Humans Against Demons - Am I really a perfect guy? I don't think so.

I looked at the empty plate on the floor. Empty... like my whole being at this moment.

"I'm hungry."

So very hungry... I... don't know what to do with my life... What do I do now? I lost everything... I lost the person I loved most... And I don't know if I can go on with my life.

My grandmother is the person I love most in my life. She raised me, gave me a home, food, love... Thanks to her, I am the person I am now. A kind, polite, and respectful boy to everyone. She taught me never to swear. She taught me to respect people's lives. She taught me to be empathetic. She taught me what is right and what is wrong... She taught me to be a good human being. Thanks to my grandmother, I am who I am now. Without her, I wouldn't be happy... My grades are almost perfect. My grandmother worked all day to pay for my school and feed me. Despite being poor, I never lacked food. My grandmother raised me without anyone's help. My grandmother fed me, clothed me, and educated me without anyone's help. We never received government assistance. Despite my excellent grades, I could never get a scholarship... But, although we were very poor, we were happy.

"Happy... Grandma, you made me very happy, I will always be grateful to you... But... were you happy?"

I don't know... You never treated me badly... I never saw you angry... You were always so cheerful and smiling... Were you really happy or were you pretending to be happy so as not to worry me? Despite your old age, you worked all day to bring food home... Did you enjoy your life?

"Or did I ruin your life?"

I am afraid to think that you couldn't enjoy your old age because you had to support me... A woman of your age should have been at home, resting, not working... I... ruined your life.

"I'm sorry, Grandma... Forgive me."

I always tried to be a perfect boy. I wanted my grandmother to be proud of me, but... Now that she's gone, it's not worth trying anymore... First I lost my parents, and now I lost the person I loved most. I lost my grandmother... Is it worth staying alive?

The debts are piling up... We've always been poor, so we have no savings... I... I don't know what to do.

I have no money, I have no job... I have nothing to sell... I have nothing.

... What if I prostitute myself?

"No... No..."

I shouldn't do it... My grandmother would be disappointed in me if I worked in something so dangerous and indecent.

Besides... why keep living? Life has no meaning anymore.

"Grandma... I don't know if I can go on without you... I... I don't know what to do with my life."

I placed my grandmother's photo on an altar... Or an attempt at an altar... I don't have money to buy a frame... I put some flowers I stole from the park on the altar... I stole flowers from a park... I don't even have money for flowers... I'm sorry, Grandma... I'm so sorry.

"Forgive me... You deserve something better... But I'm not capable of getting it."

Sorry for being useless, Grandma. Sorry for being so weak... Forgive me.

I know I should go on, that's what you'd want, but... no... I don't want to.

Why did I study so hard? So you'd be proud of me.

Why did I stay alive? Because I wanted to stay by your side.

... I... Did I not enjoy life?

I don't know... I have Sonia, my girlfriend. I have my best friend, Cris... I still have important people in my life, but... it's not the same... I lost the only reason I tried... I lost her forever.

I was only happy when I was with my grandmother... I was also happy with Sonia and Cris, but... it didn't feel the same... Is this depression? Maybe... But, one thing is for sure... I don't want to keep feeling like this.

No family... No money... Is it worth staying alive? I have my girlfriend and my best friend left, but my presence would only bring them problems. I don't want to be a burden to them. I don't want them to pity me... I don't want to bother them with my presence.

I don't want people outside my family to have to support me... I don't want to receive people's pity... I don't want to.

"Grandma... Thanks for everything..."

... Tears...? Tears...

I can't help but cry... Grandma... I don't know what to do... I don't know.

I don't want to receive people's pity. I don't want to be a bother.

... I'm starving... I've been rejected from all jobs... And they only offered me work cleaning houses...

"But I can't accept those jobs... I don't want "that" to happen again... I don't want them to try to rape me again... I don't want to be touched... I don't want to, I don't want to."

My body won't stop trembling... No... No, no, no... Don't remember anything, Daniel... Don't do it.

... Grandma, I think I hate my life without you... The sexual harassment, the rape attempts... The rape... The school bullying. The taunts for being poor... Grandma, you were the light in my dark life.

