School – Morning
The bell echoed throughout the school building.
October 20, 2015, Heroica Matamoros, Tamaulipas. 9:30 a.m.
"All right, students," said the teacher, picking up some papers from his desk, "don't forget to bring your presentations for tomorrow. Remember, your project is worth sixty percent of your grade."
The classroom filled with noise. Chairs squeaked against the floor, backpacks zipped closed, and the students' voices flooded the hallway.
"Yes, teacher, see you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow, teacher!"
"Byee~"
Amid the commotion, seventeen-year-old Leonardo Moreno let out a long sigh, burying his face in his hands.
"Ahh, damn it…" he murmured to himself. "I haven't finished the project, and it's due tomorrow. And on top of that, the exams are next week. Screw this."
Next to him, his best friend, eighteen-year-old David Arguelles, patted him on the back with that confident smile that always accompanied him.
"I don't even know why you're worried, bro. You know that class is a gift with that teacher. He's always giving tens to everyone. Look at Jesús: he never shows up and still passes with a ten."
Seventeen-year-old Jesús Hernández looked up, raising an eyebrow.
"Go fuck yourself, asshole. You know I work to pay for this damn high school. Besides, even if you came every day, you wouldn't beat me."
Leonardo smiled, trying to break the tension.
"Yeah, girls, you look good together. Go ahead, kiss already, hahaha."
The three laughed, though Jesús did so with a disguised growl.
Suddenly, a sweet, fresh, enveloping scent spread through the hallway. It was a floral smell that grabbed attention like a spell. Leonardo instinctively turned, and then he saw her.
A short young woman with red hair that shone under the sunlight. Her eyes reflected energy and joy, and her smile lit up anyone who looked at her. At just seventeen, she was one of the most admired students: smart, beautiful, and full of life.
For a moment, the world stopped. The noise of the students, the stress of projects, everything went silent in Leonardo's mind. Only that scent and that presence existed.
David noticed his friend's gaze and, with a mocking laugh, gave him a tap on the head.
"Whoa, damn it!" Leonardo complained, rubbing it.
"Forget it, man, nobody stands a chance with that girl," said David, shrugging.
"I was just looking, and she crossed my path."
"Yeah, yeah, sure…" he laughed. "Hey, this time are you going to order something at the cafeteria, or did you bring your mom's food again?"
Leonardo showed him his middle finger.
"At least my mom actually loves me. Unlike yours, who doesn't even come to meetings."
David pretended to be offended, but before he could respond, a piercing scream echoed through the hallway.
"AHHHHH!"
Voices fell silent. Nervous whispers began to spread, and people gathered toward an abandoned classroom.
Among the crowd, a first-year girl was lying on the floor, trembling with fear.
"I… I saw a ghost!" she stammered, tears in her eyes.
The students began whispering among themselves.
"A ghost…"
"She's crazy."
"It's probably a lie."
David snorted.
"A ghost? Ha, this girl is really crazy."
Jesús, frowning, added in a low voice:
"Wasn't she caught last week with drugs?"
"Shut up, man, everyone's going to hear you," David reproached him.
Leonardo watched the scene silently. Amid the confusion, he caught sight of the redhead, the same one from before, who looked at everything seriously and then walked away without saying a word.
Lunch
A little later, the three friends sat in the lunch area. Leonardo opened his lunchbox while looking at David.
—You're not eating today either?
—Nah, I hate eating in the mornings.
Jesús smiled mischievously.
—You're only not eating because later you're going to see the third-year girls.
—Yeah, probably… what the hell is it to you! —replied David, flushed.
Leonardo let out a laugh.
—HAHAHA!
—I knew it —said Jesús, biting into his sandwich—. Have you ever even gotten anyone to pay attention to you?
David looked at him angrily.
—I assure you, I've had more hookups than you!
Jesús shrugged.
—I'll take that as a no.
—YOU'RE A—!
Leonardo, laughing, almost choked on his food.
Classes continued until dismissal at 1:20 p.m.
—Have a nice day, everyone. See you tomorrow —the teacher said goodbye.
—My bus is leaving! —shouted a student.—I'll go with you, wait! —another replied.
Leonardo left with a sigh of exhaustion.
(Finally, classes are over… I'd say that happily if I didn't have to do the damn biology project. I don't understand why we get assigned a project before every exam. Well, I just have to get home and look it up online.)
