"Blake! Wait up!"

I heard a shout from behind me. I turned my head to see a friend of mine, running on the hardened sidewalk in which I'm currently walking on. My face turning into annoyance as my eyes slowly adjust to reveal who it was that called upon me just now. 

"Oh, Gil. What's up?" I asked with a hint of my displeasure hidden inside my voice. His blonde hair falling down his pale skin, as his sweat drips down, alongside his face. His clothing consists of a collared blue shirt(with some sort of obvious expensive quality on it) and denim pants. His footwear is a pair of black sneakers. He continued to breathe heavily, while his arms are on his knees, supporting himself up. 

Despite this, however, I still look at him quite indifferent. After all, knowing him it's just something stupid again. 

"Well... B-Blake, Clarice told me that you don't want to join the incoming field trip for our class." He faced me, his voice still ragged from the run before. 

"I told you, I told you and I'll say it again. It's too much work. Going to another country? Do you know how much money I'd have to use in that case? I'll tell you how much, Enough to fill my fridge with chocolate pudding, that's how much."

"Dude, you'll get some kind of disease with that kind of a diet."

"Hey, don't judge. I don't judge you when you bring in those girls to your room so don't start with me." I interrupted him. 

"Anyway, are you sure you don't want to go? I mean, if money's the problem then I can treat you for the trip, food, and other expenses. I swear on my life that I'll handle all of them so why don't you come?" He offered to me. I can see from his expression his sincerely, and even I can almost feel flustered from the sudden honest thoughts from my friend but still...

"Nah, I'm sorry but I really can't. I'm sure you already know why I can't leave this place." I gave a small smile."

"Oh, I see. Well, tell me if you'll change your mind alright? I'll ring it up for ya if you want. Rest assured, I'll protect your lovely 'Clarice' for you." He winked while making some sort of kiss on the air. I chuckled a bit and push his shoulder slightly. 

"Well, I've got to go, Blake. I just hurried here to try to convince ya again but I actually have to prepare right now for tomorrow. Just call me and I'll get some space for ya tomorrow morning alright?"

"Yeah, sure dude. I appreciate the offer. Take care of yourself and have a nice trip tomorrow." I smiled and began to wave him goodbye as he left towards the other side of the road, presumably to his home.

Seeing him slowly walk while his sweat slowly drenched his clothes makes me want to offer some help, however, I know for a fact that I can't say that myself just easily since he can arrive to his place in just a fifteen-minute walk. Me, meanwhile...

I continued my hour-long walk. My destination still far up above the hills, with my view being together with the gently setting sun on the horizon. I can see the people around me preparing for their nightly duties. Some to go and prepare for dinner, others still going home from work or school. On the sides of the roads lies dozens if not hundreds of small houses, differing in size and design. And yet despite this, you can barely tell if there are oversized mansions within the area, as the overpopulation of the city is almost like a horrible stench, rejecting any Noble to decide on living in this area at least. 

"Hey, did you hear? The empire is currently having trouble with the war in the east. Apparently, some kind of new force emerged there or something." 

I heard these voices from the side of the road. My eyes turned to see a couple of old housewives, holding a pair of plastic bags. Their footsteps on the speed of snails as they conversed current troubles in the world. Oh, look at the power of housewives talk, still steadily progressing no matter the age nor the year. 

"Yes I heard, hasn't this war already been continuing for five whole years? I thought the empire was already winning the war? What happened with Gebrande all of a sudden?" Said by the curly-haired woman on the side. her makeup being almost as thick as flour on a layer of a cake while her lips are almost as red as blood. I'm tempted to say that she's a vampire but sadly that's probably just thick lipstick. 

"I don't know but for some bizarre reason, they were able to keep up despite the technological disadvantage. God, I hope this war can just end! Little Tommy is getting to age 11 soon, I can't wish to see him risking his life on some unknown place out there. They should have just given up, it's not like the empire is as "evil" as they say. I mean, look at us? We live quite comfortable lives don't we?"

My ears perk up a bit from quite an interesting conversation but as I noticed them beginning to notice me, I turn away. I quicken my footsteps, letting my legs get to my home as quick as I can. 

