Modern History

It's the year 2020 and technological innovation is booming, more than ever before people are utilising various gadgets, devices, and machines in their everyday lives. Even when taking a walk outside you'll likely find people using at least one or two devices just to listen to music, podcasts or even communicating with others. Most believe this is progress, while some are still wary of the effects prolonged exposure to such devices may have on your health, most of these people also speculate that engaging in online activities such as Forums, Social networks, and video viewing platforms will result in mental, and moral degradation.

While some of these views are and have been disputed, the existence of online personalities or more commonly referred to as "Influencers" has proven the latter to be at least somewhat true. The majority of these people that label themselves as such are responsible for an incredible amount of underhanded marketing practices, so much so that the Government itself had to intervene. This however didn't seem to affect the popularity of the online parties that were actively taking part in this, making some believe they could "Do not wrong". This was evidently displayed when a popular personality spat upon an entire countries culture and traditions while mocking and recording unfortunate people who'd recently committed suicide.

As more people are incentivised to create their own online personality and try to get a cut of the monetary pie as it were, the more extreme and sensationalised they have to become to be spotted out of the millions of other hopefuls. This meant that only the most ruthless, brash, stupid, beautiful, and intelligent people could even compete, creating a toxic environment where a polite facade hides vicious tactics, dishonest smear campaigns to false accusations, the list goes on and on.

All of this culminates in a single person, a fifteen-year-old English boy named Luca Mallory. A popular Influencer who's already taken multiple deals with various companies for sponsorship. He'd initially gained a following through his Instagram where he used his handsome appearance and unusual features to rise above other similar competitors. While still a teenager he's already amassed a considerable amount of wealth that has made him the envy of everyone in his age group.

However, as is all too common in situations like these Luca's personality shifted incredibly quickly due to being immersed in the internet as a whole, things that had interested him before don't seem to hold the same value anymore, people who he had made friends or acquaintances with seem more like background characters now... The only thing that seemed to interest him now are ways in which to increase his following or coerce his fans into unfavourable and not uncommonly, sexual positions.

It's the 25th of July and school is almost over, to congratulate the students for a good year of learning the school had organised a trip to a museum in London that had apparently just opened a new exhibit. Sitting with a row of seats all to himself is our protagonist, Luca Mallory. His short dark red hair and clear bright blue eyes seem to attract attention wherever he may go, even his long time classmates occasionally take glances at him. He's currently got his headphones in and is listening to the latest song released by Ed Sheeran, he nods along while texting a female fan of his whether or not she'd like to meet up this weekend, she does. He smiles to himself thinking of her method of payment, of course, he wouldn't pay her in cash as that would be illegal, no, instead what these people want is exposure. Exposure to his audience and viewer base, a tag in a photo here, or a mention that they're hanging out would go a long way for their popularity in general. Of course, they will have to return the favour which is what Luca's counting on, he'd make sure to get enough leverage to stop them speaking out, he wouldn't want to become the next Harvey Weinstein, would he?

Luca begins to think to himself about when he'd become as great as he is now, it must have started two years ago, after the unfortunate death of his beloved mother. She had become ill with some sort of disease that no one had ever heard of before, he had begged and pleaded with the doctors or indeed anyone who'd listen to try and save her... Alas, it wasn't meant to be, she passed away after muttering her final words to him "Make me proud", these words had etched themselves onto his soul. He'd become determined and due to this, he'd become jealous. Jealous of those that had it easier, an easier life, a bigger house, a complete family. The people who most drew his ire were those people online that'd prance around on camera like clowns for pennies, while he hated them, he also saw an opportunity for himself, to prove himself and achieve his mothers wish for him.

It hadn't taken much, he simply created an account and accused someone bigger of molesting him... He grins to himself, who would assume that an innocent thirteen-year-old who'd just lost his mother would lie through his teeth about something so horrific. Just their initial response would have been enough but the media covered it as well, propelling him into stardom in as little as a few days.

He sighs to himself, after becoming the greatest online presence (In his personal view) he hadn't had much to do, aside from the occasional photo shoots and sponsorship. He still felt as though he needed more, how much more? He wasn't sure... As he ponders this the coach slowly crawls to a stop, he peers out of the window and sees the large museum which looks modern but retains it's historical roots somehow.

He's slowly led off of the vehicle and waits in a line on his own, everyone else was conversing with a friend or two but Luca found it beneath him to lower himself to their level. They don't even have a thousand followers, why would he even bother? So instead, he stood on his own, comfortably browsing the latest news on the internet with his phone.

Eventually, the tour guide gathers the attention of the group onto himself.

"Hey everyone, I'm Mike Hunt Jr and I will be your guide for today. I'll be showing you the various exhibits we have in our museum and will tell you about them while answering any niggling questions you may have. Do not forget we have a souvenir shop that we will visit at the end of the tour, so if you want to buy something please hold onto your money until then. And last but not least, if you have any questions during any part of the tour please do not hesitate to ask, we wish to teach and learn alongside you all and that just wouldn't be possible without your inquisitive little minds now would it?" he says with a wide smile, clearly not noticing the teenagers complete and utter disinterest in whatever he has to say. Luca himself hadn't even noticed he was speaking until he heard the word "Money".

And so the tour began, Luca trailed behind everyone else, not interested in whatever these old, broken dust-covered artifacts could tell him. He doubted they served any purpose what so ever nowadays, apart from causing him to lose an afternoon wandering around this boring place.

