The man is sitting in a booth, as there is a line of people waiting to get their chance to interact with him, take selfies and get his autographs. As he continues to sign the books and interacts with people in line with a smile and sometimes even makes them laugh with a joke or two.
After the last person in line has gone away after interacting with the man in the booth. He gets up from his booth to take a break, only to see another person coming directly towards him.
A man in simple clothes, with a lab coat draped over himself, approaches and asks,
"Are you PentupHouse, the author of the novel "Fever War"?"
The man nods and replies with a smile,
"Yeah and I am going on a break, so is there something you want me to sign on? Uh…"
The man replies with a bright expression,
"It's Astriel, can you sign on this book and can I also take a selfie Mr. PentupHouse."
"Please call me Arwin, and yeah man anything for my fans."
As Arwin takes a selfie with the excited fan and is signing his own novel. He small talks about what Astriel does, what does he like, etc etc.
"Oh, I am a researcher. I create some tech but, also research on living organisms, especially apes and similar species to understand the reason why humans could take the intelligent leap and why current ape species are not able to take the intellectual leap."
"You mean, you are trying to understand why ancestors of humans and other human like species could take the leap and become caveman like species, while some ape species are stuck being dumb?"
"Apes being dumb? No, no that is just human preconception about humans being the superior species with gifted intellect. There are many other species like dolphins, octopus, apes and you might have seen those videos about crows using tools to get food or elephants doing similar things. Not considering that famous video of an octopus traversing a maze to get out or opening a lid from inside a jar to get out."
I hand the novel back to Astriel. As I listen to him.
"Here."
"Thanks man, I really like how you created this world and how realistic the main character responds to different situations. Do you think you could survive in your novel? Do you wanna bet about it?"
'Hm, even I sometimes think how it would like to be, to live in my own novel.'
"I could definitely survive in my own novel, but if you are asking if I can become one of the characters with screen time then no. I mean, just to get supernatural powers in "Fever War," you need to contract a fatal disease with an 80% fatality rate, not to mention the constant war. It would be hard but not impossible. Of course I would need to survive the disease first."
"Yeah, a person really needs to have that courage to go against odds, to stand against bigger opponents and not verbally talk down to your own partner."
Arwin's perfect polite expression cracks slightly as he asks.
"Really man, you really believe whatever the people on forums say? I mean, I could just anonymously create a lie about you and people will believe it."
"But I mean you really do verbally speak down to your partner, I mean I saw it myself."
Astriel speaks with a clear expression with no hint of mockery. Arwin's expression sours a bit at his remarks as he looks at Astriel's smile and turns around ignoring him to go to the men's restroom to a take break.
'Fu**ing ba**ard, all of them.'
As he sits inside one of the cubicles, he takes out his phone to check for the messages and a cigarette and puffs a smoke. He starts to stroll on his smartphone checking to see any messages, but then starts to stroll on videotube to distract himself.
After some time, he gets up and cleans after getting rid of the smell before coming out of the men's restroom. Seemingly forgotten about the incident that happened. He starts to iron out the wrinkles on his shirt as he styles his hair back to its immaculate style.
'What was the schedule after this? Hm… ah! I have to go to panel room with other creators.'
He observes the time on his Breguet brand watch.
'I still have time to explore. Let's visit the cosplay area.'
As Arwin explores and observes all kinds of different cosplayers.
"Hey, man when is your panel scene?"
I hear a deep voice with a hint of roughness. I turn round and see a man (6'1) in his late 20s in black jacket, with long bangs covering his forehead.
"Sup Marvin, it's in half an hour. What about you, done with the fans meeting?"
"Yeah. Just ended now so I thought I would see the cosplayers and buy some doujinshi if I found one that I like."
I am a bit surprised that he still likes that character.
"You still like that anime, man?"
"Arwin, come on man I am telling you Relly-chan is the best waifu!. Oh and also I wanted your autograph, my cousin is always asking for one."
At the mentioning of the autograph, Arwin's expression sours as he remembers that person's mockery.
Marvin raises an eyebrow at Arwin's expression.
"What's up? Did something happen?"
"Hm!? Nope, nothing just a bit tired. I mean it is my first time meeting my fans and all. It is a bit more exhausting then I thought."
"Yeah it happens for the first timers, like this is your first novel and you are already blowing up this much. Don't worry you will get used to it."
He says that with an expression of nostalgia written on his face.
"Yeah… hey you are going to buy the doujinshi right; can I hang out with you?"
"Come on man, I will show you the place and you might also find something you may like."
As we explore the booths of creators selling their artworks and doujinshi, I see the place filled with people walking in all kinds of outfits and very interesting cosplays, I also see some really interesting artwork and buy a few for myself. As we are walking I start to feel the chill as I rub my arms.
"Hey man, that booth is selling some really warm hoodies and jackets."
I see where he is pointing and notice warm jackets and hoodies with anime figures on the back. Some really good art with unknown characters and some with questionable female character art.
I consider for a moment and then immediately go the booth.
"Good afternoon miss, are you the creator of these artworks."
