1 Prologue: Wake Up

THUMP THUMP THUMP

An arrhythmic beating could be felt as it brought consciousness to me. I don't know where I am at as its too dark to tell, something wet and slimy is squeezing me and then relaxing. A strange metallic smell wafted in my nose bringing forth more confusion.

"Where am I?"

A question leaked out as I attempted to wiggle out whatever was holding me in place. The more I wiggled, the more I realized that something was holding me.

THUMP THUMP TH-Th-THUMP

The irregular contractions increased in frequency as the soft interior of whatever this was continually hit me in the face. Before I could even figure out what was happening, something started to pull my feet.

Unable to move my head to look, I strained my eyes downward to see what was pulling me, but only pitch black darkness appeared. Fear and anxiety started to settle in as too many unknowns came crashing down all at once.

"Please, somebody HELP M... WOAHHHURH!!"

Before I could finish me plea, a very tight contraction squeezed me so tightly I could barely breathe. However, I've realized that when this contraction came, it felt like it was squeezing or pushing me toward one direction.

THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP

The contractions increased so rapidly my consciousness started to fade in and out.

Then, all of a sudden, I felt myself sliding down a smooth and slimy surface before I hit something hard. A large pocket of oxygen found its way into my lungs as my eyes shot open.

I shot up, frantically looking around, trying to figure out what was going on. Within my sight was nothing but a dilapidated parking garage with rusted cars, and vegetation throughout it.

THUMP THUMP THUMP

That same irregular beating noise rung in my ears as I hurriedly looked towards it.

"W-w-w-wha...t in.. t-t-he he..ll is that?!"

Before my eyes, a large fleshy mound beating like a heart stood a top corpses that seemed to be melting together. Every time it contracted, a handful of corpses would be 'swallowed' inside of it.

Located at the bottom, a small opening with several red vessel-like chords stretched out, leading right into my back.

"Get this off of me!!!!"

Using my hands, I tried to grab the red chords, but couldn't reach them. While struggling to rip them off, the flesh mound contracted and relaxed again, but only this time a burning sensation came from my back. More specifically this came from those chords.

Ba-Dump Ba-Dump

My heart started to strangely beat rapidly when the burning sensation spread out my body. Right after, I could taste something sweet as a sense of euphoria washed over me.

My consciousness faded...

***

"Is he okay, father?"

"I don't know, Tabby. It's weird to find someone asleep in such a dangerous area..."

The voices of a man and a girl rang loud in my ears, along with a shaking sensation. I opened my eyes and immediately squinted as it seemed to sunny outside. After a moment, my eyes adjusted to the brightness as a little girl and a middle aged man in animal fur appeared.

"Ah, we woke him up, father!"

"Indeed we did, Tabby!"

Both of them flashed friendly smiles as they conversed with each other as I looked around. It looks like we're on a wagon of some sort.

'Wasn't I in a parking garage? What happened to... that thing'

My thoughts led to confusion as I turned my head back around, only to see the little girl right in front of me.

"AHHH"

I backed away while screaming, taking large breaths.

"Heheheheheheh, Father, look I scared him!"

"Quit it, Tabby. This guy just woke up in an unknown situation, he's going ta be jumpy!!!"

"Yeah, yeah!!"

I scrunched my face up while looking at the little girl named Tabby. She hid behind the middle aged man, who looked at me after scolding her.

"I bet you have a lotta questions ta ask me, but the only thing I can say right now is my name Jim. We are currently heading away from those dangerous ruins."

"Um, uh uh, W-what do you mean by ruins?"

Words struggled to come out as I asked this question as I'm sure I was in a parking garage?

He seemed to be a little off-put by my question as he raised one of his eye brows before relaxing again.

"Those ruins are said to be places our ancestors lived at in da distance past. However, now, the Mania and Mantus live in places like that"

"Mania? Mantus? Cities from the distance past?"

A chill went up my spine as I blasted out so many questions. Just what in the world happ...

"Maybe yer confused from just waking up lad, but ruins like those are over 300 hundred years old..."

'Waitwaitwaitwaitwait'

As soon as he finished confusion and panic set in as I hurriedly stuck my head out of the side of the wagon.

*GULP*

I gulped saliva at what appeared before my eyes. A crumbled city full of exotic and impossibly large vegetation. The city was definitely aged and damaged beyond belief.

"I... what happen..ed h-here?"

I asked in disbelief as the man simply said, "The fall of humanity happened"