At 23.00 PST.
Thousands of people gathered in Onyx Square to get ready to celebrate New Year's Eve. They came dressed in extravagant attributes to celebrate the New Year's party. From colorful clothes, tall hats, fancy glasses, and masks to painting their faces with the New Year's number, 2023.
Arthur and his partner, Lora, and their son, Adam, are no exception. The three of them mingled with the people who filled Onyx Square. Arthur carried the five-year-old Adam on his shoulders. The boy looks very enthusiast about celebrating New Year's Eve around Onyx Square.
"It has been two years since we didn't see a cheerful New Year's Eve celebration. The Pandemic locked us, and now everyone wants to go out and have fun," said Lora.
Arthur agreed to Lora's words with a slow nod. "The pandemic in the last two years has made going out feel luxurious."
"Even though you never wanted to come to a crowd like this before," Lora sneered, glancing at Arthur.
"If it weren't for this little monster, I would rather have dinner at our penthouse. After all, we can still see the fireworks," said Arthur. Pointing at Adam with his eyebrows.
Lora chuckled at Arthur's words.
"Easy, Adam. Stop shaking your body," said Arthur when Adam who was perched on his shoulder, stomped his body while pointing towards the Onyx Tower. That's the center of New Year's Eve celebrations in Onyx Square.
"There's a giant balloon over there, dad. I want to see it, "Adam shouted, pointing towards the Onyx tower.
Arthur and Lora glanced at each other and then laughed together.
"He's the male version of you. You both love being in a crowd," Arthur said.
"And you're like a caveman who doesn't want to come out of his cave unless we force you to," Lora replied. She looked at Arthur.
"But you love this caveman," Arthur teased Lora, then kissed her cheek.
Lora's cheeks turned red. She then turned to Arthur and looked at the man with golden brown hair and hazel eyes with a lovely look. A little bit of fine beard on Arthur's face makes him look mature. Lora couldn't deny that she loved Arthur. She had been with Arthur for the last seven years and was grateful that Arthur was now more relaxed after they had Adam. Before, Arthur was very rigid, cold, and difficult to understand. Because he didn't easily show his feelings, Lora had to take the initiative to get Arthur to open up to her. Luckily, Adam's presence made Arthur slowly open up and not hesitate to show his attention even in public.
The two continued to walk across the sea of people that filled Onyx Square. With the help of their bodyguards, they walked towards the main stage in front of the Onyx Tower. On that main stage, Arthur will join the mayor and celebrities who are invited to press the button to launch the New Year's Eve fireworks.
"Wow… Arthur Kingsley. Am I dreaming of seeing you join us on New Year's Eve?" teased the Mayor of Nova City, Kai Anderson, as he gave hands to Arthur.
Arthur's family is one of the most influential families in Nova City. His great-great-grandfather was one of the people who contributed to building Nova City into the metropolis it is today. But unlike his other family members, Arthur chose to stay out of the spotlight. He decides to maintain his privacy while developing his technology company. Therefore, his presence at the New Year's celebration surprised Kai that the man would fulfill his invitation.
"You should thank Adam," Arthur said while he dropped Adam off, then shook Kai's hand.
Kai Anderson, a man who is not even forty years old, succeeded in occupying the position of Mayor of Nova City after defeating a political opponent far more senior than him and making him the youngest mayor ever to serve in the metropolis. He released Arthur's handshake, then bent slightly and looked at Adam with shining gray eyes.
"I must thank you for getting your father to join me tonight, young man. Tell me, what do you want, little friend?" Kai said while smiling broadly at Adam.
Arthur and Lora who saw Kai making an offer to Adam could only smile while shaking their heads. While Adam enthusiastically pointed at the silver balloon behind the stage. "I want that balloon."
Kai nodded his head. He stood up again while stroking Adam's head and glancing at Arthur. "Your son is funny. Glad you guys can join me tonight."
Arthur glances at Adam while smiling at Kai.
"Come on, let's join the others. Soon the main event will begin," Kai continued.
Arthur nodded. He walked with Kai while making small talk. Meanwhile, Lora and Adam followed behind them.
Thirty minutes before New Year's Eve, Kai greets residents in his town excitedly. At the same time, Arthur stood with the other invitees behind Kai. Arthur repeatedly glanced at Lora and Adam who were standing on the side of the stage. He laughed softly when seeing Adam who was enthusiastic at first, now starting to look tired, and hugging his mother tightly.
Fifteen minutes before the new year, the performers take turns singing songs with the nuances of a long holiday. Joy increasingly wrapped Onyx Square amidst the stinging cold air.
Finally, five minutes before the new year, the opening fireworks began to be lit at the top of Onyx Square. The hilarity grew as the countdown began. Large LCD screens in and around the Onyx Square building display numbers starting at ten. Everyone joins in the countdown. Ten…nine…eight…seven…six…five…four…
Three.
Two.
One.
Kai and his guests pressed the red button in the middle of the stage with broad smiles. A firework shot into the sky from the top of the Onyx Square building, and not long after…
Boom!
The huge fireworks exploded in the air and marked the turn of the year. Coinciding with that, the area around Onyx Square turned into smog. The flames spread in the surrounding buildings, and charred human remains fell on the street. The joy turned into hysterical screams. In the midst of the stuffy smoke and the smell of roasting human flesh, the visitors who escaped the explosion began to panic and jostled to leave Onyx Square.
The sound of sirens from police cars and fire engines replaced the sound of fireworks in a rain of confetti. The screams of the visitors who witnessed the horrific event were echoed by the sound of warnings from the authorities who were trying to control the panicked masses.
The fireworks that filled the sky of Onyx Square lit up one after another, but people didn't care anymore. They were busy saving themselves as the drainage holes around Onyx Square began to emit smoke, and soon the covers flew into the air along with the sound of explosions from inside the trenches. The joy turns into chaos.
"Lora—"
"Adam—"
Arthur painstakingly crawled across the asphalt in search of his partner and son. He, the Mayor, and the guests on the stage were thrown into the air with a deafening explosion. Their bodies bounced in various directions and landed on the hard asphalt. He faintly saw Kai's body in front of a shop with a broken windshield. The man was face down, and Arthur couldn't tell if the youngest Mayor was still alive or not, as his body was motionless.
Arthur's vision blurred, and he had difficulty breathing due to the smog around him. The stench and charred meat smell filled Arthur's nasal cavity, making him dizzy. He wanted to get up to look for Lora and Adam, but his whole body ached. Arthur could also feel the warm liquid seeping out of his suit.
"Lora–"
"Adam–"
Cough!
Arthur coughed when he was finally able to lie on his back. He tried to inhale deeply, but it wasn't oxygen he got but smoke full of carbon monoxide. Arthur's head was getting dizzy. He looked up at the sky, which was blurring from his view. His ears heard nothing but a long hum.
Amid his dwindling consciousness, Arthur saw a face approaching him. Lora. Her blue eyes gazed tenderly at Arthur as she caressed his face. Lora's brown hair moved in the wind while she smiled, showing her both dimples.
With difficulty, Arthur tried to smile back at Lora. But the darkness seemed impatient to take Arthur. Before he could return Lora's smile, Arthur's entire vision turned dark. Accompanied by flashes of Lora and Adam, Arthur's soul went into his deepest subconscious.
***