, the smell of revolting trash shot into her nose, causing her to cough in disgust. It was just as bad as she imagined, but she didn't have a choice. Pinching her nose, she grabbed the cover and climbed into the hole, keeping her balance by the latter that was installed there. Once she secured herself, she propped her hand outside and pulled the cover back overtop her, hearing it clink in place with a satisfying sound.

Darkness surrounded the scientist, cutting her vision off of the sewers below. All she could sense was the feeling of cold metal spreading across her fingers, faintly reminding her of her old lab. Quickly shaking the memory away however, she slowly descended, counting the rungs as she did. Those numbers soon reached the double digits. Then it felt like they tripled. Her arms began shaking as she approached near the bottom, the scent of bulging trash so thick that Victoria almost considered turning back.

She couldn't do that though, she knew she couldn't. She forced herself to continue, reaching the bottom and planting her feet on the ground. Once she did this, something squishy seemed to squeak under her boots. It felt small enough to be a rat, but also squishy enough to be something… worse. She quickly flung the thing away into the darkness around her, hearing it splash into the water.

Yep… she had made it to the sewers all right.

She squirmed a bit, hating the feeling of absolute filth beneath her. If she hadn't felt like vomiting before, now was the perfect time to do so.

"You're almost there Victoria," she muttered, "just keep walking and you'll be home free."

Nodding to herself, she grabbed her flashlight off her belt and shook the device to life. The beam pierced through the shadows, casting a glow onto the cobblestone walls before her. It was bright enough to disorient her eyes, acting as a momentary distraction from her queasiness. She slowly adjusted to the light, catching the sight of graffiti sprawled along the walls. Most of it was childish rubbish, displaying mad ramblings about some sort of rat king. Victoria rolled her eyes upon seeing it, wondering about the fools who might've drawn it while tinkering with the brightness of her flashlight.

The beam brightened and allowed her to continue on the path North. She walked through the tunnels carefully, minding her step whenever she approached broken glass. The scent of trash was so powerful that the poor scientist couldn't find herself smelling anything anymore. It was as if something had clogged up her nose and remained there, intent on causing her as much misery as possible. She did her best to ignore this by reminding herself of her intense feelings of hatred for Hilda.

The girl had ruined everything once again, not to mention that stupid boy and bird as well who decided to join her. Victoria couldn't believe that they had found out about her plans after she had been so secretive before about it. How could they find out if they didn't even know she was around anymore? It must've been Eric. That disgusting sniveling fool. Before they met, he must've grabbed the attention of one of her posse, and then they followed her back to the lab. It was the only explanation. How else could they have found her? Not through her broadcast. She didn't make them anymore after the first incident.

How she missed making them…

She wanted to think of something else, something that would make her forget those pointless things in her past. But it was so hard to not think about her old life, the one she used to cherish before Hilda came along. No one bothered to listen to any of her broadcast before, but it didn't anger her. She simply loved reporting on the weather, even if no one cared to listen. She loved every second of the job. Every tedious task. Every sleepless night. Every monumental breakthrough. She had so many things to prove to Trolberg, so many things to invent for the public. That's what her entire life had been about. It was her only purpose. People told her to quit. They said it was harming her. But of course, she never paid any mind to them. She didn't expect them to understand or even listen. No one ever did.

That is until one day when she finally got her first listener.

She remembers exactly when they tuned in. It was seventy-five degrees on an August morning during a Friday. One of her machines had ticked up a counter when she was about to start her forecast. Its job was to detect whenever someone had tuned onto her network, and on that day someone finally had. The notion that someone, an actual person, was listening to her forecast filled her with excitement. So much so that she had forgotten to do the forecast. But she didn't care. Someone was finally listening to her. Relying on her for information….

A small part of her wondered if Hilda relied on her broadcast like that as well. Before she stopped, she only had three people tuning in daily to it. One being Hilda of course. But she never found out who the other two were. Now she would never find out. She had lost just about everything. And now she was all alone, making her way through the disgusting network of tunnels.

Pain swelled within her heart, but she shoved the feeling down with an iron grip. Now was not the time to whine about how good her life used to be. Now was the time for progress, and how that progress would lead her to victory. She may have lost her number one source of power, but she would soon show them all the true value of hard work. All she needed was a new hideout, and her little care package. It wasn't far now, only a few more steps and then a right. Then she'd be able to pick up where she left off and finally end this misery.

She began to rush, sloshing through the disgusting liquid until she made it to the next intersection. There she took a quick right…

And had her heart stopped in place.

