chapter 1

Betrayal has a habit of coming from the loved ones will you happily get betrayed by them or leave them first which is also a betrayal

It's betrayal by you or them it's a matter of fact which comes first.

Panting! huffing! "Why? Why did you kill him?" In a trembling voice, I ask. "He was like a brother for you, why? Why did you kill him?" I asked again?

Pointing my gun I discharged some of the bullets just an inch far from his head. he was crawling on the ground all covered with blood, I can't recognize his face. But I can notice a smile on his face. It is a smile that scares me off, it means he won and I lost.

I incontinently turn behind at the same moment he smiled, Abruptly a girl with a tattoo on her hand and shining golden hair strike me on my head with a thick brown rusty rod. I can't see her face it's all dark, All I feel is the environment getting blurry, I can't eye a thing that's happening around me I feel a bit nauseated. The evening sun is setting and getting dimmer and dimmer every time I wink, The sand here should have been burning my skin however it's freezing me each passing second. Am I dying, is it the end for me?

Two years ago,

Opening my eyes with a blurred vision, I see crows flying above me, it symbolizes death to me, but why? Why does it symbolize death to me? Well honestly, I don't know.

"Herald" someone calls me from behind, I get up and turn behind, A girl stands right in front of me, she is a bit short than me, has a v-shaped jaw with thin lips small pointed nose and brown eyes. she was wearing a pair of ripped jeans along with a grey hoodie. I questioned who are you also how do you know my name? My name! How do I know it's my name? Why don't I remember anything? She responds it's true then. I frigidly yell "what the heck is true now? I don't know who am I, why am I, who are you, why are you?

And you say it's true, what have you done to me." She hugs me with flowing tears in her eyes and softly says you won't understand I know, it's hard for you to understand however listen to me, you are suffering from an unknown malady that causes you to lose your memories frequently.

Detaching her from my body, I demurred her explanation although my rough behavior she held my hand and requested me to come with her. Should I go with her or figure out everything by myself, even though I don't believe her, I just don't want to miss a chance of knowing what's going on. I guess I don't have a choice, but to go with her.

I accepted her offer.

On the way, I noticed there is only wind to whisper in my ear. some of the houses here make me feel like they were directly taken out from a horror movie scene, they are broken, it's like life has been sucked out by the fungus growing on them. Other than the lifeless houses there is desert as far as I can see. She interrupts my observations by saying we are going to meet croaker, he knows a lot about you and your disease. I watch her face and again continue to scan the places as we pass through them. She further adds we searched for you for a week, but we didn't find you until today, I am very happy that I found you.

I who is still feeling zonked about the whole situation has no other thing to do, except to follow the girl and listen to her. I just need to know where am I and why am I here in the first place?

After walking some time we reached near an abandoned building. This is only a place where I see some greenery, there are some trees and plants here the air here has life in it, rather than the burnt smell of eucalyptus leaf on the way, which was choking me.

We entered the building, there is water on the floor probably to make it more sustainable cuz this place is not giving heat it's showering with inferno waves.

After climbing two storeys, on the third floor,

We enter a room where room no A was written outside, there is a man in his early old age, who is sitting on his twirling chair and swinging his legs back and forth probably cuz his legs won't reach the floor.

He immediately jumps from his chair after seeing me and walks toward me. He walks like a penguin.

It's funny if you ask me a dwarf guy who walks like a penguin is my doctor.

He says "why did you run away the last time? We all were searching for you but you were nowhere to be found, are you hurt, let me see if you are fine or not."

He explained to me to go behind the green curtain and wear a green and black ring on my index finger while he checks some data on his computer.

Again I did as he explained cuz I have no choice except to follow his instructions. After some time of checking data from my ring, he comforted me that I am fine and have nearly recovered from my disease.

he says "you can go home, there is no reason for you to be hospitalized here."

"home!" I yell. "I don't get what you are saying? Second thing home! Where is my home, do I even have a home?" I raged and grabbed his collar. He gave me a soft smile and said, "you, my boy you are severely affected by the disease, just calm down it would worsen your condition."

I release his collar and stare at the ceiling clenching my jaw.

"Herald take this map in case if you are ever lost. by the way fancy is always there for you." He says.

maintaining. the same position, I ask "can I know who is fancy, now?"

He responds "the girl who brought you here is fancy." Then he whispered, "before this disease, you and fancy were dating each other, she still likes you, it's in your hand if you want to continue the relationship or not."

If it's true then I am kind of a lucky guy cuz she is the most cutest girl I have ever met, I know it even if I don't have any old memories of other girls I have seen.

I get up and walk towards her. She asks "what did croaker say, are you fine?"

I say "yes he said 'I have almost recovered from the malady'."

Her reaction was priceless she didn't speak anything but her mouth was ear to ear, she looks like a different person now compared to when I met her.

Was she worried for me, maybe I was too harsh on her before.

Before I could say something, She locks her fingers with mine and says let's go home erudite is waiting for us.

