The tutorial had been interesting for Nicki. It highlighted everything he had done wrong, everything he could have done. How he could have made the lives of the Heroes better even in just small ways. Not to mention how to truly navigate the building. It was remarkably simple once he understood the trick. It even gave him the framework of the magic he had. Now he could use it on purpose instead of the little sporadic accidents. While his power was extremely limited outside the office but inside the building was his domain. And there was so very much here he could do. There was so much hinted at, so much he yet had access to, and so many rules on what he could actually do.
One such rule or limitation was he couldn’t go back into the tutorial. No matter how much he wanted to. Oh, he could enter the room but nothing would happen. His tutorial was over and the rest was up to him.
There was one warning he received that made him wonder for most of the tutorial. Close the door behind you.
And now. Now a young man who was probably just getting, rather good coffee was stuck in his office just because Nicki was in a rush.
Nicki took a sip from one of the coffees the kid brought. “Hmm, hazelnut.”
“Sir those are for my team.” The man said hesitantly.
“Not anymore,” Nicki commented offhandedly.
That seemed to surprise the boy as Nicki could see tears welling in his eyes. OH Shit! What did I say?
“Am I dead?” The boy asked voice shaking.
“Not in the way your thinking.” He responded almost automatically.
“... Am I in a coma?” The boy seemed to be panicking, “And this is a type of purgatory? Or a long dream? Is that why we're on the moon?”
Nicki blinked surprised. How long had he been here? I was in the tutorial for a while. There was no way he’s been here that long. Focus Nicki. “I wish I could say yes.”
“Then...what is this?”
“This is Hero inc. we match Heroes with worlds that need saving, and you sir are a Hero.” Nicki was playing up the Hero aspect trying to keep the boy calm.
“Hero, but I'm an intern. And what do you mean by match to other worlds? Can't I just go back?”
“No. For all intents and purposes, you are dead to that world.” How many more times would he say that sentence?
This caused the two to get into a lengthy back-and-forth about being dead and not. Before they ended up in a strange philosophical discussion on what a Hero was. Both not quite reaching a conclusion. Though they both did agree that there were many different types of Heroes and each is a matter of perspective. It was about there that it all hit the boy, who he learned was named Will, and he started to scream and wail in frustration. Going so far as to throw his computer monitor at the wall before falling back into the chair.
“Feeling better?”
Will shook his head. “Not really.”
“Now we’ve danced around this, and I think I’ve got a good feel for you, but now I have to ask. What kind of world do you want?”
Will looked away into the distance, looking sightless at the wall.
“Horror.”
“Beg pardon?”
#
On a house on a hill, where corvids land and roost. Where the mist clings, clasps, and grasps, holding till the bright noon sun burns it away, yet the ever-present smell of night lingers in the air, like a memory just on the edge of consciousness.
A strange place for anyone to find or stumble upon. A house on a hill hidden in the forest, only a small overgrown path showing people had ever been there. And no matter how unlikely it would be, a man exhausted, from a long trek through the woods. Hot and running low on water, on the unseasonably hot summers day. He had packed what he thought was plenty of water and was quickly disillusioned by this after the first two miles. He did some math and was confident he could make the trail despite the heat.
When he laid eyes upon the house all he saw was an exquisitely well maintained, modern two-story house, with a lovely wrap-around porch. Even an old-fashioned rocking chair sitting on the porch. It looked incredibly inviting, except his eyes were locked on something else. Just on the side of the house, behind the porch, and between two bushes was a bright green hose.
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I'm sure they won't mind. He was incredibly parched, and feeling slightly delirious from the heat.
Before he knew it the hose was in his hand and water was flowing. He quickly found himself drenched as he tasted the water. It had that strange rubbery taste of a hose and, a tang of metal.
After engorging himself, he found his eyes strangely heavy. Wow, that hike was a killer. He couldn't even keep his eyes open, as his eyes closed, and everything went dark.
#
“Caw caw.”
The man wakes seeing the sun has set and surrounded by blackbirds cawing quite loudly all around and on him cawing loudly.
“What?!” He said panicking, jumping from his seated position, his clothes still wet as they tore from the ground. The birds cawed even louder as he stood, and the birds dove at him, pecking and clawing.
“Ahhhh!” He screamed and flailed his arms trying to push the birds away. What is going on! Under the assault, he caught sight of the open front door. Seeing his salvation he ran. The birds on the other hand went berserk doubling their assault furiously attacking with no thought for themselves as he knocked them away.
