Kevin lay sprawled on the ground, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. Pain radiated through his body, and his mind raced, replaying the moment that had just unfolded. How could Marcel, a frail, timid boy he had tormented for months turn the tables and take him down so effortlessly?
The alley around him was narrow, its walls adorned with vibrant graffiti and murals that contrasted sharply with the grim scene. A large, colorful depiction of a phoenix rising from flames stretched across one wall, while another showcased a surrealist landscape of melting clocks and distorted figures. Kevin's tools—pencils, sketchpads, and cans of spray paint were scattered across the cracked pavement, some of them broken or crushed underfoot.
Groaning, Kevin pushed himself up, wincing as he moved. He wiped the blood from his mouth and began gathering his belongings, cursing under his breath. This alley had always been his sanctuary, a place where he could escape and lose himself in his art. But now, it felt like a trap.
"Hey, Kevin!" a taunting voice echoed from the entrance of the alley.
Kevin froze, his heart sinking as he turned to see a group of seventeen men and young guys in their 20s approaching. At their centre was Victor, a chubby figure with a smug grin that made Kevin's stomach churn. The group was armed with pipes, chains, and fists, their eyes darting nervously between Kevin and each other.
"What is this, huh? A party?" Kevin snapped, his voice sharp with panic. "Y'all plan a group date without telling me?"
Victor chuckled darkly, cracking his knuckles. "Nah, Kev. We just figured it's about time someone showed you what it feels like to be on the other side. What's the other word again... Uhmm... yea, a victim."
Kevin clenched his fists, his eyes scanning the group. He could see the fear in their eyes, the way they hesitated, their confidence wavering. They had stalked him here, to this lonely alley, knowing it was where he spent his time drawing. They had hoped the isolation would work in their favor, but now, faced with him, they were second-guessing themselves.
Victor lunged first, swinging a wild punch, but Kevin ducked under it with ease. Before Victor could recover, Kevin drove his elbow into the man's ribs, sending him stumbling backward. Another attacker charged with a pipe, but Kevin sidestepped and grabbed the weapon, twisting it out of the man's grip. He swung the pipe in a wide arc, catching two more assailants in the chest and sending them sprawling.
The alley erupted into chaos as the group descended on Kevin. He moved with precision, his movements fluid and aggressive. A man with a chain swung at him, but Kevin caught the chain mid-air and yanked it, pulling the man off balance. He followed up with a spinning kick that sent the man crashing into the wall.
Another attacker tried to grab him from behind, but Kevin dropped low, flipping the man over his shoulder and onto the ground. He delivered a brutal stomp to the man's chest, the sound of cracking ribs echoing through the alley.
Despite his dominance, Kevin's earlier injuries began to take their toll. His movements slowed, and his breath came in ragged gasps. A pipe struck him across the back, sending him to his knees. Another blow landed on his shoulder, and he cried out in pain.
Victor seized the opportunity, tackling Kevin to the ground. He pinned Kevin with surprising strength, his fists raining down like a hammer. Kevin twisted and turned, using his forearms to block the blows, but Victor was relentless.
"Shit... this can't be happening to me!" Kevin muttered, writhing beneath Victor's weight.
"Get off me!" Kevin shouted, his voice raw. With a surge of strength, he shoved Victor off him, sending the chubby boy stumbling backward. Kevin scrambled to his feet, adrenaline surging through his veins as the gang circled him.
Two more attackers rushed him, but Kevin ducked under a swing and countered with a sharp uppercut, sending one man crashing to the ground. The second attacker tried to grab him, but Kevin drove his knee into the man's stomach, doubling him over.
"You think you can take us all on?" Victor shouted, recovering from his fall. "Get him!"
The chaos only escalated as Kevin's friends arrived.
The chaos in the alley reached a fever pitch as Paul charged into the fray, his heart pounding with a mix of fear and determination. He had always been the level-headed one, the peacemaker, but now he was stepping into a storm he couldn't control.
"Gwen, go get Help!" Paul shouted, his voice cracking under the strain. He didn't wait for a response, diving headfirst into the mass of bodies.
