Chapter 1

I awoke to the acrid scent of stale coffee wafting through my cramped apartment and the blaring sound of my phone’s alarm from my nightstand. Fumbling to silence the annoying device, I begrudgingly acknowledged that the world had decided 8 am was an acceptable time to start the day. Despite my logical awareness that this was a natural response to sunlight and centuries of evolutionary conditioning, my spirit was filled with an irrational sense of disappointment at the start of yet another day that began far too early than was reasonable.

Dragging myself from the bed, I shuffled towards the tiny bathroom attached to my room. As I washed my face, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and took a moment to assess my features. My scruffy beard, green eyes, and unkempt brown hair made me look like an average man. But to my students, my appearance exuded authenticity, something they valued above everything else. As a jaded and cynical millennial, it was remarkable to observe how the younger generation, GenZ, remained optimistic and idealistic, despite the dystopian direction the world appeared to be headed.

Shaking my head, I finished preparing for my classes at one of the local community colleges. My first lecture was scheduled for 9 am. Thankfully, the campus was only a brief stroll away from my apartment. In no hurry, I toasted a plain bagel and leisurely sipped on my steaming coffee. Its bitterness filled my stomach with a warm sensation that I appreciated every day, grateful for my mother's gift of a coffee maker.

Born and raised in a small North Carolina town, where everyone knew everyone and used to care about each other, I reminisced about the past few years. The world had changed, and the profound impact of Covid-19 had not only affected the bodies of the citizens but also their souls. The maskers versus the antimaskers, and the Republicans versus the Democrats had created an environment of hate that scared me. It seemed as though we had never really loved one another, and it was not the first time history was repeating itself it seemed to me.

As I stepped out of my apartment at 8:30 am, I put in my airpods and descended the stairs to the street. Nostalgia kicked in, and I found myself listening to punk rock, bobbing my head to the beat of the music, and smirking at the existential emo lyrics. I laughed at the angst that resonated with me but was careful to never let my students catch me listening to music that they would likely consider "old." They had already teased me about having a Facebook account, which made me realize how rapidly technology was evolving. TikTok, Instagram, etc. were the technology of today. I felt old. And as much as I loved the new AI Language Learning Model from a work perspective, I was apprehensive about how my students were potentially using it to avoid writing their papers.

The misty and cloudy weather chilled my body, and I adjusted my jacket, increasing my pace to avoid getting caught in the rain. I checked my watch and noticed it read 8:32 am. I was puzzled as I had left the apartment at precisely 8:30 am. It could have been that my watch was broken, but I was already two songs into my walk, at least five minutes away. I decided to check my phone to confirm the time.

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The phone screen read 8:32 am.

Weird.

As I approached the crosswalk, I noticed several students waiting for the light to change. I asked one of them for the time, but there was no response. I tapped them on the shoulder, and still, there was no response. I frowned as the light remained red. I would be late for work at this rate. I decided to ask one of the other students, but they too were unresponsive, with no facial expressions, eye movement, or breathing as I looked in their face. I swallowed hard, realizing that something was not right.

The air was thick with an ominous silence that hung heavy over the group of students. Their unmoving bodies cast eerie shadows across the ground, giving the impression that they were frozen in time. As I looked around, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease growing within me.

My heart pounded in my chest as I swallowed nervously, the taste of fear lingering on my tongue. "Hey y'all, if this is some sort of prank, cut it out," I called out, my voice shaky.

But there was no response. No movement. The stillness was suffocating.

I pulled out my phone, hoping to call for help, but the lack of signal made it clear that I was on my own. "Shit," I muttered under my breath.

Suddenly, a sound erupted through the streets, shaking the ground beneath my feet. It was deafening, and I stumbled forward, grabbing hold of one of the students to steady myself. But as I did, they opened their mouth and let out a scream that was anything but human. It was a sound that echoed from the depths of the earth and sent shivers down my spine.

Mist began pouring out of their mouth, and I watched in horror as it touched their skin, causing it to melt like wax. The smell of burning flesh filled my nostrils, and I felt bile rise in my throat.

As the mist began to move towards me, I turned to run, but was met with a wall of thick mist and a shadowy figure that towered over me like a giant. It was the embodiment of darkness, a force that sucked the light out of everything around it.

I felt a sting on my feet as the mist touched my skin, quickly eating through my shoes and working its way up my legs. I leapt away from it, feeling my flesh begin to burn and blister. I began to run.

I could hear the sound of the shadowy figure getting closer, its heavy footsteps echoing through the mist. I looked over my shoulder and saw that the students had turned into grotesque, fleshy monsters that were devouring each other.

It was llke something out of a nightmare, and I knew that I had to keep running if I wanted to survive. My heart pounded in my chest as I ran towards my apartment, the fear fueling my every step.

But as I turned the corner, I was met with another wall of mist, blocking my path. Panic set in, and I felt my body go numb with terror. I was trapped, with no escape. The sound of the shadow lumbering towards me removed all rational thought.

Without thinking, I ran towards the wall of mist, feeling it eat away at my flesh as I passed through it. I screamed in agony, feeling my body disintegrate into the ether.

And then, everything went black.

8:33am

98% Power

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Character Sheet Updated..