*Alright, third update for today, and this one's got a second part like pain is love, that I'm now too lazy to type, but I hope this would suffice for now.

*Free hugs to everyone. /(-_-)/

The world has its own rules and irony.

You might like it, or hate it, but that’s the reality.

You may always see things as unfair.

But the reality’s whispering that it’s you, who is not contented.

You may always compare yourself to others, and taking one step up, while pushing others down.

The reality’s you’re just envious and ambitious.

You may always show your sweetest smiles.

But inside you, you have always wanted to shout your most bitter cries.

The only thing that you have to do, and need to do, is to reach and achieve survival.

The world’s a pyramid for the strong and the rich.

The commoners are those who are lifting the base.

--

The sky was the same for hundreds of years. Red blood, as if signifying death and pain. As the first drop of rain fell, people left alive in the country ran toward the middle of the abandoned land, only to be melted by the strong pungent acid, and lose their lives.

            Even the waters from heavens seem enraged. The occurrence that was hoped for a long time to quench the heat became one of the worst killers.

            The smell of burnt flesh filled the air. Luckily for the countable number of the living, even a small trace of oxygen can still be used. Those who had the strength and had the ability to adapt first with this change survived, while those who were not sturdy enough with this competition were visited by death and were forever forgotten.

            Carbon dioxide and other suffocaters, as what the remaining survivors termed, took place higher than what used to be large percentage of nitrogen and oxygen.

            The world seems to be in a wide topsy-turvy.

            Well, this is a year, hundreds of years after the technological boom. Now is the worst year of ruin and commotion.

            2665.

            The year before the most feared point of chaos, as what Era had prophesied.

            That old woman, whose both eyes have popped out of their sockets, and was balding enough to show her discolored scalp, was either frightening to others, or they’re just anxious to reach out for some help.

            She considered the flawed and neglected little chapel as her own mansion. Others considered her as mad or just foolish, due to the way she speaks or moves. Her visions and conceptions always give goose bumps to her co-villagers.

            No one believes her.

            No one wants to believe her.

            “I know you’re watching me. Don’t be afraid.”

            “I’m not afraid. I’m just… curious. They are two very, different things.”

            “Really? So, you’re not afraid to be around me? The one they call the old witch or crazy hag? Are, you, sure?”

            As the old lady walked near the doorway where a youthful lad is standing upon, the latter suddenly stepped back, as if danger is nearing him.

            “You are afraid. I can feel it,” and she stepped back into the shadows of her home, without looking back to where the pale-looking boy is standing seems to think deeply after what she said.

            “Wait!”

            Slowly, the young lad followed Era, and hold onto her wrist.

            “I’m all alone now… and I don’t know where to go. They’re all… gone.”

            “They died? I know we would all die sooner or later, but this early,… what a bunch of idiots. They already know about what’s safe and not, yet…”

            “Not all, the others left were taken by men wearing black metal suits. I hid here, and I’m lucky that they did not go inside. You’re right… I’m afraid. I’m afraid if, I’ll live still after the next sundown.”

            Little waterfalls of tears sprang from both his hazel brown eyes. His wide lambent eyes don’t show any signs of cheer, but of suffering.

--

“If you can’t afford to live, feel free to die. No one’s stopping you.”

The harsh words resulted for the persons currently listening to either flinch or grunt. Smell of sweat and blood fills the room, with the citizens’ uncured cuts and dried bloodstains from others they tried to save, yet failed to revive. Those who, unlike the populace sitting on the floor with tattered and soiled clothes, are wearing sleek black suits with guns on their sides seem to be on alert, watching for any danger that might surprise them any minute now. The one, who looks like the leader, is clad in what looks like a heavy metal suit, charcoal black in shade. With his stature and bulkiness he seems to be the invincible type, yet they all know he too, could die like anyone else in the room.

Within the metal walls they feel safe, tired yes, but still safe. Outside the sturdy-looking gray façade, the world’s in total chaos, looking like some place straight out from a horror movie which includes both gore and catastrophe.

