"What the fuck was that?" he exclaimed, his head whipping around to locate the source.

Around him, people stepped out of their cars, craning their necks to see the small plume of smoke forming a few blocks away. Before anyone could react, a shockwave came barreling down the street. Jelani saw it coming, a visible distortion of light red energy in the air, and ducked low to the concrete before it passed overhead. The force of it shook the ground, shattering windows and setting off car alarms in a tumultuous wail.

Jelani pushed himself to his feet, his heart racing. He didn't know what the hell that was, but he knew it wasn't good. Time to finish up and get the fuck out of downtown.

"See, why does shit like this always have to happen when I'm trying to get work done," he muttered, brushing glass shards from his clothes.

As he reached for his bag of packages, a strange sensation prickled along his left side. Jelani turned, his eyes widening at the sight before him. In a nearby alley, a neon green vortex hung in the air, no more than a few feet wide and tall. He'd never seen one like it before – hell, he'd never even heard of a green vortex.

Jelani found himself transfixed, the world around him blurring as he focused on the swirling emerald energy. It felt... different. Almost like it was calling to him. Without realizing it, he took a step forward. The vortex pulsed, shifting into the shape of an eye for a split second before blinking out of existence.

Jelani stumbled backward, his mind reeling. "Yo!" he called out to a guy in a black sweatsuit and fitted cap standing next to a BMW. "Bro, did you just see that shit in the alley?"

The man looked at Jelani, annoyance clear on his face. "Nah, bruh. I don't know what you talking about. I'm trying to figure out what the fuck's going on up there. This shit crazy." His attention returned to the growing plume of smoke in the distance.

A chill ran down Jelani's spine. Every instinct he had was screaming that something was very, very wrong. It was time to go. He hopped back on the scooter, deciding it was best to get as far away from here as possible. The explosion had come from the east, and the rest of his deliveries were to the west. He'd be fine, he told himself, trying to quell the rising panic in his chest.

But his body betrayed him. His heart raced, and his hands shook slightly as he gripped the scooter's handlebars. “I'm good,” he thought. “I just have to keep my shit together”. The physiological response frustrated him deeply. He hated that circumstances beyond his control could affect him so viscerally.

"I should be adapted to all hell breaking loose by now," he thought bitterly, willing his hands to steady.

Jelani delivered a few packages on the tamer side of downtown, if it could even be called that, and was glad to be making decent progress. He was down to a quarter of his bag and made his way to a small boutique hotel occupying the corner of a block.

As he entered, he spotted a familiar face behind the front desk – Jowanna, a dark-skinned woman with a motherly air about her, sporting a curly wig with blonde highlights and a warm smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. She was a family friend, like a sister to his mom from their high school days.

"Hey, Aunty!" Jelani called out, injecting enthusiasm into his voice to mask his weariness.

Jowanna's face brightened, though a hint of sadness lingered in her gaze. "Wassup, Jay! Look at you working!"

Jelani couldn't help but grin. "Hardly," he replied with a nonchalant shrug, pulling out a few packages for her to sign.

As Jowanna processed the delivery, their conversation drifted to familiar territory. "So how is your momma and your father doing?" she asked, her tone carefully neutral.

"My momma’s doing good," Jelani said with a finality that hinted at unspoken complications.

Jowanna chuckled softly, recognizing the evasion. "And what about your father?"

Jelani sucked his teeth, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face. "I'm not messing with that man right now."

Jowanna sighed, her eyes softening with understanding. "You don't even need to explain. But trust me, whatever he said or did... He didn't mean it. He loves y'all."

Jelani looked up briefly, catching her mistake. Jowanna quickly backtracked, "Y-You. Or I mean. He loved y'all. Shit, you know what I mean." She laughed awkwardly, the shame of opening old wounds evident in her eyes.

Eager to change the subject, Jelani asked, "How you been doing though? Haven't seen you in a minute! You and momma are good, right?"

"Yes, of course, baby," Jowanna replied, her voice strained. "It's just been a lot going on... I don't know if she told you, but Amaya passed a few weeks ago."

"Shit! When?!" Jelani shouted, his composure slipping. Realizing his outburst, he lowered his voice. "My bad. Nah, she hasn't told me. I swear I saw Amaya the other day in Buckhead... I'm sorry for the loss."

Jowanna nodded, her eyes glistening. "Yeah... you know Amaya was messing with those big-headed YK5 boys who just awakened. They got into some fight and Amaya ended up caught in the scuffle. This shit makes me so-" She cut herself off, visibly struggling to maintain her composure.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

After a moment, she continued, her voice barely above a whisper. "I kept trying to tell her to stay away from those boys, but she would always say she 'needed to be around men with power.' All this vortex shit really shook her up these past few years. Like it did all of us, so I understand where she was coming from. She's grown, but I wish... I wish she would've listened to me."

An uncomfortable silence fell between them, both acutely aware of the weight of unspoken grief.

Desperate to change the subject, Jelani asked quietly, "Hey, you ever seen a vortex form in the shape of an eye?"

Jowanna blinked, thrown by the sudden shift. "No, baby. Can't say that I have. You tried googling it?"

