Episode 6

Episode 6

Enear

Enear was floating in the middle of the vast ocean. Only he could see was the lonely sun, isolation and the void feeling. Until the sun melted like a magma and turned into dark-red plasma of blood, bleeding on the ocean until the water turned into red thick blood. Rotten hands sprouted from beneath the ocean, like withering corals, grabbing his bare body, sinking it down slowly. His green eyes remained lifeless. He doesn't seem bothered.

"It hurts…"

"I want to live…"

"I did nothing wrong…"

"Suffer."

"Die."

"Go to hell!"

"Not yet."

Enear's body stopped sinking. The bloody ocean almost drowned his nostrils when he floated back. All the voices and rotten hands have gone. He then heard a sound of dabbling liquid, being stepped on by bare feet. Until an old lady in 30s stood up before his forehead. He could feel her stare of comfort, making him feel acknowledged, and her warm genuine smile that made him felt understood. Tears began to fall from his soulless green eyes.

"Mother," he pleaded with a thorn in his throat, " Please take me with me."

Enear felt like a pangolin whose shells were being scraped away on each tear and trust he made, showing how vulnerable he was. Those shells can never grow once he loses them. 

"I'm sorry, Enear. You still have a dream to be done."

"But I'm tired!" he whined like a child and turned his green eyes to her stare. But all he could see was the blank face of a woman.

"Enear, wake up!"

"I said, wake up! You sleepyhead!"

"Enear!"

Enear woke up with the deep rumbling sounds and screams splitting his ears. The first thing he saw was Dycron's bright yellow eyes and his trembling lips shouting in front of him.

"We must go! You're too heavy!" He pointed to the school building where they were supposed to be at this moment. The huge impact melted the building, wiggling, and falling into their direction. It's as if death was now granting his wish.

"Go without me."

Dycron surprisingly punched his cheeks. "You f*cking suicidal! I tried my best to make you talk but you never shared your problems! I thought you had a dream? You're the only family I have, Enear! Please don't be an asshole!"

Enear was stoned at what he heard. Nevertheless, Dycron carried him in his back and ran, until Enear decided to get into his feet and they paced together in the middle of the doomsday. Pushing themselves in the crowd, fitting in the aisle surrounded by stranded shuttle cars, while trying to evade the falling debris, under the orange skies. Trying their best not to be buried by the collapsing buildings they were passing through.

"We need to find an open space to get rid of these collapsing buildings!" Dycron shouted, not taking off his hands on Enear's wrist.

These buildings you once worshiped were now claiming your faithful soul.

"There's an oval nearby," Enear replied.

"Right!" Dycron affirmed and changed their course.

15 March 2150, the day when the meteor struck on their world.

The day when the world had changed.

No. Change wasn't the right term.

The world was just what it was supposed to be.

~

Three days later. 

"Let us prioritize children, injured, pregnant women, and senior citizens," the police officer in black suit announced on his megaphone. People were falling in line for the ration. "I repeat, let us prioritize children, injured, pregnant women, and senior citizens."

Enear and Dycron were on their turn. The police gave them two bottles of water and a piece of nutripack–a muddy textured pudding that consists of nutrients (protein, calcium, iron, glucose, etc) good for a day. It was tasteless. This was their staple food after the bread. 

"W-Why only one nutripack?" Dycron asked.

"Consider yourself lucky," the police grunted. He then looked at the announcer and gestured his hand.

"I'm sorry. We're out of supplies!" the police announced.

The crowd voiced in disappointment.

"What do you mean you're out of supplies? Are you planning to let us die of starvation?"

"We may survive the meteor's disaster, but we will die in hunger!"

"Yeah! The meteor that you didn't even give us a warning! Take a picture and enjoy the view, my ass! Is this how you mean to enjoy it?"

"You faked the truth that it was dangerous! If only you told us the truth, then we could at least prepare ourselves!"

"Many people have died because of your fake news!"

"Excuse me! There's a child here!" a lad's voice shouted beneath the complaints. "Excuse me!"

The lad carrying a girl almost bumped Enear who's with Dycron pacing back to their tent.

"Excuse me, Sir! My sister is thirsty!"

"The announcer just announced that we're out of supplies."

"Just water, please! My sister–"

"Are you deaf? Don't make me repeat myself!"

The lad had no choice but to ask those survivors who got their supplies.

"Please, Ma'am. Can you lend my sister some water?"

"Sorry. I also have children who need this water."

"Mister! Can you lend my sister some water?"

"Don't be selfish! What about me?"

"But my sister–"

"What's so special about your sister? I'm also a human like her!"

The lad stopped inside the crowd to unload his sister. He knelt in front of her and patted her shoulders. "Don't worry, Ella. I'll find water and food. I promise."

"Kuya Ilo, I'm fine."

"But your lips were obviously dry, huh?" Dycron brightly said, offering a bottle of water and nutripack. The two siblings were petrified. Dycron knitted his brows. "You want it, or not?"

"Thank you!" The lad quickly snatched it away from his hands and immediately opened the water to make his sister drink. "Ella!"

Dycron came back to Enear, waiting for him just where he left his friend. Dycron looked at him in guilt, scratching his head while laughing awkwardly. "T-The nutripack…slid from my hand and gone? Hehe–here's your water."

They sat somewhere on the oval's fake grasses to rest. Enear gave him half of the water after he drank.

"Wow, thanks!"

"Hm," Enear responded and lay down on the green floor. He stared at the thick clouds in the sky. It was orange when it was only morning. Two days ago, he never saw the skies turn to gray.

"I just retired from my job to spend my time with my family," the man behind them was telling his story in front of a group. "I know it's the most impractical decision I've ever made but they never felt like having a father because of my absence in time. I'm about to surprise them in the morning. But just when I'm about to tell them–" He then bursted in tears. 

"I know, I know. It's hard," a young lady patted his back to comfort.

"They're gone! Because of this f*cking meteor! Why did I even survive?" the man cried.

Another girl butted in. "Now, we have nothing to eat. We'll all soon be corpses like your family."

"You're right! I would've died with them!"

"No, Mister, don't think like that. You're given a chance to live because you still have purpose."

"Oh, yeah. That's not my point. I just meant that we can't just sit around and pray to have supplies. I know you all are still mourning but we must take a move now."

"There's a grocery in this oval," a guy told them.

"And a coffee shop," the other lady added.

"Let's go."

Dycron also stood up. "I'll follow that group and grab some supplies for us. Wait for me here."

Enear stood up as well.

"I guess, you don't want to miss the adventure, right?"

They followed the group, walked into the lawn onto the side with an elevated floor carrying tea tables and chairs. They entered the glass entrance.

"F*ck! Where did all the supplies go?"

"It seems the supplies they tried to provide us came from here."

"But they are the government! How could they not be full of relief goods?"

"Our oval is not just the evacuation area in this city. They are providing for many people as well."

"Then let's find supplies outside."

"But it's too dangerous! The buildings might still collapse in front of us while we're walking! Not to mention the aftershocks!"

"Then die with an empty stomach. I would rather die trying." The man said and didn't waste time to start moving. The group were hesitant but chose to follow in the end.

"Enear, do you think…"

"Wait for me here," Enear intentionally returned his words.

Dycron smirked. "No. I don't want to miss an adventure."

Quintessence Nightmare | mvcabusas