The Pale Survivors

by mephilesthelight

The Shining City was once a beautiful place full of life and thrived. Now? It is only known as the Pale City a derelict wasteland with it's inhabitants being slowly killed off from their TVs. Adults fight for the view of the bliss while children left behind are forced to do what they can to survive. Join Mono and Six during their time in the Pale City.

2. Descent

Mono is seen sitting on the terrace of the apartment under a canopy. He's currently writing in his journal while the rain patters from above. His hair slightly damp from the small splashes of water.

February 18th 20XX 6:00 am

I honestly can't help but wonder if all this is my fault. The same day my birthday is my parents started acting weird. It's almost as if the TV has become the favorite child. And it's not just my parents that are being affected by that thing. I've been feeling sick lately, not like that one time I had a fever and Mom just let me stay at home. I'm feeling weird and my dreams are odd as well. The same girl from before only this time we were both running from something. Every time I wake up my arm feels all jittery, my eyes hurt a lot, and I don't feel like moving for a bit.

I'm scared and my parents don't even do anything to comfort me. It's like I've become invisible to them. They don't talk to me unless I talk to them first and even then, they seem reluctant to do so. They just prefer to watch the TV until I turn it off. They haven't done anything yet but the last time they saw me holding the remote they just glared at me before going to bed. Dad has just been sitting at the couch watching the box while Mom more often than not stands in the kitchen. I've been trying to learn how to cook but it's been very hard. I hope they'll break out of this spell or whatever they're under soon.

It feels like the city is just getting worse. I haven't seen the sun for a week now and the rain doesn't seem to be clearing up anytime soon. It might just be my imagination but it feels like the Tower's light is getting stronger. Speaking of imagination, it feels like the city is dying. It's not as active as it used to be. People seem to be lessening and I'm not just thinking they're watching TVs. I'm afraid that people might actually be dying or disappearing.

Ending things on a sour note Mono puts away his journal tucking the pencil in the pages to bookmark it before going inside. Sparing the pale blue rain clouds above Mono walks back down to his family's apartment. Surprisingly his parents haven't turned on the TV yet. They were staring at the window though looking directly at the Tower. Mono quickly walks past them looking at the time seeing that he needs to get ready to go to school. He goes to the bathroom and takes a quick shower washing his hair and body free of any dirt. Drying himself off he takes a look in the mirror. Despite everything it's still…

Wait.

Mono looked in the mirror closely hoping that his vision was just tricking him. It wasn't.

The whites of his eyes were black surrounding his blue irises. Something was definitely wrong with him but he couldn't figure out what. Maybe he needed to go to a hospital. Getting dressed he left the bathroom to see his parents still staring out the window.

Mono tugs at his mother's pant leg and she looks down at him coldly.

"What do you want?"

"Uh Mom? I think I need to go to a hospital. My eyes are all weird."

Martha picks Mono up by the scruff of his shirt looking closely with disgust at his eyes. Dropping him onto the floor she shuffles over the kitchen. She's looking through the different cabinets before pulling out something small. She then searches through the different drawers before pulling out what sounds like a pair of scissors. Mono hears his mother cut into something before walking back over to him. Before Mono can ask what, she was working on he feels something be shoved onto his head. Blinking his eyes, he sees that he's wearing a paper bag on his head.

"There now you can stop bothering me about your ugliness."

She goes back over to the window to look at the Tower. Mono just looks down at the floor in muffled sadness.

"Yes Mom."

Mono picks up his bookbag before walking out the door and out into the streets. He quickly jogs over to his school with the doors open. Mono goes into his classroom with Mrs. Scrag looking happy for some odd reason. He pays no mind not wanting to cause trouble for himself and sits down at his desk. He looks over to Ollie who is just staring at him oddly at first before giving Mono another glance. Was that a warning? Ollie mouths the word later before gesturing back to the front of the class. Mono gets his things ready as he waits for everyone else in the class. Ollie looks a little nervous as Mrs. Scrag finally closes the door and goes over to the board to begin her lecture.

"Good morning class, I hope you all did your assignments as instructed. Before we begin, I have a few announcements to make. Unfortunately, some of our students had a little accident while serving their detention so he'll be a bit late coming in and… Mono? Why on earth are you wearing that bag on your head?"

Mono mumbled sadly, "Because my parents think I'm ugly."

"Well, it's distracting, take it off while you're in class."

