Fog is a natural phenomenon. Sometimes it is soft and ethereal, other times dense and oppressive. Fog can generate a haunting atmosphere that compels one to pause and explore the enigmas it conceals...
.....
The world is in chaos. An unknown fog spreads across the land. An eerie creature, an ethereal sound, and a mysterious item emerge from the fog. Panic and disorder grip the people as fear takes hold.
The eerie creature is terrifying, indescribable in its form. It has a twisted body, sharp fangs, and hundreds of eyes covering its head and body. Some walk on two feet, while others crawl. They spit out a foul-smelling gas and attack anyone nearby.
The ethereal sound is hauntingly beautiful, with a flawless rhythm, melody, and tone. But anyone who hears it becomes entranced, stunned into a frenzy where they turn on each other. Beneath the enchanting music lies a bloody battle.
The unknown item is a tiny blue sphere, covered in flowing binary code. Atop it is a countdown ticking down from five seconds. "Beep," "beep," "beep," "beep," "beep." When the countdown reaches zero, it detonates in a massive explosion.
The news plays on a huge TV screen. The reporter, a golden-brown-haired beauty, speaks with fear, concern, and urgency.
"The eerie creature is killing everyone nearby! If you see it, you must hide or run away as fast as possible! Military troops have been dispatched!"
The screen switches to another location, showing blood splattered on the walls of buildings. The ethereal sound echoes, marking the site of the initial bloody conflict.
"Ahhh!" A scream pierces the air, abruptly cut off, perhaps belonging to someone who has just died. The camera is positioned low, capturing only the ground, leaving the fate of the person unknown.
The news transitions once more, this time to a street where a crowd gathers around the tiny blue ball. Confusion reigns as they hear the "beep" and notice the countdown.
Beep, Beep
"Wait... run!" Someone finally realizes the danger, but it's too late. The explosion occurs, and the camera cuts off instantly.
A few moments later, a new image appears: the area where the explosion happened is now barren, with a one-kilometer radius of devastation.
.....
Inside a mall, only two young men remain. The mall is deserted because everyone else has evacuated to shelters as ordered by the government.
The power has been cut off, leaving the interior dimly lit by the afternoon light filtering through the glass doors.
"What the hell is happening in this goddamn world?" one man shouts, frustration evident in his voice.
He is Jonas, with light brown skin and brown hair, visibly agitated because they are in the same place where the eerie creature emerged.
"Jonas! You better not shout! If that monster hears us, we're going to hell!" Falkmar warns in a hushed tone, covering Jonas's mouth.
Falkmar, with slightly darker skin and black hair, rolls his eyes at Jonas's reckless behavior.
"Hmph! I'll go to heaven, not hell!" Jonas retorts, his voice still low but defiant.
Falkmar falls silent, shaking his head in disbelief.
They are scavenging the mall, filling a large plastic bag with snacks, meat, and vegetables. Although the shelter has plenty of supplies, they prefer to gather resources for Jonas' underground refuge.
"You know, I thought you were crazy for wanting to build an underground shelter, but now it seems like your decision was smart," Falkmar admits as he reaches for more snacks.
"Ha... I was just joking around, but when my dad heard it, he took it seriously and started building," Jonas replies with a smirk, flaunting his fortunate situation.
Falkmar rolls his eyes again, thinking to himself,
"Is this the world of rich people?"
"By the way... Did you see that news? What do you think is causing all these unknown things to emerge from the fog?" Jonas asks.
"I don't know, but maybe the fog connects to another world?" Falkmar speculates, drawing from the many novels he has read.
Jonas glances at Falkmar, considering how unrealistic that sounds, and thinks that Falkmar might be a bit naive.
"Maybe..." Jonas replies, his voice deepening.
Suddenly, a sharp, loud noise pierces the air from a distance. Both Falkmar and Jonas wince in pain, covering their ears as the sound assaults them.
"Ah! What the hell is that?" Jonas cries out, losing his balance and falling onto the supermarket floor.
"I don't know! Who the hell is making that goddamn high-pitched noise? Ah!" Falkmar also falls, snacks and supplies scattered everywhere.
The piercing noise continues for a moment before fading away. Slowly, they rise, their heads still aching from the assault.
"Finally... Who was making that noise? It might attract the monster," Falkmar says, confusion in his tone as he gathers the fallen plastic bag.
"Fuck this shit! Agh!" Jonas curses, picking up his own bag.
"Alright... Stop scolding. Maybe we should head back to the shelter now..." Falkmar suggests, worry etched on his face.
"Fine... Let's go back!" Jonas agrees, gripping his plastic bag tightly as they make their way out of the mall.
As they step outside, the sky is overcast with dark clouds, and debris litters the streets. The road is deserted, covered in blood, remnants of the chaos that the fog has unleashed.
Walking through the empty streets, they see broken cars and the aftermath of destruction. The buildings resemble a war zone, dust swirling in the air as bricks and tiles litter the ground. The city is shrouded in silence.
The scene, coupled with the gloomy sky, casts a heavy mood over them. Falkmar and Jonas gulp hard, momentarily stunned by the devastation, despite having seen it before.
Their pace slows, expressions somber and breaths heavy. They seem to mourn the loss of life in this ruined city, the atmosphere pressing down on them like a mountain.
They navigate through the desolated streets, turning corners as the echo of their footsteps is the only sound breaking the silence.
"Did everybody die...?" Falkmar asks weakly, his voice trembling with despair.
"Probably, since there's no one but us," Jonas replies, his tone nearly a whisper, the weight of the situation sinking in.
Both young men realize just how fortunate they are. They saw the news on television and the fog rolling in and immediately sensed something was wrong. Jonas quickly alerted his parents, and they all fled to his underground shelter just before chaos erupted, escaping the horrors outside.
Inside the shelter, they listened in horror as the screams of the populace filled the air—desperate cries for help that eventually faded into chilling silence.
When the screaming finally subsided, Falkmar and Jonas cautiously opened the trap door, revealing a world turned upside down. The streets were stained with blood, and the remnants of a society they once knew lay in ruins.