Out Of This World

by FacelessUser

Your average guy gets yoinked into another world. While the idea of it seems great, the reality of the situation will make itself very clear. A "realistic" take on the isekai genre with some conflict thrown into the mix. Will our protagonist manage to return home? Or succumb to insanity? Be it that of the world or his own.

5. Chapter 5 - Brewing Problems

I was tired.

I wiped a stain on the floor with a mop, going over it multiple times until it was spotless and sparkling clean. Once I was done with that spot I went over to another one where someone had thrown up their meal, fucking dickheads, use the bathroom that's why it's there!

How the hell did my life turn out this way? Only a week ago I was like any other teen and now I was working my ass off for minimum wage. It made me appreciate what I have- correction, what I had before I was zapped into this wicked world.

I apologize for my attitude, I've been so mad at everything lately and rightfully so. Let me rewind time a little.

After my little reading session in the public library I went back to the tavern, taking the longest bath of my life. I never thought doing something as simple as that could feel so fucking good. All the grime washing away, the pleasant lavender scent of the soap and the peaceful aura around me was delightful. I was so distracted in my happy place that I didn't notice an hour had passed, and that the water had turned a light brown which was utterly disgusting.

Then, I left the bathroom, dried off with a towel, brushed my teeth and went to sleep in a clean pair of boxers. As you can imagine, I woke up hungry as hell because I'd also skipped dinner. Now that I reflect on that, why am I doing that? Like, what the actual fuck? I know I need to eat but I don't feel like doing it. Perhaps I need to take more of the meds- no, dumb idea. Only one a day, just one.

After I put on my newly purchased, depressing clothes including the overcoat I went down to the ground floor for breakfast. A different man was behind the bar at that time, he was far less enthusiastic than the other man I'd met. I asked him what they had for breakfast and the menu didn't sound too appetizing, so I settled for oatmeal.

Why oatmeal? It was cheap. No, I wasn't being greedy. I had to save all the money I had until I could get some sort of income. And now that I have one… yeah, I still eat oatmeal every morning. You know what? Screw it, think whatever you want, it filled my stomach and that was good enough.

Once I was done with my breakfast I left the tavern on my search for a job. The first few hours yielded no success but eventually I came across a public board that had a ton of posters. It had bounties for hundreds of gold coins, advertisements for new and old businesses and most importantly; job offers.

The area around the board was a little crowded, so I took out my glasses since I couldn't get a closer look at the nailed papers. There were a few places hiring people, the problem was they needed "people with experience" and "above twenty one", two things I clearly wasn't. The age requirement I understood, but the former was total bullshit. Even in my world, like, it's- I- you know what my initial response was to that? Bruh, just bruh.

Okay, let's analyze this; if someone who's new to work wants to start, well, working, is denied hiring because he has no experience, then how the fuck is he supposed to get a job?! That's some paradox type shit man, absolute cunts I tell you. Just thinking about it makes me so angry I could snap this mop in half, but I didn't because my boss would take that out of my paycheck and possibly fire me.

And I didn't want that, the job I currently had was the only one that didn't try pulling that dirty trick, plus I could do almost everything I had to; I could wash the dishes because I used to do the chores around the house from time to time as well as vacuum the carpet, although a broom was less efficient it still worked. Oh, how much I miss technology, it made life infinitely easier.

In addition, I had to take orders which I quickly picked up on. Thanks school! For once you taught me something useful; do as you are told and keep your mouth shut. "Can I take your order?" "Would you like a glass of water?" "Your order will be ready in no time!" "Sir, you can't shit on the table." "That'll be this amount of money," and "Come again!" were all lines I parroted like the brain dead gamer I was, ha! Hahaha, I miss video games.

I figured out why I was so angry, it's so simple- I WANNA GO HOME! FUCK THIS WORLD AND ALL THESE FUCKING CULTISTS AND RAPING WHORES! FUCK THESE GODS AND THEIR BULLSHIT! FUCK ALL OF YOU! Not you, this world- fucking hell, now I feel like shit.

