A/N: Chapters 2-6 are information-related chapters which will help progress the story, I know it might feel like an info dump but they are necessary. I request you to bear with them.
***
As Lucas regained consciousness, his eyelids fluttered open to reveal the warm embrace of a rustic wooden cabin.
Sunlight streamed in through the ancient windows, giving soothing rays that danced across the worn floorboards.
The aroma of ancient wood pervaded the air, combining with the subtle scent of plants that remained in every nook and cranny.
-Where am I?... Ugh…
But, despite the pleasant circumstances, his thoughts were in disorder.
A pulsing anguish throbbed within his skull, like an ancient tome suddenly unlocked, unleashing a flood of memories on his frail consciousness.
Images and feelings flashed before his eyes, bits of a previous life entwined with his current existence.
-Oww! So painful!
His face contorted in agony, his hand extending reflexively to relieve the pounding anguish. The recollections barraged him, an overpowering flow of sensations and feelings.
The weight of his past pressed against him, melding two separate universes inside his own existence.
The distant sound of talking voices reached his ears outside the cottage.
-
Ah, I remember now.
I had taken my own life that day and then I dropped here out of nowhere.
I had to do it. It was too much to bear for me.
But…But why are all these memories suddenly surfacing right now?
No, no…I want to forget them.
-
[ 2 days before this incident: past life ]
A gloomy high school boy strolled down the lonesome street, his heart heavy with grief, as the dusk sky projected a gloomy colour.
The lines imprinted on his brow resembled vast cracks, carving a map of despair. His eyes appeared sunken and hollow.
His once silky hair turned into a mess. His cheek features slumped, revealing a pronounced double chin.
In the dim light, he could hear snippets of a preacher's impassioned voice reverberating through the air, words that seemed to challenge his own sad reality.
"God's love knows no bounds, unconditionally embracing every soul!" he declared passionately, his voice resonating with firm conviction.
He raised his head to get a better view of him.
-
God's love knows no bounds? How amusing, how amusing.
God does not love everyone equally...
God's love grants refuge from suffering. In that scenario, I am nothing more than a homeless soul in need of peace.
Even the existence of God appears to me to be a myth!
If there were a deity, I'd like to ask him why he put me behind such despairing bars.
-
The lad, burdened by his own difficulties and buried in his thoughts, shrugged off the comments with a melancholy shrug. They appeared remote, unable to penetrate his desolation's walls.
"Oi, Listen here twat! Where ya going huh, b*tch?"
"Stop right there, you ugly shit"
"Bastard, Where's the money we asked you to give?"
As he continued on his walk, mocking and derision reached his ears, dripping with malicious purpose. They teased him, their tone tinged with malice.
-
Shit! Are they here already?
I don't wanna get beaten up today again!
-
A shudder shot down his spine, leaving him uneasy and terrified.
The boy's heart pounded in his chest, and he broke into a sprint, anxious to escape the bullies' unrelenting pursuit.
Their mocking laughter resonated in his ears, intensifying his anxiety and propelling him to run even faster.
He ran through the streets, his breath pouring out in jagged gasps and his legs throbbing from exertion.
The sound of footsteps became closer and louder with each passing second. Panic gnawed at his insides, compelling him to find a way out.
-
Is this an alley? I can try to confuse them by entering this!
I have got no other choice!
But how long must I do this?
-
In a desperate attempt to escape his tormentors, he veered into a dark alleyway, hoping to lose them in the maze of shadows.
But his pursuers were steadfast, closing in on him with malice.
-Shit! This…This can't be happening, I need to get out!
A distant flickering streetlight showed the bullies' sneering faces as they cornered him. They taunted him with scorn in their voices, revelling in his fragility.
"Look at this pathetic loser," one of them sneered, his voice venomous. "Can't even scrape together some pennies."
Another bully scoffed, his voice cruelly laced. "You're worthless, just like your ugly face."
They were constantly verbally abusing him until their boss arrived.
A senior-level male with tattoos covering his entire body. His head was bald, and his face was covered in piercings.
He had that expression that might frighten the youngster the instant he glanced into his eyes.
"I-I will try to give some money t-tomorrow, Dad didn't get the money yet-" The boy's cries for mercy fell on deaf ears as the bullies continued their vicious assault.
>Pow!
Fist after fist slammed into his body, the force of each blow sending waves of pain coursing through his shaking form.
"Gah!"
He curled into a protective ball, attempting in vain to defend himself from the onslaught.
Tears ran over his wounded and bloodied face, his voice was reduced to a raspy moan.
The bullies, on the other hand, showed no mercy, revelling in his fragility, their laughter blending with the sound of his agonised moans.
It was a horrible symphony, a perverse dance of power and submission. Under the weight of their unrelenting strikes, the boy's spirit crumbled in that dark alleyway.
The boss tugged the boy's head up, forcing their eyes to meet. As the boss glared down at him, the boy winced in anguish, his hair strands stretched tautly.
"Remember this, you pathetic excuse for a human," snarled the boss between clenched teeth. "You will not live to regret this mistake if you make it again. Your hideous look sickens me already."
>Kick!
A final shove pushed the youngster backwards, causing him to collide with the cold, merciless corner.
He turned away, leaving a trail of laughter in their wake, leaving the boy alone.
The boy's bruised shape was soaked by the rain as it began to pour.
He lay curled on the ground, trembling with anguish and sorrow, tears mingling with the raindrops flowing down his damaged cheeks.
-
Oh God…They say you are kind to all! What sin did I do for I must suffer like this?
Am I not beautiful enough to be protected by your grace?
Or am I nothing but a plaything for your entertainment?
I do not want to live yet I am scared to die.
-
"P-Please h-help me…" Weeping echoed with the steady beat of rain, creating a symphony of agony in the lonely alley.
No one came to help.
Humans had changed. The days saw a glimmer of humanity left as a rarity.
No one would come to their aid if someone was slain in front of them. All they would do was capture photos and videos to post on social media.
Humanity had changed. It had turned into a hypocrite.
People who preach about climate change use trees to produce books about it.
Those who advocate for animal cruelty have never advocated for any human being not to be slaughtered in front of them.
Humans nowadays do not think twice about spreading hatred because they perceive something is not to their liking.
Humanity had changed. And it wasn't a good change.
The worst had yet to come. Something that drove Lucas to end his own life despite his fear of death itself.
Who is to blame for this? Society or individuals?