Sonia, Cris, I'm sorry, but you are only matches in this deep and dark cave called life, and my grandmother was the sun.

I can't live my life without her.

"Grandma... I will miss you so much."

I don't know if there's a paradise... I don't believe in God, but... If it exists, I hope to see you again in that place.

Thank you for everything. Sorry for so little... I hope you are resting in peace, Grandma... I love you... And I will always love you. In this and any life.

Goodbye, Grandma... I hope to see you again... And I suspect it will be very soon.

I don't want to live without you... I don't know how to live without you.

"Daniel..."

That voice... I was so distracted crying and thinking about my problems that I didn't realize he had come in.

I turned to my left... It's Cris, my best friend... My only friend. Sonia is also my friend, but she's my girlfriend... Ah, I'm so stressed that I don't know what I'm thinking.

Sonia, the girl I've been in love with since we were little.

Cris, Sonia, and I have been friends since elementary school.

Sonia is the only girl I've ever fallen in love with, I'm very fortunate to have her by my side. The only reason I stay alive and haven't committed suicide is because I still have my best friends by my side. Even though they are matches in this deep cave, they are still important in my life.

Especially Sonia, the girl of my dreams. The only girl who fell in love with me for my personality and not for my looks. The love of my life. If I manage to get my life together, I want to start a family with her.

"Sorry for coming in without permission, Daniel. Am I interrupting? I'm sorry, but I want to talk to you about something important."

"Don't worry... Hi, Cris... I'd offer you something, but I have nothing... Nothing..."

Not even food... I'm starving, but I don't want others to pity me.

I feel like my stomach is eating itself. Fortunately, I'm not dehydrated because I drank water from the sink of a public bathroom... Water from a public bathroom... How low I've fallen.

I have no gas. I have no water... Not even electricity... I have nothing... Nothing! I'm useless without my grandmother... A useless person who can't support himself.

I hate this... I hate it... I hate it, I hate it, I hate it! I don't think I can stand my situation any longer.

Sonia, I want to see you, but I haven't bathed in days... I don't want you to see me in this situation... You deserve someone much better than me.

... I think I will break up with her. I love her, but I don't want to embarrass her. I don't want her to be known as the girlfriend of a filthy homeless person like me, who doesn't bathe.

It will hurt, but it's for her own good.

"... Daniel, we need to talk... I was thinking about whether to tell you or not, but I decided to tell you... You deserve to know the truth... We can't talk here. Let's go somewhere quieter and with fresh air."

"Yes... Yes, of course."

I hope it's not more bad news. My heart couldn't take it.

Cris, you look too serious... Please, don't let it be more bad news.

Humans Against Demons.

CHAPTER 1 - A New Purpose.

My name is Daniel and I'll tell you a little about myself. I have black, somewhat long hair since I avoid cutting it for months, mainly to save money. My eyes are light brown and I'm not very muscular, just thin (mainly because, although I eat every day, I eat very little so that the food lasts longer).

What stands out the most about me? Well... Ah... I'm a somewhat handsome guy, but that really doesn't matter to me, in fact, it bothers me because it has caused me many problems in my life. At school, I'm always bullied and beaten by other guys, mainly out of envy or because their girlfriends try to flirt with me. But I almost never defend myself; I don't want to cause trouble for my grandmother, only defending myself when I'm really angry.

I don't defend myself most of the time because I'm afraid of getting into trouble with dangerous people. I'm poor, after all. It's easy to kill or kidnap someone as poor as me, who lives in a dangerous and shady part of the city.

My grandmother and I live together; she's the only family I have... We're very poor, but at least we manage to survive and we're happy together... Although everything changed... I lost her forever.

My grandmother recently died. Her heart stopped working and she died of a heart attack. They couldn't save her.

Her death affected me greatly. She was the only family I had... Now I'm alone... And I realized how useless I am. I don't know how to move forward on my own... I don't know what I'll do with my life.

I sold some of my few belongings to pay for the funeral, but I don't care. As long as I could give her a dignified burial, I don't care about selling my things.

I have many problems on my mind and I don't know what to do... How will I live? Will I be able to support myself...? I try to get a job, but no one hires me.