Jelani shook his head, already regretting the clumsy attempt to lighten the mood. "Nah, I'll look into it later." He prepared to leave but paused, guilt washing over him. "I'm really sorry about your loss, Aunty. I know how hard it can be. I mean that for real. If you ever need me for anything, call me."

Jowanna's eyes welled up, and she turned away, dabbing at them with her shirt collar. "Thank you, baby," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "It's been so hard, but I'm glad there are still some good young men like you out there."

As they embraced, another explosion rang out in the distance. Phones throughout the hotel lobby buzzed with vortex break notifications. Panicked yells erupted from the street outside.

Jelani's blood ran cold as he realized they might end up boxed in. He rushed outside, his heart sinking as he saw crowds running in their direction. Another explosion sounded from the east, confirming his worst fears – they were caught in the middle of a nightmare scenario.

Jowanna appeared beside him, grabbing his arm. "Jay, baby, come back inside where it's safe! We got some radiants on staff who can make barriers so we can be safe in here."

But Jelani knew he couldn't stay. "I can't, Aunty. I got another shift later. I really can't afford to miss it."

"Boy, you need to prioritize your safety!" Jowanna insisted, her voice rising with concern.

Jelani met her gaze, his expression a mix of determination and resignation. "I hear you, Aunty. But I really can't afford it right now. I'm trying to save up towards some shit, and I've been helping my momma with some bills. They're saying this vortex stuff is starting to get worse, so we gotta figure something out soon."

Jowanna's shoulders sagged, recognizing the harsh reality of their situation. "I understand... Lord knows I do, baby. Just... be safe out there, you hear me?"

Jelani nodded, already pulling up his map app to find a route east. There was a slim chance he could navigate some side streets to avoid the worst of what was coming, but it would be close.

Without another word, Jelani left the hotel and hopped on his rented scooter and took off.

As he moved back east he quickly noticed the streets around him had descended into more chaos. Fires erupted from overturned cars, and evidence of radiant battles scarred the buildings – blast marks shaped like sword slashes and vehicles tossed into storefronts like discarded toys.

Behind him, the sounds of the vortex-spawned monsters gained on the fleeing crowd. Jelani's heart pounded in his ears as he weaved through the pandemonium. He did not want to be in range to find out what new vortex spawn had been sent to shatter their wills this time. Suddenly, a cry cut through the pandemonium around him.

"Yoo Help! Please, somebody help me!"

Jelani's head snapped towards the sound. On the sidewalk, pinned beneath a fallen light pole, was a young boy no older than eight with tears running down his face. He had a short messy fro and wore a black jersey and sweatpants, his face contorted in pain and fear as he struggled to free himself.

Every instinct told Jelani to keep going, to save himself. But something made him stop. The boy was alone – no parents, no friends in sight. Just a kid, abandoned in the face of unspeakable terror.

"That’s messed up," Jelani muttered, steering the scooter towards the trapped child. He knelt beside the boy, assessing the situation. The pole had fallen at an awkward angle, one end latched into a hole created from its fall in the side of a nearby building.

"What's your name bruh?" Jelani asked, trying to keep his voice calm.

"K-Kamari," the boy whimpered through gritted teeth.

Jelani felt like he'd been punched in the gut. Kamari – the same name as his brother. He pushed the shock aside, focusing on the task at hand.

“Where your people at? They didnt just leave you here did they?” Jelani asked quickly while trying to wave people down to help but to no avail.

“I was with my brother and his friends when we started hearing explosions and people started running. Everything was happening so fast and I tried to stay near them but then we got separated a-and this happened” Kamari responded exasperated.

"Alright, Kamari. We're gonna get you out of here, okay? But I need you to be strong for me. Can you do that?"

Kamari nodded, panic and bravery mixed in his face.

Jelani tried to lift the pole, but it was too heavy. He called out to passing people for help, but they ignored him, their faces masks of panic and self-preservation. The wave of monsters drew closer, their inhuman shrieks growing louder.

Time was running out. Jelani faced an impossible choice – leave the boy to die or stay and likely perish himself. Kamari seemed to sense his dilemma, his small hand grabbing Jelani's sleeve.

"Please," he begged. "Don't leave me here!"

At that moment, Jelani made his decision. He couldn't abandon this child, not when he wore his older brother's name like a cosmic joke. He grabbed a nearby metal bar, wedging it under the pole.

"Kamari, listen to me," Jelani said, his voice steady despite the fear coursing through him. "I'm going to roll this pole. It's gonna hurt, but it's the only way to get you free. You ready?"

The boy nodded, biting his lip.

"Okay. On three. One... two... three!"

Jelani heaved with all his might, muscles straining as he forced the pole to roll. Kamari screamed in pain, the sound tearing at Jelani's heart. But it worked – the boy was free.

Without hesitation, Jelani scooped Kamari onto his back. "We're getting out of here," he promised. "Hold on tight."

They took off on the scooter, Jelani's bag of packages abandoned on the street. He usually hated playing the hero role at the expense of himself but he couldn't justify leaving a kid behind for the sake of a job that wasn't offering him life changing money. As they sped east, the true extent of the Melee unfolded before them. A radiant battle raged at an intersection several blocks ahead.