Afternoon at home
Once home, Leonardo whistled from the window.
The door opened, and his mother greeted him with a smile.
—Hello, son, how was your day?
—Good, thank God. Today there was a somewhat strange student. She started screaming that she had seen a ghost. Haha. The worst part is that last week they caught her with drugs.
His mother frowned.
—That's bad, right? Let's hope her parents do something… but don't go doing those things, son.
—You know I won't. I'd rather stay inside playing PlayStation than go crazy looking for ghosts.
He locked himself in his room and opened the computer.
—Let's see… biology project, Unit 2.
Hours passed quickly. The clock read 8:00 p.m. when he finished, exhausted.
—Finally… —he whispered, stretching—. I hate doing everything at the last minute.
He took a shower and came out with wet hair. The cold made him shiver.
—It's freezing… I should've turned up the heat.
He fell onto the bed, turning off the light.
—Tonight I'm really going to sleep like a log.
The Night
The wind battered the windows, making the glass vibrate and letting out a sharp squeal that echoed throughout the house. Leonardo got up, rubbing his eyes, his hair damp with sleep sweat. (I'm so thirsty…) he thought, and with clumsy, silent steps, he left his room. The door creaked softly as it opened, and his footsteps resonated on the wooden floor as he made his way to the kitchen.
When he opened the drawer, the cold metal brushed his fingers as he grabbed a glass. He filled it with water, and the glup glup glup echoed like a reflection in the silent night. Thunder crashed loudly, illuminating the kitchen for a moment. A silhouette formed behind him, elongated and dark.
—Ahh, that's good… ah… —he said, sipping water—. It's raining a lot, hehe, it seems the sky is on my side today. THANK YOU SO MUCH, GOD!
He stretched, relaxed, and took a few steps toward his room. But another thunderclap roared inside the house, and when the light lit up the living room, he saw a woman standing in front of him.
—Uh… Mom? —his voice trembled—. I just came for water, I'll go back to sleep, don't worry…
The woman remained still, like a statue worn down by time. Her clothes were loose, dirty, and her grayish skin seemed to absorb the storm's light.
—Are you okay? Why are you dressed like that? Did something happen? Mom? —he asked, fear beginning to take over his voice.
The woman slowly raised an arm toward him.
—I-it's a joke… —he thought, while a fleeting memory of a high school girl crossed his mind. He tried to scream, but before he could make a sound, he was pulled backward with impossible force, flying through the living room and smashing into the window, breaking the glass, and landing squarely on the car in the driveway.
The impact echoed like a cannon. The bedroom door flew open violently. His mother appeared, running:
—Son, is eve—?
Her sentence cut off when she saw the scene in front of her: the living room in ruins, the broken window, and the unknown figure that had thrown her son.
—W-who are you? Where is my son? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?! —she screamed, trying to get closer, but the woman grabbed her by the neck. The screams of pain and the sounds of blows mixed with the roar of the storm.
Leonardo opened his eyes, blood gushing from his head. His parents were in danger. Fear and rage propelled him. He stood up, staggering, and ran toward the woman, shouting:
—MOM, LET HER GO, YOU BITCH!
He raised his arm to hit her, but the force that had thrown him before hurled him again, this time against the sofa, leaving him immobile. His father came out of the room, panting and stunned:
—What the hell is happening here? It's 3 a—
He stopped as he understood the scene and ran to help, trying to free his wife. At the same time, the bedroom door opened, and his younger sister, Laura, barely 12, stepped out trembling.
—Mom? —she whispered, eyes wide, terror etched on her face.
The woman, with superhuman strength, snapped their mother's neck in an instant. The silence that followed was terrifying. Leonardo froze, unable to move, watching as his sister screamed, and his enraged father tried to attack, only to lose an arm without the woman even moving.
—YOU BITCH! —shouted Leonardo, his voice breaking— LET HER GO, SON OF A BITCH!
His father, now missing an arm, still tried to hold back the woman. She crushed his head with her remaining foot. Laura screamed as the woman lifted her with an invisible force. Leonardo advanced with difficulty:
—No… no no no… NOOO, LET HER GO! —desperation and horror consuming him.