I was rejected from all the jobs... I hate this... I hate it.

Ah... I really don't know what to do with my life.

"So, what is it that you wanted to tell me?"

Right now, I'm standing in front of my best friend; he said he wanted to tell me something important. We met in a park.

The atmosphere became very uncomfortable. He looks at me with... pity... He pities me...

I hate that look, but it's the only one he can give me right now. I'm disgusting at the moment; even I know it.

I don't want to be pitied.

"I'm sorry, Daniel."

Ah... I hope it's not bad news... Huh?

"..."

He showed me a photo on his phone... A photo that completely broke my heart.

It's a photo of my girlfriend, kissing another guy. My heart breaks seeing the photo... She's cheating on me... The love of my life is cheating on me.

She was one of my few reasons to keep living... No... She was the only reason I had... I... I... I don't know how to react... Why? Why did she do this to me?

I loved her, and I thought she loved me too.

I thought our relationship was working... I know I recently planned to break up with her, but...

Why did she do this to me?

Why with that jerk?

Why did she cheat on me?

... Tears...? Again... But I can't help but cry. The girl I've loved for so many years is cheating on me with another guy.

Honestly, I don't know how to feel about it. Should I be angry, sad, or disappointed? I think what I feel is a mixture of those feelings inside me.

Sonia is cheating on me... The girl I love is cheating on me...

"Sonia..."

"I know what you're going through, but I can't let my sister fool you... I'm sorry, if you need help, you can count on my help and my family's, you know that."

When my grandmother died, the family of Cris, my best friend, offered me their help, but I refused. I don't want to be a burden.

... Sonia is cheating on me... Well... Ah... Yes, I guess nothing matters anymore. It's not worth dwelling on that topic right now.

She cheated on me, that can't change. What's done is done. The healthiest thing would be to simply end my relationship with her and that's it... But now that Sonia cheated on me, I officially have nothing important in my life.

Why keep living a gray and empty life? I've been cheated on.

I thought Sonia loved me. I thought she fell in love with me for being Daniel and not for being a pretty face... But I guess she didn't fall in love with Daniel; she fell in love with the pretty face.

Falling in love with someone for their physical appearance is not love; it's just sexual attraction. But falling in love with someone for their personality, that's romantic love.

I thought Sonia had fallen in love with me for my personality and my feelings... I was a fool for believing that was possible.

Life has treated me like a trash bag. The only good things I had were my grandmother and my friends. But now, my grandmother is dead, Sonia cheated on me, and Cris pities me.

My life has become complete garbage. And what do you do with garbage? You throw it away.

"Yes... But I don't want to bother your family... I'll be fine... Thanks for telling me, you'll always be my best friend... I-I have to go... I need to rest."

"Yes, I understand."

"And... Well... Tell Sonia we broke up and that she should never talk to me again. It's a bit excessive, but I don't think I can talk to her again."

"I agree with your decision. Knowing you, I was ready to punch you if you planned to forgive her. She may be my sister, but infidelity is never forgiven."

"Yes, I know... Goodbye, Cris... And thank you for everything... Thank you..."

I approached him and hugged him tightly.

"Daniel?"

"Thank you for everything, Cris... Thank you for being a friend to someone like me."

"Daniel..."

"I have to go... Goodbye."

I walk away, crying even more than before. This really affected me... My heart hurts... A lot... I really loved her. I loved her so much. I thought I would marry her. I wanted her to be the mother of my children... But I guess she didn't love me.

We should never have been a couple... I'm doomed to not be genuinely loved... I'll say goodbye to this thing called love. I highly doubt I'll ever fall in love again.

I want to end my suffering... I don't want to live anymore.

I'm sorry, grandma... What I'll do is very cowardly, but I really can't take it anymore... You died, I can't find a job, I have no money to buy food, and now Sonia is cheating on me... I know you'll be disappointed in me and I'm sorry, but... I've decided to kill myself... I'll see you very soon, grandma.

"It's not worth living anymore."

•

•

Ah... I'm ready now.

I step onto a chair and place a rope around my neck. I made a hole in the ceiling and tied the rope to a corner of the ceiling.