The first attacker swung a pipe at Paul's head, but he ducked just in time, the metal whistling inches above him. Paul countered with a quick jab to the man's ribs, followed by a sharp uppercut that sent him stumbling backward.
Before Paul could catch his breath, two more men rushed him from either side. He sidestepped one, grabbing the man's arm and twisting it behind his back. He used the man as a shield, shoving him into the second attacker, causing both to collapse in a heap.
A fourth man lunged at Paul with a chain, swinging it wildly. Paul caught the chain mid-air, yanking it hard and pulling the man off balance. He followed up with a spinning kick to the man's chest, sending him crashing into the alley wall.
The fifth attacker hesitated, his eyes wide with fear. "What the hell is wrong with you people? Are you monsters like Kevin?" he stammered, his voice trembling.
Paul didn't answer. He didn't have time. He charged forward, driving his shoulder into the man's stomach and slamming him to the ground.
The sixth attacker, a burly man with a pipe, swung at Paul's legs. Paul leapt over the swing, landing awkwardly but quickly recovering. He grabbed the man's wrist, twisting it until the pipe clattered to the ground. With a swift motion, Paul locked the man in a headlock, squeezing tightly.
"Stay down!" Paul growled, his voice strained.
But the fight wasn't over. A seventh attacker, emboldened by Paul's growing fatigue, charged at him with a wild yell. Paul released the man in the headlock and kicked the new attacker in the chin, sending him sprawling.
For a moment, Paul stood tall, breathing heavily, his fists clenched. The group members hesitated, their eyes darting between Paul and each other. They had seen Kevin's unnatural strength, and now Paul's relentless fighting made them wonder if he, too, was something more than human.
"Is he... like Kevin?" one of them whispered, his voice trembling.
"No way," another muttered, though his confidence wavered. "He's just lucky."
Their fear gave way to anger as they regrouped. "He's just one guy!" someone shouted. "Take him down!"
The gang surged forward, their numbers overwhelming Paul. A punch landed on his jaw, snapping his head to the side. Another blow struck his ribs, forcing the air from his lungs. Paul fought back, swinging wildly, but the attacks kept coming.
Then, from behind, Josh—a wiry, quick-footed member of the group—tackled Paul, slamming him to the ground. The others piled on, pinning him beneath their weight.
"Not so tough now, huh?" Josh sneered, pressing his knee into Paul's back.
Paul struggled, but the weight of the men was too much. He could feel his strength fading, his vision blurring.
From a distance, a sharp scream pierced the air.
Kevin's head snapped toward the sound. His heart plummeted as he saw Gwen being dragged by her hair. Anna, one of Victor's group, had her in a cruel grip.
"You little bitch!" Anna spat, yanking Gwen to the ground.
Gwen fought back, clawing at Anna's hands and kicking wildly, but Anna was relentless. She slammed her fist into Gwen's stomach, leaving her gasping for air. Gwen collapsed to her knees, clutching her midsection. Anna took a step back, then stomped her boot against Gwen's head, forcing her to the ground.
"Gwen!" Kevin roared, his voice hoarse with desperation. He tried to move, but Victor shoved him back down, pinning him with surprising strength.
"When did she get here?" Kevin wondered.
"Not so tough now, are you?" Victor sneered, his face twisted in a sinister grin. "You think it's fun being on the other side, huh? Always picking on us because you're stronger. What did we ever do to you?"
Kevin struggled beneath Victor, his vision blurring as anger and panic clouded his mind. "Leave them out of this! Focus on me!" he pleaded, but Victor ignored him.
From the corner of his eye, Kevin spotted two figures standing in the distance, watching. His heart sank. Who were they? Were they going to help?
"Please..." he croaked, his voice weak. "Help them!..."
The strangers didn't move.
