Lucas mustered all of his might and rose from the chilly, damp earth.
Every movement hurt his body, and his steps were slow and wobbly.
The tears that marred his face blended with the showers that fell, as if nature mourned alongside him.
A deep melancholy enveloped him, and he brushed away the tears, his quivering hand revealing his internal agony.
-
Since the beginning of high school, a dark cloud of torment has hung over me.
My life as a brilliant and helpful student changed drastically following the X-board exams.
My hopes of entering a reputable school were dashed, and I was forced to enlist in a lawless institution.
Within those confines, I became a target, a scapegoat for constant bullying.
My genuine warmth and honesty become a magnet for cruelty.
If...If only circumstances had not forced me to pursue the Science stream, I would have sought refuge in another school, immersing myself in the topics I loved.
The first day of high school had arrived. I had just entered the classroom when I was approached by some goons with severe scars on their faces.
We had delinquents at my former school as well, but the ones I encountered at the new school were more than just regular delinquents— They were criminals.
I was thrashed to my limits on the first day until their boss intervened. I was then told that if I wanted to stay there in peace, I needed to provide money.
Because the thugs had political support, the teachers did nothing to stop them.
There were even reports of them murdering certain students.
I just want to get out of here and live somewhere else, but my grades...my grades never improve.
I'm not sure if I'll be able to find work at all.
-
Lucas found the strength to continue his way home and slumped over in discomfort.
As he walked through the barren streets, each step felt like an eternity, his heart heavy with the weight of his grief.
The once-familiar walk felt foreign and uninviting, a reflection of his soul's emptiness.
Nonetheless, he persisted, propelled by a gleam of hope, however dim, that awaited him in the isolation of his home.
The rain continued to fall, matching the anguish within Lucas' heart— As the world around him seemed to sink into shadow, he struggled forward, a lone figure in the night.
***
The overly tired student finally pushed through the creaking entrance to his tiny home, his limbs thudding against the old wooden steps.
After he entered the dimly lighted chamber, the air inside was thick with sadness, smothering him.
The worn-out furniture and peeling wallpaper bore testament to their existence's struggle for survival.
When Lucas walked in, he was met by his mother's piercing glare, her eyes filled with disappointment and hatred.
"You're back so late again, huh? What are you getting yourself into this time?" Her words were loaded with accusation as she spat.
His wounded face, a testament to the battles he endured silently, only served to confirm her suspicion.
Unbeknownst to her, it wasn't the result of another reckless fight, but rather the daily pain he faced.
"I-I didn't fight anyone, Mom-"
"SHUT UP! Your behaviours are getting worse day by day! Do you think I don't know you? I am your mother!"
"B-But m-mom, there were s-some people who beat me for-"
Her fingers wrapped around Lucas's ear, squeezing it tightly as she drew him closer, her eyes brimming with rage.
"Do you think I'm stupid? What kind of high schooler would intentionally assault you? You've clearly become involved with some criminals! What will become of you?" Her words stabbed his already wounded spirit, each syllable a barb.
She didn't allow Lucas to explain himself at all. She was already enraged by her own thoughts that shrouded her ability to think straight.
Their voices clashed in a symphony of misery, causing the room to quiver.
Sharp and biting comments from his mother filled the air, "What about your mid-term results? They've been distributed, according to the teacher. Don't even think about hiding them from me!"
Lucas was startled by his mother's demand, the weight of her rage crashing down on him.
He nodded meekly and dug into his backpack, pulling out the crumpled mid-term results.
"Y-Yes, Mom…"
He presented the paper to his mother with shaky hands, his pulse thumping in his chest.
Her gaze flashed over the marks, and her rage became stronger.
As she gazed at Lucas, a flash of rage burned in her eyes, her disappointment evident.
"How could you bring home such abysmal grades?" she raged in a venomous tone. "Do you have no regard for your future? You always take money from your father in the name of tuition but never inform us where you study! Your dresses are always presented bruises. That phone of yours is the only thing you are fully focused on!"
