(Solmonath 28, 56 / 3:06PM)

  A mother's love has no bounds…

  No matter how torturous a search can get, a mother’s will is like a will forged out of iron…

  Iron so thick that it can block all hate, crush all evil, and stly…

  (Mary) Have you seen my son Luke?! He has light brown hair and he is barely a middle schooler! Have you seen any boy—

  Iron so brittle that if it were to bend, it would be shattered into thousands of pieces…

  As Mary stopped a nearby stranger, for the hundredth time.

  (Random stranger #1) Look ma’am, this is a big city. How am I supposed to know what your kid looks like?

  (Mary) Please take a look at this picture! Do you have any way this kid went?!

  (Random stranger #2) Ma’am, I was just listening with my walkwoman to work. Sorry dy, but please let me listen to Metallic in peace…

  As the stranger brushes off against her, Mary’s shoulders start to slump, her hands holding her face. It had been almost 4 hours since she kept looking for Luke, and there was still no sign of him.

  She knows that Luke wanted to explore downtown, or rather, try to hang out with his best friend Fred, but for some reason, she couldn’t find him…

  (Mary) All these idiots listening to Michael Jackdaughter and Princess, too busy in their world…

  Mary then continued to run around the city, looking for any clues that she may be able to find Luke.

  But the small and thin buildings combined with the density of the downtown center made Mary sweat a couple of drops down her face, partially because …

  (Mary’s thoughts) Joseph told me that he’ll call me in a bit right around this time. God, please help me find Luke—

  Unfortunately, Joseph decided to call, at the worst time for Mary…

  Mary brought out her big bulky phone from her pocket and brought it up to her ear (pants pockets are abnormally rge).

  (Joseph on the phone) Mary, did you find Luke?

  Mary started to tear and whimper a little as she still couldn’t track down Luke. Unable to say the words that burned the bridge between her heart and vocals, she couldn’t utter a word.

  (Joseph on the phone) M-Mary? Mary? Are you there? Hey, say something!

  Joseph’s loud voice caused Mary to flinch, bringing her back to reality. Even though her voice and face were quivering with fear and hopelessness, her heart managed to cross the vocals.

  (Mary) J-Joseph … I … I … I’m sorry…

  Mary started to break into tears as she failed to do her job as a mother, but luckily, Joseph remained calm and cool despite the overall pressure and stress that Joseph had in his voice.

  (Joseph on the phone) Listen, Mary, I know this may be hard, but … meet me west at the end of the city…

  (Mary) W-what? What are you saying? Joseph. Joseph!

  For a 180, Mary went from breaking down in tears to being overly furious. Joseph, her husband, was implying that she stop the search for their only son. It was Mary’s job but why isn’t Joseph doing his own?

  (Mary) Luke is still out there! Do you want your only son to be lost in the big city? I’m doing my part in searching for our son, but why aren’t you?! No … I’m not meeting up with you…

  (Joseph on the phone) Don’t do this on your own Mary! You need me—

  Mary then angrily hung up the phone, putting the cell phone back into her pocket, not wanting to pick up the phone anytime soon.

  (Mary’s thoughts) I’ll find my son even if it kills me…

  As Joseph was hung up, all his frustration and anger exploded out from within him.

  (Joseph) FUCK!!

  He then flipped over an office table in the heat of the moment, objects like pencils, papers, and many other office supplies scattered all over the room.

  Enraged, he kept kicking the table legs that held the metallic table in pce. Even if his kicking did nothing to the table itself, one of the legs was dented and almost broken…

  To hold a table, 4 legs support the top…

  Several workers noticed the sudden outburst of their mayor, the once calm and collected mayor that positively solved any issue. The workers then quietly stared at the mayor, hoping that Joseph came back to his usual normal self.

  (Government worker #1) Sir, do you need some fresh air?

  (Joseph) … get my limo ready …

  (Government worker #1) For what sir?

  (Joseph) … I’m going to the heart of the city.

  Mencholy, Joseph walked out of the room, sliding his sleeves up and adjusting his suit…

  (Joseph) Why can’t people keep my promises…

  ______________________________________________________________________________

  (Solmonath 28, 56 / 3:47PM)

  How long was he out?

  How long did he remain unconscious—

  No, he wasn’t unconscious, but rather…

  (Luke) grunts … ow, where …

  Nothing but darkness and dust, Luke was enclosed in something. He had to remember what just happened.

  (Luke) Wait, am I … stuck … how did I … get trapped … What happened?

  Previously.

  When Gary was about to pick a fight with Stan, a sudden fsh of bright light shined the roof of the building. And then came the shockwave, then a second ter, the debris.