As to why my place is quite just that far, well there's a good reason for that.

The heat that's hitting my face slowly changing to warm and once again, to cold. The sun in the sky now replaced by the gentle and dim light of the moon, still rising up the blue noon. I raise my wrist up to look at the ticking watch. 5:47 pm. Quite a long time walking. My surroundings now changing from the rows of houses to the groups of trees, huddled together like some sort of weird couples, preparing to get freaky. 

Finally, my eyes arrive to see my destination in mind. A long tower encompassing up above, with a height of 15 meters up. A small cottage silent beside it. I walk towards the cottage, opening the door with ease. I push it open, following a creepy creaking sound. The rays of moonlight fall down, slipping through the small gaps of the wooden windows. A small couch in front of me and a radio sitting across it, and a small table at the back with a fridge and the kitchen nearby. From my line of sight, I can notice a couple of doors on the side and the corner, both of which I knew of as the bathroom and a bedroom. Luckily, I don't have anything to fear despite the broody atmosphere and the whole horror aesthetic. 

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I mean, welcome to my home I guess.

I flick the switch nearby, lighting the few bulbs on the ceiling, then I turned on the radio on the table, turning the dial around for some recent news, mostly due to my job. I let my bag fall on the couch as my legs carry my whole corpse-like body to the fridge, getting ready to prepare some sort of dinner while the radio started up.

"-Current news, the war on Gebrande has been steadily progressing: Our empire has been carefully handling all rebel activity for the past five years..."

I opened the cute one-meter refrigerator. Let's see, hmm... Yep, overfilled with the abundance of nothing. What a good life. 

"...However, strangely a new conflict has risen, as the battle becomes more intense and fierce. For what reason it may be, we cannot confirm it yet..."

Let's see, the pay is still until next week so what should I do... I suppose I gotta adjust for now. I reach up the cupboard, taking out a cup of noodles(and mind you the "one and only one" too) and placed it to the kitchen table. My hands swiftly taking a kettle and getting it filled with water without looking, and afterward placing it on the stove, the fire heating up in an instant to boil the water. 

"...speculations say that a new special force or team was sent by the rebels in Gebrande, repelling the empire's latest push. The general:  Frank Sheppard has said, and I quote: "We have lost several men from the sudden attack. As painful it is to admit, we were not prepared for this. Our resources unit was heavily damaged due to our incompetence. All I can say is I truly apologize for my blunder and I swear on my honor that I will obliterate all rebel scum.” How this will result is still unknown. For now, we will list the missing people from the attack soon, after the commercial. This is Jerry Tuner, for the 103.5 AM, the Worldly News.

I whistle while hearing the several product placements starting to roll. For now, I open Mr. F for fridge once again, taking out a cold jug of water, pouring myself on the cup for me to drink. The cool and filtered water cleansing my dehydrated throat, letting me feel comfortable satisfyingly. As I took out the glass cup, I see my distorted reflection. My chestnut hair down and hanging on the top of my big, distorted alien-like eyes. I take out a handkerchief from my pocket and began to wipe my face off of moisture and sweat. I placed the bottle down the table and began to pour hot water on my noodles. Afterward, I went to my room, got myself a towel, and went to the bathroom for a bath. 

Time passed by, and so does my food now entering my mouth, when I heard the program from before. 

"And we are back. For the list of missing people of Yutopia, I'd like to begin. Michael Branders, Sally Connor, Daniel Raldoph, Cil Scarough,..."

The radio continued on its lists of names, although I decided not to pay attention anymore. I continued to slurp on the hot noodles, as I casually let my eye move towards my wrist-

6:30 pm. 

Oh sh-

I stood up and began to walk hastily out the door, taking a clutter of keys on a nearby hook. I immediately arrived in front of the lighthouse. Besides the door is a sign, saying; "Accople's Lighthouse: A guide for travelers of air and sea." below those words were slightly blurred and chipped out marks, yet I still can clearly remember what those originally are.

"By Josiah and Naomi Wright, and for their son, little Blake."

I silently look away and begin to fiddle on my keys, cursing a bit as I searched for the fitting one when I noticed that the door is slightly ajar.

I blink my eyes once. 

