Fantastic Apocalypse
Chapter 1
"Gray Reality"
In a city called Vernis known for its clear skies and grand parks. On the right side of its central park filled to the brim with autumn leaves, stood a police station.
The building looked more like a courthouse than an average precinct—tall, solemn, and heavy with stone pillars that held the roof and lined the walls along the grand entrance hall.
At the far end, five wooden desks stood in a neat line, receptionists behind bulletproof glass typing away or answering phones.
All kinds of people passed through those wide doors—some to report injustice, some to do their job, and others, crooks.
Among them was one man in particular, walking alongside several police officers. He drew plenty of attention—not only because he was wearing a plain gray shirt and brown vest on one of the last chilly days of fall. But because he was dragging an unconscious criminal by the collar in one hand while holding a cup of coffee and his brown suit in the other.
Most bystanders assumed he was a bounty hunter or maybe a kidnapper until they saw the badge pinned to his vest. Then, as quickly as they noticed him, they looked away.
Ignoring the stares, he walked faster, boots echoing across the marble floor until he reached the end of the hall, turned left, and disappeared from sight.
…
A door creaked open and shut. A few officers glanced up — some smiled as they recognized the familiar face. But more knitted their brows, shaking their heads in disapproval.
One of them said with a grin, "What brings you here ,"old friend" ?"
His twin brother, sharp-faced and with a serious expression added, "Don't mind my brother's jokes, Elyas. You know how he is."He said as he walked closer to greet Elyas
"But seriously, did you have to make a scene out there? If it wasn't for your badge and the fact that I know you, I'd have thought you were the criminal deserving of arrest."
Elyas chuckled. "Evidently, bad jokes run in your family."
He and Elyas hugged and shared pleasantries. Elyas was desperately trying to ignore the gazes of the injured, half eaten officers.
Then he set down his coffee, reached into his pocket, and gestured toward the unconscious man on the marble floor.
"These," he said, pulling out a stack of papers, "are the files and my reports on this waste of air." Ralf grabbed the papers and put them on the desk. He rushed to get the forms.
"Btw thanks for helping with this case. We wouldn't have found his hideout if it wasn't for you. Although I didn't expect less from our chief, " Ralf said, smiling as he took in the reports and placed the empty forms in front of Elyas.
Elyas smiled "You were always good at flattering people. Guess I raised a good officer."
" Oh, you're flattering your student a bit too much." Ralf exclaimed, trying to hide his reddening face.
"So what have you two been doing? I've started reading recently, it's fun." Elyas said, trying to spark up a conversation
The joking twin snorted. "You? Reading books? Last time you were here you acted like paper gave you allergies."
"And you're still an annoying rude little bastard," Elyas added: " Also, I'm older than you. Shouldn't you be more polite? Though I suppose that's too much to ask"
"Josh," his brother Ralf warned, glaring. "You want extra shifts again for mouthing off to coworkers?"
"Oh come on, Ralf. You're supposed to take my side! And he doesn't work here anymore, remember? He's a private detective now."
Elyas turned back and started to walk away. "I need to pick up Michael. You two can keep arguing."
As he walked to the door, Ralf called out, "Leaving already? What about the paperwork for Sleeping Beauty over there?" He said, pointing at the unconscious man.
Elyas smirked. "Your brother looked bored. Thought half an hour of forms might fix that."
Ralf's laughter followed him as the door closed.
Im sorry Ralf
…
RING! RING! RING!
Under the golden afternoon sun, the school bell echoed across the street. Children rushed out like water bursting from a dam. In a car parked nearby, Elyas waited, sipping from his cup of tea and listening to the radio.
He was changing one channel after the other, trying to escape the static–like screams. But every time, he would tune into more static.
They entered his ears, ringing and echoing in his skull as if someone had placed a giant bell in it. Over the small span of time, they grew louder, it was starting to be too much.
Right as his ears could barely take it anymore, he found a channel.
"Breaking news," said the announcer. "The infamous vandalism group known as "the Reverend" have returned, burning down an entire mall and looting everything inside. This marks their fifth attack since first appearing in January of last year. Local authorities have issued a statement regarding the ever increasing number of these vandalism group's—"
A soft knock on the window cut through the broadcast. Elyas turned off the radio and looked up.
A boy with bright blue eyes and messy dark hair peered in.
"Dad, the door's locked."
Elyas's expression melted into warmth. He unlocked the door. "Hop in buddy. We've got places to be."
Michael climbed in, swinging his small legs.
"So," Elyas asked, "how was school? Weren't you supposed to get your test results today?"
"Yup. Out of ten tests, I got four B's and six A's."
Elyas grinned. "That's my boy! To celebrate, we're eating out. Where to?"
Michael's answer came instantly: "Burger."
"You want burgers?" Elyas sighed dramatically. "You know it's not good for you… but since you've been a good student, we'll make an exception."
"Yes! Thanks dad!"
"Alright. But not one of those greasy fast-food chains. Their quality's trash—and if I recall, one just got hit by another vandalism group. Apparently destroying public safety is a popular pastime now." He muttered that last part under his breath as he turned the car left.
I wish I spent more time with him
That night, at nine o'clock, the Mortalle household glowed softly under the porch light. The static of the tv hummed throughout the entire home—oddly enough, in the faintest way, it resembled screams.
Inside, Elyas and Michael sat across from each other at a round wooden table, two empty chairs waiting silently beside them.
They stared at the clock, waiting.
Just as Michael lifted one of his fries, the doorbell rang.
Elyas hurried to the door and opened it.
