Where it all begins

Let me begin my story roughly around ten years ago.

When the first appearance of portals called 'Black Hole' spread to the public, it caused turmoil all over the world.

The end is coming.

It's a bad omen.

God's punishment.

Banners containing those message started popping one after another. It raised havoc that stirred the foundations of the Earth.

Although nothing ever came out from the portals, anything that passed through it never came back again.

Five years passed by just like that.

The issue was slowly dying down but then one year later, the Black Hole started emitting a violet light.

Once again, the panic exploded.

Due to the endless complaints, the government searched for a way to remove the Black Hole's existence.

Luckily, they found the answer.

After four years of research, they found out that throwing 15-year-old children inside the portal lessened its size by a significant amount.

This brings us to why I'm here today.

Tokyo Tower, Tokyo.

June 19, 2042.

This will be a historical day when the Black Holes will be removed from the world.

"Hey, is that the black hole?"

I asked the stranger beside me while pointing at the front. He nodded enthusiastically and started cheering when ten children walked out of a newly arrived vehicle.

Snap. Snap.

Cameras flashed and the crowd parted as the children started walking towards the Black Hole.

The government, after learning about the solution, quickly gathered any children aging 15 years to be voluntarily sacrificed to the Black Hole.

'Voluntary, my ass. They look paler than a paper.'

Some of the children were shivering while some were close to crying.

Most likely, they were orphans.

Some were against the plan to sacrifice them but the majority didn't speak up since the sacrifice would result to the destruction of the Black Holes.

Really, humans only think of themselves.

It disgusts me to no end.

'Well, let's do what we can.'

As a part of the anti-sacrifice faction, I'm here to save the children.

Our faction had prepared a plan for this.

There's a trap door underneath the front of the Black Hole. Once all of the children are above the trap door, I'll activate it and then my buddies will create a smokescreen for us to escape.

Tap. Tap.

"Ahem, ahem."

The president stood at the podium with a smile and started his speech.

"Citizens, rejoice and praise these brave children! With their lives, the world will be saved. Let us not forget their effort to save this world of ours."

My stomach twisted as people started cheering louder.

I lowered the hood of my jacket and cursed underneath my breath.

"Crazy bastards..."

It was almost time.

I checked my wireless earbuds to make sure the escape routes are secured.

"This is codename Trigger. How's the situation on the escape routes?"

Bzz. Bzz.

A static noise came in response.

I started to get a bad feeling about this.

"Hello? Are the routes secure?"

Bzzzz.

-Hiro! Save... children... device.... door... r-rigged...!

Bzz.

The signal cut off after that.

Even without hearing the whole thing, I knew what was happening.

'Shit! The device for the trap door is rigged!'

My eyes went to the children, their pale faces became engraved in my head. I was in the same age as them. I'm also an orphan.

Even though I was lucky not to get chosen, I couldn't turn my eyes away from this.

'I need to save them!'

Before I knew it, my feel moved and I was running to the Black Hole.

'God, if this isn't crazy, I don't know what is.'

Upon seeing me and other people running to the children, the government workers started forcibly pushing the children to the Black Hole.

'At least one. Even if I can't save everyone, I need to save at least some of them.'

The last child held out his hand and I grabbed it without thinking. It was too late when I realized that half of his body was already inside the Black Hole.

My eyes widened.

'Oh, shit.'

Just like that, I got sucked into the Black Hole.