[XXIV] - Black Hole Effect

I was staring straight into this man's hollow eyes.

The feeling of cold metal rubbing against my temple, our heavy breaths marching, filling the small room.

He appeared out of nowhere, and now was standing between me and my only route of escape, the same staircase I came down from.

It appears I've been pushed into a tight corner, but I came into it with my own will, hoping to be safe.

Leaving the entrance unsupervised was another mistake, pinning me closer to my grave.

I always miss on the most important things, huh…

This man was a young adult, his slim, exhausted face was full of fierce anger. It was like if this man had been accumulating all the frustration inside of him, just waiting for the right moment to let it all out, in an explosion. And it appeared that this could happen any moment.

His dark gray eyes twitched when looking into mine, and the longer we stared at each other, the more his hand with the black gun was shaking.

His uniform was quite unusual, I've never seen one like this before. Similar to the ones the Order Officers wore, but darker and more assassin, techwear style like.

I wonder what the hell of organization this is, who the heck wants my head again?

My entire body was frozen in fear, I didn't even dare to tremble, with my hands raised in the air. I was staring at my ambusher from the corner of my eyes, waiting for what comes next.

I'm hanging on the verge of death now, it all lies in his shaking hands.

Analyzing all the options I have, it seems I have poor chances of survival in the current situation. Even if I have enough strength to knock him off, will my reflexes and swiftness be enough to react before he can trigger the gun? Is it yet time to give up?

…

Strangers have infiltrated my house easily like that. And I've always thought that this place was one of the safest, and hardest to find.

How mistaken I was. Nowhere is safe in this cursed metropolis. Everyone will find you in the end, even if you hide in the deepest shithole there is. No place is safe anymore. My home stopped being a peaceful the moment I stepped into the wrong alleyway.

But with no place to call "home" where can one rely on? Where can I hide, when I don't know what is happening. What place can soothe my soul when inner demons are attacking?

I have nowhere to rest calmly now, nowhere to recover, nowhere to hide all my secrets and belongings.

This fact shatters me.

And that I have no one I can always rely on anymore in this place…

…

All of those books, papers, photos… Do they have any point of existing if their owner has failed keeping them safely? If no one can understand them, why are they here?

Are all these innocent people outside there… Worth fighting for? Will they give me the home I seek for now? Could they become the family I lost?

Or maybe it was them who lost me?

I've lost everything, I think.

Home.

Family.

Courage.

What if this superpowers thing is all bullshit.

Why, in all of those years, was I just an ordinary person breaking the law?

Why, in all of those years, nobody stopped this rushing train of harm and tyranny?

Why would I be the one to stop this?

…

"Why aren't you shooting?" — I finally turned fully towards this man. The gun changed its aim to my forehead. My eyes were just a bit lower than his.

I realized something.

Why haven't all of this ended a long time ago?

If only all of them were quicker, fiercer, more determined to achieve what they want.

To kill me.

It all would end days ago.

But I'm still here, in one piece, more or less.

And this is fascinating, that many died on my path, but I'm still walking on it.

It seems that I truly have something to achieve ahead of me. My true destination can't be seen yet, but I can't stand being a useless pawn in the hands of the fate.

If I may die here right now, I may as well rebel. Because death knocked at my door many times, I won't open up it now, just because I've been cornered. It's not the end yet.

"Have you made up your mind yet?" — My voice was tough and lifeless. I've had enough.

I've pushed my head strongly towards the gun barrel, and feeling that the man is withdrawing it, I marched slowly towards him. He nervously stepped back, shaking his pulled up hands even more.

I stared at him deeply, with a gaze stroking enough to twist one's sanity.

Whispering in my thoughts, I wanted to tell him somehow:

"Get. Away. From. Me."

"I'm just… Doing my orders… S-so… Be obedient…" — He exclaimed nervously, as I pushed him even more backwards.

"What orders?"

The hard surface of the gun ripped through my face, pushing me back.

It felt as if a missile rocket went through my head, leaving behind a radioactive aura, making my whole face pulse with extreme pain and warmness. It seems like something inside on my face cracked, making thin strands of blood drip from my nose and lips.

With shock in my eyes, I could let anything out, but a glare of hate enough to strangle one's neck.

"I told you to stand back and listen! Don't move until I tell you so!" — Those loud words filled the entire room, strong enough to shake the wall of books behind me. — "Why is it me that always has to deal with all of those insolent weirdos!"

The urge to mess with his face as a revenge was stronger than my sense of remission.

I felt the itching heat growing in my hand. It flew right from my "bleeding" heart.

If the world rules over me ruthlessly like what… Why can't I stab it back in the back?

…

My hand flew like a lightning bolt through the air. Swiftly as a bullet, it landed on this man's ordinary face. I made sure that this would be the most painful slap he has ever gotten.

Maybe it didn't hurt him as much as the abusement he committed towards me, but still, it soothed my soul.

His grimaced look was satisfying, as well as the whole face swallowed and red. He dropped his gun down, so I felt a temporary feel of ease.

