[“Hello. We’ve been trying to reach you about your car’s extended w-”
Bruh. Allen typically wouldn't pick up calls from unknown numbers, but he had been feeling grateful for the fortunate timing. He should have known better. The phone was almost dead, so he plugged it in while the electricity was still being cooperative.
Stepping outside for a breather, he inhaled the scent of freshly fallen rain. The screened porch protected him from the downpour that had momentarily slowed its assault on the roof and sides of the house. The streets were empty.
There were no people to watch, so he watched the rain. It was surprisingly mesmerizing. Settling down on the new patio chair, he pulled out his tablet and checked for updates on his bookmarked web novels. It was harder to get away from the screen than he realized, but he comforted himself with the fact that ‘reading’ was technically a praised activity.
‘When were they coming back, again?’ Allen’s thoughts drifted as he browsed the ‘new’ section for any good additions. Not in the mood for dealing with people today, he decided they would arrive back next week instead. ‘This kind of smooth-sailing life…’
“...kind of boring, isn’t it?” He muttered to himself. Was it time for a res-
Allen tilted his head towards the front door that he had left partly open as a noise caught his attention.
*Riiiiiiiiing*]
-
“Hello? Can you please repeat that?” Allen squinted his eyes as he pressed the ‘phone’ harder against his ear. It was difficult to piece together the few words that made their way through the static clear enough for him to understand. Something about a lord?
“...moment...talk…bzz…savior…”
“Sorry, not interested.” He never asks for a repeat for the third time, instead, he always pretends he understood. Either way, it seemed like some sort of religious call which he wasn’t interested in anyway. The people here sure do take their religions seriously.
He pockets his phone, glad to have finally located it. He’s been slowly going crazy without the stimulation of the web. Perhaps, he’ll discover some inspiration for his new novel or even share it online. His eyes lit up at the thought.
“All the pieces are slowly falling into place.” Humming a happy tune, he strolls towards a nearby cafe. A small treat to celebrate the good day should be fine on the finances.
Right before he reaches the door, he feels the hairs on his neck rise. Someone is staring at him. Turning around, he scans his surroundings. Too many people. Where the heck did they all come from? I swear the streets were way less crowded just a little ago…was I mistaken? My feelings have been a little off lately…
Not noticing anything out of the ordinary, he shook his head feeling a little silly. It also wasn’t as late as he first thought either. The thick clouds parted and the setting sun painted the landscapes a beautiful golden hue.
“Would you like a paper, sir?”
He enters the cafe feeling pleased with the discount he received. The store is not that busy which makes sense considering the time of day. A couple of ladies are gossiping in small voices, and a few men who look permanently concerned are engrossed in their reading. Allen also noted that one fellow with a daily newspaper was shaken, quite literally, by whatever story he was reading.
Quickly scanning the spots for a seat closer to the window, he sits down near the door after placing an order. Considering he is probably staying up all night anyway, he didn’t care about consuming coffee so late. He opened up the newspaper, eyes eager for some information about the world around him. I should have done this earlier.
His eyes are instantly drawn to the bold subtitle, ‘Prisoners Escape’. That is concerning indeed. Some precautions should be taken, perhaps closing the doors for a couple of days until the prisoner has been apprehended is not a bad idea. But the finances…life is more important. He convinced himself it was for safety and not out of laziness. Is this the unrest I’ve been hearing so much about lately?
There is also the completion of a mansion and a new scientific discovery of a more efficient lighting method. Briefly scanning the rest of the front page, he flips through the rest. Horse Racing results…an auction…some gossip about the candidates for a Lady’s hand in marriage… ‘Authorities caution against wandering the streets after sunset’.
He looks out of the window at the sun that is slowly sinking into the horizon. There aren’t many people left, it is just him and the fellow who is still deeply absorbed in his newspaper. I should finish this coffee and hurry back soon. Allen didn’t feel like testing his luck.
-
Donovan
Steady…calm down and remain steady. You are a regular man taking a well-deserved rest after a long day at work…steady…calm down…
Donovan repeated the mantra in his mind on an endless loop, hypnotizing himself with a deceptive calmness he didn’t feel. It was the only thing keeping his mind from having a complete breakdown. Does he know? He knows. He definitely knows! How could he not? Help! Someone help me…
Stop. It’s fine.
He focused on keeping his hand steady and his face behind the paper despite it being a new face he hadn't shown anybody. The paper had never felt so thin. Out of sight, out of mind. A powerful being wouldn’t take notice of an ant on the side of the road as long as it minded its own business and stayed out of His way.
As someone who had crushed many ‘ants’ during his active years, he knew full well the mindset. Even so, he would be a fool to assume he knew the full extent considering the vast difference in the level of power. How could a mere firefly compare to the moon…no, the blazing sun.
Donovan’s bloodshot eyes shifted to the side. He had noticed the arrival of the official forces and just as he had feared, that Commander was leading them. The Commander who had razed countless cults to the ground in his younger days, barely held in check by the reigning Saint of the Savior Church. He was suspected to not be in his best condition, but nobody was willing to be the first to test that assumption.
He had been weirdly comforted by the expression on their faces, relieved he wasn’t alone in his reality-shattering disbelief. Who would've thought a normal customer in his store, an acquaintance of Alice’s, is a hidden superpower? Does that mean Alice…
He started questioning everything he knew. It shouldn’t be, he knew her for so long, and she never showed any signs of being anything more than mortal. Looks can be deceiving…but I should still warn her. NO, if he meant her harm, she would have been dead by now.
The book. He even gifted her an item. He had left it behind but should be able to retrieve it once the dust settled. His palms moistened at the thought of the consequences if he had lost the gift.
The sound of a chair being pulled back brought his slowly dissociating mind back to the current situation. He tucked his head even lower, trying to minimize his existence to the fullest extent. Thankfully, his table was closer to the back of the store.
He waited for the sound of the door opening but it never came. The sound of footsteps stopped beside his table.
“Why, hello there. I thought I recognized you. Never thought we would meet again so soon, Mr. Donovan.”
The familiar black eyes met his own, a hint of amusement dancing within their depths.
-
{There was ‘something’ out there.
In the dim room, shadows played tricks on the peeling wallpaper. The air was heavy with an eerie silence, only broken by Donovan's shallow breaths. The wooden door in front of him felt like a barrier between safety and the looming horror on the other side.
Donovan stood frozen, gaze locked onto the door that ‘should’ connect to the rest of the store, but something told him otherwise. A faint scratching sound, like whispers, came from beyond the door, making his skin crawl. A bead of sweat trickled down his forehead as his thoughts raced. Light flashed on the other side, casting shadows through the crack below the door. Shadowy tendrils curiously felt around the openings before retreating.
He didn’t have anything that could attract a monster of this level. It had to be the artifact that was innocently lying on the table in front of him. Had he come to retrieve what was his? Although he had an obligation to the organization, he wasn’t about to pay his life for them. Nothing is worth more than his life. Leave…hide…fast.
He shrunk his body down and squeezed his frame behind the only table in the room. Thankfully, it wasn’t a four-legged table with an open space underneath, or else he would be completely screwed.
The handle rattled before the sound of a door opening echoed in the silent room. ‘Please take your artifact and leave. I have nothing to do with it. I am only following orders’, he repeated in his mind.
The footsteps came closer before stopping right next to the table, right in front of him. He could see the edges of the shadowy figure even with his head lowered.
Donovan slowly looked up at the dense, smoke-like form before locking eyes with a pair of onyx eyes as deep as the abyss.
“I’ve found you.”}
Dianos· Jan 18, 2024