"Now what I'm most excited to tell you all about is our new exhibit, it really is a marvel that we only recently discovered. We believe these artifacts belonged to one person, a famous person who's somehow involved in multiple historical events that shouldn't be possible."

The teacher accompanying the teenagers speaks up, more interested in the subject than his charges are. "What's the problem with them?"

Mike beams to hear someone actually interested in what he's talking about, "Well, it's actually quite extraordinary, this figure has been described, painted and written about throughout the ages. If I didn't know any better I'd say they're immortal, but that would just be silly talk hahahaha!" he laughs it off. The teacher was so enthralled by what the guide was saying he didn't notice one of his students, Luca wander off, completely ignoring the group and what they were saying.

The fifteen-year-old's attention was caught by a girl who looks to be eighteen at most. She's got pale white skin that doesn't seem to match her appearance as she looks more foreign then it would suggest, her hair is long and brown with a few locks tied into braids that sit attractively on her shoulders. The thing that caught his attention the most however was her eyes, they're yellow! Or gold? He isn't too sure, but there is one thing he knows for certain, they couldn't be natural. All in all though he found her to be an incredibly beautiful girl, so much so that he'd unconsciously followed her away from his classmates.

He boldly walks up to her and finds her 6ft height to be slightly taller than his own 5.10ft, this doesn't dissuade him however as he begins to apply his immense charm on her...

"Sup babe, I'm pretty well known around here and I was wondering if I could take you out somewhere?" he asks and flashes her a cocky smile.

She looks at him and leans her head to the side, "Ah, sorry... I have husband, yes?" she says in a weird accent that just stimulates Luca further.

"Well, he won't mind if I buy you some stuff will he? Some jewellery maybe?" he presses.

She shakes her head, "I don't need, sorry." she says and begins to leave, he grabs her wrist but finds himself on the floor in a flash, not really understanding what had just happened...

Rubbing his head he shouts at her back, "You dumb bitch! I won't let you forget this! Let's see you pop up on my radar in the future!"

He slowly gets up but feels a presence behind him, looking to the floor he can see a shadow enveloping his own... He stiffly turns and sees a giant of a man standing before him, he has a mane of long dark red hair, stern, strong features, and unnerving red eyes... Not red in the traditional bloodshot manner, but red in that his iris is crimson... The man seems to be wearing jeans and a white polo-shirt which shows his muscles, if Luca had to describe it, it would be as if the man was chiseled out of marble by the ancient Greeks themselves...

He growls down at Luca with his 6.7ft height, "You despicable, greedy, selfish, arrogant fucking cunt!" he shouts, seemingly losing his temper as he slams his fist into Luca's stomach, which causes the teen to collapse to the floor and puke up his breakfast. Even after he's done evacuating the contents of his stomach he stays on the floor, terrified of the man and the aura he seemed to emit, he didn't dare get up until he was sure the man was gone...

Suddenly he starts hearing the click of camera's and he looks up to see a few people taking photos of him. Quickly without a second thought, he covers his face and sprints for the exit of the museum. Not bothering to try to contact his teachers or classmates as his reputation itself could be in peril here, getting beaten up so easily like some sort of coward wouldn't suit his online presence at all, even if it did attract a lot of attention.

Luca quickly called a taxi and made his way home, wondering just who that man was and why he had attacked him out of nowhere. When he finds out he'll teach them a lesson, if he wasn't such a public figure he might have tried to get him arrested for assault but unfortunately, such a thing isn't possible.

When he arrives home he sees his father's vehicle outside of their house, he groans, unlocks the door and steps inside, dreading the awkward interaction they would undoubtedly have.

His father pokes his head through the living room's doorway and smiles at him, "Son! You're back, did something happen with the school trip?" he asks enthusiastically.

Luca scowls, "No, and even if it did its none of your business." he growls out before running upstairs to his room. His dislike of his father stemmed from the fact the man hadn't taken any interest in him apart from when his first paycheck from one of his sponsors came through the mail. The man had opened the letter without his position and started questioning him on where the money came from! The audacity to rifle through his mail and then give him a lecture made his blood boil!

After taking a couple minutes to compose himself he decided that today had been good until he'd gotten rejected and assaulted, as he couldn't find it in himself to do anything productive he decided to just sleep it off. He changes into his boxers leaving him only wearing them and a titanium chain necklace his mother had given him in the past, it was sturdy and had a small plat that stated "Love for eternity". It was one of the only things he actually valued and never took off as it's importance to him trumped whatever discomfort it provided.

Due to the hot July weather he opens his window and crawls into bed to sleep, not knowing this would be one of the last peaceful sleep he'd have in many, many years.

Elsewhere a refrigerated truck carrying many bags of blood donated to them from some charitable nuns accidentally crashed and overturned due to the driver hearing something whispering in his ear, one moment of inattention caused him and a small family to die instantly in the crash, the contents of the truck were destroyed and scattered throughout the street, causing a rather gory sight. However this wasn't what confused people the most, that was the large group of mosquitoes that's appeared out of nowhere to suck up a good portion of the blood before flying away, the majority of them so bloated that they probably wouldn't survive a few hours.

These Mosquito's fly into the sky before swarming down and through a certain fifteen year old's window. They flew around the room, emptying their stomach's contents of blood in a manner that started to resemble various symbols... If someone were to witness this they'd be first horrified, then confused and amazed. It takes two trips for the mosquito's to finish the circle of symbols and as it was done it started to light up, a dull red glow infused the room and slowly grew in intensity before suddenly flashing and leaving the room bare, without a bed or it's occupant.