Sirrom notes:
I have read a couple of stories on here before and thought I would never write one myself. Far too much work, but then suddenly life stuff happened, and suddenly I got sucked in. So, you now have the pleasure of reading my first piece of vomit. Ever, though I promise it will be the best damn vomit you have ever read. There will be OCs in this story, there will be violence and mature relationships. A warning for those that don't dare read further. read to your heart's content. Ch next week. Enjoy the vomit.
Chapter 1:
The world wasn't what Guen had expected it to be. Far duller than his childhoods imaginations. The people his age were all stupid, and the elders even dumber. it is their fault that one's entire worth depends on an exam, your entire life is determined by a three-hour test. Which is why Guen simply quit, keeping to himself, and staying inside. Wasting his time with whatever new hot game for the month. Then quickly growing tired of it, and switching to the next.
Guen slowly lifted himself from his desk, glazing toward the clock in the corner of his computer. 4 am. Guen released a sigh, just a little more time until hell he thought. The neon blue lights from his computer suddenly blared his eyes.
His body could not handle another all-nighter it seemed. He had been pulling them more frequently. Not for an inability to sleep, but the fear of the day that would follow. Another day of his life was spent in his room withering away. It was hell. The more he slept, the faster the next day would come.
Guen had failed his university exams for the second time. With zero motivation to try a third time, he had no direction in life. The only thing that kept him going were the stories that he would read on the weekends. He could live in them, revel in them and be somewhere far from his desolate room. Though that feeling ended when he finished. If it hadn't been for them, he would have called it quits a long time ago. He gazed at his screen, his game character kept making small shuffles but standing completely still. He alt-tapped his keyboard and quit the game.
Though sleep was terrifying, so was the silent night. Searching for a video to watch, he felt a deep dry sensation within his throat. He pulled one of the cans on the floor to his mouth. Nothing hit his tongue. Guen let out a sigh. He raised himself from his dirty futon, being careful not to make any noise, his roommate had come home from his shift today. He usually stayed over with his girlfriend. Lucky bastard. He scurried out to the shared area and opened the fridge, pulling out a large can of soda, and hurried back to his room. Tomorrow was the worst day of the week. Ok the second worst, the worst was Monday. But Guen would have work tomorrow, and his longest shift. Another reason for not wanting to sleep, making his pain arrive faster. Just the thought of having someone's card decline or wanting to make small talk with him. It made his skin crawl. He had learned a long time ago, that he just was not made like other people. The job kept him afloat though, making just enough for a single closet room, and some noodles. Because of his lifestyle, he had become bony thin, not a flesh of meat on his frame. He sat back down to watch the video, laughing halfheartedly whenever a terrible joke came. He slurped the soda and tried to forget the work he would have to endure tomorrow. He couldn't. It would be Saturday tomorrow, and he had just read all the manga he had been waiting for the entire week. It would be a tough seven days. Though it always was for Guen
RING… RING.…. RING…. his alarm blared in his ear drums. He didn't want to wake his roommate with his alarm, though not out of courtesy but fear of a confrontation. There were many sounds Guen hated in life, but this? Well, it was atop the list. He pulled the earphones from his ears and glanced at his screen. 6 am, it read in the top corner. He had gotten around thirty min of sleep. Though his exhaustion would be clear to anyone that looked at him, he didn't feel tired. Not knowing the hell of a day that was ahead of him.
A foul smell entered his nose, his hands quickly covering his nose. The room smelled of rotten sweat. His room was disgusting, but he didn't have time to clean it now. He would do it tomorrow. Today had other things on the menu.
He stretched his body out, but his feet hit the sides of the room before he could even fully extend his knees. It was lucky he wasn't claustrophobic then this room would have been hell as well. He found his work uniform hanging, on the door hanger. The only clothes that he made sure were meticulously clean, so he wouldn't get embarrassed at work. He took the uniform and headed into the bathroom. Turning on the freezing water, the warm water taking too long to heat. He was in and out like the flash, his body barely touching the water, but he had gotten clean. That was all that mattered. With his body clean, and his uniform on he walked toward the door that led to the outside world. It felt so foreign to him, like two different worlds that were connected by nothing but the door. He took a few calming breaths and walked out the door. Where he hated being the most.
