"On a cold and frosty winter night, a young man with tattered clothes and a dirt-covered face walked down the street. He wore a torn gray coat and a black hat, had black hair, green eyes, fine, almost feminine features, and a deep, manly voice. His muscular body and beauty were hidden under a layer of dirt. To another human, he looked like a homeless man, but a spark of vitality was visible in his eyes.
'If I had known I'd have to wait this long for the disaster to begin, I would have taken a few gold coins with me. Even after 100 years, this world hasn't changed; it's still difficult to survive. Everyone needs money, after all; it's the supreme rule of this world. We cannot simply live, feeding of love and some french air.
Every human being needs after all medical care, a roof, food, and companionship, but damn, men are so greedy. There are enough resources to feed everyone, but they keep creating barriers, difficulties, conflicts, and wars over differences that, logically speaking, were born of their environment. What a stupid species, but at the same time, if you put it on the right path, it can do so many great things. It's after all one of the only species with members who would willingly sacrifice themselves for their race or their ideas. Ah, what am I thinking again? Hunger makes me philosophize. And (sniff, sniff) I stink; I'd give half of what I own just for a hot shower and a cozy bed.'
He was in the alleys of Country A, in the southern part of Green Horn City. The planet, Ambrasia, had three continents: Ajar, Vatner, and Ugul, separated by the Blue Ocean, which covered at least 60% of the planet. This abundance of water allowed rapid development of life and technology, rivaling 21st-century Earth. Country A, on Ajar, was an economic leader, a country with good living conditions, no wars or extreme poverty, and it also authorized weapon carrying.
'Yay, I found a cardboard box. It'll serve as a blanket, but I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight because of the cold. It's sad, but I hope the disaster happens soon.
I wonder what happened to my descendants; after all, we had a big business back in the day. I hope they didn't destroy it with some bad financial or stupid decisions. At least, I've visited my parents' grave; so I have accomplished my duty. Now, I need to focus and get some food. After all, I haven't eaten for days, and I'm starting to feel dizzy. I think I will beg at some restaurants along the streets; maybe they'll give me something. Too bad I couldn't take anything during the dimensional jump; even my internal space can't accommodate objects yet. I'm simply too weak, but soon, with a better space mastery, I will be able to have some self-defense means in my next jump.
"Achoo. Ah, I think I caught a cold. The sun should rise in three hours; I'll search restaurant trash cans in the meantime." After two hours of begging and searching, Michael finally found some food scraps, even some that were packaged. ''I can't eat leftover food, as some viruses are transmitted through saliva, but I can still eat the packaged ones,''
"Ah, it feels so good to finally eat; moreover, it's delicious. Who would have thought that a roasted chicken would do me so much good?"
After dinner, Michael headed to the train station to beg for money that he would then use to buy clothes and rent a hotel room. Then, once cleaned and shaved, maybe he would try to find an under-the-table job, as he had no documents. "What a story," he thought, as he headed toward the station.
While walking, he saw two well-dressed girls walking toward two sports cars in a nearly empty parking lot. The air was cold, and only a few streetlights were still functioning. They were probably returning from a drunken party.
Then, suddenly, out of nowhere, a group of thugs started to harass them. At first, they used words, but when they saw that no one was there except a harmless hobo, the thugs started to push the two girls into a dark alley.
"Help, help," one girl shouted, tears and snot flowing down her face. A muscular thug, displeased by her shouts, gave her a fierce slap to silence her. The other girl didn't even have the courage to shout, knowing their bodies would likely never be found if the thugs succeeded in taking them into the alley, Olivia suddenly gritted her teeth and started to scream and struggle violently, like a wounded animal. As for her friend Emma, she remained quiet, paralyzed.
As for Michael, he was still watching the spectacle, not helping in the slightest.
"This world is evil," he thought, "but I have better things to do." He then started to walk toward the train station.
"Help," Olivia shouted. A delinquent then covered her mouth. "Don't worry," he said, showing his yellowed teeth, "we will not hurt you." Then they started to push them, using more force, luring them into the alley.
Two minutes later, Michael suddenly tapped his forehead. "How stupid am I? These girls must be loaded; if I save them, they'll help me." He then rushed to the same narrow alley.
Two minutes had passed, and Emma and Olivia's clothes were torn, only their underwear intact. Even in the dark, Michael could see. Olivia fought, praying for a miracle, biting a thug's hand while using her other hand to block another one who was trying to molest her. Even as she received slaps and punches, she continued to fight.
"Please," Olivia said, "my family has money; you can't make us disappear. Let us go, and you can have the cars; I'll give you all of my money. It's dark, and we won't be able to recognize you." She kept pleading as her clothes were ripped, but no one answered."
Then, in this silent hell, a voice was suddenly heard : "And if someone helps you, what would you give them?"
"Everyone stopped what they where doing.Then, The seven delinquents saw a young man in a torn gray coat calmly observing them. The scary thing was that no one had noticed his arrival.
'I'll give you whatever you want,' Olivia replied.
'I hope you'll keep your promise,' Michael said.
A muscular delinquent, infuriated by Michael's confidence, laughed and walked towards him, cracking his knuckles. 'Do you think you can save anyone?' he said, lifting his arms and aiming his fist at Michael's head.
As his fist got closer and closer to Michael's head, Olivia's hope dwindled.
But suddenly, before anyone could notice anything, the thug's head exploded. 'Who told you you could speak?' Michael said, as blood and gray matter splattered throughout the narrow alley. 'All of you, lie down, hands crossed behind your necks. If you move, you'll end up like your dead friend.'
A chilling silence followed, the smell of blood and the mangled corpse confirming it wasn't a dream. The six delinquents knelt, and, oddly, Olivia and Emma also followed them.
'What are you doing? I'm here to help, not to kidnap you,' Michael exclaimed.
'Sorry, sir,' Olivia said.
Suddenly, while they were talking, one of the thugs drew a pistol and quickly fired at Michael, but what shocked everyone was that the bullet froze in midair.
The thug, thinking it was a trick, pulled the trigger again and again until the gun jammed. 'You just condemned your entire group because of your stupidity,' Michael said, his lips forming a smirk.
Then, the six thugs' heads exploded simultaneously, and Michael, who had no blood on his clothes despite his closeness to the thugs approached the two girls. He then took one of the bullets that was still suspended in the air, played with it for a moment, and then said, 'I hope you will keep your promise, Miss.'"