Mono pulled the bag off of his head folding it up before putting it in his pocket. The door suddenly opened to reveal Benny only he looked a bit different. His skin seemed to be paler than usual and it seemed like he had Mono's condition of dark blackened eyes.

"Ah Benny Bully! You're right on time. Come and take the desk right next to Ollie."

Ollie didn't seem to like that as he was staring down Benny as if it wasn't actually him.

Mono spoke up, "Um Mrs. Scrag? What about the other students are they alright?"

Mrs. Scrag merely smiled widely, "I'm sure they're fine. When they come in again, I'm sure they'll be good as new."

Mono just looked down at his own things for now and just allowed the Teacher to continue with the lesson. Soon the lunch bell rang out and Mono gathered his things and went for the door. Only for Benny to push him down onto the ground with his bookbag pouring out all the books. He looks up to see Benny leering down at him before running away. Mono quickly picks up his things again and heads to the lunchroom.

In the cafeteria Mono is sitting down with his tray of food. He looks over to the lunch lady who despite everything that's happened still seems to be the kind old woman she usually is. Even giving Mono a warm smile as she serves him his usual food. The school food's nice but he misses the food his mother would prepare for him. He slowly shovels the food into his mouth when he's interrupted by another tray slamming down in front of him.

"Sae, hae ye noticed?"

Mono looks up to see Ollie sitting right in front of him. Ollie starts eating as well waiting for a response from Mono.

"Noticed what? How my parents have suddenly started acting cold towards me? How the city just seems to be dying with people disappearing?"

"That micht be whit yer life is lik', but a'm talking about 'ere in th' school. Have ye seen? th' teacher doesn't stoap smiling 'n' Benny... That thing is nae benny. A'm needin' yer help wi' something. Whin lunch stops can ye follow me tae th' chemistry lab."

"Why do you want to go there?"

"A've seen th' teacher gang in there wi' students afore. Students gang in bit they dinnae come out."

Mono was very alarmed at that statement. What was going on in the world? He honestly hoped that Ollie was just pulling his leg. At the same time though if Ollie knew something that could keep the both of them safe at the school, any information would help.

"Alright Ollie you have my attention." Mono holds out his hand which Ollie takes firmly before getting up from the seat.

"It may be better tae gang now, while everybody is distracted."

Mono nods also getting up from the table. Both of the walk out the lunchroom giving the lunch lady the excuse they need to use the restroom. She understands and lets them out with a small nod. Benny however gets up from the table silently sneak out following the other two. They walk down the hallway as quickly and quietly as possible. Ollie gestures to a small crack in the wall.

"Thro' 'ere, tis big enough fur th' both o' us tae fit thro'."

Ollie goes first squeezing through the gap. Mono follows as well but when almost gets through he feels himself being pulled backward. Looking behind him he sees Benny screeching at him and pulling at his ankles.

"Ollie! Help!"

Ollie quickly turns around grabbing Mono by the arms while Mono starts kicking Benny in the chest and head. Mono starts hearing the sound of something cracking when Ollie starts making ground pulling Mono and Benny with him. With a few more tugs Mono is pulled through and Benny falls his head impacting the ground with a loud shatter. Ollie quickly drops Mono's arms in shock quickly running around behind him. Mono doesn't understand why until he turns around as well.

Benny's head is shattered just broken pieces of glass laid upon the wooden floor. Ollie picks up one of the pieces of Benny's head before looking at Mono.

"Ah tellt ye, it wasn't Benny."

Mono just looks at the dead Bully on the ground. If this is the fake one, where's the real Benny? Mono gets taken from his thoughts as Ollie throws the piece of Benny he has in his hand at a button on the wall. It clicks opening the wall leading out of the closet. Silently Ollie gestures for Mono to follow and goes on ahead. Both of them sneaking under the table as Mrs. Scrag is right next to them. They watch as she pulls a various set of tools from the drawers before heading into the lab.

'What's she doing with those things?' Mono wondered as the clicking of her heels faded away. Ollie mustering courage slowly follows her while Mono is just standing there with shock. Mono slowly follows as well watching from the corner while Ollie watches from under one of the worktables. Both of them look on as Mrs. Scrag plucks one of her many tools before cutting into something on the table. Neither of them can see exactly what it is as the Teacher performs her work. Whatever it is it is bleeding a lot as her tools are coated in blood. The two of them watch in abstract horror as the Teacher reaches in with a pair of tweezers plucking out something small. Squinting his eyes Mono realizes what she has in her grasp.

