Poisoned Minds

Chapter 1

September 16, 2024

9:56

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Humans.

They were everywhere. 

Each corner and inch of the train was bustling with these creatures. Zed felt the goosebumps on his skin rise and the sweat ran down his neck into his collar. People crowded close around him, too close for his liking. He fidgeted in his spot, looking up into the ceiling in desperation as the doors of the train slammed together. A monotone robot-like voice filled the train as usual, warning people to step away from the line.

The frozen engine shook into motion, causing people to stumble into each other. Zed sighed in exhaustion as the train thundered through the railway track, he could feel his muscles tense in unease and annoyance. He glared daggers into the backs of the people around him, hoping to at least make them feel guilty.

The air was thick with sweat and morning breath and Zed was finding it difficult to breathe in this overloading crowd of people. 

Finally, the dreaded train drew to a stop and the same voice broke through the speakers. Zed allowed himself to be dragged along with the crowd and off the train. As soon as he felt the cement ground beneath his feet, he pushed himself through the sea of men, women and children. 

He breathed in the cool air and headed on into his dreaded workplace.  

~~~~~

13:44

"GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY FUCKING GODDAMN OFFICE YOU FUCKER."

Sighing along with his other co-workers, Zed patiently tapped his foot against his desk as he waited for his managers' door to be slammed open in anger, with a very unhappy customer walking out. 

Just as expected, the door did slam open and an unhappy customer did walk out and Zed calmly pushed his chair back and followed the customer to the exit, trying to calm him down. 

"I'm extremely sorry, it is usually never like this..."

~~~~~

13:53

Walking back into the room, the sound of fingers tapping against keyboards and mouses being clicked filled his ears in an instant. The place was bustling with people carrying documents around and phone calls, office doors opening and closing. 

Zed could feel his eyes drooping in exhaustion as his mind ticked inside of his head, like a volcano about to erupt. 

"Dee-dum."

"Daa-dud."

"Duu-don."

Sighing in utter irritation, Zed reluctantly turned to face a very obnoxious face. 

"De-" 

Pulling himself up from the cranked position he was in, a man with the widest smile Zed could possibly imagine was standing there. 

"Zeeddddd, my friend..."

His blue eyes twinkled in the dull light of the room as his hands reached for Zed's shoulder. Leaning away from this 'monster', Zed stared daggers into these 'innocent' eyes and started to shake his head in refusal.

"Just this once."

"No."

"Please."

"No."

"Come on..."

"What do you want?"

Handing him a stack of documents, the man muttered a few words in his ear and raised his eyebrows as though to question his understanding. 

Zed sighed for the fifty-hundredth time in two minutes, rubbing his temples. He looked up at this guilty-looking man and glared. 

Very hard.

"I'm sorryyy!" He mumbled.

Grabbing his electric blue coat along with matching headphones, he moved past the man and out the door, carrying the documents in one hand. 

"Zed! Are you sureee?"

Annoyed, Zed waved his hands in a sign of dismissal, knowing that there was no point in a response. He rushed towards the exit as fast as he could, knowing he had very little time and also because of his desperation to get out of the nerve-wracking atmosphere. 

Inhaling deeply, he entered another corrupted forest of humans.

Everywhere.

~~~

Good afternoon to any present creatures,

I hope you liked this chapter!

If you didn't.. I promise I will get better, after all, this is my first time publishing an actual story online- or anywhere for that matter ❤️.

Obviously, you don't have to imagine Zed as this but this is what I'd like to think of him as, just some sort of representation.

He does look pretty young- on purpose, you'll start to understand later on in the story  😏...

~~~