I forgot the day that I've seen the light, nor have I felt it. But what I could tell you, while residing on this Underground Earth, life was nowhere near good, every time I went to walk outside my house, if even it could be considered that, I kept myself hidden, or those monsters would consume me, but most of the time, we can escape them with a light source, that why the streets are filled with lights.

I was born here in Buried Terra, a world where the sun has completely cooled and the surface is covered in darkness, even though I was not able to experience it, I have read books about it when the darkness covered the skies, monsters began to emerge from the darkness, species began to slowly disappear, and one day the coldness swept the lands completely, the humans last resort was underneath, where we are closer to earth core. It was a nice story, but I never believed if it was true or not, but that's the only reason that I believe, whether it was true or not. It's the only one that I could personally trust, a pretty cool book,

huh? But I need to go outside and buy some bread and orange jams, so that I have food for later, I'm gonna take the public carriage it is easier to travel using it and it's much cheaper, the downside is that it's very crowded, and having only a small space which is where you sit down, I'm lucky that I got to a carriage with only 3 people.

"Hey, could you go to the Anny's Bakery?" As I said, the coachman nodded, and I immediately went back to my spot. It's a natural day today; even though it may feel like this place is filled with sorrow and depression, it's not; it's just that every day, we are searching for something to eat, drink, wear, and survive.

But I've felt like it has been the same day all over again. The ride to the bakery was smooth; the street lights were bright, and the buildings had windows so that more lights could come in.

"Here's 2 silver; I hope that should be enough for the trip," I said calmly; the coachman's face showed a little bit of discernment, as I expected, but I did feel the same thing as well.

I only have 20 silvers left, which should be enough for 10 pieces of bread, which should keep me fed for 5 days if the bread doesn't grow molds.

As I entered Anny's Bakery shop, I saw her face once again, a face filled with stitches, and scars. I've been buying bread for a long time, when my mother allowed me to go outside, me and my mother would constantly go to Anny's bakery.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Anny" saying the same thing every week. "Alan, you know having a dull face every day isn't good, right?" She said with a smile on her face, a face filled with stitches. "Well, everyone in the town has the same expression, you might as well join in," I said while I kept my posture straight.

"Well, you're right, but you know, even if everyone is like that, why do it? When you could become a light to everyone, just like the lights that keep us alive."

She said with the same expression on her face.

I ignored it and immediately asked her for the bread. "Ms Anny, could I please get my typical order?" I said, while I glanced at the ceiling, I noticed that her place was worn down and old, and the lights were flickering at random.

As she gave me the bread, I asked her, "Why have you not changed the light bulb?" My curiosity won.

I looked at her, and she replied, "Alan, don't worry about it, and I'm going to fix it later. I might have some spare bulbs here." she said it like her every attitude.

I'm still not used to her face, even though I've been going to her bakery every week for the past 13 years; when I was 7 years old, I finally had permission to go outside.

I studied in my mother's family house. My mother would bring me a few books to study every month, but some books were just stories. "Ms. Anny, here are 20 silvers. That should be enough, right?" I asked her.

"Yes, that should be enough, but to me, it's too much here's but anyways, thank you, child," she answered my question.

"Okay, goodbye, Ms. Anny; I'll be back next week on Monday," I said to her while I went towards the door.

Ms. Anny said with a serious tone, "Child, be careful. I heard that there's going to be a blackout tomorrow." I turned my back and looked at her, "Thank you. You should also be careful too."

As I said with a confident tone. I could feel Anny's gaze behind me but I didn't think much. I pressed through the door, looked at the so-called fake sky, and closed the door behind me. I noticed that the streets were louder. Perhaps a new event would occur; many carriages quickly drove fast, and while I had no clue what was happening, my instinct immediately sensed something was out of the ordinary.

I asked a stranger, who was wearing a brown suit and had a brown cane, "Sir, could you perhaps tell me what's going on?" I asked, with confusion filling my head.

He said, "They said that there's going to be a partial blackout, and then they immediately said that they're going to speed it up." the stranger answered with a nervous tone.

