'Class is dismissed,' the teacher said. 'Don't forget to hand in your homework tomorrow.'
'Okay!' The class echoed.
I walked out with my friends, bags slung over our shoulders.
'Hey, Dylan, want to head to the park?'
'Not today.' I shook my head. 'Mum wants me back home.'
'Man, you're no fun.'
'Tomorrow.' I said.
They waved me off, running ahead.
Back then, life was normal.
School. Friends. Home.
Simple.
Peaceful.
I didn't notice it then, but the wind seemed heavier than usual.
———————————
*Click*
The house felt… quiet.
Too quiet.
'Mum, I'm back.'
I dropped my bag by the door.
'…'
'Mum?'
'…'
I heard voices from her room.
I walked closer and pushed the door open slightly.
She was stuffing clothes into a suitcase, hands shaking.
Papers were scattered across the floor. All of them covered in his handwriting.
'Mum… what are you doing?'
'We need to leave,' she said quickly. 'Your father… he's not…'
The front door opened.
'Oh honey, I'm home!'
Her face went pale.
'Hide.' She whispered.
Before I could react, she shoved me into the closet.
'Whatever you do… don't come out.'
The door shut.
Darkness.
'Hey… what's this?' He scanned the room. 'Going somewhere?'
'Y-yes.' She forced a smile. 'Just visiting my parents.'
'…'
Then…
He spotted a notebook.
'Oh… so you found it.'
'F-found what?' She smiled.
He took a step.
'Are you scared of me, honey?'
'Don't come any closer!' Her voice cracked. 'You're a monster! You killed those people!'
'I didn't kill them!' He stomped. 'I freed them!'
My body shook.
I covered my mouth to not make a sound.
'I helped them transcend,' his voice trembling with excitement. 'This world is a lie. Pain, corruption, suffering…'
He slammed into his chest.
'This body… it's a prison, it stops us from becoming one with God.'
'So…'
He smiled.
'I gave them salvation.'
*Crash*
My mum threw something.
'You're insane!'
Her body trembled.
'I already called the cops. So leave!'
'…'
He wiped the blood dripping from his forehead.
'Guess I'll have to speed things up.'
He walked closer.
'Let go of me!'
'Soon,' he said softly, 'we'll all be living our best lives.'
'Mum—!'
I burst out of the closet.
'Let her go!'
I charged at him, swinging with everything I had.
He staggered back. Releasing his grip on mum.
'Gasp… cough… run!' She choked. 'Run, sweetie!'
But he recovered faster.
'Why are you stopping me?' He muttered.
He lifted the mattress.
A gun.
'RUN!' Mum screamed.
My body froze.
'Don't worry,' he said, raising the gun. 'It won't hurt.'
'After this… we'll all be together.'
Mum lunged at him.
*BANG*
Her body jerked.
Blood spread across her chest.
'Run…' she whispered.
Her eyes… were already fading.
Yet… she was still smiling… at me.
I ran.
Not out, but to the kitchen.
My hands reached for a kitchen knife before my mind could catch up.
*BANG*
Another shot echoed.
'…'
Footsteps.
Slow.
Calm.
'Where are you, son?'
My heart pounded so loud I thought he could hear it.
'Come out… don't you want to see mummy.'
Closer.
Closer.
He turned the corner.
My hands moved before I could think. I screamed, driving the knife into his side.
'GAAH!'
He collapsed, clutching his waist.
I didn't stop.
I ran past him.
'Mum!'
She was lying there.
Still.
Surrounded by blood.
But…
She was still smiling.
'Mum?'
No response.
'Mum!'
I dropped beside her, hands shaking.
CPR.
Like they taught in school.
Push.
Push.
Push.
'Please… please.'
Nothing.
*Wee-woo*
Sirens blasted through the neighbourhood.
But it was too late.
'…Please.'
I prayed to God, hoping that this was all just a nightmare, but… she never came back.
————————————-
[10 years later]
'You may go in.' The officer said.
I nodded and stepped inside.
And there he was.
The sight of him made my fingers twitch involuntarily. The air felt thick, almost alive… like it wanted to choke me.
'Long time no see… son.'
'Don't call me that!'
'Calm down.' The guard warned.
Taking a deep breath, I sat in front of him.
'So,' he smiled, 'what brings you here?'
'My aunty forced me to come.' I crossed my arms.
'Ahh… my sister was always so nice.' He smiled.
'…'
'Do you feel it?' He whispered. 'My body… it's slowly transcending.'
'You should join me, son. Then we can be a family again.'
'DON'T YOU DARE—'
'Last warning.' The guard snapped.
He laughed.
'You say you're not my son…'
He leaned closer.
''But I see it in your eyes.'
'You're just like me.'
'No matter how much you deny it…'
'You carry my blood.'
My hands trembled. Not from anger, but from something colder. Fear that every choice I'd made, every step I'd taken, might be meaningless if I was already like him.
*SLAM*
I slammed the glass panel.
'That's it.'
The guard dragged me out.
—————————————
Under the morning sun. I sat down with my party members.
'That's why,' I said quietly, 'I can't kill.'
Silence filled the air.
'… I always thought you were just a spoiled brat.' The old geezer muttered.
'Same.' The dwarf thief shrugged.
'But what if he's right?' I whispered, staring at my hands. 'What if one day I lose control? I would be proving him right.'
'Then we stop you.'
The orc priest's voice was firm.
'You are not him.'
'You don't know that!' I snapped. 'What if I become him? What if I already am?!'
'…'
The priest just stared at me.
Then slowly, he moved closer.
'Blood doesn't decide who you are, only you do.'
'But, every night, I hear his voice and… I don't know how much I can take.'
'Oh stop whining, hero.' Chad Prince stood up. 'Look at me… I may have royal blood, but that's not what makes me so great.'
'Shut up, you long-eared narcissist.' The old geezer snapped.
'Oh? It seems like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Did you misplace your medications, old man?'
'Seems like you need to be taught a lesson.'
They both had a stare down.
Then…
They laughed.
'…Idiots.' I muttered.
'Feeling better?' The thief grinned, pulling me into a rough hug.
'Yeah. My chest feels lighter now, like I could finally breathe.' I let out a shaky laugh.
'That's good to hear.' The thief said.
'…'
'… Thank you… everyone.'
They all looked at me.
'For what?' The priest asked.
'For reminding me…'
I looked at them.
'I don't know if I believe that yet?'
'… but I want to believe that.'
'… That I'm not him.'
I drew my sword, feeling the weight of every choice I'd ever made settle in my chest.
This was mine.
My life.
My world.
'For all that is beautiful.'
One by one they joined me.
'For the peace of the world.' The old geezer drew his staff.
'For moments like this.' Chad Prince drew his sword.
'For the purity of this world.' The priest drew his mace.
'And for money.' The thief drew his dagger.
We raised our weapons all together.
'That's why we fight!'
Bringing my sword down, I sheathed it.
'Let's go everyone… we have a world to save.'
'Hahaha… well said hero.' Chad Prince laughed.
Together. We left the campsite and made our way to our next destination.
The wind whispered again, but this time… it felt like hope. The same wind that had weighed heavy on me, now felt alive with possibility.
I looked toward the sky and smiled.
…
Mum…
I hope… you're still smiling.