            Maybe, just maybe, there’s a chance that listening to the ones they have feared will also be their savior. Maybe there’s still a chance for the humanity to thrive once again. That they could return to the greeneries and lush flora and fauna that they’ve just read on books and seen on videos yet never experienced. If they won’t be able to reach that day, they’re hoping for their children and grandchildren to live in that kind of world. They don’t deserve to suffer from their forefathers mistakes. They deserve to live just as how they imagined them to be, playing freely under the warmth of the sun, feeling the light breeze tapping their cheeks, while looking at their smiling reflections on small puddles that formed after the light rain.

‘’But, if you’re wise enough to choose survival, you have to stay within our grounds and follow our orders, no matter what.’’

Almost everybody nodded in approval, except for a few who decided to lunge forward in a surprise frontal attack. From frustrations or anger they need to vent out, the watchers aren’t sure. What they know is that they don’t want to be part of the commotion as well.

Few gunshot sounds, followed by an eerie silence, and they were sure no one’s gonna think about rebelling or escaping as well. Sure, they don’t want to receive free holes on their skulls.

‘’Well, now that the problem with these guys are solved, we can continue where we left. These men beside me, they’ll lead you to your destination, so I guess you know how to behave by now. Start moving!

Slowly, they walked along well lightened corridors, others with the worst situations, deformed faces and other body parts or heavily bleeding slashes tried to drag themselves to keep with the pace of the others. The gray walls smell of disinfectant and chlorine, uncontaminated. Yet it made most of them feel like gagging and become more fearful. When one person with a wide hack on the back fell flat on his face, the nozzle of the gun was immediately pointed on his head without any hesitation, and before the man could raise his head from the cold floor and protest, he was shot directly between the eyes.

            No one had the heart to defend him. He’ll be another nameless stranger who died like everyone else before him. Faceless. Forgotten.

They kept on walking, following the two silent men like collared dogs chained to their masters. They want to cry, to shout out just to lessen the fear, yet they know that at the moment, the best way to make their lives longer is to plainly, shut up.

After what seemed to be eternity of walking, they reached a plain looking door, surprisingly made of wood, intricately designed of what seemed to be a narration of a war, men on chariots, others with swords decapitating the kneeling figures, women crying, leaning on dead bodies. Others are too grotesque for words.

Cameras hanging from the ceiling looked at their direction, it was mere objects, yet they feel scrutinized, watched closely like chess piece about to be eaten. One detached itself from it’s immovable position and went straight in front of one of the worker’s face.

‘’1092897-Kim, Myungsoo. We have fulfilled the order.’’

            With those words came the answer, the creaking sound of door opening, the light within showing shades of pearl white and galaxy blue.  4-d displays are freely floating around the minimally furnished room, with only a small oval glass table and white fur couch at the other end. Sitting there on a relaxed position is a woman who seems to be on her mid-twenties if based on looks alone, yet with all the scientific discoveries and innovations, they can’t trust their first impressions.

            ‘’I didn’t expect you to come so soon, but I should have known that you’re all efficient as always. Well, you’ve done your part, I would take it from here.’’

            ‘’But Ms. Bae, we are required to stay here as watchers,’’ the one with the strong frame and sharper jaw answered.

            ‘’You can stay then Hoya-ssi, as for you Myungsoo, go to Taecyon, he’s got another job for you to do.’’

            Before leaving, he bowed his head and walked quickly towards the wooden door that immeiately started to close behind him after he stepped outside.  Cries of agony, wailing and screeches could be heard before the passage was totally blocked, yet he didn’t react at all, face devoid of emotions.

--

            Sounds of car engines raging to life and heavy footsteps on the still damp road broke the solitude of the night, raising fear within the hearts of the remaining survivor. Upon reaching the 7^th locale, the black armored vehicles stopped on its tracks, and from these came out men in black metal suits, their heads within the safe glass casings, breath causing some fogging that disappears within a second. Through these, they aren’’t affected by the abrupt changes.

            They immediately walked towards different directions, traversing the abandoned streets, lights automatically flickers from their head casing like eyes of predators out for a hunt during the pitch black of night, and they dispersed through narrow alleys and stone houses that are plenty on the area. A few black combatants, as what the people outside the safe metal walls labeled them, stayed near their means of transportation, some scouting the nearby vicinities.

