Chapter 2: Tragedy

*1 hour before the Emotional Apocolypse, somewhere in the outskirts of the north.*

"Come back here you little!"

"Nuh uh, catch me if you can!"

"Sophie, you've heard exactly Mom said. You can't avoid it forever!"

"Never!"

Beneath the crumbling appearance of a weathered old house, its paint peeling and windows cracked, a narrow piece of barren earth became a stage for a game of chase between 2 young kids. The sun slowly hid in the horizon, casting shadows that stretched across the whole yard.

The older sibling, Malte Anderson, 10 years of age, is a patient and cheerful older brother whose dream is to one day make a pile of money, and treat his family to a lavish restaurant meal. The wish wouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, considering that where he lives, soon to be known as the Wastelands, didn't have any cafes nearby, let alone opportunities to make a decent sum of money. 

The little girl who's being chased down is Sophie Anderson, a cute and adorable brimming with energy. With en endless amount of enthusiasm, she fills the whole household with life and laughter.

'Oh my god, I'm about to die from exhaustion. Can't she just stop for a moment?'

Sophie glanced back at her brother and smiled teasingly as he was about to give up.

"Wow, you're that tired after running a bit. It's quite embarrassing when you can't even catch your little sister, you know that?"

Catching his breath, he looked over Sophie, and cursed internally.

'Who the hell runs for nearly a whole day without breaking a sweat? She's got to be a zombie or something..'

"Yeah, you're right. I'm really tired right now. So tired, to the point where I'm starting to see a silhouette of a huge monster right in front of you."

"Your sense of humor is so ba-"

"ow."

Headbumping into the terrifying monster, Sophie stumbled back, wide-eyed. The monster in question is Elina Anderson, their mother, is a woman of kindness and love. 

Unable to dash away, Sophie found herself caught in the embrace of her mother. Elina brought her closer to the bathroom and proudly announced.

"It's time for your bath, little one! Let's get you cleaned up."

With a resigned sigh, Sophie knew that resistance was futile when it came to her mother.

As Malte made a small laugh, he excused himself and went back to his room.

Some time later, after sharing a meager meal together, the family retreated to a small room, finding comfort in each other's company. They huddled together, their laughter ringed with a sense of unease as they waited for the inevitable return of the father.

As the night went on, his heavy footsteps echoed through the door, letting everyone know that he was home. The sound of his approach sent shivers down the spine of the family, who still hugged each other in the cramped room.

Sitting down a couch in the living room, with a bottle of alcohol in his hand, the man grinded his teeth and angrily shouted.

"WHERE THE HELL *hiccup* ARE YOU, ELINA?"

Sensing that waiting any longer would only escalate the tension, the mother reluctantly made her way out into the dimly lit living room, where she knew her husband, Jack Anderson, would be.

"Please, Jack, just leave us alone. We don't want any trouble."

Sluring, he answered in a drunk tone, while making occasional hiccups.

"Trouble? You think I'm trouble? You're the one causing all the problems around here. I swear, my greatest mistake was marrying this dumb cow."

A sorrowful emotion in her eyes, she replied pleadingly.

"I'm just trying to keep our family safe. Please, let's not do this here, the children can hear everything."

"Don't tell me what to do! You always think you're better than me, don't you? Actually, you know what, I probably should've done this from the start. I'm not tolerating this any further!"

The father's words turn into shouts as he lunges forward, striking the mother with brutal force, leaving her on the ground with broken legs, sobbing in pain and fear.

Unable to bear the sounds of their mother's distress any longer, the children looked at each other worryingly before silently slipping out of their cramped space and into the living room. There, they found their mother on her side, her face contorted in pain, while their father stared over her with a mixture of anger and resentment.

As the children rushed over to their mother's side, Jack's bloodshot eyes followed their movements with a mixture of anger and regret. 

"You.. you children are simply so.. so.. useless. I wish I could fix the mistake of sleeping with your mother that time," he muttered bitterly, his words slurred with intoxication.

Before he could lunge at his children, a strange sensation washed over him, causing him to stagger back in confusion. With a guttural growl, his body contorted and twisted, his features morphing into those of a nightmarish creature. Horrified, the children watched as their father transformed before their eyes, his human form slowly turning into that of a Dreadspawn.

Still frozen in place, the children heard their mother's voice pierce through the chaos.

"Quickly, hide somewhere!"

With trembling hands, the son whispered.

"I won't leave you alone.."

His mother's voice, though weak, carried a note of urgency as she insisted.

"You have to go, my dear. It's not safe here anymore."

Tears welled up in the son's eyes as he struggled against her words, but she reached out and grasped his hand firmly, her gaze locking with his.

"Remember what I told you," she said, her voice faltering but filled with love.

"Stay strong, and take care of your sister. You're the man of the house now. I love you guys."

Upon hearing those last words from his mother, the son's resolve hardened. He wiped his tears, and with a heavy heart, he led his sister outside, bracing himself for whatever awaited them.

Well, he almost led his sister outside. As if fate laughed at his determination, a sudden cry of terror was heard as his sister was caught by the monstrous claws of the Dreadspawn.

Time seemed to slow down as Malte watched in horror as the creature descended on his loved ones, it's jaw mercilessly tearing into the flesh and bones with ferocity. The scene before him truly looked like a nightmare.

'ha.. hahaha... Sorry, mom..'

With a hollow emptiness in his chest, he silently retreated to the safety of his room, with no emotion in his mechanical movement. Without a word or a single tear shed, he crawled beneath a table, seeking comfort in the obscure darkness.