A month has passed since that incident. The classroom clock ticked like it was mocking him.
Ash slumped over his desk, chin resting on his palm, eyes half-open. The teacher's voice blended with the drone of ceiling fans and scribbling pens. Outside, sunlight glared through the windows, blinding and lazy.
Another boring day. Another endless lesson.
He thought about about that day, the man who'd fallen from the sky, the eyes that had flashed open for a heartbeat. But no one talked about it again. News broke that the man had been struck by a truck but what actually happened was different. Maybe he was the only one who couldn't stop thinking about it.
"Yo, Ash," a whisper came from beside him. Kenta grinned, holding a pen under his nose like a mustache. "You spacing out again?"
Ash sighed. "Just tired. School's killing me."
"School's been killing us since birth," Kenta replied, earning a chuckle from Ash. For a moment, things felt normal again.
Lunch break came, and the hallway buzzed with voices and footsteps. Ash and Kenta walked side by side, navigating through students laughing, gossiping, and pretending life mattered more than boredom.
Then Ash saw it.
At the end of the corridor, a smaller boy was cornered by three seniors. His bag lay open on the floor, books scattered like trash. One of the bullies kicked a notebook across the tiles and snorted.
Ash frowned. "Kenta."
Kenta groaned. "Don't, Ash. Not again. You know they'll..."
But Ash was already walking forward.
"Hey!" His voice echoed down the hall. The seniors turned, smirking.
"What's your problem, hero?" the biggest one said.
"Leave him alone."
"Oh? Look at this guy." He stepped closer, towering over Ash. "You think you're tough?"
Ash clenched his fists. "No. Just not a coward."
The punch came fast, a fist to his chest. Ash stumbled, swung back, caught the bully's jaw. The hallway exploded into chaos. Shouts. A shove. A kick.
Then...
"Stop right now!"
A teacher's voice cut through everything. The crowd scattered as the teacher stormed in. "All of you, to the office!"
The bullies sneered but backed off, brushing past Ash as they left. The leader whispered, "After school, loser."
The rest of the day dragged like a nightmare.
When the bell finally rang, Ash and Kenta walked out of school in silence.
"You really can't help yourself, huh?" Kenta sighed.
"I wasn't just going to watch," Ash muttered.
"I can't stand it when someone is being bullied."
They walked under the orange glow of evening. The air was quiet, too quiet. Footsteps echoed behind them.
Ash didn't have to turn around to know who it was.
The bullies.
"Guess we promised a rematch," one said.
Before Ash could respond, one of them shoved Kenta hard.
"Hey!" Ash shouted, lunging forward. Fists flew. Kenta tried to pull him back, yelling, "Ash! Let's run, man! let's just go!"
Ash and Kenta sprinted down the alley, bullies closing in.
Kenta's eyes locked onto Ash's. "Split up!" he yelled.
Ash hesitated for a second then did what his friend said. He turned and ran.
Ash darted left while Kenta took the right fork.
Ash's heart pounded as he ran, his senses on high alert.Then he thought about Kenta.
Would he be okay?
He sprinted through alleys, across empty streets, lungs burning. The sounds of shouting faded behind him. When he finally stopped, he realized he had no idea where he was.
An empty construction lot. No one around. The air was heavy, unnaturally still.
Then a sound.
A low, wet rumble, like something crawling beneath the ground.
Ash turned slowly.
A massive, twisted shape burst from the earth. A creature like a giant earthworm, but covered in dark, pulsing flesh and jagged teeth where a mouth shouldn't be. Its presence radiated cold and decay.
And in front of it was a man. A young man in dark clothes, eyes glowing faintly with intricate patterns.
Ash froze, his breath caught in his throat. The man slashed through the air and a blade of light burst from his hand, cleaving the monster's flesh.
The creature shrieked. The sound tore through the air.
Ash stumbled backward, staring wide-eyed. The man noticed him and just for a second. Confusion flashed across his face.
Can he see me?
Then the monster turned, its attention shifting toward Ash. It lunged.
Ash's instincts screamed. He covered his face and braced for the end.
Something roared and then light slashed past.
When Ash opened his eyes, the monster was collapsing, its body dissolving into black smoke. The man stood over him, panting, weapon fading into nothing.
For a moment, their eyes met. The man's gaze was sharp, bewildered.
Then everything went dark.
Ash fainted.