"Ah, good afternoon. Yes, did you find anything that peaks your interest?"
"I really like this hoodie, can you please also sign an autograph on this."
As I point towards a normal but pretty good artwork. After buying it, I immediately put it on to ward off the cold I am starting to feel.
"Hey man you could have bought those hoodies, look how good the art is!"
I look at hoodies he is pointing at and see questionable artworks, I raise my eyebrows at the things he is suggesting. I shake my head with a laughter.
"Yeah, you can buy those if you wanna look like a creep."
I look at my watch and see the time for my panel is in 5 minutes.
"Hey Marvin, I have to go; it's time for my panel."
"Yeah man, best of luck. Oh and don't get nervous if someone asks a personal question."
"Yeah… yeah, come watch if you get bored of wandering this place."
As I start to iron out the wrinkles on my clothes as well as my newly bought hoodie using my hands, I walk towards the location.
'Don't be nervous. Don't act like a fool. You are the star of this show now, you are the man don't mess this up.'
As I start to cheer myself up by repeating don't be nervous. Only to see that same man who mocked me earlier.
'What was that guy's name? Astro, Astr… Astriel! Yeah its Astriel.'
I try to ignore him and walk towards my location, but he comes in front me, stopping me.
"Is there anything you want man?"
I try to ask as naturally as I could with a polite expression.
"Yeah, I am here to keep my word."
I look at him with a questioning gaze.
'Keep his word? What does he mean?'
"What do you mea…"
As I am asking, I am suddenly hit with a strong sense of dizziness and start to feel fatigued all over.
'What?! I can't keep my eyes open and I feel so… so tired.'
Arwin tries to keep his consciousness barely as he looks at the man, who looks back at him with an emotionless gaze.
"I hope you do your best to survive, because if you die before the story ends then you will be gone forever and I mean it is no fun. Oh and as a gift you will have a higher chance to survive the disease. I mean that's the least I could do for you to make it entertaining for me, Mr. Worstpartner."
I look at his devious smile, which sends shiver down my spine.
'What the fu*k does he mean?'
I start to fall unconscious terrified, looking at that smile, as the last thing that comes to my mind.
'Is he an obsessive fan of mine?'
***
I am regain consciousness in a dark place, still feeling woozy from whatever happened.
'It's so dark. I can't see sh*t in here.'
I try to move my body but I feel so weak, like I am in some sack or something. I try to shout, but I can't open my mouth; I can't even breathe. 'Fu*k, fu*k why can't I breathe.'
I start to panic, but then I realize I am not suffocating due to lack of oxygen; rather, I can still breathe somehow, just not through my nose. But my consciousness rapidly starts to fade as I fall asleep.
After spending sometime in this place, I have gained some knowledge about about what is happening. I sometimes gain consciousness allowing me to think for couple of minutes only for me to fall asleep due to how mentally exhausting it is to just think.
'Ok, it's still dark. I am in some dark place, I don't have too much space to move and I get tired rather easily and fall asleep after only thinking for few minutes, did they drug me? or is it something else. So what can I do more?'
I ask that question to myself,
'I have tried everything from kicking to shouting, but I can't open my mouth for some reason, no matter how hard I try. It seems like they have paralyzed my mouth, whoever has kidnapped me. I can't perfectly control my movements and every time I try to move I get tired rather easily, What do I…'
I slowly fall asleep once again, just one of the many times I have fallen unconscious.
'Hm!!... I feel something. No, its light! I can feel light even though my eyes are closed? Wait, Fu*k!! What is this headache. FUU****K! Its killing me.'
As I am suddenly awoken by the brightness, I feel an agonizingly pain stabbing my head, like something is trying to crush my skull.
'Why?, why am I feeling the pain traveling down through my head?!!! Ah goddamn it, its my shoulders now!! they are killing me.'
Slowly I start to feel so cold from my head like my head has been dipped into an ice bucket as this coldness travels from my head and slowly to shoulders which is overwhelmed by the agonizing pain traveling down from my head to my body and slowly to my legs until it's just stops. Slowly the pain throughout my body gets duller until I can't feel anything.
'What the hell, why the fu*k is it so cold now?. Am I in the fu**ing Antarctica? No wait, I am naked aren't I. It's so fu**ing bright too. I thought Antarctica didn't have the sun during this month, wait was it a different month? Sh*t I can't remember.'
As I am preoccupied with the sudden fu**ing brightness, like I am in front of the sun, I start to realize I can't breathe and I am starting to suffocate.
'Sh*t, I can't breathe. Those fu**ers paralyzed my mouth, they must have done something to me. Breathe, breathe goddamn it.'
I put my every effort in order to breathe, but my mouth won't just open forget about moving my lungs. As its like my body has forgotten to how to breathe.
Suddenly, I feel a paralyzing pain spreading from my as*.
'Ah fu*k, it hurts, it fu**ing hurts.'
I suddenly open my mouth and start to wail loudly, as I am suddenly able to breathe.
'Ah it hurts. It hurts so much.'
I start to fall unconscious due to how physically tiring the whole ordeal was to me.