I'm in the room I shared with my grandmother. It has no furniture and only some blankets on the floor that I use as a bed. The floor is dirt, and the walls are unpainted... Yes, this is how I lived. Very uncomfortable, but I didn't complain; I was happy being next to my grandmother.

But now that I lost her, I realize the deficiencies in my life. I can't live like this, and I don't mean the state of my home, I mean my mental state. The stress, the pain, the sadness... I can't keep enduring so much pain.

We've never had enough money to improve the house... And I sold the few things I had.

I'm useless, I know... I know.

"I'm sorry, Grandma... I really can't bear it... That's why I'll end my suffering."

I'm about to hang myself, with the rope around my neck and ready to jump.

I will die... I will definitely die... If I didn't want to die, I would have already backed out, but I don't want to stay alive... I want to be dead.

It's not worth living anymore. I'm sure my life will never be good; I will always be suffering. The only reason I was happy was because I had my grandmother. Attempted rapes, a rape, bullying, sexual harassment, false accusations... I've suffered everything, and I'm sure I'll keep suffering more in the future... The best thing would be to save myself that suffering and die once and for all.

"I was always a good person... If there were a God, he would be compassionate and help me. I have no one left; I have no reasons to live."

God, God, God... I was never religious because God never helped me. Every time I was saved from being raped, it was because I saved myself. God had nothing to do with it.

But my grandmother was very religious... Just because of that, I hope God exists and will let me reunite with her.

I'm about to jump off the chair, smiling, while tears come out of my eyes. I will die, definitely die. There's no turning back.

I am happy and sad... I will die, but soon I will see my grandmother again... I have never been religious, but I hope that paradise exists. I want to see my grandmother again. I want to see my parents. Meet my mother... I want to reunite with my family; I don't want to be alone anymore.

"This will be over soon."

One... Two... And three.

I jump... I jumped... I will suffer a bit, but it will all be over. I hope they don't take long to find my corpse.

...

...

...

This dying thing is taking a while. I don't even feel any pain.

Something strange is happening... Huh? Wh-what?!

I-I can't move, I'm floating in the air! What's happening?! Is this what it feels like to die?

"Huh? W-why can't I move?" I said, scared and nervous in such an unreal situation.

This is too strange. Have I gone mad?

"W-wait, wait! Don't do it!"

Suddenly, I hear a voice other than mine... It's the voice of an old man... I don't recognize that voice. Am I really going mad? Maybe I'm hallucinating because I'm dying from asphyxiation.

Well, it's not like I'm complaining. If hallucinating avoids the pain, continuing to hallucinate isn't so bad.

"Were you really going to commit suicide?! I thought you would change your mind!"

Ay... Hearing that voice caused me a lot of fear, and I go pale. I heard it as if someone were right in front of me. I admit that this hallucinating thing is no longer pleasant; I think I'd rather suffer a little.

Waaah! I've gone mad! Please, life, let me die in peace!

"Who said that?!" I said scared... No... Terrified.

I'm not afraid of hallucinations... Huh? And who's that?

An old man appeared in front of me out of nowhere. The old man is wearing a completely white suit, he's bald, and his eyes are entirely white and glowing... That old man is so strange. Is he some sort of angel coming for my soul?

... Ah... Yes, I've gone mad.

"Hello, Daniel." He said, smiling.

...

...

...

What the hell just happened?! An old man appeared out of nowhere in front of me! This is too strange! I've definitely gone mad. Why can't I have a more normal death?!

"Who are you?! And why can't I move?!" I said, scared.

This is too strange to be a simple hallucination. It must be an angel punishing me for committing suicide! Aaaahhhhhh! Suicide did end up being punished by God! Forgive me, Grandma!

"You can believe me or not, but I am God."

...

...

...

Huh?

"Did you hear me? Don't stay silent. As I said before, I am God. Nice to meet you."

...

...

...

Huh? God? Did I hear right? Did he say he was God?

"... God?!"

"That's right. Daniel, I've been watching you for a long time, you're pure of heart, something rare among humans... Well, your pure heart is a perfect combination of a normal pure heart and a beautiful soul... You're something very rare."