  But what happened to the others?

  Just as the raining debris fell on them, the kids on top of the wood were free from the raining hell of metal … but they weren't safe with the encasement…

  (Luke) If I, Fred, Stan, and … Gary were on top of the wood, then where …

  Did his friends and rival go?

  (Luke) Fred! Stan! Where are you guys?

  Still trapped, but yet not crushed, he yelled more to see if his friends made it.

  (Luke) Anyone! Say something!

  He kept looking around, but no one said anything, not even a breath exhaled…

  (Luke) shaking his head … N-no. they’re not dead, they're not dead, they're not …

  Shaking his head even more, he struggled as he tried to wiggle his way out, but to no avail, he felt the pressure of the debris still trapping him.

  But a miracle appeared for Luke because he felt the debris begin to lighten. The lightening of the mass began to decrease more and more, and sure enough, he was free from the weight that pinned him down.

  So who helped him?

  (Luke) S-Stan! Fred! And … hey Gary.

  Luke gave Stan and Fred a big hug, as thanks for saving him. Stan didn’t return the hug, but just let Luke do what Luke wanted to do.

  As for Gary, even though Gary subdued his anger to help Luke, Luke still held a little grudge, so he kept quiet.

  But that hug was cut short, followed by the grudge that he held.

  (Stan) Hey, we need to get out of here.

  (Fred) But what about our friends—

  Just then, the wall that separated them from the main building came crashing down. As the four boys looked upon what y bare on the main building floor, it was …

  (Stan) Oh my god…

  (Gary) No… no … no…

  (Fred) exhales and inhales rapidly

  (Luke) Is that…

  The rest of the group of nerds and geeks, all of Gary’s followers, Stan’s friends, Fred’s role models, and Luke’s enemies, were all …

  Dead, pelted by metal shrapnel and sharp metal.

  (Stan’s thoughts) Damn it all!

  Gary starts crying uncontrolbly, as the nerds who looked up to him were all dead right before him. As Gary cries, Fred takes several steps backwards to give himself room to bend himself in all fours. His body swelling with sweat and odor, his mouth and stomach moving on his own as they torture his throat with the acidic juice that came forth from Fred’s mouth.

  For Luke, his eyes widened with shock and horror, in denial that something like this happened, as he looked up to the roof—

  Fred takes several steps

  Speaking of the roof … there was no roof …

  And why was there something—

  (Stan) W-what … is that?

  The four boys saw with helplessness and despair as the sight in front of them was unrealistic and impossible to comprehend. It was enough to completely change the dramatic scene that unfolded with the deaths of club members.

  It was …

  (Stan) A monster?

  ______________________________________________________________________________

  Taller than half of the buildings, the monster was a force to the eye's proposal to gnce.

  An estimated guess from the height of the monster itself would be …

  (Fred) That thing … has got to be 200 meters at least …

  (Luke) All that fire…

  As Fred recovered from his spewing session, he estimated the height by just a simple gnce.

  The monster had so much fme to it, that it looked like it was spewing out sor storms as if a sun would do.

  Its appearance was gigantic, and it had devilish horns, orange icy eyes, long hair, slender arms and legs, and a slim waist …

  (Stan) That chest … it looks more feminine than masculine…

  (Gary) W-who cares! That thing … that thing …

  Gary’s whole body shook with fear as he saw the devil’s wife himself.

  (Gary) T-that thing killed our friends!

  And the monster looked down at all the civilians and onlookers that watched in utter despair and shock.

  Like cattle, the monster started to move, and sure enough, screams and shouts were heard from far away.

  Then the domino came…

  Until it reached our four boys.

  (Stan) Everyone run!

  Stan directed them to run away, with no other option but just to tuck their tail and cower as the monster started moving.

  But Gary was hesitant.

  (Gary) But what about our friends? What about our friends' families? What would they think—

  (Stan) I’m sorry Gary, but we have to go!

  Stan held a firm grip on Gary’s arm, making Gary run as much as his chubby body could work.

  (Stan’s thoughts) Why is this happening? Why us of all people…

  Luke looked back, and the monster stopped as if it was … enjoying the chaos that she inflicted…

  (Fred) Luke, just run! It’s never a good idea to look back while running!

  But Luke continued to look back, and sure enough, the monster suddenly used its fiery right hand to grab a piece of a metal building. Making a ball almost like what a kid would do when they py with Py-Doh, the monster then …

  Threw a barrage of burning hot debris and metal onto anyone unlucky.

  ______________________________________________________________________________

  Screams and shouting that sounded like banshees and wraiths filled the entire city.

