Drip…
Drip…
Drip…
Hideous, disgusting, repulsive, loathsome, unforgiving.
These are all words you could use to describe this world–a cruel, obscene place, crawling with monsters of all shapes and kinds.
"Idiot.."
The voice muttered, smiling, dropping the empty bottle of water at the feet of the boy with now soaked hair and soiled books.
As the sound of retreating footsteps receded, the boy, silent, knelt down to pick up the mutilated remains of his books.
And yet–these very monsters that are the very origin of the disdain in this world, all seem to encompass themselves in ignorance, they live off beautiful lies, all to turn away from the ugly truth.
It–disgusts me.
Ssssk.. Sssssck.. Tch, tch, tch..
The rhythmic singing of the piece of chalk in the teacher's hand announced the day anew.
"Settle down now, and take out your books, let's begin from where we last left off."
He said, looking around the classroom–barely illuminated its buzzing lights.
The teacher's gaze landed on the boy, his hair damp and his eyes worn out.
"Leith, could you enlighten me as to where the books I told you to take out are?"
"I-'
"I lost them."
There are many types of monsters in this world, the sadistic ones, the lustful ones, the dishonorable ones, the envious ones.
"Tell me Leith,"
"How long do you plan on wasting everyone's time–are you so unthoughtful you couldn't even try to do the bare minimum at the very least?"
However, If there's one type of monster in this world I detest the most…
The tension in the room was broken, as a certain, distinguishable voice sounded from the back of the room.
"It's alright, teacher, I can go grab him a new one."
it would be the hypocritical kind.
"No, sit down, I think he should be the one to fix his own heedless mistakes."
The monster that puts on a mask–a fake, fragile facade of beautiful, righteous, and benevolent traits they think would look good on them.
"No really, it's fine!"
"I'm happy to help out others in need at any time."
The voice replied as it walked towards the classroom door.
Its path intertwined with the boy's desk–its face wore a smirk as it met the boy's gaze
that made the earlier one pale in contrast.
But under that mask, they harbour such grotesque faces.
These monsters live off the notion that this world is better off this way–as long as everyone wears a beautiful mask, then this world might escape its state of obscenity, and they'd be viewed as the heroes that catalyzed its glorious escape.
And yet, no matter how hard these monsters try, their foolish ideal of a "mask," always eventually falls on nothing but a whim–and the disgusting truth behind these masks only decays and becomes more hideous the longer they're worn.
And these monsters–this world is crawling with them.
Ding, Ding, Ding!
The classroom bell chimed as the clocks hand met the afternoon. Hordes of hurried students enveloped the corridors as their clamorous chatter crowded the narrow halls.
The boy sat still with his cheek resting on his hand–staring out into the dark skies, encumbered by seemingly endless rows of gloomy clouds. His damp dark hair covering his face from both sides.
"Leith!"
"There you are!"
Yelled out a boy from the entrance of the classroom, panting for air, whilst thick strands of his white hair cloaked his emerald eyes.
"Lior?"
"What are you doing here?"
"Well to find you of course!"
"You told me to meet you at the shrine yesterday, remember?"
"I do remember, I just didn't think you would drag yourself all the way down here is all."
"Of course I would!
"Who knows what troubles you might have gotten yourself into this time."
Lior yelled out, stepping into the classroom–boots soiled with snow.
"Oh, don't worry, nothing happened–I'm all good!"
Leith assured him as he gave a faint smile.
"Thank god, you really had me worried there, it's not like you to be late to things, you know?"
"Well, I take it, you're ready then."
He said, slinging his bag over his shoulder.
"Yeah, the crowds settled a bit more so we should be good to go."
Lior replied as he glanced out the classroom window.
"In that case, let's get going."
Mounds of sloshy mud and snow paved a path out of the school's front gate, the streetlights illuminance clashed against the heavy fog–bringing about light despite the time of day seeming yet too early.
"By the way, Leith."
"Are you still avoiding visiting your parents?"
The air regressed the further they walked through the fog into a thick atmosphere of sorrow, and despair.
Leith chose to remain silent.
"You can't keep this up forever, you know."
"Then what do you suppose I should do?"
"You know as well as I do the consequences of going back to that house–let alone interacting with them."
He said, squeezing the handle of his bag–his eyes fixed on the ground.
Lior didn't reply, not that he chose not to, no–he just couldn't.
As they continued their journey through town, the resonance of the clambering of steel pots and utensils sounded in conflict with the clamorous chatter from the swarms of people passing by.
