LUNACY: THE JACK ARC. // A SPOOKY MONTH AU

PROLOGUE PT. 0.1: The Building.

The world was a peculiar place. That was for sure, considering around a year ago, it used to be so different.

For the people who remained on Earth, the memories of how life used to be were now a blur in their brains. It was hard to really believe what normal day-to-day things were anymore, if the term 'normal' could still even exist at all.

The streets along deserted paths and towns remained empty of people, with only a few abandoned vehicles and all sorts of other transports. Stores were dark and abandoned. Houses were collected with dust and cob-webs. Moss and trees began to slowly seep their way back into the town despite it only being over around the air, and one thing remained the same with every day and night that passed.

Silence. That was what always remained—eerily sitting as one of the few things that anyone could hear. The idea of it sounded peaceful when remembering the loudness of the original world, yet with the way the world was now, the thought of the silent ambience could only bring fear. For you never knew when that silence would be interrupted.

————

Drenched sheets of rain plummeted against a parking lot—the platters of the droplets visible due to the artifical light that stood from on high. Wet puddles sprung onto the parking lot every few seconds, barely able to keep a shape with how much droplets poured onto the gravel ground. A slight rumble—and a flicker of light shone into the sky.

It was a stormy night. A bit of a too stormy night for the ideal person who didn't dream of getting wet or sick from weather like this. Yet truly in a location like this, it wouldn't be surprising if someone actually wanted to go out in the weather.

The artificial light shone from a nearby pole that led all the way up to four bright beams of circles—glimmering down and buzzing. Mosquitos buzzed against the screen of the light, and humid air had already sprung into the atmosphere of the scene. The mosquitos delicately and sometimes very violently threw themself against the light—as if desperately forcing themself into an outcome they wanted. It was such a wonder.. such mindless little creatures always fighting to survive, yet they never lived for very long anyway.

Beneath the light sat a building. A white building with various turns and corners that presumably held the interiors of corridors. Yellow and black lines were stretched out across the building. And in the middle of the building was an average looking, white door. There was a symbol above it of some kind of eye, along with a sign that read, "PERSONNEL: YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE THIS BUILDING. IF YOU WISH TO KEEP DOING OUR LORDS WORK AND HAVE HIM CLEANSE YOU OF YOUR PURITY, YOU MUST COME BACK IN. AND IF NON-PERSONNEL: PLEASE, COME BACK INSIDE. IT'S BETTER FOR YOU, AND FOR US, IF YOU MAKE THAT DECISION."

Beside the sign, there appeared to be a long dark gray stretch of shapes—holding a peculiar circle that seemed to be recording footage. A camera. The camera beeped, and went to the right, and then to the left. There were no unfamiliar shapes or signs. For this was usually what the camera always recorded at night—witht he only difference being the harsh rain.

The camera went to the right side again. Just the gravel parking lot, along with a few vehicles. It went to the left side. Just the door again, with the same sign above it.

It went to the right side—a droplet of rain splattered against it, leaving a slight blur. Surely, someone would have to clean that tomorrow. A rumble sounded again as the camera turned to the left, and only caught side of the door. It was currently 11:02 at night—so this would probably be the only thing seen on the footage for the next few hours of night it recorded.

It went to the right. The camera flickered. Light lit up in the sky yet again. Perhaps it was only the rain, but the footage almost seemed like it had caught sight of the reflection of two small figures where a window was. Perhaps it was only the personnel inside.