Her spot where the package was, something was standing there. Its silhouette was long and fatigued, producing a sound of withered breathing from its mouth. Its head was slightly bent, gazing at the box. Trying to find out its purpose. The creature's eyes were the only thing noticeable in the darkness. They were dead… cold…

Horrified by the disfigured shape, Victoria fumbled with the flashlight and shined it toward the thing's direction, her adrenaline rushing to her legs in preparation to flee.

The light revealed its true nature. The figure was not a creature, but a woman. She was her age, maybe even older, but she looked weary in comparison to her. Wrinkles covered her face. Her arms were frail, as well as her legs. All she wore was a very old looking nightgown, something Victoria had only seen in her great grandparents' closets before.

She didn't have anything on her except the box…

Victoria's heartbeat gradually returned. It appeared the woman was no threat to her, but she could sense something was wrong. She quickly put her flashlight away and approached cautiously.

"Excuse me miss," Victoria said, "I believe that box belongs to me."

The women in question snapped to attention, her eyes wide. Her stance was frozen, but she made no moves toward the scientist now. Her fingers tightened around it, losing color from the lack of blood.

"W-who are you?" the woman asked.

Her eyes had grown dark, contorted to express and extreme sense of dismay.

Victoria remained silent, keeping her eyes on the woman. Even though she appeared weak, she was obviously unstable. Someone like her could ruin her entire plan by snapping and doing something stupid. She needed that box if she was going to continue to the harbor.

"My name is Victoria…" she said, "and… you're holding my box…"

Their eyes met once again, and for some strange reason, the woman began shaking.

"N-no… I-I'm…" she started.

Suddenly, the woman stopped short.

"Y-you're Victoria right?" she repeated.

"Yes, that's my name…" Victoria confirmed, "and you're…?"

A great silence stretched out into the darkest depths of the sewers.

"I'm nothing…" the woman said, letting the box crash onto the ground.

The contents scattered along the floor, startling Victoria. Before she could even process what had happened though, the woman simply turned around and walked off into the darkness.

The last thing Victoria could see were her eyes, glimmering… and dead…

Shaking off the creepy encounter, the scientist quickly got down to her knees and stuffed everything from the box into her bag. Her files were still intact, along with the updated research papers and charts she had stuck in last week. There were some supplies like new clothes to blend in, and data saved onto flash drives for her to download.

She had finally gotten everything she needed. That lady had slightly halted her escape, but now she was back on track to her new hideout. She just had to get there quickly before the police found her…

Who knew how much time she had left?


Reid Merric

In the distance boats sputtered and churned out of the docks, gentle waves splashing against their barnacle coated hulls.

Reid quickly skipped down the steps to the harbor, a smile producing on his face as he looked over Björg's Bay. The place felt like a second home, with the gleaming ships and smelly fish feeling like natural additions to the boy. He breathed in deeply, taking in the familiar scent of the vast ocean. It was slightly sulfury, with just a pinch of green and briny finish. Just as his dad described it before setting off today. He was out there somewhere, catching an immense rainbow of sparkling fish for the Bird Parade this year. Reid hoped he'd hurry though, the weather today had been all over the place, and now he could sense a rainstorm was coming. The clouds were getting darker and darker, and he could already feel a few light drops on his skin.

To pass the time, the boy decided to descend to the docks, waving at everyone who passed his way. The effect of the harbor was immediate, filling the boy's heart with a sense of adventure as he made his way past the bustling activity. Stars glimmered in his eyes as he watched giant ships pass by, each one having collected a colorful rainbow of fish. Hard-working men filled the harbor, ensuring that everything was functioning at a steady pace. Older fishermen barked orders at their younger colleagues, who quickly got to work collecting stacks upon stacks of fish to be cleaned and cooked.

All of this commotion because of the famous Bird Parade, the most exciting thing to come that week. Reid didn't know all the details behind the orders coming through, but he knew enough to understand that no one would be talking to him for the entire week. His father and friends were too busy with their work to notice him, and he was okay with that. Knowing that his father was contributing to the Great Raven's arrival was enough for the boy. Sure, the past few days have been lonely, but at least he could talk to Frida instead. She was always there during their tutoring sessions to help him talk about problems he couldn't confess to his father. Of course, he had to wait until tomorrow to see her again, but he could pass the time easily all on his own.

But what to do exactly?