That felt good though, letting all that built up frustration out even if it was in an inner monologue. So yeah, I got a job as a janitor, server, dishwasher and other stuff in a restaurant that's doing pretty well. My fellow employees were nice enough and so was the boss, but I didn't give a flying fuck. I want home and I want it now but hey, guess what? DENIED.

Two days ago I had a night shift, so I said bye bye to my sleep schedule and went to the library a couple hours before work. I spend hours, hours trying to find anything about transportation between other worlds. Nothing, not a crumb of knowledge. Either the natives genuinely knew nothing about that or they, and by "they" I mean the Order and or the succ-succ hoes, were hiding that information. Maybe they somehow brought me here, imagine if that were true. It's so unlikely that me getting bitches seemed more plausible at this point. Why would they even need me? I'm useless, there's nothing I can do to contribute to their never ending war. And frankly enough, it's not my war. For all I care this world can burn in an atomic blaze.

…Okay, that may be a little too much. Perhaps not everyone is bad, but… eh, whatever.

Moving on, we get to the present; me cleaning the dark oak floors of the restaurant with a bucket and a mop but no wet ass kitty. I get paid four silver at the end of every shift, although my schedule can change depending on what the boss says. By my calculations, if I cut my expenses as much as I possibly can and go on a little diet, I get a profit of one silver every day.

Yup, my life was pretty shit but it could've been worse. It could've been so much worse, I was glad with what I had. Especially music, what would I do without my songs. I listen to many genres; pop, rock, electronic, jazz, classical, chillout and more. I didn't have a favorite, there were many good songs from all those genres. And hey, if you enjoy something and it doesn't hurt anyone, good for you. Just don't bother others, if you do that, that makes you an asshole.

I heaved a tired sigh, wiping off the sweat that had accumulated on my forehead. The floor was sparkling clean, you could see your own reflection on the wooden floor.

If only I had a little more cash on hand, maybe I'd be able to improve my nutrition. Who can't use a little more money? We truly live in a society.

I took a seat near one of the tables, gently putting the mop down on the floor. I glanced at the clock hanging above the entrance, I had an hour left of work before I could hit the hay. Tomorrow I have a day off so I'll be free to do whatever I please, nice. I was thinking of going to that circus in town.

Yup, there was a circus in this shithole of a settlement. Through listening to my coworkers I learned that they had arrived yesterday and were staying for a few days before leaving for the next town. I also heard they had magic, actual magic. My curiosity got the better of me and I really wanted to see what they had in store. I never went to one of those in my life, so if I did go it'd be a first experience. And why not? It was only one silver per person along with discounts for kids and the elderly. Every day, they had a show that lasted a couple hours around dawn.

You know what? I'll go there tomorrow. As much as I dissed magic before, maybe it could be entertaining, what could possibly go wrong?

"Zack! C'mere a sec," oh shit, oh no, oh fuck. I'm getting flashbacks to middle school, no! I wasn't slacking I swear! I just took a short break. I swear if he scolds me for that I'm going to scream.

I stood up from the chair, stretching my back with a few pops before walking over to my boss. He was a big man, almost two meter tall. He had a long beard of full of gray and white hairs, though he didn't look that old. He had a beer belly but I bet he was stronger than he seemed. He was an intimidating figure. However, he was actually pretty friendly if you got to know him even on a basic level.

"Yes, boss?" I asked somewhat nervously, hoping I'd done nothing to upset him. Even if he was a bit of a softie, he didn't go easy on his employees. I saw one of the workers slacking on the job and let me tell you, he wasn't the same after the boss had a "chat" with him in the backroom.

"Relax, you ain't done nothin' wrong. You been workin' good, wish more were like ya," he complemented, crossing his arms over his buff chest.

"Oh! Y-yes, thank you," I laughed awkwardly, glancing to the side. He wasn't just intimidating, he had the vibe of the fucking Hulk. Only thing missing here is him lifting a log above his head with one arm while flexing the other.

"I need ya to man the counter for the rest for yer shift, I'm goin' out for business. Kole's gonna keep an eye 'ere too, 'aight?" Phew, no problem then. Kole was sort of the co-owner of the restaurant. From this point onward I'll refer to my boss as Boss for convenience sake. As I said, Kole and Boss were partners, he was on the short side and quiet. He was intelligent, talking only when necessary and watching us like a hawk. Anyone, employee or customer, that stirred up trouble got to deal with his articulated insults and uncanny gaze. He made me giggle a few times, quickly earning my respect.