“Get away!” He screamed as he jumped through the entrance slamming the door shut. The birds only cawed louder and louder like they were right up against the windows and doors waiting. Screaming. Staring. Unable to take it he went window to window closing the blinds.
When done the man found himself leaning against a wall feeling his entire body shaking as the adrenaline wore off, and the multiple little cuts, and rather uncomfortable dampness, brought him back to himself. Panic began to set in. He had just broken into someone's home. Maybe they'd understand but it was still not good.
“Hello?” He yelled into the house, “Sorry to intrude there were a bunch of birds outside that attacked.” The man waited yet no response came. The only sound was coming from the birds outside. The light was quickly fading the darkness only growing. He could see a light switch by the door, yet he was hesitant to try it. What if the people were here, and don’t want to deal with an intruder. I know I would hide, or maybe no one is actually here.
“Hello?” he said louder this time, again with no reply.
I really hope no one's here. He thought. Tentatively, standing and turning on the living room light, to reveal a plain living room with a large sectional couch coffee table, and TV.
At least there's power. What was with those birds? Now that there was light he felt more of the home invader he had unwittingly become. He wanted to run out of the house before someone saw him if it wasn’t for those damn birds. Waiting.
He took a peek between the blinds and saw more of them. They were like dark omens silhouetted on the setting sun.” So many ravens.”
“Caw!” One yelled right next to the window.
He felt a chill down his spine.
I'm not getting out that way. I guess there's only waiting now. Anxiously he looked towards the front door. I am so screwed if they come home.
Thinking he couldn't screw himself over more than he already had. He found the house's dryer and striped down tossing his wet clothes inside, and starting it.
He felt like a complete idiot. “Yup, this is worse.”
He sat there next to the machine watching his clothes spin, afraid of the owners walking in with him naked. Soon he found himself, zoning out into a half-dazed state.
#
The sound of heavy breathing next to his ear and the feeling of something rubbing over his wounds brought him back to himself and he jumped. Startled, and expecting the owners to have come home and found him only for him to still be alone.
Was it a dream? He wondered. As his clothes were still spinning, with only a few minutes left on the dryer.
The sound of something hitting the floor above made him freeze. He was still essentially naked and didn't want anyone to see him like this.
“Hello?”
Thunk. Another stomp comes as an answer from above.
“I'm sorry I got attacked by the crows. I'll be out of your hair. I didn’t mean anything. I am sorry.” He apologized profusely as he pulled his clothes out of the dryer, and quickly dressed when he noticed the door to the laundry room open.
I know I closed that. He felt his heart drop. They probably already called the cops.
As he dressed he was surprised to find the clothes were still wet and cold. Great! There dryer must have been broken.
Cursing his luck he put on the damp clothing, the cold wetness burning the cuts on his skin. Ignoring the burning he carefully made his way left the laundry room, and headed to the front door. Ready to risk the birds. He shouted once more “Sorry again.” Before opening the door.
Only to be greeted by a fog so thick he couldn't see the ground, but he could see the thousands of glimmering eyes of birds staring at him. Silent. That more than anything made him want to find a bed to hide under.
Slowly he closed the door and collapsed on the floor.
What am I going to do?
Footsteps sounded from the stairs by the door. The man had a good view of the steps when he saw the mist creep down the stairs, “sssss” a hissing sound came, and something just beyond the fog. A shape creeping through, formless and undulating.
“Fuck this!”
He ran for the door. Only to find the handle gone.
“Shit shit!”
He tried the window next or attempted as to only to find all the windows gone. All the while the vapor slid over his feet and seemed to climb his body crawling over him. The hiss grew ever louder.
“No. No.” His heart was beating out of his chest as he ran through the house looking for escape. The cloud chased him all the while, filling the entirety of the house from within.
His breathing was becoming short and fast. He needed to get out. He needed to leave. He kept moving, now throwing furniture at the cloud. It only dispersed it for a second before reforming.
He made it all the way into the empty garage, the door again missing a handle but... The garage door itself?
If he was thinking rationally he would never have tried it. With everything going on, there was no reason for it to work, but he hit the button for the garage door and it began to lift.
“Yes!!”
It moved so slowly, and he could see the outside world still filled with birds. He didn't care. He could survive birds. But whatever that was...
He ran for the door just as the vapor entered the room he slid under the door. And stood readying himself to run. Only to find something wrapped around his ankle.
“Ahhhhhh! He screamed as he was dragged back into the house. Only the birds witnesses to his plight.