He had no friends to hang out with, so he figured he could just play by himself. He grabbed a nearby stick still damp from its time near the water and began to fiddle around with it. It was thin and lumpy, with one tiny branch sticking out of the middle of it. He had seen the Sparrow Scouts before carving things from blocks of wood. So, maybe if he tried hard enough, he could do the same. He didn't have any tools, so he grabbed a sharp rock instead. He sat down near a massive drain tunnel and began his attempt to carve it into a small spear. As he did this, he hummed along to an old song his dad had taught him, staring out into the bay waiting for his ship to pull in.

Clouds overhead darkened, allowing tiny drops of rain to hit the boy's skin. The chill of the rain reminded him of a story about an old ship that sunk in the middle of the bay during a really bad storm. He heard stories that if you waited long enough, it would appear on the water. But there was nothing out there but the silent breeze that flopped the boy's wild hair around. Some people say a lightning bolt from the Great Raven caused it, but Reid could never believe it. He was there to protect the city, not harm its citizens. Reid's theory was that it was the rat king who caused the sinking. He read somewhere that rats could breathe for three minutes underwater, so a whole bundle of them could survive long enough to destroy a ship. Considering how big people believed it to be, Reid wouldn't have been too surprised if it was the truth.

The kids at his school said he lurked in the sewers, waiting patiently for any sort of prey to fall into its clutches. The story of its appearance changes from person to person, but the most common description is that it's made up of a thousand smaller rats with their tails tied together. Some boys in his class had sworn they'd seen it by the harbor, which is the only reason people didn't hang out with him that much.

Maybe if he was as brave as his dad, or the Sparrow Scouts even, he could stop the Rat King from terrorizing the city. Then kids at school would finally hang out with him! And then they could talk about life. Or math if they were into that sort of thing. Or even sleepovers...

Or...

His breathing stopped. Something splashed behind him. Or at least he thought he'd heard something splash. The noise was so faint that he might've imagined it, but he was pretty sure his hearing was up to par. He turned around slowly, gripping onto the badly carved stick in his hands.

"H-hello?" he said, "is someone there?"

He heard something move again. Now he was sure he wasn't imagining it. His heart began to speed up, pumping against his chest as he waited for the figure to reveal itself.

And then it came out.

He was right, there was something there. It was big, but somehow very quiet. Perhaps the thing of nightmares? The Rat King itself? Maybe that's how it took its victims, by being very quiet when it snatched them up. But it didn't fool Reid. He wasn't crazy after all. This was his chance to prove himself!

But he froze. His feet didn't dare to move. He was sweating buckets. He thought he could be a little brave, but he couldn't even bring himself to even run away. He watched as it shambled its way out of the darkness. Its eyes glowed. Its figure pushed forward.

And from the darkness came…

A woman…

The boy began to relax. It wasn't the scary rat king like he thought it was, but instead a nice-looking old lady. She wore a long white coat, although it looked a little torn up, and she was carrying a big brown bag filled with mysterious treasures. Reid wondered if she had potions in the bag like a witch usually did. But she didn't have a pointy hat or green skin. She looked more like Ms. Cherry, the sweet librarian in school. Maybe she was the same.

Reid approached the lady but stopped short when he saw her mouth moving rapidly. Peering a bit closer, he realized she was strangely muttering to herself. It was a sight that sent most people scurrying away, but not Reid. He actually found himself doing that as well when he was bored in class, although all of his classmates thought he was weird for it. He tried to explain to them that it's not weird, but they never believe him.

He wanted to wait until the woman stopped talking to introduce himself since his father said it was rude to interrupt someone when they were speaking. But she never stopped. She kept muttering about something he couldn't quite pick it up. Maybe if he talked to her he would find out.

"Hi there, miss!" he said cheerfully.

The woman stopped in her tracks and turned toward him. She had wrinkles all over her face, and her hair was long and wild. Looking closer now, she really did look like the witches from the stories his dad told him. But he would never say that to her face. That would be rude.

He waited for her to say something in reply, but she strangely didn't. Maybe she was waiting for him to say something. So he quickly cleared his throat.

"It's nice to meet you!" he exclaimed, "my name's Reid, what's yours?"

She was paying attention to him, but she still didn't say anything. Reid guessed she must've been really shy then. And now she was silent because he was putting her on the spot. Is that why she wasn't responding? Because she was upset? He didn't want her to be upset with him because of something he said. A bit nervous now, Reid began thinking of things to say to hopefully turn the conversation around.

"U-um… you seem familiar," he said, "do you live near the harbor? I live here, so I'm always there. Usually when it's sunny though. Then you get to see all the boats!"

Even though she said nothing, the woman's eyes widened.

