Chapter 4: (The nightmarish past)
"rocks blocking the entrance? Hmmm"
"Can I ask you a question?" I ask
Then he replied "feel free to ask anything you want."
"What happened? How did you end up chained up like this?" I asked, curious to know more.
"It's just a war, nothing out of the ordinary. Different kinds of powerful beings like gods, humans, elves, dwarfs, and other mysterious creatures are all involved. There are divine beings, demons, titans, giants, monsters, and beings we don't even know about yet. It's a chaotic mess with everyone fighting each other."
"Wars in this world tend to begin due to a range of familiar reasons such as struggles for wealth and resources, disagreements over territory and borders, power-hungry rulers seeking domination, deep-rooted cultural and religious tensions, fights over trade routes and strategic locations, retaliatory actions or feuds between rival factions, quests for vengeance or justice, and the desire for expansion and conquest."
"And the very root of war is the people that are, Corrupt and had a selfish nature,
Exploitative and opportunistic behavior,
Lack of integrity and moral compass,
Short-sighted and narrow-minded,
Greed-driven ambitions,
Entitlement and superiority complex,
Cunning and manipulative tactics,
Lack of empathy and concern for others,
Unchecked ambition and desire for control, and Narcissistic and egotistical personality traits"
"In every time period, there are new wars that cause pain and suffering. You can see blood on the ground and smell it in the air. People cry for their lost loved ones, and some are filled with anger."
"Even gods, not just mortals."
"And i am one of those gods who gets angry because they took one of my treasures and then start destroying things all around me."
"As one of the protectors of the human world, I was chained and hidden away because I am very important and must be kept far from others. But I fought back, which is why I was chained up. Now my people are guarding this place with their lives until the end."
"These chains are unbreakable. No matter how much I struggle, I can't break free. Even after thousands of years have passed."
"Do you want to get out of here" I ask
"I will answer that, but Let me first ask you, would you like to go back to the world you were in before? Sorry but going back is impossible" he asked and said,
Without a hint of emotion, I replied, "No, it doesn't matter. Even if I'm stuck in this world, I just don't want to go back to my old life, it was too hard. I don't have anywhere to go back to, no one waiting for me. Even if there's a friend, it's all lie. My old life was tough, a never-ending cycle. I'm exhausted, just want to rest in bed without any worries. I'm tired of working, I'm tired of thinking about money. I don't want to return to the empty place that i once called home. I'm just too tired."
In a quiet and gentle tone, he asked, "So, what's your next move if you don't want to return and have no plans or goals in mind?"
"I don't have any plans," I responded,
In his thought "noticing how tired this guy looked. His eyes had dark circles from lack of sleep, and his body seemed malnourished. If I let him go, he might not survive for long,
and if I stay in my den longer i could attract unwanted attention from the evil gods and demons. My only chance of escape in this chains was to train him to be my vessel, but he had to agree first. His weak body needed strengthening, and I needed to learn his story to bring out his emotions. It was the only way to make this plan work and find a way out of this mess."
"You, Share your story" he requested.
"Nahh... that was a trouble some" I said as he stared at me. "I'll give it a shot, I guess," I added.
I'm from Earth.
My family used to be really happy. My mom is the kindest mom, and my dad is great too. They're the best parents any kid could wish for.
Unfortunately, things changed when my dad started gambling. He borrowed a lot of money from bad people called loan sharks. They were mean and scary. They wanted their money back, and my dad didn't have it.
That's when things started to get really hard for us. My parents fought a lot, and we had to move because we couldn't afford to live in our old house anymore. So we decided to moved to a small apartment at the side of the city,
My dad wasn't around much, and when he was, he was always worried about the loan sharks coming after him.
It was a tough time for all of us. I missed the happy days when we were all together and things were simple. I hope one day we can have that again, but for now, we're just trying to get by.
But then, he disappeared without a word and left us with the loan to handle on our own.
As days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, we were left wondering where he had gone.
It's been a year and we still don't know where my dad is. My mom comes home late and drinks a lot. I asked her why she drinks, but she just said it's because she's tired and stressed. She looks tired, with dark circles under her eyes and has lost weight. I'm worried about her because of how she's drinking. It's hard for me to see her like this.