Suddenly, something exploded inside him. His heart pumped with inhuman strength, and an inner flame coursed through every vein and muscle. His eyes glowed a bright yellow, and his body filled with pure strength and rage. Everything he had lost, all the frustration, transformed into power.
In the blink of an eye, Leonardo appeared in front of the woman, striking her with fury. The impact threw her against the wall, creating a large hole. Laura fell, freed from the invisible force holding her in the air.
—Laura, are you okay? Can you hear me? —he asked, his voice broken by fear.
The girl barely nodded, still speechless.
—Thank goodness… It's okay, let's get out of here fast. Can you walk? —said Leonardo urgently, looking at her.
But there was no answer. His gaze shifted, and he saw the woman, already standing again, approaching. Before he could react, a black aura, sharp as a sword, pierced through Laura's body. Blood spurted from her mouth.
—What's wrong, Laura? Are you okay? I'll get you out of here! —shouted Leonardo, his voice trembling with panic—
Before he could move, the black energy went through him as well, a piercing SHHHHK like metal cutting through flesh and air, leaving him breathless. He was thrown, passing through the bathroom and landing in the kitchen. The woman advanced toward him, intending to finish him.
Then, through the shattered window, an unexpected figure appeared: a short girl with red hair, a serious expression, but emanating a sweet, familiar scent. A katana gleamed in her hands.
Without hesitation, she ran toward the woman. The woman swung her sword, but the redhead dodged with feline agility, slicing part of her foot. The woman fell, unbalanced, and launched a new attack that was intercepted in a blink: the redhead appeared in front of her and, with a CRRACK, sliced her head and pierced her chest.
Leonardo, lying on the floor, watched with narrowed eyes. Every detail, every shadow, every flicker of blood seemed suspended in the air. He closed his eyes, watching the girl approach him…
—Oh… I remember… that girl goes to my high school… —he whispered in a weak voice, as the world spun around him.
October 21, 2015, 5:00 A.M.Heroica Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Unknown area, Bagdad Highway
—Hospital sounds and breathing—
Person 1: You have to save him! He can't die!
Person 2: You're asking me something impossible. It would be almost a miracle to revive him with those fractures and the hole in his chest… how the hell did this happen?
Person 1: It doesn't matter what the hell he has, you have to do everything you can! We need what he has.
Person 2: —Takes a long, frustrated sigh— Fine… I'll do everything I can to save this body. But you'll have to pay me double.
Person 1: Whatever it takes, just start quickly.
Person 2: —Sighs through the nose— Okay… we'll begin.
Scene change: Television news
"In other news, a family disappearance has been reported in the Los Encinos neighborhood. Apparently, during the early hours of Tuesday, October 20, neighbors reported screams and a couple of loud noises coming from house number 4. Could this be a kidnapping by some gang… or another mystery that will go unnoticed in the future? We will keep you informed."
—Television turns off—
Scene change: HospitalOctober 22, 2015
—Deep inhale—Leonardo wakes up in a room with four white walls. The atmosphere is cold, sterile, with the smell of disinfectant.
L: What…? Where…? Where am I?
The sound of an oxygen machine accompanies his heavy breathing. His eyes barely focus on the walls. A ceiling lamp flickers weakly.
???: I see you've finally woken up.
A figure approaches from the dark corner. It's a tall man, wearing a medical coat. His face is covered with a surgical mask and foggy glasses.
L: Who are you…?
Doctor: That doesn't matter right now. What matters is that you're still alive… though technically, you shouldn't be.
Leonardo tries to sit up, but a sharp pain shoots through him. He looks down: a thick bandage covers his entire chest. He groans with effort.
L: What did they do to me…?
Doctor: We rebuilt you… as best as we could. Your ribs were shattered and your lung… you shouldn't even be able to speak right now.
L: Why…? Why did you save me…?
The doctor watches him silently for a few seconds. Then he leans toward him, and a strange glint reflects in his eyes.
Doctor: Because you have something that doesn't belong to us. And until you give it up… you won't leave here.
Suddenly, a metallic sound interrupts the tension.The door creaks and slowly opens. Person 1 enters, the same voice that begged for Leonardo's life the day before. Now his face is illuminated by the flickering lamp: a man in a black suit, scars marking his cheek, and a gaze mixing coldness with an odd humor.