"A-are you alright miss?" he finally asked, "what are you doing in the sewers? Aren't you afraid of the rat king eating you?"

Now Reid began to wonder if she had possibly seen the rat king firsthand. Maybe that's why she wouldn't talk. She's under his spell and can't talk anymore!

"Did he cast a spell on you?" he asked, "Is that why you can't talk?"

"N-no, I can talk…" she said suddenly, "I just... can't talk now…"

She finally spoke! But she sounded really sad. Yet, her face was happy as well. Now Reid was getting confused.

"Oh… " Reid said, "did something bad happen?"

"You could say that…" she said.

The lady was silent now, staring back into the sewers with a distant gaze. It's the same type of gaze Reid's mother used to have on those quiet nights when she was alive.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Reid asked.

She had decided not to speak again.

"Well… whatever it is that's making you sad, try to think happy thoughts instead!" he suggested, "whenever I'm having a bad day, I just think of a really good memory, and I feel happy again."

The woman stared off into the bay and sighed wearily.

"I don't know if it would work for someone like me…" she said.

"Trust me," he said, "as long as it's a really good memory, you'll definitely feel happy. For example, just watch me."

Before the woman could respond, he closed his eyes and relaxed thinking deeply of his happiest memory. He breathed in, the nasty smell of the sewers fading away. He pondered about it, remembering all the little details.

It was the day of the Bird Parade, the first one he could remember since he was five at the time. His mom was there, and his dad was happy. He remembered the slight chill of the air that year had caused them to bundle up in some warm clothing. They stuck out like ugly weeds since everyone else had dressed up, but they didn't care. His mother made a little joke about it actually, comparing them to three bundled penguins in a vast safari. That year, the entire street was glowing, and he remembered being hypnotized by the lights.

When the Great Raven swopped down into the city, his jaw dropped in surprise. He had heard the stories in school, but never actually seen him. He was even bigger than they said, casting a large shadow upon the street. The darkness was lifted however by the huge sparks of lighting he produced around him. He was so powerful, yet he was also protecting all the citizens of Trolberg. Whenever he flew by, it felt like Reid was flying with him as well.

Times were different now, but whenever he remembered that day, he always felt at peace. When he opened his eyes, a smile was produced onto his face. He turned toward the old lady, and to his surprise, found her doing the same thing. Her eyes were closed tightly, and she began breathing deeply. Her face relaxed. Her rigid posture faded away. A part of Reid wondered what memory she was thinking about before she opened her eyes.

"So, how do you feel?" he asked.

"I feel… better… now," she said, "I'm… a bit surprised it actually worked…"

"People usually say that at first," Reid said, fumbling with his stick, "but I find it's quite helpful when things look grim."

The woman looked down, a somewhat peaceful expression taking over her face.

"Thanks, kid…" she said, "for the advice…"

"I'm happy to help!" he chirped, smiling brightly. It made him feel good to know that she was happy now.

Suddenly, a booming horn echoed across the harbor. Reid's heart stopped, knowing full well what the sound meant. The evening boats were coming in, which meant it was time for him to go home.

"That's my cue to go home," Reid said, picking himself up, "it was nice meeting you!"

"Wait!" she said, grabbing the boy's hand.

Reid stopped in place, trailing back to meet the woman's eyes.

"You said your name was Reid right?" the woman asked.

He nodded.

"Listen, Reid," she said, "I need you to swear that you'll never tell your parents about this conversation, okay?"

"I can do that," he said, "but why? Did you do something bad?"

"Um... well, let's just say, everybody kind of hates me right now..." she explained.

It was such a strong word to use. Hate. Reid couldn't remember the last time he ever used such a word. Maybe when he was younger and more immature. But it conveyed such a strong emotion to him now that he didn't like using it. And even then, looking at the woman, he couldn't see how anyone could hate her. She looked so polite and calm.

"I don't hate you," he said, "you seem really nice."

The woman's expression morphed into one of slight shock.

"... Really?" she asked.

"Yeah, you talked to me," he said, "and you didn't brush me off. You listened to me."

Now she was silent again, a conflicting look entering her eyes.

"Do me a favor and stay the way you are," she said, "don't let anyone change you."

The boy smiled in response.

"Aye aye miss!" he said happily, "and I promise I won't tell my dad about you."

The woman seemed to relax when he said that, finally feeling comfortable enough to smile.

"Thank you, Reid," she said, waving goodbye to the child.

Reid waved back at the woman with a smile and rushed down to the docks. He wished he had gotten her name, but the conversation they had was enough for him to remember everything about her. If they ever crossed paths again, he was sure to say hello. People usually didn't say it back. But a small part of him believed that she would. There was something different about her.