  (Cat human male) Daddy will always be with you. Daddy will always be with you. Daddy will always be with you—

  The cat human in question held something light in his arms as he ran. A little cat human girl, most likely an elementary schooler, looked as if she was cold as ice, her eyes losing the spark of humanity, as if her father…

  Was carrying the already dead remains of his daughter…

  (Regur human child) Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!

  Another elementary schooler, this time a boy, happened to stand near a pile of debris that looked as if it crashed onto the pavement, but something was off about the pavement.

  A pool of blood spread all over the debris, and the way the kid kept on calling for his mother …

  Scenarios like this happened all over the city, and Luke and the others only catch glimpses of these unfolding.

  (Luke’s thoughts) I don’t want to die … I don’t want to die … I don’t want to die …

  Luke kept thinking to himself, in that he didn’t want to end up being bridal carried by his friends, or being crushed beneath burning debris.

  (Stan’s thoughts) I don’t want to—no, we’re all going to live. I will be getting us all out of here…

  Stan’s goal of making sure Luke, Fred, and even Gary lived to see another day was one that Stan will not fail. Not wanting guilt to puncture his future, he wanted to have success in trying to live a normal life after this …

  But this is just too crazy.

  (Gary) I can’t run anymore. Maybe I’ll—

  (Stan) Don’t give the fuck up! If we take a break for one second, we’re all dead!

  (Fred) Even I … pants … can’t … pants … run—

  (Stan) Damn it you guys just keep running!

  As the boys ran, the monster unleashed hot metal scrap that seared the recently smokey sky. The sky made the run harder than it should’ve been.

  Unfortunately, one of the fiery debris that was thrown managed to hit right next to the location where the boys were running…

  (Luke) Aaah!

  All four boys tumbled down, tinnitus again ringing the insides of their ears.

  (Fred) panting deeply

  (Stan) aah, everyone get up! Fred, cough out the smoke!

  Fred was unlucky enough to inhale dangerous burning dust into his lungs. He didn’t have the stamina since the dust was probably the burning monster's ash and smoke.

  Fred still was panting deeply, obviously, he was in no condition to run at all…

  (Stan) Fine, have it your way!

  Stan then gave Fred a piggyback, and luckily for Stan, Fred was pretty light to carry. Since Stan had so much adrenaline, he was keeping up to the pace with Luke and Gary.

  Wait, Luke was nowhere to be seen…

  (Stan) Where’s Luke?

  (Gary) I thought he was with you?

  (Stan) Luke! Luke! …

  A choice to make, Stan could either look for Luke or go on to save both Fred and Gary.

  (Stan’s thoughts) Why?! Why?! Why?! Do I have to make a choice? Why me of all people!?

  Stan stood for a couple of seconds, pulling his hair with both hands as he didn’t know what the correct choice was. If he saved Luke, he would not be full of regret ter in life, but if he abandoned Luke …

  (Stan) I’m sorry Luke …

  Stan continued running forward with Fred barely conscious on his back and Gary clinging to shared breaths of smokey oxygen…

  (Stan) I hope you at least make it out alive…

  Completely abandoning his short term goal, Stan had no choice but to submit to the cruel reality of theme.

  From there, the three boys ran, not looking back.

  ______________________________________________________________________________

  Luke’s vision began to wander as he y on the pavement, his sight betraying him with every object that was far or close to him.

  But as his vision was blurred, he still saw his friends carry on without him.

  (Luke) Hey, wait! Come back!

  Luke tried to run towards them, pushing whatever stamina and strength was left inside his body. The soon toxic air started to mess up his way of breathing, which also meant that his voice started to feel more raspy and dry.

  (Luke) Wait!

  But the three boys still ran with their tails tucked between their legs, the fear of death the monster brings to the sky and earth causing insanity amongst the normalest of people.

  Now alone, smoke was continuing to build up as the streets were filled with heavy fming debris that the fming monster threw.

  Luke needed to run as far as he could, but the boys were way too far ahead.

  (Luke’s thoughts) I could catch up … I could …

  Pulling even more strength in his run towards his friends, he braced the heaviness and pain that he inhaled as he ran. Trying to reach whatever freedom or peace after this would be better said than done as who knows what will happen.

  But the monster had other pns, because—

  The monster threw more fming shrapnel onto the rest of the city…

  And Luke saw from his peripheral vision that another fming ball of debris was coming his way.

  Luckily, Luke saw a police station to take cover in, hoping that he could shelter from the incoming debris.