I'm only 9 years old and I feel really sad. I want to cry, but no tears come out. Maybe it's because I'm still a little kid and don't understand everything yet. It makes me feel like I can't do anything to make it better.
The next day was a big day for me because it was my birthday. I woke up early and was so excited to tell my mom. But when I told her, she just looked at me and didn't say anything. She walked away without a word. I felt sad that she didn't seem to care. So, I decided not to mention my birthday to her again.
I'm thinking, "Why did my mom forget my birthday this time? Last year, she woke up early and made my birthday special by celebrating with me. Why is it different this year? It makes me wonder why she didn't remember this time."
I feel sad, but my tears won't fall. It's a confusing feeling that I can't quite understand.
It's been a while now, and things haven't changed much. My life feels dull and sad. My mom is getting skinnier, and I'm starting to worry about her health. She might not be eating well because she's always busy with work. I'm trying to find a job to make some extra money and help out with the bills at home.
I'm only 10 years old, but I tried my best to find a job at a restaurant near, even if it doesn't pay much.
Washing dishes, scrubbing plates and pots to keep the kitchen spick and span. At the end of my first week, I was handed my very first paycheck. It felt amazing to see the money in my hand as a reward for my hard work.
I couldn't wait to show my mom the money I earned.
Then I saw my mom waiting outside our building, she quickly came over to me. I thought she would be happy for me, but instead, she grabbed my hair and scolded me for being late. She said I couldn't work at the restaurant anymore.
It was so painful. "It hurts" Because of that, I chose to stop working at the restaurant.
The day after, at school, my teacher mentioned that Mother's Day was coming up. I decided to gather some flowers from the park to surprise my mom with.
On my way back home, I caught a glimpse of my mom with a person who looked like my dad. Excitedly, I hurried over, hoping he had returned. However, as I got nearer, I noticed he was holding hands with another lady and had a child in his arms.
My mom's face looked really surprised and sad, like she was going to cry. She quickly ran away when she saw my dad leaving us and starting a new family with someone else and a new kid, it made her eyes filled with tears.
When I watched my mom running away, it hurt my heart so much, but I tried not to cry.
I called out to my dad, but he just asked me who I was and told me to go home.
I walked quietly, feeling lost and confused. Why didn't my dad know me anymore? I'm his son. I tried not to cry as I followed my mom home.
"Mom, I'm home," I whispered. She was sitting at her desk, tears falling silently. I snuck into my room, still puzzled by what happened. My thoughts made me so tired that I fell asleep.
The day after I woke up, something really nightmarish happened. My mom, she...well, she did something terrible. I saw her hanging from a rope in our house. Her face was so pale and there was a chair lying on the ground nearby.
I remember touching her legs. It was like touching ice, so cold and lifeless. I was so scared and ran to our neighbors for help. They came over and saw my mom hanging there. They called for an ambulance right away, but sadly, it was too late to save her.
I couldn't stop crying. It was a really sad and shocking day for me. All of a sudden, everything felt so different, and my world turned upside down.
People came for her funeral, but my dad wasn't there. My relatives argued about who would take care of me, but no one did. I felt alone, like nobody wanted me.
- He's your sister's kid!
- I have my own family to take care of!
- We don't have space for him in our house!
- You have more money than me, you should support him!
- Why don't you take care of him instead?
I went to my room, closed the door, and sat by my bed. I covered my ears and wished everything would go away. All I could think was, "Mom, where are you?" So many questions, but no answers.
I couldn't cry, no matter how much I wanted to. The pain was too much to bear, and I felt like I was losing my feelings and my desire to keep going with each passing day.
One day, I remembered the flowers I had picked for my mom but never got to give her. I searched my bag for them, only to find that they had wilted. However, I spotted a letter stuck in my notebook. It was a letter from my mom, saying her goodbyes and thanking me. It brought a mix of sadness and comfort, knowing that she had left behind her words of love and gratitude for me to discover during such a difficult time.