Afterward, we leave croaker's chamber and walk on our way home. On the way home I open the map and tried to study it I did not understand anything on the map. seeing my puzzled face, fancy immediately reads my face and explains to me about the map.

she further explains, "our society is divided into five states, first is spade the business kingdom it is the wealthiest state among the five states, second is clover state it's the state where food and fruits are prepared for all state they are agricultural state, third is diamond this state consist of the strongest human who saves us from war and conflict, the fourth state is heart state this is the state where religious people live it is the religious state, and the last state is us, the jokers, we are the abandoned state, no one supports us we are left here to die."

May I ask why we are abandoned?

She replies "because they think we are a threat to the world, we are abandoned right after we are born and thrown here to die."

I interrupt her " wait are you saying we are not originally from here?"

"Yes, you are right" she responds.

Before I could ask anything else we reach near a white two storey house. She rings the bell. Just after the bell rang, a guy in black jeans and a white t-shirt with an oval face almond-shaped black eye wearing spectacles matching his eye opens the door, without any second thought jumps toward me and hugs me I don't know who he is but according to the conversation on croakers clinic, he must be erudite.

We entered the house and I was flattered to see the interior of the house, I never thought it would be this organized everything was just on the right spot the room was colored blue there was a white sofa in the middle of the room also a tv on the wall in front of the sofa.

On the right side of the room was the kitchen and on the left side was a staircase going up. Then after erudite showed me around the kitchen it was colored red, it isn't as big as the living room but it's very cozy, here a family can eat food sitting close to each other, which makes my heart warm.

After a tour around the kitchen, he shows me where the staircase leads. There are four rooms on that floor one for him one for me one for culpa he explained.

I wanted to ask him about the fourth room but I didn't. He opens the door of my room, my room was colored grey it has a bed on the right side of my room near it has a window again colored grey and on the left side of my room has a lot of gym equipment and a bathroom on the same area.

I was very busy looking at my room, I didn't notice that erudite had already left the room.

Further, I took a good look at my room. After a brief look at my room, I went to the bathroom.

while taking a bath I noticed a mirror in front of me. I couldn't see my face because of steam so I wiped the mirror and saw a guy at least 6.2 feet tall with well build muscles and pale white skin with a strong jawline no mustache or beard but a sky blue eye color and faded black hair, It is a face I would die to have, even though I have the face, it dosen't feel like its mine.

I hear a knock at the door so, I immediately wrapped myself with a towel and ran towards the door. I opened the door, No one was there. I asked "hello is anyone there?" But there was no answer. "It must have been my imagination," I thought to myself.

However, after the little incident, I tried to sleep but couldn't so I started making plans for tomorrow while processing such plans time flew pretty fast, birds have already started to sing their song, the sun is already at its duty, it's morning already.

At the same time, someone knocked at my door. I slowly opened the door. Fancy was standing outside so, I welcomed her inside, she opened the curtains from my window. The sun rays gazed at her skin, I got hit by a brief flash of jealousy. Something started to burn in my heart.

It's a strange feeling that I cannot explain my heart is leaping from one heartbeat to another so fast that I think my heart can't handle it any longer, everything is going very fast I want to slow down everything and live the current moment, but I can't."

Fancy puts her palm on my shoulder and I am back to reality.

she asks "what are you starting at"

I say "nothing, in particular, I was looking outside of the window"

erudite interrupts the chat and asks us to get ready for the aptitude test.

Fancy asks "is it being held today?"

"yes it is," says erudite

Fancy and erudite leave the room after asking me to get ready for the test.

I open my wardrobe and I took my time checking what fitted and suited me, after taking my time I finally wore a white shirt and black denim with white sneakers and I went downstairs.

There I saw fancy all ready for the test, she was wearing a white sleeveless shirt with blue jeans and a pair of white sneakers.

"Isn't our choice very common?" I ask looking at the window.

She replies, "umm yes I guess." blushing,

I break the silence by asking " where is erudite I don't see him isn't he going with us?"

"No, he has already left, as a head diplomat (jack) of the joker kingdom he has to conduct today's aptitude test without any flaws." She responds.

After a while, we both go outside of the house. While passing through an alleyway I noticed a guy jumping from one building to another very easily. sounds unreal right. I know It sounds unreal but believe me we people living in the joker state have these abilities that's what culpa and erudite explained to me.

Anyway today I will also know my ability after completing the aptitude test.

Let's hope for a good life from today onwards.

After passing through the alleyway, We reached in front of a huge three storeys bicameral building guarded by two huge black men, if I am correct they might be equal to the size of the gate which is almost half in size compared to the building. While we were passing through them they stopped us and asked us to show our index finger.

Fancy did as they said and I did as fancy.

They asked us to wear a ring, the ring was the same as the ring I used in croakers lab but the color is different it was green and black there and black and white here.

They checked some data from our ring and ask us to proceed on our way.

We entered the building it was huge and equally beautiful.

Inside the huge lobby of emptiness, Croaker was waiting for us. He approaches us and says, "my boy I was waiting for you, and fancy I guess you know the way. may I assist herald to his designated room?"

Fancy nodded and left for her aptitude test room.

Crocker on the way guides me toward my room and explains the reason for the aptitude test he says, "everyone knows what ability they have but you don't so don't be nervous just stay calm and cooperate with the test supervisor he will help you from there on."

Now I am standing in front of a huge wooden door, ready to explore my new world.

Are you asking if I am nervous? yes, I am. why won't anyone be?