That day, the sun was at its highest point. It's tyrannical rays shone brightly, turning the slums into a literal oven.
Just like they did everyday, Kian and Raiden played in the streets, unmindful of the terrible heat.
It had been a quiet day, the streets lonely and void of the sounds of speech and laughter. The oppressive silence however, was soon unsettled by screams of panic.
It was then that they heard it.
A sound so barbaric and sinister, that it was like nothing they'd heard before.
It was animalistic, and appalling, and it filled their every cell with an indescribable sense of dread and fear.
Then, they watched as the world around them descended into chaos.
All around them, abominable creatures ran loose, tearing through flesh and buildings. There was no consistent way of describing the abominable creatures, each one a different shape and size. Some towering over buildings and some as small as a dog.
"Kian, Mom and Dad!" Raiden snapped awake, as he turned to his friend.
The two children ran through the havoc, trying to hide as much as they could, as they directed themselves to their home.
Kian's head snapped in all directions, his gaze wary of even the shadow at his feet. Raiden on the other hand, only looked ahead.
When they reached the place in which their house should have been, what they found left them paralyzed.
The house, along with all the buildings surrounding it had been reduced to rubble.
"No, no, no!" Raiden's words came out rapidly, like a machine gun.
He scurried to the remains of his home, trying to uncover the mess, his tiny hands tossing away rocks and debris in the attempt.
"Don't just stand there! Help me!" He roared at Kian who was stuck in place. Coming to his senses, Kian rushed forward to help.
As they tried to clear the mess, a groan reached them. It was the familiar voice of a man, strained and weak.
"It's from there!"
Raiden rushed to the place where the sound had originated.
There was a large slab of cement lying there, and the voice the had heard came from below it.
Raiden gripped it, and tried to pull, his little arms failing to lift it. Kian rushed to help him, and also began lifting.
Slowly, the slab shifted, until it revealed a man. His bloody face looked up at them, his dying eyes gazing at their faces.
"Dad!" Raiden fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face."what happened to you... And where's mom?"
"The monsters... They... They attacked..." Raiden's father said, in-between strained breaths.
"And mom?" Raiden asked, his voice full of both hope and dread.
Raiden's father closed his eyes, blinking away tears.
"Where is she?" Raiden asked again, this time his words coming out strained.
"They... They killed her..." His father said finally, the pain clear in his voice. "Those damn monsters devoured her!"
His voice broke, and tears began to stream down his face. Anger and helplessness was evident in the man.
Raiden didn't seem to comprehend what his father had said, he just stared blankly, as tears found it's way down his cheeks.
"Mom's gone?" He asked, absent mindedly.
Kian simply stood there, his gaze on the floor. He stayed silent, not showing any sign of emotion. After a while, he spoke.
"Raiden, we need to get your father out of there." He said. His eyes looked into the distance, where a strange humanoid creature loitered about.
It was over 5 meters tall, with tentacles hanging from its back like whips. 2 sword like horns grew out of its head, and it's skin was wet and slimy.
Coming to his senses, Raiden nodded, as he wiped away his tears. Together they held up the trapped man, and tried to pull him out.
"Aargh!" The man cried in pain, stopping them.
"Let's try and lift the pieces off him?" Kian suggested, pointing at the pieces of rubble covering Raiden's father.
They tried to lift them, but they proved to be far too heavy for two 9 year olds.
Suddenly, Raiden's father spoke, his voice now serious and commanding.
"Get out of here." He said, eyes fixed on something behind them as he spoke.
The 2 boys turned around to see the strange monster approaching, it's movements eerily relaxed and slow.
"No! We'll get you out of here, we have to!" Raiden snapped, attempting to once again lift the heavy wall. Kian watched him dejectedly, aware that his friend's efforts were fruitless. But yet, he could not say anything.
"Raiden..." Raiden turned to see his father looking at him with a sad look on his face.
"I'm sorry, forgive me for being such a pathetic father. I couldn't save your mother, and now I'm forcing you to watch me die too..." An apologetic smile came over his face. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to live. It's my last wish, so forgive me for being so selfish."
Tears once again streamed down the boys face as he watched his father.
"Kian."
Kian winced when he heard Raiden's father call him.
"Take care of Raiden for me, will you?" The middle aged man said. "Promise me, okay?"
Kian nodded without hesitation.
Raiden was to him a friend, and his brother, so he would by all means protect him.
"Now, get out of here! Now!" The command came.
Despite Raiden's reluctancy and grief at losing one more person, he found himself rising, obeying his father. Despite how his body wanted to stay next to his father until the end, he obeyed.
Despite the seed of guilt that was planted in his heart, he obeyed.
"Goodbye son..." His father said to him, a reassuring smile on his face.
Choking with tears, Raiden could barely string together comprehensive words.
Then, he closed his eyes and turned away, running into the shadows. Kian met the fathers eyes, a thousands of unspoken words between them.
Then, he took followed Raiden.
Behind, they heard as giant footsteps approached.
They heard the sound of falling debris.
Then, they threw one last look behind, just in time to see a nauseating scene.
Raiden's father disappearing into the mouth of the monster.
As he fell to his knees, Raiden was aware of one thing.
Despite what he couldn't have done, or despite what he ever did, he would never, ever forgive himself.