Chapter I- The Stand Still

The sun had already ascended high in the sky, casting its bright rays upon the world, signaling the start of another bustling Friday morning. Amidst the clamorous noise of car engines revving, a young man with an unassuming appearance traversed the aisles of a convenience store. This young man was none other than Jett Blackwood, a twenty-one-year-old third-year student at Ford University who worked part-time as an intern at a financial institution. Despite his humble upbringing and his constant struggle for survival, Jett had matured far beyond his years and had great ambitions that he had been harboring since he was a boy. Always seeking ways to improve his family's well-being, he did not have much time to devote to relationships long enough to find a suitable partner.

As he perused the aisles, Jett's sole desire was to head home and prepare some sustenance before attending classes later in the day. But, in the blink of an eye, the tranquil atmosphere was disrupted as two masked figures darted into the store, guns at the ready. One of the assailants approached the Cashier standing in front of Jett, prompting his accomplice to aim his firearm directly at Jett's face. Though he tried to maintain a calm exterior, Jett was seized with an overwhelming sense of panic and apprehension. He was frozen in place, his entire body tensed, afraid that any movement would provoke the criminal to pull the trigger.

Fortunately, having learned from past experiences, Jett never carried valuable items with him into convenience stores. All he had on his person was a mere seventeen dollars, barely enough for a decent breakfast. He handed the money over to the armed man, pleading, "That's all I have! You can check my pockets!" The second criminal, growing increasingly agitated, demanded Jett's watch. Jett refused, explaining that it was a family heirloom, and not of any real value. But the man persisted, aiming his weapon at Jett's head. In an instant, Jett's irritation gave way to anger, and he erupted, "What?! No, stop! You can't do this! Move your gun! You might accidentally pull the trigger! I can get you more money, but not my watch! I swear, move your gun!"

Suddenly, the first criminal, who had been pressuring the cashier, became increasingly restless and irritable. It seemed as though he was quickly losing his patience. Hoping to redirect their attention elsewhere, Jett bellowed, "Give them the money! It's not worth keeping them waiting... Now!"

And then, the sound of a gunshot shattered the already-tense atmosphere. Jett looked up to see the cashier, his face twisted in agony and shock, stumbling backward a few steps and colliding with the cigarette display cases. Blood began to trickle from a bullet wound on his chest. As the seconds ticked by, Jett was paralyzed, unable to process what had just occurred. But then, his instincts took over, and he sprang into action. He leaped forward, disabling the second criminal, he snatched the gun off the floor, and swiftly rose to face the first criminal.

Jett's mind was racing as he searched for a solution to escape the dire situation at hand. With his heart pounding in his chest, he hoped that someone had heard the gunshot and called the police. In an effort to stall, he spoke up, his words carefully chosen to defuse the tension. "Listen, I don't want to die, and I'm sure you don't either. It's possible that someone heard the gunshot, and they've already alerted the police. You should pick up your friend and leave before they arrive."

The first hooded figure listened intently to Jett's words, his hesitancy evident. Upon closer inspection, it was clear that he was shaking, struggling to make sense of the situation. Seeing this, Jett quickly followed up with, "I haven't seen your face, and you're completely covered, so there's no way I can identify you to the police. Hurry, leave before they get here."

The man seemed to realize something, and quickly reached over the counter, grabbing all the cash from the open register and stuffing it into his bag. Jett's actions had convinced him that the youth in front of him wouldn't shoot, and he carefully pulled his hoodie up, stashing his gun in his pants as he made his way to his accomplice. With a steely gaze fixed on Jett, he lifted his accomplice over his shoulder and left the store, not underestimating the young man's bravery.

After they had left, Jett let out a sigh of relief, venting his pent-up emotions. "Ahh, that was a close call. I almost died for nothing," he muttered to himself, before freezing in place. Everything around him, from living beings to inanimate objects, had come to a standstill. It was as though time itself had stopped.

His thoughts were not the only ones that ceased to exist. Every single living and non-living thing on the planet stopped. Not just thoughts, movements, light, air, everything stopped. You could see planes suspended in air without movement, traffic completely still as if there were an accident that kept everything from advancing forward.

Parks had children frozen in the playgrounds, animals in the process of running were now motionless, suspended in time, the water in the fountain appeared to be in perpetual motion but in reality it wasn't moving at all.

The world had come to a halt, as if the pause button of the universe had been pressed. It was a surreal and unsettling experience, the kind that could cause a sense of existential dread to even the bravest of individuals.

Then out of nowhere a slight movement occurred in people's eyes, which was only exclusive to the human race. Their eyes went completely white almost as if they rolled back into their heads, further intensifying the dark almost apocalyptic atmosphere