Ultimate

11 - Aftermath

Rum awoke with a start, his heart racing as he sat up in bed. The familiar warmth of his sheets wrapped around him, and the comforting sight of his room greeted him. For a brief moment, relief flooded through him. It had all been just a horrible nightmare, nothing more.

Rum: It was all a bad dream... Phew, man, it all felt so real.

He chuckled nervously to himself, wiping the cold sweat from his brow. His hands were trembling, and the chuckle came out in uneven breaths, the weight of worry lingering in his chest. But as he rose from the bed, slipping into his house clothes, the fear began to fade. It was morning now. Everything was fine. He walked out of his room, his bare feet padding softly across the floor as he headed toward the kitchen. The smell of breakfast should have filled the air by now, the usual hum of life in the house greeting him. But as he moved through the halls, there was an odd stillness, an eerie quiet that unsettled him.

Rum: Hey, mom? Dad? Yapa... you up? Pillo?

Rum called out, his voice breaking the silence. No response. He called again, louder this time, but still, no one answered. A sense of unease began to creep into his mind as he moved from room to room. The house was empty. His family was nowhere to be found. Panic clawed at his chest. His footsteps quickened as he searched every corner of the house, flinging open doors, peering into every space. His heart pounded louder with each passing second. He felt a chill run down his spine, the silence pressing in on him like a weight. Where was everyone?

And then, like a wave crashing over him, the memories of the night before flooded his mind. He froze in place, his breath catching in his throat. His legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed to the floor as the horrifying truth hit him like a freight train. His family, his beloved parents and siblings, they were gone. They had been killed right in front of him. It wasn't a dream. Tears welled up in his eyes, his chest tightening as the reality settled in. His hands clenched into fists, shaking with frustration and grief. He had wanted to believe it was all just some terrible figment of his imagination, a nightmare he could shake off with the morning light. But this was real. The pain, the emptiness, the horror of it all, it was real.

Rum: They're gone... No longer with me anymore.

He buried his face in his hands, his tears flowing freely now. He let out a choked sob, feeling the crushing weight of loss pulling him down. Rum had lost everything. His family, the people he loved most, were gone forever. And he had been powerless to stop it. The guilt and sorrow consumed him, and his tears mixed with a growing anger that burned deep inside.

As Rum sat on the floor, consumed by grief, he suddenly heard a voice from above.

Chorsi: Will you keep the noise down. I'm trying to sleep.

Rum snapped out of his emotional spiral, startled by the unexpected sound. He quickly looked up to see Chorsi, in his human form, lounging comfortably on the ceiling. The sight was bizarre, but after everything Rum had been through, he found himself only mildly shocked.

Rum: Ch-Chorsi? What are you doing here?

Chorsi yawned and stretched, slowly descending from the ceiling like it was the most casual thing in the world. He landed gracefully on his feet and cracked his neck.

Chorsi: Keeping an eye on you. You know, in case you woke up all angry and started wrecking things again. But that doesn't seem to be the case... so far.

Rum stared at him, the weight of everything still pressing on him, but there was a strange comfort in Chorsi's presence. Even though his emotions were all over the place, at least someone was there. 

Rum: You've been here with me?

Chorsi: Pretty much. After you were put to sleep, a friend of mine told me to make sure you didn't wake up in a mood to level the place. That's pretty much my thing. But I'm a little surprised you're not tearing this place apart right now.