(Asher’s POV)
“Just how on earth did you get that battered up?”
I asked Rufus after the end of the second last class. The teacher is suddenly absent for the last class so it means self studying, but I guess it’s a good cause for me to calm my nerves down for the meeting later after school.
Rufus grinned from ear to ear like a proud dog, his face is screaming with a praise-me look as he said, “I successfully fend off Evan and his group when they’re about to bully Elaine during recess hour. And also, I got a homemade sandwich from Elaine!”
“You lucky bastard.” Ryan nudged him jokingly and gained his giggles.
I snickered and shook my head. I commented Rufus’s energy and enthusiasm of wanting to protect Elaine although I only paid him $200 and a free meal in Chips n Charm. However, I sometimes wondered what bullies like Evan had in mind to persistently made one’s life miserable.
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(Asher’s POV)I heaved a sigh, laying silent with my limbs sprawled on the wet and soggy ground of The Flesh.“I can’t believe I fell for that witch’s trick.”What’s more, I got irked every time I remembered that wench’s face when she laughed at us dying. But of course, she wouldn’t expect my comeback after I resurrected from my victory inside The Flesh.“Alright.” I steeled myself and sat up, taking off my jacket and t-shirt which was soaked in blood.I realized that I don’t have my hockey stick with me. Damnit, if only I have enough time to reach the bag.But fortunately enough, I still have the belt Kaiser gave me. While brushing the kitchen knives—I added one more because having two knife makes me look like an assassin holding a pair of daggers—and also checking the nails placed in the holes of the belt, I glanced at my surrounding.The region of The Fle
(Asher’s POV)I pulled a nail out from the belt, the glisten on it’s shiny silvery surface tinged with the color red. Then, I set my aim anterioproximally to the ground so it hit directly to one of the larger pulsing roots.My first attempt was great. The first root that my nail hit was the middle root; the largest among all the other roots. Upon contact, dark purplish liquid sprayed out and the tree monsters cried in an ear ripping sound. That also caused it to lose focus and halted it’s poison bullet production.I darted to the tree and spun my body. Then, I slashed the tree bark with a loud grunt. My attack managed to scratch the tree’s flesh skin, but that’s just it.“Damn…” I leaped back to the cocoon’s perimeter. If my spinning attack that would usually slash a regular flesh monster into two only inflicted a small cut to the tree, I might have to figure a combo.While I assumed my battle
(Asher’s POV)The sound of my breathing was unnaturally loud, and my hearing is mixed with a ringing sound and a blend of muffled voices as I felt my body being lifted. In my bleary view, I saw myself being carried by the stretcher. Some of the people near me kept telling me to keep myself together. I can simply say that my whole surrounding is a mess. Shortly after entering a vehichle, which I assume was probably the ambulance, my field of view became black.I woke up at the sound of the ECG bleeping. Halting my movements as to let my view sharpen so I can see better, I look around the room and saw the IV pole first, before I saw the silhouette of a woman sitting on a chair.Slowly I croaked, “Mom…?”My mother paused from what she was doing, as if freezing. Then, turning her head to me, I saw her swollen eyelids rose a bit, her expression is mixed with happiness and the want to cry.“Asher…” She stood up
(Elaine’s POV)An immense feeling of sadness welled up inside me as I fell down on the table. The spreading pain is less than the tremor and regret upon seeing my aunt’s happy face as she saw me laying there, my consciousness wavering.I woke up again to the feeling of resentment in my heart, and a great quaking of the ruptured flesh region as if sensing my emotions. Not wanting to get crashed so soon, I quickly bounced back from my feelings and tried to calm down.Somehow, the amount of desperation I oozed of not wanting to get killed put me back on track of my emotions. Breathing slowly and began looking around the region, all I could see was a small place, about to collapse from the burden of the pouring blood.Suddenly I wailed.There is no way I can go out from this world now. I just disapponted many people. Not only from my naivety, I too didn’t learn from my past.I crouched and cupped both of my ears. “Why am
(Asher’s POV)After Elaine opened her eyes, she was scheduled for a few rounds of examinations to check the remaining poison inside her. Because of the difference between our stamina and such, the doctors need to be a little extra careful on her. This afternoon too, after a round of examination after breakfast, Elaine was sent for another examination before lunch.I was lying on my bed. Albeit I did say there’s difference between me and Elaine’s bodily constitution, I still feel exhausted. My stomach is strangely churning although I am not too hungry, I felt pain similar to heart burn and some part of my body feels like the veins are being burned. Was that the effect of consuming a poison?Elaine probably felt worse with that small body of hers. Imagine consuming a poison but your antibody is slow to react, it will result in you suffering a bit more.I heaved a sigh.A knocking sound on the door snapped me from my sleepy daz