- I am very sorry for not being strong, my precious child. I turned to alcohol to drown my sorrows and neglected you. I am deeply sorry for the difficult times you endured after your father left us. I truly regret not being there for you when you started working. I apologize for missing your birthday celebrations and not being able to appreciate the sweet-smelling flowers you picked for me. Thank you for the lovely gifts you gave me, despite my failings as a mother. I am grateful that you remained by my side until the very end. I love you, my dear son, And I'm sorry.
As I read my mother's letter, my eyes welled up with tears. I wiped away the tears to clear my vision, but more tears flowed uncontrollably. I couldn't hold back my emotions. I found myself repeatedly calling out for my mother, desperate for her presence, but silence was my only answer. Overwhelmed, I struggled to calm down, feeling drained from my constant weeping. Yet, despite the pain, the act of crying began to soothe my aching heart. Slowly but surely, the heaviness that always weighed on my heart seemed to lift.
Once I felt better, I began living independently, without assistance from my relatives. I would attend school in the mornings and work in the evenings to cover the costs of my apartment. This routine carried on until I reached my final year of high school.
I don't have a TV or cellphone because they are too expensive for me. Instead, I have a collection of books that I've found outside or bought second-hand. My books are like my treasures, full of stories about history, mythology, fairy tales, and even some novels. I also have books about the human body, plants, and animals, which I also like.
As I look around my small home, I see my old ceiling fan providing a gentle breeze in the room. The refrigerator is old and always seems to have some sort of problem. The furnitures is worn out.
Taking a moment to reflect, I realize that I've turned 17 this year. Time really seems to fly by quickly! It's amazing how things change and evolve as we grow older.
In school, I always at the top of my class. My classmates think my life is perfect because of my good grades. But that's not true. In reality, I struggle with daily life and often feel empty. Feeling lonely at home has become normal for me.
But suddenly I lost my job, things got tough. With nowhere else to turn, I started looking for work in construction or at a farm. These jobs don't come every day, just a few times a month, and they don't pay much. Because of this, I couldn't afford to pay my rent. I tried to save money by not eating much, skipping showers, and avoiding using unnecessary electricity. But it wasn't enough, and I had to leave my apartment. I'm scared of losing the place filled with memories of my family. I begged the landlord to let me stay.
But the landlord ignored me and walked away. I used a payphone to call my relatives for help, but they didn't answer. I tried visiting my relatives and neighbors homes, but they didn't open their doors.
I had no home and had to wander around without a stable place to stay. I felt the cold and hunger as I carried my stuff.
Sitting on the street corner, an elder woman noticed me.
The elderly woman spoke to me, saying, "Why are you still here, child? It's dark outside. You should go home."
I replied, "I'm sorry, but my mother taught me to never speak to strangers, especially at night."
She glanced at the belongings scattered on the pavement and then offered, "If you need a place to stay, come with me."
I hesitated, "My mother told me not to follow strangers."
"We are not related, you don't even know me," I added.
The elder said, "Sometimes we help others without needing a reason."
Feeling like I had no other option, I decided to follow her. She led me to an old wooden house at the edge of the city, which seemed abandoned.
I asked the old lady if the house she pointed to was the one we were looking for, and she said it was.
Curious, I asked her, "Is it safe to stay here?"
Deciding to enter with caution, we both stepped inside the house. The wooden floor creaked under our feet, a sign of its old age.
I questioned the darkness inside, wondering why there was no electricity. The old woman explained that the house had been deserted and left without power.
Suddenly, we heard the sound of children playing. Surprised, I asked the woman if she had grandchildren present.
She explained, "No, those are not my grandchildren. They are homeless children, like yourself."
One of the kids came up to me and asked, "Who are you? Are you homeless too?"
I nodded and replied, "Yes, I am."
As time passes I started getting used to this new way of life, forming a bond with the mischievous kids and even with an elderly woman who I now call grandmother. It's strange to think that even my own grandparents never attempted to visit me when times were tough.
Out of nowhere, one of the kids hurled a profanity at me, to which I responded by lightly flicking his forehead. I questioned the young man on his disrespectful behavior, trying to understand where it came from.
I realized that his behavior was likely due to not having parents around to guide him and teach him right from wrong. Despite the slight pain from the flick, he seemed genuinely surprised by my reaction.