A human heart.

The Teacher then reaches down on another tray pulling out one of the porcelain dolls she practically worships. Opening a small compartment in its chest she drops the heart inside. The Teacher then places the doll on a little podium as it makes small twitches. Not completely alive but slowly waking up. The Teacher then sweeps her arm across the table trying to get rid of the mess left behind into a trash bin. A body falls to the floor right in front of Ollie. Mono can only see the head but it's enough to see.

It's Jennifer her dead body lays on the floor in front of Ollie with its chest open. Out of shock Ollie takes a step backward and the floorboards under his feet creak a small bit. The Teacher lets out a small shriek. Both Mono and Ollie quickly scramble out of there as Mrs. Scrag looks down under the table.

Mono and Ollie are running down the hallway past the broken shards of Benny. Mono is staying silent as they run back to class meanwhile Ollie is stuttering.

"D-did ye see that!? Jennifer's dead! is that what happened tae Benny!? Oh God, is that whit's gonna happen tae us. Oh God, what if she saw us? Are we next? W-we need tae.. We need tae tell someone. T-they'll listen tae us right M-mo- "

Ollie is interrupted as a pair of hands grab him and slam him against the wall. Ollie is staring into a pair of black and blue eyes.

"And I'm guessing you weren't really listening or caring when I answered your question earlier. The city seems like it's dying. I know you live here at the school Ollie but have you actually been outside at all. NO ONE, is out there. No cops, no police, no parents. Everyone is stuck inside their homes or don't care. We are literally screwed in this situation Ollie if we say or do anything. Even the students wouldn't believe us if we told them that our teacher was secretly a psychopath."

" Then what dae we dae?"

"We stay silent is what we do. We behave like good students and don't get in trouble. If the Teacher comes for me, I will be leaving this school and I'm not coming back. In the meantime, you need to plan for yourself if she decides to choose you for that procedure. However, until you can make a plan DO NOT SAY A WORD ABOUT THIS."

Having stressed those words Mono let go of Ollie's uniform letting him fall forward a bit. He stared at Mono as he walked away. Mono's changed; Ollie could tell that much at least. Ollie lumbered behind trying to get the images of his dead classmate out of his head.

The two spend the rest of their day staying silent and doing as they're told during the rest of their day. The Teacher however was being much more attentive to any action the students made. For Mono it was easy but for Ollie who had been face to face with the dead body was a little fidgety. At the end of the day the Teacher selects Truls out of the class to help her with something after class. Mono and Ollie share a look as they leave the classroom. For Mono it was a look that was a solemn farewell and for Ollie it was one of dread as he took one glance at the Teacher before quickly going back to his dorm. Mono watches as Ollie disappears from his view before placing the paper bag back on his head and heading out into the storm.

He spends a few hours walking home trying to appreciate the sight when a small tremor shook under his feet. The sky above weeping upon him like the cries from souls lost in life. Mono appreciates the small thuds on his mask as he finally sees his home. Entering the building Mono climbs the stairs as he realizes how much more dangerous the world has become for him. He enters his apartment building before being brushed to the side by another tenant of the building. Another child, he watches as they run into the streets. Before Mono calls out to them, he hears the loud screech of something inhuman. Mono listened as he could hear what he could only describe as the creaking of metal, the whistling of wind, and the buzzing of static all mixed together. Footsteps thudding down the stairs alarmed Mono as he quickly dove under the stairs.

He can't see much but what he does see is unnerving. It's a person he can tell that much but the sounds it was making made him believe quite the opposite. The way they moved making it seem like they were possessed. Their screams perverting the air. Mono didn't see much more as the thing lumbered forward likely chasing the child. Mono didn't give it much more thought as he sneaked upstairs to his floor. Opening the door Mono sneaked inside to the depressing sight.

His parents still weren't moving from the TV. The TV only depicted a static screen now, any form of entertainment now gone only sound. Mono circled around them to get a better look at their faces and he almost gagged. It looked like their faces were melting off. Slumping down their heads like a weighted bag. Their bodies leaning forward as if they were pulled forward. Mono knew he needed to turn that TV off again. No matter how much his parents got mad at him this time. Even if they hit him again, they needed to snap out of it.

