Powerless

"Oh, great heavens." Cole looked at the sky, stunned in place all the same after witnessing such a sight.

Up in the clear sky, the usual yellow shining sun was tinged dark-red with a moving liquid that could be noticed with bare eyes.

'It's like pulsating blood…' 

That was the only thing that he was reminded of, 'It's disgustingly similar to the prey I hunt in the forest… Except, all I get are sinister vibes.'

Quickly being slapped back to reality, he watched over the unmoving people again.

'Why isn't anyone moving or acting for themselves? Something is clearly wrong here…' Cole asked himself, but he couldn't reach a conclusion, and so, he began walking slowly.

He gradually peeled the soles of his shoes from the ground forward, strutting quietly in between the bowing people, all holding their heads as their teeth cackled in despair.

Seeing the old man who gave Cole a job to hunt just the other day, he crouched down, his head inches from the ground as he desired to take a clear look at the man's face.

Gulp.

"O—" 

Cole's voice shivered as his throat parched, his heart thumped against his ribcage, and the thrumming of his ears got stronger and stronger with each passing second.

"Old man— What's going on with you all?" Although trying to keep a leveled voice, he slipped at the end of this sentence either way, his cracking voice making the old man flinch and jump away from his former location.

"Stay away from me!"

"W-What?"

"I-It's over… it's over, it's over, it's over!" His desperate words kept growing in their level more and more as his eyes were overcome by tears, snot trailed off of his nose, and drooling saliva took over his chin as he convulsed in place.

"What in the fuck is going on right now…"

Disturbed by that sight but rational enough to not stop and try to help the old man who was beyond saving, he quickly thought of his only family member.

"Mom…" Standing up again and walking through the crowd of people, he quickly burst into a sprint towards his own cottage of a house.

'One more turn and— there!" 

Relief washed over Cole as if he was thrown a bucket of cool water as his house came into view.

Slowing his steps down, his fingers reached out to the handle of the door as he gazed outside once more, the blood-sun growing bigger and the world getting darker.

"Hah…" He inhaled slowly, "Phew," and exhaled as he pushed the door forward, hoping he wouldn't be met with something similar to the rest of the town.

"M-Mom? I'm home finally home…" Prolonged words slipped from his lips as he called out to his mother, albeit, he received no reply.

Creeak!

The base of the ground made with planks cried out as Cole walked inside, searching for his mother in the living room where the kitchen was connected with it, knocking on the door of the toilet and opening it after receiving no reply, entering his own room and seeing it as untidied as it was in the morning, and finally… his mother's, Ann's room.

Cole slowly pushed the door open, feeling as if an eternity was passing by in front of his eyes until they finally came in contact with her.

Ann was in her room, still in her bed, tucked under her blanket, and unconscious.

Step, step, step.

He quickly moved forward towards her, "Mom… Mom!" 

Cole's breathing became erratic once again at the lack of reply and reaction from his parent.

'Don't tell me…' 

Praying unconsciously, he brought a finger under Ann's nose.

Fwyu~

'Thank god… she's alive.' 

He thought in relief after his finger was met with the faint gusts of air that escaped Ann's nostrils.

"Then, why?" 

With an unsure whisper, he shook her body and yet, she didn't reply.

"Why won't you wake up?!" 

Cole asked once again, his voice laced with worry until he saw 'that', and 'that' turned his worry into desperation.

"W-What? No, this can't be…" 

Denial washed over Cole's mind as he gazed at his mother's body, her visible neck, her hands, her legs, everything was withered. 

His breath hitched. Her skin had taken on a sickly, purplish hue, mirroring the blood-red sun.

It was a grotesque sight and a view that Cole never wished to witness upon his own mother.

Clenching and releasing the pressure from his hands numerously, Cole stood. Stunned, and lost.

He swallowed heavily.

"Huff..."

With his body already shaking—

"I… I can't do anything." Cole reached at a reasonable conclusion immediately.

The world was ending, and yet, he was unawakened.

He couldn't use magic.

He couldn't heal his mother.

He couldn't return in time to protect Ann from whatever might have infected her while asleep.

He couldn't insert knowledge into his past self to protect his mother and not let her work overtime every day.

He couldn't smack his past self and tell him to take care of his mother.

He couldn't go to the past to notify people earlier about this.

And now… he has been proven once again that he's powerless.

He won't be able to save his only parent, the only person who showed him love when he became an outcast.

Anything he might want to try at this point will only be futile.

'My mother's body is breaking down with each passing second and all I can do is… to watch her crumble away with my own eyes.' 

Cole took his mother in a soft embrace, a dam of tears silently breaking down his face as his mother's body corroded.

Sniffle.

'I have no right to cry.'

"I'm sorry." 

He apologized.

"I'm sorry..." 

He apologized once again, his voice barely a cracking whisper.

At this moment, his heart was being torn apart piece by piece.

Emotions gurgled at the pit of his stomach, his body shook, his expression distorted, and yet, he didn't wail.

And yet, all he could do was softly kiss his mother's forehead in an affectionate manner.

"I'm sorry for being so powerless, mother… for not being able to make up for any of the sacrifices you've gone through for me."

He swallowed deeply. 

His eyes blurred over and over. 

His chest shivered.

And finally, Ann's breaths halted as the decaying reached her lips and the rest of her face.

"Just—…" He wanted to speak, but the moment he attempted so, hiccups escaped his throat.

He swallowed deeply.

'Just why…? For what reason does this have to happen to my mother…"

"..."

'Ah, I get it.'

"I must be cursed."

Caressing Ann's soft brown hair one last time, he slowly parted from her as he kissed her forehead once again.

"Surely, I must be cursed to remain the only sane person when the world is ending."