"Sure, no problem," I replied, returning to the table to pick up the mop before taking it to the storage room at the back. Inside were cleaning supplies, corked bottles, a few weapons which I didn't question and strange books which I also didn't question or touch. Not mine, not my problem, none of my business.

Closing the door behind me, I went back to the front of the establishment. Boss was putting on his coat while Kole was sitting on one of the chairs reading a newspaper-scroll thing.

"If anyone comes lookin' for me, tell 'em to stick it, 'aight?"

"Yes sir," I replied, stopping behind the bar, leaning forward on the counter with my elbows.

"Hmm," Kole said, more like made a noise, not even looking up from the newspaper. Imagine if we had a kid like that in school. The jokes, the memes, the bullying! It would never end, you know exactly what I'm talking about. It has its ups and downs, depending on who you ask.

Boss waved a hand farewell before exiting his restaurant, going to wherever for whatever. After a while of standing my legs began to hurt so I pulled out a stool from under the counter, it had some space underneath it, and sat down. I held my chin in my right palm, sighing in weariness. I couldn't wait to get home- no, to the hotel- motel- for fuck's sake! Being here's started to mess with my terms, not that surprising though. This world was ages behind mine, technologically, societally, medically, ideologically and so on. Their terms can be confusing at times but I'm managing, and sometimes I have these little brain farts.

Anyhow, we just sat there minding our own business. Kole was reading the newspaper and I was staring at the front door with half lidded eyes, my mind wandering far away. I was daydreaming about Mom and Dad, imagining their happy faces when they'll see me again.

Did I mention that I want to go back? Why can't I go back? It should be possible, no? If it's like a river, then I'll swim against the current. I'll build a dam and scream "FUCK YOU WORLD!" to everyone's faces. I want to go back, away from this horrible world. My life may have been… okay, it was boring, but I was safe, I was content, I was happy. That's why I will go back. It's not a matter of if, but when. Perhaps I've become delusional or something, no, no I'm not. I'm fine, I will go home and when I do this whole thing blows over it'll seem like a bad dream.

Just like that, I became lost in my thoughts. So lost that half an hour later I almost fell off my seat when a group of three men barged into the building, laughing and teasing each other. I was instantly brought back to reality, this reality, getting off the stool and shoving it back under the counter, hands behind my back while I waited patiently for them to approach me. Why now of all times? We're almost closing, you twats. Oh well, last order and I'm done for today.

Once the group stopped in front of the counter, the man with the biggest shoulder pads quieted the other two down, turning his attention to me.

"Greetings, peasant. Prepare three bottles of mead, your finest quality. And make it quick," he snapped his fingers at me, taking a table not too far from me with his goons.

Wow, what a dickhead. Right now I wanted to punch him in the face but obviously restrained myself since he was an officer of the Order. The three men were all officers in fact, indicated by the medals they wore and the crosses over their hearts. Their uniforms were professionally woven with smooth dark fabric, a sword hanging from each hip and those stupid shoulder pads. They were armed and dangerous, there was no way I could take them on- WHAT AM I SAYING?! Control yourself, man. Just... calm down, relax. Don't do anything stupid, stay cool and take it like a big boy.

Wow, that sounds really bad out of context.

I shook my head from side to side behind their backs as they sat down, turning around to take three bottles of mead which I learned was an alcoholic beverage made with honey, and brought the three officers their order, not daring to make eye contact with any of them.

"Here's your order, that'll be three gold," at that, they went silent. However, they then burst out laughing, patting each other on the back as they cackled like hyenas. Bruh, what is this? No, like, why is this? I really don't feel like doing this shit, please no-

"Do you really think we're paying? We're the Order, fuck off before I cut your head off!" Yup, got it. Fuck you too, Commander Fuckoff. I glanced at Kole for guidance, but he simply shook his head and gestured to return to my post before going back to his newspaper. I did so, ignoring their pathetic insults, my blood pressure spiking ten folds. This is giving me worse flashbacks, the only difference is that I can't retaliate unless I wish to become french royalty.