Mono looked down at the remote in his hands before looking at his Dad's lap. Climbing onto the table and then to the couch Mono picked up the remote hesitating to press the button. Maybe he can convince them to look at each and see what's wrong with one another. Placing the remote on his father's lap he looks one last time at his Mom and Dad praying that this would work. He pressed the button on the remote turning the TV off. Quickly dismounting the couch, he ran out of the apartment putting an ear to the door.

"What has happened? Why has the bliss gone away?"

"Where is that rat?! Did he do it again? Why must he take away our happiness?"

"It wasn't him who took away our happiness Stan!? You took away MINE! You're holding the remote in your hands!"

"YOU DARE ACCUSE ME!?"

Mono could hear the sounds of grunts against the door along with the sound of furniture breaking. Mono buried his head in his hands, it didn't work, they don't understand. Seeing each other didn't fix a thing. There's no love in them anymore, only hate. A rat? Is that what he is to them. No, he wouldn't accept that. He would fix them no matter what it took.

Mono in his conflicted thoughts didn't notice that his arm was glowing again.

"YOU'RE RUINING MY LIFE!"

"I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HAAAAAAAAAARGH!"

Mono heard the sound of that same scream from before and then the sound of a collision. Mono opened the door to see his mother's jaw unhinged letting out a scream distorting the very air. His father was blasted backwards breaking a shelf. A photograph fell and shattered on the floor. Stan picked himself from the floor charging Martha pinning her to the floor letting a screech of his own out. Mono walked over to the picture carefully picking out the photograph. It was a depiction of them when he was younger. He recalls the holiday celebration when it was taken. The photograph was of them: Mono in the middle smiling with a little merry hat on his head. His parents were hugging him and there was an inscription at the bottom.

"Let the good times last."

Mono watched as a droplet of water fell on the picture. Raising a finger to his eyes he slowly wiped the tears from his eyes. He looked over to the couple fighting before looking back at the picture. Still crying he folded up the photograph and pocketed it. He then went into his bedroom and cried himself to sleep.

February 25th 20XX 7:00am

Things are getting so much worse than I ever thought. It's been another week since Ollie and I saw what the teacher was up to. She suspects something I know she does. Ollie and I have stayed away from each other just to make sure she didn't suspect our collaboration. Those porcelain dolls are her new students and we're being surrounded everyday more and more. They listen to her every word and I can't help but fear how far her demands may go. Soon Ollie and I will be the only ones left. Today is the last day in class this week. The day before Ollie left me a note to talk about a plan of his. I can only hope that we survive today. If not, I hope the best for both him and I.

My eyes haven't gotten any better they still remain the pitch black they've become. I'm scared, am I becoming just like my parents? Cruel and uncaring blind to the world dying? Then why am I still aware? Why do I question everything? My left arm is acting up, flaring up in pain, and maybe my vision is acting up but I've seen my arm glow sometimes. What is happening to me?

I can't turn off the TV anymore using the remote. After their fight Dad's put the remote in his shirt pocket and he won't take it out for any reason. I can't reach the remote even if I tried. They haven't left their positions they're still standing there even overnight. I have to face the truth, if I can't get rid of that TV, I'll lose my parents forever.

Mono closed the book and left his room with a heavy heart. He felt like he was running out of options. He no longer felt safe as he entered the living room. He no longer felt safe in his own home. His parents just stood there watching a lifeless static screen. Mono, still blaming his eyes, swore he saw his parents skin pulled against bones, their noses sunk in, and they're eyeballs popping out. The wounds from their last fight still existent. Mono sighs as he leaves the building and walks to school. The clouds overhead darkened and pouring a deluge onto the city below. There's only one light in the sky but Mono knows what it is. He dare not go into the plaza again he knows what it is. He carefully winds his way down the alleyways passing a few small crowds looking at the TV still in the store. He sees a few children without homes running away from him. He pays them no mind there's not much he could do for them anyways.

Mono enters the school with the Teacher holding the door for him as he walks inside. Not before the Teacher looks down at him with a predatory smile.

She knows.

He knows that today will be the last day of his school life. Whether or not he lives is up to him. He calmly walks inside as he feels the Teacher's gaze upon him. He walks to his classroom filled with Bullies. They're not even being conspicuous about not being real as they screech and act chaotically. Ollie is in the center of the room with the only other desk waiting for him. The stage has been set for the two of them all that's left is the final act. Mono collects his breath and sits down calmly. Almost immediately Ollie tugs on his shoulder mouthing the word "Now?" Mono pulls up his paper bag mouthing the word "Lunch."