It was a blessing the store was just a block down the street. And it being 6 in the morning, it was only him and some early birds walking around. His uniform fit him poorly, like a hanger that didn't fit the shirt's measurements. They had given him a size too large when he had first started, but he had lost a lot of weight since then. His uniform now had to be around three sizes too big, so he had to tighten it around the waist. Though he still thought it looked ridiculous on him. The walk was swift, and with fast-paced strides, he reached his destination in a heartbeat. The store was much cooler than the warm morning giving him a pleasant feeling on his skin. It was just a normal convenience store he worked at, if not a little small for a corner shop. "Finally, you're here," the man behind the counter said. Dark circles around his eyes were visible. He had just run the night shift. Guen looked at his wrist the time being right on time.
"Why do you always come late," he said. The man was large, well most were in comparison to Guen. He also had a bulging gut and looked well past forty. He didn't know really; he only saw the man when he had to change shifts with him. He was always irritated when he came. "Sorry I ran a little late, guess I got out a little late" he said, even though he was right on time. He couldn't handle a confrontation this early, if ever. The man went around the corner. "Whatever," he said, tossing him the keys to the place. "Just don't be late next time, I hate waiting" he said. Walking out the door. "Uhm, and another thing," he said glazing back toward Guen. "Yeah? "Guen said timidly. "I have plans Tuesday, so the boss told me to tell you that you have my shift," he said walking out the door. "Wait!" Guen called, but the man was gone. Guen stood there for a moment. He exhaled a deep sigh and went behind the counter. An extra day in hell.
He was jealous of the man. The man had the night shift, having probably talked with a total of 5 people in the span of 8 hours. Guen could reach up to 50 people in a shift. Now he would have to do it twice. He had to let it leave his mind, he could not afford to think about it right now. He had to get through this shift first.
The early mornings were always slow. No one was about currently, and the people that where was from drinking too much the day before. No, it was first later in the day people wanted snacks, so for now, he would revel in his little comfort. Sitting behind the counter on the chair, pulling out his phone. Setting to finishing the light novel chapter that he hadn't done the day before. Guen could already feel it was going to be a long day.
The people slowly started churning in, and he put on the best smile he could. Though he didn't doubt it looked incredibly forced. He had often thought of quitting, and finding another job something where he didn't have to talk to people. But the thought of finding another job was far more daunting. "Have a nice day" he said to two school kids. Physical labor also was not for him, he had found that out long ago. And at the age of nineteen, well few wanted a person with no experience or college degree. So, he was practically stuck here. Though he didn't dare think ahead, that vision being too depressing. The day slowly grew older, and eventually, he had finished his shift. It had been a busy day, but he had gotten through it, but how he wished he could have a hoodie on at work. The feeling of being comforted would have made the job much easier. Guen passed the keys toward the person with the next shift. They didn't say anything to each other. Both looked miserable.
The fresh air hit Guen hard, and he suddenly felt all his energy drain from his body. Like his battery had been depleted for weeks. He wanted nothing but to be under his blanket finishing his light novel. His pace was slower now, but not because he didn't have the energy. He could find the energy to get away from people, even if he didn't have any. But it was 6 pm. Rush hour. With hundreds of people filling the streets he had nowhere to move, but slowly forward.
Everyone here wanted to get home but none as much a Guen. Though he passed his apartment complex. He needed food, well if noodles counted as food. He needed to restock, and he knew if he went home now, well he would starve for the night. He had done it before. He couldn't shop at his grocery store; they were far too expensive. So, he went into the mall with the cheapest groceries in town. But with the most people. The store was on the third floor, of a large building. Guen was in and out as fast as humanly possible.
As he was walking out though he saw something. Like his brain was suddenly invaded by images. Images of a little girl, walking in hand with her mother. A large smile on her face. The image suddenly changes. Suddenly the girl was falling out the window with tears streaming down her face. The last image was of the girl on the pavement, disfigured. dead. Just as fast as it had invaded his mind, it disappeared. He felt like throwing up, the image being far too real. Having never seen something so disturbing in his life. It… it looked so real. As he was about to get his stomach under control, someone pushed him aside. hard.