I glanced at the clock, I had twenty five more minutes of this bullshit before I was free. I sighed once again, leaning on the counter as I waited for time to pass as slowly as it did. The restaurant was beautiful; the walls were made of a dark wood just like the floor, polished to a fine degree. There were a dozen tables for groups, large and small, to dine at. The most impressive and expensive decor here was the chandelier hanging from the ceiling, rich with freshly lit candles.

In short, the workplace was a score. The people? Not so much. Hey, that kinda rhymed! Anyway, the customer isn't always right. Yesterday me and a couple other employees had to throw out some drunk guy after he tried "negotiating" the price of a wine bottle. And by "negotiating" I mean he demanded we give him one or he'd call the guards on us. Of course, he was capping, so nothing happened after that. Still, it was pretty funny, we even joked about it no more than a minute later.

What am I going to do? I mean, let's be real for a second. I'm working as a server, washer, cleaner and whatever else, in another fucking world. Yes, I'm managing. But for how long? I want to go home so badly, like- ugh! Hell, I'm even starting to miss that stupid bully, that's how desperate I am! I held my head, breathing deeply in order to calm myself.

And it didn't help that I couldn't share the truth with another soul, the risk outweighed the reward by a landslide. I figured out what's going on with me; trauma. I'm definitely fucked in the head due to all this, and that depression thing isn't helping either. Now that I mention that, I had another delightful realization I'd like to share with you.

As we know, I have a chronic sadness that could become lethal if left untreated. Okay, so I have medicine that helps me tremendously, good. But you see, you missed a little detail; where am I going to get more? Hmm? Oh, the pharmacy? NOPE! Because they're millennia behind on that. Replacements? Unless I want to kill myself. Essential oils don't do shit and vaccines don't cause autism, don't be stupid. Conclusion? I'm mega fucked.

Two days ago I'd spilled all the pills out of the little container on my bed, counting forty in total. That's great, but what after? What happens after I run out? I don't want to find out, ever. Just imagining that scenario sends shivers down my spine. But hey, there's no reason to panic! In order to avoid that I just have to get back home before that happens, simple enough! ONLY I DON'T FUCKING KNOW WHERE TO START!

And that's the story of my life in a nutshell, thank you for coming to my Ted-Talk and see you next time. Heh, yeah. What a day, what a lovely day! My mental state is totally stable, yup. Mhm, I'm perfectly fine. Ah fuck, I'm so fucked I don't even know it. Then, you have to also factor in the Order and the rape-hoes. The sum adds up to "We're fucked, we're fucked. We're completely fucked," singing that with a cracking voice.

...I think I've ranted enough for today.

"-so I said kill that bitch! And he did!" I was brought out of my internal monologue by the drunken laughter of the officers. As I reminded myself of my dire situation these fucktards chugged their bottles till there was not a drop left. Damn, that's impressive, but still fuck them.

"Yeah, yeah. I tell ya these monsters ain't shit. All they do is fuck and fuck and fuck while we do the real work. Chief God kill 'em all," the second slurred, raising an empty bottle in the air.

"I'll -hic- drink to that!" the third said, clanging his empty bottle against the second's, laughing along with his buddy.

"Ay! Ay! You! Kid! Bring us some more, ay?" the commanding officer asked kindly, moving his body from side to side with a silly smile.

I was scared, terrified. They were drunk out of their minds and off the hook. If I made one wrong move, or said one wrong word they could kill me. I broke into a cold sweat, my legs shaking from the sudden rush of adrenaline. I don't care if Boss scolds me, they can have all the alcohol in the backroom as well.

"Of course, officers! Coming right up!" I gleefully answered, earning a hurray from the clowning trio. I quickly turned around to get another three bottles of mead before jogging to the unexploded minefield, gently placing a bottle in front of each officer, "Enjoy!"

"Now that's what i'm talking about kid, you ain't so bad after all!" the second slurred, starting to drink without restraint.

"Yeah, yeah -hic- , if only that fuckin' preist-"

"HEY!" the commander shouted, silencing the other two and shocking both me and Kole, though I didn't really know about kole, he just glanced up from his newspaper and observed us.