Huh? Pure of heart? I've read stories about that, but I didn't know it was true... I have a feeling he's telling the truth, but this is too strange.

I'd say I'm still hallucinating, but this feels so real that I don't think it's a simple hallucination.

"P-pure of heart?" I said, confused.

This situation is so strange. Could he really be God?

"You are very good, you're perfect for a job I need done."

A job? He's asking me for help? But why me?

I never imagined God would give me a job. Maybe he feels sorry for me? Well, as long as he pays me, I'll accept the job. I can't refuse God; my grandmother would never forgive me.

"M-me?"

"Yes, you."

He's smiling... He seems friendly. His smile doesn't seem fake.

If he is God, why doesn't he do it himself? He could finish the job easily... Well, after all, he is God. He can do anything.

"Why me? Why don't you do it?"

"My job is to observe and not interfere, but something very bad is happening in world 1 that needs to be fixed."

Observe and not interfere, huh? Well, that would explain why he never helped me. My grandmother taught me to be empathetic with others. I admit I felt some resentment toward God for giving me such a painful life, but now that I know he couldn't interfere, I should forget that unnecessary resentment. God isn't to blame; I just had bad luck.

... Wait... World 1?

Are there more worlds? Is it an alternate world?

I've heard about that, but I never imagined it could be real.

More worlds... Is there a world with only women? Is there a world with animals that can reason and talk? Or are they worlds like this one?

Well, whatever it is, it sounds cool! Alternate worlds... Cool.

"World 1?"

"It's a parallel world. Let's say there are many worlds. Your world is number 15."

Number 15, huh? That means there are 14 worlds below mine. Does the number simply serve to differentiate us, or does it reflect the importance or advancement of the world?

Well, that's not important right now.

Hearing that God needs me is something I never thought I'd hear, but I don't think I could do it. I'm useless... I feel useless. There must be millions of better options than me.

"But I..."

"I know you think your life is ruined, but you can move forward. So, you can help me with the job or commit suicide. Consider that if you help me, you could save many worlds, you would be a hero."

... A hero?

Me? Could I be a hero? Those words... For some reason, I no longer feel as depressed as before... Could it be that all I needed was to have a purpose in life?

Is God giving me a reason to stay alive?

I used to live my life just to satisfy my grandmother. She didn't ask for it, but I did it so she could see that her effort wasn't in vain. I spent my time studying to be a good student, so my grandmother would be proud of me, sacrificing my free time.

I lived my life with the sole purpose of making my grandmother proud and happy, but now that she's no longer with me, I felt like my life no longer had any purpose.

But now God is giving me a mission, a goal, a purpose. God needs me... Someone needs me... Someone considers me useful.

"A-a hero?"

"You are special, that's why I need you."

S-special...? Me? Is he saying that to make me feel better, or am I really special? It would be too egocentric of me to believe that I'm really special. He must have said it just to make me feel better... I think.

God extends his right hand to me, smiling.

The hand of God... Literally.

This situation is so strange, but... relaxing.

I don't know what's happening, I don't know what God really wants from me, but he makes me feel like I have a purpose in this life.

"Do you accept?"

Being a hero sounds cool, and God himself is choosing me for the job. It's something I mustn't refuse... No, I can't refuse.

God, among millions of people, chose me. I don't know if I'm hallucinating or if I fell into a coma and I'm dreaming, but I don't care, I'll go along with it even if it's just a simple dream.

"I-I guess I can't refuse God. I-I'll do it." I said with a nervous smile.

I must smile at God to show him that I trust him and his words, but my nervousness betrays me. After all, who wouldn't be nervous in such a strange situation?

God raised his hand and patted my head. It feels good. It's a pleasant feeling.

I'd feel strange if an old man I barely know patted my head, but this old man is God, a kind being. I mustn't distrust him.

"You made the right decision."

... Huh? Huh?!

Everything around me started spinning! Am I inside a whirlwind?! What's happening?!

•

•

After God and Daniel disappeared out of nowhere, small lightning bolts began to emerge from the rope. Why? Because of direct contact with a God's magic.

And that small error would bring consequences.