My unusual strength hasn't left me yet. Good. Maybe I still have some chances to get out of here. But would this mean I have to kill him…?

"I don't understand you all. Why are you waiting to kill me? What are you exactly waiting for?" — I asked with a teasing voice.

I really have enough of it all. The lies. The deceit. Why can't anyone be honest with me?

I'm tired of trying…

"Why aren't you answering me?" — My eyes went back to piercing his lost one's.

"Because I don't know the answer either." — His swallowed face lost all of the emotions that once were on it, and I only heard the gun being pulled up again, straight into my face.

And now I felt it in my bones.

The feeling of another person giving it all up too.

In his lifeless, dark eyes, I felt a brief moment of similarity.

I don't know this man, yet he dares to invade my home and threaten me, without any sure outcome to happen. I don't grasp the meaning behind it, and he sure doesn't either. We are all just pawns in the hands of the governors.

But it's me who has the higher ground because my meaning is surely more important than his and the ones that order him.

Yet, it appears that the sense of definite order has snatched in this man's head, as the gun he is holding now isn't shaking.

The last gaze he gave me was an indefinite one. As if this unknown man was truly hesitating if that he is doing is right. Something snapped.

I closed my eyes as I heard the trigger being slowly pulled.

I couldn't jump away from the shot, the room was too small to even attempt escape. Jumping at the man was a bad idea either, he looked strong and could shoot me anyways if I wanted to tear out the gun from this grasp.

But what I heard, at last, wasn't a gunshot piercing through my head, but a groan of a man being strangled from the back, fighting for his life.

The sound of a metallic item falling on the ground was muffled from the papers scattered all around.

A heavy body fell to its knees, insistently trying to grasp some air and desperately let the feeling of dying out of his lungs.

I felt his hand grab my leg, but the pressure lightened in milliseconds.

I opened my eyes in shock, and beheld the sight of the same man who attempted to kill me, struggling to stay on this Earth. Just below my feet, a scared expression on a face of an unimportant existence.

"Don't…"

And this was the last word he let out of his mouth. What was left before him was just agony.

No one in this room had intentions to finish him off. And maybe that was the biggest mistake.

Before my very torn apart person, in a spot behind where the man have been, proudly, was standing a young woman.

She leaned her slim hands against her hips and looked intriguingly at me.

"What's with that look? I've just saved your life! Value yourself more than a life of a brainwashed soldier…" — She made a wry face, looking inquisitively at me.

Who in the world… is this another weirdo?

Her height was just a bit taller than mine, but it was because of the platform boots she had on. The slender figure was melting with the dark background. The girl wore black clothes — techwear joggers, tight shirt, making her look very sly and dangerous. Her long, silky hair, black as the sky at night, but shining like the moon, was falling down to her waist, similar to the surface of the calm lake. Skin pale like a ghost's, two dark, big dots were staring at me, black holes emerging from the abyss. Her slim face was beautiful and mystical, like the one of a goddess. But her body covered whole in crimson blood, made her appear more like a god of calamity, than serene presence and pure beauty. In one hand, she held a short, shinning dagger. Probably the one to end lives of many.

Her presence was like a shadow, that emerged from the nowhere. I barely felt her appear here. No one heard anything. She came here just like this, and rescued me in the moment where it seemed no hopes could bring any resolve.

But here she is, another unexpected savior to all of my miseries. Another… awaiting…

"So… You're Asha?" — A curious question was let of her mouth, but it seemed she knew the answer to it already.

I just nodded my head cautiously.

She rescued me, but as everyone in this place requires, there seems to be something that needs to be done in return…

"Good, the old man started worrying about you, but you seem to be still in one piece." — She grinned at me, showing her sharp, white teeth.

My exploding face could state the opposite, but the thing that got me worrying was, who is that old man she is speaking of?

The woman seemed to understand what was worrying me and immediately told:

"Mr. Avor. The man responsible."

"Who?"

"Don't act like a damn idiot I won't believe you don't know who am I talking about! He told us that you've both talked?" — She responded with an audible annoyance in her high-pitched voice.

And the only old man that comes to my mind is that… old white-haired guy from this mysterious organization…

Didn't he tell me I have as much time as I need to sort things out? Why is he so eager for me to join him, a weird and unknown party of people who have extraordinary skills, out of nowhere… How could I believe it all?

I'm a proof of something ominous happening to human's body and powers coming out of a thin air, but is this enough for me to believe that this thing can change anything?

I… I'm truly lost in all of my thoughts… I just want to get out of here and have some free, peaceful time to sort it all out…

…But the clock ticks, and so my blood thirsty predators.

And this girl appeared out of a blue, appearing to be entirely nonhostile.

What does she exactly want from me?

"You're such a heavy thinker. Stop wondering for once and start doing something. We hate philosophers in our squad. Just standing won't make you go further than you are." — She crossed her hands and started to stamp her foot in annoyance, while looking curiously around the room.

She…

I already don't like her, but there may be some truth to her words.

I need to escape right now.

