Aaron sat in his dimly lit room, the glow of the computer screen casting an eerie light on his face. He took a deep breath, his mind drifting into a monologue as he considered his life and the choices he had made.
"You know," he began, his voice soft as if he were talking to an invisible friend, "I used to be a different person, or at least, I think I did. My parents... they were everything to me. We weren't rich or anything, just an average family living an average life. Then earlier this year, they were taken from me in that stupid car crash. Some rich, arrogant dude thought he could bend the rules, and... well, he succeeded. But it cost my parents their lives."
Aaron's fingers absently tapped on the keyboard, the memories of that fateful day still vivid in his mind. "I remember the police coming to our door, the somber expressions on their faces. They told me what happened, and I just couldn't believe it. It felt like a nightmare, you know? But it wasn't. It was all too real."
He paused, a wistful smile on his face. "I dropped out of college after that. I didn't want to. I wanted to make them proud, but it just... it just seemed pointless, you know? So, I turned to video games. Yeah, video games, of all things. I guess I didn't want to do drugs or smoke or whatever, didn't want the spirits of my parents being disappointed with me up there."
Aaron chuckled softly, the irony of it all not lost on him. "I mean, here I am, spending my days battling monsters in pixelated worlds when I should be out there, living my life. And my poor sister, Alice, she's a year younger than me, and she's been trying to get me out of this depression for months now. And what have I done? Nothing. I've just been sitting here, sulking, while she's been the one taking care of everything."
He shook his head, a mix of self-pity and self-mockery in his voice. "Cooking, cleaning, paying the bills... you name it, she does it. She's been trying so hard, and what do I do? I just mope around and make her worry about me even more."
Aaron suddenly realized something, and a pang of worry shot through him. He checked the clock; it was Saturday, and Alice had gone to the supermarket a while ago. She was supposed to be back by now, and she hadn't answered his texts.
His heart raced as he jumped up from his chair, a surge of anxiety propelling him forward. He hadn't left the house in months, but right now, the only thing that mattered was making sure Alice was safe.
With determined steps, he left his room and headed toward the front door, ready to step out into the world he had been avoiding for far too long. As he reached for the doorknob, he hesitated for a moment, his hand trembling.
"Maybe it's time I snapped out of this," he muttered to himself, his voice barely more than a whisper. "This apocalypse, or whatever it is, has to be a wake-up call, right?"
With a deep breath, he swung the door open and stepped outside, the chill of the real world hitting him like a splash of cold water. The streets were eerily empty, and a sense of foreboding hung in the air.
As he walked down the sidewalk, he couldn't help but think of Alice. She had always been there for him, through thick and thin. And now, with the world in chaos, he couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to her.
"I promise, Alice," he said quietly, as if she were right there beside him, "I'll try to be better. I'll get my act together, for you. I won't let you down anymore."
His thoughts turned back to the eerie silence of the streets and the uncertainty that lay ahead.