Person 1: Come on, doctor, please… you're going to scare our revived patient. —laughs— You can't just approach him like that.—He walks in with firm steps, extends his hand, and grabs Leonardo's hands tightly, shaking them as if congratulating him—Hello, boy!
Without asking permission, he begins inspecting him: raising his arms, moving his legs, observing closely, as if analyzing newly arrived merchandise.
Person 1: Hmm… I see, yes, yes.He pauses. The silence becomes heavy.Person 1 (smiling): You're alive!
The doctor, annoyed, delivers a quick blow to his back with a metal folder.
Doctor: Stop moving him like that! And of course he's alive, idiot!
Person 1 laughs and raises his hands in surrender.
Person 1: Sorry, sorry…
Leonardo, pale-faced and with glassy eyes, breaks the silence with a trembling voice.
L: Excuse me… I… I don't really understand what's happening… my family? Is my family okay?!
The atmosphere freezes. A thick silence falls over the room. The buzzing of the lamp is the only sound.
Person 1 looks down for a moment, sighs, and finally looks him directly in the eyes.
Person 1: Son… among all the people in that house… you were the only one who could survive.
A freezing cold runs down Leonardo's spine, as if the air itself had become heavier. His hands tremble, his lips quiver, and a few tears slowly roll down his cheeks. In his mind, memories of happy moments with his family flash like broken fragments: laughter at the table, warm hugs, his mother's voice calling him to dinner.
The doctor, uncomfortable, scratches his head. He sighs deeply and, without saying anything more, heads toward the door. Before leaving, he casts one last look of pity at Leonardo and disappears behind the metallic creak of the frame.
Person 1 stays in the room, watching Leonardo with a mixture of seriousness and something resembling compassion. He takes a few steps, leans toward him, and speaks with a deep, measured voice.
Person 1: Listen, son… I know the pain you're feeling right now. Perhaps you can't fully understand the situation, and that's normal. You'll wonder what happened… what that creature was.
He pauses, his eyes locked on Leonardo's, as if trying to prepare him for a truth too heavy to bear.
Person 1: Fifteen years ago… in the early 2000s… were the first appearances. Nobody knows how or why these things came. At first, they were shadows, distant figures… and then, they became bodies, presences that could touch, destroy… kill.
—A fleeting image crosses his mind: a house on fire, the flames consuming everything, and in the middle of the fire, a humanoid creature with a grotesque smile, staring directly into his eyes. The vision makes him frown and grit his teeth—
Person 1: After that… things like yours happened. Families destroyed, innocents vanished… children who never saw the light of day again.
—His voice breaks for a second. Contained frustration appears on his face, but he quickly erases it, composing himself with coldness—
Person 1: Young man… I know what you feel. The emptiness, the rage, the helplessness of losing everything in the blink of an eye. I won't ask you to forget, because that's impossible… but I can ask you to transform that pain into strength.
—He steps closer, placing a firm hand on Leonardo's shoulder, looking him directly in the eyes—
Person 1: Remember this, boy: "Pain can destroy you… or it can forge you into something stronger than you ever imagined. You decide which side you want to be on."
—A dense silence fills the room. The white light of the hospital room flickers slightly, as if even the electricity fears what comes next—
Person 1: We… are not many, but we have a clear purpose. We are "The Order of the Dawn." The first and only line between these creatures and the rest of the world. If you join us, you won't just find answers… you'll find the strength to ensure what happened to you never happens to anyone else again.
The room remained silent, illuminated by the dim white of the fluorescent lights. The air smelled of disinfectant, mixed with a faint metallic scent of surgical instruments. Leonardo, still weak, sat on the hospital bed, his gaze lost.
Person 1: —Tell me, young man… do you want to join this order and avenge the death of your family?
—The echo of those words reverberated in Leonardo's mind. His pupils trembled as harrowing images struck him like knife blows: his mother's screams, his sister's blood spilling, his father's lifeless face. Everything consumed by that creature that had taken the only things he loved—
Leonardo lowered his gaze to his hands. He observed them trembling, still marked with bruises, and felt rage coursing through his veins like liquid fire. He clenched his fists tightly, pressing until his knuckles turned white. His eyes, red from contained tears, now shone with unwavering determination.
Leonardo: —Yes… I will join. And I will fight those sons of bitches.
—His voice came out hoarse, loaded with pain but as firm as steel.
