OTHERS: Five elements

CHAPTER 5.3: AIR

22 February 2033, 08:00 AM

A dull ache throbbed at the back of my head as I slowly opened my eyes. I pushed myself up carefully, scanning the room. Several beds lined the walls. When my vision cleared, I realized this used to be a classroom. I was in an old, abandoned school. Nothing unusual. This was typical for Tokyo. As I tried to steady myself, I noticed Souta sitting on one of the beds. The moment he saw me awake, relief flickered in his tired eyes.

- "You're awake!" he said quickly. Then he stood, hesitated for a moment, and whispered, "I'll... I'll get him."

Before I could ask who he meant, he ran out of the room. My body still felt drained. I glanced down and saw the bite wound on my hand. Memories rushed back—I had been bitten. And then I heard it.

- "Accept."

I turned my head a few times, searching for whoever spoke, but no one else was in the room. It was just me.

- "Accept it. You're too weak to resist."

A shiver ran through me. Was I losing my mind? At that moment, the door opened. White Ghost stepped inside, his white cloak swaying slightly as he moved. He still wore the mask, hiding his identity.

- "You're awake," he said in English.

I had studied English in school and college, but I learned it better through movies and TV shows. I didn't use it often, but I could communicate well enough.

- "Where... where am I?"

- "You're safe, for now" he replied calmly. "We're in an abandoned school."

He pulled up a chair and sat down beside me.

- "What's going on? Why am I here? That woman... Souta's mother... why did she—"

- "I'll explain," he said. "But first, you need to hear something important."

I held my breath as his gaze locked with mine.

- "You're one of them now," he said. "You're an Other."

The words were heavy, almost crushing. I shook my head, refusing to believe it.

- "No... no, that can't be true."

- "Did you hear the voice?" he asked calmly.

My lips parted, but I didn't answer.

- "That's your confirmation. The voice comes after infection. You were bitten. The virus is already inside you."

My throat felt dry. 

- "I've heard about Others... on the news. At first, I thought it was fake, some conspiracy theory. But... later, when the reports wouldn't stop, I started to believe. I just... never thought I'd see it here, in Tokyo."

- "Since the Others began spreading, Japan has been one of the strictest countries. For a long time, there were no infections here. But early this year, the first cases started appearing. That's why my team and I are here."

- "Your team?" I asked.

- "I lead a group called New Hope. We believe Others can live normal lives—just like regular people—if they have the will. Not all of them are monsters."

- "But... aren't Others dangerous?"

He nodded. 

- "They can be. But we've built a community. Humans and Others living together. Some are even married—one human, one Other—and they're happy. They have families, jobs, friends. It's possible... but it isn't easy."

I stared at him, trying to process everything. 

- "But the voice—"

- "Yes. The voice is the real problem. It's how the virus tries to control you, to push you into your darkest urges. Some resist it. Some... give in quickly."

I shivered, remembering that cold whisper in my head. His tone stayed calm as he continued.

- "In January 2030, the world changed forever. The first recorded Other was a man in America. He killed his own daughter. I think his name was Richard. It was all caught on video and broadcast worldwide. People were horrified."

A wave of nausea twisted in my stomach. I remembered that story—everyone did.

- "After that," White Ghost said, "the virus started to spread across the world. It's transmitted through bites or sexual contact. But infection doesn't always mean transformation. Some carry the virus for days, even months, before it activates. Nobody knows why it's immediate in some and delayed in others."

I looked down at my hands. 

- "What happens when it activates?"

- "The first stage is called the First Awakening. That's when you start hearing the voice. Your body changes—tougher skin, sharper senses, increased speed and strength. But resisting the voice is the hardest part. People with weak will lose control fast. They turn into the creatures you've seen on the news."

- I bit my lip. "And if someone has a strong will?"

- "They can stay themselves. But the voice never fully stops. And the virus... it has its own will. A survival instinct. That's why Others attack humans—it's the virus driving them to spread."

All of this was overwhelming.

- "There's also the Second Awakening," White Ghost continued. "At that stage, the voice grows louder—it's much harder to resist. It's triggered by emotional shock—fear, grief, anger. And those who reach the second stage gain a new ability... control over an element of nature."

- "Is there a cure?"

- "Not yet. That's why New Hope exists—to teach Others control. Discipline. Some manage to live normal lives, even with the virus."

- "And me?" I asked quietly. "Do you think I can... stay normal?"

- "That depends on you, Aiko. How strong you are. And how much you're willing to fight the voice."

Before I could respond, the door opened again. The woman who had been with White Ghost yesterday walked in. Her dark brown hair was tied back in a ponytail, exposing her slender neck and sharp cheekbones. Her eyes were deep brown, her lips naturally full with a faint upward curve. Her body was lean and toned, clearly shaped by regular training. Her waist was slim, her legs long and strong—the kind of figure most women envied. A snake tattoo stretched on her left hand from her shoulder down to her wrist. She approached my bed, extended her left hand, and greeted me with a friendly smile.

- "Hi! I'm Paola. Welcome to New Hope."

Then she turned to White Ghost.

- "She's awake. Souta's mother regained consciousness."

- "Good. Thanks for telling me," he said, and glanced back at me. "I'll go take care of it. If you need anything, we're here to help."

White Ghost left the room, leaving me and Paola alone.