"Sorry -hic- sorry! But c'mon on, you know what I -hic- mean-"

"Shhhhh, shhhhh," the commander put a finger to his lips, the third's lips, shaking his head. If this is what it's like being drunk, I don't think I want to be that.

"But-"

"I know what you mean. Do you think I wanna be in this shithole? I got a wife back home waiting for me, and two kids! Listen, okay? Are... are you listening?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah-"

"Not you, you! Are. You. Listening?"

"Yes sir!" He faked saluted, earning a sudden burst of laughter from of the other two. I slowly began backing away from them, contemplating my life choices. I checked the time, fifteen minutes to go. Come on, just a little more and I can bug off. Please, time, for once pass faster!

"I promise ya, when we get that thing we can forget about all this shit."

"But how?! How are we -hic- supposed to find it if, if, if -hic- we don't know how they look like?" Wait, what?

I continued my walk back to the counter, paying great attention to their loud conversation.

"I don't fucking know, okay?! We just gotta look for weird stuff. Even if we don't find them, someone will... eventually. They're sweeping every town. I heard the Order searched every house in Dunburg, killed a few bastards too."

"No way, really?"

"Yeah, yeah, he's right. I saw an Inquisitor a few days ago-"

"WHAT?!" The commander and the third man grabbed the other man by his clothes, lifting him out of his chair. "YOU'RE FUCKING LYING!"

"S-sir! I-I swear on my mother's life! He had the mask and everything! Maybe it was a she-?" he was let go unceremoniously, hitting the floor with a thud.

"Goddess.. This is bad, this is really bad. You idiot! You should've told us sooner!" The commander shouted, losing sight of me and Kole in his blind rage.

"W-why? W-w-what's w-w-wrong?"

"The Inquisition is what's wrong, you dumbass! I didn't think it was that bad... we need to go, now."

"N-now?"

"No, tomorrow- RIGHT FUCKING NOW! LET'S GO!'' The commander grabbed the other two officers by the back of their uniforms, marching them out of here. However, before he left the building he took a long, good look at me, turning away with a huff.

...Well, that was something. Inquisition? What even is that? A branch of that order of theirs? But if they're also part of the Order, why were they so frightened? This is so confusing, that whole thing was a shitshow. And what were they talking about? They were looking for someone? Who? Perhaps a criminal? There must be a lot of crime in this world since it's way easier to get away with it. Another reason why I hate this world to add to my ever growing collection.

I sighed for the millionth time today, rubbing the sleepiness out of my eyes. Once again, I looked at the mocking clock, only this time it granted me relief; eight more minutes. Time to wrap up.

I went one last time behind the counter I'd become all too familiar with, taking out my trusty backpack and coat. I put on the coat followed by my backpack, stretching my legs a little as I waited for the final minutes of my shift to tick away.

Since Kole was done reading his newspaper, I decided to try sharpening my social skills in the best way possible; small talk.

"So, Kole, you know what they were talking about?" He stared at me before shrugging his shoulders, humming. Hmm, yeah, okay, got it. Truly inspirational, such wisdom.

"By the way, what's the Inquisition?" His demeanor changed instantly, his face paling, although mine was still paler. Despite being in a "healthier" environment I was still lacking vitamin D. No, it's not what you think. Vitamin D is what your skin gets from the sun, and it affects your happiness levels.

He slowly got up from his seat, advancing towards me. Every step he took was carefully and precisely calculated to be the most efficient, his eyes fierce and full of anger. Uh oh, I'm in danger.

Once he was a breath away from me, he whispered to my ear, "Don't ever mention that if you value your life, understood?" I nodded yes rapidly, getting the message crystal clear. This was the third time I've heard him speak, so this had to be a serious matter. Whatever the Inquisition was, it had a reputation that made even tough nuts like Kole crack. But it's all good because I wasn't going to mess with them either way. None of my business ,keep my head down and shut up, simple enough.

"Yes... okay, sooo... I'll... just go now, or...?" He hummed again, gesturing with a thumb to the front door. I thanked him for letting me leave a few minutes earlier, saying a goodbye before finally leaving the restaurant.

