Elliott rolled his sleeves up to his elbows before pushing a rolling cart contained full of essential documents that must be delivered to the rightful owners. Some workers had been standing outside their offices with glaring eyes, waiting for the delivery papers.
He had been doing this work for almost two years after graduating from a local university with a degree in economics. The job was easy, and it paid him well, but he really couldn't understand the nature of his work.
He once asked Mr. Brown for a promotion because he thought he already did his duties according to the requirements and craved something new. Unfortunately, luck seemed like always belonged to someone else. Instead of him, it was his colleague, Ahmed, who got the promotion.
"Bro, do you want to grab a drink with us?" asked Ahmed with a gleaming face. He planned to celebrate his accomplishment with the other workers.
"I really want to, but thanks. I need to visit my mom." Elliott tried to act as nothing happened, although deep down, he cursed his luck for not being able to attain something he had wished for like ages. Why should it be his colleague that got the promotion? Why not him? Didn't he work longer than that Lebanese guy? Didn't he much more capable than him?
It was around six in the evening when Elliott walked into a hospital with a bouquet of fresh lily flowers on his chest. A receptionist clad in a blue uniform threw her smile at him when he put one stalk of a lily on the vase. She must have been familiar with him since he always came here whenever he got back from work.
It was all started two months ago where he ran to the hospital with a worried looking face. He sunk to the floor with a trembling body the moment he got the news that his mother fell into a comatose state after getting hit by a car.
He wasn't ready to lose the only family member that he had after his father died of cancer a year ago.
"Hi, Mom. How are you?" Looking at the pale-faced woman lying unconsciously with so many tools sticking into her body made Elliott could only let out a long breath. He rubbed his face as he plopped down on the chair next to the bed.
The doctor said the chance of his mother waking up again was nearly zero once they removed all the supporting medical tools from his mother. If she did really leave him, what could he do but learned to let go?
"Mors ad nos omnes veniet." All of sudden, a voice that sounded like a shooting one woke Elliott from his reverie. He almost jumped from his chair as his eyes caught a black jet haired girl wrapped in a long coat approaching him from the dark corner of the room.
Where on earth did she come from? He didn't see anyone in this room earlier. Besides, this hospital wasn't allowed any visitor apart from the family member of the comatose patient.
"Death will come to us all," added the girl with eyes that almost could swallow anyone who saw it. "It's a Latin phrase that always reminds me that I can never escape from the so-called death. No matter how hard I try to run away from it. Sooner or later, it will come to your mom, but we can delay it if you agree to work with us."
Elliott furrowed his eyebrows, "Who are you? What the hell are you doing here?"
"I know you, Elliott Weisz," sneered the girl. "I know your other so well. I thought you would be the same as him, but...you are more of a foolish man who utterly oblivious of what's happening to your parents."
Upon hearing her bitter words, Elliott immediately took long steps towards the door, wanting to call the security. But the clicking sound of a gun stopped him on his track.
"Hold your horses, or I'll blow that little head of yours although I'm very much aware of the rule that prohibits me from doing it," said the girl with an M6 pointed at his head. "Turn around."
Elliott did as she said. He didn't bother to raise his arms like a scaredy-cat. Since he was a kid, his father taught him not to be acting rudely towards women and to always protect his mother. That reason itself encouraged him to enroll himself in a martial art class and got himself a black belt. If only the person before him wasn't a girl, he could just tackle her to the ground in an instant.
"Leave your mom here. There will be guards outside watching over her. And take me to your house. There's so much I can't tell you here," urged the girl as she tightened her grips on her gun.
"Why should I listen to you?" asked Elliott in a flat tone.
"Because you have no reason why you shouldn't listen to me. You have no idea what's happening out there, and is threatening you and your mother." The girl took a step forward, putting the gun under Elliott's chin. She whispered by emphasizing each word she said, "And I'm here to help you understand before your other destroy this world."