Recollections of the Present

A white hospital room. The ones that make him feel sick. Truth to be told, he loathes the existence of these rooms. Without color, without life, the place where people go to die. All around him, was a dense white fog, making it hard to see.

A place where cowards like him avoid. The place for those who cannot accept fate… cannot look death in the eyes, or face struggle. "Meow!" On his lap, was a black cat with green eyes. Wanting attention, purring.

"Coffee." His cat: Coffee. Big and healthy. Petting his cat, he looks out the window. A wave of faceless people comes and goes, too self-absorbed, each one with their problems, their fights, carrying on, without fear despite lacking complexion.

Coffee purrs, enjoying the petting. The young man stares at the crowd with envy, envy of their perceived courage. Some shadows pass, one with white hair, a blonde one, two black-haired ones, a redhead, and a brunette.

Walking unafraid, with their chins up high. He wanted to be amongst them, to carry on with them by his side, yet he was alone. Always alone. Always a coward, running from fate, running from death. 

Self-absorbed, never taking other's struggles into question, the struggles of those close to him. "Kyrie… are you there?" A voice, he knows, calls back. A voice that should be long forgotten, but he cannot forget her voice, no.

The truest admission to his fragility, his weakness in the face of tragedy. He can't forget, he won't let himself do so. His cat raises from his lap, leaping on K.Js shoulder, being too big to fit on his shoulder, The cat seems content to just lay his belly there, and continue to purr.

The crowd continues to walk. The world is still spinning beside him. Years come and go. Years pass and he continues to rot. A boat adrift in the seas. The wet and cold breeze hits his face, a bleach on the horizon.

Even from there, he could tell it would be fun, to be there, live life a bit. "Kyrie, are you hearing me?" The voice once again questions him. The sun sets as the white-haired person, the blonde and the brunette vanish from the crowd as if they were never there in the first place.

A stinging pain in his heart. As if something has been lost forever. It was lost? Did he lose it? Did they lose it? Whoever lost it? Blinking, the redhead and black-haired shadows look at him. Despite their facelessness, a message is still being conveyed. "We are waiting for you." Why are they waiting for him?

He never added anything. He needed them more than they needed him. They would be better off without him. Flames fill the room, but he is not afraid. These flames— they won't hurt him, or coffee. Or change anything in the world.

They could devour all of it, yet the world would remain the same. There is no reason to fear the flames, as they cover his fingers, his feet, his body. No warmth. Despite their powerlessness, he can feel their outrage, their cry for justice.

A cry to banish the darkness. A plea to go on. A swear to fight. They scream, some murmurs, others just talk in vain. They cannot reach him, not as long as he is a coward. No, as long as he continues to stand still.

"Kyrie? Are you listening to yourself? You are no coward!" Her voice, directly rigging inside his head. As if she is still there. Right from the bleach, a massive wave comes, rising from the sea, threatening to eat them all. 

The dying head sun shines brighter, a pillar of flames rising from the ground, clashing against the massive wave, right at the edges of the city, fighting in vain. Their struggle is meaningless.

From the massive wave, a breath of freezing air was blown over the city, over him and the remaining faceless shadows. There is nothing he can do. There is no way to fight this world, just accept things as they are.

There is nothing a coward, a traitor, and a weakling can do to stop the coming tide, an oath breaker can accomplish nothing… The freezing breeze touches his skin, numbing it. His cat hisses, coming down from his shoulder to stand on his lap again, hissing at the massive wave.

The numbing ice taking over the room, despite the flames inside of it… Maybe he should give up, and join the ice. Put an end to his cowardice, and admit defeat… he was such a bad friend, after all. "You are not a bad friend, Kyrie. I'm still here. I'm still your friend."

The voice says, in a soothing tone, someone hugs him from behind, a tight hug, a shielding hug, a reassuring hug. Warmth spreads over his back, to his arms, to his entire body, pushing back the cold breeze. Warm tears fall over his shoulder. "I'm so sorry."

The voice says, as warmth spreads over the room, and unto the outside. The flames started to burn and heat, turning cold air and water into steam, an immense fog. "I shouldn't have left you alone. I'm so sorry. I'm the bad friend, Kyrie."

This familiar heat amid the cold… she shouldn't cry, she isn't a bad friend. No, he is a traitor. Holding her arms, and leaning his head into her embrace, he accepts it. She shouldn't cry. "You are not a bad friend. I'm so sorry."

Coffee stops hissing, going back to sitting on his lap, as the immense frog consumes it all to a white expanse, one he couldn't see where it starts, and where it ends. The end of this world. The end of this dream, the end of her warm embrace…

…

Kyrie opens his eyes, the bus has stopped. "Kyrie, are you okay? You slept for the entire trip." Before him, a concerned Spencer, with James and Cain behind him… he slept? For how long? Did they already reach their destination?

