Chapter Three

'Should I skip school? Or not?'

Ren awoke to the harsh realization that he had overslept, the morning sun glaring accusingly through the blinds. He lay in bed, torn between the temptation to drift back into slumber and the nagging guilt of missing school. With a resigned sigh, he succumbed to fatigue, surrendering himself to a few more hours of rest.

Emerging from his impromptu nap, Ren felt the weight of lethargy clinging to his limbs. Drawing back the blinds, he was startled to find the sun already dipping towards the horizon, casting long shadows across his room. How had he slept through the entire day? He forced himself to remain calm, his mind racing with thoughts of the missed lessons and looming test.

Determined to salvage what remained of the day, Ren laced up his running shoes and hit the pavement. As he jogged along the familiar route, his thoughts churned with apprehension and uncertainty. It was during this solitary pursuit that fate intervened in the form of a small, unexpected obstacle.

With a sharp cry of surprise, Ren stumbled over an object lying in his path. Peering down, he discovered a delicate egg, its shell shimmering in the fading light. Moved by a sudden impulse, he attempted to crush it underfoot, only to find a dent in the road.

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'What the Fuck...Just how hard is this thing?'

Intrigued and bewildered, he carefully retrieved the egg, tucking it into his pocket to examine it closer when he had time.

Returning home, his muscles aching and his mind still reeling, Ren sought solace in the cleansing embrace of a hot shower. The water cascaded over him, washing away the sweat and grime of his exertions, yet failing to dispel the lingering unease that gnawed at his thoughts.

Half-dressed and deep in contemplation, Ren wandered into the living room, his gaze drifting to the calendar hanging on the wall. Tomorrow, he realized with a sinking feeling, marked the beginning of his dreaded exam period. With precious little time remaining to prepare, he knew he had to steel himself for the challenges ahead.

Exhausted and ravenous from his exertions, Ren stumbled into the kitchen, his mind already preoccupied with thoughts of the impending test. Rummaging through the sparse contents of his cupboards, he resigned himself to a simple meal of instant noodles before retiring to bed, his thoughts swirling with anticipation and trepidation for the days to come.

***

Ren's body hung suspended in the ether, a spectral angel, the very embodiment of his darkest nightmares, hovered ominously above him. With a chilling grace, she poised herself, her hands poised to seize his throat and choke the life from him. But instead of the expected violence, she spoke, her voice a whisper of warning before she plunged into the depths of his being.

A sound escaped his throat from the depth of his being, "Aaaaaghhh!"

The sound echoed, mingling with the rasp of his labored breaths, a symphony of torment.

In an instant, his chest erupted into a maelstrom of searing agony, as though molten fire coursed through his veins. Every nerve screamed in protest, his screams shattering the silence of the void around him, yet echoing unheard into the abyss. It was a torment beyond comprehension, a symphony of pain that threatened to consume him whole, leaving only the echoes of his suffering to reverberate through eternity.