"Thank you," I said, while immediately trying to get a carriage. I waved my hand to the carriages, and they saw me waving my hand; they rushed towards me, and without a second thought, I rode into the carriage even if it was full.

The street lights were flickering, and the people on the sidewalk were in a state of panic; the carriages were rushing to our destination.

I could hear the horse running out of breath; as I began to hear things, my heart began beating at a rapid pace, and my thoughts slowly panicked:

What if I didn't make it to my home?

What if the carriages will not make it? What would happen to me if it became dark?

My thoughts were not in a state of calm, but I tried fixing myself and slowly calming myself, giving hope to myself that I would make it.

The lights flickered as if it was trying to catch us up, and the carriages in the front, began to slow down, I looked at the people inside the carriages, people's faces were word down as if they were accepting it, and some were in a state of panic, panicking uncontrollably, and lastly the coachman, who was focusing and not aware at what's behind him.

I didn't expect it, but it wasn't overwhelming it was underwhelming. The carriages just passed Dowling Street 53, which has a lot of records of having the most active part of the city, but now, there's not even a single soul, I was expecting it, but I'm glad the people there have a quick response to abnormal occurrence, entering in their homes, and having light's turn on, or perhaps a backup lights.

I should've brought a lantern or a flashlight, but I didn't think that far ahead; I ignored my eldest sister's advice; I'm sorry, sister allure.

I have done nothing wrong, but for the first time I did something wrong, and I turned out for the worse.

The carriages in the front began to split up, and we followed along with them, looks like I had arrived at Dright Street 47, I just had to wait for the right moment for me to walk out, I counted the houses before I reached my home, "27... 18... 10... 6... 3... 1", "here this my stop here." I shouted to the coachman.

It looks like I do not need to pay since it's an emergency. And I'm back here again, in this old-looking house, worn down; I'm hoping to change it once I get a proper job with good pay.

I looked at the streets that I passed by, and the lights there started to flicker.

"Shit, it's near"; I opened the door and immediately grabbed my lighter and lit up the candles and lanterns; turning the lights is useless if the power is gonna go out. I'm alone here; my sisters are not in the city. I hope they're doing fine.

I'll just sit here near the table. I turned my head and looked through the window. The street lights flickered, and then the blackout arrived.

I'll just stay here, wait.... I'll grab a book to read as I watch the candles. "A knock on the door, why are they still outside?

It's literally blackout; you know what?

I'll just answer it. I click the door knob and open the door.

It was a man wearing a brown suit and brown cane; it was the stranger earlier that I asked about the blackout, "how did you know my house?" I said to him, he glanced at me and said, "I was in the same carriage as you, thank the almighty, that I was able to catch up with you, I secretly followed you home, because I was homeless, and I have nothing on me, hoping that you would invite me in".

He looked like he was telling the truth, but I have read enough newspapers that it's fake,

so I tested him

"Tell me, how exactly did you go to the carriage even though I went in first, then the carriage immediately rushed when I sat in?".

He seems hesitated to answer my question, and then a short moment of silence occurred, and he finally answered, "I was in it before you, you remember, right? The carriages were full, and you just stayed at the back?"

I think I remember that, but I can't properly remember it, probably because I was too focused on my situation, but I let it slide.

I said "Sure, come in, just sit there near the table and wait for me, I'll just need to grab something in my room"

He said, "Sure." I headed towards my room, trying to find something that I could be entertained with." sure enough, I found the deck of cards that my uncle, who was owned by my adoptive mother's brother.

As I headed towards the living room, I glanced at an abnormality of a living being, its shape was something that I couldn't comprehend; it looked like a human, wearing a suit, but I hadn't seen its face, nor had I noticed any facial features.

I tilted my head up, and my peripheral vision saw a disembodied head,

which was split, blood dripping as if its human head were just a byproduct of tentacles.

Its brains were both falling apart and already in pieces; its eyes were falling apart, and its numerous eyes glanced and focused at me, each eye's surroundings, and each part of the tentacles.

It said to me, "Oh, you're back," as Its voice gradually became mumbled.