He turned around and saw the woman making her way over to the abandoned warehouses near the harbor. The place was dark and scary, but he guessed that's where she was staying. He waved to get her attention, but she never looked back. She just kept walking until she finally vanished from sight.

She was nice, Reid thought, quickly turning around and making his way home.


Darkness is all I see

I woke, unsure of where I could be. This feeling. It's familiar. Like an old friend I've lost long ago, it's returned to me. It's been so long, but I'm sure it's here. She said it'd be. So I got up, hands shaking. The intense pressure in my head only lasts a few seconds before it fades away. Now I check the doors. I checked the doorknob. Then I checked it again and again and again and again. It's locked. The door was locked. Thank goodness it's locked. It can't see me. Or… maybe it still could. Who knows what it had done in the last few years?

I'm shaking again. Please no. I can't do this. Not again. Please let it just stop. It's dark. The furniture was a mess. The house was still dusty. I hadn't kept up with anything. Why? Why didn't I clean up sooner? The guest might come soon. That's right. The families were coming today. Or… was it something else? I don't quite know yet. Maybe they were. Or were they? God, it's happening. Something is happening today. I just can't remember. I had to remember something.

"Falling… Falling… Falling…" I croak.

The floor was dirty, but that didn't stop me from sliding onto them like a child again. The smell was so repulsive. I had to remind myself I wasn't at home. But then where was I? My feet and gown were wet. Maybe I was at the harbor. But it didn't smell like fish. It smelled like death. Like ash. Like fire…

I can remember the stories, the stories my father told me so long ago. What were they? They were about the devil I think. Yes, that was it, the devil next door. His cloaked figure shrouding the town in darkness. He said they were hidden in everyone. I've only felt this type of madness once before. All those years ago back when this happened. Now it happens again.

The truth. I was the only one who knew the truth.

Please no. Don't think of them. Just close your eyes and don't think of them. God, he RUINED everything! It has to be stopped! That's how it has to be. No more fire. No one will be hurt! I have to stop him. I have to stop it before it kills us all. Then I can save her. I can save everyone. I just have to stop it right?

A crowd runs by. Sirens! God, it's everywhere! The trucks are red and white. They rush somewhere. Oh god, what's happening? What is it showing me? The other nights I let it go as it pleased! Why is it coming back?

Shaking. Cold. Fear. I felt it again. It's happening to me now…

I'm losing my mind.

Take a breath. Then another. The air starts to clear. Inhale and exhale. There's no more ash. Breathe slowly again. You're fine now. The mist starts to clear.

I look around. I'm in the sewers. How long have I been here? Twenty years? A thousand? I begin to walk. My feet move back and forth. Somewhere I'll arrive at a destination. Maybe they'll take me in? I don't know. Tears pour out, and then I choke out a sob. I cover my mouth and let my cheeks get stained with tears. My fingers are wrinkled. My skin feels weak. God this is a mess. I wonder when this will all end. I have traveled a thousand lifetimes, how much farther do I have to go? When I think about what lies ahead... it becomes difficult to breathe. But it's all I can think about now.

I see light. I see the children. The two and the girl. The girl at the doorstep. That's what the bell told me to find. I had to wait for them to come back with him soon. So I have to go home. I have to go home now.

Stumbling, I make my way toward the light. It's not the one I'm hoping for. It's the sun, breaking through the dark clouds of rain. A few tiny drops hit my skin. Just like all those years ago.

No one is around the area. They will come later, after Victoria and Reid meet. Then he'll know. That's all the information the bell gave me. Now I can wait again. Until midnight. Then I can figure out the next piece of this already broken puzzle.

Tonight was only the start though.


Here's the next chapter, I hope it was worth the wait.

This is the longest chapter I've done, coming around 9000 words. I've edited this thing about ten times, so I hope this monstrosity turned out alright. I kind of got carried away with the differing POV's, so there's a lot to explore here. The next chapter should be out sometime next week. If not, then the week after that.

Real quick though before I tune out again, I wanted to thank you guys so much for sticking with the story. I know I'm not the best writer in this tab (believe me there are much better stories than this) but it means a lot to me that you've all stuck with this for so long. It really does inspire me to continue, and I always get giddy whenever someone reviews, whether it be positive or negative. I'm still trying to improve and knowing you guys are here just makes my day.

So thank you. Each and every one of you. Even the people just dropping by. Thank you all so much :)

With Love, Fluffytail15