Well, you know what they say; another day, another ten cents. Hahaha, yeah.

The moment I left the workplace I was hit in the face with a cool breeze, shaking me to the core. I closed a few buttons on my coat, readjusting my travelpack so it was in a more comfortable position on my back. I've never once left my treasure chest out of sight except a few times such as going to the restroom, sleeping and eating. One of my biggest fears was losing everything I still had left. Call me materialistic, I don't care. My things reminded me of home, they gave me hope to return, to return to my world. As long as I remember what I'm fighting for I won't stop, I will never give up.

It made me proud to think like that, it gave me purpose. Ignoring the half empty cup in favor of the half full one. And hey, even if things are looking down for me there're always the little things in life. Tomorrow I'll go to the circus and have some fun.

As I was walking down the street back to the tavern, I'd extended my stay there for more gold, I couldn't brush aside that I'd witnessed. The officers didn't make sense not just because they were wasted, what were they talking about? I get it; Inquisition bad, stay away. But why? And more importantly, why are they here? What? Did they find another heretic to hang in the town square? Congratulations, you fucking murderes, I hope you and your gods are proud of yourselves.

After a short while I reached the tavern, entering in stride. The warm air immediately calmed my nerves, sighting in relief. It's been getting colder so it must've been the start of winter or late autumn. Either way, I have to get clothes more suited for the season or put on more layers, like an onion.

As I expected there was no one inside except the staff, the owner of the bar wasn't part of that present crew. The chairs were flipped on the tables, the sounds of squeaking glass being cleaned and the clopping of shoes echoed throughout the building. Imagine if I could've worked here, would've made life just a bit easier. Don't get me wrong, I asked the owner if I could work here but he politely explained that they were in no need of more staff. It was a bit of a bummer but at least he wasn't a total asshole about it, so I accepted his decision with grace.

I greeted the remaining staff with a silent nod and they returned the same. Almost all of them knew that I was a regular here, so there was no need to introduce myself everytime I came in. I went around a woman washing the floor as carefully as I could, minding my step so as to not accidentally slip. When I went up the stairs I held the railing on the side of the wall with one hand, not wanting a repeat of what happened four days ago. I'd fallen down the stairs because they were still wet, luckily I landed on my ass on every step and nothing else. I could still feel the stinging on my behind, fucking ouch.

Anyway, once I was on the second floor I went all the way down the corridor, opening my door, closing it behind me, dropping off the backpack near the leg of my bed and flopping face first onto the soft covers, relishing in the comfort of my temporary shelter. You know, there's one good thing about working; it's satisfactory. As much as it's exhausting, boring and even monotone at times, it's fulfilling. The act of doing something, anything, made me feel good about myself. Interacting with the world despite how much I hated it, talking to people, earning a day's payment, being productive in general. I think it's good for the soul, if I had one.

Ugh, I'm so edgy and sad, ooooh, please give me attention. My parents don't love me even though they work their asses off everyday while I'm not putting any effort in studying, ugh. Sounds familiar? If so, don't be that guy. I know everyone has their own problems, but what's a little sense of humor? You can laugh at others and yourself from time to time, just make sure it's in good taste. Oh, and timing, don't forget the timing. Or else all the Twitter warriors will cancel you. Ha, that's pretty sad actually. Good thing Twitter doesn't exist here. Hey, now I despise this world just a little less, yay.

It was time to go to bed. After I took a quick bath, put on a new pair of boxers, folded my clothes just like my mother taught me, ate some beef jerky I'd bought in the market as dinner, brushed my teeth with as little toothpaste as possible and stretched all the nooks out of my joints, I went under the covers, curling up into a ball of comfort. Ah, at least I have you, wonderful bed. Thank you for being so soft, you are truly the best.

Yeah, tomorrow is going to be great, I can already tell. I'll see magic tricks, real magic! Maybe it's not all gloom and doom? Heck, maybe I can make some friends- no, no, bad idea. Don't get attached to anybody, it will make leaving harder.