The aromatic smell of intense perfumes implying wealth faded the closer they got to the outskirts of town.
The silhouettes of a crowd manifested along with echoes of misery resonated through the fog.
"There's just–no way.."
Cried out a vendor as he helplessly watched his stalls completely vandalised–fall one after the other.
The two boys had come into full view of the calamity before them.
And next up on the list of monsters I hate–would be the cowardly ones.
"Hey, let's take another path-"
Lior suggested, attempting to grab a hold of Leith's arm–but before he could, Leith threw his hood up, and tried to quickly push his way through a less dense area in the crowd.
These monsters betray any and all sense of logic out of fear, and their own incompetence.
Their actions are entirely dependent on a fight or flight dynamic–once they see something that threatens them in the slightest, they either try to make themselves seem larger and more capable than they actually are, or they simply run away–like cowards.
"It's you.. You–you must be the one behind this!"
The vendor yelled out after catching sight of Leith.
"Damn it, not good–Leith! Get away!"
Lior yelled out in desperation, but it was far too late. The angry mob clung onto Leith, hollering insults and curses at him whilst collecting thick balls of snow and pebbles to use as ammunition.
"It's that curse!"
These cowardly monsters..
Have you no shame? How dare you show your face in this place!"
Tend to harbour one consistent trait.
"Hold him still!"
The moment they find others with mutually disgusting faces–their masks come right off.
"That's the bastard that came around my house the day it burned down!"
His mind numbed,
"I saw him the day I got fired!"
More,
"Stupid curse! You must be the reason I can't-"
And more, and–
Splat!
The sound of a snow-covered stone within the chaos caused the crowd to go into abrupt silence.
"Pathetic! All of you–are so pathetic!"
Shouted Lior in a delirious state of fury, while wiping the snow off his face–a reflection of the shock around him mirrored in his sharp eyes, his voice shaking with outrage.
"You can't be serious–listen to yourselves!"
He stepped forward, chest puffed and fists clenched, trembling–not with fear, but self-restraint.
You're blaming a single school boy for all these obviously unrelated problems in your life, just how low could you all possibly stoop!?"
Lior remarked as he waved his arms around like a madman–stomping on the snowy ground out of anger.
"Alright that's enough kid-"
A man yelled out, raising his hand as to silence Lior–but he didn't budge, Lior took another step forward.
"Ask yourselves this–have you ever seen him actually commit these heinous crimes you accuse him of? Or are you just using these shallow accusations as a means to feel better about yourselves–truly, all of you are so patheti-!"
"I said that's enough!"
The man barked–taking steps toward Lior.
"That's right."
Leith admitted abruptly–catching everyone by surprise, his gaze, cold and fixated on the ground.
"I alone, am the source of all your misfortunes."
He said as he reached into his bag–tossing a lighter onto the snow-covered ground, now looking up to face the crowd.
The air; thick with the suspense that arose from this sudden revelation–fuel added to the fire that is the hatred towards Leith.
However, these monsters also share a trait that comes in contrast with most other monsters–they can hardly keep their mask intact–their true colors shine the moment their little act is challenged.
"Leith–what the hell do you think you're doing!?"
Cried out Lior.
"Infact, every single tragedy to befall you people was indeed my doing, and I genuinely could care less about what you have to say to me–but right now, you happen to be wasting my precious time, so move, or else I'll kill every last one of you."
Leith declared while raising his hand up as if to prepare an attack–his face blank and expressionless.
Gasps echoed through the crowd–the mob, though once on the brink of tearing him apart, stood frozen.
Leith grabbed Lior by the arm and sliced through the crowd as any onlookers backed away from them.
That's right, that's when they choose to flee–like cowards.
"What were you thinking?"
"Are you stupid?"
"I could never be satisfied with you digging yourself a deeper grave to protect me–it's not fair!"
Lior exclaimed out of frustration as they hastily separated from the crowd.
"I could say the same to you–don't go affiliating yourself with me like that before you think twice about the repercussions that come with it."
Leith replied with a stern look on his face.
"You think I care about what could have happened to me?"
"What about you!?"
"I'm not just gonna stand there and watch them pummel you for a crime you didn't commit."
He remarked–stopping to meet Leith's gaze, his voice sounded of concern shrouded beneath a facade of anger.
"You can't just keep doing this self-sacrificial crap over, and over again to try to protect me, or your parents, Leith!"
Lior laid his hands on Leith's shoulders in an advisory manner.
"You really believe I didn't do it?"