He looked at the figure that had just shoved him aside. His agitation disappeared as he saw the large form, a figure with a hoodie hiding their face. The person was sprinting like their life depended on it. Guen looked in the direction the man was running. Like déjà vu. There was the girl, and her mother slowly walking in the mall. The vision suddenly felt extremely real. He felt a bubbling feeling inside of him. The scarring image of the disfigured girl laying on the pavement.
The man was sprinting at the two, and people in the mall were making way—staring at the wild man. He didn't have the story, or the why's to the situation. Guen didn't know why, or how but his body moved without even thinking. His sickly body tried to catch up to the larger man. He didn't even know what he would do if he did catch up. Fight? He had never fought before, nor ever wanted to. He didn't even know what he would do if he caught up. The man weighed three times what he did. Suddenly the entire mall had stopped and were staring at the man running. None were watching him, the large man catching all the attention. Finally, the woman seemed to look at the commotion and saw what was running right in their direction. She got the most horrid look on her face. The pit in Guen's stomach grew. He did not know why, or how but the man had a grudge. He could see the woman try to scream but her body did not seem to respond. She took hold of the small girl, and her stroller trying to get them to run.
"Vannesa!" the man screamed.
"This is your fault" screaming like a man lost in rage.
The whole mall was watching now. The man would be upon them two in seconds. "Help" The woman was finally able to scream, but the security guards were much further away. Though he doubted that they would do any good, with a man his size. What the hell could he even do himself? "You killed her. You monster." The large man screamed. His voice filled with fury. "You killed the only thing that mattered to me." "NO!" the woman screamed franticly.
Like a mother's instinct flaring, she went Infront of her kid. The man reached the woman and made to punch the woman with all his might. The woman miraculously dodged out of the way by pure instinct. The man looked down and saw the small girl beneath his feet. Tears now streaming down her terrified face. "This is your fault." He heard the man whisper, his voice somber. Guen felt his stomach sink, now he had almost reached them. And with the large man's focus being on the small kid, he hadn't been discovered. The man picked up the little girl and started for one of the large open windows
He had never noticed them before, but the window was right about waist height for the large man. In the blink of an eye, the man was pulling the girl toward the window. The woman was in complete shock. The security guards were nowhere to be seen. But suddenly from everyone's perspective, it seemed that Guen spawned right behind the man. Knowing that his weight would do nothing if he just tried to punch him. He did the only thing his body could think of. He jumped into the man, shoulder first. With the added momentum, the man toppled and dropped the girl from his grip. Guen had run with more force than he thought, sending the man over the window edge. The man with nothing else to pull onto gripped Guen with all his might. A man three times his size with gravity helping was sadly far stronger than a bony skeleton. Guen didn't stand a chance, the two fell from the window. He could see the robber's face clear as day now. Filled with tears of his own, and cheeks red from heavy drinking. Why could he see so clearly, as he was falling to his death? Guen had shopped here enough times to know, from this height there would be no surviving. He didn't know why it was so…clear. It was like time had stopped. But he was still falling. There was only one thought that filled him, as he hurled toward the concrete below. "I'm sorry…grandpa" he thought. It seems I won't be getting get eyes like yours. Guen didn't even fully comprehend what he did. Had it been the right thing? But before he could even ponder the decision that would end his life. His body bounced off the hot concrete. His body dead on impact.
…Wet? The only thing Guen could feel was cold wetness. He looked down and saw his lower body submerged in water. Water? No this was not water. He took his arm out of the liquid. His hand forming a cup. Red? Blood! His mind raced. Suddenly thinking of all the possibilities because he could remember clear as day. Two seconds ago, he had dropped from over fifty feet. Which could only mean? He hoped he hadn't been such a terrible person that he landed in hell. He hadn't done much in his life, but well the last act was what really counted right? Guen scanned the blood-filled area. Nothing but darkness, and red liquid in sight. It seemed to go on forever.
