Kalle’s hand rested on the ignition key to his car, its lights provided the only glamorous effect on a rather lackluster building. Coming here was routine. Physical health had become a prominent part of his life, even more so after having been given a proper reason to settle down. He turned the key and even as the vehicle fell silent; he sat for a few moments, the peace something he’d grown rather fond of. His thumb fiddled with the ring on his finger, turning his hand over and back. He admired its silver color, which complimented his pale skin. He'd only been given it a few nights before, as his fiancé said she thought it unfair that only she got to wear an engagement ring. A smile grew across Kalle's face, he knew that was only half the reason. She wanted to propose to Kalle as well, but he'd beaten her to the punch.

‘Kalle!’ he’s jolted from his trance. While he hadn’t brought anyone with him, running into fellow gym goers was a common occurrence. He wasn’t in any rush; whoever was inside could wait for just a few more moments. A pang of pain shot across his forehead, causing his head to spasm to one side as his eyes squeezed closed. "Kalle! I…you…it's" the words shot like needles through his head, so much pain for a sentence he couldn't even comprehend. As the voice trailed off, brief relief washed over him. His fingers found the door latch and in an instant, he had pushed himself up and out of his car. Kalle’s head raised towards the entrance, which he swore he’d parked closer to than he thought. Come to think of it, was he even looking in the right direction? Sure, the parking-lot was dimly lit, but nothing like this. As he tried to regain his bearings, his head lolled down towards his feet. His eyes refocused on the white laces of his otherwise mundane running shoes.

Just one step.

Kalle had felt this before, the feeling of standing up too fast. He stumbled, eyes still towards the ground. His vision darkened, his head spun, and he started to lose his footing. Kalle managed a few more steps, raising his head. His attention was strictly on the light coming from inside the gym. Usually, the sensation passes just as quickly as it comes...

‘KALLE!’

Thousands of needles pricked, no pried into his head, Kalle would have sworn that the pain had caused him to shut his eyes, but the light was getting even brighter, to such a degree where it was blinding. It felt like he was staring into the sun. His head throbbed and his eyes burned. He could feel his feet almost sinking into the ground. Was he falling? Kalle’s arms shot towards the ground in a desperate attempt to catch himself. He expected to meet the hard pavement. Instead, they met nothing. Kalle tried to fill his lungs, but even air eluded him. He flailed, grasping for something tangible. Frigid waves crashed over him, a cold that pierced through his skin down to his bones. The sensation crawled its way up his body before finally making it to Kalle’s head. His body went numb, his vision slowly faded to black, he drifted through a sea of nothing, no thoughts escaped, there was no sensation to be described. Kalle finally felt relief.

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"Somebody pleeease help me." - a stranger's voice was cut short by a dull thud and labored breathing.

"Sure is a shame. They sent two strong fellows like yourselves to put me in my place."

Another voice jockeyed for Kalle's attention,

"You're awfully cheery for a guy who turned our sector into a shithole,' the second voice scoffed.

He heard a weak chuckle,

"Definitely did better than your dumbass would've."

Kalle turned the corner, his gaze immediately focused on a man with long black hair rested up against a brick wall. The man's face was battered, a trail of blood ran down his lip, soaking into the stubble of his beard. Two other men stood over the stranger, both in sturdy work boots and roughly textured cargo pants. Kalle picked out a blue feathered earring on one mans ear, the other sported a dark leather jacket. The jacketed man gripped the stranger's collar and dragged him up the brick the wall, his other hand clenched into a fist.

"Yeah, right, no one even knows your name. What'd you make it to again, SEC178?"

The battered man flashed them a brilliant smile,

"do you honestly believe you'd even make it past the prelims?"

The thug's fist turned white at this remark, his accomplice sneered in disdain. Kalle's foot pivoted, and the gravel crumbled beneath him, his fist rocketed into the side of the jacketed man's head. Kalle met far less resistance than he had expected; and, with a crack, the thug's skull molded around his hand. The man fell to the ground, unbreathing.