As Milo floated through the darkness of his mind, aimlessly wandering the dark depts of his sleep. Inside, the sensations he felt, he couldn't describe it. There was something about the way he floated, or the way he drifted about, that made him nauseous and dizzy. It was either that, or something else, something that made him react... weirdly.

Feeling the darkness creeping closer into him, Milo felt a sensation that seemed to nourish his whole body, filling it with vitality and vigor. It seemed vast and boundless, but he felt there was something missing. It didn't feel right.

Trying to look and feel further into the darkness, he finally felt something. Fear. It was an instinct that raged inside of him and almost made him succumb to its nature. Which wanted him to abandon everything and leave the darkness. But to this feeling also came another, one that clung on to him and dragged him down deeper into the abyss.

Feeling this force pull him down, he panicked. To him, it seemed like he was getting pulled underwater, further from the air he desperately needed to survive. Feeling his breath gone, he grasped in an upward motions on a last ditch effort that was ultimately fruitless. Milo's eyes started fogging up and now the ocean that engulfed him was a mirage of blue and black.

Closing his dark brown eyes, the water around him continued to numb his feelings and pull him further down. The cold feeling became overwhelming and immediately started gushing into his body as he plunged deeper and deeper. Filling his whole body, the cold energy rampaged around his body as he felt the same feeling when he used telekinesis.

That energy that didn't belong to his body, that cold and feral feel to it. The way it was crazed and savage, it scared him. Becuase it felt so unnatural and dangerous, Milo wondered why it was in his body in the first place? Did others have this strange 'power' in them too? He thoughts remained unanswered and silenced as his feet felt something.

Soft like cream, yet rock hard. Sand? As his feet fingers or toes or whatever those things were, scrunched together, Milo recognised the texture and feels. Was he at the bottom of the ocean? But where was the pressure? Then he felt it.

Protocol #16278...

Analysing connection...

Stabilising energies...

Energy compatibility (5%)...

"YOU! WHAT ARE YOU AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

Jolting upwards, strangely the first thing he saw was a chin? Anna? Getting up from her lap, wondering how he even got there in the first place, he looked around for the sound that woke him up. Seeing the annoying screens pop up in his face, he swiped his hand and made them disappear.

Finally discovering the sound and their weird get up, he observed what he was doing. Dressed in a bullet proof vest, Milo contemplated whether he a police officer or not with the way he carried himself. On his legs were a horrendous pair of jeans that seemed to be stuck to his thighs and made him look clown with its stripes. With his shoes, they were some Jordans? At least the man's got some style.

Beside his absurd outfit which was much worse than his closet disaster, he look quite young. But not that old as he looked like he was in his early twenties with his stuble facial hair and broad shoulders. A few years younger than Milo, but not by much with the air of immaturity around him. As Milo looked more at him, he was finally aware of the situation, or at least parts of it.

Looking at the sword pointed straight at him, he nervously replied as nice as possible. But Anna didn't like my attitude nicely by slapping me at the back of the head.

"Good morning to you too-ACK Don't slap me, I just woke up! Give me a break"

"Hmph!"

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"HMPH Don't try and act cute it's never really worked and Liam's all the way over there if you need him-ACK Really? That hurts you know, how would you feel if I hit you at the back of the head!"

"LIAM!" Like a knight in shining armor he appeared all concerned and defensive against the man with a sword and my threat against hitting his girlfriend. She has summoned her calvary, or her one devoted simp, but I can't fully blame that dude. She's a good person but for me, I don't really see it happening, you know? You just get that feeling.

"EEHUM! Sorry to interrupt, but this matter concerns the safety of everyone here. Who are you and state your business!" Pointing at himself, Milo looked puzzled at the man, which the man replied with an over aggressive "OF COURSE!"

"Ah, I'm Milo, what's up?"

"What are you doing here?" From his point of view, he could see a possible vein throbbing explosion, but it seemed like the guy had pretty hard skin.

"I'm here becuase of this whole thing going on. You know, these screens that give us powers but also the monsters outside. I came here to hide as well as these residents here" Milo gave an example of the powers by using telekinesis on a few pebbles on the ground. He then tried showing the monsters by morphing his hand into a goblin, well tried was the important part. The skill was too low leveled to morph into anything more complicated than a few curves and edges which made the presentation a bit awkward.

"You don't have to worry about the monster outside, I've already taken a fair few out. I don't think they'll be more soon anyway, but I have to ask you a question. What are you?" The sword in his hand then glinted red and made Milo's senses spike, that blade was dangerous.

"I think I might know what your talking about, I'll show you my skill. It makes me seem like a monster when I'm not visible to the person, but when they see me that effect vanishes. Here" Bringing up my monster aura skill screen, I pushed the screen towards the man who cautiously look at the description. Only after a few minutes did I hear an audible sigh of relief.

"Then I must apologise, I have woken you up only to be wrong. I very sorry to everyone as well, you can go back to sleep now" There was a few displeased groans from the crowd which made the man whince a little bit. As Milo laid down and ignored him, he caught one detail from the man once he left. He still looked at him very suspiciously, he didn't trust him.

Returning to his comfortable floor bed, which was just the dust on the ground, he found Anna stare at him weirdly. Only when Liam beckoned Anna to follow him to his side did she stop and smile at him, complying to every word. To be honest, Anna's always been like that, compliant and dependant. Milo worried for her.

Right now, the world is now a dangerous place. But that didn't mean it wasn't before, Anna was bullied a lot at school. For some reason, she was the target of the girls as she had caught the attention of one of the popular boys at their school. Anna at the time was very fragile, luckily she was there to support her but that wasn't nearly enough. Anna was still bullied constantly over the stupidest and pettiest reasons. How can you even blame a person for simply attracting a boy indirectly? Fucking stupid if you asked Milo.

Milo was one of the figures in Anna's life that made her change schools and find a more suitable one. Coincidentally she transferred over to Milo's school so he took care of a lot along with some of his friends. Liam was one of his many distant friends who liked Anna but didn't have the courage. That was until one day Liam confessed and Anna didn't know what to do. To be honest, Milo and his friends weren't ready either.

Becuase of his confession, Anna reluctantly accepted his feelings? Anna wasn't entirely clear of her feelings and Milo kinda knew. With the way she distanced herself slightly whenever Liam greeted her a bit too closely. When she would silently sigh and Milo would catch on. Why though? What made her accept the confession when it was going to end up like this?

Thinking back at how they always bantered, maybe it was simply a joke to Liam, but maybe it wasn't for Anna. Sighing, stress was building up in his body and he had to somehow release it. With these thoughts swirling around his head, he needed something to distract him or make him feel something different. Going out of the store back room, Milo searched for a weapon.

Looking in the item section, he found some chopping boards, some saucepans, even a frier. But eventually he found some knifes, abeit the very small ones that made Milo question what were they even used for in the kitchen? He also grabbed a lighter just cuz, you never know. As well as some food, he picked some canned beef and an apple. Everything was relatively fresh, but they were losing power and couldn't sustain most of the food if they aren't kept in a fridge.

Looking at his supplies, he opened the door slightly and peaked outside to take a look. Just like that man said, there was nothing outside or at least in the vicinity. Putting some canned food in his pockets, there was nothing to carry food or anything in the store. There was there was that small purse, but he was never going to wear that outside even though the world was ending.

Holding a knife in one hand and an apple in another, Milo set off into the unknown... streets that he currently lived in. It wasn't much of a journey but it did pump adrenaline through his veins and caused him to be excited. Today was the day he told himself, today.