"Do you even realize what you just said to me?" I asked, ready to scold him again if necessary.
"Nathaniel, stop that already," Grandma scolded sternly.
"Yes, Grandma," I replied sheepishly.
"Grandma, you're too kind to him," I added, noticing how lenient she was with the mischievous kids.
"Ha-ha, forgot about him. Nothing will change if you scold him over and over again, he will just become hard-headed," Grandma chuckled.
"By the way, Nathaniel, can I ask you something?" Grandma's tone changed, and I knew she was serious.
"What is it, Grandma?" I asked, curious about what she wanted to discuss.
"Do you want to go back to school?" Grandma's words took me by surprise, and I hesitated before answering.
I nodded silently, not sure if I could afford it with my new part-time job.
"So you really want to?" Grandma pressed on, her voice filled with concern.
"I want to, but I don't have any money right now, and I'm new to my part-time job," I admitted, feeling a pang of disappointment.
"Don't worry about that. I still have money saved up," Grandma reassured me, her eyes twinkling with determination.
With Grandma's help, I enrolled in a new school, surrounded by unfamiliar faces and a different environment. At first, I was nervous, but as the days passed, I started to feel more comfortable and settled into the new routine.
It has been almost a month since I started living with grandma and the children's. I was happy to have a lively house with people to talk to after work or school. grandma is very loving and I felt lucky to have her.
However, it did not last long. One day, grandma asked me to buy some doorknobs, screws, and a screwdriver after work. She explained that the door was getting harder to open and often got stuck because the doorknob was old and rusty.
I agreed to buy the items after my part-time work and told her that I would do it as soon as I could. I could see that she was grateful for my help.
However, that same night quickly turned into a nightmarish event for the children.
They were happily playing in the house when suddenly, a disaster struck. Amidst the laughter and joy, a terrifying accident happened. One of the kids accidentally knocked over an oil lamp perched on the bookshelf. The spilled oil quickly caught fire, turning the once peaceful room into a blazing inferno.
The flame quickly grew in intensity, engulfing the wooden structure of our home. Despite the children's frantic attempts to douse the fire with water, it only exacerbated the situation. The combustible nature of the wooden house caused the fire to spread rapidly, consuming the roof and walls with alarming speed.
As the smoke thickened, the children struggled to breathe, their eyes stinging and lungs burning. Their frantic attempts to escape were met with a locked door that trapped them inside the fiery room. Panic and despair seized their hearts as the reality of their plight sank in.
"Help us, please!" they cried out, their voices strained and choked by smoke. But their pleas were met with the crackling roar of the fire that surrounded them, casting sinister shadows in the flickering light. The once carefree expressions on their faces twisted into expressions of terror and desperation.
Osamu, fueled by a surge of courage, tried to break down the door, but it was too late. The fire had turned the room into a nightmarish abyss of searing heat and blinding flames. The children's skin tingled with burns, their clothes catching fire as they gasped for breath in the smoke-filled room.
With each passing moment, their strength waned, their hope flickering like the dying embers of the fire. As the flames claimed their innocence and consumed their very beings, the children's anguished cries faded into the relentless roar of the fire.
- What's going on here?
- Are there people inside the house?
- Don't just stand there!, help us put out the fire!
- Has help not arrived yet?
- Hurry, grab some water buckets!
Grandma arrived at the house and noticed a group of neighbors gathered nearby. As she got closer, she saw thick smoke rising from the burning house. Even though Grandma wasn't fast, she didn't hesitate to step inside the house. The neighbors tried to stop her, but the flames were spreading rapidly, making it too dangerous for them to intervene and prevent Grandma from entering. They had to stay back to avoid getting injured themselves.
- what should we do!? The elderly woman went inside the house.
- Why did she go towards the fire?
As soon as I arrived, I heard people talking and glanced over to see the house on fire. I wanted to rush in to help, but the neighbors quickly stopped me.
- Don't go inside!
- Are you out of your mind!? You will die!
- Stay calm, going inside won't help
- Assist us in restraining this child!