"Of course I believe–no, I know–you didn't do it."
Lior answered as they stood at the stone steps of the shrine–overlooking the eerie and desolate expanse of town before them.
"Tell me, how could you possibly be okay with everything they do to you–none of it makes any sense."
He said, his expression–one of confusion and sadness.
"Could you really blame them, Lior?"
Leith said as he took another step forward–his face red from the frost enveloping them.
"The people of this town live burdensome lives–lives they can't bear without any outlet for their pent up anger and grief, so when one comes along–especially one that seems like they deserve every adversity that comes their way, they just can't help it–whether they're certain of the rumors they hear or not–as long as everyone hates that person, then it must be okay to hate them too."
"But–that's just cruel, it's not a logical standpoint whatsoever, nor does it justify their actions!"
"But that's just it–this world–is cruel. It's counterintuitive to believe that people view your value from first glance through nothing more than the lens of prejudice–that's just how people are."
Leith replied, clenching his fist.
"Your identity in this world–is solely consistent with how people see you, and that's the ugly truth."
Leith finally concluded, as he took the final step to the peak of the shrine–looking down on the entire town below them–his breath fogging in the cold air.
"In that case Leith, as long as I'm around, your identity in this world isn't a cruel monster that evokes a curse wherever he places foot."
Snowflakes drifted, carried by the breeze of the winter wind—landing on Lior's face as he made his declaration.
"What are you-"
"No, you're the guy who saved me from living a stagnant, and miserable life of a coward."
Lior proclaimed, his gaze set with honest determination.
"You're the guy who succumbs to his own altruism because he's way too considerate of others."
"And you're the guy who-"
"Alright, alright."
"That's enough."
"Honestly, you really are so naive."
Chuckled Leith as he stood next to Lior–both facing the balcony, he was nothing short of stunned, his face–once expressionless, had shifted to something slightly resembling relief.
Lior gave a light smile as he grabbed the ice cold railings of the shrine balcony
"You didn't have to stop me back there, you know?"
Lior said as he admired the vibrant shade of illuminance beautifully dispersed throughout the bustling town beyond their place of serenity.
"That would be far too selfish of me–those people are all harbouring grief under all that hate, who am I to stop them from letting it all out?"
Leith replied as he smiled, his dark blue eyes, complemented by the contrast of the red on his cheeks and the dark blue evening sky.
"And yet I'm supposed to be the naive one?"
Lior snickered as his fingers gripped the railing tighter–they lived a moment of serenity as the tranquility of the shrine with its vivid and diverse colors immersed them, alongside a cold, shallow breeze of wind.
Leith turned around, checking the leather-strapped watch on his wrist, his eyes grew pale and emotionless in contrast to just a minute ago—following the motion of the clock's hand.
His mind grew distant, far from the shrine, and far from Lior.
But as I walk the same trails as these monsters,
"Say, Leith, why did you bring us up here anyway?
Lior asked, still looking out the balcony, but he didn't respond.
The air around them danced with snowflakes, reflecting a faint orange hue from the once dark sky–a hue that got brighter, and brighter.
breathe the same air as these monsters,
"Leith?"
Lior repeated–still no response.
and even gaze at the same silhouette of the moon–the same faint streams of moonlight that bleed through the seams of the seemingly impenetrable clouds as these monsters,
"Leith, look up there, in the sky! What the hell is that!?"
Lior yelled out, his face contorted with worry of what's to come.
I realize–that we,
"Leith!"
BOOM!
are all monsters.
The sky erupted in flames as the blaze pierced through the fog.
Screams echoed through the town–however masked by the roar of the storm of infernos. Vigorous gusts of winds shook the surroundings as the flame-engulfed town hid behind walls of orange.
With his hair blowing violently by the gales of inferno–Leith's face remained expressionless, as if he foresaw this coming–his back still facing the town.
"Well then.."
"Leith!"
"We have to go-"
But he already sprinted past him, his face shrouded in an almost artificial look of worry.
"Damn it Leith!"
"Where do you think you're going!?"
Lior yelled out in a frenzy–but to no avail. Leith galloped down the stone, snow-covered steps of the shrine, reaching the verge of slipping and cascading down multiple times before reaching the bottom.
It was a massacre–the sky, shattered, completely shrouded by smoke and flame.
The air, too thick and heavy to breathe–yet Leith ran, panting through his fatigue.
He ran through the crowd of smouldered bodies–the scent of burning flesh clashed against the smell of smoke.