"Oh? Have you guys already awakened The Sleeping Beauty? Then let's go. Our commander wants to see you guys." The soldier in charge, who is not as much in charge as it seems, speaks up. Grunting, the young man rises from the seat, holding his blade tightly.

They walk to the outside of the bus, the soldiers exiting first or already having exited the bus. They are the last passengers out. "No doubt because I overslept." Just a small detail. Before them, a military base. Is it the same his parents were—

"Yeah, if you are thinking about your parents, they and the first wave of VIPs had already moved out. So are you guys, and the civvies here." As if reading his mind, the ex-in-charge soldier answers. This is starting to become annoying, despite his answering in goodwill.

Around them, people are organized, officers running errands and soldiers keeping discipline and calm inside the perimeter. They are already inside the military base, and most likely have been checked for anything suspicious… did they just let him enter with a sword? 

"So, you are John's son, huh? It is surprising to see someone with a feminine face hack so many monsters with a sword." A man calls their attention, roughly the same height as him, with a square and stern face, with a welcoming smile.

"You are Kyrie Jensen, and you must be James, right?" K.J widens his eyes, this man knows him is no surprise, his uncle probably worked there, but to know James too? 

"Don't be so surprised, boys. Our drones caught your battles against the monsters. Most monsters in the area went there, so our guys managed to rescue some people from the region with more ease."

"Some", not all. He saw the corpses. Was it a failing on their part, or his? Without K.J noticing, the man cut their distance short, his hands falling on the young man's shoulder.

  "You did good, kid. Better than most. You are not a soldier, you couldn't save everyone you met. You and your friend did more than you should. Don't let those thoughts gnaw your mind."

For a moment, the air is blown out of his lungs in surprise. Is this a superpower of soldiers? Read people's minds? Yet… the man's words felt reassuring. Shaking his head, K.J throws these thoughts to the back of his mind. There will be a time to dwell on them, but the time is not now.

"Good to see you got a good head and heart on your shoulders, boy. I would like to explain things as they stand right now, but just a glance at how beaten you guys are tells me it is a bad idea." The man, probably the leader, lets out a small laugh.

"Major. Anthony, take these kids to get a proper meal and rest, they will need it for the next few days." Taking out a cigarette pack, the "leader" turns away. 

"Understood, Lieutenant Colonel." Unsurprisingly, the man who answered was the "soldier in charge" back in the school. There is another lieutenant colonel there, probably a replacement for his uncle. Or his coworker? 

"Mister K.J" A single child breaks off the crowd after spotting him, almost like a missile. An oversized and slightly bloodied hoodie, blonde hair, and a bandaged eye. Lily! K.J puts his sword on the ground, instead of just sticking it, and opens his eyes wide, to catch the blonde rocket coming his way.

The girl jumps on him, in an awkward hug. Driving her head on his shoulder. "I got so scared, mister! I thought you had abandoned me or died! I couldn't even give your hoodie back!"

Despite being slightly muffled, her message is clear as day. Her little arms holding tightly on him, and something warm in his shoulder— she is crying. "I'm sorry, Lily, I had to help my friends… I didn't want to make you despair or get anxious."

In the end, the result was the same. He went without a parting word when she was sleeping. In hindsight, leaving his hoodie with her wasn't a bad idea at all. "It is unfair, mister! I didn't know if you were okay or hurt because of me!"

That big goblin delivered a nasty punch, but he recovered in the first hour or so after the punch… "I'm sorry, Lily. Don't worry much, it will take more than a few monsters to end this, mister."

The little girl whines, hitting her fists against his back in protest against his words. From behind him, Spencer laughs silently, despite not being able to see his face, a smile must be there. 

"You did save someone and not just lose your hoodie, admirable, K.J." The urge to swear is great, but the young man holds back, not swearing before Lily, gladly ignoring the fact she must've heard worse before. Kids these days and the internet are not a good combination.

Lily continues to hug, silently sobbing. If she is there, no one is with her— "Her parents are not here." If they are not here, or they are back in the city, or dead. The grim part of his mind inclined towards the latter scenario.

She is just a child, alone. Swallowing dry, K.J takes Lily in his arms and stands up, holding her. "Lieutenant Colonel, is there a problem if I take this girl with us to get a meal?" Even if there is, he will find a way to sneak out something for her.

The lieutenant colonel sighs and waves his hands. "This once, boys. Just this once." The sword will stay on the ground for a while then— "Someone, take this sword and put it in their dorms, assign them all to the same dormitory. It will be troublesome having it lying around."

Things are not so bad right now.