            Hearing the sounds and seeing a glimpse of them, Sungjong immedistely cowered behing Era, his grip strong for his petite and frail-looking physique, the fact that he hasn’t eaten properly for three days now making it more unusual.

            ‘’Let’s escape now, please,please I don’t want to be captured. We don’t know what they’ll do to us.’’

            ‘’Hush young boy, it’s better not to panic and act rashly out of fear. We’re safer here. Do all means to stay quiet as possible as well.’’

            When they hear approaching steps, Era immediately pulled the now shivering boy towards a small cabinet full of still usable linens, shove him there and filled the front part with piles of thick, really old and dusty books, most contains history. Before Sungjong could react, the old woman eagerly shushed him. Funny to think that despite of what’s currently happening, the wide-eyed guy didn’t hear any hint of panic or fear, but hope and courage only.

            In a whispering tone, she said ‘’do not worry boy, you’re supposed to live. I would die sooner or later so there’s no reason for me to keep on going, but you, you need to live. Don’t let this go to waste.’’

            After the doors of the closet he’s hiding were swiftly closed, he heard calm footseps moving away. Then no more.

--

            It was another night of nightmares torturing him, not allowing him to have a peaceful sleep even for once. It was never the same dream, but if its cause is to ruin his sanity, they surely are winning slowly an occupying his thoughts, his own identity crumbling like the walls of his last home. Last night it was of him within a dark room, without any form of illumination to help him see his surroundings, and he was too afraid to move. Then he felt hands crawling on his feet, grabbing his ankle and yanking him forward, suddely stopping making his breath hitch when he started torealize that he’s free-falling, and before he knew it he awoke to see that he’s only remaining family were out of sight, and when he looked outside the window, they were already melting, like wax figures under the scorching sun. it was a horrible sight to see, the smell of burnt flesh invading his nose making him vomit.

 That’s the day he went to find refuge within the chapel where he met Era, who he has lost as well.

Tonight, it was him lying on a cold gurney, he wasn’t strained on the table, and when his feet touched the floor,it felt like icy waters assaulting his bare skin. It didn’t helped that he was fully , yet there’s nothing else on the fully-tiled room but withered flowers and rotten fruits on a nearby circular metal table as his company, nothing better to cover his ness. He felt tired than usual, his shoulders heavy, and trying to walk felt like dragging blocks of lead. He fell on the floor as if hitten by an invisible bullet, his chest tight. Groaning in frustration, he tried standing again, but to no avail. All his efforts were in vain.

‘’Beautful. You really are beautiful, you know that?’’

His wide eyes searched for the source of the voice, but after realizing it came from behind him, he didn’t dare look, but just stay still.

‘’You are supposed to return by now, yet you keep on running away. You should stop being naughty and approach what you fear. You don’t want to see more loss, do you?’’

The voice was soothing, almost calming if it wasn’t for the words that comes out from those lips.Sungjong closed his eyes, shut tightly, wishing for this nightmare to end. When he suddenly felt wamr hands pulling him to stand, breaking his thoughts, his eyes opened quickly in shock. The grip tightens more, but he kept looking anywhere but the stranger’s face.

He then felt being carried towards the gurney table and was laid there. Remembering his ness, he tried to reach out and cover his self yet he realized, he was numb and cannot move an inch, as if he was injected with anaesthesia. Seeing the shadow hovering above him, covering the lamp on the ceiling, tears started to stream down his once bright eyes, dimmed byy all the experiences.

‘’You know what happens to the like of you? Punished, until you’re beaten so much you would beg for death yourself.’’

Warm breath reaches his right ear, making him cry more, afraid of the possible torture, of the menacing smiles, of the hungry eyes of a sadistic psychopath.Before feeling pain, he wakes up, panting, back aching from the clamped position. Large beads of sweat trickle from his damp jet black hair falling past his shoulder, quite long for a boy, but with the chaos here and there, having a decent haircut is out of the list.