The Teacher enters the classroom quietly. Slinking in almost like a snake coiling around his prey. Ollie swallows nervously as he eyes the Teacher not breaking eye contact with her. Mono is a little revolted as she somehow still faces the two of them when her head is facing the opposite direction her body is. She begins writing on the board still watching the two of them waiting for them to do anything wrong. She's got the perfect doll sculpted for Mono, and she almost calls him out for wearing his paper bag again. Disappointed when Mono takes it off realizing his error. She still watches them no longer caring that she's not even writing coherently.

Soon the lunch bell rings again and the students file out of the classroom one by one. The Teacher still watching them as they follow, they're soon to be porcelain friends out of the room. Ollie walks out of the classroom only to be grabbed roughly and dragged down the hallway. Ollie looks at his captor to see that it's just Mono. He breaths a sigh of relief before Mono asks.

"Ollie, I hope you managed to make yourself a plan to survive. I can't help you. I saw the way she's been looking at me all day. I'm the next one and after today I may not come back to this school. What have you got Ollie?"

"Thir's one place that th' teacher does nae gang. Th' lunchroom 'n' more specifically th' kitchen. Ah micht be able tae convince th' lunch lady tae let me bade in th' kitchen. She seen th' difference in children 'n' dolls. A've awready talked wi' her 'n' she say as lang as ah work ah kin stay in thare."

"Well, that's good Ollie I honestly hope that everything works well for you."

The Teacher pokes her head around the corner in a very threatening manner. Glaring down at the two of them she screeches out.

"OF COURSE, EVERYTHING WILL WORK OUT FOR HIM. WHY WOULDN'T IT?!"

Mono and Ollie start walking backwards as she continuously stares down at them.

Ollie speaks out, "We know whit ye'v bin doin' tae children that are punished. We won't let ye dae th' identical thing tae us." Mono hears the sound of rope being pulled and twisted.

"OH!? WHAT A SHAME I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN RID OF YOU FIRST THEN. YOU BOTH WERE THE SMARTEST STUDENTS I HAD. OH WELL, I CAN ALWAYS USE YOU TWO FOR ANATOMY DEMONSTRATIONS!"

The Teacher's footsteps drew closer, wait, why did her footsteps sound so far away. Any amount of courage Ollie or Mono gathered against her disappeared in a heartbeat. The Teacher's neck was extended twisting and turning through the air as her body walked closer. Mono turned around to see Ollie already running away. He looked back to see the Teacher rearing her head back in the air with her mouth opened wide. Then the Teacher lunged her head towards Mono. He quickly ran away with her snapping at his ankles just barely missing him. He quickly runs down the hallways past the different Bullies trying to get a hold of him as he's chased. He's lost sight of Ollie but he hopes the best for him as he flees the school. The Teacher very close behind him but once he passes the front door of the school the Teacher stops in her tracks.

Mono doesn't care he's just running as far as his legs can carry him. The rain dampening his hair as runs into town. He's no longer the confident student he was thinking he could survive anything. After seeing THAT he was afraid of the world around him. Blinded by his fears he just kept running not aware of where he was running to. He slips on a puddle and falls onto the ground. He lays there letting the rain wash over him. His eyes are blinded when he first opens them again. A bright blue light fills his vision before clearing. Looking up he's terrified by what he sees.

The very storm above have spiraled around the top of the Tower forming the shape of an eye the antennae making an iris looking down directly at Mono. He's not imagining it the light blinks and the clouds are shifting around to make it look like it's staring directly at him.

Almost as if it was watching his every move.

Mono places the paper bag back on his head runs back into his apartment building in fear of being watched. He slams the door shut to the building and runs up the stairs. He doesn't care if his parents are in a trance, he needs something, ANYTHING to make him feel safe. Even if its an unreturned hug Mono will take it. He opens his door and walks inside eager to at least hug his mother. Only to find something much more horrifying.

His parents were being eaten by the TV. Mono looked at the TV screen to see an Eye staring back at him with an outstretched hand. Mono looks at his parents to see them sucked in. Their face first bits and bobs of bone and skin were being sucked in. Mono watched as the skin was pulled taut against their own bones. Urgently Mono tried climbing up his father's pant leg to reach the remote in his pocket. Trying again and again only to fail again and again. Desperate Mono reached for the dials on the Tv to turn it off. Only for an unknown force to push Mono away as he tried to do so.

