Static. White flickering static reflected against the green irises of his eyes as a crackling echoed throughout the stale air. He looked down at his hand, the tension within his fingers causing them to tremble as a trickle of blood leaked from his flesh.  

‘It happened again...’ 

Sighing, he tossed the destroyed mouse to the corner; a place filled with numerous mice of its kind, all chirping in their inanimate deaths. He leaned back in his chair, its three legs threatening to give as he kicked his feet up to the table, crossed. The desk creaked from the weight and dust fell to the floor, but he didn’t mind. The room hadn’t been cleaned in ages, why should he start now? 

He brought his thumb to his lips, lightly suckling on the wound as the saline taste filled his mouth. He liked it, a breath of fresh air in comparison to the moldy bread he had devoured hours prior. Yet, he couldn’t help as another sigh escaped from his lips. His eyes, an empty abyss, wandered aimlessly before coming to a pause upon the wall. There was a picture, framed in place and hung loosely by a single nail. The weakest gust of air would blow it away, but it remained as in defiance that its existence wasn’t meant to be.  

The picture, or rather a portrait, never was something important. However, in this moment, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the image. Three people stood languidly, a young boy, a father and the outline of a woman. Her face was blurred, the only distinguishable feature was of her hair. Lonely obsidian, darker than even the twilights of the darkest nights. While the father, a handsome fellow, held gaunt eyes that somehow were still able to support a cheerful smile. Although, the shadow that crested the other features of his face told otherwise.  

“Shame...” 

A murmur escaped his lips as his viridian eyes locked with the young boy’s. A pair of inky emeralds stared right back at him, holding a large smile that only caused a dull pain to ache within his already frozen heart. Yet, he still wasn’t able to rip away his gaze. His mind was enraptured, caught within the embrace of what should have been. And it was only until the shattering of glass that he felt safe.  

He kicked the wall, the defiance the portrait clutched so desperately was nothing but a farce. Shards of glass scattered across the room, some fell upon himself, slicing through the layers of his raggedy clothing before thudding to the ground below and joining the rest. His eyes grazed against the ground, lingering upon the backside of the uncontained portrait for a second as he caught sight of a delicate scribble. 

M, in a thousand lives, in a thousand worlds, I will always love you... 

Lies, it was nothing but lies; the only truth he knew to be right before his vision filled with black. 

**** 

White light, paired with the blaring noise of an alarm bashed itself into his head after mere seconds, or at least... what felt like seconds. Groaning, he shoved himself off the chair, not caring in the slightest that it clattered to the floor and slammed his fist into the clock. The sound subsided.  

He carefully stepped around the shards of glass and grabbed his phone from the counter. There was a string of missed calls from an Amber which was then followed by a series of texts, but he simply swiped it all away, there were better things to do. Bending down, he felt a flat gnawing pain within his stomach but ignored it as he begrudgingly pulled his shoes over his feet and headed to the door. However, as it swung open, he took a final glance behind his shoulder and once again his gaze was pulled towards the portrait.  

There was a feeling, like a message from a higher being, that spurred his steps backwards as if he was a puppet. He didn’t understand as his fingers reached down and rolled the portrait before safely placing it into his back pocket. Once it was secure, he regained control and blinked, shaking his head seconds later.  

‘I’m going to be late...’ 

He quickly exited the room, instinctively locking the door as he had done for so many years and headed down the stairs. He entered the foyer, passing a disheveled old man teetering on the brink of starvation, and exited out as fast as he came.  

Stepping out from the building, his eyes swiveled around as he took in the senses. There were the familiar dark shadows, cast by the skyscrapers surrounding the building of his measly, ten square metre flat. While his wrinkled nose picked up the ever so prevalent bitter smell of industrialized fumes. He let out a breath, condensation forming before his lips just as he walked through the cloud of vapor. There was a place to be, no time stalled would be forgiven. 

Trudging through the city, the melodies of distant sirens and struggling commuters filled his ears. He turned a corner; a child’s wail sprung out from the side, and no heed was given. Such was the theme of the city named Lucis.  

‘Lucis.. what a joke.’ 

He laughed, craning his neck to the skies and expecting to see the edges of grey beyond the skyline. However, it was blue... a surprise to say the least. Usually, it was only the grey clouds, sometimes the occasional dark rain. Yet, it was blue.  

His steps paused, and he simply stared. Solace, it was something that he had not felt in quite some time. It felt... nice. 

However, just as soon as the feeling came a vibration emitted from the right pocket of his pants. He ignored it once again, and his steps resumed. Although, after several seconds passed, then came the next, and after the next, was the next and so forth. He frowned, and as the fourth came, it turned down into a scowl. 

‘What now.’ 

Irritated, he rummaged through and brought the screen to his eyes. There were two buttons, both blaring at him to quickly ponder a decision. He chose green. 

{Yo M, why the hell aren’t you picking up???} 

“...” 

It was Amber once again, the one person who he considered an acquaintance. But why? He didn’t need her, after all, she would disappear too, eventually. 

{M?} 

The voice came again, this time, with the slightest hint of worry.  

{Hey are you okay? You left for work, right?} 

‘Mhm, I’m fine. Yup, left for work.’ 

He thought but did not voice the feeling and simply dropped his hand to the side.  

{M? Hey! Don’t think you ca—} 

“Annoying.” 

He placed the device on silent and turned the corner, he would deal with her later. Continuing to walk, the designation of his work quickly came into view. A rickety building, filled with holes and molding wood. The peeling paint didn’t help the image.  

However, a sudden shriek brought him to alert, and his gaze whipped to the side of the street. There stood a woman, crazed, holding a bottle filled with a revolting liquid. She waved it through the air, her scent wafting through his nostrils as he recoiled in disgust. She was arguing with another man who seemed to be in a similar situation. Disheveled clothing, rotten teeth, skinny limbs with sunken skin that tightly gripped around his bones.  

It wasn’t an uncommon sight, rather... it was the majority. They were known as the dreamers. Always wanting more, even if more was impossible to reach. Dreamers. That was all they were. 

The woman bashed the bottle against the man’s head, the liquid spilling as blood entered the world. Splattered against the ground was a mixture of liquids, next was the unmoving body of the man. The woman scoffed, then released a manic laugh before kneeling down and lapping at the puddled liquid.  

‘Disgusting.’ 

Seeing the woman behave and act like no more than a rabid animal prompted his usual reaction. But he soon found himself staring, for multiple minutes, mesmerized as a sudden thought ran through his mind. 

I want to die. 

The words italicized and bold flashed across his emerald irises. They didn’t bring fear, rather a familiar solace, like when he gazed up at the sky.  

But suddenly, he flinched. The woman, seemingly finished with her meal had snapped her neck in his direction. Her pupils bored into his own, burning holes into the core of his cranium as he froze, not in fear but reverence. 

She laughed once, then smashed her head into the ground before raising it once more. Her forehead gleamed of blood; her blotchy skin caused shivers to run down his spine, yet he was entranced. Her lips moved slowly; every word drawn out with perfect pronunciation, but his mind still struggled to comprehend. 

“I...” she grinned. “Want to live.”