A shrill tone woke me in the middle of the night, interrupting my hard-earned slumber. I got up to find the source of the commotion. Walking down the hallway, I knocked on my neighbor's door, my head dizzy from losing the only rest it had for four days. He opened the door, but when I asked him to keep it down, he said he had no clue what I was talking about. He complained that a young student like myself had no business walking around in the dead of night. "Do you have ANY idea what time it is??" he shou-whispers wary of the other neighbors
"You have school tomorrow, same as me, go back to sleep please!" . What was the time? Did I have a watch? I search around my pockets, nope, "I guess is time for me to get a watch!!" I exclaimed. "Sshh not so loud we have neighbors, Jeez it really isn't the time for lame puns" he shoos, clearly having no time to entertain a neighbor in need. "Its a joke not a pun" I whispered taking offence to his earlier statement.
"Not the time" he states "Why are you even here?". He must really want to go back to bed, huh?. "Also you're in your pajamas" he pointed out candidly, with an air of nervousness. Woops, I guess I am walking around wearing nothing but pajamas in the hallway leading unto my room, talking to my neighbor. "I see. You realized huh. Consider this a service!!" Got the upper hand now.
"You're white as a sheet, go back to bed" he replies with pity his eyes.
I lost. Wow that woke me up real quick, and if that didn't what happened next certainly did. You remember that humming I totally forgot about? It got louder, much louder, imagine thunder times a hundred. Yeah, pretty loud.
The room was eerily quiet, and for a moment, I wondered if I had dreamed the strange noise. But then it came again, a low humming that gradually grew louder and louder until it felt like the walls themselves were shaking. I clamped my hands over my ears, but it was no use. The sound was like nothing I had ever heard before, a deafening cacophony that made my head throb and my teeth ache.
I stumbled out of bed, my feet unsteady on the floor. With each step, the noise seemed to amplify, rising to an unbearable pitch. I stumbled to the kitchen, desperate for something to make it stop. I poured a glass of water, but the sound was so loud, I could barely hear the liquid hitting the glass. My vision began to blur, and I felt like I was going to be sick.
Frantic, I lunged for the medicine cabinet and grabbed my sleeping pills. I didn't even bother to read the label, just downed two of them with a gulp of water. As I collapsed onto the couch, my mind raced with thoughts of what could be causing the noise. Was it some kind of mechanical malfunction? Or worse, was it all in my head?
I closed my eyes and tried to focus on my breathing, willing myself to drift off into sleep. When I woke up, I told myself, it would all be over. The noise would be gone, and I could go about my day as usual.
I got up and threw up immediately. (Noted: Do not go beyond prescribed dose.) I began cleaning, scooping up vomit and binning it. Vomit's pretty hard to clean, especially on wallpaper. Phew, all clean and all in a hard day's work. I guess I'll have to do the laundry. I took my school uniform-
-AND PUT IT ON. I'm late!! (I cant miss today, how would I even explain this? Sorry OD'd on some sleeping pills?) I begin rushing down the stairs and pickup my packed bag (Good job past me!) I tie my shoes (Loop, Swoop-) and rush to the elevator.
How are all of them stopped at the first floor??!! I, against better judgement rush down the stair, suddenly noticed that my laces had been tied together, and were simultaneously too loose, mid-jump, my shoes fell down the stairs distracting my balance.
I fall into the stairwell, at rate of acceleration g, with h meters until I hit the ground and t seconds to ponder my life. Anyway you slice it my life is just sad. Orphan, died falling down stairwell and in another country to boot.
And all I have to blame is myself. Well time to pray to whatever god exists, maybe curse the wretched system that has college girls-
A voice, nether of a man or a woman appeared in my head, talking too fast to be properly heard, stated"
-System Online-
Reboot complete, analyzing environment and obstacles. Resolution: Immanent deacceleration.
Awaiting prompt. [Warning: Filter Inactive]"
What the hell. I didn't think I would hallucinate before I died.
"Launching (Hell) Burst." said the mysterious voice.
My hands started glowing, strange glyphs appearing before me, a warmth felt in my arms, a small ball of fire appeared. A countdown appeared in my eye with the word [AutoAttack] in red. The countdown reaches zero.
I began floating in the air, "Launching stabilizers" said the voice , flames appearing beneath my feet, "Target acquired".
The fireball began growing in size, expanding, its warmth scorching my uniform, turning a spot darker. I moved my arms inward. The fireball extended outwards and melted the wall, scorching debris flying in every which way. The molten concrete and rebar burst into flames, sending a torrent of fire towards me-
I woke up in a hospital bed facing the TV. I guess I must've fallen down the stairwell (at least I can say this was why I missed school). I'm grateful I woke up. The TV was showing some boring-ass news about a politician, some scandal. I guess I can just ask the nurse to change it to some anime. "Yuichiro Akane was found injured with burns in the rubble of the attack, the case having far more questions, but not one answer," said an anchor. "What do you think, Mr. Stitz?"
"Well, you're right about the unknowns, but it's only been a few hours," said the old dude with the funny name. "But all cameras except for the one in the building were recording; they will be found."
Hold on, it wasn't a dream? I really did blow up that wall. How do I feel about this? For the time being, I'll try not to think of anything dangerous, as it could act on impulse.
This was the beginning of my quest to understand the power I had been given.