Person 1 watched him silently for a moment, surprised. He hadn't expected such strength from someone who had lost everything. His lips curved into a tired but genuine smile.
Person 1: —Good, boy… good.
—He rose from the chair with a slight creak in his knees, adjusted his black coat, and began walking toward the door. Before leaving, he paused and glanced back one last time at the young man—
Person 1: —Rest. You'll need all your strength. Recover quickly… child.
—His words lingered in the air, firm but with a paternal tone. As he opened the door, a beam of yellowish hallway light flooded the room, and with one last gesture—a calm smile—he disappeared, closing the door behind him.
Silence returned. Leonardo remained still, breathing in short, shallow gasps. The pain was still there, burning his chest, but now there was something else, something he had never felt with such intensity: purpose.
He slowly reclined on the bed, staring at the white ceiling without blinking. Tears ran silently down his cheeks, but his lips murmured between teeth:
Leonardo: —I swear… Mom, Dad, Laura… I will avenge you.
—The constant buzzing of the lamp was the last thing he heard before closing his eyes, falling into a deep sleep filled with shadows and memories.
—José, still leaning on the door, pulled out a cigarette to start walking down the hallway, but before even lighting it, someone snatched it from him—
Jessica López (25): You know you can't smoke here, José.
—José (36) sighed with a smile—
José: Come on, not even one?
Jessica: It's a hospital room, you can't do that.
José: Hahaha, I know, I know.
—Jessica, noticing something odd about José, asked—
Jessica: Are you okay?
—José, with a disguised smile, replied—
José: Yes! Hahaha, why wouldn't I be? Ah… sorry, I just remembered I had something to do. See you, Jessica.
—He quickly left the scene while Jessica kept her gaze fixed on him, thoughtful—
Scene change
???: Ahg! Damn it! We couldn't get what we wanted!
—A person stepped out of the shadows—
???: I told you she wasn't capable.
—The first entity turned confused. The silhouette of the person in the shadows appeared behind him, slowly eating an apple. The crunch of each bite echoed in the darkness. When he was right behind, the first entity began to tremble—
Nexar (???, eating the apple): Come on… why are you shaking? Maybe I should remove another part of your body for this mistake.
—From the darkest corner, a third entity emerged, its deep voice breaking the tension—
???: That's enough, Nexar. Stop intimidating our scientist.
Nexar (laughing): Hahaha, come on, I was just joking, old man.
—Nexar stepped away from the scientist, not losing his mocking tone—
Nexar: But I was right… she wasn't capable of that task. In fact, I don't think she could have completed even the simplest mission.
—The third entity sighed, tired of listening—
???: Ah, Nexar… please, be quiet.
—But Nexar, confident and unconcerned, replied—
Nexar: Come on, you know she wasn't even one of…
—Before he could finish, an overwhelming aura filled the room, as if an unbearable weight fell on Nexar and the scientist. The voice of the third entity resonated with relentless authority—
???: Enough!
—The air grew heavy. Nexar went silent, a bead of sweat running down his forehead. He lowered his gaze—
Nexar: Sorry…
—The intensity of the aura slowly decreased, until it faded. Then, the third entity spoke again, in a cold and determined voice—
???: From now on, not a single word more. What we must do right now is get rid of the red-haired girl… and retrieve the boy.
—The third entity slowly turned their gaze toward the scientist, who still trembled from the previous pressure—
???: Tell me, Mr. Von Krämer (mad scientist)… is everything ready?
—The scientist, sweating, nodded nervously as he removed a large blanket covering two giant capsules. Inside, two colossal bodies were revealed, almost identical, appearing more like monsters than humans—
Von Krämer: Y-yes… everything is finished. Without a doubt, these are the greatest creations I've ever achieved in my life… however, I think it's too soon to use them—
—The third entity interrupted firmly—
???: Sorry… we don't have time. We must act as quickly as possible. Wake them up.
Von Krämer: But ma'am—
???: Do it.
—The order was so severe that the scientist could not argue. Resigned, he flipped the switch. The capsules began to vibrate. The bodies inside moved, and suddenly, their eyes opened.
With a brutal crash, both creatures broke the capsule glass, releasing a thick cloud of smoke. The laboratory filled with a superhuman roar. The lights flickered… and finally went out, leaving everything in complete darkness.
The echo of the creatures' screams was the last thing heard.
End of Chapter One.