Rubble from the buildings around him collapsed, almost to stop him from running–yet it was in vain.
KIIIIIEEEEHHH—!
A spontaneous shriek of terror deafened him as he overlapped an alleyway–Leith looked to his left, catching sight of a behemoth of a disfigured mutant with bones protruding out of its skin and teeth the length of his entire hand.
It charged at him–jaws wide open as to swallow him whole.
With a cutting whirr, a javelin of metal spun–slicing the air.
Thwunk!
Its edge skewered the monstrosity–cutting clean through its skull and leaving it twitching violently as it remained pinned to the ground beneath.
Leith looked behind him to acknowledge his saviour.
"Go! Leith!"
Lior shouted as he retracted his arm–the other one holding the other half of the metal rod.
Grateful, Leith turned forward and ran as fast as he physically could.
"Left, no–right!"
Leith said out loud to himself, gasping for air as he attempted to traverse through the ruins of his once hometown–avoiding trampling on the bodies that lined his path–until, there it was—the nostalgic streetlight looming over the aged-brick lined roof buzzed its final sparks of electricity.
The corroded front door held onto its hinges with every last bit of its strength.
Leith let out a sigh of temporary relief as he grabbed its handle–on the verge of entering the threshold of his home.
Crackle.
His breath jerked through his dry lips.
"—hah—..."
It wasn't a breath of terror or of anger, no–it was one of disbelief.
His eyes gaped wide open, quaking more and more as time seemed to have stood still.
"No! Leith, don't look–run!"
"Run away!"
But he couldn't, not at the sight of his mother with a blade to her throat, and her face pummeled and almost unrecognisable from the mask of blood.
His father's mutilated corpse tossed to the side like garbage.
Before he knew it, his teeth clenched—clenched so hard it felt as if they would break under the others pressure.
After all, how could we be anything other than monsters?
"I'lL–KILLLLL YOUUUUUU!"
Those words escaped his lips as he charged towards the man wielding flames before him–like a fool abandoning all common sense as his logic became blinded by rage.
Grrrkkk… Chhhhh—Krkkkk
Crash!
Before he knew it, he was bound to the scalding tiles of his once home, as its walls gave away and betrayed him.
But it almost seemed as if even the rubble suffocating him could only smother his body, but not his foolish desire to tear the men before him to shreds.
This world will eventually mold you, no matter how long, or how hard you persevere to fight against it.
He struggled–pulling rock after rock off of himself.
"I'LL KILL YOU, I'LL ABSOLUTELY KILLLL YOUUUUU!"
His voice echoed relentlessly.
His emotion unyielding.
His vision blurred by both the red of his blood, and red of his anger.
As long as we will live in this accursed world, infested with monsters..
"DO YOU HEAR ME, YOU SICK BASTARD!!!!!!!!?????"
"I'LL HUNT YOU DOWN TILL THE VERY DEPTHS OF THIS CRUEL WORLD…–I'LL KILLLLLLLLLL YOUUUUUUUUU!!!"
He yelled out repeating himself as if he was in a drunken state–gaze piercing the red-eyed man towering over his dear mother–anger unrequited.
Then we must be nothing but monsters, and that's something that's decided for us the moment we're born into this world, without any hope of becoming something more, something—greater..
His mother became unresponsive–skin glowing with bright flashes of orange..
Gkkk–Grk—-Gwekkk..
Splatter…
"She doesn't possess any atheris sir, neither did the father."
His jaw twitched with disbelief, unable to let anything else squeeze its way out of his smog-smothered throat.
"Then rid of the boy."
The red-eyed man ordered as he slowly turned his head–refusing to acknowledge the weight of his word.
and that's exactly why this world—is so cruel.
Leith's eyes of blue became rid of the color of emotion, though illumination struck through the gap of his iris–a weak flicker of purple light.
He could hardly squirm any longer, as his limbs–now numb of all sensation prevented him from any further protest.
His jaw, still open, allowed for one final whisper to be heard,
a whisper that meant so much more in comparison to the intensity of its echo in the smoke-covered air.
"I'll—kill—-you…"
The soldier ordered with finishing him off, took a large swing of his blade.
"Stop…–leave him."
The red-eyed man contradicted his own prior command, his look–one of disinterest yet still sharp, was cast upon the unconscious boy laying under the rubble.
As he dragged his large shroud of jet black after him, and exited the threshold of his own massacre, a single thought crossed his mind:
That look in his eyes.. No, it couldn't have just been one of fear, or anger… What was–that boy staring at when he made those remarks?