(Asher’s POV)Ryan was about to throw a punch at me but luckily Rufus managed to hold him back.With scornful look, he preached, “How dare you! Why I ought to-”“Wait!” I raised both of my hands in a signal of defeat. “Just…Listen to what I’m about to say, okay?”Rufus was tackling Ryan from behind as he patted his chest, trying to calm down his anger. Ryan blew a sigh while trying to stable his breathing and sat down back on the chair.“Okay, let’s hear what you was about to say.” He taunted in a stern tone.“Okay…” I mustered my courage to confess. Even though I know that I am in the right side, the overwhelming feeling of seeing my best friend getting angry at me is immense. He’s not the type to easily ticked off, but when he did, it’s kinda hard to calm him down internally and harder to put off his grudge.“I bought
(Monday morning…)Rose Chadwick almost lost her sanity. Since a few hours ago, she had been receiving calls from many media centers asking about her case and her phone just couldn’t stop ringing. Other than that, a few reporters was outside her house waiting to surround her if she go out. Because of that, she had to stay inside her house while her husband went out to work. She was lucky that all of her children weren’t here at home. If not, it’s obvious that they will also be frightful for all the sins they have committed.Madam Rose put her phone in silent mode as she paced to and fro in the middle of the living room. Biting her nails, she pondered for ways to put an end to all this. Be it influencing the media with money and completely changing the story with her powers—much like what she did to Elaine—she had the ability to do either way, yet this time she’s in a dead end. It feels like there’s no escaping anymo
(Asher’s POV)I glanced at the caller’s ID before excusing myself away from them. Standing in a corner of the room, I answered the call.“Greetings, lad.” Inspector Heinz—who was calling me—said.I bobbed my head into a small nod. “Greetings, inspector. How may I help you?”“Yes. I am just wondering if Mister Michaelis is with you or not?”I paused and glanced around the room including the entrance.“No. I’m afraid he’s not here at the moment.”The end of the line went silent, before then, I heard Inspector Heinz softly cursed.“Alright. Thanks for the info-”“Wait, Inspector.” My brows creased. “Did something happened to him?”“Hmm…” The inspector heaved a troubled sigh.“I guess it’s our mistake for not keeping our eyes on him.”“Wha-!&rd
(Asher’s POV) “This place is…” Elaine gaped for a bit as she looked at the night sky in awe, the two of us were standing on the apartment building that acted as the witness to my first encounter with her that changed our entire life. “You remember this place, right?” I stepped beside her and glanced at every corner of the roof of the old apartment building. Now that I have seen my surroundings with clear eyes, the apartment block really looks brittle like it’s going to fall off anytime. Meanwhile, at the corner of my eyes, I saw Elaine nodded slowly, though her eyes still looking at the sky. It’s probably because of the clear sky that I am seeing Elaine’s eyes sparkled more than usual, but I couldn’t help myself from staring at her. Unwittingly, I let out a scoff. “If I didn’t jump to save you I don’t think the two of us wil be where we are right now.” Elaine turned to look at me and chuckled. “I know. I still wondered how we survived
(A few hour after Asher woke up)“Uncle Gary called me yesterday.”Elaine began, trying to break the awkward silence between her and Asher that came out of nowhere. Asher who was still in a daze flinched when she suddenly spoke, his eyes rolled to the exit door for a few minutes to register the fact that his mother just left to finish work and took the next few minutes to muster his courage to reply her.“…What?”Elaine heaved a sharp sigh. Given how he delayed his response, Elaine knew something was wrong with him, yet she refrained from asking. Despite Asher’s vital and his response is normal and all, he must have still be in shock after waking up from the coma.“My uncle called me yesterday. He asked to meet me for dinner.” Elaine stated while adjusting her knee length pleated grey skirt to cover a margin of her shin. Plus the air conditioning of this VIP ward room, the chilly weather outside didn
(Asher’s POV)It was the day after I woke up from coma. The chill from the fall season is really been getting into me lately. In spite of me telling myself I’m cold, nature’s weather is better than the coldness coming from the air conditioner of my ward. Because of that, I have been wasting the hospital’s electric bills by opening the windows and basking my face in the evening air and sunlight.“It’s so cold…” I mumbled to myself.“Of course it would.” A voice appeared from behind me, followed by the sound of a door sliding.I turned around to see Ryan and Rufus entering the ward, each of them was was holding a bag of their own.“Whoa…” I snorted, trying to not cry because honestly, I missed them two even though it’s only about a week.Ryan sighed. “I might as well apply for membership in this hospital because of how frequent I’ve been visiting
(Asher’s POV)The first emotion after I regained my consciousness and stayed dormant for a few seconds was shame. The clips of scenes when Elaine was saying the words I have said to her inside The Flesh previously haunted my mind in a repetitive cycle that I slowly mustered the strength to one of my arms just so I could cover my face in embarrassment.I was definitely shocked to hear those words. “We’re in this together.” Was the last words I said to her when we’re inside the poison region of The Flesh. If she remembers my words, doesn’t that mean she heard my confession?“No way…” I croaked, ignoring my scratchy voice from just waking up.Apparently my voice is loud enough for this deadly silent room, that Elaine was awoken even by the subtelity of my voice.She blinked her eyes as her head tilted up. Seeing as I was lying down with my eyes open, she immediately shot up and exclaimed my name.