His throat felt dry, and after a fit of cough, he decided to come out. if he plans on surviving for long, he need to fill his grumbling stomach and quench his thirst first.

Traces of last night was still visible, track of large tires and prints of heavy boots are visible, as well as random bare foot steps, that looked like forced to come with them. When he was sure of the coast being clear he walked slowly, looking forward on his trail, being alert of whatever’s out there. When he reached a brick house that was not locked, left as if the owners were in a hurry, well, everybody else are, he went in without  thinking twice and looked outside once again before totally closing the metal door. He looked at every nook and corner, on every hidden stock in hope of finding anything edible or still consumable, anything that could fill his need.

Please, anything will do.

When he saw a limp body under the bed, contorted in a painful manner, he was sure it was already dead. Before he could move away to continue with his rummaging, wild thoughts filled his mind.

Human flesh is meat as well, right? If I want to live, anything is fine right? No one would mind anyways, no one would know. Surviving now is what’s important.

But before he could proceed with his plans, he quickly let go of the body and abruptly stood up.

‘’No, you are not supposed to eat human flesh Sungjong, that’s cannibalism, and that’s a huge sin. Humans don’t eat their own kind. I need to find even just a plain sugar cube just for my sanity to return. I could not let Era’s sacrifice be put to waste.’’

Giggle.

His body stiffened from the sound. There’s obviously another person within the house he thought was abandoned.  He didn’t dare to look back, fear taking over, last night’s dream flowing back into his mind vividly, it stressed him more.

‘’You look soft and fragile, totally opposite of what I expect you to be. But I should not underestimate you, right little guy? You were one of the eight remaining specimens that survived so no question about your uncanny ability to survive and adapt. I actually thought you’ll be caught already last night, but I suppose you’re better than the others who were caught earlier than you. That or our group is just not that efficient to catch a single subject that’s thinner than any of us. I’d rather believe with the first reason.’’

The stranger leaned on the doorframe of the bedroom, smirking and watching the boy still frozen in position. No answer. Silence filled the room, and it irritated the newcomer.

‘’I believe you’re not a robot; you’re obviously human like me and anyone else. And I’m sure you’re not mute, I heard every word you have said earlier, loud and clear. So if you would be polite to answer back…’’

Adrenaline rush surged through his veins. No, he would never let his self be caught. He rammed straight towards the unsuspecting guy, head first, droving him straight into the wall.

‘’For a feminine looking boy, you surely are a strong one. No doubt they want you back.’’

‘’You would never catch me! None of you would! You-’’

Before he could shout more and drive the other man harder into the wall, he felt a prick on his side, and seconds after, he fell on the tanned male’s arms.

‘’How could someone that looks like a stick be so heavy?! Aish, Era should have warned me earlier about you being so rash and beast-like. Well Sungjong, you’ve got no choice but to come with me now. Sleep well, you’ll need energy for the days to come. And don’t worry, I won’t be handing you to them.’’

Myungsoo never felt so free in years. Now he’s got another task to do, yet not for the same company again.

‘’Years of working for that hell of a corporation, and now a breath of fresh air after long pretention. Ah, of course there’s nothing to be considered as fresh air anymore. I could finally return to the headquarters, my real home. Mecca Corporation? Hah, just wait until we spit your own venom on your faces.’’

He carried the pale boy in a bridal method, as if their newly-weds, and he’s got to admit, the boy he’s cradling right now is more attractive than any girls he has seen within the metal building he once traversed. Well, except for a few that’s not natural anymore.

‘’I’m excited to work with you Sungjong.’’

Using a vehicle that looks like a hybrid from an armored car that could be found behind the metal gates, and a sports car, he drove, past the various locales, past the border.

When he reached the port where men clad in ragged clothes and same-looking blue and white bandana tied on various parts of their bodies, mostly on the arm, were waiting for their arrival, he never felt so safe.

Maybe, just maybe, they got the chance of turning the tables.

*I don't know what to say right now, I'm not good with conversations so, I'll be saying goodbye for today, no idea when will my next update be, so I hope you'll be patient with me.

*Myungjong.is.love