Lucas's voice quivered as he anxiously searched for an excuse, "M-Mom, I... I struggled with some of the subjects... and... and there were distractions in class... I couldn't focus..."
His lame answer was swept up by the tempest of her fury.
"Couldn't focus, you say?"
His mother's rage erupted, transforming into physical violence.
Lucas screamed in agony as her strikes landed on him, the sting of each stroke leaving a mark on his already bruised body.
"Why were you even born to me?!"
"Oww! Oww!"
"You can't even do anything, your face is already ugly! You are not even good at studies now! You were the only hope we had and now you are playing with yourself!"
"M-Mom please- Oww!"
"Why don't you ever listen to us? Why, just why? I hope you were never born!"
"P…Please stop, Mom!" he begged, his voice filled with sorrow and desperation.
Lucas managed to extricate himself from his mother's clutches with a final shove.
He hurried towards his room, his heart hammering, the sound of her approaching footsteps following him like a haunting symphony.
He slammed the door shut and sought refuge within the walls of his fortress.
His mother's fists hammered on the door, each thud echoing through his shaking body.
"Stop right there!" she shouted, her voice filled with rage and anguish.
But Lucas stayed curled up on his bed, tears flowing down his cheeks, while his mother's desperate attempts to enter his room echoed all around him.
Lucas clutched to the only solace he could find in that small room filled with the echoes of anguish and shattered aspirations.
As he sobbed for a world that seemed destined to crush his spirit, he pulled his arms securely around himself, seeking comfort in the familiarity of his own embrace.
Lucas' attention was drawn to a faded photograph on the wall, a memento from a happier period.
-
How did I get to be this way? Where did everything go wrong?
I was never an idiotic kid.
In fact, I was lauded for my consistently high grades and academic success.
But I let pride devour me.
I became arrogant and ignored my studies, burying myself in irrelevant books with no actual worth.
My passion was writing, and I poured my heart into telling stories online. However, no one seemed to read or value them.
My motivation waned with each unacknowledged piece.
My focus quickly switched to the appeal of anime, manga, and light novels.
I lost myself in these fictitious universes, completely ignoring my studies.
Even when I tried to study, I preferred literature and humanities above the scientific disciplines and mathematics that were asked of me.
My aversion to the topics I disliked culminated in a terrible tenth-grade score.
Despite my poor scientific performance, my parents insisted that I pursue a STEM education.
It wasn't right. Physics and chemistry piqued my curiosity.
My liking was English and philosophy, but my voice was deafeningly quiet.
Their justification? "We know what's best for you and your future in this world."
Nothing would have happened if my father's factory hadn't been taken away from him.
Once upon a time, our family was blissful, with loving and compassionate parents.
However, three years ago, an uncle duped my father into signing a deal transferring all of our possessions to him.
The subsequent arguments were pointless, leaving us with nothing.
As a result of being thrown into poverty, we were forced to relocate to the slums, and I became their only hope.
Their desperation rose with each passing day, while I bore the weight of their expectations.
I didn't pick this life; it was forced on me.
I've put up with it all for the sake of seeing a spark of happiness on their faces.
But I can't take it anymore.
The agony is too much to bear.
Is there any meaning to this thing called life?
-
Lucas climbed to his feet in the crushing embrace of sorrow, his quivering hands clutching a ripped piece of cloth.
Shadows danced around him, teasing reminders of his broken life. His agony was threatening to destroy his tired soul.
He wrapped the long cloth he had into a makeshift noose with a sad heart, his actions a haunting ballet of misery.
The aroma of melancholy became heavy in the air, merging with the echoes of his desolate thoughts.
The environment seemed to darken as he approached the edge of oblivion, echoing the bleakness of his soul.
Each stride towards the improvised gallows was laden with a thousand tragedies, a monument to life on the verge of surrender.
-
I-I don't care anymore; I'm no longer afraid of death.
Whatever happens, it will be more tranquil than this mortal world...
I wish to get never be reborn. This dumb humanity may perish!
Life has no meaning. It's pointless to try to make sense of it.
-
Suddenly, a voice could be heard in the background.
"Do you wish for power?"