"NO!" Mono screamed out as he reached out. He wouldn't let this thing take his parents as he forced himself forward. The energy from the TV screaming out at him as he advanced. Mono terrified for himself and family reached his left arm out in an attempt to grab anything. In his fearful rage Mono didn't notice as his arm started glowing again. With a massive scream a pulse of energy erupted from Mono's hand rupturing everything around him. His parents were blasted away from the TV, the TV itself was shattered glass broken and smoking, and Mono was pushed backwards from the initial blast.

None of them heard the small scream in the distance and then everything lay quiet only for a moment.

Mono opens his eyes a few hours later to see the wreckage. The living room is destroyed a massive scorch mark where the TV was. He looked over to see his parents laying on the floor slowly moving. Mono holds his breath hoping it worked.

Stan was the first to get up slowly picking himself up from the floor. Mono thought he looked normal for a few seconds before he turned to face Mono. Half of Stan's face was gone just a wrinkled mess left behind and the other half only left with an eye and half of a mouth. Martha wakes up after him and her face too is messed up. She only has her eyes but not her mouth or nose. Just the same wrinkled skin his dad has. Mono is shook from his distractions as his father screeches out.

"The Bliss! Where has it gone?!"

Stan runs over to the TV seeing the broken shards. Desperately Stan begins turning dials, unplugging, and plugging the TV, pressing the remote buttons over and over, and fixing the antennae. Doing anything to get the TV to turn back on despite its broken screen. Martha joins in as well trying to do every they could to try and bring it back. Stan is brought out of his attempts as Martha points to a glowing residual energy left inside the TV screen. Their senses trace the energy back to the boy laying crumped on the floor with a glowing arm.

"YOU!"

Both of them corner Mono looking straight down at him. Mono feels ripped of hope as these two stare down at him. He feels nothing but malice towards him from these two. He runs away pulling himself towards the door when a foot slams into his ribs kicking him towards the door.

"YOU LITTLE RAT! YOU'VE STOLEN OUR HAPPINESS AWAY FROM US. YOU AND THAT FREAK ARM OF YOURS."

Stan runs into his room and Mono hears the sound of his father's tools being sorted through. Martha still trying to get the TV to work ignores Mono for the time being. Mono trying to ignore the pain gets to his feet and runs out into the hallway. He makes it to the stairwell when his father followed by his mother leave the apartment himself. Mono's eyes go down to the object in his father's hand.

A hacksaw.

"YOU STOLE SOMETHING OF OURS. I THINK IT'S ONLY FAIR YOU PAY US BACK!"

Mono runs down the stairs and out of the building with his parents hot on his heels. He's running down the sidewalk his heart pounding in his chest as he flees the monsters trying to kill him. They aren't his parents he's convinced of that now and that fills him with pain. Getting lost in his emotions he doesn't notice that he's slowing down. He's snatched from the ground quickly and he's struggling to get away. Wriggling in a vice-like grip Mono's doing everything he can to no avail. His parents look down with glee at what they've caught. Stan slams his hand against the brick wall forcing Mono to let go of his breath.

"HOLD HIM! I DON'T WANT TO CAUSE US PAIN ONLY HIM."

Martha held Mono at both the hand and body allowing her once husband access to the boy's arm. The saw gets closer and closer. When suddenly a sharp pain enters his left forearm and a sickening grinding sound can be heard. The pain is unbearable as Mono screams out in pain. The whole city could hear the screams of a boy that day, but no one cared for him.

Not a soul.

Soon the pain became unbearable for Mono that he just dangled there. Out of energy from the trials of the day. The grinding continued and the pain endured until there came a point.

Where the grinding couldn't be heard and more and Mono couldn't feel his hand as he was suddenly dropped. Mono fell to the concrete unable to move and pain too great he couldn't breathe. Another sound could be heard not far from him and Mono looked up to see.

His left arm sitting a few feet away from him. He could feel himself growing weaker as he looked up to see his parents already gone. Their footsteps disappearing off in the distance no longer interested in the boy that tried to save them. Mono laid there as he cried. This was it; he was going to die. Just a broken child upon the stonework of what used to be the Shining City. Now only a pale reflection of what it used to be. Mono closed his eyes hoping to be in a much better place the next time he opened them.

As he fell into unconsciousness, he didn't notice the large meaty hand clasping around him and dragging him away.

So if anyone was concerned about how I just ignored the demise of the Pale City in two chapters. Don't worry we're not quite done with the descent.

Please Review I enjoy people's interpretations.