I was frozen in terror as the flames swallowed the house whole, blazing brightly in the dark night. The crackling fire roared as I waited anxiously for the firefighters to come and kill the fire.
Finally, the firefighters rushed in with loud sirens blaring, wielding hoses and extinguisher. The flames slowly retreated, leaving behind a smoky, smoldering heap of what used to be a cozy home.
With a heavy heart, I cautiously approached the remains of the house. The acrid stench of smoke lingered in the air as I saw Grandma and the children lying still on the ground. Their bodies were completely charred, like blackened statues.
I keep thinking to myself, if only I had gotten there a little earlier, maybe I could have saved Grandma and the kids.
Is it my fault? Am I to blame for what happened to them?
I can't stop wondering, if I hadn't been so late from work, maybe this terrible thing wouldn't have happened...
I couldn't cry even though I was in a lot of pain. Everything felt too much, and I really wished I could just cry it out. My heart felt broken beyond repair.
The neighbors offered me a temporary stay in their empty house, but...
The room was so quiet, it felt like I was all alone in the world. I closed my eyes, wishing for tears to come and wash away my sadness. But they wouldn't come, making me feel even more trapped in my own emotions. Every second that went by made me feel heavier and more lost. It was like there was a big storm inside me, but it just wouldn't let go, The empty house that are much closer to the populated area of the city that the neighbors offered me suddenly seemed like a lifeline, a place where I could maybe find some peace amidst the storm in my heart.
Since that incident, I hardly feel like I'm truly alive. No matter how hard I work or how little I sleep, I just go through the day without really feeling alive. It's like I'm just existing, not really living.
Those special places hold lots of good memories that I'll never experience again. I want to go back, but I'm scared those good memories will turn bad all over again.
I made up my mind not to go back or even think about those places anymore. I've already felt too much pain. I know those places are filled with important, happy memories, but please, I'm really asking you, help me forget. My heart just can't handle it anymore.
After the fire incident, Henry one of my friends called to ask about it and I shared what happened. Talking to him made me feel less alone.
Henry is a friend who usually helps me with school stuff and I help him out too.
But later, I heard Henry sharing my secrets and laughing about it with other students. It made me feel hurt and made me question our friendship.
I thought Henry could be trusted to keep my secrets, but he ended up telling everyone about not only the fire incident but also all my other secrets.
After that, Henry and my classmates started making fun of me. They said it was my fault that people around me died.
The insults and teasing just finally got to me, and I snapped. I grabbed Henry's shirt and started hitting him in the face. It felt like I couldn't stop, with each punch landing harder than the last. Henry crumpled to the floor without saying a word, knocked out cold.
Everyone else in the room, even the teacher, looked frozen in fear. The only sounds were of heavy breathing and Henry's body hitting the ground. The classroom went from normal to chaotic in an instant, with me standing there feeling a mix of relief and shock at what I had just done.
When I finally calmed down, I looked around and saw everyone looking at me with fear in their eyes. I glanced down at Henry and saw his face covered in blood and swollen from my punches. I was shaking and feeling horrified as I looked at my hands, stained with his blood, and saw Henry lying there, unmoving.
- Murderer!
- this guy is a savage!
Then, something strange happened in our classroom. The room shook and all the chairs and tables started floating in the air. My classmates were freaking out, but I stayed surprisingly calm.
- what is happening!?
- I'm scared!
A bright light suddenly filled the room, so I closed my eyes to shield myself from the brightness.
When I opened my eyes, I saw the walls and the roof of the room had disappeared. All that was left was us, the students, standing on the floor. The ground beneath our feet was solid, but above us, fragments of the building seemed to be suspended in midair. then I saw a strange planet. It looked like nothing I had ever seen before. It was different from Earth and the other planets I knew about. The planet was so beautiful with multiple sun's and moons, and it made my heart beat fast with excitement.
As I gazed at this amazing sight.
All of a sudden, I felt a strange, round things like a balls growing inside me. My classmates felt it too, and we all started to feel uncomfortable.
- Ouch!
- It hurts!
- Help us!
- Mom, where are you?!
- What is happening to us?!
I accidently tripped and fell. After that, everything turned dark and foggy. I couldn't remember what happened next.