"It does" a voice suddenly echoed. It was loud. Extremely loud. "Even I don't know its full length, and I am its master" the terrifying voice said. Guen was dumbfounded. His mouth slack, his brain not being able to compute what was currently happening. Wait could it read his mind "You are far too slow." The voice said." Come to me, I don't have long to accommodate the likes of you." Come to it? How he didn't even know where the voice was coming from. And he was almost drowning in blood. "Dive as far down as you can, and then a little further" the voice said. He suddenly realized that he was treading water. How deep did this lake go? No, it felt much more like an ocean.
"Dive? In blood? That's not happening" Guen said, hard to care for confrontation, when one is already dead. "Always like this with your kind, no sense of urgency" the voice said. Suddenly a force like no other he had felt before encroached on his limbs. He felt an invisible force wrap around all four of them. Quickly It felt like gravity had just gotten times stronger, and with no control over his body, he was pulled down. "Wait!" He screamed but to no avail. He was already heading to the depths of the abyss, with blood filling his lungs. It kept pulling him down. The pain grew stronger. And the need for oxygen grew by the second. Could he die a second time? He didn't know he could, but he was about to find out. The pain kept getting worse and worse. His mind slowly faded to black. "Stop being so pitiful" the voice suddenly said. And with what seemed like a final push, he felt his body being released from the ocean of blood.
The force stopped. Guen suddenly thought he would free fall, no place of support under him. Though a meter down, he landed on his bum, hard. He was simply happy he didn't hear a crack. He didn't think they would have great healthcare down here. Guen looked toward the ground and saw a red surface, like blood had been cemented and was suddenly hard as a rock. The thought sent a shiver down his spine. A force compelled him to look upwards, and there was something much more frightening. An entire ocean of blood, just hanging in the air. Like gravity didn't exist. The thought of the blood suddenly falling, made his body pile with sweat.
Guen needed to be out of here as quickly as possible. " Something we can agree on," The voice said. It sounded so monotone, so he couldn't figure out if it were a male or female. It felt like something different. Almost robotic. "I will get right down to it; you have foiled our plans. My plans" The voice said. Our? There are more of these things. And what had he foiled? He didn't even know what he could have ruined." I will not give you the luxury of knowing, an ant that cannot even follow its proper destiny deserves no such gift." The voice said. He could feel rage within the voice now. The monotone voice was gone. Guen could feel himself shrinking. He really didn't want to be here right now.
"Since you suddenly loved to play hero, despite your pathetic life, you cannot sacrifice yourself anymore, and now we must find another ant. Disrupting the entire process." the voice said. All was lost to Guen after the word sacrifice. Was that his destiny? He could feel a silent rage well up inside him. Just knowing his whole life was supposed to a sacrificial lamb. It hurt. was this god, or were there multiple gods? "Now, my time is almost up," the voice said. "But I have a special surprise for you. You do not deserve to find peace with the other's souls, we do this with people that seem not to know their place. So, they warn the other souls once they die." "But—" Guen said about to defend himself. It had been because of the vision, maybe it had been one of the others that had sent him it. Maybe it was all a big miss understanding. "No, but's make sure to warn your fellow's souls, lest they become worthless like you." Guen couldn't even begin to wrap his head around what was going on. But he knew it wasn't good. He could tell with the anger within the voice.
"I have just the place for you," the voice said. "A place that your world seems familiar with, a place that has a god that's even harsher than me," the voice said, a sense of finality to it. "Be a good little soul now, and die quick. And remember to warn the others not to become like you." Guen could feel anger grow within himself, that he had never felt before. This was the thing that had planned his entire life. Everyone's life. And just because it didn't like something he did? He was going to get punished. But before Guen could provide a weak retort, suddenly the hard ground under him vanished, and like a gust of wind. The voice vanished as well.
Guen could feel his body getting sucked into something, though his entire vision had gone dark. He knew that nothing good would come from it. The force that was grabbing him, swallowed him whole. He felt his entire body being ripped apart, in every possible direction. Finally nothingness. Blackness overtook Guen's mind.