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—DISCLAIMER—
THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH REALITY AS SUCH PLEASE ENJOY THIS STORY THINKING OF IT AS A NORMAL FAIRY TALE OR FANTASY STORY.
—THANK YOU—
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There is a saying that goes something like this; "The brighter the light shines, the darker the shadow it hides". Now, this saying can be interpreted in many different ways. But the interpretation I like the most is that 'everyone have a side that they wish to hide. So, to keep it hidden, they blind others by projecting the light they all really wish to see'.
In this world, 'Evergarden' was such light for the people. Evergarden, an industry-leading and revolutionary biotechnology firm. Yet to the public, it was more than just a company; it was a beacon of hope to them.
A beacon of hope that discovered cures for all types of cancer, permanent cure for diabetes, held the power to recover permanently lost sight and hearing, and what not.
To humanity, Evergarden was like a divine gift— bestowed upon mankind by God itself.
But this burning beacon of hope harbored a very eerie and dark shadow—one the world was blissfully unaware of.
Suddenly,
BOOM!!
An ear-splitting explosion jolted and warned the citizens who were gathered near the towering building to not approach it recklessly as huge chunks of rubble fell from its height.
Wee-woo— wee-woo— weewoo—
Amidst the chaotic clamour of local onlookers, sirens blared while local law enforcement struggled to maintain order in the vicinity.
Chuff- chuff- chuff-
The thundering chuff of helicopters blades reverberated across the night sky as they tirelessly circled the building, vigilantly surveying from a distance with some emblazoned with 'POLICE' and some draped in military camouflage
'EVERGARDEN' adorned the building, the letter 'A' marred by a gaping hole from which thick black smoke billowed skyward.
Peaking through the hole, in the dark night sky, the moon casted an eerie and ominous crimson glow upon the surface.
Tonight, the moon loomed larger than life, its celestial companions concealed, as though they cowered in fear, retreating behind the veil of the void. Alone, the moon seemed to bleed— a portent of the grave sin it committed by revealing itself to the entity who brought all of this chaos. It sought to warn the Earthlings of the impending catastrophe, a harbinger of doom whose presence alone, threatened to transform this place into another inferno.
"As you can see, the situation has escalated to the point where military intervention has become necessary. Orders to engage have been issued by the government—"
"It's unfathomable that 'Evergarden', the pinnacle of pharmaceutical and biotech success, has fallen victim to an unknown terror attack —"
"We lack information regarding the terrorist's identity, their numbers and their motive for targeting 'Evergarden'—"
"Based on a rough estimation, it has been concluded that approximately 200 lives have been lost to the debris and explosions within the building. Many remain trapped as emergency personnel are working tirelessly to rescue survivors—"
Reporters stationed outside the premises relayed the unfolding crisis to the world, their access to the building restricted by the barricades deployed by the local law enforcement.
Behind them, a myriad of police vehicle, military trucks, ambulances, and fire brigades stood at the ready.
—INTERNET—
*Live
Terror attack at the Evergarden—
Comments:
Ms.Slim—
"Oh lord, how could somthing like this happen."
RealMJ—
"Damn.. my relative was admitted there...."
MkJones—
"May the innocent rest in peace."
Mr. Mine—
"The government must take decisive action against these despicable terrorist organizations."
Politicalman—
"Told y'all not to give votes to the right wing. Now suffer."
M467JK—
"May the wandering souls find peace."
Sr. Missile—
"Our nation's security measures are inadequate. Strengthening public security is imperative to prevent further tragedies."
Mr. Racist—
"This is a result of racism! Say no to racism!"
Ilove69—
"@Mr. Racist Seriously? It's 2023. Such comments and usernames are passé."
SugerDaddy—
"These terrorists need to perish."
Gamer.yt—
"I extend my prayers to the deceased and their families. Let's organize an eight-hour livestream to support those affected."
Mr. Rescuer—
"Saved you from cringe once more. Be vigilant against cringe, folks. Gotta go now, Adiós."
Nerd—
"@Mr. Rescuer Wow..."
The internet buzzed with discussions surrounding the unfolding catastrophe, with sentiments ranging from condolences for the fallen to condemnation for those deemed responsible.
Amidst the chaos outside, a strange and serene tranquility shrouded the interior of the building in question—
"Aaahhh—"
…Indeed. Utterly serene.
'How can humans be so callous… no, pathetic?' Amidst the gruesome tableau of carnage, the thing—the entity responsible for the devastation was presented with a strange question. Sitting atop a mountain of mutilated corpses in a garden of warm crimson hues that painted the surroundings, it pondered.
It resembled a living shadow, devoid of discernible features save for its luminous crimson eyes, ablaze with a cocktail of emotions—bloodlust, anger, rage, sorrow brewing inside. Strange scarlet embers danced around it.
Lifeless bodies lay strewn about, some maimed, others mutilated beyond recognition.
Sparks from broken electronics and circuits flew here and there, lighting up the darkness with their dim glow, resembling wild fireflies.
'Answer me, pitiful child of darkness. What do you think of these parasitic creatures?' a dark and distorted voice echoed constantly in its head.
Bzzz— Bzzz— "Alpha1— Alpha1— report to HQ—" Bzz— Bzz— "Alpha1—"
A nearby walkie-talkie crackled amidst the silence.
Bzz— Bzzz— "Alph—"
"Noisy," it intoned, irritation evident in its deep, abyssal voice.
