Aiden slowly emerged from his sleep, his throat dry and painful as if he hadn't had a drink for days. He opened his eyes, his blurry vision gradually clearing. He was lying on the floor of his room, exactly where he had collapsed after the strange events that had shaken his life.
"Wow, feels like I'm hungover from a night of drinking" he muttered.
He struggled to sit up, every muscle in his body protesting the movement. Aiden carefully examined himself for any signs of change, but noticed nothing different. He headed to the kitchen, poured himself a large glass of water which he drank in one go, then quickly made himself a sandwich to quell his hunger.
Aiden tried to turn on his phone to call his friends, but the device remained resolutely off. He tried the television, but the screen stayed black. None of his electronic devices seemed to work. Aiden began to panic, wondering what could have happened. Was it related to the blinding light and the deafening noise he had perceived before passing out?
"Well, this is the first time in a long time I can't use technology."
Not knowing what else to do, Aiden decided to leave his apartment to see if the outside world could provide any answers. He quickly put on a jacket and shoes, then headed to the front door. When he opened it, he was immediately assaulted by the acrid smell of smoke and burning.
The scene before him was apocalyptic. Buildings and cars were on fire, plumes of black smoke rising into the sky. The traffic lights and billboards were out, adding to the chaotic atmosphere. Aiden slowly advanced down the street, avoiding the debris littering the ground.
He explored the surroundings, trying to understand what could have caused such devastation. The shop windows were shattered, their contents strewn across the sidewalk. Abandoned cars blocked the road, some with their doors wide open, as if their occupants had had to flee in a hurry.
As he turned a corner, Aiden spotted bodies lying on the ground. His heart tightened, fearing the worst. He approached slowly, hoping they were just asleep. But as he bent over them, he discovered with horror the extent of their injuries.
Some bodies bore deep claw marks, others seemed to have been burned. Several sported severe bruises, indicating incredible violence. Aiden stepped back, nausea rising to his throat. He couldn't understand what could have caused such injuries, nor why these people had been attacked.
Suddenly, he spotted figures running in different directions in the distance. Some seemed to be fleeing something, others appeared to be seeking help. Aiden hesitated, unsure whether to follow them or stay away.
Then, a piercing scream rang out, freezing Aiden in place. The sound was so filled with terror and despair that he couldn't help but move toward its source. Though not particularly brave, Aiden knew he couldn't ignore someone in distress.
Turning into a dark alley, he found a man pinning a woman against a wall, attempting to sexually assault her. The woman struggled, crying and begging her attacker to let her go. Without thinking, Aiden rushed toward the man and pushed him with all his might, freeing the woman.
"Run!" Aiden yelled to the frightened woman.
"You're going to pay for this, you little sh*t!" growled the man, turning towards Aiden and advancing menacingly. His eyes glinted with a malevolent glow, promising imminent violence.
Aiden backed away, desperately looking for an escape. His heart pounded, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He cast a pleading look at the woman he had just saved, hoping she would go for help. But she remained frozen, terror in her eyes, before running away without looking back.
Before Aiden could react, the man reached out towards him, palm open. Suddenly, two lightning bolts shot out, illuminating the dark alley with blinding light. The lightning struck Aiden in the calves, tearing a scream of pain from him. He collapsed to the ground, unable to comprehend what had just happened. The pain was excruciating as if white-hot blades were piercing his flesh.
"What was that? Am I still dreaming?"
The attacker burst into cruel laughter, savoring Aiden's suffering and confusion.
"Thought you could play the hero?" he taunted, slowly approaching his prey. "In this new world, the weak like you have no place. Only the strong survive, and I, am the strongest!"
He lunged at Aiden, raining down kicks and punches. Aiden tried to protect himself, weakly raising his arms to block the attacks, but each impact was more painful than the last. He felt his ribs crack under the brutal assaults, the metallic taste of blood filling his mouth.
As he lay on the ground, his face battered and bloody, Aiden couldn't help but think about his situation. He had wanted to do good, to save an innocent, but was rewarded with incredible violence, and the woman's gaze held no thanks, no sign that she was going to help him, but rather joy at leaving someone else in her place and not suffering anything. Tears mixed with blood on his cheeks, the physical pain mingled with the emotional anguish that tore at his heart.
After what seemed like an eternity, the man finally stopped, panting, a cruel smile on his lips. He spat on Aiden's broken body, muttering with contempt:
"Let that be a lesson to you, you little j*rk. Don't ever mess with my business again."
Aiden lay there, bathing in his own blood, barely conscious. His vision blurred, the contours of the dark alley fading away. He could feel his mind slowly sliding into unconsciousness, his exhausted body no longer able to fight against the pain and shock.
As the darkness enveloped him, Aiden couldn't help but feel bewilderment at it all, but also a deep disgust. A world where the innocent were abandoned, where the weak were crushed by the strong, and where cruelty reigned supreme, without help or cooperation. His last thought, before sinking into unconsciousness, was a mixture of despair and anger at what had just happened.