Unending Nightmares

Chapter 1: Hi, It's Me. I'm the problem, it's me.

Wang! Wang! Wang! Wang!

Whooooop. Smash!

"Oh, great. It's time to buy a new alarm clock," I muttered as I saw the remains of my alarm clock on the wall I'd just smashed it into. There it was, on the floor, asking for help as it crumbled into smithereens.

"Ugh. Monday? I feel like the weekend is not long enough for a rest. Ugh, what a day," I grumbled as I changed into shorts from my silk pajamas.

Hi. I'm the new guy in town. Fancy for you not to know my name, but hey! Don't fret about it.

As I gazed out the window, I saw droves of children going downtown to attend school.

"Wish I could go back in time. If I'd only known being an adult is like this, I should've never graduated," I told myself as I removed the few eye goobers I'd painstakingly made while sleeping.

Half an hour later, I came downstairs, fully clothed and looking fresh. Yes, I took a bath.

"Mom, what's for breakfast?"

"Nothing much, I fried some rice and you can choose what you want from our table full of delicacies", my Mom shouted from the kitchen.

"Yeah, a delicacy of what? Different ways of how you cooked eggs? Should I choose from these scrambled eggs from France, poached eggs from England, and these omelets from India?" I said amusingly as I looked into the three plates of eggs that adorned our little table.

"Just shut up and eat; you can always choose not to," Mom jokingly said as she put another egg dish on the table. "And here's the finale: Sunny Side Up from the Land of the Rising Sun, Korea!"

"It's Japan, Mom. You're watching too much K-Drama; everything is connected to Korea for you," I said as I stuffed my bag with bread from the cupboards. "I'm not eating today. I have to catch the train"

As I turned around, I felt a chill on my neck. I felt like a monster was creeping on me, watching me like a predator stalking prey. I see my Mom smiling at me, not saying a word while holding a bent fork, and saying, "Where  do you think you are going, young man?"

—

"Wow, you've got a lot of eggs today, man! Let me guess, you skipped breakfast, didn't you?" Arthur said while I was unpacking my lunchbox in the office cafeteria.

"Yeah, I feel like a hen will chase me if by any chance I visit a coop", I said as I took out the three disposable tubs Mom had the eggs from this morning packed into.

"Hey, guess what? The new internship program is starting next week. One of us is going to be selected as a trainer. Knowing you, though, the Boss might just let you do what you're currently working on."

I've worked as a graphic designer, video editor, and audio technician at a small studio for about a year. My boss is a high school classmate, and we built the company from scratch. I've got so much to do; I might as well transform into a robot.

"Yeah, it sucks to be in my position but hey, I'm still one of your bosses, too, nerd", I slapped Arthur's shoulder as I walked back to my office table "Eat the eggs. I'll tell Mom you finished them all, thanks!"

—

"Man, you've got too many dark circles under your eyes. You sure you're sleeping well?" Aether, my classmate asked me as she swirls around her office table like a child.

"I'm fine," I said, "and yes, you haven't informed me about the internship program. What's going on?" I said while sipping from the cup of Americano I bought from the local coffee shop.

"Nothing much; I felt I shouldn't bother you with that. Brains and brawn, remember? When we started this, I told you you will be the brawn. I do all the mind stuff," Aether said as she looked into the interns' files that will come in next week.

"Here, take a look at this one"

I picked up the file, and my eyes widened "A Diamond League graduate finding her way into our studio? Looks fishy to me"

"Yes, me too. But you know why she chose to be here? You."

I stopped for a thought. "What do you mean?"

"Well, remember a few years back at the Grand Prix Olympia? That kid who you mistook for a cosplayer, turning out it was their school uniform - that's her," Aether said as she patted Snow's head, her kitten "And I think she's back for revenge"

"Oh, come on," I said. "I beat her for 2 points and gave up the medal and the position when she started crying. Is the crybaby all grown up now?"

"Suit yourself. I'm assigning someone else as a trainer, but you will still be the project head. Give all your work to Susan, and she'll take care of the rest"

"Okay," I said as I waved my hand while leaving her office.

Somehow, I didn't notice the black substance that went into my brain a split second later, adding to the swirling black mass of matter inside me, going unnoticed as it grew in size every day.