Kevin's mind reeled, flashes of his life playing out like a movie. He saw himself as a lonely child, bullied endlessly. No matter how he pleaded, dodged, or ran, he was always hunted like a pig and humiliated in front of people. His dad had faced the same treatment from folks his age, although their assaults were verbal slanders at work. He remembered the day he decided to fight back, to become the predator rather than the prey. Tired of the physical and emotional pain he and his dad had endured, Kevin vowed never to be a victim again. It didn't matter if folks were innocent, they were just as bad for doing nothing when he cried for salvation. He thought of his friends, their laughter, their advice, the bonds they'd formed. And now, it all seemed to be slipping away.
"Am I... dying? I regret nothing," he whispered, his body growing limp.
Paul's voice cut through the haze. "That's enough, Victor! You'll kill him!" But Victor didn't stop. His fists continued to pound into Kevin, fuelled by years of suppressed rage.
Victor raised his hand, but then, everything stopped.
The group froze, their faces pale with horror. Victor froze mid-punch, his fists hovering above Kevin. His face twisted in confusion as his hands trembled uncontrollably.
Kevin pushed himself to his knees, his breath ragged. He watched as Victor clawed at his face. "Did I do this?" he muttered.
"What the hell..." one of his friends whispered, falling to the ground in fear.
What... what's happening to me? I can't see a thing. The thought screamed through Victor's mind, panic overtaking him as his fingers frantically traced his features. His hands froze when they reached his eyes—or rather, the hollow sockets where his eyes should have been.
Victor's breathing became ragged as his hands moved to his mouth, desperate to scream for help. But when he opened his mouth, he felt the coarse, twisted stitches that sealed his lips shut. His muffled cries barely escaped, guttural and pitiful.
"Hmmph! Hnnnh!" He clawed at his lips, yanking at the threads. They didn't budge, his desperation mounting with each failed attempt to free himself. He turned blindly toward his friends, his trembling hands outstretched as if seeking salvation.
Help me! Someone, please help me! His mind screamed, but only incoherent, muffled sounds came out.
His friends recoiled in horror, too paralyzed to respond. One of them fell to his knees, stammering, "V-Victor... you..." before his voice failed him entirely.
Victor's thoughts spiralled into chaos. He stumbled forward, his legs barely supporting him, his body wracked with trembling as his pleas for help dissolved into incoherent, muffled noises.
Kevin, still on the ground, looked on in shock as fourteen of the guys and Anna took to their heels. He clenched his hand instinctively, wishing they'd just stop running—wishing it would all just go away.
Suddenly,
Thud! Thud!
One by one, six of the boys and Anna dropped to the ground, their bodies convulsing violently.
Paul's voice cracked as he whispered, "What's happening to them?" pulling himself up despite his bruises.
They began writhing and clawing at their heads as if trying to rip something unseen out of their skulls. Guttural wails erupted from them, but their voices weren't normal—they were primal, twisted sounds of terror and confusion.
One boy clawed at the dirt, mumbling incoherent babbles like a new born learning to speak. Another stood and took two shaky steps forward before collapsing, his body twitching uncontrollably.
"They... they've forgotten to walk?" Gwen whispered, clutching her stomach.
"No," Paul said, shaking his head in disbelief. "It's worse than that. They're... gone."
They all were like empty shells, their eyes void of recognition. They looked around like infants in adult bodies, utterly helpless. Some began sobbing, their cries piercing and pitiful, while others simply lay still, their faces blank.
Josh, who had tackled Paul earlier, stumbled backward in horror, his eyes darting between the scene and Victor. He ran toward Kevin instinctively and knocked him out in a fit to stop any further madness from happening.
"Help me move him! Let's get Kev out of here!" Josh shouted, shaking Kevin's friends into action. Together, they lifted Kevin's unconscious body and hurried away from the scene to a corner just around the block, ignoring Victor, who could hear the ruckus and was muffling as loud as he could.
The two strangers in the distance disappeared as suddenly as they had appeared.
By now, everyone understood. This wasn't an ordinary fight. This was something far worse. Whispers began to ripple through the group, fear evident in their voices.
"Kevin... he's an Awakened, isn't he?" someone muttered.
And as silence fell, the gravity of what had just happened lingered in the air like a storm cloud.