Swish—
Before the transmission could conclude, the walkie-talkie was sundered in clean halfs.
'Hahahaha! Noisy! An interesting answer indeed,' the voice cracked in absurd laughter.
'Driven by greed, lust, envy—their rapacious pursuit knows no bounds.'
Rising from its macabre throne of corpses, the entity strode purposefully, its ruminations unabated.
Drip— Drip— Drip—
Droplets of sticky crimson blood fell to the ground from the mutilated, bloodied head it held by the remaining strands of hair on its scalp.
'Backstabbing, plundering, resorting to vile tactics like blackmail, rape… Their litany of sins knows no end.'
'They betray their own kin, clawing their way to the apex, driven by their insatiable pride and greed—
Blaming so-called evil demons for their woes, yet embodying the very essence of malevolence themselves—'
It halted before a figure clad in a once-pristine white lab coat, now stained with crimson, his visage marred by wounds and terror.
His head was smeared with blood, nearly bald, his square glasses bearing a gaping hole on the left side where an eye was missing, and his hand was mutilated, with nearly all fingers gone. His condition screamed tale of the heartless, cruel torture his body had endured.
The entity tossed the gruesome head it held toward the man.
"Heeekkk!!" he voiced a low, timid scream of trepidation.
'Are they not more akin to demons than humans?' Every word resonating in its head carried a deep flavor of malice, spoken from a mouth with a sinister smile.
"I-impossible! H-how… how could you kill my best work so effortlessly?" the man stammered, his voice trembling with dread.
The entity paid no heed to the man's inquiry, seizing him by his remaining strands of hair.
"Aaahhhggh—" the man's anguished cry pierced the silence as the entity hoisted him aloft.
Unmoved by his suffering, the entity fixed him with its crimson gaze, its voice resonating with infernal fury,
"Why did you kill her?"
"Aagh! H-h-her? W-who?" the man's voice wavered, torn between agony and confusion.
"Why did you kill her?! Answer me!" the entity thundered, its hot breath seething with rage.
In a bid to assuage the entity's wrath, the man strained to recall any event that might have provoked its ire as he continued struggling to free himself from the entity's grip.
"Her— her— her…" A startling revelation dawned on him, a foggy image of a girl flashing in his mind's eye.
"N-n-n-n-no… it c-can't be," he muttered incredulously.
"It can't be!" he exclaimed, his voice trembling with disbelief.
"Y-you! You're h-h-h-her progeny?! B-b-but how?! She was a f-failed experiment! N-no—this is i-impossible—"
With a swift motion, the entity tore the last vestiges of hair from the man's scalp.
Boom!
Throwing him towards a wall,The now bald and bloodied man crumpled to the ground. But the man didn't even utter a cry, instead he continued rejecting his thought like a broken record.
"N-no! N-no! No! I-it's i-impossible! It's impossible!"
Voom— Voom—
Dark tendrils coiled from the shadows beneath, materializing into a three-dimensional form.
Woosh— Woosh—
Ensnaring the man's limbs, the shadows contorted into a cross, crucifying him without meeting any resistance.
'Hmm? Are you really doing this? You do know that your body is already about to break, right? Your brain won't be able to handle it,' the voice warned.
Drawing near, the entity gazed upon the broken man, his sanity shattered beyond repair.
Seizing his bald head, it compelled him to meet its gaze, his lone eye ensnared by crimson depths.
'Hahahahaha! As you wish! I shall show you everything you want to see. After all, you are me, and I am you.'
Meeting the entity's hollow crimson eyes, the man found himself standing naked before it, his soul laid bare to its scrutiny.
Every facet of his being was exposed—his life, his purpose, his impending demise, his achievements, his sins, his fears and his thoughts—
Everything.
It was difficult to comprehend, yet it felt awe-inspiring.
Staring into the endless crimson abyss, the bald man went limp, his complexion became pale as snow as if his essence had been subsumed by the abyss.
Surveying the lifeless form before it, the entity sank to its knees, anguish etched upon its countenance. Facing the ground, it questioned with a voice heavily laced with sorrow—
"Why—"
Just then,
Ding— Dong—
With a sharp bell, the elevator doors slid open behind the entity.
Turning to confront the uninvited guest, it sought to discern their identity.
A figure emerged from the elevator, their face hidden in the shadowy confines of the compartment.
"Who are you?" the entity demanded.
Silence greeted its query.
Observing the lack of response, it issued a grim command,
"Then perish." With a swift gesture, a shadow sprang forth from the ground, hurtling toward the figure.
In response, the figure finally stepped forward, revealing a warm smile adorning their face.
The razor-sharp tip of the shadow halted mere centimeters from the figure's neck. A fraction of a second later, it would have pierced their flesh.
Glancing at the figure, the entity muttered,
"You—"
---
Though the bloody carnage inside the building came to an end,
Wee-woo— wee-woo— wee-woo—
Outside, the sirens continued to wail, and the rescue efforts lasted until dusk.
Property worth hundreds of millions was lost, and hundreds, nearing thousands, of loved ones were injured or lost. To this day, the event that transpired that night remains one of the worst natural disasters in human history.
It was a day when even the moon cried tears of blood as humanity's beacon of hope vanished from the face of the earth.
In the annals of history, this day was etched as "The Bloody Night."
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—To be continued—
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