  (Luke’s thoughts) Come on, please work legs…

  Luke began to barely sprint towards the nearby police station to take cover from the raining debris, and he managed to barely barge into the building as the fming debris hit the street in back of him.

  The fming smoke and dust caused the street to be unbreathable, meaning that Luke had no choice but to take a break from all the running. Luke looked all around him, seeing that some cabinets weren’t opened at all.

  (Lukes’ thoughts) I thought this pce could’ve been raided by now…

  As Luke began questioning the ck of presence of people in the station, he smelt a foul smell coming from the back of the building.

  (Luke’s thoughts) Why does it smell like a dead body?

  Luke began to gag as the smell got worse and worse, and he heard the sounds of footsteps tapping the concrete floor from the jail cells. Where he stood, a strange man wearing a bck cardboard box came out of the said jail cells.

  This was the crazed man who was taken to the police station by the police officer that Luke saw in that crazy incident. Of course, the crazed man didn’t notice Luke at the time of the incident, but something was off about the man.

  The man dragged a body with one hand, and the body had a blue uniform with a radio patch on the right of its body, which meant …

  (Crazy Man) They should’ve listened. They should’ve listened!

  The man continued to drag the police officer’s body, and it was obvious that blood was oozing from the cop's throat and chest…

  (Crazy Man) I’m going to die! We’re all going to die!

  And as the crazy man was feeling hopeless and insane as his craziness led him to dangerous outcomes, he noticed a 12-year-old boy with light brown hair.

  (Crazy Man) Wait … wait …

  The crazy man walked closer to Luke, still dragging the body of the dead cop in his right hand.

  Luke, now scared that this man was not normal, was talking to him like normal. Luke’s body began to shiver at the fact that this man could potentially kill Luke at any second given the circumstances—

  (Crazy Man) What's your name? Please! Tell me your name!

  (Luke) … I-I-I-I-It’s L-L-L-Luke F-F-Fenix…

  Frightened by what the cardboard box man would do, Luke waited for any action that the man might take. The more Luke studied him, the more insane and crazy the man looked, but in that single moment, the crazy man gave Luke a warm smile, as if he was at peace.

  (Crazy Man) yes … Yes. Yes! A boy—no, a soldier—no … a hero! You’re the only one, the only one that could stop this. Yes, I see! You do put an end to all this conflict and climaxes. I can’t wait for the day that you, Luke Fenix, can finally—

  The crazy man then took many steps back onto the secretary's desk, as if he knew that something bad was coming his way…

  (Crazy Man) Start this Genesis…

  The crazy man stretched out both his arms and closed his eyes, and in a twisted way, a sudden gush of fming debris hit the roof of the police station, making a huge hole in the police station.

  So where did it nd?

  Let’s just say the crazy man is no more…

  Because as soon as the man was at peace, his entire body was evaporated by the scorching heat of burning metal…

  Being engulfed by the fmes too quickly, there was no sign or evidence of the crazy man being there, as if he wasn’t there to begin with.

  Meanwhile, the shockwave of burning dust caused Luke to fall back out of the police station.

  Feeling the impact of the burning gust, his throat began to burn even more, and his eyes screamed with irritation and agony from the bits of ash that got into his eyelids.

  Begging for water and moisture, he id on the ground, agonizing as the street was surprisingly empty as mostly everyone was running through the main street. His mouth tasting bitter, he coughed up as much dust as he could, trying to get all the gunk out from his lungs.

  As he was back on the street, Luke was lucky that the previous incoming debris that struck managed to subside the lethal air, but Luke continued to cough in agony as he curled up like a ball.

  (Luke’s thoughts) I just wanted to go outside the house for the first time! I just wanted to hangout with people for a change! I just wanted …

  But as he was opening his eyes, he noticed that someone was coming out of the police station…

  It was one of the cops that took the crazy man in, also the one that was killed by the man as well.

  Yet something looked completely different from the way the cop looked. It walked normally yeah, and it looked as if it acted cognitively normal from a standpoint, meaning that it acted human.

  Yet it didn’t look human … because it was way too pale for any human as if it was dead…

  As the cop walked closer to Luke, it began to sort of hum with a low-pitched tone, looking downward, with Luke not seeing the cop's face at all.

  And then it looked towards Luke—

  In an instant, dreaded and unimaginable fear shook Luke, more than anything the fiery monster did…

  From what Luke saw, the cop’s face … it had no eyes and no nose, its eye sockets filled with bck tar that repced fresh red blood.

  Most scaringly, this creature started to run towards Luke, not limping at all.

  But the creature was glitching… like a computer—

  Then the cop spoke… with a voice filled with eversting pain and agony.

  (Cop???) Save us!