(Elaine's POV)The two of us stopped at the side of the lake and he sat down. He waited for me to sit, before finally uttered a word in a form of random conversation.“This place looks beautiful, isn’t it?”I was absentminded for a few moments, before I agreed.“Indeed. Do you know where this place is?” I asked the oddest thing I have ever asked. It’s obvious that this is just a dream, a realistic dream at that, but most dreams felt like this one.Asher shot me an undecipherable look, his eyes looked quite empty even though the orange hue from setting sun glinted on the glassy surface. Then he stated, “This is my inner consciousness.”I thought he was talking gibberish for a second, yet the look on his face speaks the truth. He wasn’t lying.“What…” I breathed. “What are you talking about?”His facts were too hard for me to process, yet I have
(Elaine’s POV)Currently, I am in a pretty inconvenient situation. I blame my gut feeling for coaxing me to follow it’s orders, as right now I am walking through a long way of inside some woods, of somewhere I didn’t know. I just suddenly got transferred here like magic.I gave up on wondering where I am the moment these ivies and vines began moving on it’s own and attacked me. It might be just the trick of my mind, originally, but that doesn’t matter anymore if the plant literally tried to pull you back into the bushes. Only God knows how terrified I am at that time, which actually happened just a few minutes ago.Right now I am trascending through the path of the woods. With the entrance of the woods already closing behind me, there was only one way and that was to go forward. I really wondered why am I sent here when I was visiting Asher.Suddenly memories of him flashed through my mind as I trudged the gloomy path. That&r
ElaineAfter school, Elaine decided to visit Asher at the hospital. She was informed by Madam Rhea that Asher just escaped a life threatening condition—by dodging the bullet from getting straight through the heart. That being said, Asher still won’t wake up despite his condition, as if something is holding him down from coming back to life.The young girl avoided going to the hospital at first because of the fear and trauma of seeing Asher being shot like that. Even though Rose Chadwick is already as good as inside a grave, that wretched woman still managed to inflict trauma even at the end of her life. What a cunning woman.Falling in a daze, Elaine didn’t realize that she had already reached the hospital. She went out from the car and thanked the driver before telling him that she will call when she wanted to get back. After that, she entered the building with a heavy heart.‘It would be better if Ryan and Rufus is here.’ T
ElaineThe poor girl named Elaine was once again inflicted with damage to her emotions. Unlike her surroundings which were pretty loud and chaotic; siren coming from the ambulance bellowing through the air from the distance and the paramedic doing their job, security and defense team securing the peremeter and the other spectators who were bustling into chattering among each other, Elaine felt her senses pretty numb for someone who just witnessed someone close to her being shot right in front of her eyes.Her daze lasted even until the ambulance went away. Only her guardian, Rhea Ildian’s voice managed to shook her out from daze.Elaine shot her gaze up to meet Madam Rhea’s.Despite adam Rhea asking her condition, the middle aged woman was trying haard to not show any sign’s of trauma or discomfort for this young girl who probably faced many more fears than her. Yet her feelings still spill out to reflect upon her eyes. Still, she picked
(Asher’s POV)“H-Hello?” I don’t know why I’m stuttering, probably feeling nervous now that all the tension that’s building up just because of Elaine’s case had cleared up most of the space inside my heart, I now am able to think about something else involving us.“Hey.” Elaine chirped.I then unknowingly rubbed the back of my neck as I fell silent.“Oh, sorry. Did I call at a wrong time?”“What? No, not at all. It’s just…” I pursed my lips. “Anyway, what are you doing right now?”“I just took a bath and was on the bed.”“Oh.” I chuckled. “It’s still about 8 and a half in the evening, yet people are so tired.”Elaine replied my statement with a chuckle. “No doubt about it.”The silence between us ensues. Elaine suddenly thanked me, saying that she is just a random st