Aaron woke up in sweats and gasping for air, he couldn't believe what has happened and along with regaining his consciousness and waking up in this world of darkness, he felt that something has changed within him.
"What is this feeling?" He ponder.
It was as if there is something inside his body that wasn't originally there but he is unable to pin-point what is it.
The government are using power generators to provide light in this shelter which is very convenient.
'This is too much… I should probably check up on the others' Aaron thought and stood up from his bed.
"Ah damn…" Aaron cursed and felt like face palming, he forgot to ask where his acquaintances are staying.
Still he decided to go ahead with his plan.
From time to time he heard some strange screams from people, screams of fear yet surprisingly there is no Nightcrawler.
"Don't die on me!" Aaron heard another scream nearby and decided to check the room.
The moment he entered, he saw a frightened young boy who looked at him with fear evident in his eyes.
"What happened?" Aaron approached, the boy gulped in fear.
"N-nothing… just go away!" The boy shouted.
'Sweating, gasping for air… and from all indication he was sleeping just a moment ago. He probably had that strange dream' Aaron concluded.
"Don't worry, I won't hurt you. What is your name?" Aaron forced a friendly smile and continued to approach him.
"No. Go away!"
After a round of failed attempts at trying to calm the boy, he finally succeeded in getting him to calm down and talk.
"Mum and Dad were here just a moment… Fighting a Nightcrawler but they suddenly disappeared" He wiped the tears from his eyes.
"Hmm… you've probably had a nightmare" Aaron said.
"But it was so real… the touch, the screams. Everything was so real, how could you tell it was a nightmare?" The boy said.
"Because I've had something similar. I lost my daughter and even in the Nightmare, I couldn't save her, I watched as she died right before me" Aaron sighed at the end.
"Sorry for your loss…" The boy said and reach out to pat the man beside him on the shoulder.
"Nah, don't worry I'm good" Aaron forced another smile.
"I don't know why we've to experience all that again, what do you think caused all this weird nightmares?" The boy asked.
"And by the way, I'm Vincent" The boy said and extend his hand for a handshake.
"I'm Aaron" Aaron did the same, now that he observe the kid, Vincent had some high intellect behind his young appearance, it is apparent from how a young kid like him is able to get over the loss of his parents this fast and also his questions.
Despite his loss, he knew that information is key in this chaotic world.
"Back to your question, we'll have to find out. But I have a few guesses" Aaron said.
"What are they?" Vincent asked.
"First is the normal and most plausible reason. The loss of our loved ones and the tragic way they've died have traumatized us which resulted in us experiencing this Nightmares" Aaron explained.
"What about the second?" Vincent asked once again.
"The second is crazier but… we cannot disregard it. It is the strange fog that appeared. If my memory serves me right, there are some strange sounds and whispers within the fog and it becomes louder and the frequency increased where the fog is densest"
"The fog… that is indeed logical. The Nightmare is way more different than normal, and all these occurrences cannot be described as normal" Vincent appeared to be in deep thought.
"Well… I gotta go, Vincent." Aaron stood up to leave.
"Alright, stay safe" Vincent nodded his head and wave goodbye, before Aaron left the room, the boy has already took out a notebook and start scribbling something.
"Vincent why do you ask those questions? I don't believe it is just out of curiosity" Aaron asked the question in his mind.
"Information is valuable and nothing is more valuable in chaotic times than Information. That is what I've been taught while growing up" He smiled and continue to scribble on his note.
Aaron smiled and walk out of the room, he enjoyed his conversation with child genius-like Vincent.
After walking for a few minutes, he was soon approached by a young soldier.
"You are Aaron right?" The soldier asked with a smile while extending his hand for a handshake.
Aaron nodded and shook hands with the soldier.
"I'm Victor. We've heard that you are good in prosthetics… and a lot of our soldiers are missing limbs due to the Nightcrawler outbreak. The colonel sent me here to request your aid" Victor said.
"Sure… but what is in for me?" Aaron asked.
"Eh…?" The young soldier was caught off-guard, he never expected that this guy will be willing to talk about profits at this moment.
The whole country, the whole world is in crisis yet this man is still willing to seek profits instead of being a good citizen and helping the nation in whatever way he could!
Aaron could guess what the soldier was thinking and he found it funny, "All of you soldiers are the same. Serving the country and all bullshit, if I help you guys, of course I have to gain something from it"
"Ah I see…" Victor composed himself and decided to choose his next words carefully, "We can supply you with information… and the military has the best information"
"Yea I know, then?"
"Money will not be a problem and there are some other benefits as well… but or the specifications, you'll have to meet the Colonel" Victor said.
"Alright lead the way" Aaron said, he's pretty tired and doing nothing so it won't hurt to help others in his free time. Beside he again noticed the fear and panic in the camp yet surprisingly there is no Nightcrawler or gunshots.
Just as the occasional scream of fear which quickly die down, there is also the people sweating out of fear for something.
Normally he would've pin it on the Nightcrawler's attack but he also had a strange dream… maybe this people might have experience something similar.
And he is also meeting the Colonel for information, he value it the most but he won't let it show, would he?
After all, information is the key in chaotic times!
And he is going to get it along with some nice benefits.