An elderly couple were walking through the dead grass and stubborn flowers of the lawn. The smell of home cooked meals from inside was barely keeping the dead greenery's aroma away.
There was an elderly man with a face full of deep lines and a woman whose soft smile seemed untouched by age. The woman was helping the old man. "Hey" said the man, his voice rough as he tried to free his foot from a stubborn vine.
"Oh, honey, how have you been?" said the woman warmly as she pulled her husband with all her might.
"Hi mom. Hi dad. Come in, it's chilly" Elyas said, motioning them inside.
As they started to walk towards the dining room. Elyas said "Michael,could you turn off the tv? It's been playing static all day."
Michael gave him a confused look. But went to the living room for the TV anyway.
Dinner began in pleasant silence—the rich aroma of food filling the air, punctuated only by the sound of forks and laughter.
Midway through the meal, his father asked, "So, son. How's work? We haven't heard from you since you quit as police chief to become a detective."
His mother added gently, "You know how worried we were? You only became a father last year, and you're still so young. You could've let us ease the burden."
Michael's chewing slowed. Elyas's eyes hardened.
"My son isn't a burden" he stated Sharply
Silence blanketed the table.
No one moved a centimetre, nothing but breathing could be heard for a minute straight.
Just as the silence was becoming over bearing Elyas's mother spoke.
"Honey it's has nothing to do with you adopting Michael—" as she was speaking Elyas broke his silence
"Can we move on?" Elyas said as he stared down, cutting his steak in two.
His father nodded slowly. "Understandable. And congratulations on not going bankrupt."
Elyas blinked. "Thanks… wait, what?"
His mother laughed softly. Jumping at the first opportunity to change the subject "We thought maybe you'd failed as a detective and were too embarrassed to say anything. We were going to check on you this Christmas just in case."
Michael burst out laughing before he started choking on his fries. Elyas and his grandmother rushed over.
They finished the meal in good spirits. Afterward, his mother helped with dishes while Michael played with his grandfather in the living room.
When it was time to leave, Elyas walked them to the door. "You really can't stay even one night?"
"Oh, honey," His mother smiled, " The world isn't going to end, we'll be back soon."
"And I've got work in the morning," His father grumbled. "Some of us can't afford flexible schedules."
They said their goodbyes. And the night returned to quiet.
…
In the suburban home of the Mortalle family
Near midnight, Elyas was turning off the lights one by one, room to room. From the room next to his, small footsteps echoed.
Michael stood in the doorway in his pajamas, eyes sleepy but hopeful. "Dad… can you tell me a story?" Elyas smiled tiredly. How can I say no to that?
it feels new everytime
"Alright, but you have to stay quiet." Elyas said as he walked into Michael's room.
Michael climbed into his bed, bundled under the blanket. Elyas sat beside him.
Elyas began softly.
"Once upon a winter's day, in a random forest, a man was gathering firewood. There, he found a fox — alive but limbless, unable to move. The man pitied it. Who would do such a thing to the poor soul? he thought. How did it even survive? he thought"
"As he pondered, came into view, a lion dragging a carcass along. The lion ate until satisfied, then — almost mercifully — pushed the remains toward the helpless fox before walking away."
"The man was amazed. 'Ah, the gods are impartial. They know everything, so they put the fox here so the lion feeds it. If they let kings share with peasants, surely I can wait for fate to feed me too.' So he sat, and waited. But no lion ever came, no king ever passed by."
"One day, an old friend found him starving and asked, 'What happened to you?' The man told his story. The friend laughed gently and said:
'The fox was born to be a leech, to clean nature's remains. But you chose to become one. Don't blame the divine for your empty dreams — everything has a purpose and role, and you left yours behind.' He tossed the man a single coin and as he left, the man murmured under dry lips: 'I was meant to be a fool'
Elyas smiled faintly. "The end."
Michael was already asleep.
Elyas stood, turned off the lamp, and went to his own room. After a few minutes, as he too was drifting into darkness, he took a glimpse of his surroundings.
The reality around him cracked and crumbled. Tearing and distorting with the ever increasing sounds of static that were now more than ever like the cries and screaming of that day.
Tears formed in the walls of the house, revealing the scenery of a town engulfed in fog and flames. The scene changed, showing the bloody body of Ralf near Elyas and Michael who were running away, abandoning the injured man.
With each crack the image changed. Sometimes it showed happy memories from before that day. Sometimes one of the bloody, half eaten corpses of Elyas's friends in the station. Sometimes it was just their screams as it showed Elyas hiding under rubble with Michael.
One thing was common between all of these scenes.
They were getting closer.
Crack after crack. They picked up speed as they approached Elyas. One disappeared only for it to move closer. The tears danced to the sounds of ear piercing screams coming from outside, mimicking that day.
They broke reality. What they left were uneven fragments of the world that reflected Elyas's twisted expression as he faced the horrors.
From where the fragments once were, several holes appeared, allowing him to see the outside and Michaels room.
The cracks pushed on. Gnawing at the surrounding, devouring entire houses and apartments, leaving nothing but transparent windows. The city was gone, only a light gray background could be seen.
It was the same inside. There wasn't much of the room left. Elyas was happy to see that Michael was already gone. Finally, they reached him. The cracks ate. chopping parts of Elyas as they shattered him to pieces.
They ate until there was nothing left.
He didn't feel pain.
He felt nothing.
Only when he dared to open his eyes he realised
That he was standing in an endless gray void.
Elyas stood there for a solid minute before coming back to his senses.
"…I'll never get used to these dreams," He muttered
Then, he started his first round of experiments.