俺生死んだ I Died Alive

Prologue

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Prologue:

~Point of No Return

Darkness slowly surrounds me.

Never in my life had I felt fear of this degree. Whether my eyes or the lights had gone dark, I do not know. What I know for sure is the chaos that is beginning to wrap around me is truly, truly terrifying.

I can hear the screams. The cries of people from everywhere, probably having the same state of mind as I do. No words can be clearly made out of this throng of noise. A mix of random voices, shouts, whispers, and the deep, deafening sound that I never thought I will hear in my lifetime. Or at least, I had hoped.

It started maybe seconds... minutes ago?

With heart racing, I fumbled in the darkness. Looking for some way to regain my balance and bearings, I held my hand to search and grab unto something. Even something I can hold would bring me comfort enough to at least catch my breath. I stretched out my arm, swerving at every direction, but all I touched was empty space. With utter despair, I fell on my knees and finally felt like crying.

I am sure that more than a minute has passed but it shows no sign of stopping.

Someone just passed nearby, I tried to reach out to them. By the time I could stand, the footsteps are further away. Those footsteps were definitely running. Running from what? There is no escaping this. What I need to do is look for sh--

--Pain suddenly scattered all over my body. Sharp stabs hit my stomach and legs before my face made contact with the solid floor. Cold blood trickled down my face along with my tears as I curled up on the floor clutching my sides and limping in agony of the damage I just suffered.

"Ugh... Uh.. Uhhhh."

About six steps from where I was standing before was a flight of stairs. No way I could've known. At the moment I sensed the danger, I was thrown off balance by the continued shaking and failed to adjust my footing.

"H-hel..."

I could hardly hear my own voice.

"H-help...Help...me..."

My shout for help are more like whispers in my current shape. No one would come to my aid. I imagine they too must be in a predicament of their own. This fear, this terror in my heart. What I would not give for all of this to stop for even a second.

At least my vision is gradually getting used to the darkness. I shot a gaze at the silhouette of stairs I just fell. Around 12 steps and its darkness again. Its pretty high which would explain my injuries.

*Must... breathe...*

The shaking is getting even more violent now.

A grand orchestra of everything getting smashed together filled my ears. Suddenly, the wall around my right side collapsed and crashed with a boom drowned only by several others. Then the bright sunlight showered the insides of this building, the rays revealing my surroundings in the most awestruck fashion.

I have forgotten, perhaps because of shock and extreme fear, but I was inside a shopping mall. What was I doing?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

March 11

1:46 P.M.

"Thank you for giving me a chance. I will make it up to you. I promise."