Twice. 

And thrice. 

But Nothing changed. I looked around, trying to find some sort of sign if somebody were around here earlier, as the ground is around the lighthouse is just warm soil and gravel anyway. I gently take a small branch near me, pulling out unnecessary leaves and twigs as I slowly creep in the tower, making as little noise as possible. 

I tiptoed my way up and up the tower, looking around for whoever is the culprit. And yet, there's none but just the dark moonlight from outside the windows, illuminating my path up. Geez, I'm supposed to work and let the lights out again but instead, this happens. How much worse could it get? Then, I finally arrived at the top room, where a door is in front of me. I notice some weird noises inside, some shouting and some banging inside. I look for the handle and realize there's now none, with a small hole replaced on where it was before.

Whoever these guys are, they'll pay for it, literally. It's hard to be the only lighthouse owner and repairman of the place itself, so I ain't gettin' rough Intruders here. I peek from the hole, seeing a strange confrontation inside. A bald old man with a thick mustache, around probably his 50s is raising his arms up. His face sweating and his hands shaking as two people which I, unfortunately, can't see from behind, are pointing guns at him. 

"Where Is the damn Beta suit old man? Answer us now or else we'll blow your insides up."

The one on the right said, getting closer with his gun almost getting near the man's head with it's tip. The other one nods as he does the same. The man gets flustered and shakes his hands wildly.

"N-No! I told you, it's AI-generated! It's not with me right now, and it won't come here a-anytime. I-It needs a calaty-,I mean, a catalyst and only it chooses on when it will arrive. I was only its technical developer, not its software dev!" The old man frantically said his voice stuttering on his talking. 

Should I bother? I mean, it’s kinda risky… they’re holding a gun even, and I don’t think I have the guts to handle two men at once. Besides, they’re the ones that went in. I think I can call the police for trespassing. Yeah, let’s do that. I was about to tiptoe once again when the two groaned and the right one began to speak.

"If it won't arrive even when we're threatening you, then I suppose blasting you and this entire damn place should call it eh, Cil?" 

He said as he throws the gun down the floor, and begins to point his palm down. His partner and the man begins to panic and as they stood there, I opened the door, slamming it in the process. All heads turn to me, confused. Taking advantage of the situation, I ran forward. Looking at the man, screaming.

"DUCK!"

The man gets his bearings together, and then ducks down. Behind him is an open window for the light to shine through, and I'm about to throw some trash out. 

I yell with all my might and lungs. I can even feel my voice breaking, perhaps even shooting out lines of saliva in the process. Although I didn't mind. I brandish the thick branch in my hand, swinging it till near my neck. And as I aimed for the one without the gun, I hit the guy with all I've got, squarely hitting him on the chest. I can feel something crack and the man gets pushed out with some force and surprise. His partner aims his gun towards me but the momentum pushes his partner out as well, the man tripping them out while ducking, therefore stopping any form of support for them.

And so, out goes the weasel. I look on the old man and hesitantly, hold out a hand to him, which he accepts and pulls himself up with. 

"T-thank you.. you saved me, and I'm truly thankful..." 

He said, with a few tears in his eyes. 

"Yes, yes. anyway, you okay? Mr..?"

I begin to help him up and pat his body around, searching for open wounds, which luckily he did not have, save from some minor bruises. 

"Oh, Cil Scarough. That's me. and you are?"

"Blake. Blake Wright" 

Then, I suddenly remembered.

"Waft-, weren't you from Gebrande? From some sort of rear sauce unit or whatever? I thought you're missing? Why are you here?" I ask, now lending him my support to stand up while my eyes casually look down for the corpses, which made me widen my eyes instead. 

"Well, I had to take a detour, in order to save some important information from the rebels, which as you had seen just now- are you okay? What's wrong?" He asked, perhaps noticing my expression. I look down at the floor and have now realized what cracked earlier. 

It wasn't bones, but wood. Hard acacia, 3 inches thick, and 3 feet long wood. Now snapped into two. 

"... They're gone."

"W-What do you mean Blake?" The man asked me, now perhaps starting to understand what's bothering me. 

"The bodies...them both...they're not down there... They're .. all gone.”