Suddenly, I got closer to the girl. Startled from me approaching her like that, she politely stepped out of the way to my goal, the staircase up.

With her eyes opened widely from shock, as she saw me dashing upwards, the girl realized the stairs were my target from the beginning.

I did as she told me. Actions not words. Let's see if that satisfies her.

"Woah, woah! Where are you running like that?!" — I heard a pissed off scream behind my back.

Following the soft lights of blue, I could sense her following me. Not trying to waste my time looking back at her, I just rushed quicker, to maybe lose her on my way out of the flat. Her steps were inaudible, but the air swished soundly. Later on, I could only hear her sighs from all the running and climbing the stairs. She was as fast as me, but maybe a little bit quicker.

"Stop! Can you h-hear me?!" — We slowed down a bit when I finally saw the exit of the staircase. It was barely visible because the whole room was always covered in soft darkness.

"I couldn't believe that you- were actually such an ass-hole! Agh… You wouldn't even let me tell you what I had to say! I saved your life, goddamn!"

My legs were already tired… But I was so close…

Yeah, she saved my life. But I know what that means.

I'm indebted to her and once more to the organization standing behind her.

That's why I want to escape while I still have time and haven't made serious enemies with them.

That's what I hope for. Honestly… I just want to be left alone, until I think of the best way to cope with my world falling apart… I want to run away from all of my problems.

"Why can't you all… Just leave me… alone…" — I sighed out these words out of my body, as I grew more and more exhausted.

"No. You're being targeted by the most dangerous organizations out there. Leaving you on your own would mean a sure death. And we don't want that. Why can't you realize that you're really needed and will always be? If you just calm down and… I know it's hard for you…" — Her words seemed to be as faked as everything around me is right now.

I stopped seven stairs below the exit.

The girl bumped into my back, almost making me fall. I was sure she didn't expect it. But she caught me from behind, trying to stabilize us both.

She let me go off immediately. I hesitated if I should turn around and let everything that has been a burden to my chest be thrown onto her, in an outburst of rage.

How can she understand?

I've witnessed a true manslaughter with my own eyes.

I've been chased by a cold-blooded murdered and harmed so many times, I can't even feel my body anymore.

I've kept something close to a treasure and values it above my life. And then I stupidly lost it.

I've seen my best friend being scared for his life because of the danger I've entangled him with.

I've weakened my relationship with the only member of the family I had. And now she is gone, leaving me alone with all of the mysteries and problems I can't even grasp in their entirety.

My home has been plundered and opened to strangers.

I can run, but I can't hide from the avalanche of the misery that has swarmed in the past few days.

I'm messed up inside. Not knowing what to think anymore, I make rash decisions, not sure of my own safety and future.

I'm afraid of what's to come, that I will be lied to once more, that I will be used as a pawn, not in a way I want to live my life like.

But deep down I know my dreams are not possible. I can't be free. Yet, I can't let it go.

In the darkness, I saw her eyes shine with a sharp light.

In the darkness, she noticed my tears being reflected by the blue lighting of the staircase.

So much on one's soul… So hard to ease it all at once.

"We are really not bad people. You should trust us if you have no one else to. I would be dead a long time ago if not them…" — Her face changed from an angry one to a nostalgic. The girl's eyes went down — "I came here because I sensed danger. My ability is to detect when other companions are in trouble. I have to make sure you return to us untouched…"

"…"

"So… Can I make sure you come back?" — Her eyes now we're looking at mine with a lot of pity. I couldn't tell if it was made up or honest, but…

Should I really trust them so easily like that?

I really… have nowhere to go… Nowhere to even escape…

…Or do I?

Right! The one place I was so eager to visit… The RR Headquarters! And Icto!

I still have them! Right?

I need to run away from this nightmare of my past home, find the goddamn RR headquarters, and finally make sure that at least Icto is safe, and maybe it was them who took my aunt, to a safer place…

But should I inflict them with the danger that is surrounding me? Won't that be… selfish…

Yet, I just need to check out if they are okay. And if he… is okay. Maybe there are worrying about me… I hope so…

"Okay. I will come with you back there, but there is still one place I want to visit. If you want to, you can come with me. It won't be long."

She smiled earnestly after I said that. I could say that was a huge relief to her.

Damn, I'm so good at making people's heart race with anxiety and worries…

But as I thought that, her face suddenly became clouded and frightened.

A shadow covered her, and only then I could hear swift footsteps behind my body.

"Quickly! They are here! Two of them! Attack at once!"

The sounds of metal weapons filled the air.

Before I could respond in any way, she grabbed me with the speed of a lightning, and pulled towards the dark abyss we just came from. Pushing me down once more, I felt like falling into an infinite chasm, with my face being scattered by the concrete steps.

She stayed behind, as if she wanted to protect me with her body.

I couldn't stop the tumble I was in. The gunshots were more frequent. There were surely a lot of soldiers. A true hoard, as I heard them enter the small staircase one by one. The rumble kept growing.

And then a quiet moan could be heard.

Another body was falling into the abyss.

Could I have failed again?