The shrill sound of the alarm clock shattered the morning silence.
"Ring, ring, ring…"
Cain groaned, rolling over in bed, his hand slamming down on the snooze button.
"Fuck~~~," he muttered, his voice heavy with exhaustion.
Cain sat at the edge of his bed, staring at his shabby room with a heavy sigh. His life was an endless cycle of paying rent, loans, and bills—a constant struggle with no way out in sight.
After a quick wash, he threw on his worn work uniform and rushed to the parking lot. Pressing his car key, he expected the familiar beep, but only silence greeted him.
"What the hell?" Cain muttered, frowning as he hurried to his parking spot—only to find it empty.
At that moment, John, the building manager, approached.
"Cain, I tried calling, but your phone was off. A tow truck took your car. They said you missed payments."
Cain froze and pulled out his phone. His heart sank at the notification: Account Frozen. A missed credit card payment had bounced his car loan.
"You've got to be kidding me…" Cain muttered through clenched teeth, his fists tightening.
With no other choice, he took the bus to work. Traffic was brutal, and his boss called him multiple times, shouting for him to hurry.
When Cain finally arrived at the restaurant, the lunch rush was long over. His boss was already waiting, arms crossed, face full of disdain.
"Sorry, boss, my car—" Cain began, trying to explain.
You're fired," the boss interrupted coldly, shoving an envelope at him.
"What?! For being late once?! You can't be serious!" Cain snapped, his anger boiling over.
"This is long overdue, Cain, and I've never liked you! Take your paycheck and get out before I call the cops!"
Cain clenched his jaw, then snapped, "You know what? Keep your lousy job. Maybe if you were half as good at managing as you are at blaming, this place wouldn't be falling apart."
Grabbing the envelope, he turned on his heel. "Good luck running this dump."
With that, he stormed out, the weight of his crumbling world heavy on his shoulders.
Aimlessly wandering the streets, Cain passed luxury cars, high-end boutiques, and restaurants filled with laughing people enjoying meals that cost more than he earned in a week.
"Why is it always me?" he muttered bitterly, staring up at the gray sky.
Cain eventually found himself in the park. It was his usual spot for clearing his head, though it never really helped.
The park was lively that afternoon. Children ran through the grass, laughing and chasing one another, while parents picnicked under the shade of trees. Dogs barked joyfully, weaving between the families.
Cain slumped against the trunk of an old tree, closing his eyes. The crushing weight of job loss, unpaid bills, and a life spiraling out of control pressed down on him.
A low, unfamiliar hum broke the peace. Cain opened his eyes, his brow furrowing. He glanced around, but no one else seemed to notice.
Then he saw it.
In the sky above, a small, swirling vortex began to form, its edges shimmering with an eerie light.
"What is that?" a woman nearby gasped, pointing upward.
More and more people turned their attention to the sky. The vortex grew larger by the second, its glow intensifying.
Cain pushed himself to his feet, his eyes locked on the growing anomaly.
Suddenly, the vortex erupted with a blinding flash, flooding the world with light as bright as the noonday sun.
The air vibrated with an unnatural hum, and the ground beneath their feet began to tremble.
"What's happening?!" someone screamed.
Panic spread through the crowd. Parents grabbed their children, dogs barked in confusion, and picnickers hastily packed up their belongings.
Then the unthinkable happened.
A dog near the center of the park began to float into the air, its paws scrabbling helplessly as it barked in terror.
A child followed, rising into the sky with a shrill cry. His parents tried to grab him, but their hands met empty air.
"Oh my God, help us!" the cries of terror spread like wildfire as more people and objects were lifted off the ground.
Cain staggered backward, his legs trembling as he felt his own body growing lighter.
"What the hell is this?!" he yelled, panic clear in his voice.
The pull of the vortex grew stronger. Cars, benches, even entire trees were uprooted and sucked into the sky. Screams, crashes, and sobs filled the air as the park fell into chaos.
Cain's feet finally left the ground. He struggled and flailed, but there was no escape from the invisible force dragging him upward.
Darkness closed in, and Cain lost consciousness.
He didn't know how long he was out, but Cain's eyes snapped open. He lay on a patch of damp grass, his head pounding and his limbs feeling heavy.
The city skyline remained, but the sky above had changed completely. The familiar blue was gone, replaced by swirling colors of light and shadow. Stars shone unnaturally close, forming strange constellations, while glowing streaks of energy cut through the heavens like living veins.
The ground showed signs of chaos—abandoned bags, shattered glass, and scorched streets. Though the city still stood, it felt wrong, like Earth had become something entirely alien.
Cain's phone buzzed violently, pulling him from his thoughts.
To his surprise, it still had signal. The screen lit up with dozens of missed calls and messages from family and friends. But the first one froze him.
Emergency Broadcast:
"Attention, all citizens. This is a government-issued emergency alert. An unidentified cosmic event is taking place. All residents are advised to seek immediate shelter. DO NOT approach any unidentified phenomena or creatures. Further updates will follow. Remain calm and follow instructions."
The screen flooded with more messages. Cain's heart raced as he read through them.
"Cain! Come home now! Something's happening!"
"Your dad and I are hiding in the basement! Don't come back—it's too dangerous!"
"Son, if you're alive, reply immediately! Monsters are everywhere!"
"Answer your phone, Cain! We need to help Mom and Dad!"
"Those monsters killed my neighbors! Everyone's dead! Stay safe!"
The last message, from his mother, sent a chill down his spine:"They're here. Stay away. I love you. —Mom."
Cain's hands shook as he dialed her number. It rang once, then went dead. He tried again and again, but only got a busy signal.
"No… no… Please!" Cain whispered, panic rising in his chest. His legs trembled, but he forced himself to stand. He had to get home.
As Cain ran through the city streets, the devastation hit him. Cars lay overturned and burning, their shattered frames blocking the roads. Bodies were strewn across the pavement, mangled and unrecognizable. The air stank of blood and smoke.
"Oh God… Please help us," he whispered hoarsely.
Then, a low growl answered him.
Cain froze, his breath catching. Slowly, he turned toward the sound.
Emerging from the shadows was a creature unlike anything he'd ever seen. Its sickly gray skin clung to jagged bones, and glowing red eyes stared at him hungrily.
Cain stumbled backward, nearly tripping over debris. The creature snarled and charged.
Adrenaline surged as Cain bolted down the street. The creature chased him, its claws scraping the pavement. Cain darted into an alley, hoping to lose it, but hit a dead end.
He turned to face the monster, his back pressed against the cold brick wall.
"No! I can't die here! NOT LIKE THIS!" Cain's mind screamed as the creature lunged.
Time slowed. Every detail was sharp: the jagged bones, the glowing eyes, the scent of blood.
The monster's claws slashed his throat, sending him to the ground. Blood pooled as pain consumed him.
"Mom… Dad…" The thought drifted through his fading mind.
The darkness swallowed him, but then, a spark ignited.
"No! I don't want to die! I don't want to DIE!!" Cain's mind roared. His chest burned with resolve.
A strange warmth filled him, cutting through the cold grip of death.
When Cain's eyes opened, the creature was dead, torn to pieces around him. The smell of blood hung heavy in the air.
Cain staggered to his feet, staring at the carnage.
"What… happened?" he whispered, his hands smeared with blood—not just his own, but the monster's.
But there was no time to think.
His parents' voices, their fear, pushed him forward. Spotting a motorcycle, he climbed on, kick-starting it after a few tries. The engine roared as he sped into the fading sun.
"I'm coming, Mom. Dad. Please still be alive."