Still, I couldn't get what happened in the restaurant out of my mind. The Inquisition. They are looking for someone, and they don't even know who they're looking for, according to the officers. Then again, everything they'd said could've been total bullshit or misinformation, always take what you're told with a grain of salt. Okay, so the scary Inquisition is looking for someone, who? They don't know. A secret organization is looking for someone they don't even know. A secret organization is looking for someone unknown, never seen before…

Hmm... I'm someone they don't know. In fact, no one knows who I really am...

...

...Oh...

Oh.

OH.

OH!

OH SHIT!

My eyes opened wide in an instant, my heartbeat speeding like a formula one car down the racetrack. My breathing became heavier, cold shivers shuddering through my body despite the heat I produced under the blankets. I propped myself up, sitting on the bed legs crossed with both hands holding my head, shaking with... everything.

I... oh fuck, how? HOW?! I-it can't be. What are the chances? ZERO! BUT SO IS GOING TO ANOTHER WORLD! I-if they really are searching for me, then... they must've brought me here. Somehow, they had to have summoned me or something. How else would they be aware of my existence? BASTARDS! YOU MOTHERFUCKERS!

I punched the wall on my left, immediately regretting it and holding my hand in pain. Tears began streaming out of my eyes, no matter how hard I tried to stop them they just kept coming. All of this... because of them. They had to have brought me here, but...

Why? Why? Why? WhywhywhywhywhywHYWHTWHY- AAAAAAH!

I dropped down on my back, covering my face as I wheezed and sobbed like an asthmatic patient. I couldn't take it anymore, I just couldn't. All I want is to go home, but I don't think they'll let me. No, there's no reason for them to do that. They'll try to get everything out of me before throwing me away like a used condom. I can't let that happen.

Oh no, and, and... they're going from town to town, thoroughly. Oh fuck, h-how am I supposed to get away? I barely have money, plus the roads are extremely dangerous with all those rape machines lurking in every shadow. I'm trapped, there's no way out. Oh, I know what I am! I'M FUCKED! I'M SO FUCKING FUCKITY FUCKED! I'M SO FUCKED THAT THE FUCKED IN THE FUCKED IS MORE FUCKED THAN FUCK! FUCK!

I turned to my pillow, screaming in agony as loudly as I could until I ran out of breath. Then, I repeated the action some more until my throat burned and I could only cry into the fabric, the salty droplets soaking into the cover. What am I going to do? I-I can't take this anymore, I CAN'T! W-why? Why me of all people? I just want to go home. Please, God, please. I'm begging you. Please...

...Wait, maybe...

I gasped, an idea popping to my head. A solution, a way out of this! Yes! Zack, you genius! There's a circus coming to town, right? So, all I have to do is join them and fuck out of here! And I have a way of doing so; karaoke. Call me cringe, I give zero fucks, I'll sing for my fucking life if I have to. I had over five hundred songs on my phone, including the instrumentals. What after that? Fuck if I know, I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

With my heart coming down from the high and my tears drying on my cheeks, I giggled in the dark like a madman between sobs. I hugged the thick blanket as tightly as I could, afraid to let go. Eventually, I drifted away from this world into the safety of my mind. I didn't dream of anything that night, but at least I was safe.

...For now.

---

Author's Note:

Here's the fifth chapter. This one is a set up for the next one, you can guess what's going to happen to Zack. It was pretty fun writing this one, especially the breakdowns and drunk officers part.

AntoRaid98: I love the way you write, there are so many subtle hints and foreshadowing for the future that the wait between chapters kills me every time.

I hope the wait was indeed worth it. And yes, I love foreshadowing, it's my favorite tool in literature. I'll try to make the next chapter longer and a little action packed, but that's enough hints. I have other stories I'm working on in my free time so feel free to check those out.

Marshman101: This is really good and the second story I have seen with a man with no soul and I hope to read more!

I'm assuming you mean a different story another author made because I don't think I made another one like that. Anyhow, I'm glad you liked it.

Speaking of other stories, I plan on writing about other fandoms. So I was wondering if you, the readers, want me to open a poll where you can vote on what fandom I write next. However, I don't want to work on too many stories at once because it'll get pretty confusing. Tell me what you think about my other stories and whether I should make voting polls. I enjoy reading your reviews.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.

Stay safe and hydrated.

-FacelessUser