The next time he opened his eyes, there was only dim illuminated ceiling by a pale blue light.

His previous easy breathing turned into frantic panting, the body trembled and scream of absolute pain echoed through his apartment, as all his muscle contracted in agony and arched his chest up.

Soon it turned into grunts, as he wriggled in pain, at the same time something was also making noise but was being drowned by its grunts. When he gritted his teeth he could hear;

“...e heartbeat out of sync; connecting to Support…;...; unable to find connections…”

This soft voice, repeated again and again, until it finally stopped the alarm as himself was trying to take his breathing back to normal, receded back to just ask if should ask for Support, a question that was ignored as before.

He stared at his left hand of in shock.It wasn’t the bloody torn muscle arm from before, it was a smooth and thin health arm, that moved its fingers in an odd manner and with great difficulty.

His eyes unfocused as if trying to look within, he gulped dry, his hand that was approaching his right eye, started to tremble again, and for many times he hesitated in continuing. When it finally touched his eyelids his face twitched unable to determine an expression, but there is fear in his eyes.

After that, as he checked his body for his other injury, he could only find a weak body of a young man, as young as the Swordsmen, but unscratched.Until there was nothing else but the only thing he had been hesitating in looking at, the very center of his chest.

Now with only his fingertips, as if was touching a soap bubble, refusing to make any real pressure, when anger flashed on his face and his pressed forth.

He hasn't noticed but he was holding his breath, that was relieved released as he found his heart beating in an uncontrollable and out of pace rapid manner, flashing once again the distant voice asking if should connect to Support.

This new resolve wasn’t enough to put an end to it, because the whole day passed and he didn’t dare to look behind his t-shirt, putting his work cloth over it.

When he leaves his house he put a polite smile on his face and tried to go to work, even if was going to be obscured by the gas mask. He moved in a robotic manner, for the whole day, gazing at something that wasn’t there, all his responses was only one word and there was any progress on his work, and his he constantly used his left hand to touch his chest.

The closer he got home faster his feet moved, on the last street before he was already running. He didn’t take the gas mask off that he usually leaves close to the door and pressing his chest he moved to his bedroom at the very back of the house, but without entering as he stared at his room and at its heart the strange machine that was towering over the rest of the furniture

A slick streamlined black coffin in slight inclined vertical position, almost touching the ceiling, with the only identification a white number 01 the crossing diagonally over it. On its back many cables and a rusted hydraulic out of place of this otherwise smooth machine.

In fact, if wasn’t the cables connecting to it, might as well be really a coffin for someone very tall. The rest of the room was a messy, with tools and screws dividing space with others miscellaneous objects and clothes.

seating on the edge of the pushed aside bad, he keeps typing his fingers in a wave manner as he stared at it. Was only when he gave a sigh and wanted to rest his head on his palm that he noticed the gas mask.

That he hurried took off, making his face reflected on the machine a little deformed by the dim light from outside. The face had a great resemblance with Mordread, but not many could make the connection, there is no strength on it and the short black hair hide most of the face making the black eyes almost covered by it.

In the end, he neither moved towards it or turned the lights on, before he sleeps he had waved his hand in front of one of a black line that runs in most of the rooms, a blue screen appeared and after a few commands a music started playing.

This night he slept like a log, without even listening what was the music.

The next time he opened his eyes, was that cold pale blue light painting in the world in shade of gray.

He keeps staring at the ceiling, the music had long stopped and the sound of his breathing was all that is left. When sudden the was invaded by strong white-yellow light followed by the loud noise of a train passing close by.

The lights danced around the room creating new shadows each time the light of the passenger window passed. He took a deep breathing and looked to the side, only to find the black coffin blocking most of the view, a bitter smile was there.

He gets up and moved once again his hand over another black line on the wall and the holographic scream showed once more. Now he didn’t need even to make any extra command, there was big red 5:17 showing.

Wasn’t long that he put his cheap suit, then his black and white jacket over it and his black gloves. After confirming the sleeve and cuffs are properly tied and walks away of the room with the old two filters gas mask but before he goes he takes a last look at the room.

The fog dim window still bathed everything in the gray-blue as the sound of the train become fainter. But the blurry shape of the bright warm colors could be seen in the distance. But after a second of hesitation, he reached for a broken black mirror and swift put in his pocket.

Passing the main room, he not even glanced at the only two pieces of furniture, a tucked back old battered couch and an expensive looking armchair in the center, that the thick layer of dust show that was never used.

He made a beeline for the brand new freezer that occupied most of the kitchen, but there was no handle to open it. He waited some seconds when a stream of text appeared in a small display that it hadn’t moved, was impossible to notice it exists on the black freezer as background.

< Connection Failed, all channels offline... loading manual mode>

The door opened alone but when he looked inside, there were just some condiments.

With a face of someone that chewed something bitter and visible tiredness, he put his mask, confirmed all his credentials as he turned an old key on the lock behind him.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

On his floor was most of the doors are opened, and when he glanced at one of them before taking the stairs, was an apartment that was at least 2 times bigger than his, however not a single furniture was there.

Walking right at the center of the main street, as a thin fog covered most of the things. If he wasn’t listening to a song as he walks he would have listened in the distance some mechanical sounds and maybe some other steps also echoing in the empty streets.

In the middle of it, the first sunlight reached the city, the dark mirrored glass of most of the skyscrapers around him was quick in reflect the green light back to the streets, as the sun rises in the sky.

furring his eyebrows he checked the timer on the corner of the visor of the mask.

<7:01>

then he looked back at the green-tinted light reflection that was shining right in his eyes.

And looked back at the timer again. and mumble:

“this…”

Taking out that cracked black mirror on his hand he pushed one of the small buttons on its side, without response.

Without batting an eye he started a quick ritual, that was while pressing all buttons and shack it. The phone came sudden to life.

but instead of shine the screen itself a holographic projector raised some inches over it, that from time to time liked.

the simples 3d lines are minimalistic and very close to a regular phone. The time was 7:01.

but even before the whole shape materialized he already clicked on a barely formed icon.